Patent Application
20050193766
This invention relates to jewelry and other objects such as bijouterie, keys, key chains and souvenirs, and more specifically relates to the viewing of markings therein.
Engraving of jewelry is probably as old as jewelry itself. A typical engraving might include a date, a name or some sentimental message. The types of jewelry that have been traditionally engraved are varied, and include jewelry crafted from precious metals, such as gold, platinum and silver. The advent of lasers has increased the types of jewelry that can be engraved. For example, laser inscription can be performed on hard gemstones, such as diamonds.
Engraving can be divided into two categories: 1) macroscopic engraving, which can be read with the naked eye, and 2) microscopic engraving, which cannot be read with the naked eye, but which, instead, requires a loupe, or some other type of magnifying device to be legible. Laser diamond inscription can be done on the girdle of a diamond and is often microscopic, for example.
Both types of engraving have associated drawbacks. In macroscopic engraving, the larger size of the type required to make the inscription legible limits the amount of markings that can be included. In microscopic engraving, on the other hand, the inscription is smaller and therefore more markings can be included; however, the drawback is that a magnifying device, such as a loupe or microscope is required to read the inscription. Because carrying such a magnifying device, whenever the engraved jewelry is worn, is often not practical, microscopic engravings can only be read at selected locations having such devices.
To address the aforementioned drawbacks of engraved jewelry, the present invention teaches the use of a magnifying lens affixed to the piece of jewelry to view markings or information. Thus, the inscription can be made microscopic to store more information, and legible by viewing the inscription through the lens, which can be affixed to the piece of jewelry
In particular, described herein is a piece of jewelry comprising a medium that includes markings, and a lens positioned relative to the medium to allow the lens to magnify the markings for viewing. The medium can include transparent materials, such as plastics, glass or gemstones. The markings can appear on the surface of such media, or within such media, where appropriate.
In one embodiment the piece of jewelry includes a sufficiently transparent portion as the main constituent. For example, the piece of jewelry could be a cylindrically shaped glass earring, but having one end fashioned into a lens for viewing markings at another end. In this embodiment, the lens forms an integral part of the transparent portion and need not be affixed to the piece of jewelry with any affixing means.
In a different embodiment, the lens is affixed to the a part of the piece of jewelry using glue, clips, clamps or a cavity in which to insert the lens.
Also described herein is a method for viewing markings stored in a piece of jewelry. The method includes providing a lens in the piece of jewelry to allow the lens to magnify the markings for viewing.
The scope of the present invention includes a generalization of the above to include method or system for conveying information. The system includes an object containing markings for conveying information, the markings being of a size that make the markings difficult to discern with an unaided eye. The system further includes and a magnifying lens affixed to the object so that the markings are discernible when viewed with the magnifying lens, wherein the distance between the lens and the markings remains substantially constant or wherein the lens can be translated with respect to the medium to position the lens in a proper position for viewing the markings. The objects can include jewelry, bijouterie, keys, key chains and souvenirs
FIGS. 2A-C show one embodiment of the present invention in which the piece of jewelry of
As used herein, jewelry means an item that can be worn that has a significant ornamental and/or esthetic value. Thus, jewelry can include a brooch, a pendant, eyeglasses, a belt buckle, a ring, an earring, a locket, a bracelet, a key chain, a watch, a headband and a hair barrette.
The medium 14 is used for storing the markings, and the lens 16 is used for magnifying the markings to thereby make the pattern intelligible to a viewer. The recording device 18, such as a laser, can record the markings on the medium by, for example, laser inscription, as known to those of ordinary skill in the art. It should be understood that other methods of engraving are possible, such as engraving with an electron beam.
The markings can be covered with an optional protective cover 19 to protect the markings that are stored in the medium. Such a protective cover 19 can shield the markings to prevent scratches, dirt, mud, etc. In a preferred embodiment, the protective cover 19 is transparent to allow the markings to be viewed, and can be made from glass, for example. In a different embodiment, the protective cover 19 need not be transparent, but might instead include a hinged door that could be opened to expose the markings for viewing.
