Jewelry with thin, closely adhering fragrance emitting cover layer
A fragrant decorative jewelry accessory includes an infusion of fragrantly volatile molecules into the accessory, and an adhesive on the underside of the accessory intended to removably attach the accessory. Fragrance may be infused on the accessory by soaking an absorbent material with the fragrantly volatile molecules, through a printing technique, through attaching encapsulated fragrance molecules onto the accessory or through the attachment of an fragrance layer onto the accessory. The fragrant decorative accessory can be removably attached to clothing, a bra strap, a choker or a hair accessory.
This application is based upon provisional application Ser. No. 60/459,461 dated Apr. 1, 2003, and claims benefit under 35 USC 119 (e).
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates to thin, versatile fragrant emitting cover layers for jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, and the like.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONApplicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,457 describes a fragrance emitting pad, which has an adhesive side adhered to the inside of clothing and a fragrance emitting side in contact with the wearer's skin. The fragrance emitting side mingles with surface skin oils to create a unique subtle fragrance in the vicinity of the skin.
Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,118 of Lahens describes a layer of porous material such as polymer foam, foam rubber, or felt that has been impregnated with fragrance oils.
Fragrant scents are known to be applied to surfaces by applying powder with appropriate binders. An alternate method is to use a printing technique to apply fragrance oils to the top surface of an object.
In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,754 of Velazquez describes encapsulating fragrant oils into tiny beads in a time release mechanism, to be applied to a surface.
Fragrant earrings are typically in the form of hollow containers having a fragrance-emitting liquid or a shaped mass of solid fragrant-emitting material therein, which results in a bulky configuration of the earring.
Among related patents for container-type fragrant earrings include U.S. Pat. No. 1,267,067 of Flagg, which discloses an earring with a piece of perfume saturated cotton mass within a container. In addition, U.S. Pat. No. 1,625,375 of Reyes describes an earring with a liquid containing vial therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,058,274 of Vivaudou describes an earring with a piece of perfume saturated extract cake mass therein. U.S. Pat. No. 2,109,092 of Roll describes a jewelry trinket comprising a small circular container piece with a perfume saturated absorbent pad therein. It could be used as an earring.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,949 of Gilowitz describes an earring with a hollow spherical container with perfume, having solid wicks ending in floral designs. U.S. Pat. No. 2,550,828 of Lawson describes an earring with a pad having perfume saturated therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,564,860 of Ryberg describes a hollow container piece of jewelry with a fragrance soaked pad therein. U.S. Pat. No. 2,740,662 of Scott discloses a hinged, operable earring with an inner chamber to hold a perfume saturated pad therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,270,525 of Sellers discloses an earring that has a vial container portion dispensing perfume. U.S. Pat. No. 4,056,951 of Black discloses an earring for pierced ears with a post, wherein the earring has a perfume filled chamber. Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 4,159,631 of Lee describes a hollow container earring with a chamber for perfume soaked gauze wicks therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,452,052 of Hodge discloses an earring container that has a variable operable lid to allow different strengths of fragrances to be emitted therefrom.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,785,642 of Chin discloses a light glittering earring container with a canister that also emits a fragrance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,419 of Gelman discloses an earring container formed by a sandwich of two disks holding a fragrance emitting member therebetween.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,751 of Joshi discloses a thin walled earring with a container, having a fragrance saturated membrane covered by a peel-off release tape.
The aforementioned fragrant earrings generally require hollow containers, such as a vial or cage, for holding a fragrant emitting liquid or pad therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,787 of Colon describes an earring cut out from a relatively rigid, but flexible, scented card of between one thirty second and three sixteenths of an inch in thickness, which can be used as an earring.
Furthermore, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,284 of Parry describes an agricultural ear-worn tag for farm animals, such as cows or pigs, which includes a scent such as a pesticide or fragrance. It states that it is applicable also to humans. However, the ear-worn tag is meant to be permanently attached to the ear, with a detachable portion for replacing fragrant emitting elements therefrom.
In addition, Applicant owns U.S. Design Pat. No. Des. 411,899 for a necklace which can be worn as a hairpiece. However, such a hairpiece is made of an inelastic string of beads, which means that if the hairpiece is short in length, the hairpiece may be tight around the head, and if it is long and loose, it results in a very long necklace draped around the chest, not a shorter necklace worn around the neck. In addition, the hairpiece/necklace described therein includes a decorative medallion, which interrupts the continuous hairpiece/necklace string of beads.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is therefore an object of the present invention to provide jewelry with one or more thin, closely adhering fragrance emitting cover layers thereon.
