Jewelry Clasp
20250040670 ยท 2025-02-06
Inventors
Cpc classification
A44D2211/02
HUMAN NECESSITIES
A44C5/2071
HUMAN NECESSITIES
International classification
Abstract
A jewelry clasp includes respective first and second clasp parts and a slider. At least part of the first clasp part in an attached position thereof is received in a housing of the second clasp part. At least one of the first and second clasp parts includes a magnet, and the other of the first and second parts includes a part magnetically attractable by the magnet so that the first clasp part in its attached position is held to the second clasp part by magnetic attraction. The slider is attached to and slideable in relation to the housing of the second clasp part, and is slideable between a releasing state and a locking state. In the releasing state, the first clasp part may be detached from the second clasp part, and in the locking state the first clasp part is prevented from being detached from the second clasp part.
Claims
1. A jewelry clasp for securing a first end of an elongated member of a bracelet or a necklace to a second end of the elongated member, the jewelry clasp comprising: a first clasp part and a second clasp part, wherein at least part of the first clasp part in an attached position thereof is positioned received in a housing of the second clasp part, at least one of the first and second clasp parts comprising a magnet and the other of the first and second parts comprising a part magnetically attractable by the magnet so that the first clasp part in its attached position is held to the second clasp part by magnetic attraction; and a slider attached and slideable in relation to the housing of the second clasp part, the slider being slideable between a releasing state and a locking state, the slider in the releasing state allowing for the first clasp part to be detached from the second clasp part, the slider in the locking state preventing the first clasp part from being detached from the second clasp part.
2. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein the magnet is a first magnet, and the part magnetically attractable by the magnet is a second magnet.
3. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein the magnet in the attached position of the first clasp part is held in abutment with the part magnetically attractable by the magnet.
4. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein a head part of the first clasp part can be inserted into the housing through a radial opening of the housing, the radial opening in the locking state being at least partly covered by the slider, whereby the slider in the locking state prevents extraction of the inserted head part through the radial opening.
5. The jewelry clasp of claim 4, wherein the first clasp part further comprises a neck part, the neck part having reduced cross-sectional extent compared to the head part, and wherein the axial end of the housing comprises a cut-out connected to the radial opening so that, in the attached position of the first clasp part, the neck part is positioned in the cut-out, whereby the axial end surface surrounding the cut-out prevents the head part from moving in an axial direction.
6. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein the slider slides between the releasing and locking states by means of at least one tongue sliding in at least one groove.
7. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, further comprising a snap lock which engages the slider and the housing when the slider is in the locking and/or in the releasing state so that a force in a sliding direction disengages the snap lock to allow the slider to slide to the other of the locking and/or releasing states, respectively.
8. The jewelry clasp of claim 7, wherein the snap lock includes a first snap lock part of the housing and a second snap lock part of the slider, and wherein the first snap lock part includes a spring-biased part which in the releasing and/or locking states is inserted into the second snap lock part taking the form of a depression of the slider.
9. The jewelry clasp of claim 8, wherein the spring-biased part comprises an attaching element, said attaching element comprising a base and at least one arm, said arm being configured to engage with the slider in the releasing and/or locking states.
10. The jewelry clasp of claim 9, wherein the slider comprises a cut-out, said cut-out extending between two opposed axial end walls, said end walls being plane and vertical, wherein each wall is configured to abut the arm of the attaching element to limit sliding movement of the slider beyond its releasing and locking states and prevent the spring-biased part from falling off.
11. The jewelry clasp of claim 8, wherein the spring-biased part comprises a circular surface, wherein the snap lock snaps by means of the circular surface.
12. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein a magnet is positioned and held in a head part of the first clasp part.
13. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein a magnet is positioned and held in a spacing in the housing.
14. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein the magnet is positioned so that, in the attached position of the first clasp part, the magnetic attraction works in an axial direction of the clasp.
15. The jewelry clasp of claim 1, wherein the magnetic attraction assists in drawing the first clasp part into its attached position.
16. A piece of jewelry comprising an elongated member and a jewelry clasp according to claim 1, wherein the first clasp part is attached to or is one end of the elongated member, and the second clasp part is attached to or is the second end of the elongated member so that the clasp secures the first end to the second end when the first clasp part is in the attached position.
