U.S. patent application number 11/837376 was filed with the patent office on 2009-02-12 for structure bonding different metals for valuable ornaments.
Invention is credited to Shang-Han Chen.
Application Number | 20090038339 11/837376 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40345226 |
Filed Date | 2009-02-12 |
United States Patent
Application |
20090038339 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Chen; Shang-Han |
February 12, 2009 |
STRUCTURE BONDING DIFFERENT METALS FOR VALUABLE ORNAMENTS
Abstract
A structure bonding different metals for valuable ornaments
includes a valuable ornament body which consists of at least a
metal body and a hard metal element that are coupled together. The
metal body and hard metal element have respectively a coupling
surface with a latch flange and a latch trough formed thereon that
are engageable with each other. Thus the metal body and the hard
metal element can be bonded together securely. The valuable
ornament body thus formed has a greater hardness. The bonding of
different metals also provides a novel design different from the
conventional ornaments.
Inventors: |
Chen; Shang-Han; (Kaohsiung
City, TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
APEX JURIS, PLLC
12360 LAKE CITY WAY NORTHEAST, SUITE 410
SEATTLE
WA
98125
US
|
Family ID: |
40345226 |
Appl. No.: |
11/837376 |
Filed: |
August 10, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
63/15 ;
63/12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44C 9/0015
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
63/15 ;
63/12 |
International
Class: |
A44C 9/00 20060101
A44C009/00; A44C 7/00 20060101 A44C007/00 |
Claims
1. A structure bonding different metals for valuable ornaments
comprising a valuable ornament body which includes at least a metal
body and at least a hard metal element that are coupled together,
the metal body being a metal of a greater value and having a first
coupling surface which has a latch flange formed thereon, the hard
metal element being a metal of a greater hardness and having a
second coupling surface which has a latch trough formed thereon,
the latch trough having a narrower front side and a wider rear
side, the first coupling surface and the second coupling surface
being corresponding and engageable with each other, the latch
flange being wedged and filled in the latch trough to form a
secured coupling.
2. The structure of claim 1, wherein the valuable ornament body is
selectively a ring, a necklace, a pendant or an earring.
3. The structure of claim 1, wherein the metal body is selectively
gold, Karat gold, platinum or silver.
4. The structure of claim 1, wherein the hard metal element is
selectively a titanium alloy, stainless steel, tungsten steel or an
aluminum alloy.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] The present invention relates to a structure bonding
different metal for valuable ornaments and particularly to a
structure that couples a soft and high value metal with a metal of
a greater hardness to form a harder ornament and provide a novel
design.
[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0004] As living standard rises people also have a higher demand on
valuable ornaments (such as rings, necklaces, earrings and the
like). The valuable ornaments can enhance people's overall
aesthetic appeal, and also are good investments and symbols of a
higher social standing. Hence they are very popular and become
collection items of the general public. The valuable ornaments
mostly contain valuable metal ingredients such as gold, Karat-gold,
platinum, silver and the like. Because gold and silver have a lower
hardness, they tend to deform under external forces after being
formed in the ornaments. In ornamental and jewelry industries, in
order to facilitate innovation and improve design, some designers
try to couple metals of a greater hardness with the valuable metals
so that the resulting ornaments have a greater hardness and novel
designs can be made easier (for instance stainless steel, tungsten
steel, aluminum alloys or titanium alloys are the hard metals
desirable for such a purpose). Take ornaments formed by bonding
silver and titanium as examples. The titanium alloys have many
desirable mechanical characteristics such as rust-proof, light
weight, and greater strength. A conventional method to bond the
titanium and the silver is soldering. However, due to titanium and
silver have great differences in terms of physical characteristics,
such as different melting temperature, heat transfer rate,
expansion coefficient and the like, the soldering operation to bond
these two metals has to include other processes such as chemical
deposition, surface treatment and the like, or a more precise and
special soldering process has to be used to form a secured
soldering. All this involves complicated and more difficult
fabrication process and results in a lower production yield.
Moreover, with the two different metals bonded by a soldering paste
as a medium, they could be loosened and separated under impact or
shaking of external forces.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Therefore it is an object of the present invention to
provide a valuable ornament (such as rings, necklaces, pendants,
earrings and the like) formed by bonding a valuable metal with a
metal of a greater hardness (such as stainless steel, tungsten
steel, aluminum alloy, titanium alloy, and the like). The ornament
thus formed has a greater hardness and can adopt a novel design.
The valuable ornament according to the invention includes at least
a metal body and a metal of a greater hardness coupling together.
These two elements have respectively a coupling surface
corresponding to each other. One of them has a latch flange while
the other has a mating latch trough to allow the metal body and the
metal of a greater hardness to form a secured bonding.
[0006] The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and
advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the
following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to
the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] The above and other objects of the present invention will
become readily apparent by reference to the following detailed
description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying
drawings wherein:
[0008] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the invention.
[0009] FIG. 2 is an exploded view of the invention.
[0010] FIG. 3 is a plane view of the invention.
[0011] FIG. 4 is a cross section taken on line I-I in FIG. 3.
[0012] FIG. 5 is a schematic view of another bonding structure of
the invention.
[0013] FIG. 6 is a schematic view of another embodiment of the
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0014] Referring to FIG. 1, the invention includes a valuable
ornament body 10 such as a ring, necklace, pendant, earring or the
like that has at least one metal body 11 coupling with one or more
hard metal element 12. Also referring to FIGS. 2, 3 and 4, the
metal body 11 is a high value and softer metal such as gold, Karat
gold, platinum, silver or the like. The metal body 11 has a first
coupling surface 111 which has a latch flange 112 formed thereon.
The hard metal element 12 is a metal of a greater hardness such as
a titanium alloy, stainless steel, tungsten steel, aluminum alloy
or the like. The hard metal element 12 has a second coupling
surface 121 which has a latch trough 122 formed in a turtledove
tail shape. The second coupling surface 121 and the latch trough
122 formed thereon correspond respectively to the first coupling
surface 111 and the latch flange 112.
[0015] Because the second coupling surface 121 of the hard metal
element 12 is corresponding to the first coupling surface 111 of
the metal body 11, and the metal body 11 is softer, when they are
aligned and compressed under a suitable pressure the latch flange
112 can be wedged and filled in the latch trough 122 to form a
secured bonding between the metal body 11 and the hard metal
element 12. To facilitate bonding of the metal body 11 and the hard
metal element 12, heat may be applied during the compression and
bonding process so that the molecular structure of the two may be
altered to enhance the bonding stability (compression and heating
of the hard metal element 12 and the metal body 11 are processes
known in the art, thus details are omitted).
[0016] By means of the structure set forth above, the valuable
ornament body 10 consists of at least one metal body 11 and one
hard metal element 12. Because of their material characteristics,
they can form a desired mechanical latching and bonding. The
valuable ornament body 10 thus formed has two or more types of
material characteristics on the appearance. Aside from having a
greater hardness and abrasion-resistance on the valuable ornament
body 10, the novel design thus formed can also increase product
competitiveness.
[0017] FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment with the latch trough 122
formed in a turtledove tail shape. FIG. 5 shows another embodiment
with the latch trough formed in a C shape. Other shapes such as a
narrower front side and wider rear side may also be adopted as long
as they can achieve the coupling effect. Although the valuable
ornament body 10 shown in the embodiments adopts a ring as an
example, it may also be formed like a necklace or pendant as shown
in FIG. 6, or other types of ornaments.
[0018] As a conclusion, this invention provides a novel structure
and offers a significant improvement over the conventional
techniques.
[0019] While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been
set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the
disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments
thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the
appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not
depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.
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