DYNAMIC JEWELLERY

Abstract

An article of dynamic jewellery includes a protective housing having an interior and a viewing window through which the interior is visible. A pendulum is suspended within the interior of the protective housing. The lower end of the pendulum supports an ornament which gives the pendulum sufficient weight that the pendulum swings freely in response to movements of a wearer's body.

Description

FIELD

There will be described jewellery that oscillates as a person moves,

BACKGROUND

Dynamic jewellery oscillates When the wearer moves. This movement attracts visual interest, especially when a gem or other such ornament that sparkles and reflects light is used. A number of patents and patent applications have been published relating to the concept of dynamic jewellery, namely: U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,908 (Michael); U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,304 (Adelman), U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,442 (Kimura); U.S. Pat No. 6,681,599 (Meguro 599); U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,511 (Meguro 511); U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,129 (Meguro 129); U.S. Patent Publication 20060032271 (Thapar); U.S. Patent Publication 20120151963 (Dobashi) and U.S. Patent Publication 20130239613 (Shah). These patent differ in the manner in which the oscillating movement is created. There will hereinafter be described a form of dynamic jewellery with a different structure for creating oscillating movement.

SUMMARY

There is provided an article of dynamic jewellery which includes a protective housing having an interior, a viewing window through which the interior is visible, and a first part of a two part suspension coupling. A pendulum is suspended within the interior of the protective housing. The pendulum has an upper end and a lower end. The upper end has a second part of the two part suspension coupling which engages the first part of the two part suspension coupling for suspending the pendulum for pivotal movement within the protective housing. The lower end supports an ornament.

With the article of dynamic jewellery described above, the weight of the ornament at the lower end of the pendulum, will cause the pendulum to swing in response to any movement of the body of the wearer. Depending upon the manner of orientation of the suspension coupling, this movement can be side to side, forward and backwards or omni-directional.

There are various types of suspension coupling that could be used. Beneficial results have been obtained when one of the first part or the second part of the suspension coupling has a pair of sockets and the other of the first part of the second part of the suspension coupling has pins which are received in the sockets.

Although this dynamic jewellery structure can be used with earrings, broaches and other types of jewellery it was developed for use as a pendant suspended from a chain. A chains can be threaded through protective housing, but when this is done it is more difficult to control the balance point and the chain sometimes shifts position to interfere with the operation of the pendulum. For purposes of orientation, the protective housing can be considered to have a front, a back, an upper end and a lower end. Chain attachment links are preferably positioned at the upper end, whereby the protective housing is suspended from a chain. The chain attachment links are positioned to maintain the pendulum in a substantially vertical orientation.

It is preferred that the hack of the protective housing be angled from the upper end inwardly toward the front at the lower end. The purpose of this angle of incline is so the protective housing is maintained in a vertical orientation to maximize pendulum movement, even when resting against the wearer's breast, which has an angle of incline.

It is preferred that the first part of the two part suspension coupling is a body positioned within the interior and depending from an upper end of the protective housing, but is a separate component from the protective housing. The reason for this is that a separate component can be attached within the protective housing in a vertical orientation, without placing a limitation on possible shapes and configurations for the protective housing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an article of dynamic jewellery.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevation view of the article of dynamic jewellery of FIG. 1, with chain attachment links added.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the article of dynamic jewellery of FIG. 1, with alternative chain attachment links positions illustrated.

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view of the article of dynamic jewellery of FIG. 1, shown resting against a human body.

FIG. 5 is a detailed perspective view of a two part suspension coupling of the article of dynamic jewellery of FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a detailed perspective view of a first of the two part suspension coupling illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a detailed perspective view of a second of the two part suspension coupling illustrated in. FIG. 5.

FIG. 8 is a front elevation view of the two part suspension coupling illustrated in FIG. 5, showing alternative attachment angles to permit alternative shapes of protective housing.

FIG. 9A and 9B show alternative configurations for the second of the two part suspension couplings illustrated in FIG. 7.

