Device, System and Methods of Use and Production for Preventing Chains of a Plurality of Necklaces Simultaneously Worn by a User from Entangling

Abstract

A necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus and related method of use and production for preventing necklace chains of a plurality of N greater than 1 necklaces from entangling when simultaneously worn by a user thereof, comprising a first entangling preventer half and a second entangling preventer half, each the entangling preventer half comprising: a substantially flat rigid body plate; a plate-half attachment facilitator permanently affixed to the body plate; a plurality of N substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks permanently affixed to the body plate; a plurality of N necklace chain threading retainers permanently affixed to the body plate; and the plate-half attachment facilitators affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations; and the necklace chain threading hooks positioned to vertically separate the N necklace chains from one another when the N necklaces have been threaded therethrough.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is not uncommon for individuals who wear necklaces, to sometimes wear more than one necklace at the same time. Yet, at illustrated by FIG. 1 which for example, not limitation, show three necklaces being worn at once, it is often the case that the necklace chains 1 will become entangled with one another while they are worn by a user. A section of the neck and shoulders of such a user with entangled necklace chains 1 is illustrated from a front view by the mannequin figurine 11. It would be desirable to have a simple-to-use, effective device, system and method which can be used to prevent such entangling, and to have a simple method for producing this device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed herein is a necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus and related methods of use and production for preventing necklace chains of a plurality of N greater than 1 necklaces from entangling when simultaneously worn by a user thereof, the apparatus comprising a first entangling preventer half and a second entangling preventer half, each the entangling preventer half comprising: a substantially flat rigid body plate; a plate-half attachment facilitator permanently affixed to the body plate for attaching the first entangling preventer half with the second entangling preventer half; a plurality of N substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks permanently affixed to the body plate with a necklace chain threading separation between ends of the necklace chain threading hooks and the body plate, each the hook and separation configured for enabling the necklace chain of one of the N necklaces to be threaded into an interior region substantially circumscribed by the hook by passing the necklace chain through the separation and into the interior region; a plurality of N necklace chain threading retainers permanently affixed to the body plate, each of the N threading retainers configured to extend over a corresponding one of the N necklace chain threading hooks, and each of the N threading retainers comprising a material with sufficient malleability and rigidity to enable the necklace chain threading retainer to be pressed against its corresponding necklace chain threading hook for retaining a corresponding already-threaded necklace chain threaded within the interior region of the hook while the hook is slid over its the corresponding necklace chain; the plate-half attachment facilitators affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations; except for the plate-half attachment facilitators being affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations, the two entangling preventer halves being otherwise substantially identical; and the necklace chain threading hooks positioned to vertically separate the N necklace chains from one another when the N necklaces have been threaded therethrough and the two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another behind the user's neck using the attachment facilitators.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The features of the invention believed to be novel are set forth in the appended claims. The invention, however, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing(s) summarized below.

FIG. 1 is a prior art illustration from a front view of the necklace wearer, schematically showing how necklace chains can become entangled when multiple necklaces are worn about the neck of a wearer without making any provision to prevent their entangling.

FIG. 2 is a prior art illustration of an exemplary fine or costume jewelry necklace with a traditional cable chain.

FIG. 3 is a prior art illustration of an exemplary fine or costume jewelry necklace with an adjustable cable chain.

FIGS. 4A, 4B and 4C review the way in which the two ends of a fine or costume jewelry necklace with a traditional chain are typically attached together in the prior art.

FIGS. 5A, 5B and 5C review the way in which the two ends of a fine or costume jewelry necklace with adjustable cable chain are typically attached together in the prior art.

FIGS. 6A and 6B contain plan views illustrating the basic components of the necklace entangling preventer apparatus from both left- and right-handed views, both prior to their fabrication, and once they have been fabricated and are ready for use by a user.

FIG. 7 is a plan view illustrating how each of two necklace chain entangling preventer halves of the invention are attached together in accordance with the method of using the invention.

FIG. 8 is a plan view illustrating each of two necklace chain entangling preventer halves of the invention after they have been attached together, on the left from a front plan view, and on the right from a side plan view.

FIG. 9 is a plan view illustrating the start of the method of using the invention to prevent necklace entangling, with the two necklace chain entangling preventer halves situated in front of a user's upper torso and the necklace chains threaded therethrough.

FIG. 10 is a plan view illustrating the continuation of the method of using the invention to prevent necklace entangling, with the two necklace chain entangling preventer halves situated behind the user's neck and the necklace chains continuing to be threaded therethrough in the configuration initiated with FIG. 9.

FIG. 11 is a plan view illustrating the completion of the method of using the invention to prevent necklace entangling, with the two necklace chain entangling preventer halves connected to one another behind the user's neck using plate-half attachment facilitators thereof, and the necklace chains continuing to be threaded therethrough in the configuration initiated with FIG. 9 and continued with FIG. 10.

FIG. 12 is an illustration from a front view of the necklace wearer, of how necklace chains are prevented from entangling when multiple necklaces are worn about the neck of that wearer, by virtue of the invention being situated behind the wearer's neck as illustrated in FIG. 11.

FIG. 13, for example not limitation, is a photograph of an experimental prototype of the invention, having a visual design comprising three flowers for each of the two necklace entangling preventer halves.

FIG. 14 shows these floral design prototype halves of FIG. 13 mated together as they would appear behind a wearer's neck once the necklaces have been threaded in accordance with the method of using the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before reviewing a preferred embodiment of the necklace entangling preventer apparatus used to practice this invention, it will be helpful to provide some background regarding necklace chains and the clasp used to attach the ends of necklaces together, as these are commonly used in the prior art.

As illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3, generally there are two types of necklace chains 1 used in the prior art to attach the ends of a necklace together. For what is considered “fine jewelry or costume traditional cable chain,” as illustrated in FIG. 2, the necklace chain 1 is generally very thin from one end to the other, comprising a large plurality of interlinked loops in series as shown, measuring no more than 1/16″ in diameter for female necklaces, though sometimes substantially larger for male necklaces. At a first end of the chain 1 is an attachment loop 21 as shown, which is typically no greater than ¼″ in diameter. At the opposite, second end of the chain is a clasp 22 also as shown which is actuated by a clasping apparatus 23 often colloquially referred to as a “lobster claw,” also typically under ¼″ in diameter. The connection formed using these components will be further reviewed in FIG. 4. A necklace display piece 24 is typically located proximate the center of the chain 1.

As illustrated in FIG. 3, for fine or costume jewelry with an adjustable cable chain the primary body of the chain 1 is still of the thin character just described, of generally less than ¼″ in diameter for females and perhaps thicker for males. But, the first end of the chain 1 typically contains a series of larger attachment loops 21 of no greater than ¼″ in diameter, any of which can be attached to the clasp 22. This of course, enables the user to choose which loop 21 to attach to the clasp 22 to hang the necklace, in such a way as to vary how far down the display piece 24 will hang in front of the user's upper torso. This succession of attachment loops 21, differs from the fine or costume jewelry traditional cable chain illustrated by FIG. 2 because the fine or costume jewelry traditional cable chain is generally pre-fitted as regards to its length to the particular user who will be wearing that necklace. As an example, without limitation, the fine or costume jewelry traditional cable chains of FIG. 2 are commonly available in 16″, 18″, and 20″ fabricated lengths.

FIGS. 4 review the prior art method by which the loop 21 at the first end of the chain 1 is attached to the clasp 22 at the second end using the clasping apparatus 23 often colloquially referred to as a “lobster claw.” Initially, with the chain 1 around the user's neck, an actuator 41 of the clasping apparatus 23 at the second end of the chain 1 is pulled back as illustrated by the small arrow in FIG. 4A, into the position shown in FIG. 4B. Within the clasping apparatus 23, this actuator 41 is connected to a retractable loop section 42 which simultaneously moves along the other small arrow in FIG. 4A to create an attachment opening 43. The actuator 41 is also typically connected to a spring-like mechanism inside the clasping apparatus 23 which causes the actuator 41 and the retractable loop section 42 to default to the position of FIGS. 4A and 4C when the user is not applying pressure to pull back the actuator 24.

With the actuator 41 pulled back, the user then takes the loop 21 at the first end of the chain 1 and loops this through the attachment opening 43 onto the clasp 22 to reach the configuration of FIG. 4B. Then, the user releases the actuator 41, the retractable loop section 42 springs back to its closed default position, and the two ends of the necklace chain 1 are now attached together with the necklace now hanging from the user's neck.

FIGS. 5 illustrate the process for attaching together the two ends of a fine or costume jewelry necklace with an adjustable cable chain. This process is exactly the same was what was just reviewed with FIGS. 4, but for the fact that the user can choose any one of the series of attachment loops 21 on the first end of the necklace, to attach to the clasp 22 on the second end. If any attachment loop 21 other than the one on the very end is chosen, then some loops will hang down, as also illustrated in FIGS. 5B and 5C.

FIGS. 6 through 8 now illustrate a necklace entangling preventer apparatus in a preferred embodiment of the invention, and its method of production. Although this preferred embodiment is configured to allow the simultaneous wearing of three necklaces without tangling, this does not limit the scope of this disclosure or its associated claims as regards producing and using a like-apparatus which operates on the same inventive principle but accommodates four or more necklaces. Nor does it limit producing and using a like-apparatus for two necklaces, or using the preferred embodiment disclosed here, but with only two necklaces. During testing of prototypes, so as to avoid unwarranted downward drag on the backs of necklaces attached thereto, it was found that the total optimal weight of device is 2.5 to 3 grams, though this mention of optimum weight is non-limiting as regards the associated claims.

FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the basic components of the necklace entangling preventer apparatus in a preferred embodiment, from both left- and right-handed views, both prior to their fabrication and once they have been fabricated and are ready for use by a necklace wearer. The necklace entangling preventer apparatus of the invention comprises two entangling preventer halves 6. These entangling preventer halves 6 are fabricated to be completely identical to one another except for the mating configurations of their plate-half attachment facilitators 62. But as will be discussed, when these two entangling preventer halves 6 are used, they are oriented in opposite directions from one another and then mated after necklace chains 1 have been inserted through them in a manner that will later be described.

Referring to FIG. 6A, and to FIG. 6B which is identical to FIG. 6A but for its presenting an oppositely oriented view, each of the entangling preventer halves 6 is fabricated comprising four main elements. First, the main body of each of the entangling preventer halves 6 comprises a simple substantially flat, rigid body plate 61 which may be fabricated from any metal, steel, plastic, or other desired substance, for example not limitation, wood, precious stones, or non-precious stones. Each body plate 61 is preferably about ¼″ in width, but may be as large as ½″ or more. For the three-necklace embodiment being illustrated here, the height of each plate is preferably about 1⅜″, but may be as small as 1″ and as large as 2″. For more necklaces than three, the heights will be scaled up accordingly, but the widths need not be changed.

Second, permanently affixed directly onto each body plate 61 is a plate-half attachment facilitator 62 which in the preferred embodiment comprises a plurality of small cylindrical permanent magnets which can be seen from their side view on the right-hand side of FIG. 8. These cylindrical permanent magnets are preferably about ⅛″ in length along the cylindrical axis, and are under ⅛″ in diameter. This, however, is non-limiting as to magnet size or shape. It is preferable, but not required, to use neodymium magnets, which are amongst the most powerful fixed magnets known. One may also employ permanent plate magnets (again, preferably neodymium) covering most of the surface of the body plates 61, but experimental prototype testing has demonstrated that the plurality of small cylindrical permanent magnets provides better magnetic adherence of the two entangling preventer halves 6 to one another, which is important to the optimum performance of the invention. And using a plurality of small cylindrical permanent magnets also optimizes space for the other components which must also be attached to the body plates 61, and for the necklaces themselves. Again, while preferred, the foregoing is non-limiting as to magnet size or shape.

