U.S. patent application number 12/404839 was filed with the patent office on 2010-03-25 for purse hook and bracelet.
Invention is credited to Rich SHAMLIAN.
Application Number | 20100071413 12/404839 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 42036241 |
Filed Date | 2010-03-25 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100071413 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
SHAMLIAN; Rich |
March 25, 2010 |
PURSE HOOK AND BRACELET
Abstract
The present invention is a combination purse hook and bracelet.
The bracelet extends more than 360 degrees around a wearer's wrist,
and includes overlapping end portions. The bracelet opens in a
clam-shell fashion via a hinge allowing for an opening beyond a 270
degree included angle in use as a purse hook. This enables a
relatively light weight bracelet construction to support a
relatively heavy purse by aligning the supported load with the
location of support.
Inventors: |
SHAMLIAN; Rich; (San Diego,
CA) |
Correspondence
Address: |
BERENATO & WHITE, LLC
6550 ROCK SPRING DRIVE, SUITE 240
BETHESDA
MD
20817
US
|
Family ID: |
42036241 |
Appl. No.: |
12/404839 |
Filed: |
March 16, 2009 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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29324758 |
Sep 19, 2008 |
D588444 |
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12404839 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
63/1.12 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44C 5/0007 20130101;
A44C 5/12 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
63/1.12 |
International
Class: |
A44C 15/00 20060101
A44C015/00 |
Claims
1. A purse hook and bracelet combination, comprising: a pair of
arced elements linked one to the other by a hinge thereby defining
a pair of free ends and a pair of linked ends, such that when said
free ends are positioned proximately, said pair of arced elements
overlap end to end and form a wearable bracelet with a total wrap
exceeding 360 degrees around a wearer's limb, and wherein said
hinge, when fully open, orients said linked ends at an included
angle between said linked ends exceeding 270 degrees.
2. A purse hook and bracelet as in claim 1, further comprising: a
friction pad associated with at least one of said free ends.
3. A purse hook and bracelet as in claim 1, further comprising: a
shallow channel on outward exposed surfaces of said arced
elements.
4. A purse hook as in claim 1, wherein: said hinge is oriented at
an oblique angle with respect to respective axes of said arced
elements, such that when opened, said arced element free ends move
apart both laterally and rotate axially one with respect to the
other.
5. A purse hook as in claim 4, further comprising: a friction pad
associated with at least one of said free ends.
6. A purse hook as in claim 5, further comprising: a shallow
channel on outward exposed surfaces of said arced elements.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims the benefit of earlier priority
based upon the filing of a design application, Ser. No. 29/324,758,
filed on Sep. 19, 2008.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] This invention relates generally to the field of jewelry in
the form of a bracelet that can also function as a purse hook.
[0004] 2. Background
[0005] An essential part of women's' personal belongings is the
purse. In whatever form it takes, depending on styling trends, the
purse has been and will likely always be a part of their overall
accessory package. Many issues abound when considering a purse,
i.e., size, short/long straps, appearance versus utility, etc.
Regardless of form, however, the purse is generally an object of
pride and cannot be mis-placed inasmuch as too many items of value
are usually deposited therein. When a purse is not directly needed
for access, it must none-the-less be tracked and watched. In some
social settings this is difficult because of the shear number and
variety of attendees at an event or participating in a gathering.
As a result, purses are slung over chairs, coat hooks, placed
beneath chairs, and sometimes, left behind.
[0006] A ready, secure, temporary purse storage solution is needed.
Some past offerings along these lines include purse hooks. These
are generally decorative and hang on a purse handle or strap when
un-used and, when necessary, can hang a purse from a chair back,
table edge, etc. Examples of known purse hooks include: D 429,899;
and, U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,473,086; 3,860,210; and, 4,210,302. Some
purse hooks are decorative to the extent they may be considered as
jewelry adapted for adorning a purse.
[0007] In view of past solutions, the current invention is
especially adapted to function as a purse hook and/or to function
as jewelry to be worn on a person.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention advantageously fills the
aforementioned deficiencies by providing a combination purse hook
and bracelet in a single item. The purse hook herein described is
stylish in construction and execution, but also incorporates
structural features that especially adapt what appears to be an
attractive bracelet for use as a purse hook.
[0009] The bracelet firstly includes overlapping end elements to
stylishly extend the style and available space for purse
matching/complementing adornment, but also to provide additional
purchase on a table edge, chair back, etc., and to also provide
greater arc length to engage an under hung purse strap. Next, the
underside of the table edge/chair back engaging end element
includes a friction enhancing element to enhance stability on the
table edge, etc., and to prevent the edges of the purse hook itself
from marring the underlying surface.
