U.S. patent application number 14/476182 was filed with the patent office on 2015-02-26 for ring-shaped piece of jewelry having an adjustable inner diameter.
The applicant listed for this patent is DE GRISOGONO S.A.. Invention is credited to Patrick Affolter.
Application Number | 20150052944 14/476182 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 47827226 |
Filed Date | 2015-02-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150052944 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Affolter; Patrick |
February 26, 2015 |
Ring-Shaped Piece of Jewelry Having an Adjustable Inner
Diameter
Abstract
A piece of jewelry is disclosed, which has an adjustable inner
diameter, includes first and second parts, in the form of portions
of a ring and having respective first and second ends, the first
and second parts being connected to each other by a pivot type
connection. Moreover, each of the first and second parts has a
first of its ends adapted to cooperate with a first end of the
other part, by nesting of variable depth, to define a closed ring
of adjustable inner diameter. At least one spring member is adapted
to act on both parts so that their first ends tend to nest one
within the other to reduce the inner diameter of the piece of
jewelry. The pivot type connection is at a distance from the second
end of the first part, the latter having an overlap portion,
located between the pivot type connection and the second end, of
greater radius than an inner portion of the second part facing
which it is located, so as partly to overlap it.
Inventors: |
Affolter; Patrick;
(Prangins, CH) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
DE GRISOGONO S.A. |
Plan-les-Ouates |
|
CH |
|
|
Family ID: |
47827226 |
Appl. No.: |
14/476182 |
Filed: |
September 3, 2014 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
PCT/EP2013/054544 |
Mar 7, 2013 |
|
|
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14476182 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
63/15.65 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44C 9/02 20130101; A44C
9/0046 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
63/15.65 |
International
Class: |
A44C 9/02 20060101
A44C009/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 7, 2012 |
EP |
12158505.3 |
Claims
1. A piece of jewelry, of substantially annular shape, including
first and second parts, the profiles of which have respective
shapes substantially of portions of a ring and having respective
first and second ends, said first and second parts being connected
to each other by a pivot type connection, each of said first and
second parts having a first of its ends adapted to cooperate with a
first end of the other part, by nesting of variable depth, to
define a closed ring of adjustable inner diameter, at least one
spring member being adapted to act on both parts so that their
first ends tend to nest one within the other to reduce said inner
diameter, said pivot type connection being at a distance from the
second end of said first part, said first part having an overlap
portion, located between said pivot type connection and said second
end, of greater radius than an inner portion of said second part
facing which said overlap portion is located, so as to overlap said
inner portion at least partly.
2. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein said spring member is
adapted to act, on the one hand, on said overlap portion of said
first part and, on the other hand, on said inner portion of said
second part.
3. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein one of said first and
second parts bears a housing in which said spring member is
arranged, the other of said first and second parts bearing a finger
having a free end in said housing, bearing against said spring
member.
4. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein said first part
includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said
overlap portion.
5. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein a first end of one of
said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate
with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and
second parts, being able to slide therein.
6. The piece of jewelry of claim 1, wherein said first part has a
width in the region of its second end greater than that of its
first end to define a location for a decorative element.
7. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein one of said first and
second parts bears a housing in which said spring member is
arranged, the other of said first and second parts bearing a finger
having a free end in said housing, bearing against said spring
member.
8. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein said first part
includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said
overlap portion.
9. The piece of jewelry of claim 3, wherein said first part
includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said
overlap portion.
10. The piece of jewelry of claim 7, wherein said first part
includes a decorative element extending at least partly over said
overlap portion.
11. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein a first end of one of
said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate
with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and
second parts, being able to slide therein.
12. The piece of jewelry of claim 3, wherein a first end of one of
said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate
with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and
second parts, being able to slide therein.
13. The piece of jewelry of claim 4, wherein a first end of one of
said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate
with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and
second parts, being able to slide therein.
14. The piece of jewelry of claim 7, wherein a first end of one of
said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate
with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and
second parts, being able to slide therein.
15. The piece of jewelry of claim 8, wherein a first end of one of
said first and second parts includes a tongue adapted to cooperate
with a recess in the first end of the other of said first and
second parts, being able to slide therein.
16. The piece of jewelry of claim 2, wherein said first part has a
width in the region of its second end greater than that of its
first end to define a location for a decorative element.
17. The piece of jewelry of claim 3, wherein said first part has a
width in the region of its second end greater than that of its
first end to define a location for a decorative element.
18. The piece of jewelry of claim 4, wherein said first part has a
width in the region of its second end greater than that of its
first end to define a location for said decorative element.
19. The piece of jewelry of claim 5, wherein said first part has a
width in the region of its second end greater than that of its
first end to define a location for a decorative element.
20. The piece of jewelry of claim 11, wherein said first part has a
width in the region of its second end greater than that of its
first end to define a location for a decorative element.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation application of prior
International Application No. PCT/EP2013/054544, filed on Mar. 7,
2013 and claiming priority to European (EP) Patent Application No.
