Decorative element made by a setting technique

Abstract

A setting or mounting includes a ring carrying elements for setting a decorative element, this setting or mounting being arranged to be placed radially inside a hollow provided in a substrate of an item to be decorated. The setting includes a circular slot arranged to receive a ring-like element made of a shape memory alloy which can undergo a reversible transformation. The ring-like element is able to move from a retracted position in which it rests in the slot, to an open position in which the ring-like element at least partially protrudes from the slot to hold the setting in the substrate.

Claims

1. A setting, comprising: a ring carrying elements for setting a decorative element, said elements being positioned on an upper portion of the ring, said setting being arranged to be placed inside a hollow provided in a substrate of an item to be decorated; and a circular slot in a radially outer side of the ring, the circular slot being arranged to receive a ring-like element made of a shape memory alloy configured to undergo a reversible transformation, said ring-like element being configured to move from a retracted position, in which ring-like element rests in said circular slot, to an open position in which said ring-like element at least partially protrudes from said circular slot to apply pressure on walls of said hollow to hold the setting in the substrate.

2. The setting according to claim 1, wherein the hollow has a slight taper, a surface of a cross section of the hollow increasing slightly with depth and forming a slope, to allow the deformation of the ring-like element.

3. The setting according to claim 1, wherein the ring-like element takes the form of a star with eight rounded points.

4. The setting according to claim 1, wherein said ring-like element is made of an alloy of nickel and titanium.

5. The setting according to claim 1, wherein the setting elements are plastically deformable in order to be able to set the decorative element.

6. The setting according to claim 1, wherein the setting has a base arranged to rest against a bottom of the hollow, the circular slot being arranged in proximity to a base of the setting.

7. A decorative assembly comprising: the setting according to claim 1; and a support including the hollow and the setting is placed inside the hollow.

8. The decorative assembly according to claim 7, wherein the hollow is a blind hole.

9. A decorated item comprising: the decorative assembly according to claim 7.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Other features and advantages of the present invention will appear more clearly from the following detailed description of an example embodiment of a decoration element made by a setting technique according to the invention, this example being given solely by way of non-limiting illustration with reference to the annexed drawing, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 represents an example of a setting according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 represents a schematic sectional view of a setting of the invention in a support;

(4) FIG. 3 illustrates a shape memory ring-like element according to the invention;

(5) FIG. 4 represents a decorated article comprising a decorative assembly having several settings;

(6) FIG. 5 represents an exploded view of a support, a setting and a decorative assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The present invention concerns a setting 1 for retaining a decorative element, such as a gemstone 10, in a substrate 9 that does not have sufficient plastic deformation for a conventional setting technique. This generally concerns hard and brittle materials such as ceramic, silicon, sapphire, intermetallic alloys, or metal, natural or polymer matrix composites.

(8) According to the invention, an intermediate setting 1 is inserted into a hollow 6 provided in substrate 9. As represented in FIGS. 1 and 2, this setting 1 essentially comprises a ring having a circular slot 2 in which a shape memory ring-like element 3 rests, circular slot 2 being arranged in immediate proximity to the base of setting 1.

(9) It is known that shape memory alloys have the property of being able to undergo a reversible transformation from a high temperature ‘austenitic’ crystallographic phase to a low temperature ‘martensitic’ crystallographic phase, and can thus be trained, in certain temperature conditions, to adopt configurations corresponding to memory states. In particular, if an object made of such an alloy is trained to memorize a determined configuration in its austenitic phase, and this object is subsequently deformed while it is in its martensitic state, it remains in its deformed configuration. If this object is then heated and brought to a temperature at which it is in its austenitic phase, it tends to return to its non-deformed configuration, i.e. the configuration corresponding to its memory state.

(10) Thus, by using these properties, it is possible to secure the setting in a simple manner by means of a ring-like element made of shape memory alloy. The use of a ring-like element made of shape memory alloy to secure the setting in a hollow makes it possible to assemble (tighten) and to disassemble (loosen) the setting in its hollow many times without damaging it simply by heating or cooling the ring-like element. The alloy used to make the ring-like element is a nickel/titanium alloy known by the name of Nitinol.

(11) Thus, when the ring-like element is heated, the latter retracts and allows setting 1 to be inserted into hollow 5. Cooling the ring-like element after insertion into hollow 5 then secures setting 1 free of play in substrate 9.

(12) The central portion of setting 1 includes a cavity 6 able to accommodate a decorative element 10 such as a gemstone.

(13) The upper portion of setting 1 includes plastically deformable setting elements 4 for setting decorative element 10.

(14) The walls of the hollow are preferably perpendicular to the surface of substrate 9, forming a straight cylinder of any cross-section, setting 1 being held by the friction forces generated by the pressure applied by the ring-like element on the walls of the hollow.

(15) In an advantageous manner, hollow 5 has a slight taper, the surface of a cross section of the hollow increasing slightly with depth, the hollow then having a slightly inclined wall 7 in order to increase the space between setting 1 and inclined wall 7 of hollow 5 and to allow easier deformation of ring-like element 3 and more efficient mechanical anchoring of setting 1.

(16) The material forming setting 1 must be sufficiently ductile to allow the plastic deformation required to set decorative element 10. This material includes gold, platinum, palladium, rhenium, ruthenium, rhodium, silver, iridium, osmium, or an alloy containing at least one of these elements.

(17) According to the invention, ring-like element 3 takes the form of a star comprising eight rounded points 30. This geometry ensures better deformation of ring-like element 3 compared to an annular ring-like element, since ring-like element 3 according to the invention has a smaller cross section than an annular ring-like element.

(18) Another advantage of such a geometry is that several points of contact 31 are obtained with wall 7 of hollow 5, which makes it possible to apply greater force to a smaller surface area and thereby ensure good retention. Those skilled in the art will have no particular difficulty in adapting the shape of the ring-like element to obtain similar effects, the number of rounded points of the star could be decreased or increased to obtain stars with five, six or nine rounded points, for example.

(19) FIG. 2 represents a setting 1 inserted into a hollow 5 of a substrate 9. Setting 1 has a cylindrical shape whose lower diameter is slightly smaller than the diameter of the upper orifice of the hollow.

(20) In the step of inserting setting 1 into hollow 5, the user pushes the setting into the hollow, which has the effect of placing the lower portion of the setting on the upper edges of the hollow.

(21) The setting is in place once the latter is pushed to the bottom of the hollow. Ring-like element 3 is then heated so that it returns to its original shape and is pressed against inclined surface 7 of hollow 5. This deformation of the ring-like element provides excellent quality mechanical anchoring.

(22) FIG. 5 shows the setting of FIG. 1 in which a decorative element 10 has been placed, this decorative element 10 then being set by the plastic deformation of setting elements 4 using a suitable setting tool.

(23) FIG. 3 shows a decorative part 20 in the form of a watch case comprising a plurality of settings inserted into a plurality of adjacent hollows.

(24) Hollow 5 of substrate 9 can be made by any suitable means, such as machining, milling, laser ablation, or straight in the mould of the support. For example, in the case of a ceramic support, the hollow can be obtained by machining or laser ablation of the raw ceramic, the hollowed support being then fired and densified.

(25) As seen in FIG. 4, setting 1 of the invention is particularly well suited for securing gemstones in blind holes and does not require access through the back of the support when the decorative element is secured. This feature is particularly advantageous when the decorative element is intended to be inserted into a solid or sealed device such as a watch case.