JEWELRY STORING SMALL BOX

Abstract

Disclosed is a jewelry storing small box comprising a pair of small box outer shell members defining the interior of the small box, a hinge member for pivotally connecting the pair of the small box outer shell members between two positions for closing and opening the box interior, a jewelry pedestal member having a lower end supported by the hinge member and capable of mounting a jewelry at an upper end thereof, a drive mechanism for driving the jewelry pedestal member in conjunction with the rotational movement of opening and closing of the pair of small box outer shell members, so that the jewelry reaches a first posture/position when the inside of the small box is closed, and the jewelry reaches a second posture/position which is above the first posture/position separated from the hinge member and rotated with respect to the first posture/position when the inside of the small box is open.

Claims

1-6. (canceled)

7. A jewelry storing small box comprising: a pair of small box outer shell members defining the interior of the small box; a hinge member for pivotally connecting the pair of the small box outer shell members, by which the pair of the small box outer shell members can be rotationally transferred between two positions for closing and opening the box interior; a jewelry pedestal member having a lower end supported by the hinge member and capable of mounting a jewelry at an upper end thereof; and a drive mechanism for linearly moving the jewelry pedestal member along an axis perpendicular to an axis of rotation by the hinge member and rotating the jewelry pedestal member about the axis in conjunction with the opening and closing pivotal movement of the pair of small box outer shell members.

8. A jewelry storing small box comprising: a pair of small box outer shell members defining an interior of the small box; a hinge member connecting the pair of small box outer shell members so that the pair of small box outer shell members can rotate and move between two positions for closing and opening the interior of the small box; a jewelry pedestal member located inside of the small box defined by the pair of small box outer shell members and capable of mounting a jewelry at an upper end thereof such that the jewelry is at a postural position in a closed state of the interior of the small box and at another postural position in an opened state of the interior of the small box; a pedestal member guide member having a cylindrical guide portion in which the jewelry pedestal member is slidably fitted; and a flexible tape element connecting the jewelry pedestal member fitted in the guide portion to the pedestal member guide member; wherein in response to the pivotal movement of the pair of small box outer shell members between two positions for closing and opening the interior of the small box, the tape element drives the jewelry pedestal member within the guide portion in the axial and radial directions such that the jewelry mounted on the upper end portion of the jewelry pedestal member is displaced between a closed posture/position within the small box and an open posture/position within the small box.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] FIG. 1 is an exploded view of Example 1.

[0015] FIG. 2 is a partial perspective view of Example 1 when the inside of the small box is closed.

[0016] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of Example 1 when the interior of the small box is half open.

[0017] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of Example 1 when the inside of the small box is fully opened.

[0018] FIG. 5 is an exploded view of Example 2.

[0019] FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of Example 2 when the inside of the small box is closed.

[0020] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of Example 2 when the inside of the small box is half open.

[0021] FIG. 8 is a perspective view of Example 2 when the inside of the small box is fully opened.

[0022] FIG. 9A is a schematic diagram showing the correlation of the main components of Example 2 in different operating states of A.

[0023] FIG. 9B is a schematic diagram showing the correlation of the main components of Example 2 in different operating states of B.

[0024] FIG. 9C is a schematic diagram showing the correlation of the main components of Example 2 in different operating states of C.

[0025] FIG. 10A is a schematic diagram showing another correlation of the main components of Example 2, and different operating states of A.

[0026] FIG. 10B is a schematic diagram showing another correlation of the main components of Example 2, and different operating states of B.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0027] Hereinafter, each embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following examples relate to jewelry storing small box provided with means for rotating the jewelry up from the box and thereby providing an impressive visual effect to the jewelry, in conjunction therewith when the box is opened, in order to enhance its rendering effect when presenting the stored jewelry.

Example 1

[0028] Example 1 is shown in the accompanying FIGS. 1 to 5.

[0029] The main part of the jewelry storing small box 1 for storing a jewelry is composed of a pair of small box outer shell members 2, 3 defining the inside of the small box, and a hinge member 4 for connecting the small box outer shell members to each other on one side thereof. As shown in FIG. 1, the hinge member 4 has a sheath shape or a cylindrical shape in which one side edge along the longitudinal direction is opened, and a pair of small box outer shell members 2, 3 are hinged at both ends thereof.

