Jewelry – Body member encircling ornament
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-26
2002-07-02
Knight, Anthony (Department: 3676)
Jewelry
Body member encircling ornament
C059S079100, C063S004000, C063S011000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06412303
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to an article of jewelry. More particularly, the invention relates to an article of jewelry which includes a number of decorative elements coupled to each other by links and having an elastic member.
2. State of the Art
Jewelry, and particularly costume jewelry, is very popular among women of all ages.
FIG. 1
illustrates a prior art article of jewelry
10
which includes a plurality of decorative members
12
,
14
,
16
, etc. Coupled to each other in a “string” with a clasp
18
coupling the ends of the string together. Such an article of jewelry is typically a bracelet or a necklace and the decorative members are typically stones, e.g. rhinestones. Prior art
FIGS. 2 and 3
illustrate how the article of jewelry
10
is assembled. As shown in
FIG. 2
, a plurality of settings
20
,
22
,
24
,
26
, etc. are coupled to each other by a plurality of links
28
,
30
,
32
,
34
, etc. As shown in
FIG. 3
, stones
36
,
38
,
40
,
42
, etc. are set in the settings
20
,
22
,
24
,
26
, etc. to create the string of stones. In mass production, a string many yards long is produced using a machine. Small strings are then cut off by hand and the clasp applied to the smaller string. According to one popular prior art embodiment, the settings
20
,
22
,
24
,
26
, etc. are metallic boxes having an inverted generally T-shaped slot at opposite ends; and the links
28
,
30
,
32
,
34
, etc. are generally I-shaped metallic members. The dimensions of the slots and the links are such that the settings are free to slide apart from each other as shown in
FIGS. 1-3
. Although the settings are also free to slide close to each other, the weight of the stones and the settings usually keeps the settings spaced apart from each other as shown.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an article of jewelry having a plurality of settings which are free to be moved apart from each other but which are held in close proximity with virtually no space between them.
It is also an object of the invention to provide an article of jewelry having a plurality of settings coupled to each other in a “string” which does not require a clasp.
In accord with these objects which will be discussed in detail below, the article of jewelry of the present invention includes a plurality of settings coupled to each other by slidable links and an elastic member threaded through the settings substantially parallel to the links in a “string”. The settings may include stones or any other decorative element. According to one embodiment, the ends of the string are coupled to each other without the use of a clasp. The elasticity of the elastic member keeps the settings close together with little or no space between them but allows the string to be stretched thereby separating the settings by the length of the links. According to the first embodiment, where no clasp is used, the string and the links are dimensioned such that when the string is stretched the article can be fit over a body part such as a wrist or ankle and remain in place when released. According to the second embodiment which utilizes a clasp, the string may be dimensioned to fit around a human neck like a choker and the elastic member will allow for some variation in neck size.
REFERENCES:
patent: 1099810 (1914-06-01), Mehrlust
patent: 1403600 (1922-01-01), Grand et al.
patent: 1570932 (1926-01-01), Anderson et al.
patent: 5630329 (1997-05-01), Lauffer et al.
patent: 5694791 (1997-12-01), Esposito
Gallagher Thomas A
Knight Anthony
Peavey E
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