BACKGROUND
This disclosure relates to the field of storage and display of fine jewelry and more particularly to such storage and display capable of securing necklaces and bracelets in particular in a manner that is rigid and prevents scuffing and scratching of their surfaces.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is an example perspective view of an embodiment of the presently described apparatus in a folded arrangement;
FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof in an unfolded flat arrangement;
FIG. 3 is a plan view of an arrangement of snap-strips for holding necklaces and bracelets; and
FIG. 4 is partial broken section view according to cutting plane line 4-4 in FIG. 3.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
FIGS. 1-4 illustrate the presently described apparatus and method of its use. Fine jewelry is expensive and fragile. It must be stored in a manner that prevents scratching, scuffing, and other damage to surfaces. When it is necessary to move a collection of fine jewelry from place to place as in a portable fine jewelry holder the opportunity arises where such fine jewelry items may be damage. This typically may occur when one item rubs against or collides with an adjacent piece. Therefore, it is important to secure fine jewelry pieces to avoid movement when being stored or manipulated during opening and closing, and placing and moving of a necessary jewelry holder. This is especially true for necklaces and some bracelets which due to their pendulosity, tend to move by momentum forces and often scratch or scuff their own parts or parts of adjacent pieces.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, embodiments of the presently disclosed fine jewelry holder 10 is designed for securely holding fine jewelry pieces 95 in a secure manner. As shown in FIG. 1 fine jewelry holder 10 may have a flexible and foldable fabric base 15 such as a soft material which is easily folded for storage and for carrying from place to place, and may be held in the folded attitude by straps 16. As shown in FIG. 2 fabric base 15 may be unfolded and laid-out as shown preferably on a flat surface. Base 15 may comprise three or more sections, for instance sections I, II, and III in FIG. 2. Covers 17, also of a soft fabric material may be attached to base 15 as shown and may be laid over sections I and III so that jewelry pieces 95 in sections I and III do not contact jewelry pieces 95 in section II when sections I and III are folded over section II and when base 15 is further folded into a form such as shown in FIG. 1.
In one area of section I shown at the upper-left in FIG. 2, a jewelry holder, set “A,” which is specialized for necklaces and bracelets may be engaged with base 15. FIG. 3 shows set “A” enlarged. Set “A” may be made up of snap-strips which are well known in the sewing industry and may be provided by Prym Consumer USA, Inc. of Spartanburg, S.C. or other manufacturers. Snap-strips, in general, are narrow strips of flexible fabric with common snap fasteners attached in a linear sequence running along the fabric strip. The use of snap-strips has advantages which include the highly flexible fabric strips on which the snap fasteners are mounted and the fact that the fasteners are aligned on the strips with even intervals between the fasteners. Snap-strips are commonly used for fastening clothing such as at a blouse's neckline. Snap fasteners, as is well known, are made in male and female versions having either all male or all female fasteners. When a strip of male fasteners is sewn to one side of a garment, and a strip of female fasteners is sewn to the opposite side of the garment, the fasteners on both sides mutually align and the two sides of the garment can be secured together. This application is well known in industry. What is not known is the use of snap-strips for securing fine jewelry in the manner disclosed herein.
Referring again to FIG. 3, in embodiments, two male snap-strips 200 may be stitched to base 15 using stitches running around all edges of strips 200. This is critically important in that there may be significant forces applied to snap-strips 200 as will be described and as shown in FIG. 4. Snap-strips 200 are positioned in mutually parallel positions, as shown, and are set at 13 inches apart on centers of the snaps 210, but other spacing may used. Female snap-strips 300 are engaged with male snap-strips 200 as shown on the left and right in FIG. 3, that is, one end of the female snap-strips 300 is stitched under the male snap-strips 200 and each strip 300 is positioned orthogonal to strip 200 with each line of female snaps 211 aligned with a male snap 210 of the male strip 200. Stitches penetrate both layers of the snap-strips 200 and 300 as well as base 15.
Various necklaces have different lengths, wherein “length” is defined as the length of the necklace as laid out in a straight line. The vast majority of such necklaces are of standard lengths: 14″, 16″ 18″, 20″, and 24″. Therefore, these jewelry pieces are approximately 7″, 8″, 9″, 10″, and 12″ long when clasped as shown in FIG. 3. Of course there are other sizes of necklaces, but the present apparatus is adapted to best accommodate standard length necklaces, while other sizes will also be able to be mounted securely as well and in some cases, a necklace may be doubled or tripled in order to fit the present apparatus and method.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, it is shown that a necklace is secured between two opposing female snap-strips 211. This is accomplished by bending each female snap-strip back over itself and engaging a female snap 211 with its respective in-line male snap 210 as shown. Because the female snaps 211 are one-inch apart, there is ample space to position the portion of necklace 95 between snaps 211 so there is no metal-to-metal contact between snaps and jewelry. It should be noted that the female snaps 211 in FIG. 3 cannot be fastened to other female snaps 211 on the same snap-strip 300, but must be fastened to a male snap 210 on a respective male snap-strip 300. The distance between the opposing male snaps 210 in line with the female snap-strips 300 is 13″. For a 7″ long clasped necklace, 6″ must be taken up by opposing strips 300. To avoid metal-metal contact, one opposing strip 300 is doubled over by 2½″ and the other opposing strip by 3½″ for a total of 6″. For an 8″ long necklace, 5″ must be taken up by opposing strips 300, or 2½ on each side. For a 9″ long necklace, 4″ must be taken up by opposing strips 300, as for instance 1½″ on one side and ½″ on the opposing side. For a 10″ long necklace, 3″ must be taken up by opposing strips 300, or 1½″ on each side. For a 12″ long necklace, 1″ must be taken by opposing strips 300, or ½″ on each side. As shown, a very wide range of necklace lengths can be accommodated in this same manner because with an odd number of inches on one side and an even number of inches on the other side of a necklace, the necklace can always be fitted between adjacent snaps 211 on both sides.
In summary, it is clear that fine jewelry must be well secured. This is not possible with Velcro-type fastener material since it does not provide a strong and fixed secure hold, but rather tends to creep under the weight of heavy metal jewelry especially jewelry made of precious metals. Precious metal surfaces are easily scratched by Velcro-type material so that contact is not desirable. An improved fastener having a fixed holding position that is not easily undone by the weight of a jewelry article and which does not contact the jewelry article is highly desired. Such a fastener system is described and illustrated herein. This system is not obvious in light of the prior art because it uses snap-strips which are able to be folded back on themselves to form a loop that is fixed by joining snaps, and because such loops are able to be engaged with a jewelry item at opposing positions allowing a mild tension to be formed within the jewelry item so that it cannot loosen or pendulously sway during transport. This approach or any approach similar is not obvious from the combined prior art.
Embodiments of the subject apparatus and method have been described herein. Nevertheless, it will be understood that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and understanding of this disclosure. Accordingly, other embodiments and approaches are within the scope of the following claims.
Patent Grant
9326577
