DETACHABLE SYSTEM AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVABLE JEWELRY COMPONENTS AND CLASPS

Abstract

The invention is a releasable locking apparatus to be adapted to a piece of jewelry where one or more of its components are meant to be removable and replaced with another, for example, a decorative end cap. The apparatus consisting of two parts, a female and a male member, where one of the members is detachable. In a simple push and twist, the system unlocks and locks the one part of a clasp or component, securing it into place through compression and barrier walls. The apparatus can be adapted to a variety of different designs of clasp or end cap and facilitates the way a charm may be placed in a chain or cord bracelet or necklace. The apparatus can also be adapted to any design component intended to be substituted with another one.

Claims

1. A releasable locking apparatus, comprising: a. a male body having i. a top section, ii. a bottom section, and iii. a male body rim located at the bottom section, the male body having a protrusion portion located on the top section of the male body, the protrusion portion having i. a middle section having an upper portion and a lower portion, and ii. at least one outer section located on the upper portion of the middle section, wherein the outer section has a radius between the radius of the male body rim and the radius of the middle section, and a wall section located on the middle section at the protrusion portion between the outer section and the top section of the male body end cap; and b. a female body having i. a side wall enclosing a void; ii. a bottom section; and iii. a top section including (a) a female body rim, (b) at least one gap portion complementary to the protrusion portion of the male body, and (c) at least one contact portion extending from the female body rim to the gap portion; iv. a spring having a diameter located within the void oriented vertically, wherein the diameter of the spring is approximately the diameter of the void; and v. a contact element movable within the void and located in the void between the spring and the contact portion of the female body.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the contact element comprises a. a plate having a top section and a bottom section; and b. a plate centering member located on the top section; wherein the plate centering member is located within the spring.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bottom section of the female body comprises a. a bottom centering member; and b. wherein the bottom centering member is located within the spring.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring is a coil spring.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the diameter of the spring is approximately 80% of the diameter of the void.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring and the contact element are connected.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the spring and the bottom section of the female body are connected.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protrusion portion is generally bowtie shaped.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the male body further comprises a. an overhang located at the male body rim, and b. a hollow located between the overhang and the protrusion portion; and c. wherein the female body further comprises a crown on the contact portion, and d. wherein the crown extends past the top section of the female body; and e. wherein the shape of the crown is complementary to the shape of the hollow.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the crown is generally arc shaped.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a. the male body further comprises i. a flange at the top section, and b. the female body further comprises i. a contact wall located at the female body rim.

12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the shape of the flange is complementary to the shape of the contact wall.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the overhang comprises an overhang contact surface, and the female body rim comprises a rim contact surface, and the overhang contact surface and the rim contact surface are complementary.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein bottom section of the male body further comprises an end cap.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the end cap comprises inner walls, and the inner walls are complementary to the female side wall.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the inner walls are longer than the length of the female body.

17. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the bottom section of the male body comprises a male housing.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the male housing includes at least one of a chain and bangle.

19. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the bottom of the female body comprises a female housing.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the female housing includes at least one of a chain and bangle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0006] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated are examples. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein:

[0007] FIG. 1 illustrates a cut away side view of the male body and female body in an unlocked orientation.

[0008] FIG. 2 illustrates a cut away side view of the male body and female body in a locked orientation.

[0009] FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the male body.

[0010] FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the female body.

[0011] FIG. 5 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the contact element.

[0012] FIG. 6 illustrates an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the male body and female body.

[0013] FIG. 7 illustrates a cut away side view of the female body and male body in an unlocked orientation.

[0014] FIG. 8 illustrates a cut away side view of the female body and male body in a locked orientation.

[0015] FIG. 9 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the female body.

[0016] FIG. 10 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the male body.

[0017] FIG. 11 illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the contact element.

[0018] FIG. 12 illustrates an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the female body and male body.

[0019] FIG. 13 illustrates a cut away side view of one embodiment of the invention having an end cap in an unlocked orientation.

[0020] FIG. 14 illustrates a cut away side view of one embodiment of the invention having an end cap in a locked orientation.

[0021] FIG. 15 illustrates a cut away side view of one embodiment of the invention having a clasp in an unlocked orientation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0022] The present invention relates to a releasable locking apparatus. Preferred embodiments of the presently disclosed apparatus will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. In the description that follows, the term top, as is traditional, will refer to the end of the element which is closest to the operator, while the term bottom will refer to the end of the device which is furthest from the operator.

[0023] FIGS. 1-6 illustrate one preferred embodiment of the presently disclosed releasable locking apparatus shown generally as 10. The apparatus 10 has a male body 12 and a female body 14.

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the male body 12 has a top section 16, a bottom section 18, and a male body rim 20 located at the bottom section 18. The male body 12 has a protrusion portion 22 located on the top section 16 of the male body 12. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 6, the protrusion portion 22 has a middle section 24 with an upper portion 26 and a lower portion 28. As shown, the middle section 24 is generally round.

