JEWELRY ELEMENT AND PRODUCTION METHOD

Abstract

The present invention discloses an adorning element which comprises a base body having a front side and a rear side. At least one gem (4) is disposed in the base plate (1). In addition, a through hole (2) which receives the gem (4) is disposed in the base body for each gem (4). At least one retaining element (21) which projects into the through opening or through hole (2) and which supports the gem (4) is disposed at an end of the through hole (2) facing the front side of the base body. A holding device which holds the gem (4) in a defined position in the through hole (2) is arranged at the through opening or through hole (2) on the rear side. In addition, a method for manufacturing the adorning element according to the invention is disclosed.

Claims

1-18. (canceled)

19. An adorning element, comprising a base body of metal having a front side and a rear side, wherein at least one gem is disposed in the base body, wherein a through opening, preferably a through hole, for each gem is disposed in the base body, with the gem being received therein without any setting, wherein a collar that is circumferential, forming said retaining element, is disposed at an end of the through opening, preferably the through hole and projects into the through opening or through hole, facing the front side of the base body, with the gem being supported thereon, and a holding device which holds the gem in a defined position in the through opening or through hole is arranged at the through opening or through hole on the rear side, wherein the holding device comprises a cover plate which covers the base body in the vicinity of the through opening(s) or through hole(s) such that each gem is held in its defined position in its through opening or through hole.

20. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the holding device comprises a closing fixing element in each through opening or through hole, wherein all of the fixing elements are covered by the cover plate.

21. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the circumferential collar in the through hole (2) is formed by a blind hole that is produced from the rear side of the base body coaxially with the through hole, said blind hole having a diameter which is in excess of the diameter of the through hole.

22. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the base body comprises at least one closing device which preferably is a closing device from the group consisting of a bracket, a knob, a ball head and/or a spike, wherein the bracket, knob, ball head or spike, most preferably, is received in the base body by means of a receiving hole or is forged or cast or screwed to the base body, and/or is a closing device from the group consisting of an eye, a groove or a recess.

23. The adorning element according to claim 22, wherein at least the base body or the base body and the closing device consist of metal from the group consisting of platinum, gold, silver or a metal alloy, more particularly stainless steel, or of a combination of the aforementioned metals, wherein the base body and the closing device can consist of identical or different metals.

24. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the through opening or through hole comprises a cylindrical depression at the end facing the rear side of the base body.

25. The adorning element according to claim 20, wherein the fixing element is a plug.

26. The adorning element according to claim 20, wherein the fixing element is a clamping ring that is supported on a lateral surface of the through hole.

27. The adorning element according to claim 20, wherein the fixing element is a threaded pin or a screw that is screwed into a threaded section at the rear-sided end of the through hole.

28. The adorning element according to claim 25, wherein the plug consists of a plastic material, preferably of an elastomer, or consists of a metal, preferably of the same metal as the base body, and/or has a negative shape of the through opening or through hole, and/or preferably has a front-sided recess that maps the negative shape of the rear side of the gem.

29. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein a plurality of gems is provided which are arranged in a defined pattern in the form of letters, numerals or symbols, or are arranged across the whole or partial surface of the base body wherein, when the surface of the base body is occupied only in part, a form which corresponds to the defined pattern can be left unoccupied and is raised.

30. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the cover plate by means of which the through opening(s) or through hole(s) is/are closed on the rear side of the base body is inserted into a corresponding rear-sided recess of the base body in a detachable or undetachable manner.

31. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the cover plate comprises an engagement element, preferably a lug, at least on one side, preferably on the narrow side, which can be brought into engagement with a mating engagement element, preferably with a corresponding slot which is disposed in the recess of the base body, and/or is articulated to the base body via one or a plurality of hinges.

32. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the gem has a circular basic cross-section and, preferably, comprises a brilliant cut or a brilliant cut form and/or is a diamond, has an oval or polygonal basic cross-section and comprises a crystal form or a cut form, is a crystal, or is a synthetic gem with a cut is a non-diamond natural gem with or without cut.

33. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the gem is a clasp, wherein the base body is a base plate, preferably a base plate that is curved at least along one axis, and/or wherein the at least one gem is disposed in the base plate, wherein the closing element(s) is/are arranged on the rear side of the base plate.

34. The adorning element according to claim 33, wherein the clasp is a belt buckle, a book clasp, a purse clasp, a jacket clasp, a shoe clasp, a bag clasp, a suitcase clasp, a knapsack clasp, a clasp for a case of a mobile electronic terminal device, a clock clasp, a clasp for a pair of trousers, a clasp for braces, a clasp for a cosmetic bag, a clasp for a suit bag.

35. The adorning element according to claim 34, wherein the knob, ball head or spike comprises a collar which extends in a radially outward direction in relation to its longitudinal axis, wherein the receiving hole for the knob, ball head or spike is arranged such that the collar overlaps an edge of the cover plate.

36. The adorning element according to claim 19, wherein the adorning element is a key chain, a wristband, a bracelet, a case of an electronic terminal device, a ring, a necklace, a cuff button, a money clip, a hairslide, a button, an ear adorning element, a part of a necklace, a pendant, a decorating part for hats and/or gloves, a collar, a decorating part for sports accessories in equestrian sports, golf, tennis or other sports accessories, a temple stem or a tie pin.

37. A method for manufacturing an adorning element having the features according to claim 19, comprising the following steps: a) providing a base body blank, and b) producing the through hole in the base body blank, c) arranging or producing the retaining element at the end of the through opening or through hole facing the front side of the base plate, d) inserting the gem into the through opening or through hole from the rear side of the base body and making the gem abut against the retaining element, e) attaching the holding device to the through opening or through hole on the rear side and holding the gem therein by means of the holding device, wherein the cover plate covers the base body in the vicinity of the through opening(s) or through hole(s) at the rear side of the base body in a manner as such that each gem is held in its defined position in its through opening or through hole.

38. The method for manufacturing an adorning element having the features according to claim 37, wherein attaching the holding device in step e) before positioning the cover plate comprises closing the through opening or through hole by means of a fixing element such that the cover plate covers all of the fixing elements.

39. The manufacturing method according to claim 37, comprising execution of step b), which comprises producing a blind opening or blind hole coaxially with the through opening or through hole from the rear side of the base body, said blind hole having a diameter that is in excess of the diameter of the through hole, with the result that the collar is achieved at the end of the through hole facing the front side of the base body wherein steps a) and b) are made simultaneously when a casting method is used, and this also applies to a step b).

40. The manufacturing method according to claim 37, wherein step e) comprises inserting the cover plate into a rear-sided recess of the base body and/or inserting the plug as fixing element into the through opening or through hole from the rear side of the base body.

41. The manufacturing method according to claim 37, wherein, following at least one of steps a), b) and/or c), step g) is made which comprises coating, preferably galvanising, most preferably silver-plating, gold-plating, platinising the base body blank or the base body, and/or wherein a base body machine finishing step g) is made following one of steps a), b), c) and/or step g), which comprises polishing, lapping, brushing or surface refining in any other manner.

Description

[0056] In the figures,

[0057] FIG. 1 is a front view of an adorning element in the form of a belt buckle in perspective;

[0058] FIG. 2 is a top view of the belt buckle;

[0059] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the belt buckle;

[0060] FIG. 4 is a detail of the longitudinal sectional view of the belt buckle;

[0061] FIG. 6 is a rear view of the belt buckle in perspective;

[0062] FIG. 6a,b are two exploded views of the belt buckle;

[0063] FIG. 7a-c are sectional views of various embodiments of a ring;

[0064] FIG. 8 is a top view of an earring.

[0065] The adorning element shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 6b is a belt buckle 10.

[0066] The explanations of the principle of manufacturing the belt buckle and its structure essentially apply for all adorning elements which are to be fitted with gems designed according to the invention.