The word “markings” is used herein in a general sense and can include symbols, numbers and letters. The markings can include personal information, such as a name, a date of birth, an address, an emergency contact telephone, an emergency contact person, a health card number, a bank card number, a social security number, a pin number, a password, a username, a passport number, a clothes size and an anniversary date. The markings can also include medical information, such as a blood group type, a rhesus factor, an allergy, a disease and a medication currently being taken by the wearer of the piece of jeweler. The markings can also include general information, such as a security phone number, an address, an aphorism, a poem, a formula and a portrait or other type of picture, such as may appear on a tattoo, for example. The markings need not be man-made. Thus, the markings may be a natural structure, such as a crack, spot, fracture or other imperfection on a gemstone, for example. The markings can be two or three-dimensional.
In one embodiment, the markings are formed with pixels and the dimension of the numbers, letters or symbols formed therefrom is about 1 μm to 1 mm, which would make the markings unintelligible with the naked eye. The lens 16 is used for magnification to make the markings intelligible to a viewer.
The medium in or on which the markings can be included includes substantially transparent materials such as gemstones, glass and plastics. In addition, the medium can include non-transparent materials. For example, the recording device 18 can inscribe a message on a gold ring, which message is too small to be easily viewed, or viewed at all with the naked eye. In this latter example, the medium is the surface of the gold ring. As described in more detail below, the inclusion of a magnifying lens 14 into the ring can permit a viewer to read the message. In this way, more markings can be inscribed on the ring since the text used can be smaller.
The recording device 18 can use one of several messages to produce the message on or in the medium. For example, as mentioned above, the recording device 18 can include a laser for engraving the markings on a surface of the medium.
The recording device 18 can also produce the markings in the interior of the medium. For example, in the case where the medium is diamond, methods are known for internally inscribing a message in the diamond. These methods include internal laser drilling and ion implantation, as known to those of ordinary skill.
For example, in internal laser drilling, an inscription can be placed on an internal fracture, which is itself surrounded by other small internal fractures. Colored lines extending along the length of these other small internal fractures in the same area have black lines extending along their length can be produced to help write the inscription.
In a second example, in ion implantation, also known as doping, energetic ions are introduced into a solid. By bombarding a diamond, for example, with either argon or boron atoms, one can create “marks” inside the stone. The marks are actually slight deformations in the crystal lattice that scatter light, and thus they tend to show up as thin white lines. In this method, the depth of the inscription can be made uniform, and can be suspended a uniform distance below the surface (a few tenths of a millimeter). This can be achieved by controlling the energy of a beam of ions of a particular size.
The lens 16 is a magnifying lens to enlarge the markings for viewing. As known to those of ordinary skill, such a lens can be obtained with the use of a converging lens where the focal length, f, of the lens is greater than the distance, s, of the lens to the markings. Such a lens produces an erect, enlarged and virtual image of the markings. Another example of lens 16 that can be used in the present invention is a converging lens where f>s, which yields an inverted, enlarged and real image of the markings.
In some embodiments, the distance between the lens and the markings remains substantially fixed; in other words, during the normal, useable life of the piece of jewelry, the distance between the center of the lens and the markings does not change substantially. (It is contemplated that in some embodiments the lens and/or the medium containing the markings might move slightly, as might occur if the lens 16 and/or medium 14 jiggle in the lens cavity 34 or the medium cavity, respectively. It is also contemplated that the lens and/or medium might rotate about the dashed vertical axis shown; in such case, the center of the lens and the markings would not change substantially.) Advantageously, having this distance remain substantially constant obviates the need to manually, or otherwise, position the lens to obtain proper magnification. In addition to this convenience, by not including mechanisms that would be required to effect a change in this distance, the integrity of the piece of jewelry is more easily maintained. Time consuming and/or expensive repairs that might have to otherwise be performed on such mechanisms are avoided.
The lens 16 is affixed to the rest of the piece of jewelry in such a manner as to allow the lens to remain affixed to the rest of the piece of jewelry while the latter is worn. In a preferred embodiment, the lens remains affixed to the rest of the piece of jewelry during the normal, useable life of the piece of jewelry, removals for repair and other “abnormal periods” notwithstanding.
FIGS. 2A-C show one embodiment of the present invention in which the piece of jewelry of
In the illustrated embodiment, the medium 14 is a glass material on which is inscribed markings 17, viz., a name, date of birth and blood type. The inscription 17 can be produced with a recording device 18, such as a laser. The ring includes a medium cavity 32, in which the medium 14 is disposed, and a lens cavity 34, in which the lens 16 is disposed.
