BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1—Priority Claim and Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to jewelry and a pendant that allows for gemstones to lay flat, with some movement, yet not allowing for removal or flipping of the stone. It also may accommodate customization and incremental addition of gemstones at the time of assembly.
2—Description of Related Art
Prior art pendants generally hang from a chain and may turn or fall off. They are generally attached by a jump ring, which frequently open and may result in the loss of expensive gemstones. Still further, they turn and the bottom of the gemstone may be seen, as opposed to the top with the gemstone. Pstill further, it may be desirable to customize the color of gemstones, or move them around. For example, one user may want an emerald on either side of a diamond. Another wearer may want two diamonds on either side of a single emerald. The present invention allows for easy customization at the time of assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Aspects of the present invention provide a pendant apparatus that includes gemstones and is easily customizable.
One aspect of the present invention provides, a pendant comprising: an anchor portion having a top flat portion, bottom flat portion and connector between and substantially perpendicular to the top flat portion and the bottom flat portion, wherein the anchor portion has a first end and a second end; at least one gemstone holder having a first side portion with a first protrusion and a second side portion with a second protrusion, an opening between the first side portion and the second side portion, and a top portion in communication with the first side portion and the second side portion, wherein the anchor portion is received in the opening of each of the at least one gemstone holders to allow the gemstone holders to slide along the anchor portion; a first end rectangular support that is attached to a first end of the anchor portion; and a second end rectangular support that is attached to a second end of the anchor portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a top perspective view of the pendant as in the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a front view of the pendant as in the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of the pendant as in the present invention;
FIG. 4 is a side perspective view of the pendant as in the present invention;
FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of a bracelet pendant shape according to the present invention;
FIG. 6 is a top perspective view of a necklace pendant shape according to the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a horseshoe shape of a pendant according to the present invention.
FIG. 8 is an over-under shape of a pendant according to the present invention.
FIGS. 9-20 depict different shapes the gemstone holder may be.
FIG. 21 is a side view of the gemstone holder according to the present invention;
FIG. 22 is a side view of the anchor portion of a bracelet pendant according to the present invention;
FIG. 23 is a top view of the pendant according to the present invention;
FIG. 24 is a side cut away view of a bracelet pendant according to the present invention;
FIG. 25 is a bottom view of a bracelet pendant according to the present invention;
FIG. 26 is a top view of a necklace pendant according to the present invention;
FIG. 27 is a side view of a necklace pendant according to the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The pendant of the present invention, improves upon the experience of wearing jewelry by allowing the wearer to have a range of gemstones that may vary in size, color and shape and a pendant that accommodates such changes while ensuring secure retaining of the gemstones in an upright position. The gemstones move in a single unitary direction along the anchor portion. In this way, the movement of the gemstone holder is uni-directional.
FIGS. 1-27 depict various pendants according to the present invention. The term pendant includes necklaces and bracelets.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, there is a pendant (10) comprising: an anchor portion (12) having a top flat portion (14), bottom flat portion (16) and connector (18) between and substantially perpendicular to the top flat portion (14) and the bottom flat portion (16). One of, or both of, the top flat portion and the bottom flat portion may be solid. The anchor portion has a first end (20) and a second end (22). It should be noted the top flat portion is substantially flat. It may have rounded portions without departing from the present invention. Similarly, the bottom flat portion is substantially flat. The top flat portion, the bottom flat portion and the connector between and substantially perpendicular to the top flat portion and the bottom flat portion form an I-beam shaped cross section. This may also be described as a H-shaped cross section (depending on how you view the orientation) having a top flange shape (top flat portion 14) and a bottom flange shape (bottom flat portion 16) with a web therebetween (connector 18) and substantially perpendicular to the top flange shape (top flat portion 14) and bottom flange shape (bottom flat portion 16).
There may be at least one gemstone holder (24) having a first side portion (26) with a first protrusion (30) and a second side portion (28) with a second protrusion (32), an opening (34) between the first side portion (26) and the second side portion (28). The opening between the first side portion and the second side portion may be an I-beam shaped opening. This may also be described as a H-shaped opening, having a top flange shape and a bottom flange shape with a web therebetween and substantially perpendicular to the top flange shape and bottom flange shape. A top portion (36) is in communication with the first side portion (26) and the second side portion (28), the anchor portion (12) is received in the opening (34) of each of the at least one gemstone holders to allow the gemstone holders to slide along the anchor portion (12). A first end rectangular support (38) is attached to a first end (20) of the anchor portion (12) and a second end rectangular support (40) is attached to a second end (22) of the anchor portion (12).
