Abstract
The invention relates to a decorative element comprising an elongate support body and a multitude of, in particular faceted, gemstones on an adhesive layer on the support body, wherein a minimum position and a maximum position exist for each of the gemstones.
Claims
1. A decorative element, comprising an elongate support body, and a multitude of faceted gemstones, on an adhesive layer on the support body, wherein a minimum position and a maximum position relative to a surface of the support body exist for each of the gemstones, characterized in that more than 60% of the gemstones are kept in a position in which the height of the gemstone relative to the surface of the support body is smaller than or equal to the arithmetic mean of the height Hmin in the minimum position and the height Hmax in the maximum position.
2. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein more than 70% of the gemstones are kept in a position in which the height of the gemstone relative to the surface of the support body is smaller than or equal to the arithmetic mean of the height Hmin in the minimum position and the height Hmax in the maximum position.
3. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive layer has a layer thickness of from 5% to 60% based on the height Hmax of the gemstones in the maximum position, before the gemstones are embedded.
4. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein said support body is made of a flexible material and/or said gemstones are made of glass.
5. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein said support body is hollow.
6. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein said gemstones have a front side converging to an apex and an opposing back side con-verging to an apex.
7. The decorative element according to claim 6, wherein said back side is separated from said front side by a girdle.
8. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein the size of the gemstones is smaller than 10 mm.
9. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein spherical decorative elements are provided on the adhesive layer in addition to the gemstones.
10. The decorative element according to claim 1, wherein said adhesive is selected from a group of thermoplastics.
11. A process for producing a decorative element according to claim 1, the process comprising the following steps: (a) applying an adhesive layer to the surface of the support body; (b) distributing a multitude of gemstones on the surface of the support body; characterized in that the gemstones are pressed into the adhesive layer using a pressure device, whereby an orientation of the gemstones with respect to the surface of the support body is effected; and wherein said pressure device performs a movement parallel to the surface of the support body during the pressing of the gemstones.
12. The process according to claim 11, wherein said pressure device comprises a stamp of at least two plates arranged in parallel by means of which the gemstones are pressed into the adhesive layer.
13. The process according to claim 12, wherein said parallel plates of the stamp are moved in opposite directions parallel to the surface of the support body during the pressing of the gemstones.
14. The process according to claim 11, wherein said support body is rotated around its longitudinal axis during the pressing of the gemstones.
15. The decorative element according to claim 2, wherein more than 90% of the gemstones are kept in a position in which the height of the gemstone relative to the surface of the support body is smaller than or equal to the arithmetic mean of the height Hmin in the minimum position and the height Hmax in the maximum position.
16. The decorative element according to claim 3, wherein said adhesive layer has a layer thickness of from 15% to 20%, based on the height Hmax of the gemstones in the maximum position, before the gemstones are embedded.
17. The decorative element according to claim 4, wherein said support body is made of a plastic material and/or said gemstones are made of crystal glass.
18. The decorative element according to claim 8, wherein the size of the gemstones is from 1 mm to 6 mm.
19. The decorative element according to claim 9, wherein the spherical decorative elements are glass beads.
20. The process according to claim 12, wherein the plates are elastic.
Description
(1) Further details and advantages of the present invention are further illustrated in the following by means of the description of the Figures, making reference to the drawings, wherein:
(2) FIG. 1 is a photographic representation of a decorative element of the prior art;
(3) FIG. 2 is a photographic representation of a decorative element according to the invention;
(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective detailed view of a decorative element of the prior art;
(5) FIG. 4 is a perspective detailed view of a decorative element according to the invention;
(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a first process step of the process according to the invention;
(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a second process step of the process according to the invention;
(8) FIGS. 7a and 7b are schematic views of a third process step of the process according to the invention with different stamps;
(9) FIGS. 8a and 8b are cross-sectional representations of a decorative element of the prior art and of a decorative element according to the invention;
(10) FIG. 9 is a photographic representation for performing an experiment on the strength of the bonding between the gemstones and the adhesive layer; and
(11) FIG. 10 is a schematic representation for illustrating the minimum height and maximum height.
(12) FIG. 1 is a photographic representation of a decorative element of the prior art in which a multitude of gemstones 3 are unordered on a support body 1 by an adhesive layer 2, wherein the support body 1 is a cylindrical flexible tube with a diameter of 3 mm. The gemstones 3 are so-called double apex shapes consisting of a front side converging to an apex 11 and an opposing back side also converging to an apex 12. The gemstones are ground from a glass bead and have a longitudinal dimension of 2 mm. In the region of the largest cross-sectional dimension, which is also 2 mm, the gemstones 3 are bordered by a girdle. Because of the disorderly distribution of the gemstones 3, the latter adopt a wide variety of randomly distributed positions with respect to the surface of the support body 1. In particular, there are gemstones 3 that are oriented vertically to the surface of the support body, based on a tangential plane at the place of the gemstone 3, and thus are at a maximum height H max. An imaginary wrapping cylinder around the decorative element of the prior art has a diameter D1 of 7.37 mm. As can be seen from the diameter D2 of 6.39 mm, there are also occasional gemstones 3 in approximately minimum position 3a, which closely fit to the surface of the support body 1, in the decorative element according to the prior art (FIG. 1). However, such gemstones alternate with gemstones that are in approximately in their maximum position, so that all in all a rough surface with large leaps across the longitudinal direction, and a correspondingly large roughness, are obtained. In this Example, the adhesive layer 2 has a layer thickness of 0.3 mm before the gemstones are embedded.
