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Patent Abstract
A novel structure for increased comfort and utility of jewelry items,
particularly rings, is described and claimed herein. The structure,
comprising a plurality of elevated surfaces within the interior
of the jewelry item, allows increased blood circulation, increased
air flow, and ease of cleansing, as well as increased comfort. A
variety of embodiments are described.
Patent Claims
I claim:
1. A jewelry item, the improvement comprising a plurality of elevated
surfaces within the interior surface of the item.
2. The jewelry item of claim 1, wherein said elevated surfaces
are curved surfaces.
3. The jewelry item of claim 2, wherein said curved surfaces are
hemispheres.
4. The jewelry item of claim 3, wherein said curved surfaces are
intersecting hemispheres.
5. The jewelry item of claim 2, wherein said curved surfaces are
semicylinders.
6. The jewelry item of claim 5, wherein said curved surfaces are
intersecting semicylinders.
7. The jewelry item of claim 2, wherein said curved surfaces define
a plurality of regularly disposed channels perpendicular to the
circumference of the jewelry item.
8. A method of removing a jewelry item as described in claim 2,
comprising the steps of: a) providing an item of claim 2; b) providing
a lubricant between said curved surfaces of said item; and c) removing
said item.
9. The jewelry item of claim 3, wherein said curved surfaces are
annularly situated about the interior circumference of said jewelry
item.
10. The jewelry item of claim 9, wherein said jewelry item is selected
from the group consisting of a ring, a watch, and a bracelet.
11. The jewelry item of claim 10, wherein said jewelry item is
a ring.
12. A method for increasing air flow at the interface between a
jewelry item and a wearer, comprising providing a jewelry item with
a plurality of elevated surfaces within the interior surface of
said jewelry item.
Patent Description
[0001] This application claims the benefit of co-pending prior U.S.
Provisional Patent Application No. 60/576,869, filed Jun. 3, 2004,
entitled "Interior for Jewelry and Jewelry Incorporating that
Interior," co-pending prior U.S. Provisional Patent Application
No. 60/576,443, filed Jun. 2, 2004, entitled "Comfort Interior
for Jewelry Ring," and co-pending prior U.S. Design patent
application Ser. No. 29/206,633, entitled "Jewelry Ring Interior,"
and filed Jun. 2, 2004, all applications having the same named applicant
as inventor, namely Abraham Kaplan. Both of those applications are
fully incorporated by reference herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention generally relates to jewelry items.
More particularly, the invention relates to a jewelry item that
may be worn, for instance, on a finger, toe, wrist, or ankle, and
that provides a comfort feature.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Wearable personal ornamental items are widely popular in
cultures throughout the world. Such items include, for instance
but not limited to, watches, bracelets, and rings. Rings are widely
worn ornaments used to decorate, for example, fingers and toes.
Rings may be designed to fit a finger differently. For instance,
"regular fit" bands include a flat interior. U.S. Pat.
No. 6,166,053, to Seibenberg, reports "comfort fit" bands
including a curved interior as reported in and shown in FIG. 2 therein.
A ring interior including an annular circumferential groove is reported
by U.S. Pat. No. 6,701,618, to Gefen.
[0004] Methods of fabricating rings and other jewelry items are
known to those skilled in the art, and are set forth, for instance,
in "The AJM Guide to Lost-Wax Casting" (MJSA/AJM Press);
Mulock, J., "Cast-A-Way: The Complete Lost Wax Process for
the Amateur or Professional Jeweler"; Romanoff, P., "The
Complete Handbook of Centrifugal Casting"; and Romanoff, P.,
"The Art and Science of Centrifugal Casting Metal."
[0005] Use of gemstones, enameling, engraving, and finishing techniques
in jewelry has also been described. Gemstone-setting techniques
are described in Wooding, R. R., "Diamond Setting Manual: Procedures
and Techniques"; Wooding, R. R., "Diamond-Setting: The
Professional Approach"; Wooding, R. R., "Bead Setting
Diamonds with Pave Applications"; and Wooding, R. R., "Channel
Setting Diamonds with Illustrated Procedures." Jewelry finishing
is described, for example, in Hoch, "Tumble Finishing for Handmade
Jewelry." Engraving of jewelry is described, for example, in
Meek, J. B., "The Art of Engraving." Electroplating and
electroforming techniques are described, for example, in "Midas.RTM.