12158505.3, filed Mar. 7, 2012.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present invention concerns a piece of jewelry, of
substantially annular shape, for instance a ring, including first
and second parts, the profiles of which have respective shapes
substantially of portions of a ring and having respective first and
second ends. The first and second parts might be connected to each
other by a pivot type connection, each of the parts having a first
of its ends adapted to cooperate with a first end of the other
part, by nesting of variable depth, to define a closed ring of
adjustable inner diameter. Furthermore, at least one spring member
might be adapted to act on both parts so that their first ends
might tend to nest one within the other to reduce the inner
diameter of the piece of jewelry.
[0003] The present invention may also concern the production of a
bracelet having the above features.
BACKGROUND
[0004] Jewelry of this type has already been described in the past,
for example in patent application CA 2393992 A1. That application
describes a ring including two parts assembled to each other at
first ends by a pivot type connection. Their second ends cooperate
in nesting fashion and have complementary detents for holding them
in a given position after adjustment of the diameter of the
ring.
[0005] However, it should be noted that on the esthetic plane the
structure described has the drawback of being unable to conceal the
two connections provided between the two ends of the two parts of
the ring.
[0006] Furthermore, the way of securing the adjustment may prove to
be somewhat impractical and necessitate some trial and error.
Additionally, a finite number of adjustment positions is available
and the wearer of the ring may have a finger diameter that does not
correspond exactly to one of these positions predefined by
construction.
[0007] The patent KR 100803518 B1 describes a ring having the
features set out above, in which two lateral parts are pivoted
relative to each other at a first end and adapted to rest in a
central third part, bearing an ornamental element, at their second
end. However, the depth of nesting of these various parts can be
seen and has a non-negligible impact on the esthetic appearance of
the ring, while the pivot type connection connecting the lateral
parts to each other can also be seen.
SUMMARY
[0008] One main object of the present invention is to alleviate the
drawbacks of the known prior art adjustable jewelry by proposing a
piece of jewelry of this kind offering both an esthetic suited to
the requirements of top of the range products and comfortable use,
notably to proceed to the adjustment of its inner diameter.
[0009] To this end, the present invention more particularly
concerns a piece of jewelry of the type referred to above, wherein
the pivot type connection may be at a distance from the second end
of the first part, the latter having an overlap portion, located
between the pivot type connection and the second end, of greater
radius than an inner portion of the second part facing which it is
located, so as to be able to overlap it at least partly.
[0010] Thanks to these features, the modular piece of jewelry in
accordance with the invention may firstly have an indefinite number
of adjustment positions, the adjustment of its inner diameter being
carried out dynamically when it is placed on a finger in the case
of a ring. In fact, the position when at rest of the two parts may
correspond to the minimum diameter that the ring can assume,
because of the action of the spring member, and when the ring is
threaded onto a finger of greater diameter than this minimum
diameter, the force that the finger exerts on the two parts of the
ring opposes the force exerted by the spring member, to increase
the inner diameter of the ring so that it is just greater than that
of the finger.
[0011] Moreover, the modification of the appearance of the piece of
jewelry in accordance with the present invention, as a function of
its inner diameter, may virtually be imperceptible, notably thanks
to the fact that the pivot connection may be concealed.
[0012] The spring member may preferably and advantageously be
adapted to act, on the one hand, on the overlap portion of the
first part and, on the other hand, on the inner portion of the
second part.
[0013] In accordance with a preferred embodiment, one of the first
and second parts may bear a recess in which a spring member may be
arranged, the other of the first and second parts bearing a finger
having a free end in the housing, bearing against the spring
member.
[0014] Thanks to these features, the advantageous functionalities
of the piece of jewelry in accordance with the invention may be
employed without this having a negative impact on the esthetic
appearance of the finished product.
[0015] In particular, the first part may include a decorative
element extending at least partly over the overlap portion.
[0016] In a complementary way, it is also possible that at least
the first part may have a width in the region of its second end
greater than that of its first end to define a location for a
decorative element.
[0017] Moreover, a first end of one of the first and second parts
may include a tongue adapted to cooperate with a recess in the
first end of the other of the first and second parts, being able to
slide therein.
[0018] A preferred embodiment of the present invention may consist
in the production of a ring having the features set out above.
Alternatively, the present invention may also concern the
production of a bracelet having the features just referred to.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Other features and advantages of the present invention will
become more clearly apparent on reading the following detailed
description of a preferred embodiment given with reference to the
appended drawings, which are provided by way of nonlimiting example
and in which:
[0020] FIG. 1 represents a simplified perspective view of a ring in
accordance with one preferred embodiment of the present invention,
seen from a first angle;
[0021] FIG. 2 represents a simplified perspective view of the ring
from FIG. 1, seen from a second angle; and
[0022] FIG. 3 represents a simplified sectional view of the ring
from FIG. 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] FIGS. 1 and 2 represent simplified perspective views of a
ring 1 having an adjustable inner diameter in accordance with one
preferred embodiment of the present invention, seen from first and
second angles enabling certain constructional details to be
appreciated. FIG. 3 shows the same ring 1 in cross section enabling
certain details thereof to be appreciated.
