TRANSFORMATIONAL ACCESSORY SYSTEM

Abstract

An exemplary system and method of transforming an accessory from a first figure to a second figure involves rotating a first component about a first post coupled to a stem from a first position to a second position, rotating a second component about a second post coupled to the stem from a first position to a second position, and then forming a first figure or a second figure based on the frictional engagement between a post in the stem and one or more of the first component and the second component.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to accessories in the forms of rings, necklaces, bracelets, and the like, that have multivarious forms that are attainable through movement of their parts.

BACKGROUND

In typical jewelry, the user must choose one form with one type of design to the exclusion of others. Alternatively, a user can have multiple designs for their accessories, but will have to wear the accessories simultaneously.

Accessories to be worn are small in size and leave very little room for manipulation in a way that does not make the accessory large, unattractive, or otherwise difficult to manipulate. Thus, users tend to stay away from jewelry that involves a great deal of effort or is cumbersome to wear due to mechanical parts.

Most accessories with mechanical attachments that are worn, such as lockets, tend to keep the mechanical hinges away from the user to avoid unwanted repeated contact while the user and the accessory move with respect to one another during routine activities (e.g., walking, sitting, eating). Placing moving or mechanical joints in contact with the skin of a user is typically avoided to make the jewelry more pleasant to wear. Consequently, hinges other than those that rotate in a plane that is parallel to the user's skin are preferred because the axis of rotation is never targeted at the user's skin (e.g., chest, arms, ankles, wrists, or fingers).

SUMMARY

An exemplary wearable accessory may comprise a first component and a second component, wherein each of the first component and the second component may have a plurality of ports on a surface thereon and at least one conduit therethrough. An exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise a stem interconnecting the first component to the second component via their conduits so that a prong coupled to the stem may frictionally engage the plurality of ports of the first component and another prong coupled to the stem may frictionally engage the plurality of ports of the second component. The exemplary wearable accessory may be further configured to form a first figure by rotation of the first component and the second component so that a first set of ports are frictionally engaged to the prong and configured to form a second figure by rotation of the first and second component so that a second set of ports are frictionally engaged to the prong.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise at least one bearing disposed in the at least one conduit.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise a groove interconnecting the plurality of ports.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise a ridge in the interconnection between the groove and at least one of the plurality of ports.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise a plurality of ridges in the interconnection between the groove and the plurality of ports.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise at least one structure to hold the wearable accessory to a user.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may further comprise a post for each conduit, wherein the post is held in place by a foot of the stem.

An exemplary method of transforming a wearable accessory from a first figure to a second figure may comprise the steps of rotating a first component about a first post coupled to a stem from a first component first position to a first component second position, rotating a second component about a second post coupled to the stem from a second component first position to a second component second position, and then forming a first figure or a second figure based on the frictional engagement between a post in the stem and one or more of the first component and the second component.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that either the first figure or the second figure resembles a winged creature.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that the first figure or the second figure is heart shaped.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that the first figure has an opening through its center formed by an abutment of the first component and the second component.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that the second figure does not have an opening through its center formed by a different abutment of the first component and the second component.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that the prong is spherical.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that the stem comprises a formed metal.

In addition to the previously described embodiment and/or as an alternative to any other described exemplary embodiment, an exemplary wearable accessory may be configured such that the post is removable from the foot.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 illustrates a front view of an exemplary transformational accessory in a first embodiment.

FIG. 2 illustrates a front view of a portion of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIGS. 3-5 illustrate isometric, top, and bottom views of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 illustrates an exemplary side profile view of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3-5.

FIG. 6A illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional view of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3-6 along line A-A in FIG. 6.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exemplary exploded isometric view of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3-6, and 6A.

FIGS. 8A-D illustrate front, top, bottom, and isometric views of an exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in a second embodiment that transforms from the embodiment depicted in FIGS. 1, 3-6, and 6A.

FIG. 9 illustrates an exemplary side profile view of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIGS. 8A-D.