[0067] The advantages mentioned therefore refer to a whole entirety of adorning elements.

[0068] The belt buckle 10 according to the invention, such as it is shown in perspective in FIG. 1, essentially consists of a base plate 1 with gems 4 being inserted therein. In the embodiment shown, the gems 4 are arranged in the pattern of an E; in other embodiments, however, the gems 4 can generally be arranged in any pattern desired, in particular in the form of any numerals, numbers, other symbols and combinations thereof; according to a preferred embodiment, it can also be provided that the bearer's initials are mapped by the gems, thus individualising the belt buckle 10.

[0069] The base plate 1 of the belt buckle 10 is slightly curved about its transverse axis, with the result that the belt buckle 10 can be comfortably worn on one's body and does not stick out from under a piece of outerwear in a disturbing manner.

[0070] FIG. 3 shows the sectional view taken from line A-A plotted in FIG. 2 from a top view. On its rear side, the belt buckle 10 is provided with fixing means 5, 5 which serve to tie it to a belt; one of the fixing elements 5, 5 is a pin with a ball head 5 which is fitted through a hole in the belt, while the other one is a bracket 5 through which the belt is looped; the function of the fixing elements 5, 5 in this and other embodiments are known to the person skilled in the art.

[0071] A plurality of through holes 2 which are arranged in an E pattern are provided in the base plate 1. The gems 4 are inserted into the through holes 2 from the rear side. The attachment of the gems 4 in the through hole 2 is shown in FIG. 4 which shows the detail Z from FIG. 3. At their end facing the decorated side, the through holes 2 have a collar 21 which projects radially into the hole 2 in part. During manufacture, a through hole 22 having a small diameter is therefore produced at first, and then a blind hole 24 having a somewhat larger diameter is produced; this results in a collar 21 and, finally, in the actual through hole 2. The collar 21 is provided to ensure that the gems 4 are each supported thereon. Therein, the diameter of the gems 4 is only somewhat smaller than the large diameter of the through hole 2; thereby, the gems 4 are retained to the collar 21 in a form-locking manner, for that reason, they cannot fall out in a forward direction, not even in case of impact, vibration, etc. In the belt buckle 10 according to the invention, the gems 4 can be easily recognized as a decorating element from the front, are fully shown to advantage and are inserted from the rear side of the base plate 1.

[0072] Since a setting in the conventional sense is done without and the collar 21 is inconspicuously narrow in relation to its diameter, the attachment does not affect the overall impression; this is contrary to gems with a conventional setting and, above all, also contrary to glued gems which always stick out a little bit. On the left side in FIG. 4, the cover plate is held by the cooperation of the slot 15 of the base plate 1 with the lug 61 inserted therein on the narrow side of the cover plate 6. On the right side in FIG. 4, the cover plate 6 is retained by the fixing element, i.e., the ball head 5, having a collar region 51 which projects a little beyond the cover plate 6 on the short side of the cover plate 6. The collar 51 can be firmly pressed to the cover plate 6 via a thread 52. The key attachment 53 which can, for example, be operated with a normal open-ended spanner is provided in order to be able to tighten the knob or ball head 5 such that it is protected against being unscrewed unintentionally.

[0073] The gems 4 are inserted into the through hole 2 from the rear side and are supported against the collar 21 as described above; in order to ensure that they are safely fixed in location, a plug 3 is inserted into the through hole 2 from behind for each gem 4. Therein, the plugs 3 each have a recess 31 on their forward front face, said recess 31 being designed such that the gem 4 can be received therein in an appropriate manner. In the case of cut diamonds, the recess of the plug therefore has the shape of a circular cone. On the rear side facing the cover plate 6, the plugs 3 terminate flush with the surface of the base plate 1.

[0074] In order to achieve an improved seating of the plugs 3 in the holes 2, the holes 2 each have a cylindrical depression 23 on their end facing the rear side, the shape of said cylindrical depression 23 virtually being applied from the plugs 3 as a negative image. This allows achieving an improved seal in order to ensure that dirt, liquids or the like are prevented from reaching the gems from the rear side.