[0030] As clearly shown in FIG. 1, the above-mentioned hinge member 4 is provided with a center gear 41 rotatably at a substantially central position, and a prismatic shaft 62 integrally formed with the center gear 41 stands upright from the center of the center gear 41. A rotary rack sleeve 77 having a pedestal 61 at its upper end for mounting a jewelry such as a ring is placed on the shaft 62. The rotary rack sleeve 77 is movable in the thrust direction with respect to the shaft 62, and a fitting inner hole thereof is formed in a square columnar shape so as to be fixed with respect to the shaft 62 in the radial direction.

[0031] The base portions of the pair of frames 42 and 43 are fixed on the hinge member 4 at positions where they sandwich the center gear 41, the shaft 62, and the rotary rack sleeve 77. A pair of gear shafts 75 and 76 are passed over the upper ends of the frames 42 and 43, and a rotary rack sleeve 77 is engaged with the gear shafts 75 and 76.

[0032] The small box outer shell members 2, 3 are provided with a bracket 2a, 3a respectively fixed to the inner wall thereof, and pulley-attached gears 51 and 52 are provided at their tips respectively, and these gears mesh with the center gear 41 on the hinge member 4 through the base opening portions 42a and 43a of the pair of frames 42 and 43, respectively.

[0033] Gear shafts 75 and 76 at the upper ends of the frames 42 and 43 have pulleys 73 and 74 fixed to shafts passing through the frames 42 and 43, respectively, and these pulleys 73 and 74 engage transmission belts 71 and 72 pulled from the pulley-attached gears 51 and 52, respectively.

[0034] According to the configuration described above, when the inside of the small box is closed, the jewelry therein is in the posture/position extending in parallel with the inner wall of the small box, and when the inside of the small box is opened, the jewelry is in a posture/position extending in parallel with the wall thickness direction of the small box, which is above the above-mentioned closed position and spaced apart from the hinge. The jewelry pedestal member can be driven in response to the opening and closing pivotal movement of the small box outer shell members so as to displace between these two positions.

[0035] In FIG. 2, a ring is indicated by a broken line as an example of jewelry, and as shown in FIG. 2, the pedestal 61 on which the ring is mounted positions the ring in a posture/position in which the side faces are parallel to the inner walls of the small box outer shell members 2, 3 when the small box is closed. When the small box outer shell members 2, 3 are opened from the closed position, the pulley-attached gears 51 and 52 of the bracket 2a, 3a attached to the small box outer shell member 2, 3 rotate the center gear 41 of the hinge member 4, and rotate the rotary rack sleeve 77 about its own axis through the shaft 62 integral therewith, and rotate the gear shafts 75 and 76 via the transmission belts 71 and 72 to push the rotary rack sleeve 77 up in the thrust direction. As a result, the pedestal 61 and the ring mounted thereon also move up and away from the inner walls of the small box outer shell members 2, 3 as shown in FIG. 3, and the ring makes a transition while pivoting to the posture/position shown in FIG. 4 extending in parallel with the wall thickness direction of the small box. The reverse operation is performed, of course, when the small box is closed from FIG. 4 to FIG. 3 to FIG. 2.

[0036] According to the first embodiment, it is possible to present jewelry to a recipient with an impressive visual effect that the jewelry such as a wedding ring rises while swinging from the opening small box in conjunction with opening of the small box, for example, at the time of presenting a wedding ring to the recipient. As a result, affection of the person who presents the jewelry can be conveyed easily.

[0037] Specifically, the jewelry storing small box 1 according to the first embodiment, when the small box is opened, the jewelry is separated from the inner wall of the small box by a drive mechanism for driving the pedestal 61 of the jewelry, and the jewelry is raised to an exposed posture/position which is displaced by an angle of 90 degrees from the storage posture/position. The jewelry is rotated while moved upward from the inside of the opened small box to an exposed posture/position away from the inside of the small box, so that the jewelry is presented to the recipient with a visual effect that enhances the impression of the offering.

[0038] In addition, according to the first embodiment, in the exposed posture/position separated from the inner wall of the small box 1 when the jewelry storing small box 1 is opened, the front face of the jewelry can be made to face the recipient by the rotating operation of the jewelry by the small box, whereby the impression of the offering to the recipient can be further enhanced.