Importantly, although FIGS. 6A and FIGS. 6B are visually identical, there is one important fabrication difference. Consider the preferred embodiment where the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 are magnets: Because firmly adhering the two entangling preventer halves 6 together is essential to the effective use of the invention, the magnets must be affixed to the two body plates 61 with their poles oppositely-oriented, and more generally, they must be affixed to the two body plates 61 with opposite mating configurations. Thus, as will be seen for example in the right-hand part of FIG. 8, the north poles of the magnets on the left plate 61 are adhered to the south poles of the magnets on the right plate 61, which means that the south poles of the magnets must be permanently affixed to the left plate 61 while the north poles of the magnets must be permanently affixed to the right plate 61. It will also be appreciated that this can be varied as amongst the five (5) illustrated magnet pairs. For instance, the top magnet pair can have the configuration illustrated, then the next one down can have the poles inverted, with continued alternation from top to bottom.

Likewise, the use of five (5) magnet pairs used for illustration in this disclosure is non-limiting. There may be as few as one magnet pair in the event less-preferred plate magnets are used, and as few as two pairs if cylindrical magnets are used. Also, as will be seen when we progress to FIGS. 9 through 12 showing the use of the invention, the cylindrical magnets, if used, can be fixed into positions on the plates 61 such that the magnets also serve the utilitarian purpose of preventing one chain 1 and/or clasp 23 and associated end-clasping hardware detailed in FIGS. 3 and 4 from conjoining or entangling with others.

Third, also permanently affixed directly onto each body plate 61 are three substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks 63, with the choice of three such necklace chain threading hooks 63 corresponding to the apparatus being fabricated to enable wearing three necklaces at the same time. For a different number of necklaces, there will be a different number of such necklace chain threading hooks 63. Optionally affixed to the end of each necklace chain hook 63 is a retention bead 64 help to better retain the necklace chains 1 once these have been properly threaded through the entangling preventer halves 6 in the manner which will be discussed shortly, and also to avert the user accidentally hurting a finger by contact with which might otherwise be with a sharp end of the necklace chain hook 63. Additionally, while these retention beads 64 appended to the ends of the necklace chain threading hooks 63 are not limited in shape or size, they do need to be sized in proportion to necklace chain threading retainer 65 in order to provide sufficient spacing for the proper threading of the necklace chains 1, as will be further reviewed.

Provided between the edge each body plate 61 and the ends of its necklace chain threading hooks 63, is a small necklace chain threading separation 66. This separation is just large enough for threading the primary body of a necklace chain 1 therethrough. So, given that the primary bodies of necklace chains are typically ¼″ of less in diameter, the chain threading separation 66 is approximately ¼″. For the preferred embodiment where the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 do comprise a plurality of cylindrical permanent magnets, the necklace chain threading hooks 63 are affixed to the body plates 61 in the spaces between the magnets, so that all of the components affixed to the body plates 61 will not easily detach. These necklace chain threading hooks 63 comprise a thick sturdy wire, such as, but without limitation, a 20, 21 or 22-gauge “fish hook” wire.

Fourth and finally, also permanently affixed directly onto each body plate 61 to extend over each of the three necklace chain threading hooks 63 are three corresponding necklace chain threading retainers 65, as illustrated. Here too, the use of three such necklace chain threading retainers 65 corresponds to the simultaneous wearing of three necklaces, and this too would be changed for a device to accommodate some other number of necklaces. These necklace chain threading retainers 65 comprise a wire that is somewhat thinner and more malleable than the necklace chain threading hooks 63, for example not limitation, a 22-gauge wire or higher, to provide suitable malleability. Yet, this wire should also be sufficiently rigid to enable the retainer 65 to be pressed against its corresponding necklace chain threading hooks 63 to retain the corresponding necklace chains 1 threaded through the hook 63 while the hooks 63 are slid over their corresponding necklace chains 1 in the manner to be described with FIGS. 9 through 12. From the view of the assembled entangling preventer half 6 shown in FIG. 6A, the necklace chain threading retainers 65 are over, i.e., in front of, the necklace chain threading hooks 63. From the view of the assembled entangling preventer half 6 shown in FIG. 6B, the necklace chain threading retainers 65 are behind the necklace chain threading hooks 63. So in either case, the necklace chain threading hooks 63 are affixed closer to the plane of the body plate 61 than are the necklace chain threading retainers 65.

To the right of the arrow in FIG. 6A and to the left of the arrow in FIG. 6B, unnumbered to avoid drawing clutter, we see all of these plate-half attachment facilitators 62 (preferably permanent magnets), necklace chain threading hooks 63, optional retention beads 64 and necklace chain threading retainers 65 affixed to the body plates 61 to form the assembled totality of each entangling preventer half 6. To the left of the arrow in FIG. 6A and the right of the arrow in FIG. 6B we see each of these individual components suitably numbered. It will be noted that from the view of FIG. 6A the plate-half attachment facilitators 62, the necklace chain threading hooks 63 and the necklace chain threading retainers 65 can all be seen in their entirety. And because each of the entangling preventer halves 6 are visually identical (but with a reversal of mating orientation e.g. magnetic polarities as has been pointed out), it will be noted that from the view of FIG. 6B, with the entangling preventer half 6 turned over to an opposite orientation, and as illustrated by hidden lines, the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 are entirely hidden from view, while portions of the necklace chain threading hooks 63 and the necklace chain threading retainers 65 are also hidden from view, behind the body plate 61.