(13) FIG. 2 shows a decorative element 10 according to the invention. The support body 1 has the same dimensions as that of the decorative element according to FIG. 1, wherein the adhesive layer 2 is distributed on the surface of the support body 1 in the same thickness as in FIG. 1. Also, the gemstones 3 correspond to those of the decorative element according to FIG. 1. In contrast to the prior art (FIG. 1), the gemstones 3 have been oriented in such a way that their longitudinal direction defined by the connecting line of apexes 11 and 12 is no longer oriented vertically to the surface of support body 1. Rather, more than 90% of all gemstones 3 are in a position 3c in which they are at a height H relative to the surface of the support body 1 that is smaller than the arithmetic mean of the maximum height H max and the minimum height H min. In the Example shown, a wrapping cylinder with a diameter D1 of 6.48 mm is thereby obtained. In particular, the surface is clearly smoother with a highly reduced average roughness as compared to the Example shown in FIG. 1. As can be seen from the diameter D2 of 6.24 mm (FIG. 2), the so-called minimum diameter D2 of the decorative element 10 deviates only relatively slightly from the diameter D2 of 6.39 mm in FIG. 1. However, the deviation of the minimum diameter D2 (6.24 mm, FIG. 2) from diameter D1 (6.48 mm, FIG. 2) is much smaller than the deviation obtained in the prior art, i.e., the deviation of D2 (6.39 mm, FIG. 1) from D1 (7.37 mm, FIG. 1).
(14) FIG. 3 is a perspective detailed view of a decorative element of the prior art. It is easily recognized that the tube-shaped support body 1 is surrounded by a continuous and uniform adhesive layer 2, which holds the gemstones 3 in disorderly distribution. The gemstones are double apex shapes with opposing apexes 11 and 12. Because of the disorderly distribution, an uncomfortable wear sensation and an increased risk of injury are obtained, and the risk that gemstones 3 are detached from the decorative element is high, especially if the support body is flexible and is bent when used.
(15) FIG. 4 shows a decorative element 10 according to the invention in a perspective detailed view, wherein a continuous and uniform adhesive layer 2 is again provided on a tube-shaped support body 1. More than 60% of gemstones 3 are oriented according to the invention and therefore result in a high degree of coverage with a smoother surface, which is accompanied by an improved wearing sensation and a lower risk of injury, for example, in the case of a bracelet or a necklace. In addition, the risk of detachment of gemstones 3 from the decorative element 10 is clearly reduced.
(16) FIG. 5 shows a first process step of the process according to the invention, wherein the surface of a tube-shaped support body 1 is consistently provided with an adhesive layer 2, whose thickness depends on the size of support body 1 and on the size of the gemstones 3 to be applied. For example, the layer thickness of adhesive layer 2 is from 0.2 mm to 0.3 mm.
(17) In this Example, heated liquid hotmelt adhesive 2 is fed through a supply device 5 to an application nozzle 6, from which as uniform an adhesive application as possible is achieved on the surface of the support body 1 to achieve optimum embedding of gemstones 3.
(18) FIG. 6 shows another process step in which the gemstones 3 are applied from a storage container 8 in random distribution to the adhesive layer 2 while still hot. In the Example shown, the application is effected by sprinkling. The support body 1 is rotated around its longitudinal axis in order to achieve a more uniform covering by the gemstones 3. This type of application is particularly favorable for support bodies with a curved surface, for example, rope-shaped ones. During the application of the gemstones 3, the adhesive 2 is no longer liquid, but it is still viscous to some extent, in order that the gemstones 3 can be impressed into the adhesive layer 2 in another process step.
(19) FIGS. 7a and 7b show how the gemstones 3 are pressed into the adhesive layer 2 using a pressure device in the form of a stamp 9, wherein the orientation of the gemstones 3 with respect to the surface of the support body 1 is changed during the pressing.