[0039] Further, according to the first embodiment, since the drive mechanism is provided for driving the pedestal 61 of the jewelry storing small box 1 in conjunction with the opening and closing movement of the small box, the long side surface of the jewelry stored in the small box can extend in a direction substantially parallel to the inner wall of the small box outer shell member and occupy an adjacent posture/position. As a result, the dimension of the small box in the wall thickness direction can be minimized, that is, the appearance of the jewelry storing small box 1 becomes slim.

[0040] In the first embodiment, as an example, the pedestal 61 constitutes a jewelry pedestal member on which a jewelry can be mounted. The center gear 41, the gears 51 and 52, the transmission belts 71 and 72, the pulleys 73 and 74, the gear shafts 75 and 76, and the rotary rack sleeve 77 constitute a drive mechanism for driving the jewelry pedestal member.

Example 2

[0041] Example 2 is shown in FIGS. 5 to 9 with the same reference numerals for the same or similar components as Example 1.

[0042] In the jewelry storing small box 1 according to the second embodiment, the pedestal member 6 is composed of a pedestal 61 for supporting a ring shown by a broken line in FIG. 5 as a jewelry, and a cylindrical stay 60 provided with the pedestal 61 at the upper end and having a through-hole 63 near the lower end. The through-holes 63 have openings 63a and 63b at circumferential positions separated by approximately 180 degrees in the radial direction. The pedestal member 6 slidably inserts the stay 60 into a cylindrical guide portion formed inside the hollow guide member 5 having a substantially rectangular cross-sectional shape fixed to the base portion of the hinge member 4, and extends toward the opposite side of the one side to which the small box outer shell members 2, 3 are coupled by the hinge member 4. The hollow guide member 5 constitutes a pedestal member guide member.

[0043] As clearly shown in the exploded view of FIG. 5, the hollow guide member 5 is provided with openings 53 and 54 in the vicinity of the upper end and the lower end of the wall on one side of the rectangle. The slider 7 with the protrusions 81 is fitted loosely with a rectangular inner bore outside the hollow guide member 5 so as to be slidable without relative rotation to the hollow guide member 5, and they are combined so that the protrusions 81 are on the same side as the side wall of the hollow guide member 5 in which the openings 53, 54 are present. The slider 7 is connected to the small box outer shell member 2, 3 by connecting rods 82 and 83. One end of each of the connecting rods 82, 83 is engaged with the bracket 21, 31 fixed to the inner wall of the small box outer shell member 2, 3, and the other end is engaged with the protrusion 81 of the slider 7.

[0044] As shown in the exploded view of FIG. 5, the driving tape 10 forming a flexible tape element has a ring 11 pivotally supported by a protrusion 81 of the slider 7 (an example of an engaging portion in the slider), and from the ring 11, the driving tape 10 extends outside of the hollow guide member 5 to the inside of the hollow guide member 5 through an opening 53 (an example of a first opening) of the hollow guide member 5, passes through a through-hole 63 of the stay 60 of the pedestal member 6 from an opening 63a to an opening 63b, passes through an opening 54 (an example of a second opening) of the hollow guide member 5, exits to the outside of the hollow guide member 5, and reaches the ring 11 again.

[0045] FIG. 6 shows a state in which the small box is closed, and although not shown, the pedestal 61 supports a ring as the jewelry as shown in FIG. 2 of Example 1, and the side surface of the ring positions the ring in a posture/position parallel to the inner walls of the small box outer shell members 2, 3. In that position, the brackets 21 and 31 of the small box outer shell members 2, 3 are closest to each other, the connecting rods 82 and 83 engaged with the protrusions 81 of the slider 7 are raised, and the slider 7 is in the uppermost position.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6, the correlation between the operation of the stay 60 of the pedestal 61 and the hollow guide member 5 and the driving tape 10 of the stay 60 is schematically shown in FIG. 9A when the small box is closed and the ring is positioned by the pedestal 61 in a posture/position parallel to the inner wall of the small box outer shell members 2, 3.

