Patent Grant
11583041
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to clasp used to secure jewelry such as necklaces and bracelets.
Clasps are used to secure rope or chain like jewelry around a person's neck, wrist, or ankle. Clasps, especially the common spring, lobster, and toggle clasps, are difficult to operate and require excellent dexterity. Elderly, young, and those with hand ailments often do not possess the dexterity or strength to operate clasps which results individuals unable to wear certain jewelry without the assistance of a second person.
The present invention is an improved method to secure a necklace or bracelet without the use of spring, magnet, or other mechanical apparatus. The present invention utilizes a female coupler on one end of the chain and a male coupler on the other end of the chain. The female coupler includes a shoot portion, a ridge portion, and a scoop portion. A first channel is positioned within the shoot portion and a second, narrow channel, is within the ridge portion and scoop portion. The male coupler comprises a stop, a shaft, and a buffer. The stop is generally perpendicular to the shaft and the shaft is a narrow “S” shape.
To connect the male coupler to the female coupler, the stop slides into the first channel within the shoot portion of a female coupler. The buffer prevents the male coupler from extending too far through the first channel. The stop is then slid within the second channel and rotated into position within scoop portion of the female coupler. The scoop portion secures the male coupler within the female coupler until a user forcibly rotates the stop to remove it from the scoop portion. The present invention only requires grasping of each of coupler and does not require squeezing any components. The invention may be coupled by a right hand dominant or left-hand dominant person.
As seen in
The first arm 40 and the second arm 140 are identical mirror images across plane P1 and comprise a top sidewall 41, 141, outer sidewall 42, 142, bottom sidewall 43, 143, and inner sidewall 44, 144 respectively. The first arm 40 and second arm 140 are generally parallel to plane P1 with each arm further comprising of a shoot portion 50, 150, a ridge portion 60, 160, and a scoop portion 70, 170. The inner wall 44 opposes the inner wall 144 across plane P1. A plane P2 is parallel to the X axis and Z axis, perpendicular to the Y axis, and extends from the apex 14 of the shoot portion 50, 150 and through the center of the ridge portion 60, 160.
The shoot portion 50, 150 comprises a connecting chain portion 51, 151, a jutting leg 52, 152, and a parallel leg 53, 153. The jutting leg 52, 152 extends from the rear merge point 12 laterally away from plane P1 and downward from plane P2. The parallel leg 53, 153 extends from the end of the jutting let 52, 152 and is parallel to plane P1 and plane P2. The connecting chain portions 51, 151 extend from each jutting leg 52, 152 and form a semicircle terminating at the terminal rear merge point 13. The connecting chain portions 51, 151 extend downward from plane P2. The apex 14 is formed at the juncture of the connecting chain portions 51, 151 and the jutting legs 52, 152. A hole is formed by the jutting legs 52, 152 and the connecting chain portions 51, 151. Rings, chains, ropes, or other lengthening devices may be connected to the hole between the terminal rear merge point 13 and the chain connecting portions 51, 151.
The angled rear wall 20 extends from and between the jutting legs 52, 152 generally at an angle similar to the jutting legs 52, 152 downward angle from plane P2. The angled rear wall 20, having a front surface 21 and a back surface 22, extends between and below each jutting leg 52, 152 and each parallel leg 53, 153. The front face 21 faces towards the ridge portions 60, 160. The front surface 21 of the angled rear wall 20 and the inner sidewall 44 and top sidewall 41 of the jutting legs 52, 152 are aligned to form a singular smooth surface. The angled rear wall 20 is thinner than the jutting legs 52, 152 resulting in a rear shoulder.
The ridge portions 60, 160 are generally cylindrical in shape with generally rounded sidewalls 61, 161, smooth flat ends 62, 162 and tapered ends 63, 163 opposing the smooth flat ends 62, 162. The smooth flat ends 62, 162 face each other and plane P1. The ridge portions 60, 160 extend from each of the parallel legs 53, 153 towards plane P1 and up through plane P2. The ridge portions 60, 160, and specifically the rounded sidewalls 61, 161, further comprise a catch 64, 164 that extends from the rounded sidewalls 61, 161 toward the terminal front merge point 11. The longest portion of the rounded sidewalls 61, 161 is adjacent to the parallel legs 53, 153 where the tapered ends 63, 163 narrow towards plane P1. The tapered ends 63, 163 and have indentions 65, 165. The first channel 15 is defined by the angled rear wall 20, the jutting legs 52, 152, the parallel legs 53, 153 and the rounded sidewalls 61, 161 of the ridge portions 60, 160. In the preferred embodiment, the width, as measured between the inner sidewalls 44, 144 of the parallel legs 53, 153, is longer than the length of the first channel 15 as defined by the distance between the rear angled wall 20 and the rounded sidewalls 61, 161 of the ridge portions 60, 160.
The scoop portions 70, 170 comprise an inner sidewall 71, 171, a top sidewall 72, 172, a bottom sidewall 73, 173, and an outer sidewall 74, 174. The scoop portion 70, 170 extends from under the catch 64, 164 of the ridge portion 60, 160, down from plane P2, and curves up towards and through plane P2, and ultimately back towards the ridge portions 60, 160 forming a scoop. The scoop portions 70, 170 of the arms 40, 140 connect at the terminal front merge point 11. The inner sidewalls 71, 171 are uniform with the smooth flat ends 62, 162 and parallel to plane P1. The second channel 16 is connected to the first channel 15 and shaped by the flat ends 62, 162 of the ridge portions 60, 160, the inner sidewalls 71, 171 of the scoop portions 70, 170, and the terminal front merge point 11. A scoop opening 17 is formed between the front merge point 11 and the catches 64, 164 of the ridge portions 60, 160. The scoop opening 17 leads into the male coupler receiver 18. The male coupler receiver 18 is a space shaped to receive the stop 210 of the male coupler 200. The male coupler receiver 18 is defined by the catches 64, 164, the top sidewalls 72, 172, and terminal front merge point 11 which combine to form an elliptical cylindrical space. In the preferred embodiment, the width of the second channel 16, as measured between the smooth flat ends 62, 162 and between the inner sidewalls 71, 171, is uniform.