Several methods exist to affix the medium 14 and the lens 16 to the piece of jewelry 12. These methods include gluing with a paste or glue (for example, adhesive glue), welding, drilling of cavities and preparing slots for the lens, which can then be fastened with prongs.
The lens 16 is disposed opposite the medium 14. A viewer can look through the lens 16 and see the markings in magnification. Conveniently, there is no need to separately carry loupes, or other magnifying devices, to view the markings.
The lens 64 magnifies the markings 66 to thereby make the markings 66 intelligible to a viewer. Since the lens 64 is formed from a sufficiently transparent portion of the piece of jewelry, the portion should have the requisite shape to serve as the lens 64. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the piece of jewelry includes a spherical portion with one end of the sphere cut off, and at whose face the markings 66 can be inscribed. Moreover, the portion should be sufficiently transparent to allow the markings 66 to be read.
As described above, the markings 66 can include various patterns, such as letters, numbers, and pictures. The markings 66 can be inscribed on the surface or within the piece of jewelry.
In one embodiment, the lens 84, the body 83 and the material 88 at the end 90 can all be one solid piece. In particular, as described above with reference to
The first lens medium 204 functions as both a lens and a medium on which to include a first set of markings, such as an inscription. Similarly, the second lens medium 208 functions as both a lens and a medium on which to include a second set of markings. In particular, a person can read the second set of markings on the second lens medium 208 by viewing the markings through the first lens medium 204. Similarly, a person can read the first set of markings on the first lens medium 204 by viewing the markings through the second lens medium 208. In this embodiment of the tube 200, the lens media 204 and 208 should be sufficiently transparent so as to allow viewing therethrough. The core of the body 202 can be hollow. Alternatively, the core can be constructed from a substantially transparent material.
Instead of a pendant, other types of jewelry, such as a watch, belt or eyeglasses, can be so constructed. In addition, key chains and key rings can also be provided with a cylindrical (or other appropriate shape), sufficiently transparent material. For example,
It should be understood that various modifications could be made to the embodiments described and illustrated herein, without departing from the present invention. For example, although examples have been presented involving rings and earrings, various other types of jewelry, such as pendants, necklaces, bracelets, brooches, belt buckles, souvenirs and pens, can be produced according to the principles of the present invention. In addition, other objects besides jewelry can be produced according to the principles of the present invention. Thus, any object can be used to convey information contained therein. In particular, markings can be included in the object, such as by engraving, stamping, etching, printing, writing, molding, casting, carving or otherwise marking the object. The markings are of a size that makes the markings difficult to discern with the unaided eye. Because of the small size, more information can be included. A magnifying lens is affixed to the object, such as in one of the ways described above, so that the markings are discernible when viewed with the magnifying lens.
For example,
Referring to
1/a+1b=1f,
where a,b,f are provided in
and depends on f. For the best resolution in practice, |b|=b0=25 cm. Therefore, according to the lens maker's formula, the distance between the lens 110 and the markings is given by:
a=b0/f+b0.
For example, if f<<b0, then the magnification constant is approximately given by k=b0/f.
If a simple spherical lens is used, then the “non-aberrated” field of view (FOV) is determined as follows:
θ=d/f=0.2,
where d is the diameter of the central area on the lens surface within which the aberrations are negligible. The maximum achievable number of pixels that comprise markings is
N=(θ/θd)2,
where θd=λ/d. N=(f/25λ)2 decreases quadratically with decreasing f.
For example, for f=12 mm and λ=0.6 μm, N=800×800 pixels. To image one letter or one digit, approximately 10×10 pixels are required. The letter or number requires sufficient space along the horizontal and vertical directions. Moreover, and additional 10×10+10×20 pixels are required. Thus, in this example, 20×20 pixels should be reserved for one letter. For f=12 mm, a maximum of 40×40 letters or digits can be included in the medium for magnification—for f=24 mm, N=80×80 letters, and for f=6 mm, N=20×20 letters.
In some embodiments, the distance between the lens and the markings is less than or equal to 30 mm.
In some embodiments, the lens may be placed into proper position for viewing the markings by one or more translations of the lens relative to the medium. For example,
Allowing the distance between the lens and the markings to vary by the above described translations permits persons of varying vision acuity (e.g., nearsighted or farsighted persons) to adjust this distance for appropriate viewing.
It should be understood that variations of the embodiments described above can be contemplated. The scope of the present invention is defined by the appended claims.