FIG. 10 is a detailed view of the pins of the second part of the two part suspension system illustrated in FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An article of dynamic jewellery generally identified by reference numeral 10, will now be described with reference to FIG. 1 through FIG. 7, with some variations described with respect to FIG. 8, 9A, 9B and 10.

Structure and Relationship of Parts:

Referring to FIG. 1, article of dynamic jewellery 10 includes a protective housing 12. In the illustrated embodiment, protective housing 12 is shown as a square frame. As will hereinafter be described, protective housing 12 is not limited to a square shape. Protective housing 12 has an interior 14. Referring to FIG. 3, protective housing 12 has a front 16, a back 18, an upper end 20 and a lower end 22. Referring to FIG. 1, protective housing 12 front 16 is “open” and has a viewing window 24 through which interior 14 is visible.

Referring to FIG. 1, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6, a first part 26 of a two part suspension coupling, generally identified by reference numeral 28, is in the form of a body 30 positioned within interior 14 and depending from upper end 20 of protective housing 12. Referring to FIG. 6, body 30 which forms first part 26 of two part suspension coupling 28 has a pair of sockets 32.

Referring to FIG. 1, a pendulum 34, in the form of a shaft with a weighted lower end, is suspended within interior 14 of protective housing 12. Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, pendulum 34 has an upper end 36 and a lower end 38. Upper end 36 has a second part 40 of two part suspension coupling 28. Lower end 38 supports an ornament 42. A diamond has been selected for illustration.

Referring to FIG. 5 and FIG. 7, second part 40 of two part suspension coupling 28 includes a pair of pins 44 supported in opposed relation. Pins 44 engage sockets 32 on first part 26 of two part suspension coupling 28 for suspending pendulum 34 for pivotal movement within interior 14 of protective housing 12 about a pivot axis 45. In the preferred embodiment, pendulum 34 consists of two elongated members 46 and 48, with one of pins 44 secured to each of elongated members 46 and 48.

Referring to FIG. 2, chain attachment links 50 are provided at upper end 20 of protective housing 12, whereby protective housing 12 is suspended from a chain 52. Referring to FIG. 3, there is shown three alternative positioning for chain attachment links 50 in order to ensure that protective housing 12 is suspended from its vertical balance point, shown by dotted lines 53. Those alternative chain attachment link positions are identified by letters A, B and C. Maintaining vertical balance point 53 is desirable, in order to keep pendulum 34 free moving. The positioning of vertical balance point 53 depends upon a combination of suspension angle, length of protective housing, weight and shape. It will be appreciated that the pendulum has a range of movement. It can move in a first direction, but when it reaches the range limit of that movement in the first direction it will become stationary. It can also move in a second direction, but when it reaches the range limit of that movement in the second direction it will become stationary. Body 30 can be bent with pliers to a small extent in order to make fine adjustments. However, the main factor in maintaining pendulum 34 in a vertical position is by selecting chain attachment link 50 positions.

It is to be noted that back 18 of protective housing 12 is angled from upper end 20 inwardly toward front 16 at lower end 22. Referring to FIG. 4, this is to enable protective housing 12 to maintain the desired vertical orientation even when resting against an incline of a human breast 55.

Operation:

When article of dynamic jewellery 10 is worn as a pendant, a wearer places chain 52 around their neck and suspends protective housing 12. The positioning of chain attachment links 50 is made to ensure that, when protective housing 12 is hanging freely, it will remain in a vertical orientation. As long as protective housing 12 remains in a vertical orientation, pendulum 34 will swing freely about pivot axis 45 in response to body movement of the wearer as pins 44 rotate in sockets 32. Back 18 of protective housing 12 is inclined at an angle, so that even when protective housing 12 be resting against an incline of the human breast 55 of the wearer, it will remain in a substantially vertical orientation, thereby allowing pendulum 34 to swing freely.