In the preferred embodiment, the female coupler 10 is integrally manufactured with the angled rear wall 20, first arm 40, and second arm 140 are solid, integral, and constructed of a metal.
As seen in
A first shaft 220, having a generally elliptical cylindrical shape, extends from the sidewall 214 at the midpoint of the width 213 of the stop 210. The major axis is parallel to plane P3 whereas the minor axis is perpendicular to plane P3. At the juncture of the first shaft 220 and the stop 210, the major axis of the first shaft 220 is parallel to plane P3 and the minor axis of the shaft 220 is parallel to plane P4. The first shaft 220 extends parallel to plane P4 before extending at a slight downward angle from plane P4. In one embodiment, the downward angle is approximately 20 degrees from plane P4. The marker 219 and portion 218 as discussed supra, are on the opposite sides of plane P3 as compared to the downward angle of the first shaft 220. The length of the minor axis of the first shaft 220 is smaller than the width of the second channel 15. The length of the first shaft 220 is greater than the height of the ridge portions 60, 160.
The first shaft 220 terminates at a buffer 230. The buffer 230 is a disc having a sidewall 231, a front face 232, and back face 233. The buffer is angled relative to the Y axis with the top portion 234 angled away from the stop 210 and the bottom portion 235 closer to the stop 210. The first shaft 220 terminates towards the bottom portion 235 of the buffer 230 as opposed to the center of the buffer 230. The diameter of the buffer 230 is greater than the width of the second channel 15.
A second shaft 240, having a generally cylindrical shape, extends from the back face 233 of the buffer 230. The second shaft 240 is generally aligned with the first shaft 220 as it relates to where the first shaft 220 terminates on the buffer 230. The second shaft 240 extends from the buffer 230 at approximately the same downward angle from the X axis as the first shaft 220 as it relates to where the first shaft 220 terminates on the buffer 230. The second shaft 240 then extends at an upward angle towards the X axis where it terminates into a ring connection point 250. As stated supra, the first shaft 220 has angle of approximately 20 degrees from plane P4 but other angles may be accommodated. The second shaft 240 has a similar angle of return before connecting to the to the ring connection point 250. The combination of the first shaft 220 and the second shaft 240 form a narrow “S”. Rings, chains, ropes, or other lengthening devices may be connected to the ring connection point 250.
In the preferred embodiment, the male coupler 200 is integrally manufactured with the stop 210, first shaft 220, buffer 230, second shaft 240 and ring connection point 250 are solid, integral, and constructed of a metal.
The method of coupling the male coupler 200 to the female coupler 10 is described in relation to
The male coupler 10 is then slid towards the scoop portions 70, 170 within the second channel 16. The stop 210 slides over the ridge portions 60, 160 where it slides across the rounded sidewalls 61, 161 and onto the inner sidewalls 71, 171 of the scoop portions 70, 171 and the male coupler receiver 18. The buffer 230 prevents the male coupler 200 from extending too far through the second channel 16. The male coupler 10 is then rotated within the second channel 16 with the ring connection point 250 rotating towards plane P2 and simultaneously pulled down through the second channel 16 into the male coupler receiver 18 until the stop 210 rests against the top sidewalls 71, 171 of the scoop portions 70, 170. The stop 210 fits rests with the scoop portions 70, 170 such that the male coupler 10 is generally parallel with the female coupler 10. The stop 210 may rotate towards or away from plane P2 within the scoop portions 70, 170. The catches 64, 164 help prevent accidental release of the stop 210 from within the scoop portions 70, 170. The “S” curvature of the first shaft 220 and second shaft 240 allow the joined slip clasp 1 to conform to the curvature of a user's wrist, ankle, or neck. The “S” curvature further helps prevent accidental release of the male coupler-200 as the curvature helps direct any movement of the stop 210 into the catches 64, 164 as opposed to out of the scoop opening 17.
To remove the male coupler 200 from the female coupler 10, the second shaft 240 is rotated away from plane P2 until the stop 210 may be pushed through the second channel 16 away from the catches 64, 164. The male coupler 200 is then pushed through the second channel 16 over the ridge portions 60, 160 toward the first channel 15. Once though the second channel 16, the male coupler 200 may be pulled through the first channel 15 with the rounded sidewalls 61, 161 and the angled rear wall 20 providing smooth surfaces to allow for easy release of the stop 210.
The description of the present invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the invention in the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention, the practical application, and to enable others of ordinary skill in the art to understand the invention for various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 63/211,346, filed Jun. 16, 2021, entitled Slip Clasp, which is incorporated by reference herein.
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1494610 | McGlashan | May 1924 | A |
| 3936914 | Mancini | Feb 1976 | A |
| 4502192 | Hess | Mar 1985 | A |
| 4524495 | Hess | Jun 1985 | A |
| 4539736 | Yokosuka | Sep 1985 | A |
| 4713864 | Hess | Dec 1987 | A |
| 4998330 | D'Amore, Jr. | Mar 1991 | A |
| 5774957 | Kohl | Jul 1998 | A |
| D418449 | Lawrence, Jr. | Jan 2000 | S |
| 6058576 | Harris | May 2000 | A |
| 6804868 | Fox | Oct 2004 | B2 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20220400817 A1 | Dec 2022 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63211346 | Jun 2021 | US |