[0075] Contrary to known types of attaching gems to belt buckles, the construction of the belt buckle 10 according to the invention excludes that gems 4 get lost because they are inserted from behind and are held in the holes 2 in a form-locking manner. Despite the secure attachment, the appearance is not affected therein; since a relatively narrow collar 21 suffices for retaining the gems 4 in a form-locking manner, the former hardly attracts attention when viewed from the front so that the gems 4 are fully shown to advantage.

[0076] FIG. 5 is a rear view of the belt buckle 10 in perspective. A recess 11 which is disposed in the vicinity of the through holes 2 is provided on the rear side of the base plate 1. After the gems have been inserted, the recess 11 is closed with a cover plate 6 which is a cover of sorts that fits flush in the recess 11 and, in particular, does not project beyond the base plate on the rear side. On its short side, the cover plate 6 is protected against falling out by the collar 51 of the ball head 5 projecting beyond the edge of the cover plate 6 in part and therefore retains the latter in a form-locking manner.

[0077] FIG. 6a and FIG. 6b finally are two exploded views of the belt buckle according to the invention in two different perspectives; this allows easily recognizing the assembly. The bracket 5 is inserted into the receiving holes 13 of the base plate 1 and fixed in location, for example soldered, in an appropriate manner. After the cover plate 6 has been fitted in the recess 11, the knob or ball head 5 is inserted in a corresponding receiving hole 14 and can, for example, be secured therein via a thread, a bayonet catch or the like.

[0078] On a short narrow side 62, the cover plate 6 includes a projecting lug 61 which is provided to engage the slot 15 disposed at the short edge of the recess 11 of the base plate 1 in a form-locking manner. This means that, to be mounted, the cover plate 6 is fitted in the recess 11 while being slightly tilted, with the result that the engagement of the lug 61 and the slot 15 is achieved; subsequently, the cover plate 6 is inserted flush into the recess. Only thereafter will the knob or ball head 5 be screwed into the threaded hole 14 with its thread 52, because the collar area 51 of the ball head 5 is designed such that it overlaps the edge of the cover plate 6 in part and therefore allows a form-locking attachment on the other short side.

[0079] FIGS. 7a and 7b show a first variant of a gem in the form of a ring. A through hole 2 is disposed in the base body of the ring; therein, a hole 24 is made from inside the ring (the inside being the rear side in the illustrated instance), said hole 24 forming the collar 21 on which the gem 4 is supported at the end of the through hole 2 facing outside. The plug 3 is inserted into the through hole 2 from inside, in order to hold the gem 4. The plug 3 can either be inserted into the through hole 2 in a force-locking manner or screwed into the through hole 2 via a thread 33 which is disposed in the end section of the through hole 2 facing inside (see FIG. 7b). To be screwed in, the plug which, in this case, can be a threaded pin can have a tool attachment 32, for example, a hexagon socket. The plug can also be simply grouted, which can even be achieved when metals, such as steel, are used.

[0080] In the variant of the ring shown in FIG. 7c, the plug 3 is not screwed in but rather just put into the through hole 2 in a force-locking manner. In addition, an inner ring 7 is provided which is coaxially inserted into the base body which, in the illustrated instance, virtually is an outer ring, in order to secure the plug 3. The person skilled in the art knows how to connect the inner ring 7 and the outer ring. If the thickness of the outer ring does not suffice to completely receive the gem (along its height), however, it can also be provided that a seat bore corresponding to the position of the through hole is present, said seat bore receiving the end of the gem facing inside. This is, however, not shown in the figures.

[0081] FIG. 8 shows an earring which has a plurality of through holes 2 each of which receives gems 4 in the manner described above. As a matter of course, the invention covers any other forms of earrings, ear studs or the like, as well as all other adorning elements which are mentioned in the description.