Variations:

In the preferred embodiment, pendulum 34 consists of two elongated members 46 and 48 arranged in parallel spaced relation. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that there need not be two member, Referring to FIG. 9A, there is illustrated that the same result can be attained with a single elongated member 60 in a “T” configuration. Even where two elongated members are used, it will be appreciated that they need not be in parallel relation. Referring to FIG. 9B, there is illustrate two elongated members 62 and 64 which diverge from lower end 38 to upper end 36 to form a “V” shaped configuration. Protective housing 12 is shown as being rectangular.

Referring to FIG. 8, there is illustrated that body 30 of first part 26 of two part suspension coupling 28 may be secured within interior 14 of protective housing 12 in an angular relation. Changing the angle of attachment enables a shape other than rectangular to be used, if desired, for protective housing 12; while still maintaining pendulum 34 in a substantially vertical orientation within interior 14 of protective housing 12.

Various efforts have been made to increase the duration of movement of pendulum 34 in response to movement by the wearer of the pendant. As a general rule, the longer the duration of movement of pendulum 34, the more attractive the visual effect. Experiments were made with lubricating compounds to reduce friction. These experiments were only marginally successful, and there was a concern that the lubricating compounds would eventually wear off. Referring to FIG. 10, the eventual solution that yielded results, increasing pendulum movement to close to a minute, was altering pins 44 so that the bottom edge 66 came to a point 68. This point contact was effective to increase the duration of movement.

In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements.

The scope of the claims should not be limited by the illustrated embodiments set forth as examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with a purposive construction of the claims in view of the description as a whole.

Claims

1-11. (canceled)

12. An article of dynamic jewellery comprising:

a protective housing having an interior, a viewing window through which the interior is visible, and a first part of a two part suspension coupling;

a pendulum consisting of a shaft with a weighted lower end suspended within the interior of the protective housing, the pendulum having an upper end with a second part of the two part suspension coupling which engages the first part of the two part suspension coupling for suspending the pendulum for pivotal movement within the protective housing and the lower end supporting an ornament.

13. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 12, wherein one of the first part or the second part of the suspension coupling has a pair of sockets and the other of the first part of the second part of the suspension coupling has pins which are received in the sockets.

14. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 13, wherein the pins are in opposed relation.

15. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 14, wherein the pendulum comprises a single elongated “T” shaped member with the pins positioned transversely at the upper end.

16. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 14, wherein the pendulum comprises two elongated members, and the pins form part of the second part of the suspension coupling with one of the pins on each of the two elongated members.

17. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 16, wherein the two elongated members are in parallel spaced relation.

18. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 16, wherein the two elongated members diverge from the lower end to the upper end to form a “V” shaped configuration.

19. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 12, wherein

the protective housing has a front, a back, an upper end and a lower end:

chain attachment links at the upper end, whereby the protective housing is suspended from a chain; and

the back of the protective housing being angled from the upper end inwardly toward the front at the lower end.

20. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 2, wherein the first part of the two part suspension coupling is a body positioned within the interior and depending from an upper end of the protective housing.

21. An article of dynamic jewellery comprising:

a protective housing having an interior, a front, a back, an upper end and a lower end and a viewing window through which the interior is visible;

a first part of a two part suspension coupling in the form of a body positioned within the interior and depending from an upper end of the protective housing, and the first part of the two part suspension coupling having a pair of sockets;

a pendulum consisting of a shaft with a weighted lower end suspended within the interior of the protective housing, and the pendulum having an upper end with a second part of the two part suspension coupling and the lower end supporting an ornament with serves to weight the lower end;

the second part of the two part suspension coupling comprising a pair of pins supported in opposed relation, the pins engaging the sockets on the first part of the two part suspension coupling for suspending the pendulum for pivotal movement within the protective housing.

22. The article of dynamic jewellery of claim 12, wherein chain attachment links are provided at the upper end of the protective housing, whereby the protective housing is suspended from a chain; and

the back of the protective housing is angled from the upper end inwardly toward the front at the lower end.