[0025] The protrusion portion 22 also includes at least one outer section 30 located on the upper portion 26 of the middle section 24. The outer section 30 has a radius with a length between the radius of the male body rim 20 and the radius of the middle section 24. There may be a single outer section 30, or there may be two outer sections 30 so that a bowtie shape is formed on the protrusion portion 22 as shown in FIG. 3. More than two protrusion portions 22 are also contemplated for this invention.

[0026] In addition, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, a wall section 32 is located on the middle section 24 at the protrusion portion 22 between the outer section 30 and the top section 26 of the male body 12. The wall section 32 provides a stop when the male body 12 and the female body 14 interlock.

[0027] Shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6 is the female body 14 having a side wall 34 enclosing a void 36. The female body 14 also includes a bottom section 38 and a top section 40. The top section 40 includes a female body rim 42, at least one gap portion 44 complementary to the protrusion portion 22 of the male body 12, and at least one contact portion 46 extending from the female body rim 42 to the gap portion 44. The female body 14 also includes a spring 48. The spring 48 is located within the void 36 is oriented vertically as shown. As shown, the diameter of the spring 48 may be approximately the diameter of the void 36 to prevent the spring 48 from being moved from proper orientation. Other means for prevent the spring 48 from being moved are also contemplated, such as different geometries of the spring 48 and the void 36. Also, although a coil spring is shown, other springs such as leaf springs are also contemplated.

[0028] In addition, the female body 14 includes a contact element 50 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 5. The contact element 50 is movable within the void 36. It is located in the void 36 between the spring 48 and the contact portion 46 of the female body 14. As shown, the contact element 50 may be a plate shaped.

[0029] Also, additional means for keeping the spring 48 in proper orientation are contemplated using centering members for the elements which contact the spring 48. The contact element 50 may include a spring centering member in the middle of the plate on the side where the contact element 50 contacts the spring 48. In addition, the bottom section 38 of the female body 14 may include a bottom centering member at the center of the bottom section 38, wherein the bottom centering member is located within the spring 48.

[0030] As shown, in FIGS. 1 and 2, the diameter of the spring 48 is approximately the diameter of the void 36. However, the diameter of the spring 48 may be less than the diameter of the void 36. For example the diameter of the spring 48 may be approximately 80% of the diameter of the void 36 and still be restricted sufficiently so that the spring 48 keeps its alignment.

[0031] In addition, the spring 48 and the contact element 50 may be connected. Also, the spring 48 and the bottom section 38 of the female body 14 may be connected. Furthermore, the contact element 50 may be connected to the spring 48 and the spring 48 may be connected to the bottom section 38 of the female body 14.

[0032] In one embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the male body 12 includes an overhang 52 located at the male body rim 20. The overhang 52 creates a hollow 54 located between the overhang 52 and the protrusion portion 22.

[0033] The female body 14 includes a crown 56 on the contact portion 46. The crown 56 is a part of the contact portion 46 which extends past the top section of the female body 14, as shown in FIG. 6. The shape of the crown 56 is complementary to the shape of the hollow 54. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the crown 56 is generally arc shaped. Other shapes are also contemplated for the crown 56.

[0034] The overhang 52 includes an overhang contact surface 58, and the rim 42 of the female body 14 includes a rim contact surface 60. The overhang contact surface 58 and the rim contact surface 60 are complementary so that the male body 14 and the female body 14 fit closely when in locking orientation.

[0035] Another embodiment of the apparatus 10 is illustrated in FIGS. 7 through 12. In this embodiment, the male body 12 includes a flange 62 located near the bottom section 18 of the male body 12. The female body 14 has a contact wall 64 located at the female body rim 42. As shown, the contact wall 64 extends past the contact portion 46 of the female body 14.

[0036] The shape of the flange 62 is complementary to the shape of the contact wall 64. As illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the flange 58 and the contact wall 60 meet horizontally and with a 90 degree angle when the apparatus 10 is in a locked orientation. However, other angles and geometries are also contemplated.

[0037] In another embodiment of the apparatus, as described in FIGS. 1 through 6, and as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, the bottom section 18 of the male body 12 further comprises an end cap 66. The end cap 66 may include inner walls 68 which are complementary in shape to the female side wall 34. The inner walls 68 may be longer than the length of the female body 14, and may be shaped so that the female body 14 is covered.

[0038] In addition, the bottom section 38 of the female body 14 may include a female housing 70. The housing may include a female chain 72 or bangle or similar structure.

[0039] In another embodiment of the apparatus, as described in FIGS. 7 through 12, and as shown in FIG. 15, the bottom section 18 of the male body 12 includes a male housing 74. The male housing 74 may contain the end of a chain 76 or bangle, or a similar structure. The female body 14 may include a clasp 78 or similar structure.

[0040] It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.