Plating Guide," Third Edition, produced by Rio Grande. Enameling
techniques are described, for example, in McGrath, J., "First
Steps in Enameling"; Werge-Hartley, J., "Enamelling on
Precious Metals"; Cohen, K. L., "The Art of Fine Enameling";
and Matthews, G. L., "Enamels, Enameling, Enamelists."
Jewelry may also be constructed by die-striking or stamping, as
discussed in McGrath, J., "The Encyclopedia of Jewelry-Making
Techniques: A Comprehensive Visual Guide to Traditional and Contemporary
Techniques."
[0006] A secure fit is often desirable in a ring to prevent inadvertent
loss of the ring. Preferably the fit of the ring is not so secure
that the wearer experiences discomfort. Other personal ornament
items may be designed to effect different fit characteristics including
a secure fit similar to that desirable in a ring. For example, bracelets
or watch bands may be constructed to have a snug, or tight, fit.
[0007] Although a tight fit may be desirable in a jewelry item,
such a fit may cause issues related to ease of use of the jewelry
item. For instance, a tightly-fitting ring may be difficult to put
on or to remove. Once placed, for example, on a digit or around
a wrist or ankle, a tightly-fitting jewelry item may also not be
comfortable to the wearer. Previous attempted solutions for increasing
the comfort of a tightly-fitting jewelry item, such as those reported
by patents mentioned above, may not provide a level of comfort that
is entirely satisfactory.
[0008] All patents and documents referred to herein are hereby
incorporated by reference as if rewritten herein in their entirety.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0009] It would be advantageous and is an object of the invention
to have jewelry that would offer comfort benefits not offered by
previous jewelry. Such a goal might be achieved, for instance, by
minimizing friction between the jewelry and the wearer using a novel
jewelry interior structure. Minimization of friction could provide
additional benefits. These benefits are also objects of the invention.
For example, a ring with a ring interior structure that minimizes
friction could be put on and removed more easily. Embodiments of
the invention described in the specification and accompanying drawings
and defined in the claims may satisfy some or all of the objects
stated above.
[0010] The invention includes a jewelry item, with an improvement
of including a plurality of elevated surfaces within the interior
radius of the jewelry item. In one aspect of the invention the plurality
of elevated surfaces may be curved surfaces. In further aspects
of the invention, the curved surfaces may be hemispheres, intersecting
hemispheres, semicylinders, or intersecting semicylinders. In a
further aspect of the invention, the curved surfaces are annularly
situated about an interior circumference of the jewelry item. The
jewelry item bearing the novel interior of the invention may include,
but is not limited to, a ring, a watch, or a bracelet.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] A more complete understanding of the invention can be obtained
by considering the following description with the accompanying drawings,
in which
[0012] FIGS. 1, 3, 4, 7-29, 31, 33-36, and 42 demonstrate perspective
views of various embodiments of the invention, with
[0013] FIG. 35 including a simulated digit,
[0014] FIGS. 29 and 42 including an exemplary setting for a gemstone,
and
[0015] FIGS. 33 and 34 showing more than one ring of the invention.
[0016] FIG. 2 and FIG. 6 demonstrate front views of a ring embodying
the invention.
[0017] FIG. 6 shows a diagram of a determination, optionally performed
using a computer, of a number of hemispheres or semicylinders of
the invention that may be included in one embodiment of the invention.
[0018] FIGS. 5, 30, and 41 show a cross-sectional perspective view
of an embodiment of the invention.
[0019] FIGS. 32 and 40 show sections of a ring embodying the invention,
with
[0020] FIG. 40 further including an illustration of the flow of
air around and through a ring of the invention.
[0021] FIGS. 37-39 include a comparison of a ring of the invention
(left) with a different ring. In particular, FIG. 39 includes an
exemplary illustration of air flow provided by novel features of
the invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0022] A jewelry item of the invention is designed to include a
novel comfort feature that minimizes contact area with a part of
a person, including but not limited to a digit, wrist, or ankle.
Contact area is minimized by a ring interior that provides a plurality
of annularly situated hemispheres, semicylinders, or other structures.
These structures may include partially intersecting hemispheres
or partially intersecting semicylinders. In one aspect of the invention
the annularly situated structures are curved or partially curved.
In another aspect of the invention at least one of the annularly
situated structures is curved or partially curved.
