Anklet

Abstract

An anklet for encircling an ankle is described. The anklet includes a first free end and a second free end. A plurality of interconnecting elements is arranged sequentially from the first free end to the second free end. A connection means is connected to the first free end and is configured to connect to the second free end. A plurality of chimes connected to the anklet.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to an anklet. More particularly, the present invention relates to a fashion accessory, anklet for encircling an ankle that also acts as a tool for determining whether the wearer is in the vicinity.

BACKGROUND

Today's modern society is a mobile society, especially with regard to children. Young children lack the understanding of the necessity to remain in the vicinity of their parents or a family member when they are in public places like malls, and grocery stores. A lone child is an easy and potential target for kidnap.

Several types of locating and tracking devices are known in the art. Some locator devices use various technologies such as GPS, radio frequency and the like. These devices are often bulky, expensive and consume large quantities of power.

A need exists for a simple device to help determine whether a child is in the vicinity, which is inexpensive, and does not need power to operate.

SUMMARY

In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, the anklet acts as a tool for determining whether the wearer is in the vicinity.

Several exemplary uses of the anklet include a decorative piece of jewelry, a personalized jewelry, a keep-sake and a tool to determine whether the wearer is located in the vicinity.

According to an aspect of the invention, an anklet for encircling an ankle is described. The anklet includes a first free end and a second free end. A plurality of interconnecting elements is arranged sequentially from the first free end to the second free end. A connection means is connected to the anklet and is configured to connect to the first free end to the second free end. A plurality of chimes connected to the anklet.

According to another aspect of the invention, an anklet for encircling an ankle is described. The anklet includes a circular element including a first free end and a second free end. A connection means is connected to the anklet and is configured to connect to the first free end to the second free end. A plurality of chimes is connected to the anklet.

According to yet another aspect of the invention, a method of determining whether a wearer of an anklet is in the vicinity is described. The method includes connecting the ends of the anklet so that the ankle is secure around the ankle of the wearer. Connecting a plurality of chimes to the anklet and connecting a plurality of charms to the anklet, wherein the chimes make sound when the wearer of the anklet moves from one place to another and the anklet is configured to be personalized or customized.

These and other objects, features, advantages and functions of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds.

It will be appreciated that although the invention is described with respect to one or more embodiments, the scope of the invention is limited only by the claims and equivalents thereof.

It also will be appreciated that although the invention may be described with respect to several embodiments, features of a given embodiment also may be used with one or more other embodiments.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, comprises the features hereinafter described in the specification and particularly pointed out in the claims, the following description and the annexed drawings setting forth in detail certain illustrative embodiments of the invention, these being indicative, however, of but several of the various ways in which the principles of the invention may be suitably employed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the annexed drawings,

FIG. 1 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an embodiment of the anklet having a chain with interconnecting elements is arranged sequentially from the first free end to the second free end.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram schematically illustrating an embodiment of the anklet that is circular element from the first end to the second end.

DESCRIPTION

In the description and claims hereof although the invention is described with respect to a fashion accessory for children, such as, for example, an anklet for encircling an ankle; it will be appreciated that the invention may be used in adults, children, infants, pets and the like. Additionally, although the invention is described with respect to preventing a child from moving farther away; it will be appreciated that the invention may be used for other purposes.

Turning, now, to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like parts in the several figures, and initially to FIG. 1, shows a first exemplary embodiment of the anklet of present invention. The anklet 100 encircles an ankle. The anklet 100 may be used by adults, children, infants, elderly, or people who are blind or for pets. The anklet 100 includes a chain 101 that encircles the ankle. The chain 101 may be made of metal, leather, twine, fabric, plastic or any other material. The chain 101 has a plurality of elements 102 interlinked or interconnected to each other. The chain includes a length and it is preferably, slender. The chain has a first free end 103 and a second free end 104. The interlinking or interconnecting elements re arranged sequentially from the first free end 103 to the second free end 104. The first free end 103 and the second free end 104 are connected using a clasp 104. The clasp 105 is connected to the chain via the first free end or the second free end. One end of the chain, according to the embodiment, the first end 103 has a female portion 106 of the clasp 103 and the second end of the chain 104 has a male portion 107 of the clasp. The female portion 106 of the clasp and the male portion 107 of the clasp engage with each other, selectively, to secure the anklet around the ankle. The ankle is secured on the ankle such that it encircles the ankle comfortably without being tight or loose on the ankle, thereby the anklet does not restrict the ankle neither does the anklet fall off of the ankle.

Alternatively, the anklet may be made without the clasp or different kind of clasp may be used such that female and male portion of claps engage with each other to secure the anklet around the ankle. For example, the anklet may include a connection means made of magnet or velcro instead of clasps or the anklet may use a chain without the clasp such that the length of the chain is adjustable around the anklet or the anklet may be made of an elastic material or a continuous piece metal piece with no free ends so that it is adjustable, without using a clasp. Anklet may also be made of twine or rope or leather and the both ends may be tied using rope or twine or any other material. In case of a magnetic clasp, the two ends of the metal may be made of magnet or the male end 107 and female ends 106 may be made of a magnet so that the ends of the anklet is connected to each other by magnetic force. It will be appreciated upon reading and understanding of the specification that aspects of the embodiment described above may be substituted for one another or used in conjunction with one another where applicable.