FIG. 9A illustrates an exemplary cross-sectional view of the exemplary transformational accessory illustrated in FIGS. 8A-D and 9 along line A-A in FIG. 9.

In the drawings like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different and interchangeable and interrelated figures. Parts and components of each figure may be substitutes for other components in other figures to achieve the various methods and embodiments disclosed herein. Methods and protocols disclosed in any embodiment may be run in any order so as to affect their disclosed goals and/or enable performance of the systems as described. Additionally, any one embodiment may utilize any method or protocol described and in any portions, sequences, and combinations thereof.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring to FIGS. 1, 3-6, and 6A, an exemplary transformational accessory 100 may be in a first configuration comprised of two components 10 and 11 interconnected by a stem system 20. As may be understood from the aforementioned illustrations, accessory 100 in a first configuration may appear as a butterfly, but accessory 100 is not so limited. Rather, those skilled in the art may appreciate that accessory 100 may take on any form that involves components 10 and 11 being rotated about the stem system 20 to achieve said form. In an exemplary embodiment, component 10 may be of a design that is a mirror reflection of the design of component 11, e.g., mirrored about a line running from the top to the bottom of stem system 20.

Component 10 may have an outline region 5 that encases a section 4 therein. An exemplary region 5 may have one or more undulations or curved features 3 and a tip or vertex 1 that is substantially opposite a bottom contour 2. An exemplary section 4 may be either open or closed, filled with ornaments, decorated, painted, or be of any form or variety depending on circumstances. Each component 10 may have a conduit 6 for passing one or more other components of stem system 20 therethrough. As may be better viewed in FIG. 7, exemplary posts 26 may be housed within conduit 6 via a bearing 30 or in flush contact, whichever is preferred.

In an exemplary embodiment, outline region 5 may contain a groove path 8 that ends in either an outer port 7 or an inner port 9, each of which may be separated from the groove path 8 via ridge 7A or 9A, respectively. An exemplary outer port 7 and/or inner port 9 may be configured to frictionally fit a prong 24 formed in the stem system 20. Prong 24 may extend outwardly from a body portion 23 of the stem system 20. Extending upwardly from body portion 23 may be one or more arms 21 that either integrate into or interconnect via a link 22. The prong 24, body 23, arms 21 and links 22 of an exemplary stem system 20 may be used to interconnect the jewelry assemblies 100 and/or 200 described herein to other components designed to adorn a user, such as, for example, a necklace chain, a ring, a bracelet, an earing mount, sunglass arms, or other forms and features that hold objects to the body part of a user.

As may be further understood with reference to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7, an exemplary stem system 20 may further comprise feet 25 having interior surfaces 27 for the welding and/or mechanical/chemical attachment of posts 26 thereto. In an exemplary embodiment, each foot 25 may rotatably interconnect the component 10 and/or 11 as the case may be to the stem system 20 so as to allow the grooves 8 to glide against prong 24 up and until the prong 24 becomes friction-fitted within one of the ports 7 or 9. As may be understood with reference to FIG. 6A, an exemplary embodiment of a jewelry assembly 100 may have the prong 24 disposed in the inner ports 9 of each of components 10 and 11, to allow the tip 1 to be disposed above the post 26 between each foot 25 and the bottom 2 disposed below the post 26 of between each foot 25.

With reference to the illustrative embodiments of a jewelry assembly 200 depicted in FIGS. 8A-D, 9, and 9A, an exemplary assembly 200 may be configured so that the bottom 2 of each component 10/11 is disposed above the post 26 between feet 25 of stem system 20 while tip 1 is disposed below post 26 between feet 25 of stem system 20. According to these illustrative embodiments, an exemplary jewelry assembly 200 may have the prong 24 disposed within the port 7 of an exemplary component 10/11 to frictionally hold the tips 1 of each component proximal to one another, and in certain scenarios, abutting on each other (as illustrated in FIG. 9A). In such configurations, a combination of tip 1, bottom 2, undulation 3, section 4, and region 5 may combine to form a new figure from the two components 10/11, and include a new structure 40 made by the combination of components 10/11, such as, for example, a diamond-like hole. Those skilled in the art may consider any variety of shapes and structures have two portions that may be rotated about parallel axes and cause two different forms to be made (e.g., wings of a butterfly and heart, wings of a bat and a broken heart). While the illustrative embodiments show a butterfly and heart formation for assemblies 100 and 200, respectively, it should be understood that the systems disclosed herein are not limited to these forms and that all other permutations of the same are encompassed herein.

