ROTATING JEWELRY CLOSURE

Abstract

A method is provided for closing a jewelry item that has a first side including a first and second end, the first end having a stem and locking notch. A second side of the jewelry includes a third and fourth end, the second end of the first side is connected to the fourth end of the second side. The jewelry has a closure having a collar rotatably connected to a rotatable connection element, where the collar is connected to the third end and located between the third end and the rotatable connection element. The method includes pressing the first end of the first side towards the third end of the second side. In an unlocked configuration, the stem with the locking notch of the first side is inserted within a locking cavity of the rotatable connection element. In a locking configuration the rotatable connection element is rotated to engage the locking notch of the stem, preventing removal of the stem from the rotatable connection element.

Claims

1. A method for closing a jewelry item, the jewelry item having: a first side with a first and second end, said first end having a stem and locking notch; a second side with a third and fourth end, said second end of said first side being connected to said fourth end of said second side; and a closure, the closure having a collar that is rotatably connected to a rotatable connection element; wherein said collar is connected to said third end of said second side, located between said third end and said rotatable connection element; said method comprising the steps of: pressing said first end of said first side towards said third end of said second side, inserting said stem with said locking notch of said first side within a locking cavity of said rotatable connection element on said second side when said jewelry item is in an unlocked configuration, and rotating said rotatable connection element to engage said locking notch of said stem, preventing removal of said stem from said rotatable connection element when said jewelry item is in a locked configuration.

2. The method of closing a jewelry item as claimed in claim 1, wherein said collar has a recess located approximately in the middle of a hollow cavity that accepts said rotatable connection element during said rotating step.

3. The method of closing a jewelry item as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second end of said first side and said fourth end of said second side are connected by a hinge such that said step of pressing said first end of said first side towards said third end of said second side is done by pivoting.

4. A jewelry item, the jewelry item comprising: a first side with a first and second end, said first end having a stem and locking notch; a second side with a third and fourth end, said second end of said first side being connected to said fourth end of said second side; and a closure, the closure having a collar that is rotatably connected to a rotatable connection element; wherein said collar is connected to said third end of said second side, located between said third end and said rotatable connection element; wherein said first end of said first side is configured to be movable towards said third end of said second side, wherein said stem with said locking notch is configured to be inserted into a locking cavity of said rotatable connection element on said second side when said jewelry item is in an unlocked configuration, and wherein said rotatable connection element is configured to rotate to engage said locking notch of said stem, preventing removal of said stem from said rotatable connection element when said jewelry item is in a locked configuration.

5. The jewelry item as claimed in claim 4, wherein said collar has a recess located approximately in the middle of a hollow cavity that accepts said rotatable connection element during said rotating step.

6. The jewelry item as claimed in claim 1, wherein said second end of said first side and said fourth end of said second side are connected by a hinge such that said step of pressing said first end of said first side towards said third end of said second side is done by pivoting.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

[0021] The present invention can be best understood through the following description and accompanying drawing, wherein:

[0022] FIG. 1a illustrates a top view of an earring and a closure in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0023] FIGS. 1b illustrates a side view of the earring and the closure in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0024] FIG. 1c illustrates a cut away perspective view of the earring and the closure in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;

[0025] FIG. 1d illustrates a close up of the earring and closure from FIGS. 1a-1c, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

[0026] FIGS. 2a and 2b illustrates the closure from FIGS. 1a-1c in use on a bracelet, in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0027] FIGS. 1a-1d illustrate various views of an earring 10 having a closure 12 in accordance with one embodiment. It is noted that the present examples shown in these figures is for an earring, but the closure described herein may be equally applicable to different jewelry items such as necklaces or bracelets as shown for Example in FIGS. 2a and 2b (bracelet).

[0028] As shown in FIGS. 1a-1d, earring 10 has a first side 20 and a second side 22 connected at the bottom through a hinged pivot connection 24. First side 20 of earring 20 has a stem 26 that has a locking notch 28 oriented as point of reduced thickness in the form of two cut aways on opposing side of stem 26. Second side 22 of earring 10 has a ball 30 located on a short mounting stem 32.