The chain 101 is engraved with decorations or colors to look like a piece of jewelry to accentuate the beauty of the ankle of the wearer. However, one might also use a chain void of any form of engraving.

Anklet 100 further includes at least one hook 108. Hooks 108 are attached at different points on the chain 101, as desired. Hooks may be made of any material and may be added or removed as desired. Hooks are generally circular in shape, but they can be of any other shape. In this embodiment, the hooks are attached to the interlinking elements 102 of the chain. Preferably, the hooks 108 are made of metal and are removable. However, the hooks may be made of any other materials, as desired. The hooks 108 are smaller in size compared to the interlinking elements 102. Multiple hooks are attached to the chain with a space 109 between two consecutive hooks.

The hooks 108 are connected to one or more chimes 110 and/or one or more charms 111 and/or one or more beads 112 according to the desirability of the wearer. The chimes 110 and/or charms 111 and/or beads 112 are removable ornamental pieces of jewelry attached to the anklet 100 via the hooks 108. Chimes are generally circular in shape, although they can be of any shape. Chimes are structured such that they are closed, with no openings or apertures. They include a tiny metallic ball, a tiny bead or an equivalent thereof, which makes a fine sound when the chime is moved.

A charm is a piece of jewelry of any shape, size, color or texture or decoration used to accentuate or decorate the anklet. Each chime makes a fine, soft sound when the wearer of the anklet moves from one place to another. The method of making a chime or a charm that makes a fine sound is known in the art and is not discussed in detail herein. To increase the volume of the sound, the wearer may increase both, the number of hooks attached to the anklet and the charms or the chimes attached to the hooks. Furthermore, the wearer can customize the sound emanating from the chime and/or the charm by choosing a charm or a chime that makes the desired sound. For example, the wearer might like the jingling sound and so can choose a charm that produces a fine sound of a jingle.

The sound produced by the anklet while the wearer, for example, a child, moves from one place to another enables, for example, a parent to realize that the child is located at close vicinity. On other hand, absence of sound from the anklet may enable the parent to realize that the child is not in close vicinity. Based on the distance to be covered, the number of charms and/or chimes on the anklet may be increased or decreased and thereby, the volume of the sound from the anklet may also be increased or decreased.

The wearer can choose to add decorative charms or decorative beads in between two consecutive chimes. The wearer can also add different kind of beads or charms to accentuate the anklet and to decorate the anklet so that is customized or it is personalized piece of jewelry. The anklet as a whole and/or the distinct elements that form the anklet, including the chimes, the charms, the hooks, the chain, the clasp may be personalized according to, but not limited to, one's taste, family relations, and can be designed to depict, without limiting, a story, an important date or an important event in life. Thus, the anklet may serve multiple purposes; it may serve as a decorative piece of jewelry, a personalized jewelry, a keep-sake and a tool to determine whether the wearer is located in the vicinity. It will be appreciated upon reading and understanding of the specification that aspects of the embodiment described above may be substituted for one another or used in conjunction with one another where applicable.

According to a second exemplary embodiment, an anklet 100 for encircling an ankle is described. The anklet 100 is substantially same as the above referenced first embodiment and consequently the same reference numerals are used to denote structures corresponding to similar structures in the first embodiment. In addition, the foregoing description of the anklet 100 is equally applicable to the second embodiment except as noted below.

In the second embodiment, the anklet 100 is a continuous and a circular piece of metal as shown in FIG. 2. The metal 101 encircles the ankle and includes a clasp 105. Alternatively, the anklet may be made without the clasp as described above or may be made with different kinds of clasps as described above.

For example, the anklet may include a connection means made of magnet or velcro instead of the clasp or the anklet may use a continuous circular piece of metal without the clasp such that the length of the metal is adjustable and it encircles the ankle, for example using a bracket. Alternatively, the anklet may be made of an elastic material, without using a clasp. Anklet may be made of twine or leather so that it may be tied at both ends using rope or twine or any other material. It will be appreciated upon reading and understanding of the specification that aspects of the embodiment described above may be substituted for one another or used in conjunction with one another where applicable.

In case of a magnet, the two ends of the metal may be made of magnet or the male end 107 and female ends 106 may be made of a magnet so that the ends of the anklet is connected to each other by magnetic force.

The metal 101 is preferably engraved, twisted or decorated as shown in FIG. 2. The metal 101 may also include other forms of decoration that will be appreciated by the skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the specification. However, the metal can also be formed without engravings or decorations, if desired.

In this embodiment, the anklet 100 is arranged such that different kind of charms 111 and beads 112 are able to pass through the metal and may be placed on the metal 100 as a piece of decoration as shown in FIG. 2. Alternatively, the charms 111 and beads 112 may be such that they include two free ends and engage on the anklet using the free ends. Multiple beads and/or charms may be arranged on the anklet as desired. This helps the wearer of the anklet to customize and personalize the anklet as desired and as discussed above. In addition to charms and beads, the anklet may include a chime arrangement 113.