It should be stated that because both of the entangling preventer halves 6 are identical aside from the polarity orientations of the magnets, and are merely flipped over as between FIGS. 6A and 6B, it is regarded to be within the scope of this disclosure and the associated claims to fabricate and use entangling preventer halves 6 with parity opposite to that is illustrated here. In such a situation, some of the lines visible in FIG. 6A would be hidden, while the hidden lines in FIG. 6B would become visible.

Now we turn to FIGS. 7 and 8 which illustrate how each of the necklace chain entangling preventer halves 6 are attached together in accordance with the method of using the invention to prevent necklace chains 1 from becoming tangled. These two FIGS. 7 and 8 show the apparatus without the necklace chains 1 having yet been threaded. That method will be detailed starting with FIG. 9.

First, starting with the relative orientations shown in FIGS. 6 and the entangling preventer halves 6 situated in front of the user's upper torso proximate the necklaces, the necklace chains 1 are threaded into the two entangling preventer halves 6 in a manner that will be detailed starting at FIG. 9. Then, with the necklace chains 1 so-threaded, the entangling preventer halves 6 are moved around to the back of the user's neck. It will be appreciated that if the relative orientation in front of the user is that of FIGS. 6, then the relative orientation once these are drawn behind the user will be that of FIG. 7, as view from behind the user. To see this correspondence, it is helpful to compare FIG. 6 (unthreaded) with FIG. 9 (threaded), FIG. 7 (unthreaded) with FIG. 10 (threaded), and FIG. 8 (unthreaded) with FIG. 11 (threaded).

So, the entangling preventer halves 6 with the orientation of FIG. 6 in front of the user attain the orientation of FIG. 7 when moved behind the user. Then, as illustrated by the inward arrows in FIG. 7, the entangling preventer half 6 on the right side of FIG. 7 is moved behind the entangling preventer half 6 on the left side of FIG. 7, and the plate-half attachment facilitators 62, assuming they are permanent magnets as is preferred, are brought into proximity with opposite poles approaching one another until the magnetic fields snap the magnets and thus the entangling preventer halves 6 together to form the entire necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 of the preferred embodiment, as shown on the left side of FIG. 8.

Indeed, another benefit of using magnets is that the magnetic fields naturally snap into proper alignment and attachment. This helps to avoid manual fumbling by the user behind the back of the user's neck, which fumbling could otherwise occur with attachment facilitators 62 that do not “seek each other out” in the manner of magnets but instead require the user to press together decidedly-less-preferred other attachment device alternatives such as sliders, Velcro, Ziploc, snaps, buttons, hooks and clasps.

From the right-side view on the right side of FIG. 8, the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 (preferably magnets) are seen attached to one another via the magnetic fields from the opposite N and S poles, thereby attaching together the two entangling preventer halves 6 including their body plates 61 (numbered), and their necklace chain threading hooks 63, optional retention beads 64 and necklace chain threading retainers 65 (not numbered to avoid clutter). If permanent cylindrical magnets are used as is preferred, and if these are about ⅛″ in length l along the cylindrical axis and under 1/8″ in width w (e.g. diameter) as is also preferred and as has been previously mentioned, then the distance between the two body plates 61 from the side view in FIG. 8 will be 2l, about ¼″. This, in combination with the spacing between magnets, creates sufficient space for portions of the necklace chains 1 and the attachment hardware of FIGS. 4 and 5 to situate once they have been threaded into the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 and that apparatus has been deployed into the configuration of FIG. 8 with the two entangling preventer halves 6 attached to one another.

With FIG. 9, which is taken from a front view of the upper torso 11 of a user, we begin to describe the method of using the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 to prevent a plurality of necklace chains 1 from entangling when worn simultaneously. To begin, the user places the necklaces about her or his neck then connects each end of each necklace together in the customary way, using the attachment loops 21, clasps 22 and clasping apparatuses 23 reviewed in FIGS. 1 through 4. Then, the user takes two entangling preventer halves 6 which are identical in all respects except for the polarities of the magnets assuming these are used as the plate-half attachment facilitator 62, and orients the preventer halves 6 oppositely, with the necklace chain threading hooks 63 and the necklace chain threading retainers 65 facing inwards toward one another. This relative orientation is seen without the necklaces in FIG. 6 and with the necklaces in FIG. 9.

Next, the user threads the necklace chains 1 through the chain threading separations 66 (see FIG. 6) and then rests these chains 1 atop the lower portions of the necklace chain threading hooks 63 as illustrated. Specifically, for the entangling preventer half 6 on the user's left-hand side (to the right of FIG. 9), each chain, from the front view of FIG. 9, is placed behind the plate 61, then threaded through its chain threading separation 66 (again see FIG. 6), then rested atop the lower portion of its necklace chain hook 63, within the interior region substantially circumscribed by its hook 63. Importantly, this is achieved without utilizing the end-clasping hardware 21, 22, 23 of the necklaces. Each necklace chain threading retainer 65 is then pressed against the necklace chain hook 63 so as to retain its corresponding necklace chain 1 in place. This means that for the entangling preventer half 6 to the right of FIG. 9, from the front view of FIG. 9, the threadings of the necklace chains 1 will be in front of the necklace chain threading retainers 65, which is illustrated by the faint dotted semicircles above the intersections of the chains 1 and the necklace chain threading hooks 63.

