Jewelry device

Abstract

A sculpted interconnected split medallion is connected in a variety of ways through magnets that are placed in recesses where the connection is invisible from the outside.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a jewelry device and in particular a device that includes a sculpted interconnected split medallion to be worn as a necklace, pendent, bracelet, belt buckle or any other type jewelry in which an ornamental or sculpted medallion is made up of interconnected pieces for attachment and detachment from each other.

All types of jewelry are known in the prior art. Sculptured pieces are known in the prior art in form of three dimensional pieces, cameos and the like. Medallions and sculpted items can be made of all types of metal or may be carved from natural occurring material such a shell, as in cameos. Another form of jewelry device comprises medallions in the form of coins which are placed into a frame and that are held within a frame by various means. These jewelry pieces are often formalized and do not allow free-flowing shapes to be included.

In the world of jewelry, which is also sometimes dictated by fashion, there is always the need for novel pieces which engage the buyer's or wearer's fantasy, which are pleasing to look at and novel in their appearance and function. The sculpted medallion jewelry device of the present invention fulfills such a need. preferably in the complementary portion of each of the members. In general, the magnets are magnetic pieces that are cylindrically shaped. The cylinders can have different length. Of course the magnets can also have a rectangular cross section.

In another feature of the present invention, the recesses are placed at different locations at the device and in different planes. Since the medallion may have a depth dimension. In one variation, each of the complementary portion include a side wall facing the opposite side wall of the complementary portion and having at least one recess for placing a magnet therein, so that each magnet is sitting within the recesses and wherein a center axis of the magnet is oriented in a horizontal plane. In an exemplary embodiment, the magnets are received in the recess and are flush with the side wall of the complementary portion.

The recesses for the magnets can also be placed on a reverse side of the medallion, that is, the central axis of the recess are oriented in a plane transverse to the horizontal plane. In some cases the magnet is placed on the obverse side of the medallion.

In a variation of incorporating the magnets into the split medallion, the recesses or pockets for the magnets can have a dimension larger than the magnets and at the mouth of the recess or the pocket can have a collar will prevent the escape of the magnet. Such a collar can be made by extending the walls of the pocket outwardly into a neck and bending the metal of the neck towards the mouth of the recess or pocket to form the collar. Alternatively, a separate collar can be placed at the mouth of the recess or pocket.

In one embodiment of the device according to the present invention, the device may be heart shaped so that the two members represent the two halves of the heart.

In the heart shaped embodiment, a great variety of shapes are possible since the heart shape can take on a great variety of configurations. The heart shape can have the complementary portions meet along a linear line at the longitudinal center line of the heart. Furthermore, the complementary portion of the two heart halves can be in a zigzag shape or can be curvilinear.

In another embodiment of the device, each of the two members may be sculpted in the shape of person's face and the two faces when connected are overlapping each other and appear in the shape of a heart or for that matter another shape. In that embodiment, the recess for the magnet is located on the reverse side of each of the members and the central axes of the magnets run transverse to the horizontal plane. However, the magnets can be placed in a variety of ways but should preferably be invisible at the viewing side.

For a firm connection of the two members, the magnets have to be of a suitable strength. For example using the device for a belt buckle requires a larger more powerful magnet, than with a device used as a necklace. Depending on the weight and size of the medallion with more than one magnetic connection, a firmer connection will be realized. The placement of the magnets into the recesses can be firm either by a frictional connection or by gluing the magnets into the recess. Any other connection which will hold the magnet firmly in the recess can also be employed. Floating magnets as afore-described can also be used.

Once the two members are connected by the magnetic connection, the connection will be invisible on the viewer. The numbers of magnetic connections are dependent on the strength and the size of the magnets. Whereas in some cases one connection suffices, it is preferred to have two sets of magnets, that is, a double connection. Important is that the plus and minus magnets are aligned to each other so that the connection becomes firm. For example a magnet size of 3/16× 1/16 inches might be a suitable size. However, the size depends on the size of the piece created. On a belt buckle the size of the recesses will be commensurate with the need for a suitably strong connection.

The recesses should be precisely aligned for the magnets to properly form a tight connection. In the example with the overlapping faces, the recesses for the magnets have to be located both on the reverse side and the obverse of the medallion, so they are not seen by the viewer. This is realized by making the recesses in the face that comes to be underneath the other face suitably deep, such that the magnetic force is able to penetrate the remaining wall metal from the recess of the device and has the power to connect with the complementary magnet. In a non-limiting example the remaining wall between the recess and the obverse side of the medallion might be 5 mm at an overall size of the sculpture of about 25-28 mm width and about 22 mm height. Of course the dimensions can be chosen in accordance with any desired size.

Another feature of the device according to the present invention is that the medallion is hung from a chain attached to each member, preferably at the outer lateral portions of the two members. In the case where the medallion is worn as a pendent, the interconnected split medallion acts as a convenient front closure of the device.

It is also within the scope of the invention that the medallion jewelry device can be any combination of sculptural elements for example the head of a horse or pet and the face of a person, sport symbols, symbols of states, symbols of particular groups. There are endless varieties in which the device can be practiced.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

Other features and advantages of the present invention will be more readily apparent upon reading the following description of currently preferred exemplified embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a front (obverse) view of an exemplary representation of an interconnected split medallion jewelry device according to the present invention;

FIG. 1a is a front view showing the second member partially in broken lines;

FIG. 1b is a view from the reverse side of the two members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 1c is side elevational view of one of the members of FIG. 1;

FIG. 1d is a perspective view of the reverse side of one of the members in FIG. 1 with the magnets in an exploded view;

FIG. 1e is a top view of the device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 2 is a front (obverse) view of another example of the jewelry device;

FIG. 2a is a front view of the device in FIG. 2 with the two members shown apart;

