Container for use in cleansing jewelry

Abstract

A container for use in cleansing jewelry wherein a basket, adapted to hold the jewelry to be cleaned, is supported in an elevated position in the container, the basket and associated jewelry being submersible in cleaning fluid contained in the container, the basket being supported in the elevated position within the container to allow the jewelry to drip dry. Covers are provided on the basket and container, respectively, to prevent the jewelry from being dislodged from the basket during the submerging of the jewelry in the cleaning fluid, and to prevent spillage of the fluid from the container and evaporation of the fluid therefrom during the drip drying of the jewelry.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

One of the requirements when wearing earrings, particularly rings to be worn in pierced ears, is to maintain the rings clean for hygienic purposes. After considerable research and experimentation, the container of the present invention has been devised for cleaning jewelry, particularly earrings, and comprises, essentially, a container adapted to hold a small volume of jewelry cleaning fluid. A basket containing the rings to be cleaned is removably mounted in the container from an elevated position to a submerged position in the cleaning fluid, the basket and associated jewelry being movable to the elevated position, whereby the rings may drip dry. A cover is provided on the basket to prevent the rings from being dislodged from the basket during their submersion in the cleaning fluid, and a cover is provided on the container to prevent not only spillage of the fluid but also the evaporation of the fluid therefrom during the drip drying of the rings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the container of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view, in section, of the container showing the basket in solid lines in the elevated position, and in the submerged position in phantom;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the basket employed in the container of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of the container with the cover and basket removed therefrom; and

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the basket.

As will be seen in FIG. 4, the basket has a cylindrical side wall 4 a and a mesh bottom wall 4b. A plurality of circumferentially spaced flanges 4c are provided on the outer surface of the side wall 4a for engaging the flanges 3 in the receptacle whereby the basket is supported in the elevated position in the basket. A bail 4d is also connected to the side wall of the basket to facilitate the handling of the basket.

The basket is also provided with a mesh cover 5 removably mounted on the upper edge of the basket side wall by a plurality of depending fingers 5a secured to the rim of the cover and frictionally engaging opposite sides of the basket side wall.

The receptacle 1 is also provided with a removable closure 6 to prevent spillage or evaporation of the cleaning fluid from the receptacle.

In using the container of the present invention, the jewelry to be cleaned, for instance earrings 7, are placed in the basket 4. The bail 4d is grasped and the basket is rotated to align the basket flanges 4c with the spaces between the receptacle flanges 3, thereby allowing the basket containing the earrings to be lowered into the cleaning fluid, as shown in phantom in FIG. 2. While in the lowered position, the basket is agitated in an oscillatory and reciprocatory manner to cause the fluid to thoroughly wash the earrings. After the rings have been washed, the basket containing the rings is replaced on the receptacle flanges 3 to thereby allow the rings to drip dry.

It is intended that the container of the present invention be placed on the user's dresser or vanity and that the earrings be washed soon after their removal from the user's ears so that the drip drying of the earrings will take place during the non-use of the earrings.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the mesh cover 5 on the basket will prevent the earrings from becoming dislodged from the basket during the washing operation, while at the same time allowing the cleaning fluid to flow therethrough.

While the container of the present invention is adapted to be formed from corrosive-resistant plastics, it could also be formed from heavy glass to insure its stability on the dresser or vanity, and while the container has been described for cleaning earrings, it will be readily understood that the container can be employed equally well for cleaning other types of jewelry such as finger rings, pins and the like.

It is to be understood that the form of the invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention or scope of the subjoined claim.

Claims

I claim:

1. A container for cleansing jewelry comprising, a receptacle adapted to contain a volume of cleaning fluid, a plurality of circumferentially spaced flanges provided on the inner surface of the receptacle at a location below the upper edge of the receptacle, a basket adapted to contain jewelry to be cleaned, said basket having a cylindrical side wall and a perforated bottom wall, a plurality of circumferentially spaced flanges provided on the basket side wall and adapted to seat on the receptacle flanges, whereby, in one position, the basket is located above the surface of the cleaning fluid but below the upper edge of the receptacle; said basket being removable from said receptacle flanges and lowered into the cleaning fluid; the perforated bottom wall being provided by a mesh connected to the lower edge of the basket cylindrical side wall to form a supporting surface for the jewelry to be cleaned, a bail connected to the basket cylindrical side wall to facilitate moving the basket between the elevated and lowered positions; a mesh cover removably mounted on the upper edge of the basket side wall to prevent the jewelry from becoming dislodged from the basket during the washing of the jewelry while allowing the cleaning fluid to pass therethrough, said mesh cover being provided with depending finger means for frictionally engaging the basket side wall to thereby retain the mesh cover thereon, whereby the basket containing the jewelry to be cleaned is submerged in the cleaning fluid to thereby wash the jewelry, whereupon the basket containing the cleaned jewelry is supported on the receptacle flanges and wholly contained within the receptacle to thereby allow the jewelry to drip dry, and a cover removably mounted on the upper edge of the receptacle to prevent spillage and evaporation of the cleaning fluid during the drying of the jewelry.