The chime arrangement 113 includes a chime or a charm or a bead attached to a hook 114 as shown in FIG. 2. The chime arrangement has an ankle facing face and an ambient facing face. The ambient facing face of the arrangement includes the hook 114 to which the chime or the charm or the bead is connected. The ankle facing face of the arrangement connects to a hook on the metal 101. Alternatively, the chime arrangement may be connected to a bead or a charm and can be made to pass through the metal 101 or may be made to securely engage on the metal 101 using a hook.

The chime is capable of making fine, sound when the wearer of the anklet moves from one place to another. Multiple chime arrangements can be included in the anklet, if desired. Preferably, each chime arrangement is spaced from the subsequent chime arrangement using beads or charms for the purpose of decoration or personalization of the anklet.

Alternatively, the chime arrangement in this embodiment such that it is capable of passing through the anklet and it remains on the anklet with limited or no movement on the anklet.

The chain or the circular element described above in the first and second embodiments may be made of metal, for example, without limiting, gold, silver, platinum, or they may be made of, without limiting, plastic, fabric, leather, twine, rope etc. The anklet encircles the ankle such that it is secure on the ankle and does not fall off of the ankle when the wearer moves from one place to another. The length, the decorations, and all elements of the above described anklet may be adjusted to be secure on the ankle and may be customized or personalized.

A method of encircling an anklet using an ankle is provided, including connecting two free ends of a chain or an elongated piece of metal to secure the chain or the metal on the ankle. The method further includes connecting multiple hooks to the anklet and connecting chimes or charms or beads to the hooks such that are capable of making fine sound when the wearer moves from one place to another. Charms and/or beads are placed between the hooks to decorate and/or to personalize the anklet. Charms and/or the beads may be connected to the hooks or may be placed or connected on the metal.

Although specific method of making is not illustrated or described herein, it will be appreciated that a person who has ordinary skill in the field would be able to make the anklet to carry out the functions described herein.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of constructions differing from the types described above.

While this invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in an anklet for encircling the ankle of a child to determine whether the child is in the vicinity, however, it is not limited to the details shown, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions, and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Although the invention has been shown and described with respect to a certain embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described elements (components, assemblies, devices, compositions, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such elements are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any element which performs the specified function of the described element (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiment or embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been described above with respect to only one or more of several illustrated embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application.

Claims

1. An anklet for encircling an ankle, comprising

a first free end and a second free end;

a plurality of interconnecting elements arranged sequentially from the first free end to the second free end;

a connection means is connected to the anklet and configured to connect to the first free end to the second free end;

a plurality of chimes connected to the anklet; and

a plurality of charms connected to the anklet.

2. The anklet of claim 1, further comprising a hook that connects the chimes to the anklet.

3. The anklet of claim 1, further comprising a hook that connects the charms to the anklet.

4. The anklet of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of beads.

5. The anklet of claim 1, wherein the connection means comprises a clasp, a magnet, a twine, or a rope.

6. The anklet of claim 1, wherein the chimes are circular and closed structures comprising a bead configured to make sound when a wearer of the anklet moves from one place to another.

7. The anklet of claim 1, wherein the anklet is made of a material comprising a metal, twine, leather, fabric or plastic.

8. The anklet of claim 1, wherein the anklet is personalized or customized.

9. The anklet of claim 6, wherein the number of charms, chimes or beads are increased to increase the sound or decreased to decrease the sound, when the wearer moves from one place to another.

10. An anklet for encircling an ankle, comprising

a circular element comprising a first free end and a second free end;

a connection means connected to the anklet and is configured to connect the first free end to the second free end;

a plurality of a chimes connected to the anklet; and

a plurality of charms connected to the anklet.

11. The anklet of claim 10, further comprising a hook that connects the chimes to the anklet.

12. The anklet of claim 10, further comprising a hook that connects the charms to the anklet.

13. The anklet of claim 10, further comprising a plurality of beads.

14. The anklet of claim 10, wherein the connection means comprises a clasp, a magnet, a twine, velcro or a rope.

15. The anklet of claim 10, wherein the chimes are circular and closed structures comprising a bead configured to make sound when a wearer of the anklet moves from one place to another.

16. The anklet of claim 10, wherein the anklet is made of a material comprising a metal, twine, leather, fabric or plastic.

17. The anklet of claim 10, wherein the anklet is personalized or customized.

18. The anklet of claim 15, wherein the number of charms, chimes or beads are increased to increase the sound or decreased to decrease the sound, when the wearer moves from one place to another.

19. A method of determining whether a wearer of an anklet is in the vicinity, comprising

connecting ends of the anklet using a connection means so that the ankle is secure around the ankle of the wearer;

connecting a plurality of chimes to the anklet;

connecting a plurality of charms to the anklet;

wherein the chimes make sound when the wearer of the anklet moves from one place to another and the anklet is configured to be personalized or customized.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the number of charms chimes or beads are increased

to increase the sound or decreased to decrease the sound, when the wearer moves from one place to another.