Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Separable-fastener or required component thereof – Including member having distinct formations and mating...
Reexamination Certificate
2001-12-28
2003-07-08
Sakran, Victor (Department: 3677)
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Separable-fastener or required component thereof
Including member having distinct formations and mating...
C024S599500, C024S599600, C024S600900, C024S908000, C043S042490, C043S044830
Reexamination Certificate
active
06588075
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention consists of a fish-hook type clasp with a double activation mechanism, indicated for use on ornamental necklaces and bracelets, and it is specially made for the gold and silver jewellery industry as well as for costume jewellery in general.
There are prior art fish-hook type clasps, which are equipped on one end with means for a permanent connection to one end of the chain to which they are joined; on the other end they are shaped like an openable ring through which the free end of the chain forming the necklace, the bracelet or other similar item, is joined.
The activating mechanism is placed on one of the side edges of the clasp, by acting on it the openable ring is brought from the closed position, to which the internal spring constantly pushes it, to the open position.
The activating mechanism is usually shaped like a minuscule protruding lever or wing which is normally pulled with a finger nail, considering its size, to obtain the rotation of the rotating mechanism or “small jack” and consequently the opening of the joining openable ring.
Apart from this well known solution, another fish-hook type clasp, the object of Italian Patent No. 478,185, filed on Jan. 18, 1979 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 4,340,999), is known, in which the containing shell has an inward flare along its side edge. The rotating lever can be pressed with a fingernail through said flare, the free end of said lever, under the action of an internal spring, interacts with the free end of a corresponding structure shaped like a hook. Through said compression the rotating lever is pushed towards the position in which the hooking ring is in the open position.
A second prior art practical solution, the object of Italian Patent No. 1,266,962 of Apr. 24, 1993 (corresponding to U.S. Pat. No. 5,479,795), consists of a containing shell combined with a strip that forms the joining cavity of the clasp. Said parts are joined by a screw or soldered together. They are equipped with a cavity in which to house a small diamond whose hold acts as the pivoting rod of the rotating mechanism. Said mechanism is formed by a lever with a side protrusion on which to operate the compression to control the rotation and move the free end to the position in which the hooking ring is open.
A third solution, the object of U.S. Pat. No. 5,117,539 filed on Sep. 3, 1991, foresees an S-shaped rotating element or “small jack”, on one end shaped like a straight arm which is designed to interact with the hook shaped fixed structure which originates the openable ring, on the other end it is provided with a shape which protrudes from a side edge of the shell. Said shape originates the point on which the rotation of the “small jack” is determined towards the open position by means of a compressing action.
A fourth solution, the object of the Italian Utility Model Application No. FI99U000116 of Sep. 29, 1999 foresees an external shell provided on one end with two expansions and the rotating mechanism equipped with a hook shaped arm, which is made to join them, to originate the openable ring of the clasp. The rotating mechanism is also provided with a protruding part on which to act to obtain its rotation and consequently that of the hook shaped arm, in order to move the clasp from the closed state, in which it is constantly pushed by the internal spring, to the open position.
A fifth solution, the object of the Italian Patent Application No. AR2000A0045 of Oct. 6, 2000 (corresponding to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/782,058), foresees in it the rotating component or “small jack” characterized by an activating protrusion shaped like a button, placed next to the straight arm of the rotating mechanism which closes the corresponding hook shaped fixed arm which forms the openable ring.
Therefore prior art clasps are all provided with a rotating mechanism equipped with an activating protrusion shaped like a tab or button the activation of which will cause the opening of the clasp. The rotating mechanism therefore protrudes from one of the two side edges of the fish hook clasp. Since the protruding side of the rotating mechanism is usually activated with a thumb, the closing mechanism should be placed in a position easily reachable with it. In some cases, as when the clasp is mounted on necklaces, it is not visible. The activation of the closing device occurs by attempts which is clearly an inconvenience.
Another disadvantage in prior art industrially made clasps, where each clasp is not checked after assembly, is to have the closing arm of the “small jack” in a position which does not always match precisely the fixed hook shaped arm it faces to define the closed state of the clasp. Said result is the consequence of a variation, even if minimal, of the hinging point of the “small jack” in the containing shell in which it is lodged. Said imperfect position makes the clasp aesthetically unattractive and not secure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to make a fish-hook clasp that can be operated by the fingers of the user's hand independently from how it is held, therefore independently from the fact that the side edge which originates the hook shaped arm of the openable ring is or not oriented towards the activating thumb or the index finger of the same hand.
Another aim is to make an industrial type clasp in which the rotating mechanism and the containing shell can be coupled with relatively ample tolerances without having the end of the straight arm emerging from the “small jack” and the end of the hook-shaped arm necessarily far from the foreseen position in which they are perfectly facing each other. In this way a uniform industrial production is guaranteed, by eliminating functional and aesthetic defects.
The invention that has allowed to obtain said results consists in a fish-hook type clasp with a rotating mechanism or “small jack”, whose shape originates two activating wings that protrude from both side edges of the clasp's shell. By acting on at least one of the two activating wings the rotation of the rotating mechanism is carried out to move it from the closed position, to which it is constantly pushed by the internal spring, to the open position. Said rotating mechanism is also equipped with contact surfaces which interact with at least one closed side of a side edge on the clasp's shell and are such as to define for it the position to which the closed state of the same clasp corresponds.
This type of clasp is advantageous in that the opening can be obtained by acting on one or both of the two protruding wings, without requiring the clasp to be in a specific position in the user's hands. One more advantage of said clasp is due to the fact that it can be held on the sides between the thumb and index fingers of one hand, in different positions. Therefore it can either be held next to the openable ring or next to the permanently closed ring or in points in between, these positions allowing to push at least one of the two activating wings with the fingers, to cause the rotation of the rotating mechanism and consequently the opening of the clasp. Finally, another advantage is due to the fact that the shape of the rotating mechanism with contact surfaces on the points that correspond to the closed edge of the containing shell makes it easier for the rotating mechanism or “small jack” to be precisely positioned in respect to the same fixed containing shell, therefore granting a higher tolerance when the two components are joined which is the most delicate and complex of the steps.
REFERENCES:
patent: 559640 (1896-05-01), Walker
patent: 1879167 (1932-09-01), Freysinger
patent: 4062092 (1977-12-01), Tamada et al.
patent: 4340999 (1982-07-01), Chini
patent: 4679280 (1987-07-01), Krahenbuhl
patent: 5117539 (1992-06-01), Shrader et al.
patent: 5479795 (1996-01-01), Neri
patent: 5832571 (1998-11-01), Kanamori
patent: 6161264 (2000-12-01), Choate
patent: 6438809 (2002-08-01), Camaiani
patent: 99U000116 (1999-09-01), None
LandOfFree
Fish-hook clasp with a double activation mechanism does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Fish-hook clasp with a double activation mechanism, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Fish-hook clasp with a double activation mechanism will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3003524