[0029] Turning to the independent components of closure 12, a collar 40 includes a hollow cavity 42 passing entirely therethrough for allowing ball 30 and mounting stem 32 of second side 32 to pass therein. On the side surface of collar 40 facing the second side 22 of earing 10, there are two alignment knobs 44 so that collar 40 aligns correctly against and does not rotate relative to second side 22. Collar 40 also has a recess 46 located approximately in the middle of hollow cavity 42 and extending around the entire inner circumference of cavity 42, the function of which is disclosed in more detail below. Finally, collar 40 has a square/diamond recess 48 on the side of collar 40 facing towards first side 20 of earring 10 to assist in connecting with a rotatable connection element 50 as explained in more detail below.

[0030] The other independent component of closure 12 is rotatable connection element 50. Rotatable connection element 50 has four spring/pin cavities 52 configured to receive connection springs 49 when collar 40 and rotatable connection element 50 are placed against one another as explained below. Rotatable connection element 50 also has four (4) snap connectors 54 that are deformable and configured to encapsulate ball 30 within cavity 42. For example, when rotatable connection element 50 is placed flush against collar 40, snap connectors 54 pass within cavity 42 encapsulate ball 30, affixing both rotatable connection element 50 and collar 40 to second side 22 of earing 10. As shown in FIGS. 1a-1d, each of the four (4) snap connectors 54 have a catch tab 56 that fits within recess 46 of collar 40 allowing rotatable connection element 50 to securely rotate within collar 40, but without coming disconnected from second side 22 of earing 10, allowing rotatable connection element 50 to rotate around ball joint 30. It is noted that connection springs 49 may be placed through the four spring cavities 52 and into square/diamond recess 48 of collar 40, e.g., into the points of the square, to provide a rotation limiter to rotatable connection element to approximately 90 degrees and to provide a friction feedback to the user so that they can feel when the rotatable connection element 50 has been returned enough to lock closure 12 as explained below.

[0031] On the opposing side of rotatable connection element 50 facing first side 20 of earing 10, is a locking cavity 58 having two parallel locking bars 60. Locking cavity 58 is dimensioned to receive stem 26 and locking notch 28 of first side 20 of earing 10. When rotatable connection element 50 is oriented in a first unlocked position, parallel locking bars allow stem 26 to fit fully within locking cavity 58 when first side 20 and second side 22 are pressed together via pivot connection 24. However, when rotatable connection element 50 is turned about ball 30 approximately 90 degrees to a locking position, with spring 49 and square/diamond recess 48 providing friction feedback to the user, parallel locking bars 60 rotate to catch on locking notch 28, preventing stem 26 from leaving locking cavity 58. In order to facilitate turning of rotatable connection element 50 the outer circumference has engagement ridges 62 to help grasp with the user's fingertips.

[0032] Each of the components of earing 10 and closure 12 has a set of exemplary dimensions. These dimensions are for illustration purposes only for an exemplary sized earing 10 as shown. However, it is understood that other dimensions may be used in keeping with the functions of the various components of earring 10 and closure 12. For example, stem 26 can be approximately 0.95 mm in width/diameter, with locking notch 28 having an opening width of approximately 0.60 mm. Collar 40 may have width of 3.05 mm and a thickness of about 1.35 mm. Rotatable connection element 50 is slightly larger than collar 40 and can be approximately 4.0 mm wide and approximately 1.90 mm thick. Four (4) snap connectors 54 of rotatable connection element 50 can be approximately 1.75 mm wide to fit within cavity 42 of collar 40. On the other side of rotatable connection element 50, parallel locking bars 60 within locking cavity 58 can be about 0.48 mm wide to engage/disengage with locking notch 28. The depth of locking cavity 58 can extend an additional 0.60 mm beyond locking bars 60 to accept the remainder of stem 26 that extends beyond locking notch 28.

[0033] In another embodiment shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b, a bracelet 100 is shown using the same closure 12 as described above in FIGS. 1a-1d, with all the same components and functions. A similar closure 12 may also be used for other jewelry items such as necklace or other applicable jewelry items.

[0034] While only certain features of the invention have been illustrated and described herein, many modifications, substitutions, changes or equivalents will now occur to those skilled in the art. It is therefore, to be understood that this application is intended to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit of the invention.