[0023] In yet another aspect of the invention the plurality of
annularly situated structures are pyramidal or have another non-curved
geometric shape. The hemispheres, semicylinders, or other shapes
may define channels perpendicular to the circumference of the ring.
In one aspect of the invention, a jewelry item includes a plurality
of rows of annularly situated structures situated to provide a plurality
of circumferential grooves.
[0024] The invention further provides a method for easing removal
of a jewelry item, such as a ring of the invention, by distribution
of a lubricant into the channels defined by annularly situated structures
of the invention. Such a method is particularly desirable if the
jewelry item is a ring, and the wearer's finger has increased in
size since the ring was put on.
[0025] In one aspect of the invention the jewelry item is rigid.
In another aspect of the invention the jewelry item is flexible.
In yet a further aspect of the invention the jewelry item may have
a varying rigidity. The annularly situated structures may be situated
regularly or irregularly within the circumference of the jewelry
item.
[0026] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, a plurality
of regularly situated hemispheres are used. In a further preferred
embodiment, the jewelry item containing a plurality of hemispheres
is a ring for a finger or toe. Contact with the digit of the wearer
in such an embodiment is limited to a single point per hemisphere.
[0027] Jewelry items of the invention may include exterior ornamentation,
but no ornamentation is required. For instance, an exterior of an
embodiment may include one or more gemstones, such as the embodiments
shown in FIGS. 12 and 15, or may patterned. An exterior may be unornamented
as shown, for example, in FIGS. 9 and 10. Furthermore, it will be
recognized that some embodiments of the invention may include rings
or other jewelry items in which a setting structure for a gemstone,
watch movement, plurality of gemstones, or other ornament or ornaments
or the like is situated so that the pattern of the comfort feature
in the jewelry interior is interrupted by the setting structure,
movement, ornament, or the like. In one such aspect of the invention,
for example, one or more of the hemispheres or semicylinders of
the comfort feature of the invention is absent.
[0028] Jewelry items of the invention may be constructed from a
single metal or predominately a single metal, where the metal is
an elemental metal such as gold, silver, platinum, or titanium,
or where the metal is an alloy. Those skilled in the art will recognize
that a metal used does not need to be a pure metal. Jewelry items
may also be constructed from more than one metal, for instance by
an inlay pattern. In one aspect of the invention, the outer circumference
of a ring is constructed of one metal, while the plurality of annularly
situated structures is constructed of another metal or metals. Jewelry
items of the invention may also be constructed using metal and another
material, including but not limited to plastic or ceramic.
[0029] Jewelry items of the invention have a number of salutary
effects. For instance, a ring of the invention has an increased
air flow through and around the ring and the digit as a result of
the open areas that may exist between the digit and the ring. A
greater supply of atmospheric gases is available to the portion
of the surface of the digit that might otherwise be entirely covered
by a conventional ring, allowing the skin of the digit to "breathe."
[0030] The novel structure of the jewelry items of the invention
provide the further benefit of offering increased circulation when
compared to that allowed by previous jewelry. The novel features
of jewelry of the invention may reduce swelling of a digit that
bears the jewelry as well. As a further aesthetic and hygienic benefit,
the structure of a ring of the invention allows an amount of water
to pass between the ring and the digit of the wearer, allowing more
efficient removal of dirt from both ring and wearer. A ring of the
invention may also be put on and taken off more easily than a conventional
ring.
[0031] Embodiments of the invention are not limited to a particular
number of hemispheres or other elements in the comfort features.
A computer may be used to calculate a number of hemispheres or other
comfort elements as shown, for example, in FIG. 6. Embodiments of
the invention encompass a variety of jewelry items, including but
not limited to rings, bracelets, or watchbands.
[0032] The number, size, and shape of the elevated surfaces in
an jewelry item of the invention are not crucial, though at least
four points of contact with the wearer are necessary. The number,
shape, height, and spacing of the elevated surfaces may be chosen
for aesthetic purposes. In a preferred embodiment of the invention
the number and shape of the elevated surfaces is selected to allow
the elevated surfaces to be uniform in size and equally spaced about
the interior circumference of the jewelry item.
[0033] Although certain embodiments of the invention have been
described herein, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the
art that various modifications to the invention could be developed
in light of the overall teaching of this disclosure. Accordingly,
the particular embodiments disclosed herein is intended to be illustrative
only, and not limiting to the scope of the invention. |