Conversely, for the entangling preventer half 6 on the user's right-hand side (to the left of FIG. 9), each chain, from the front view of FIG. 9, is placed in front of the plate 61, then threaded through its chain threading separation 66 (again see FIG. 6), then rested atop the lower portion of its necklace chain hook 63. Each necklace chain threading retainer 65 is then pressed against the necklace chain hook 63 so as to retain its corresponding necklace chain 1 in place. This means that for the entangling preventer half 6 to the left of FIG. 6, from the front view of FIG. 6, the threadings of the necklace chains 1 will be behind the necklace chain threading retainers 65, which is illustrated by the faint dotted semicircles below the intersections of the chains 1 and the necklace chain threading hooks 63. It was stated earlier, and is reiterated here, that the entangling preventer halves 6 can be fabricated with a parity entirely opposite two what has been described above, then used with a method also having opposite parity, all within the scope of this disclosure and its associated claims. It is important that a user of this invention learn the threading operation just described. But with a few practice attempts, a user should become adept at threading the necklaces in this fashion.

FIG. 10 illustrates the continuation of the method just reviewed in FIG. 9. It is seen from this rear view of the wearer how the necklaces are attached at their ends in the usual way via the attachment loops 21, clasps 22 and clasping apparatuses 23 reviewed in FIGS. 1 through 4. It will also be seen how in FIG. 10—solely for purposes of illustration and without any limitation—the user has chosen to wear two fine or costume necklaces with “traditional” cable chains in the top two positions, and one fine or costume necklace with an “adjustable” cable chain in the lowest position, with the latter indicated by the several attachment loops 21.

So, starting with the threaded configuration of FIG. 9, and the threading of the necklace chains 1 maintained in the necklace chain threading hooks 63 by the necklace chain threading retainers 65, the user takes each of the entangling preventer halves 6 and simply moves them around his or her neck from front to back in the direction indicted by the arrows 10, while also synchronously rotating each entangling preventer half 6 about its long axis during this moving operation 10. It will be appreciated that when this occurs, the entangling preventer half 6 which was on the left side of FIG. 9 has now moved to the right side of FIG. 10 and also to the right side of the wearer's body, and the entangling preventer half 6 which was on the right side of FIG. 9 has now moved to the left side of FIG. 10 and also to the left side of the wearer's body. And it will also be appreciated how as a result of this moving 10, the necklace chain threading hooks 63 and the necklace chain threading retainers 65 of the two halves 6 will now be facing outward away from one another as they were in the unthreaded configuration of FIG. 7.

Because the threading is maintained throughout this moving process by the hooks 63 in combination with the retainers 65, the resulting configuration in FIG. 10 finds the chains 1 now hidden behind the entangling preventer half 6 on the left and visible in front of the entangling preventer half 6 on the right. Further, one benefit of the invention is that this moving 10 of the entangling preventer halves 6 from the front to the back of the user while maintaining the threading kneads out any tangles which may have developed amidst the chains 1 and is part of how the invention prevents tangling. The relations of the necklace chains 1 with the necklace chain threading hooks 63 at their points of intersection continue to be illustrated using semicircles above the chain threading hooks 63 to indicate that a chain 1 is in front of the chain threading hooks 63 and semicircles below to indicate that a chain 1 is behind the chain threading hooks 63.

Also, it will be seen how in the configuration of FIG. 10, the plate-half attachment facilitators 62, preferably comprising cylindrical magnets, are visible from the rear view of the entangling preventer half 6 on the right and hidden from the rear view of the entangling preventer half 6 on the left.

Finally, in FIG. 11 the method of using the invention to prevent necklace entangling is completed by simply continuing to move the two entangling preventer halves 6 toward one another along the lines 10, to then move the right plate behind the left plate as viewed from FIG. 10, and finally bring the plates close enough together that the plate-half attachment facilitators 62, preferably comprising cylindrical magnets, engage one another and snap into attachment. It will be seen that this is the same configuration which as shown on the left side of FIG. 8, but now with the necklaces threaded through the entire necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8. The separation of the two body plates 61 by the elongated cylindrical magnets as seen from the side view in FIG. 8, will be about ¼″ if the opposing magnets are ⅛″ in length. This, along with the small diameter of the magnets, provides sufficient space for the ends of the chains 1 and their attachment loops 21, clasps 22 and clasping apparatuses 23 (collectively, necklace end-clasping hardware) shown at the center of FIG. 10, to become fully or substantially hidden from view between the two body plates 61 once the two entangling preventer halves 6 have been joined together. Moreover, as previously mentioned, if the number of magnets and the manufactured positioning of the magnets on the plates 61 as attachment facilitators 62 is judiciously chosen, then the magnets can serve the dual, simultaneous function of providing additional separation barriers between adjacent chains 1 and their end-clasping hardware 22, 23, 24.

With this configuration achieved, the user moves the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 to an elevated position behind the neck as also seen in FIG. 11. And because a vertical separation behind the neck is enforced by the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 amongst the chains 1, the chains 1 will also maintain an untangled configuration when viewed from in front of the wearer, as seen in FIG. 12, which should be contrasted to the entangled FIG. 1.

It will be appreciated that this necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 is simple in its operational principles and effective in its results. First, it is not necessary to attach the ends of the chains 1 to any separate device, and indeed, these ends are not so-attached to any separate device. The chains 1 are simply placed around the user's neck with their ends attached together in the customary way. Second, the two entangling preventer halves 6 are configured to be threaded with the necklace chains 1 in front of the user while the user is wearing the necklaces. This means that the user can thread the chains 1 not only by feel, but by sight, with the point of control directly in front of the user's face. Third, once properly threaded, there is minimal potential for fumbling in completing the process of use. The user merely moves the entangling preventer halves 6 from the front to the back of the neck while sliding the preventer halves 6 along the already-threaded necklace chains 1. And in the process, any tangles which may have developed among the chains 1 become kneaded out. Fourth, if magnets are employed for the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 as is preferred, the process of attaching the two entangling preventer halves 6 together behind the neck is simple, even though it occurs out of the user's line of sight: The user simply brings the magnets close to one another until the magnetic fields snap them into place. Here too, there is no opportunity for manual fumbling, nor is their any need to engage in the gymnastics of properly aligning then pressing two devices together out of sight behind the user's neck.