It is further an object of the present invention to provide versatile jewelry, such as earrings or necklaces, which emit fragrances, and which can be worn in a variety of styles.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide dangling pendants or earrings, which can intermittently contact the skin with fragrances, to allow the skin oils of the wearer to intermittently be in contact with fragrances.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide an elastic, fragrant necklace, which can be also worn as a hairpiece.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn keeping with these objects and others, which may become apparent, the present invention uses decorative fabric, or lace decorative items, as earrings or as attachments to a smooth flexible band as a necklace. They are illustrated as fabric embroidered flower appliques or lace florets although other structural configurations and designs can be used without deviating from the theme of the invention.
In one embodiment, the fabric decorative elements are impregnated with fragrance emitting liquid and adhered either to the wearer's ear lobes or to necklace band using pressure sensitive adhesive pads with release liners.
In an alternate embodiment for earring utilization, a thin, closely adhering fragrance emitting pad cover layer is adhesively attached to the front or underside of the decorative element, which optionally has a center hole. The pad cover layer is preferably thin, such as preferably having a thickness of less than one thirty second of an inch.
The thin pad cover layer forms a skin-like integument layer surrounding one or more surfaces of the decorative element. A gold or other metal stud is then driven through the center hole and onward through the wearer's pierced earlobe to be engaged with a spring retaining clip.
When the thin pad cover layer is applied to the skin facing side of the decorative element, the thin fragrance emitting pad cover layer is thereby in contact with the wearer's skin and mingles with surface skin oils to create a unique subtle fragrance in the vicinity of the ear as described in Applicant's earlier patent (U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,457). Otherwise, when applied to the front of the decorative element, the thin pad cover layer emits fragrance to the ambient air. In either embodiment, the decorative fragrance emitting elements can be removed, and the fragrance emitting liquid or pad can then be replenished.
The fragrance emitting material is fabricated in one of several ways. One method is simply to use a layer of porous material such as polymer foam, foam rubber, or felt that has been impregnated with fragrance oils. This process is described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,118 of Lahens.
Other methods start with non-woven substrates such as rayon or polyurethanes or a cover layer of woven material such as nylon tricot. Scent is then applied to the top surface by applying powder with appropriate binders.
An alternate method is to use a printing technique to apply fragrance oils to the top surface of the thin pad cover layer by spraying or dipping.
In another method the pad cover layer substrates mentioned can be coated with fragrance oils that have been encapsulated into tiny beads forming a time release mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,754 of Velazquez describes such a process for use in adding scent to detergent powders. A starch was used to encapsulate the oils. Using a starch, contact with moisture from skin or even atmospheric moisture would accelerate the release of the encapsulated fragrance oils since the starch is soluble in water.
In another embodiment of fragrance emitting jewelry, a beaded chain with a decorative pendant is described. The beads are strung on an elastic cord and the pendant has a clasp, which also permits it to be used as a decorative hairpin. The underside of the pendant has a thin ring cover layer of fragrance emitting material bonded to it with pressure sensitive adhesive. Its design permits the pendant to lie flat against the user's skin when the beaded chain is used as a necklace. In this configuration, the fragrance-emitting pad mingles with skin oils as described above. The elastic cord permits ease of use as a necklace by simply stretching it over the head.
By using the pendant as a hair clip, and draping the beaded chain down and creating a tight lower loop, a method of forming a ponytail with the hair is defined.
In an alternate configuration, by using a wide loop of the entire length of the beaded chain, the hair can be formed in a looser style. The elastic cord helps to facilitate these hair styling methods.
In a similar fashion, but draping the beaded chain under the pendant (instead of above), and combing some hair over the beads, similar hairstyles with only the hair clip (such as the pendant) exposed, are possible. Peeling off the depleted ring and replacing with a new one can replace the ring of fragrance emitting material.
Another embodiment of fragrance emitting necklace is formed by using a three dimensional pendant dangling from a chain. The sides of the pendant that have an opportunity to touch the user's skin are covered with a thin integument cover layer of fragrance emitting material (such as decorative polyester fabric).