17. A method of closing the jewelry clasp of claim 1, comprising: inserting at least part of the first clasp part within the housing so that the first clasp part is brought into its attached position; and sliding the slider from its releasing state to its locking state preventing the first clasp part from being detached from the second clasp part.
18. A method of opening the jewelry clasp of claim 1, comprising: sliding the slider from its locking state to its releasing state to allow the first clasp part positioned in its attached position to be detached from the second clasp part; and exerting a force on the first clasp part to overcome the magnetic attraction and extract at least part of the first clasp part from the housing.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0090] In the following, an embodiment of a jewelry clasp according to the invention will be described with reference to the enclosed drawings, in which:
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WRITTEN DESCRIPTION
[0104]
[0105] The jewelry clasp 1 is intended for securing a first end 4 of an elongated member 22 of the bracelet to a second end 5 of the elongated member 22. In an attached position of the first clasp part 2, as shown in
[0106] The first clasp part 2 comprises a first magnet 10, and the second clasp part 3 comprises a second magnet 11, so that the first clasp part 3 in its attached position is held to the second clasp part 4 by magnetic attraction, as shown in
[0107] The jewelry clasp 1 also comprises the slider 8, which is attached to and slideable in relation to the housing 9 of the second clasp part 4. The slider 8 is slideable between a releasing state and a locking state. The releasing state allows for the first clasp part 2 to be detached from the second clasp part 3, as seen in
[0108] The first magnet 10 and the second magnet 11 provide an initial attachment of the first 2 and second 3 clasp parts. This magnetic lock may be easily activated by one hand by bringing the first 2 and second 3 clasp parts close together. The slider 8 is slid to the locking state to provide a safety lock to ensure that the clasp parts 2, 3 are not accidentally released from each other. When releasing the clasp parts 2, 3 from each other, the slider 8 is slid to return to its releasing state after which the magnets 10, 11 will continue to keep the two clasp parts 2, 3 together. Slideable beads or charms may be strung on the bracelet over the first clasp part 2 in its released position, the clasp 1 in its closed condition preventing the beads or charms from falling off.
[0109] As shown in
[0110] The second clasp part 3 comprises two parts, as seen best in
[0111] As seen in
[0112] When the slider 8 is in its releasing state, it allows for the first clasp part 2 to be detached from the second clasp part 3 when a force exerted, typically by a hand or finger, on the first clasp part 2 overcomes the magnetic attraction between the first magnet 10 and the second magnet 11.
[0113] The housing 9 includes all parts of the second clasp part 3 except for the slider 8. The housing 9 comprises the opening 19 into which the neck part 16 of the first clasp part 2 is inserted when the first clasp part 2 is moved to its attached position. The housing 9 includes a spacing 18 in which the second magnet 11 is received. The spacing 18 is defined by an interior surface of the housing 9. The second magnet 11 is enclosed in the housing 9, positioned in the spacing 18, and here attached by means of glue. The spacing 18 is in the form of a cut-out extending from the spacing 14 in the housing towards an opposed axial end 48 of the housing and a second opening 33, where the second end 5 of the elongated member 22 is received.
[0114] The magnets 10, 11 have a cylindrical shape. The magnet 10 has a width that is smaller to a length of the magnet 10. The second magnet 11 has a width that is substantially larger than a length of the second magnet 11. The width is defined as extending in a radial direction, while the length is defined as extending in an axial direction. A diameter of the spacing 18 is of corresponding size to a diameter of the second magnet 11.
[0115] As seen in
[0116] The slider 8 comprises a radially and outwardly protruding grip projection 15, which allows the jewelry wearer to grip the slider 8 by a finger when sliding the slider 8 between the locking and releasing states. The grip projection 15 extends along a part of a perimeter of the slider 8. A cross-section of the slider 8 is substantially a semicircle. The perimeter of the slider 8 is the perimeter corresponding to the semicircle. The grip projection 15 extends circumferentially along more than 70% of the perimeter of the slider 8. The grip projection 15 has a length that is of larger size than, substantially two times, the width of the grip projection 15.