It should also be mentioned that although it is highly preferred for the two entangling preventer halves 6 to comprise both the necklace chain threading hooks 63 (configured with their small necklace chain threading separation 66) in combination with the necklace chain threading retainers 65 as the best practice to maintain the threading of the chains 1 while sliding the two halves 6 from the front to the back of the user's neck, it is possible to practice the invention with the necklace chain threading retainers 65 omitted. In this event, one would rely solely on the necklace chain threading hooks 63 to keep the chains 1 retained during this sliding operation. This in turn means that the chain threading separation 66 has to be very close to the diameter of the necklace chain so a chain 1 can be passed therethrough during the threading operation, but conversely does not accidentally slip out through the chain threading separation 66 once it has been threaded into the hooks 63.

With the retainers 65 omitted, if the hooks 63 are fabricated from a sturdy wire material with a small amount of “give,” it is possible to fabricate the entangling preventer halves 6 with the separations 66 slightly smaller than the chain 1 diameters, have the hooks 63 “give” when the chains 1 are pressed through the separations 66 during threading, then have the hooks 63 immediately return to their default “memory” positions whereby the separations 66 are again slightly smaller than the diameters of the chains 1 so a chain 1 does not slip out and can only be removed when the user takes active steps to remove it. Given that necklace chain diameters may vary, however, this less-preferred practice of omitting the retainers 65 ties the separations 66 to specific necklace diameters, whereas the use of the retainers 65 allows the separations 66 to be somewhat independent of the chains that a user may use in connection with the invention.

The overall process, especially once it has been practiced a few times by the user, is simple, fast, and foolproof. Once threaded, the front-to-back movement and attachment of the two entangling preventer halves 6 can be carried out in two to three seconds. At that point, with the behind-the-neck positions of the necklace ends having a vertical separation from one another enforced by the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8, subsequent entangling is prevented.

It will also be apparent that the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8 is entirely self-contained with all of the components required to prevent necklace chain entangling. There is no need to purchase or adhere additional clasps and or fastening agents to the necklace entangling preventer apparatus 8. The clasps and fastening agents 21, 22, 23 of existing necklaces are used for this purpose in their usual fashion. The device 8 simply provides threading hooks 63 and threading retainers 65 for threading the necklace 1 and maintaining this threading, both while the two halves 6 are moved into their final position and attached 62 behind the user's neck, and thereafter while the user is out and about displaying his or her plurality of necklaces without entanglement.

Because each of the halves 6 is identical in physical form and the only difference between the halves 6 is in opposite polarities required for the magnets (and opposite “mating” components in the event that definitively less-preferred other attachment device alternatives such as sliders, Velcro, Ziploc, snaps, buttons, hooks and clasps are used), the manufacturing of the apparatus of this invention simple: All parts of the two entangling preventer halves 6 can be manufactured in exactly the same way except for the plate-half attachment facilitators 62. Thereafter, the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 are attached with opposed “mating” features, e.g., opposed polarity, male versus female components, etc. So, where the plate-half attachment facilitators 62 on each plate 61 comprise a plurality of permanent magnets, these opposite mating configurations comprise the permanent magnets of 62 affixed to the body plate 61 of the first entangling preventer half 6 being affixed thereto with opposite magnetic polarity orientation relative to the permanent magnets of 62 affixed at corresponding positions to the body plate 61 of the second entangling preventer half 6.

Also, while the plates 61 shown in FIGS. 1 through 12 are utilitarian with no attractive design features added, it is certainly envisioned and understood within the scope of this disclosure and the associated claims, because this device will be worn along with jewelry, that the appearance of the device itself will matter to its users. Thus, the preventer halves 6 and their plates 61 may themselves be fashioned into shapes and forms with attractive visual design features in the nature of a jewelry item, such as hearts diamonds, stars, flowers, etc., and/or may themselves have jewelry stones or findings embedded or attached to them and/or may be etched in attractive ways.

In this regard, FIG. 13, for example not limitation, is a photograph of an experimental prototype of the invention, having a visual design comprising three flowers for each of the two entangling preventer halves 6, one flower for each necklace to be used in connection with the device, and with a stone embedded in the center of each flower. Note also the visual alignment of each of the three flowers with each of the necklace chain threading hooks 63, optional retention beads 64 and necklace chain threading retainers 65, so as to attractively merge these utilitarian elements 63, 64, 65 into the design. FIG. 14 in turn, shows these halves 6 mated together as they would appear behind a wearer's neck once the necklaces have been threaded.

In addition to the aforementioned benefits, this invention should also benefit manufacturers and sellers of necklaces. Once it is known that there is a simple-to-use and highly effective apparatus available for allowing a jewelry aficionado to simultaneously wear a plurality of necklaces without tangling, consumers will be more inclined to purchase two or three or more necklaces at one time, with the plan to have those necklaces grouped together in an assemblage that the consumer will later wear. This has the potential to increase the overall commercial market for necklace sales both in the United States and around the world.

The knowledge possessed by someone of ordinary skill in the art at the time of this disclosure, including but not limited to the prior art disclosed with this application, is understood to be part and parcel of this disclosure and is implicitly incorporated by reference herein, even if in the interest of economy express statements about the specific knowledge understood to be possessed by someone of ordinary skill are omitted from this disclosure. While reference may be made in this disclosure to the invention comprising a combination of a plurality of elements, it is also understood that this invention is regarded to comprise combinations which omit or exclude one or more of such elements, even if this omission or exclusion of an element or elements is not expressly stated herein, unless it is expressly stated herein that an element is essential to applicant's combination and cannot be omitted. It is further understood that the related prior art may include elements from which this invention may be distinguished by negative claim limitations, even without any express statement of such negative limitations herein. It is to be understood, between the positive statements of applicant's invention expressly stated herein, and the prior art and knowledge of the prior art by those of ordinary skill which is incorporated herein even if not expressly reproduced here for reasons of economy, that any and all such negative claim limitations supported by the prior art are also considered to be within the scope of this disclosure and its associated claims, even absent any express statement herein about any particular negative claim limitations.

