JEWELRY DISPLAY APPARATUS

Abstract

The present invention is embodied in a jewelry display apparatus having a jewelry holder with means for grasping a circular object from at least two points along an interior circumferential wall and mechanically connected by an articulation device to a base. The jewelry display base includes an object having a mount for supporting a jewelry holder stand on a planar surface and at least one light source embedded in the object for directing light out away from the surface.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE(S) TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/719,728 filed on Sep. 22, 2005 and U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/721,931 filed on Sep. 29, 2005, each of which is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field Of The Invention

This invention relates generally to methods and devices for holding jewelry, and, more particularly, to improved methods and devices for holding and displaying jewelry.

2. Description Of The Related Art

The need to display a piece of jewelry to a potential customer relates to an interaction between individuals that may be as old as civilization itself. Today, it is not uncommon to display rings to customers on felt or cloth covered boards or on a salesperson's hand. Such presentations require difficult manipulation by the salesperson to show the client all of the fine points of jewelry being presented. An efficient manipulation of the “rings” being presented is a problem faced by all persons conducting counter top sales of expensive and high quality jewelry.

Moreover, in the past loops or microscopes have been used by jewelers as tools of the trade to build consumer confidence in the jewelry that they purchase. Such devices give the retail jeweler the opportunity to discuss the jewelry and its characteristics so the customer can see these characteristics and make an informed purchase. By showing a customer flaws in a particular piece of jewelry, the jeweler may demonstrate why similar pieces are different, uniquely identifiable and have different assessed values. This “informed consumer” approach can increase sales, profits and subsequent purchases by the consumer and avoid misunderstandings. Despite the effectiveness of such devices, they have their shortcomings. For example, jewelers' loops, referring a particular type or magnifying glasses, must be held by the user and, thus, are unsteady and difficult for an untrained user to effectively utilize or to reference an element being presented by the salesperson. Similarly, microscopes are expensive and difficult to use for showing the customer unique and specific characteristics of each item examined and can also be difficult to use for showing the customer unique and specific characteristics of each item examined and can also be difficult to use for each of the parties. In addition, both of these devices have no simple means for displaying jewelry to the customer. Accordingly what are needed are devices and methods for holding and displaying the key features of the offered jewelry in an easy to use in an exacting and cost effective manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is embodied in a jewelry display apparatus having a jewelry holder with means for grasping a circular object from at least two points along an interior circumferential wall and mechanically connected by an articulation device to a base.

In one embodiment, the jewelry holder includes a generally uniform strip of sheet steel arranged into a central portion, a first end portion and a second end portion with free ends of said first and second end portions having tension to maintain the free ends in a spaced apart relation diverging away from each other. The first and second free end portions include ring contact regions near said free ends, wherein a circular object is held between the contact regions which when placed against the circular object to direct tension outwardly away from the object.

In another embodiment, the jewelry holder includes a handle and at least two supports, each having elongated bodies with first ends mechanically connected to the handle. The second ends are in spaced apart relation such that the bodies diverge out and away from each other from the first ends relative to the second ends. The second ends include contact regions to contact an interior wall of a ring. Tensioning means is located between the supports for holding the ring by the contact regions while allowing the ring to be held at a plurality of angles relative to a horizontal plane.

In one embodiment, the jewelry display base includes an object having a mount for supporting a jewelry holder stand on a planar surface and at least one light source embedded in the object for directing light out away from the surface.

In another embodiment, the base includes a jewelry box having a removable cover wherein said cover includes said mount and said light source.