In this manner, the pendant can be rotated on a swivel coupling during use so that the thin integument surface mingles with the skin oils of the user. The pendant itself can be disposable, or pre-cut and creased patterns of fragrance emitting covering can be supplied. These would have a pressure sensitive adhesive with a release liner on the opposite side to attach to the pendant. The depleted covering would be peeled off and replaced with a new covering.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention can best be understood in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown in drawings, in which:
Alternatively, used adhesive patch 6 can be peeled off the backside of floret 1, and another new adhesive patch 6 can be attached in its place (with integral release liner 7) for the next use. More perfume of the same type can be sprayed onto floret 1 prior to reuse.
Instead of attaching florets 1 to the user's ear lobes, the floret body members 1 having thin fragrance emitting outer cover layer 2a can be adhesively attached to a smooth plastic band 12 as in
An alternate embodiment of fragrance emitting earring for pierced ear lobes is shown in
In this embodiment, the fragrance emitting element is a thin pre-impregnated integument pad 22 which is adhesively attached via pressure sensitive adhesive layer 24 to the underside of disk 22 (as shown in the crossectional view of
As shown in the attachment method of
The construction of pendant 42 is shown in the back view of
The design of pendant 42 includes cutouts 61 to facilitate air movement in the vicinity of ring 55. Hair clasp 59 with hinge 58 and latch 60 lies flat enough such that it does not protrude beyond ring 55 so as to permit user's skin to touch ring 55 when string of beads 40 is used as a necklace. Loop 56 attaches pendant 42 to the elastic cord.
While
By clasping pendant/hair clip 42, as shown in
By just forming a large loop 50 as shown in
Similarly, by draping beads 41 under hair clip 42 as shown in
Many other geometric or decorative shapes can be used. The cube 80 of
Sphere 85 of
In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictions are used to illustrate the preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be construed by the terms used or illustrations depicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since the terms and illustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention.
It is further known that other modifications may be made to the present invention, without departing from the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. A fragrant decorative accessory comprising:
- infusion of fragrantly volatile molecules into the accessory; and
- an adhesive on the underside of the accessory intended to removably attach the accessory.
2. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory is cloth.
3. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory is plastic.
4. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory is a metal.
5. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas fragrance is infused on the accessory by soaking an absorbent material with the fragrantly volatile molecules.
6. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas fragrance is infused on the accessory through the use of a printing technique.
7. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas fragrance is infused on the accessory through attaching encapsulated fragrance molecules onto the accessory.
8. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas fragrance is infused on the accessory through the attachment of an fragrance layer onto the accessory.
9. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory can be removably attached to clothing.
10. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory can be removably attached to a bra strap.
11. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory can be removably attached to a choker.
12. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory can be removably attached to a hair accessory.
13. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the contact with human skin produces a commingling of a user's natural scent and the fragrance.
14. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 1 whereas the accessory is disposable.
15. A fragrance emitting jewelry earring comprising:
- Placement of a fragrant soaked material on the underside of the earring having the pierced the center hole of the material with earring spike; and
- The fragrance soaked material sandwiched between the ear lobe of the user and the earring.
16. A fragrance emitting jewelry earring as in claim 1 whereas the material is of smaller dimensions than the earring.
17. A fragrant jewelry comprising:
- infusion of fragrantly volatile molecules onto the jewelry.
18. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 16 whereas fragrance is infused on the jewelry through the use of a printing technique.
19. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 16 whereas fragrance is infused on the jewelry through attaching encapsulated fragrance molecules onto the accessory.
20. A fragrant decorative accessory as in claim 16 whereas fragrance is infused on the jewelry through the attachment of an fragrance layer onto the jewelry.
21. A fragrant jewelry comprising:
- attachment of an fragrance layer onto the jewelry.
22. A fragrant jewelry as in claim 20 whereas the fragrance layer is transparent.
23. A fragrant jewelry as in claim 20 whereas the fragrance layer is attached to the underside of the jewelry.
24. A fragrant jewelry comprising:
- Placement of a fragrant ring around the perimeter of the jewelry.
25. A fragrant decorative necklace and headband comprising:
- an elastic decorative material infused with fragrance designed to be worn either as a necklace and as a hair accessory.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 31, 2004
Publication Date: Feb 17, 2005
Inventor: Christine Martz (North Bellmore, NY)
Application Number: 10/813,981