Finally, while only certain preferred features of the invention have been illustrated and described, many modifications, changes and substitutions will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true spirit of the invention.

Claims

1. A necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus for preventing necklace chains of a plurality of N greater than 1 necklaces from entangling when simultaneously worn by a user thereof, said apparatus comprising a first entangling preventer half and a second entangling preventer half, each said entangling preventer half comprising:

a substantially flat rigid body plate;

a plate-half attachment facilitator permanently affixed to said body plate for attaching said first entangling preventer half with said second entangling preventer half;

a plurality of N substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks permanently affixed to said body plate with a necklace chain threading separation between ends of said necklace chain threading hooks and said body plate, each said hook and separation configured for enabling the necklace chain of one of the N necklaces to be threaded into an interior region substantially circumscribed by said hook by passing the necklace chain through said separation and into said interior region without utilizing end-clasping hardware of the necklaces;

said plate-half attachment facilitators affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations;

except for said plate-half attachment facilitators being affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations, said two entangling preventer halves being otherwise substantially identical; and

said necklace chain threading hooks positioned to vertically separate the N necklace chains from one another when the N necklaces have been threaded therethrough and the two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another behind the user's neck using said attachment facilitators.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of N necklace chain threading retainers permanently affixed to said body plate, each of said N threading retainers configured to extend over a corresponding one of said N necklace chain threading hooks, and each of said N threading retainers comprising a material with sufficient malleability and rigidity to enable said necklace chain threading retainer to be pressed against its corresponding necklace chain threading hook for retaining a corresponding already-threaded necklace chain threaded within said interior region of said hook while said hook is slid over its said corresponding necklace chain.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said N is equal to three (3).

4. The apparatus of claim 1, said plate-half attachment facilitator on each of said entangling preventer halves comprising a plurality of permanent magnets; and

said opposite mating configurations comprising the permanent magnets permanently affixed to said body plate of said first entangling preventer half being affixed thereto with opposite magnetic polarity orientation relative to said permanent magnets affixed at corresponding positions to said body plate of said second entangling preventer half.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, each of said permanent magnets comprising a length l thereof and a width w thereof, wherein when said first entangling preventer half is attached with said second entangling preventer half, a separation between insides of said two body plates is 2l; and

said widths w, the placement and corresponding spacing between the permanent magnets on each of the two body plates, and said 2l separation, in combination, is configured to create space for portions of the necklace chains and their necklace end-clasping hardware to situate when said two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another.

6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein said widths w, the placement and corresponding spacing between the permanent magnets on each of the two body plates, and said 2l separation, in combination, is configured to separate the N necklace chains from one another when said two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, each said end of each said necklace chain threading hook further comprising a retention bead permanently affixed thereto, for additionally keeping the corresponding already-threaded necklace chain threaded within said interior region of its said hook while said hook is slid over its said corresponding necklace chain; and

said separation between said ends of said necklace chain threading hooks and said body plates comprising the separation between said retention beads and said body plates.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, each of said entangling preventer halves and their body plates further fabricated to comprise a visual design appearance in the nature of a jewelry item.

9. A method for preventing necklace chains of a plurality of N greater than 1 necklaces simultaneously worn by a user thereof from entangling, comprising:

providing a necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus comprising a first entangling preventer half and a second entangling preventer half, each said entangling preventer half comprising a substantially flat rigid body plate with a plurality of N substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks;

joining the two ends of each of said N necklaces together using necklace end-clasping hardware of the necklaces and thereby hanging the N necklaces about the user's neck;

holding said first and second entangling preventer halves in front of the user's upper torso proximate said necklaces, with said necklace chain threading hooks of said two entangling preventer halves facing inwards toward one another;

threading each one of the N necklaces into an interior region substantially circumscribed by its corresponding said chain threading hook, by passing the necklace chain through a necklace chain threading separation between and end of its necklace chain threading hook and said body plate and into said interior region of its chain threading hook, without utilizing the end-clasping hardware;

with said N necklaces threaded into said necklace said chain threading hooks, sliding each of said entangling preventer halves from their positions in front of the user's upper torso, around and then behind the back of the user's neck, while synchronously rotating each of said entangling preventers half about its long axis;

attaching said first entangling preventer half with said second entangling preventer half behind the user's neck, using a plate-half attachment facilitator permanently affixed to each of said body pates of said entangling preventer halves; and

said necklace chain threading hooks of said two entangling preventer halves attached to one another behind the user's neck vertically separating from one another, the N necklace chains threaded therethrough; wherein:

said plate-half attachment facilitators are affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations;

except for said plate-half attachment facilitators being affixed to their respective rigid body plates with opposite mating configurations, said two entangling preventer halves are otherwise substantially identical.

10. The method of claim 9, further comprising:

providing each said entangling preventer half further comprising a plurality of N necklace chain threading retainers permanently affixed thereto, corresponding with each pf said N, each necklace chain threading retainer configured to extend over its corresponding said necklace chain threading hook, said N threading hooks and N threading retainers further each corresponding with one of said N necklace chain threading hooks;

holding said first and second entangling preventer halves in front of the user's upper torso proximate said necklaces, with said necklace chain threading retainers of said two entangling preventer halves likewise facing inwards toward one another;

pressing each said necklace chain threading retainer against its corresponding necklace chain threading hook to retain its corresponding already-threaded necklace chain in its threaded positional within said interior region of its said necklace chain threading hook; and

with said N necklaces threaded into said necklace said chain threading hooks and additionally retained by said necklace chain threading retainers, sliding each of said entangling preventer halves from their positions in front of the user's upper torso, around and then behind the back of the user's neck, while synchronously rotating each of said entangling preventers half about its long axis, wherein each of said N threading retainers comprises a material with sufficient malleability and rigidity to retain its corresponding necklace chain during said sliding and rotation, in its already-threaded position within said interior region of said hook.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said Nis equal to three (3).