In yet another embodiment, the mount includes one of a plurality of grommets and the jewelry holder stand includes a plurality of posts that in turn will allow their placement into a variety of differently sized, supporting post holes represented by said plurality of grommets. These grommets may further have different light transmissive properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other aspects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a jewelry display assembly of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cut away side view of a jewelry display case of the jewelry display assembly taken along line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the jewelry display case of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cut away side view of the jewelry display case taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a jewelry holder of the jewelry display assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a jewelry holder of the jewelry display assembly of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate configuration of the jewelry holder of FIG. 6; and

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry display assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the drawings for purposes of illustration, a jewelry display assembly 20 according to the present invention includes a plurality of jewelry holders 22, 24 and 26, each supported by a stand 28 via a manipulation arm 30 having a handle 32. An exemplary assortment of jewelry holders includes a flat nosed alligator clip 22 for holding rings and slotted, flat nosed alligator clip 24 for holding the corners of finished gem stones in the slots. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the jewelry holders provided with display apparatus may include any assortment jewelry display devices such that the inventive concepts presented should not be limited by the exemplary jewelry holders 22 and 24. The stand includes a distal end formed with a removable post 34 for insertion into the post hole 36 of a base 38 (FIGS. 1 and 2).

An improved jewelry holder 26 (FIG. 1), supporting a ring 40 encrusted with jewels 42, is formed from a strip of sheet steel. The sheet steel is bent into a shape having a generally flat foot or attachment portion 44 fitted with a central bore hole for attachment to the arm 30 by a screw 46 through the hole and threaded into the arm. Ring supports 48 and 50, which form the main portion of the holder, extend out from the attachment portion 44 with distal ends 52 and 54 diverging away from each other. Each ring support includes a ring contact region 56 and 58, where the supports curve inward toward each other and a lip, where the distal ends 52 and 54 of the supports flare back out away from each other. A scratch resistant polymeric coating 60 and 62 covers portions of the supports 48 and 50 including the lips 52 and 54 and contact region 56 and 58. Tension along the foot 44 of the holder forces the two supports 48 and 50 apart and thereby permits rings of varying sizes and weights to be held within by the opposing tension of the supports within the contact regions.

Advantageously, the jewelry display assembly includes a jewelry display case with a storage box 66 slidingly receiving a cover 68 through a track formed by respective tongue 70 and groove 72 elements of the cover 68 and box 66. The cover 68 includes a post hole 36 to function as a base for the stand supporting one of the jewelry holders 22, 24 and 26. The post hole 36 is preferably reinforced by a grommet 74 inserted in the cover. The grommet is preferably made from translucent material for transmitting light out of the cover when activated by a switch 76 located near a handle 78 for the cover 68. The handle 78, arranged on an end 80 in the form of a knob is presently preferred, but should not be considered limiting to the invention.

The handle, to facilitate sliding of the cover relative to the box, may be located on the upper surface as well (not shown) or may be represented by an indentation in the cover (not shown) sufficient to be grasped by the finger of the user. Similarly, the box 66 and cover 68 is presently constructed from wood; however, any material pleasing and conducive to sale and display of jewelry may be used. Such materials may vary depending upon the environment the jewelry display apparatus is used in, the types of customers attracted to the store and types and variety of jewelry sold. In one embodiment the interior of the display box is lined with felt (not shown) in which the felt is of a color complementary with box design or a reflective surface for enhanced illumination. The box 66 shape is presently envisioned to be rectilinear; however other shapes may be used. The box 66 may further be enhanced with indicia (not shown) in the form of designs and ornamentation provided on the outside or inside of the box intended to be pleasing to the eye or marked with useful information such as ring size charts or measurements to determine jewelry sizes or other such information to facilitate identification of jewelry characteristics.