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the anchor portion (500 and 600) is bent to form a curved pendant. There may be a first rounded opening (602) attached to the first end rectangular support (606) and a second rounded opening (604) attached to the second end rectangular support (608). FIG. 5 depicts the anchor portion is curved upward between the first end and the second end perpendicular to the connector to form a bracelet pendant. The curve would follow the manner in which it would sit on the wrist of a wearer. FIG. 6 depicts the anchor portion is curved downward between the first end and the second end and parallel to the connector to form a necklace pendant.
As shown in FIGS. 26-27, there may be a first half of a necklace (2600) attached to the first rounded opening (2602) and a second half of the necklace (2604) attached to the second rounded opening (2606). The first half of the necklace removably attaches to the second half of the necklace. For example, there may be a clasp at the other end of the first half and second half of the necklace that clasps together around the neck of the wearer. There may also be a necklace chain having a first necklace end and a second necklace end, wherein the first necklace end is attached to the first rounded opening and the second necklace end is attached to the second rounded opening. In this case it is a single chain attached and it therefore must be large enough to fit over the head of the wearer, as it would not clasp.
FIG. 25 depicts, a first half of a bracelet (2500) attached to the first rounded opening (2502) and a second half of a bracelet (2504) attached to the second rounded opening (2506). The first half of the bracelet (2500) removably attaches to the second half of the bracelet (2504). As with the necklace this may be by way of a clasp.
The gemstone holder (24) may be a variety of shapes, as depicted in FIGS. 9-20, such as a square gemstone holder (1000), a round gemstone holder (1100), an oval gemstone holder (1200), a heart shaped gemstone holder (1300), a quatrefoil shaped gemstone holder (1400), a pentagon shaped gemstone holder (1500), a hexagon shaped gemstone holder (1600), a heptagon shaped gemstone holder, an octagon shaped gemstone holder, a nonagon shaped gemstone holder, a decagon shaped gemstone holder, a triangular shaped gemstone holder (1700), a crescent shaped gemstone holder (1800), an ellipse shaped gemstone holder, a trapezoid shaped gemstone holder (1900), a kite shaped gemstone holder (2000), a rhombus shaped gemstone holder and star shaped gemstone holder (2100). The dotted lines in each of the FIGS. 9-20 depict the approximate location of the opening. The mated I-beam shapes of the opening and the anchor portion allows the gemstone holder to be secure and does not rotate. The gemstone will slide along the anchor portion, but will not turn. A heart, for example, will appear with the gemstone side up at all times, unlike a traditional pendant which can turn.
FIGS. 21-27 depict the manner in which the gemstone holders are attached to the anchor portion. As can be seen, the gemstone holder would be loaded onto the anchor portion with the opening of the gemstone holder sliding onto the I-beam cross section of the anchor portion. As would appreciated by one of ordinary skill in the art, at least one of the first end rectangular support and/or the second end rectangular support would have to removed for the gemstone holder to be loaded onto the anchor portion. Once loaded, the first end rectangular support and the second end rectangular support would be attached, for example by soldering, to close off the mounted gemstone holders. FIG. 21 depicts an example of dimensions. The height of the first protrusion (30) and second protrusion (32) is 1.10 mm. The width between the first protrusion (30) and the second protrusion (32) is 0.70 mm. The I-shape cross section of the anchor portion (12) is shown in FIG. 22 with the top flat portion (14) having a height of 0.60 mm, the bottom flat portion (16) having a height of 0.60 mm and the connector (18) having a height of 1.10 mm. The width of the anchor portion is 2.5 mm. FIG. 22 depicts the bracelet version of the pendant. In this was the I-shaped opening of the gemstone holder is loaded onto the I-shaped cross section of the anchor portion, as shown in FIG. 23. FIGS. 24 and 26 depicts a necklace version. As will be appreciated the curve is in a different direction for a necklace than a bracelet. The top portion of the gemstone holder is above the top flat portion (14) of the anchor portion (12).
As shown in FIGS. 7-8, the anchor portion may be bent into a horseshoe shape (700), a smiley shape (similar to the horseshoe shape with a smaller angle), an over-under shape (800) and a bracelet bar shape (as shown in FIG. 5. Note that FIGS. 7 and 8 are intended to show different shapes of the anchor portion and do not depict the I-beam cross section.
The present invention has been described in relation to particular examples, which are intended to be illustrative rather than restrictive, with the scope and spirit of the invention being indicated by the following claims and their equivalents.
Patent Grant
10104944