12. The method of claim 9, said plate-half attachment facilitator on each of said entangling preventer halves comprising a plurality of permanent magnets;

permanently affixing said permanent magnets to said body plate of said first entangling preventer half being affixed thereto with opposite magnetic polarity orientation relative to said permanent magnets affixed at corresponding positions to said body plate of said second entangling preventer half; and

attaching said first entangling preventer half with said second entangling preventer half behind the user's neck by moving the oppositely-polarized magnets sufficiently proximate to one another such that the preventer halves naturally snap together into proper alignment without the user having to press to two preventer halves together.

13. The method of claim 12, each of said permanent magnets comprising a length l thereof and a width w thereof, wherein when said first entangling preventer half is attached with said second entangling preventer half, a separation between insides of said two body plates is 2l; and

when said two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another, portions of the necklace chains and their necklace end-clasping hardware to are situated in the space created by the combination of said widths w, the placement and corresponding spacing between the permanent magnets on each of the two body plates, and said 2l separation.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising, when said two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another, further separating the N necklace chains from one another by the combination of said widths w, the placement and corresponding spacing between the permanent magnets on each of the two body plates, and said 2l separation.

15. The method of claim 9, further comprising additionally keeping the corresponding already-threaded necklace chain threaded within said interior region of its said hook while said hook is slid over its said corresponding necklace chain, using a retention bead permanently affixed to said end of said necklace chain threading hook; said

said separation between said ends of said necklace chain threading hooks and said body plates comprising the separation between said retention beads and said body plates.

16. The method of claim 9, further comprising fabricating each of said entangling preventer halves and their body plates to comprise a visual design appearance in the nature of a jewelry item.

17. A method of producing a necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus for preventing necklace chains of a plurality of N greater than 1 necklaces from entangling when simultaneously worn by a user thereof, comprising:

providing a substantially flat rigid first body plate;

permanently affixing a plurality of N substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks to said first body plate with a necklace chain threading separation between ends of said necklace chain threading hooks and said first body plate, each said hook and separation configured for enabling the necklace chain of one of the N necklaces to be threaded into an interior region substantially circumscribed by said hook by passing the necklace chain through said separation and into said interior region, without utilizing end-clasping hardware of the necklaces;

providing a substantially rigid second body plate;

permanently affixing a plurality of N substantially rigid necklace chain threading hooks to said second body plate in the same manner as said hooks are affixed to first flat rigid body plate, thereby replicating the assemblage of the first body plate and its said hooks with a duplicate assemblage of said second body plate and its said hooks;

permanently affixing a plate-half attachment facilitator to said first body plate in a first plate mating configuration; and

permanently affixing a plate-half attachment facilitator to said second body plate in a second plate mating configuration opposite said first plate mating configuration; wherein

said first and second rigid body plates and their necklace chain threading hooks and plate-half attachment facilitator respectively comprise first and second entangling preventer halves of said necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus;

said entangling preventer halves with their said opposite mating configurations are capable of being attached to one another using said attachment facilitators; and

so-affixing said necklace chain threading hooks are in positions to vertically separate the N necklace chains from one another when the N necklaces have been threaded therethrough and the two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another behind a user's neck.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

permanently affixing a plurality of N necklace chain threading retainers to said first body plate, each of said N threading retainers configured to extend over a corresponding one of said N necklace chain threading hooks, with each of said N threading retainers comprising a material with sufficient malleability and rigidity to enable said necklace chain threading retainer to be pressed against its corresponding necklace chain threading hook for retaining a corresponding already-threaded necklace chain threaded within said interior region of said hook while said hook is slid over its said corresponding necklace chain;

permanently affixing a plurality of N necklace chain threading retainers to said second body plate in the same manner as said retainers are affixed to first flat rigid body plate, thereby replicating the assemblage of the first body plate and its said retainers with a duplicate assemblage of said second body plate and its said retainers; wherein:

said necklace chain threading retainers likewise comprise part of said first and second entangling preventer halves of said necklace chain entangling preventer apparatus.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein said N is equal to three (3).

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising said plate-half attachment facilitator on each of said entangling preventer halves comprising a plurality of permanent magnets; and

permanently affixing said permanent magnets to said first body plate of said first entangling preventer half;

permanently affixing said permanent magnets to said second body plate of said second entangling preventer half with opposite magnetic polarity orientation relative to permanently said permanent magnets affixed at corresponding positions to said first body plate of said second entangling preventer half.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising:

each of said permanent magnets comprising a length 1 thereof and a width w thereof, wherein when said first entangling preventer half is attached with said second entangling preventer half, a separation between insides of said two body plates is 2l; and

configuring said widths w, the placement and corresponding spacing between the permanent magnets on each of the two body plates, and said 2l separation, in combination, to create space for portions of the necklace chains and their necklace end-clasping hardware to situate when the said entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising configuring said widths w, the placement and corresponding spacing between the permanent magnets on each of the two body plates, and said 2l separation, in combination, to separate the N necklace chains from one another when said two entangling preventer halves have been attached to one another.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising:

permanently affixing a retention bead to each said end of each said necklace chain threading hook, for additionally keeping the corresponding already-threaded necklace chain threaded within said interior region of its said hook while said hook is slid over its said corresponding necklace chain; and

said separation between said ends of said necklace chain threading hooks and said body plates comprising the separation between said retention beads and said body plates.

24. The method of claim 17, further comprising fabricating each of said entangling preventer halves and their body plates to comprise a visual design appearance in the nature of a jewelry item.