With reference to FIGS. 1-2, the cover 68 of the jewelry display box 66 includes a number of improvements to enhance the presentation of jewelry. As discussed earlier, the cover provides illumination delivered through a translucent grommet 74 into which the post portion 34 of the stand 28 is inserted. The lighting serves a number of useful purposes some of which include providing a diffuse light source to enhance the presentation of jewelry in the holder. Furthermore, the lighting may be used to enhance different characteristics of the jewelry being examined. Additionally, the grommet 74 in some embodiments is interchangeable with grommets having other translucent properties such as color and polarizing light to further enhance the delivered lighting effect. This is particularly useful when examining gemstones for imperfections and different light characteristics that can make identification of such imperfections much easier. In another embodiment, multiple grommets 90 and 92 nested within each other may be used to enhance the lighting effect. For example providing two color shades to view the jewelry under color transitions or polarized light to view the light when projected in directions that are contrasting or complementary. Also tunnels 94 having ambient air or other material with light transmissive properties may be included to provide directed diffused lighting. This arrangement is useful when it is desired to view the lighting effects when light is directed at specific surfaces of the gemstones. The light source 96 is preferably in the form of a light emitting diode (LED) electrically connected by a wire to a battery and the switch 76 on the outside of the cover (FIG. 1). The LED may be of any color as suited to desired use of the jewelry display apparatus; however, a white light LED is presently preferred as it provides the greatest versatility with regard to the use of the interchangeable grommets 74 (FIG. 1) and 90 and 92 (FIG. 2). The battery may be of any type suitable for illuminating an LED or may be a capacitor (not shown) that is quick charged from an external source (not shown) or an external power source, if the apparatus is used as an unmanned display. Furthermore, the switch 76 (FIG. 1) may be of any conventional form including, but not limited to, a slide switch or push-button switch as illustrated by FIG. 1.

In another embodiment, the LED is interchangeable as well.

In yet another embodiment (FIGS. 3 and 4), the cover 100 is provided with three post holes 101-103 surrounded by grommets 105-107 similar to the one post hole configuration in which three LEDs 109-111 provide illumination to gem stones 113-115 through translucent material 116 and 118. The LEDs are connected in circuit with the exterior switch 76 (FIG. 3) and a battery source 120. The three illumination sources allows for versatility in examination of a single gemstone by allowing for different lighting configurations to be set to enhance different characteristics. Also the light sources may be used with different gemstones to show off their complementary characteristics such as one set up for a “yellow diamond”, another for a “pink diamond” and a third for a “white diamond”.

In another embodiment, the one post hole configuration and the three-post hole configuration are provided on opposite sides of the same cover, where the one post hole illumination is, by way of example, but without limitation, configured for diffused ambient lighting and the three LEDs on the opposite side are configured for gemstone analysis. Thus, cover could merely be removed from the track with the display box and flipped over to change from box and cover arrangement of FIG. 1 to the box and cover arrangement of FIG. 3.

With reference to FIGS. 5-6, the improved jewelry holder 26 of the present invention when secured on a stand 28 for mounting on a base provides for complete articulation of the holder 26 to any position including 360 degree rotation about the axis of the stand 28 as defined by line 130, 360 degree rotation about the axis of the manipulation arm 30 as defined by line 132, motion above and below the hinged connection of the manipulation arm 30 to the stand as defined by lines 134 and 136, and motion along the longitudinal axis of the manipulation arm 30 relative to the stand 28 as defined by line 138. To achieve this flexibility in motion, it should first be understood that jewelry holder 26 provides sufficient tension and support to hold a ring or like cylindrical object to permit the many different degrees of motion while maintaining the ring in a secure manner.

It has been found through experimentation that a jewelry holder as described supra, but without a polymeric coating, when made from a 0.5 cm wide strip of 306 type stainless steel having 0.15 cm thickness, 1 cm wide long foot and 3 cm long supports, provides a relative strength to permit manipulation through all of the degrees of motion described supra while supporting a generally 2.5 cm diameter object weighing generally up to 80 grams. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that such capabilities exceed the weights of most rings in which a common, but not inclusive, weight range is 0.5 to 20 grams. It is this ability to provide the means hold the ring while rotating the jewel holder through different positions that presents a new and unique way to view jewelry. The entire exterior surface of the ring is made available to the viewer with the need to reposition the contact point between the jewelry and jewelry holder. This presents the viewer with that ability to view the entire outer circumference of the jewelry without the need to pause and reposition the holder as is required with existing alligator clip type jewelry holders. Thus, the experience of viewing the jewelry may be conducted without disturbing the experience.