[0117] The clasp shell 23 of the invention comprises a top 29, a bottom 30 positioned oppositely from the top 29, a first side 31, and a second side 32, the first and second sides 31, 32 connecting the top 29 and bottom 30. The first side 31 and the second side 32 are positioned oppositely from each other, as seen in e.g.
[0118] The housing 9 comprises the first opening 19 and a second opening 33. The first opening 19 is positioned at the first axial end wall 46 of the housing and in the first side of the clasp shell 31. The first clasp part 2 is received in the first opening 19 in its attached position. The second opening 33 is positioned in an opposed axial end wall 48 of the housing, in the second side of the clasp shell 32, and is for receiving the second end 5 of the elongated member 22 of a piece of jewelry.
[0119] As described above, the jewelry clasp 1 comprises two magnets 10, 11 exerting a magnetic force. The second magnet 11 is positioned in the spacing or cut-out 18 positioned oppositely from the first opening 19 of the housing 9. The second magnet 11 at one end or pole abuts the clasp shell 23 and at the other end or pole abuts the first clasp part 2 in its attached position.
[0120] The first magnet 10 is located in the head part 13 of the first clasp part 2. The first magnet 10 extends along substantially the entire length of the head part 13 from a first end or tip part 53 of the head part 13 towards the neck part 16. The first end 53 is the free end of the head part 13, which is brought into abutment with the second magnet 11 in the attached position of the first clasp part 2.
[0121] The first clasp part 2 can be assisted in its movement to its attached position shown in
[0122] The first clasp part 2 comprises a cap 34 that is positioned to receive and attach the first end 4 of the elongated member 22, the latter further comprises an intermediate, flexible portion 35 leading to the second end 5 of the elongated member 22. The head part 13 has a truncated conical shape. The cap 34 is positioned adjacent to the neck part 16 of the first clasp member 2. The neck part 16 connects the cap 34 to the head part 13 of the first clasp part 2. The neck part 16 has a reduced cross-sectional extent compared to the head part 13.
[0123] The axial end 46 of the housing comprises an opening or cut-out 37 connected to the radial first opening 19 so that, in the attached position of the first clasp part 2, the neck part 16 is positioned in the cut-out 37. The axial end surface 47 surrounding the cut-out 37 prevents the head part 13 from moving in the axial direction A. The axial end surface 47 of the housing forms part of the shell 23 of the housing 9.
[0124] The cross-sectional extent of the neck part 16 is smaller than a cross-sectional extent of the cut-out 37. Hereby, the axial end 46 of the housing 9 prevents the head part 13 from being extracted from the housing 9 when an axial force is exerted to pull the first clasp part 2 or the head part 13 axially away from the second clasp part 3.
[0125] As seen in, e.g.,
[0126] The neck part 16 is at an end opposed to the head part 13 connected to another part 41 of the cap 34 of the first clasp part 2, this other part 41 and the cap 34 having a larger cross section than the neck part 16. The other part 41 forms a connection to the first end 4 of the elongated member 22. The other part 41 includes a front surface 42 that forms another barb of the first clasp member 2. The other barb or front surface 42 abuts an outer surface 43 of the axial end 46 of the housing 9 when the first clasp part 3 is in the attached position and an axial force pushes the first 2 and second 3 clasp parts towards each other.
[0127] The second end 5 of the elongated member 22 includes a cap 38, which is attached to the flexible intermediate portion 35 of the elongated member 22. The second end 5 of the elongated member 22 is inserted in the second opening 33 of the housing (
[0128] The magnets 10, 11 are positioned with magnetic north and south poles distributed along the axial direction A. In the attached position of the first clasp part 2, the north and south poles of the magnets 10, 11 face each other. The first magnet 10 is in the attached position of the first clasp part 2 held in abutment with the second magnet 11.
[0129]
[0130] In the releasing state shown in
[0131] Referring also to
[0132] The tongues 21 are formed by respective two cut-outs 8a in an interior surface of the slider 8, see
[0133] As seen in
[0134] The spring-biased part 25 comprises a ball 12 in an upper part of the spring-biased part 25. The depression 27 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the spring-biased part 25. In a well-known manner, this allows the ball 12 to be pressed in a direction out of the depression 27 when a slide force is exerted on the slider 8 in its locking or releasing states. The spring-biased part 25 comprises a helical compression spring 25a, which is positioned in the depression 27 of the housing 9. The ball 12 is of metal and has a diameter that is of substantially equal size to the length or diameter of the depression 27. In the locking and releasing states of the slider 8, part of the ball 12 projects outwardly from the depression 27. Between the locking and releasing states, the ball 12 is forced into the depression 27 by the slider 8.