[0010] In addition to the foregoing features, the bracelet hinge is
preferably oriented so as to be oblique with respect to the
bracelet end elements. This oblique construction enables a skew
opening to the respective end elements. This skew allows for linked
end element interaction to maintain closure when used as a
bracelet, and also enables a more unobstructed access to both the
table edge, on the one end, and the purse hanging end element on
the other end
[0011] An additional feature is the hinge opening to an included
angle exceeding 270 degrees when fully opened and functioning as a
purse hook. The greater than 270 degree opening enables the load
supplied by the purse straps to center directly beneath the
friction element and maintain the friction element in flat full
contact with a supporting surface.
[0012] The present invention now will be described more fully
hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are
intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the
detailed description and any preferred and/or particular
embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This
invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and
should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth
herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of
illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough,
complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to
those skilled in the art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] FIG. 1: is a perspective view of a combination purse hook
and bracelet according to the present invention.
[0014] FIG. 2: is an end view of the device of FIG. 1.
[0015] FIG. 3: is a side view of the device of FIG. 1.
[0016] FIG. 4: is a top view of the device of FIG. 1 showing
additional ornamentation.
[0017] FIG. 5: is a bottom view of the device of FIG. 1.
[0018] FIG. 6 is a side view showing the invention in use engaging
a purse on a table edge.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0019] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of the purse hook/bracelet
10. The bracelet 10 includes overlapping end elements 12 shown here
in a matched interacting complementary shape formation. This
configuration provides an encircling wrap exceeding 360 degrees
when the device 10 is worn as a bracelet. The respective end
elements 12 are similarly shaped (in the embodiment shown, one is a
duplicate of the other) and are linked together by a preferably
obliquely oriented hinge 14 equipped with spring 16 urging the end
elements 12 into a mating bracelet formation. The preferred oblique
(non-orthogonal) orientation, of the hinge axis (note FIG. 5) from
the axes of the respective end elements enables the respective end
elements 12 to have matched complementary shapes such that, when
opened, the respective end elements move apart axially and
laterally simultaneously. This movement is as shown by the movement
arrows depicted in FIGS. 2, 4, and 5. This opening action provides
lateral spacing and rotated orientation from end element to end
element when the bracelet is fully opened and is functioning as a
purse hook. This laterally spaced and rotated orientation allows
for easier access both to the table edge/chair back, etc., and the
lower purse strap hanging hook. The hinge 14 may be orthogonal to
the respective end elements, but the lateral and rotational
movement would not occur during the opening and use phase.
[0020] The end element 12 may include a friction pad 15 for
engaging a table end, or other support for the purse hook. The
friction pad can be leather, rubber, elastomer, etc., and functions
to protect the supporting surface 20 from marring and also
stabilizes the hanging purse and secures the purse hook from
slipping from the edge when jostled. Such jostling may occur when
access to the purse is being sought during and after social
gatherings, for cell phone access, wallet, eye glasses, etc. The
purse user using the purse hook 10 herein can rely on the purse
hook remaining hooked onto the polished table top, counter surface,
glass edge, or other support without slipping off inadvertently.
The friction element 15 may take the form of an overall coating or
decorative dip on the respective end elements if desired.
[0021] The respective end elements 12 may also include optional
shallow channels 11 therein for affixing purse or outfit matching
designs, fabric swatches, or other adornment. This channel 11
itself may include a decorative texturing, coloration, etc. to
provide additional spectacle as a bracelet or jewelry item. The
device 10 may be worn as a personal adornment separate and apart
from any purse hook function and may be simply looped onto a purse
strap as an adornment as well.
[0022] As shown, the obliquely oriented hinge 14 opens, see FIG. 5,
to an extent beyond a 270 degree included angle 23 between the
linked end elements 12, which enables the positioning of the purse
22 strap directly beneath the friction pad and support surface
contacting portion of the opposed end element 12 when the device 10
is used as a purse hook. This linear orientation between the
supported load, hung onto the lower end element 12, and the
friction pad 15 when in use, stabilizes the hung purse but also
presents the friction pad in a flat and un-tipped non-marring
orientation to the supporting surface 20. In addition, the
overlapping end elements 12 provide additional length to the
respective end elements (exceeding 180 degrees of arc sweep
respectively for each end element) and, as shown in FIG. 5, provide
this additional arc length for, on the one hand, engaging the purse
strap on the lower oriented extended end element 12, and on the
other hand, engaging the table edge 20 (or other support) with the
other end element 12 (equipped with friction pad 15).
[0023] While the present invention has been described above in
terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the
invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Many
modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to
mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains,
and which are intended to be and are covered by both this
disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the
scope of the invention should be determined by proper
interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their
legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art
relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached
drawings.
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