In all exemplary embodiments, the stem system 20 may be made of any metal and molded using known methods, e.g., lost wax casting processes, additive manufacturing (i.e., 3D printing), or print-to-cast methodologies. Additionally, exemplary posts 26 may be comprised of metal wire or cylinders, and in a preferred embodiment be 1.0 mm gold wire, which may be inserted through compatible holes in the feet 25 of an exemplary stem system 20 via welding (e.g., vibration welding and/or laser welding) or mechanical attachments (e.g., screwed into corresponding threaded holes in surfaces 27 of feet 25). Alternatively, any metal of the stem system 20 and/or posts 26 may be polished and/or surface cleaned before assembly/molding the same to the final accessory 100/200. Further alternatively, the material comprising the accessory 100/200 may match that of the structure (not shown) that holds the accessory 100/200 to the user (e.g., a 14K gold necklace would match a 14K stem system 20 and/or components 1 and/or 2).

Many further variations and modifications may suggest themselves to those skilled in art upon making reference to above disclosure and foregoing interrelated and interchangeable illustrative embodiments, which are given by way of example only, and are not intended to limit the scope and spirit of the interrelated embodiments of the invention described herein.

Claims

1. A wearable accessory, comprising: a first component and a second component, each of the first component and the second component having a plurality of ports and at least one conduit therethrough;a stem interconnecting the first component to the second component via the at least conduit in each, the stem further comprising a prong for frictionally engaging the plurality of ports of the first component and a prong for frictionally engaging the plurality of ports of the second component,wherein the accessory is configured to form a first figure by rotation of the first component and the second component so that a first set of ports are frictionally engaged to the prong and configured to form a second figure by rotation of the first and second component so that a second set of ports are frictionally engaged to the prong,wherein the first set of ports and the second set of ports are unique combinations made from the plurality of ports.

2. The wearable accessory of claim 1, further comprising at least one bearing disposed in the at least one conduit.

3. The wearable accessory of claim 1, further comprising a groove interconnecting the plurality of ports.

4. The wearable accessory of claim 3, further comprising a ridge in the interconnection between the groove and at least one of the plurality of ports.

5. The wearable accessory of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of ridges in the interconnection between the groove and the plurality of ports.

6. The wearable accessory of claim 1, further comprising at least one structure to hold the wearable accessory to a user.

7. The wearable accessory of claim 1, wherein either the first figure or the second figure is a winged creature.

8. The wearable accessory of claim 1, wherein either the first figure or the second figure is heart shaped.

9. The wearable accessory of claim 1, wherein the first figure has an opening through its center formed by an abutment of the first component and the second component.

10. The wearable accessory of claim 9, wherein the second figure does not have an opening through its center formed by a different abutment of the first component and the second component.

11. The wearable accessory of claim 1, wherein the prong is spherical.

12. The wearable accessory of claim 1, wherein the stem comprises a formed metal.

13. The wearable accessory of claim 1, further comprising a post for each conduit, wherein the post is held in place by a foot of the stem.

14. The wearable accessory of claim 13, wherein the post is removable from the foot.

15. A method of transforming a wearable accessory from a first figure to a second figure, the method comprising the steps of: rotating a first component about a first post coupled to a stem from a first component first position to a first component second position;rotating a second component about a second post coupled to the stem from a second component first position to a second component second position,wherein the first component in the first component first position and the second component in the second component first position are frictionally held in place by the stem to form the first figure and the first component in the first component second position and the second component in the second component second position are frictionally held in place by the stem to form the second figure.