[0024] The ring 1 comprises two main parts 2 and 4, the profiles of
which are substantially in the form of respective facing ring
portions.
[0025] The first and second parts have a pivot type mechanical
connection between them, here defined by the cooperation of two
pivots 6 carried by the second part 4 with appropriate bearings 8
in the first part 2.
[0026] Of course, the use of the pivot connection is illustrative
and is not limiting on the invention. The person skilled in the art
will find no particular difficulty in implementing alternative
technical solutions, for example by interchanging the locations of
the pivots and the bearings, or by using a single rod each end of
which would be accommodated in one of the bearings.
[0027] It will also be noted that the pivots and bearings have been
shown in the figures to facilitate an understanding thereof but the
bearings may advantageously not pass through the wall of the first
part 2 so as not to be visible on the ring and to improve the
esthetic appearance of the latter.
[0028] Moreover, each of the parts 2, 4 has first and second ends
10, 12, 14 and 16.
[0029] The first ends 10, 12 have respective substantially
complementary shapes so that they can cooperate with each other by
nesting at least partly and to a variable depth when the first and
second parts pivot relative to each other to define a closed ring
of adjustable inner diameter.
[0030] To be more precise, here each of the ends 10, 12 has, by way
of nonlimiting example, a recess in the direction of its thickness
intended to cooperate with a tongue of substantially complementary
shape at the other end as well as a tongue intended to cooperate
with a complementary recess at the other end.
[0031] Here the first and second parts have particular shapes by
way of nonlimiting illustration. To be more precise, their width
increases in the direction from their first end 10, 12 toward their
second end 14, 16. The width of the first part is moreover such
that a location 18 can be defined therein, here in the form of a
recess, to house therein an ornamental element (reference number 19
in FIG. 3), for example a precious stone.
[0032] The second end 16 of the second part 4 comprises two arms 20
extending in the direction of the first part 2 and each of which
carries one of the pivots 6.
[0033] It is clear from the figures that the pivot connection is at
a distance from the second end 14 of the first part. The latter in
fact extends beyond the second end 16 of the second part 4 so as to
include an overlap portion, i.e. to overlap an inner portion of the
second part 4.
[0034] Moreover, the second end 16 of the second part 4 also
includes a finger 22 engaged in a housing, here taking the form of
a cylindrical tube 24, fastened to the first part 2.
[0035] A spring member (visible in FIG. 3), for example a coil
spring 26, is disposed at the bottom of the tube 24 to exert a
force on the finger 22 aimed at pushing it out of the tube 24. Thus
the spring member exerts a relative force on the first and second
parts tending to move the first ends 10, 12 thereof toward each
other, i.e. in such a manner that their nesting depth tends to
increase. In other words, the spring member always tends to reduce
the inner diameter of the ring 1 so that it is the minimum diameter
when the ring is not being worn.
[0036] Thanks to this particular construction of the ring in
accordance with the present invention, a ring is obtained the inner
diameter of which adapts automatically and instantaneously to the
diameter of the finger of its wearer, without the latter having to
do anything in particular. Moreover, the inner diameter adapts in
this way precisely to the diameter of the finger on which the ring
is placed since the variation of the diameter is continuous, in
contrast to the inner diameter of the prior art ring discussed
above.
[0037] It should be noted that the construction shown for the
finger 22 and the tube 24 further makes it possible to define an
abutment when the first and second parts 2, 4 are moved away from
each other, i.e. when the inner diameter of the ring 1 increases,
which makes it possible to prevent unintentional disassembly of the
ring.
[0038] Of course, it is possible to interchange the respective
locations of the finger and the cylindrical tube 24 without
departing from the scope of the present invention.
[0039] In a similar manner, the first ends 10, 12 define an
abutment associated with a lower value of the inner diameter of the
ring.
[0040] The foregoing description is intended to describe one
particular embodiment by way of nonlimiting illustration and the
invention is not limited to the use of certain particular features
that have just been described, for example the shapes specifically
shown and described for the main parts of the ring, for the ends
thereof or the location of the spring member. In fact, the spring
member may be fitted at any appropriate location between the pivot
type connection and the second end 14 of the first part 2.
[0041] It will be noted, however, that the shapes shown for the
first and second parts offer the advantage of enabling easy
concealment of the pivot connection and of the various members
enabling installation of the spring member.
[0042] The person skilled in the art will encounter no particular
difficulty in adapting the content of the present disclosure to
their own requirements and producing a piece of jewelry of
adjustable inner diameter having only some of the features
described here, without departing from the scope of the present
invention. Of course, the present invention is not limited to a
ring and could be used with any other form of jewelry compatible
with the invention, for example a bracelet.
* * * * *