Other features, which support the ability to control the position of the jewelry holder 26, include the secure attachment of the jewelry holder to the manipulation arm 30. This is presently accomplished by a polymeric caulk cementing the screw 46 to the jewelry holder 26 and manipulation arm 30. The manipulation arm 30 moves relative to the stand 28 through a bushing within a sleeve 142 that allows uniform motion when a force is applied to the manipulation arm 30 and a screw pivot 144 attaching the sleeve 142 to the stand 28. A bushing of the type suitable for this purpose is a brass or copper bushing. A tension device maintains tension between the sleeve and the manipulation arm. A tension device of the type suitable for this purpose is a conventional leaf spring (not shown). Removal of the jewelry holder 26 from the stand 28 is accomplished by unscrewing the manipulation handle 32 from the arm 30 and withdrawing of the arm 30 from the sleeve 142.

In another embodiment, the jewelry holder is powder coated into a variety of colors that may be used to complement or contrast or neutrally display the jewelry, such colors may include, but are not limited to, metallic coatings such as chrome, gold, silver and brushed steel, any variations of powder coatings such as black, white or other primary colors, flesh tone colors, glossy coatings and ultraviolet coatings. Furthermore a plurality of jewelry holders may be used to depict different viewing environments for the jewelry.

In another embodiment, a cylindrical piece of compressible material placed between the supports of the jewelry holder with the rubber and jewelry holder covered by a flesh tone colored stocking (not shown) provides a flesh tone emulating a ring finger to further compare and contrast different varieties of jewelry allowing the viewer to view the ring as it might be seen on the finger of another individual.

In another embodiment (FIG. 7), the stand 28 is fitted with a ball 150 and socket 152 joint in which movement within the ball and socket joint is activated/deactivated by a set screw 154 to thereby provide additional articulation of the jewelry holder radially about the center of the ball and socket joint as shown by line 156.

With reference to FIG. 8, an alternate display base 160 includes a post hole 162 to support a stand 28 and jewelry holder 26 along with three post holes 162-164 fitted with grommets 166-168 and overlying an LED illumination circuit 170 to deliver light illuminating effects in the same manner as described supra.

Although the invention has been described in terms of exemplary embodiments, it is not limited thereto. Rather, the appended claims should be construed broadly, to include other variants and embodiments of the invention, which may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope and range of equivalents of the invention.

Claims

1. A jewelry display apparatus comprising:

a jewelry holder having supports to grasp a circular object from at least two points along an interior circumferential wall and hold said object at multiple angles of view;

a base having a storage box and cover;

a mechanical articulation device connected between said jewelry holder and said base.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said jewelry holder includes a post to connect said supports to said articulation device.

3. The apparatus claim 1 wherein said supports are made from sheet steel.

4. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said jewelry holder is made from sheet steel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said supports include ring contact regions to contact said interior circumferential wall.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said ring contact region is coated to guard against scratching the ring.

7. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said ring contact region is coated with a polymeric coating.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said mechanical articulation device includes a stand movably coupled to said base and a manipulation arm connected to said jewelry holder and moveably received into said stand.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said base includes a location coupling said mechanical articulation device to said cover.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said location is a post hole and said mechanical articulation device includes a post.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said location is surrounded by a grommet.

12. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein said grommet is translucent and said cover includes a light source under said grommet.

13. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said grommet includes a plurality of translucent grommets nested within each other.

14. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein said light source includes an LED.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said grommets include boreholes for passing light there through.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said boreholes are filled with light transmissive material different than the grommets.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the boreholes are filled with ambient air.

18. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the light source includes an electrical connection from said LED to a power source and a switch disposed on an outside surface of said cover.

19. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said LED is interchangeable with a plurality of LEDs.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 having at least three apertures filled with translucent grommets.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said grommets are interchangeable.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said cover includes light sources disposed under said grommets.

23. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein said light sources are LEDs and said cover further includes a battery and a light switch electrically connected to said light sources.

24. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said box includes a recessed storage area.

25. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said box includes indicia on the outside of said box.

26. The apparatus of claim 24 wherein said box and cover are made of wood.

27. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein said location is a post hole, said location is surrounded by one of a plurality of grommets and said mechanical articulation device includes a plurality of posts that in turn will allow their placement into a variety of differently sized, supporting post holes represented by said plurality of grommets.

28. A jewelry holder comprising:

a generally uniform strip of sheet steel arranged into a central portion, a first end portion and a second end portion with free ends of said first and second end portions having tension to maintain said free ends in a spaced apart relation diverging away from each other;

said first and second free end portions include ring contact regions near said free ends;

wherein a circular object is held between said contact regions which when placed against said circular object to direct tension outwardly away from said object.

29. The holder of claim 28 wherein said contact regions are defined by a portion of said first and second end portions that curve inward toward other and then flare back outward at the free ends to form lips.

30. The holder of claim 28 wherein said first and second end portions are partially coated to resist scratching said circular object.

31. The holder of claim 28 wherein portions of said sheet steel are coated with a polymeric coating.

32. The holder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steel is 306 sheet steel.

33. The holder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steel has a thickness of at least 0.15 mm.

34. The holder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steel has sufficient hardness and dimensions to support a circular object having a diameter up to 2.5 cm and a weight of at least 20 grams in:

a first position where a diameter of said ring lies in a horizontal plane and said free ends underlie said horizontal plane;

a second position where said diameter of said ring lies in a horizontal plane and said free ends overlie said horizontal plane; and

a third position where said diameter lies in a vertical plane;

such that sufficient tension is maintained in each of said positions to hold said circular object within said ring contact regions.

35. The holder of claim 34 wherein said circular object weighs up to 80 grams.

36. The holder of claim 28 wherein said sheet steel is coated with an appearance altering material selected from the group consisting of metallic coatings, colored powder coatings, color glossy coatings and ultra violet paints.

37. The holder of claim 28 wherein said central portion is attached to an articulation device.

38. The holder of claim 28 wherein said central portion includes a borehole;

and said holder includes a manipulation arm connected to said central portion by attachment means selected from the group consisting of screws, tapered posts and epoxy.

39. A jewelry holder comprising:

a handle;

at least two supports, each having elongated bodies with first ends mechanically connected to said handle and second ends in spaced apart relation such that said bodies diverge out and away from each other from said first ends relative to said second ends;

said second ends include contact regions to contact an interior wall of a ring; and

tensioning means located between said supports for holding said ring by said contact regions while allowing said ring to be held at a plurality of angles relative to a horizontal plane.

40. The holder of claim 39 wherein said contact region is coated with a polymeric coating.

41. The holder of claim 39 wherein the holder is coated with a metallic coating.

42. The holder of claim 39 wherein said supports are formed from sheet steel.

43. The holder of claim 39 wherein the holder is coated with a color coating.

44. A jewelry display base comprising:

an object having a mount for supporting a jewelry holder stand on a planar surface;

at least one light source embedded in said object for directing light out away from said surface.

45. The base of claim 44 wherein said object includes a jewelry box having a removable cover wherein said cover includes said mount and said light source.

46. The base of claim 45 wherein said cover supports said jewelry holder stand on said planar surface when connected to said box.

47. The base of claim 44 wherein said object includes at least three apertures filled with translucent grommets.

48. The base of claim 47 wherein said grommets are interchangeable.

49. The base of claim 48 wherein said object includes light sources disposed under said grommets.

50. The base of claim 49 wherein said light sources are LEDs and said cover further includes a battery and a light switch electrically connected to said light sources.