BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This present invention relates generally to jewelry, and more particularly, to support mechanisms for attaching jewelry utilized to embellish a person's clothing such as pants, sweaters, or tops.
2. Brief Description of the Prior Art
For centuries people have decorated their bodies and clothing with ornaments and different types of jewelry. Traditionally, jewelry may directly attach to a person such as earrings attached by a clip or post type pins. Broaches and pins are also used to attach jewelry to clothing. Bracelets, necklaces, anklets, and rings are worn by the user to accessorize his or her person. Most of the jewelry used today such as broaches and pins are attached to clothing by puncturing the fabric which may cause permanent damage to the clothing item. It would be desirable if there were provided a method and apparatus to support jewelry to clothing without permanently altering or damaging the fabric and that supply secure support for the jewelry.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is provided in this application an apparatus which facilitates attachment of jewelry to clothing without regard to the type of garment that minimizes the damage to the underlying fabric. A jewelry clasp is provided which is inserted into a pocket of the clothing and has a support member that overhangs on the outside of the pocket for support to the pocket. The clasp has retainers that secures jewelry such as chains or beads to the clasp such that the jewelry may also overhang the pocket in a decorative manner. The overhanging support member may also have a decorative design. In an alternate embodiment the jewelry clasp with the support member may be completely inserted into the pocket with the attached jewelry overhanging the pocket of the garment in a decorative fashion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of pocket clasp incorporating the principles of this invention.
FIG. 2 is another perspective view of the pocket clasp incorporating the principles of this invention.
FIGS. 3
a, 3b, and 3c illustrate detailed views of the pocket clasp of FIG. 1.
FIGS. 4
a and 4b illustrate detailed views of the pocket clasp of FIG. 2.
FIG. 5 is a detailed view of the pocket clasp with multiple supporting members.
FIGS. 6
a, 6b, 6c, and 6d are a detailed view of the pocket clasp with tubular retaining members.
FIG. 7 is a detailed view of the pocket clasp with a retaining member that folds over the pocket.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to FIG. 1 there is shown a perspective view of pocket jewelry clasp that incorporates the principles of this invention. A pair of pants 10 having a pocket 12 has attached thereto a pocket clasp 14. The pocket clasp 14 is inserted into the pants pocket 12 such that a support member 16 overhangs the outside of the pocket. The upper section of the clasp 14 has retainers for supporting jewelry 15 such that the jewelry hangs on the outside of the pocket in a decorative fashion. In an alternate embodiment the jewelry clasp 14 with the support member 16 may be completely inserted into the pocket such that the jewelry hangs on the outside of the pocket to embellish the garment in a decorative fashion.
Referring to FIG. 2, there is shown a perspective view of pocket jewelry clasp 14 that is inserted into the pocket of a woman's blouse or top. In this embodiment the clasp in completed inserted into the pocket, however the jewelry overhangs the pocket in a similar fashion. The pocket clasp supports the jewelry 14 in a manner that does not damage the fabric.
FIGS. 3
a, 3b, and 3c illustrate a more detailed view of the jewelry clasp 14. The clasp 14 is generally comprised of a rectangular brass plate 18, although other metals and materials may be used for the plate. The shape of the clasp may also vary as shown in FIG. 3b. An aperture 20 in the plate forms the support member 16. The plate is disposed to be inserted into a garment pocket as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 with the support member 16 overhanging the outside of the pocket. The support member 16 maintains and secures the pocket of the garment between the pocket jewelry clasp 14 inserted inside the pocket and the supporting member 16 extending outside the pocket such that the upper section of the clasp 22 extends above the pocket. A retainer such as the apertures 24 are disposed to support jewelry such as chains or beads that overhang outside the pocket in a decorative manner. The support member 16 may also have decorative designs as shown at 26. The aperture 20 that forms the support member may be such that the support member 16 may have a decorative design as shown in FIG. 3c.
As shown in FIG. 4a the clasp may be configured such that the upper portion 22 has a decorative design. In this instance the upper portion of the clasp as bird's wing type decorative design, although the design of this portion may vary depending on the user's imagination. The apertures 24 are also shown for supporting jewelry items. FIG. 4b illustrates a decorative configuration wherein the apertures are replaced by multiple open hook configurations 28 to support jewelry items.
Referring to FIG. 5 there is shown an embodiment wherein the clasp 14 is configured with multiple support members 30 located at the upper portion of the clasp. Again apertures 24 are used to retain jewelry to the clasp 14. These support members are also formed by the apertures 32 wherein the support members are disposed to overhang the outside of the pocket. As previously described these members may be decorative in design depending on the user's imagination.
FIG. 6
a illustrates an embodiment wherein the clasp 14 has loop or tubular retainer for supporting jewelry such as chains or beads. The upper portion of the clash has open loops 34 to support the jewelry so that it hangs down in a decorative fashion from the pocket. FIG. 6b illustrates a tubular retainer 36 that extends the entire length of the pocket for supporting the jewelry. See also FIG. 6c wherein the clasp has multiple tubular retainers for supporting even more jewelry in a decorative fashion from the pocket. FIG. 6d illustrates a tubular retaining design that has an opening 38 in the tube for the jewelry clasp for chains or beads in those instances where the jewelry clasp is too large to fit through the tube.
FIG. 7 illustrates a pocket clasp 14 is inserted into the pants pocket wherein the jewelry support member 40 overhangs the outside of the pocket in such a fashion that the support member 40 becomes an additional decorative accessory. The overhanging support member 40 has retaining apertures or hooks 42 to support jewelry in a similar manner described herein. It may also have a hinge or other means that allows the member 40 fold over the pocket.
The pocket jewelry clasps described herein are disposed to be inserts into clothing pockets for support of jewelry accessories to clothing. However, those skilled in the art may recognize this concept may be utilized in clothing manufacture by designing pockets with jewelry retainers such as the hooks and apertures described herein directly into the pocket material.
The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.
Patent Application
20070261209