(20) In FIG. 7a, the stamp 9 consists of two opposing elastic plates 9a and 9b. The plates 9a, 9b move towards one another and towards the support body 1 while the adhesive 2 is still hot, whereby pressure is exerted on the gemstones 3, and the gemstones 3 are embedded in the adhesive layer 2, whereby essentially all the gemstones 3 are oriented and compacted and are in a position in which the height H of the gemstones 3 with respect to the surface of the support body 1 is low. In this Example, plates 9a, 9b move parallel to the surface of the support body 1 during the pressing, whereby the orientation of gemstones 3 is further improved. In this embodiment, it is provided that both plates 9a, 9b move parallel to the surface of the support body 1, and it is further provided that the two plates 9a, 9b are moved in opposite directions R, L. Further, the support body 1 can be rotated during the pressing of the gemstones 3. Such a stamp 9 is employed, in particular, for support bodies 1 having a round cross-section.
(21) FIG. 7b shows another embodiment of the stamp 9 in which two pairs of respective-ly opposing plates 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d are provided, which press the gemstones 3 into the adhesive layer 2 and thereby orient them. This stamp is employed, in particular, for support bodies 1 having a rectangular cross-section.
(22) FIG. 8a shows a cross-sectional representation of a decorative element of the prior art in which the gemstones 3 are distributed in an unordered manner and therefore are in a wide variety of randomly distributed positions with respect to the surface of the support body 1. The gemstones 3 correspond to those of FIGS. 1 and 2. In particular, there are gemstones 3 in a maximum position 3b in which they are oriented vertically to the surface of the support body, based on a tangential plane at the place of the gemstone 3, and thus are at a maximum height H max. There are also occasional gemstones 3 in a minimum position 3a, in which the gemstones 3 rest on the surface of the support body 1 with a lateral boundary line of the front side or with the backside, and their longitudinal direction is inclined at an angle of 45 relative to the surface of the support body, thus being at a minimum height H min. This state is obtained after the adhesive layer 2 and subsequently the gemstones 3 have been applied to the support body 1 in a random distribution, and thus corresponds to a decorative element of the prior art.
(23) After the gemstones 3 have been oriented under pressure, the decorative element 10 as shown in the cross-sectional representation according to FIG. 8a is obtained. More than 90% of all gemstones 3 are in a position 3c in which they are at a height H relative to the surface of the support body 1 that is smaller than the arithmetic mean of the maximum height H max and the minimum height H min. A large number of gemstones 3 are even approximately in the minimum position 3a. The clearly reduced surface roughness with a smoothed surface and a high degree of coverage as a consequence of the gemstones 3 having been oriented under pressure can be recognized. A substantially higher adherence between the gemstones 3 and the support body 1, an increased degree of coverage and a perceptibly more uniform surface of the decorative element 10 are achieved thereby. This holds, in particular, for support bodies 1 with a curved surface, such as tubular support bodies.
(24) FIG. 9 shows an experiment to represent the higher bond strength of the gemstones 3 in a decorative element 10 according to the invention. In a tape test for testing the adhesive strength of the gemstones 3, a piece of adhesive tape 14 of the type 3M VHB Tape 4910F Acrylic Foam of about 7 cm length is bonded onto a clean region of decorative element 10 that is free of contaminations, and the protective film of the adhesive tape 14 is peeled off. Subsequently, a pressure is exerted on the decorative element for some seconds. Thereafter, the decorative element 10 is peeled off the adhesive tape at an angle of about 90 with a quick movement. For testing the adhesive strength of the gemstones 3, it is tested how many gemstones 3 remain adhered to the adhesive tape 14 after the decorative element has been peeled off. As can be seen from FIG. 9, a large number of gemstones 3 remain adhered to the adhesive tape 14 in the decorative element of the prior art as shown on the lower part. In contrast, in the case of the decorative element 10 according to the invention as shown on the upper part of FIG. 9, no gemstones 3 remain adhered to the adhesive tape 14. Thus, the decorative elements according to the invention exhibit a clearly better adherence.
(25) In a schematic representation, FIG. 10 shows an enlarged section of the decorative element shown in FIG. 8a. The gemstones are double apex shapes whose front side and back side converge to apexes 11 and 12 and are separated by a girdle 13. The front side and back side are equally designed and faceted. The top left gemstone 3 is in a minimum position 3a, in which the front side or back side with the lateral boundary line rests on the outer surface of the support body 1. The height H min is obtained from the maximum of all normal distances of the gemstone with respect to the surface of support body 1. Since the represented support body 1 is a hollow cylinder, the normal distance is based on a tangential plane of the surface of the support body 1. In the present case, this tangential plane is oriented vertically to the drawing plane. The top right gemstone 3 is in a maximum position 3b, in which the longitudinal direction of gemstone 3 as defined by the line connecting the apexes 11 and 12 is oriented vertically to the surface of support body 1. In the maximum position 3b, the height H of the gemstone is the maximum height H max. The dashed line represents the arithmetic mean H of the maximum height H max and the minimum height H min. According to the invention, at least more than 60% of gemstones 3 are in a position 3c in which the height H is smaller than or equal to the arithmetic mean H.