FIG. 2b is a perspective view of the device in FIG. 2a showing the side walls of the complementary portion;

FIG. 3 is a front (obverse) view of yet another example of the jewelry device;

FIG. 3a is a view from the reverse side of the embodiment of FIG. 3;

FIG. 3b is a view of the side wall in the embodiment in FIG. 3a with the magnets;

FIG. 3c is a view from the reverse side with the magnet in an exploded view;

FIG. 4a shows the obverse side of yet another example of the jewelry device;

FIG. 4b shows the reverse side of FIG. 4a;

FIG. 4c shows the obverse side of the different design of the device;

FIG. 4d shows the side wall of the embodiment of FIG. 4c;

FIG. 4e shows the side wall of the right member of FIG. 4c;

FIG. 5a shows the obverse side of yet another design of the jewelry device;

FIG. 5b shows the members of FIG. 5a with magnets;

FIG. 5c shows another example of a design of the device;

FIG. 5d and 5e shows the respective side wall views of the members of FIG. 5c;

FIG. 6 shows an example of a recess with a “floating” magnet therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Throughout all the Figures, same or corresponding elements are generally indicated by same reference numerals. These depicted embodiments are to be understood as illustrative of the invention and not as limiting in any way. It should also be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the present invention or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted.

Turning now to the drawing, and in particular to FIG. 1, there is shown an interconnected split medallion jewelry device with two members 1 and 2. The two members 1, 2 are shown as sculpted faces overlapping with each other and forming a heart shape. The overlap is seen in FIG. 1a as a broken line.

FIG. 1b shows the same embodiment from the reverse side 30 with the magnets 3 visible in the recesses 5. In FIG. 1c, one of the members 1, 2 in FIG. 1 is seen from an elevational side view showing the three-dimensional sculptural aspects of the device and in FIG. 1d, the member 1 of the device is shown in perspective view of the reverse side with the recesses 5 for the magnets 3 and the magnets 3 are shown in exploded view. FIG. 1e shows the device of FIG. 1 from a top view where the two members 1, 2 are overlapping and the magnetic connection 3 is also seen.

FIG. 2 shows another embodiment of the device where the two members are connected side-by-side. Also shown is a neck- or bracelet chain 4 attached to each of the members 1, 2.

FIG. 2a shows the two members 1, 2 apart and the magnet 3 connection slightly visible. In FIG. 2b, the side walls 10 and 20 of the complementary portion of the two members are shown with the recesses 5. Magnets 3 are firmly attached in each one of the recesses 5. The attachment for the magnet in the recess can be a glue attachment but any other attachment including a frictional attachment which will hold the magnet firmly in place will be suitable.

FIG. 3 shows another variation of the device where the two members 1, 2 are connected side-by-side and the side walls 10, 20 are in complementary zigzag shapes as shown in FIG. 3b. FIG. 3a show the reverse side 30 of the device in FIG. 3 with the recesses 5 in the form of pockets extending outwardly from the otherwise flat reverse side 30. This particular recess 5 arrangement is more clearly shown in FIG. 3b. FIG. 3c shows the magnet 3 for the recess 5 in an exploded view.

In FIGS. 4a-e and 5a-e are shown different designs that can work with the device and respectively shows the obverse side of a device sculpted with heads of horses and a horse and the head of a girl. FIGS. 4b, d and e and 5b, d and e show the reverse side and/ or the placement of the magnets respectively.

In FIG. 6, a “floating” magnet 3 is seen in a recess 5 with a collar 7 at the mouth of the recess preventing the magnet 3 to escape from the recess 5 or pocket.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an interconnected split medallion jewelry device, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and practical application to thereby enable a person skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.

What is claimed as new and desired to be protected by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims and their equivalents:

Claims

1. An interconnected split medallion jewelry device comprising:

at least two members each having a complementary portion, said members provided with connecting means at their complementary portion for connecting to and disconnecting from one another and wherein the connecting means are magnetic for connecting the members in an invisible manner.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the complementary portions is provided with recesses and the magnetic means are magnets received in the recesses.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein the recesses are pockets disposed on one of an obverse or a reverse side of the device.

4. The device of claim 1, wherein each of the complementary portion of the members has a side wall and wherein the members are connected side to side.

5. The device of claim 4, wherein the recesses for the magnets are located in the side wall.

6. The device of claim 4 wherein the side of one of the complementary portions is shaped in zigzag form and complemented by the other complementary portion.

7. The device of claim 4, wherein the side of one of the complementary portions is shaped in a curvilinear shape and complemented by the other complementary portion.

8. The device of claim 4, wherein one of the complementary portions is shaped in a linear shape -and complemented by the other complementary portion.

9. The device of claim 1, wherein one of the complementary portions is on an obverse side of one member and the complementary portion of the other member is on a reverse side of the other member.

10. The device of claim 1, wherein the two members are connected to each other in an overlapping way.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the two members when combined are forming a heart shape.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the two members are shaped approximately as ying yang pieces.

13. The device of claim 2, wherein the recesses for the magnets are located at a location selected from the group consisting of a side wall in the complementary portion, an obverse side of the medallion, a reverse side of the medallion, a pocket disposed at a reverse side of the medallion.

14. The device of claim 2 wherein each magnet is frictionally received within its respective recess.

15. The device of claim 2, wherein the magnet is glued into the recess.

16. The device of claim 2, wherein the recess is provided with a collar at a mouth of the recess for retaining the magnet within the recess.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the magnet is floating in the recess.

18. The device of claim 1, wherein the medallion is in the shape of two horse heads.

19. The device of claim 1, wherein the medallion is in the shape of a human head and horse head.

20. The device of claim 1, wherein the medallion is in the shape of two horse heads.