[0047] When the small box outer shell members 2, 3 are opened around the hinge member 4 from the closed position, the connecting rods 82 and 83 are opened, and the protrusion 81 of the slider 7 is pulled down, and the driving tape 10 is pulled downward outside the hollow guide member 5 by the ring 11 engaging with the protrusion 81. The driving tape 10 running from the opening 53 to the opening 63a of the through-hole 63 of the stay 60 frictionally engages the corner surface of the opening 63a and pulls the opening 63a of the through-hole 63 to the vicinity of the opening 53 until the distance is minimized as shown in FIG. 9C. Since the opening 53 is not only above the opening 63a of the through-hole 63, but also at a position where the angular phase of the pedestal 61 is different from that of the opening 63a of the through-hole 63, the stay 60 not only ascends linearly but also rotates counterclockwise to approximately 90 degrees. The movement trajectory of the angular surface of the opening 63a by the driving tape 10 is substantially the same as that of the driving tape 10 from the opening 63a to the opening 53 shown in FIG. 9A. FIG. 9B shows a state thereof in the middle.

[0048] Further, when the small box is opened and the jewelry is separated from the inner wall of the small box as shown in FIG. 9C, and the small box is returned to the storage position as shown in FIG. 9A after passing through the intermediate posture/position when the small box is half opened as shown in FIG. 9B, the driving tape 10 can pull down the stay 60 until the opening 63b comes closest to the opening 54 by frictional engagement with the corner surface of the opening 63b of the through-hole 63 so that the stay 60 is in the lower position and the angle is also returned to the original angle position and orientation. When the small box is opened and jewelry is separated from the inner wall of the small box as shown in FIG. 9C and returns to the storage posture/position as shown in FIG. 9A after passing through the intermediate posture/position when the small box is half opened as shown in FIG. 9B, the driving tape 10 can pull down the stay 60 by frictional engagement with the corner surface of the opening 63b of the through-hole 63 until the opening 63b comes closest to the opening 54, so that the stay 60 is in the lower position and the angle returns to the original angle posture/position.

[0049] In order to turn the pedestal clockwise, as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B, the engagement direction of the driving tape 10 with respect to the through-hole 63 of the stay 60 is only reversed from that of FIG. 9, and therefore, the turning direction of the jewelry can be easily changed by the same component.

[0050] In Example 2, substantially the same effect as in Example 1 described above can be obtained. That is, at the time of giving the engagement ring, the jewelry such as the engagement ring can be presented with an impressive visual effect on the recipient that the jewelry rises while swinging from the opened small box in conjunction with the opening of the small box. As a result, affection of the person who presents the jewelry can be conveyed easily.

[0051] In the second embodiment, the hollow guide member 5, the slider 7, the driving tape 10, and the connecting rods 82 and 83 constitute a drive mechanism for driving the jewelry pedestal member 6, as an example.

[0052] In the second embodiment described above, the connecting rods 82 and 83 are engaged with the protrusion 81 of the slider 7 engaged with the ring 11 of the driving tape 10, but the present invention is not limited thereto. The connecting rods 82 and 83 may be engaged at different points from the protrusion 81 of the slider 7 to which the annulus 11 of the driving tape 10 engages, (for example at two points on both sides of the protrusion 81 of the slider 7). And in the second embodiment described above, the pedestal 61 is separate from the stay 60, and they are integrated by being joined, but they may be integrally molded from the original. Alternatively, the pedestal 61 may be configured to be removably attachable to the stay 60. In this case, by preparing a plurality of types of pedestals 61, it is possible to easily cope with jewelries of various sizes.

[0053] Although each embodiment has been described above in detail, the present invention is not limited to a specific embodiment, and various modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the claims. It is also possible to adopt a configuration in which all or some of the components of the above-described embodiments are combined.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

[0054] 1 jewelry storing small box [0055] 2 small box outer shell member [0056] 2a bracket [0057] 3 small box outer shell member [0058] 3a bracket [0059] 4 hinge member [0060] hollow guide member [0061] 6 pedestal member [0062] 7 slider [0063] 10 driving tape [0064] 11 ring [0065] 21 bracket [0066] 31 bracket [0067] 41 center gear [0068] 42 frame [0069] 42a base opening portion of the pair of frame [0070] 43 frame [0071] 43a base opening portion of the pair of frame [0072] 51 gear [0073] 53 opening [0074] 52 gear [0075] 54 opening [0076] 61 pedestal [0077] 62 shaft [0078] 60 stay [0079] 63 through-hole [0080] 63a opening [0081] 63b opening [0082] 71 transmission belt [0083] 81 protrusion [0084] 72 transmission belt [0085] 73 pulley [0086] 74 gear shaft [0087] 76 gear shaft [0088] 77 rotary rack sleeve [0089] 82 connecting rod [0090] 83 connecting rod