[0135] As seen in
[0136] The first end 4 of the elongated member 22 is inserted into and secured in a spacing 51 of the cap 34 of the first clasp part 2, the cap 34 being positioned oppositely from the head part 13 of the first clasp part 2. The second end 5 of the elongated member 22 is inserted into and secured in a spacing 52 of the cap 38 of the second clasp part 3, the cap 38 being positioned oppositely from the tip 55.
[0137] The jewelry clasp 1 may be closed according to the following sequence of method steps, as illustrated by
[0138] The jewelry clasp 1 may be opened according to a reverse sequence of method steps. First, the slider 8 is slid from its locking state to its releasing state to allow the first clasp part 2 positioned in its attached position to be detached from the second clasp part 3. Then a force is exerted on the first clasp part 2, e.g., by a hand or finger, to overcome the magnetic attraction and extract the first clasp part 2 from the housing 9.
[0139]
[0140] In the embodiment shown in
[0141] The spring-biased part 25 comprises a circular surface on the upper part of the ball 12, wherein the snap lock snaps by means of the circular surface. The circular surface of the ball 12 is configured to engage with the circular surface of the depression 44 of the second snap lock part.
[0142] As mentioned above, the spring-biased part 25 is inserted into the depression 27 of the housing 9. The depression 27 also has a recess 61 shaped such as to accommodate the attaching element 59. Two cut-outs 8a are comprised in the interior surface of the slider 8, better shown in
[0143] The disclosure is not limited to the embodiments shown and described in the above, and various modifications and combinations may be carried out.
LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS
[0144] 1 Jewelry clasp [0145] 2 First clasp part [0146] 3 Second clasp part [0147] 4 First end of elongated member 22 [0148] 5 Second end of elongated member 22 [0149] 7 Snap lock [0150] 8 Slider [0151] 8a Cut-outs [0152] 8b Side walls [0153] 9 Housing of second clasp part [0154] 9a Radial protrusions [0155] 10 First magnet [0156] 11 Second magnet [0157] 12 Ball [0158] 13 Head part of first clasp part [0159] 14 Spacing in housing [0160] 15 Grip projection [0161] 16 Neck part of first clasp part [0162] 17 Groove [0163] 18 Spacing for receiving magnet 11 [0164] 19 First opening of housing [0165] 20 First snap lock part [0166] 21 Tongue [0167] 22 Elongated member [0168] 23 Clasp shell [0169] 25 Spring-biased part [0170] 25a Spring [0171] 26 Outer wall of housing [0172] 27 Depression [0173] 28 Enclosed spacing for receiving first clasp part 2 [0174] 29 Top of clasp shell 23 [0175] 30 Bottom of clasp shell [0176] 31 First side of clasp shell [0177] 32 Second side of clasp shell [0178] 33 Second opening of housing 9 [0179] 34 Cap of first clasp part Intermediate portion of [0180] 35 elongated member 22 [0181] 37 Cut-out [0182] 38 Cap of second clasp part [0183] 39 Back surface of head part [0184] 40 Inner surface of axial end 46 [0185] 41 Other part of cap 34 [0186] 42 Front surface of other part 41 [0187] 43 Outer surface of axial end 46 [0188] 44 Depressions [0189] 46 Axial end of housing [0190] 47 Axial end surface [0191] 48 Opposed axial end of housing [0192] 49 End of track 17 [0193] 50 Longitudinally extending wall [0194] 51 Spacing of first end [0195] 52 Spacing of second clasp part [0196] 53 First end of head part 13 [0197] 55 Tip of cap 38 [0198] 56 Spacing in cap 38 [0199] 57 Second end of slider 8 [0200] 58 Second side of cap 38 [0201] 59 Attaching element [0202] 60 Arms of attaching element 59 [0203] 61 Recess of depression 27 [0204] 62 Trough [0205] S Sliding direction [0206] A Axial direction