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Patent Abstract
A memorialization wristband jewelry includes an elongated semi-flexible
metal plate strip having an top surface and a lower surface and
a paint material applied in a generally even layer to the top surface
of the metal plate strip. A memorialization image is formed in the
paint material, the memorialization image being formed by removal
of specific selected areas of the paint material from the top surface
of the metal plate strip and the metal plate strip is then formed
into a generally arcuate shape which approximates the outer circumferential
shape of the human wrist whereby the memorialization wristband is
wearable on the wrist of a person.
Patent Claims
1. A memorialization wristband jewelry comprising: an elongated
semi-flexible metal plate strip having an top surface and a lower
surface; a paint material applied in a generally even layer to said
top surface of said metal plate strip; a memorialization image formed
in said paint material, said memorialization image being formed
by removal of specific selected areas of said paint material from
said top surface of said metal plate strip; and said metal plate
strip being formed into a generally arcuate shape which approximates
the outer circumferential shape of the human wrist whereby said
memorialization wristband is wearable on the wrist of a person.
2. The memorialization wristband jewelry of claim 1 wherein said
metal plate strip is constructed of one of aluminum and brass.
3. The memorialization wristband jewelry of claim 1 wherein said
paint material comprises an enamel lacquer paint which is generally
opaque.
4. The memorialization wristband jewelry of claim 1 wherein said
memorialization image is formed in said paint material by photolathing
wherein a movably mounted lathe is guided by a photoelectric scanner
to replicate said memorialization image in said paint material by
removing selected sections of said paint material to reveal the
underlying metal of said metal plate strip.
5. The memorialization wristband jewelry of claim 1 wherein said
metal plate strip is formed into a generally arcuate shape via bending
of said metal plate strip over a rigid bending form approximating
the outer circumferential shape of the human wrist whereby said
memorialization wristband is wearable on the wrist of a person.
6. A method of creating memorializing jewelry comprising the steps:
providing an elongated semi-flexible metal plate strip having an
top surface and a lower surface; applying a paint material in a
generally even layer to said top surface of said metal plate strip;
forming a memorialization image in said paint material by removing
specific selected areas of said paint material from said top surface
of said metal plate strip; and forming said metal plate strip into
a generally arcuate shape which approximates the outer circumferential
shape of the human wrist whereby said memorialization wristband
is wearable on the wrist of a person.
7. The method of creating memorialization wristband jewelry of
claim 6 wherein said metal plate strip is constructed of one of
aluminum and brass.
8. The method of creating memorialization wristband jewelry of
claim 6 wherein said paint material comprises an enamel lacquer
paint which is generally opaque.
9. The method of creating memorialization wristband jewelry of
claim 6 wherein said step of forming a memorialization image in
said paint material comprises photolathing said paint material,
said photolathing consisting of applying a movably mounted lathe
which is guided by a photoelectric scanner to replicate said memorialization
image to said paint material to remove selected sections of said
paint material to reveal the underlying metal of said metal plate
strip.
10. The method of creating memorialization wristband jewelry of
claim 6 wherein said step of forming said metal plate strip into
a generally arcuate shape comprises bending of said metal plate
strip over a rigid bending form approximating the outer circumferential
shape of the human wrist whereby said memorialization wristband
is wearable on the wrist of a person.
11. A memorialization wristband jewelry comprising: an elongated
semi-flexible metal plate strip having an top surface and a lower
surface; a paint material applied in a generally even layer to said
top surface of said metal plate strip; a memorialization image formed
in said paint material, said memorialization image being formed
in said paint material by photolathing wherein a movably mounted
lathe is guided by a photoelectric scanner to replicate said memorialization
image in said paint material by removing selected sections of said
paint material to reveal the underlying metal of said metal plate
strip; and said metal plate strip being formed into a generally
arcuate shape which approximates the outer circumferential shape
of the human wrist whereby said memorialization wristband is wearable
on the wrist of a person.
Patent Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PROVISIONAL PATENT
[0001] This application claims priority based on a provisional
patent, specifically on the Provisional Patent Application Serial
No. 60/655,968 filed Feb. 23, 2005.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] The present invention is directed to memorialization jewelry
and, more particularly, to a memorializing wristband with a photolathed
picture imprinted thereon, the wristband being formed of a semi-rigid
metal such as aluminum or brass in a generally rectangular strip
shape which is then coated on the top surface thereof with a colored,
enamel lacquer paint, following which portions of the applied paint
are selectively removed by means of a photolathing or laser etching
process, and finally the metal strip is formed into a generally
arcuate shape adapted to generally conform to the contours of the
wrist of a person wearing the memorializing wristband of the present
invention.
[0004] 2. Description of the Prior Art
[0005] There are many different types of memorialization jewelry
which are used to honor the memory of a particular person or persons
or to symbolize an identification with a particular cause or charity.
Examples of such types of jewelry include the "Live Strong"
bracelets which are worn to illustrate identification with cancer
victims and pink ribbons which are worn to illustrate awareness
of the AIDS epidemic. Such memorialization jewelry is perfectly
suitable for showing identification of the individual wearing the
jewelry with a particular cause or charity, but it becomes more
difficult to illustrate one's affection or affiliation with a particular
person or persons by wearing a piece of jewelry, as there is no
ready way to illustrate the person or persons with whom the individual
wishes to identify. Of course, lockets and pendants holding a loved
one's picture or lock of hair are well known in the prior art, but
the disadvantages of such jewelry is that not all persons feel comfortable
wearing such a pendant or locket, particularly those of the male
persuasion. There is therefore a need for a piece of memorialization
jewelry which may be worn by men, women, and children, in an unobtrusive
and comfortable manner.
[0006] An additional need for such a piece of memorialization jewelry
is that it will preferably illustrate the person, place or thing
being memorialized in such a manner that the image being displayed
is immediately recognizable to persons viewing the memorialization
jewelry, and therefore the image must be of high detail and high
quality. While photographs will fulfill this requirement, photographs
are notoriously easy to damage and are also difficult to affix to
most types of jewelry, including wristbands and the like. Engraving
the image in a metal or plastic material is a possibility, but engraving
cannot render the level of detail necessary for proper memorialization
of the selected person, place or thing, and therefore is not well-suited
for this purpose. There is therefore a need for an image imprinting
process used in combination with memorialization jewelry which will
produce high quality images which are durable and will properly
honor the person, place or thing being memorialized.
[0007] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide
a memorialization wristband jewelry which will include an image
of the person, place or thing being memorialized.
[0008] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
memorialization wristband jewelry which will include a high quality
photoimage of the person, place or thing being memorialized such
that other persons seeing the image can easily discern the nature
of the image being presented.
[0009] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
memorialization wristband jewelry which is constructed of a thin
metal strip having a paint material applied to the top surface thereof,
the paint material being removed via a photolathing process to expose
the metal to produce a high quality image of the person, place or
thing being memorialized on the jewelry.
[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
memorialization wristband jewelry which, after formation of the
image thereon, is formed into a generally arcuate shape which approximates
the outer circumferential shape of the human wrist whereby the memorialization
wristband is wearable on the wrist of a person.
[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide a
memorialization wristband jewelry which can include many different
colors and designs to properly and effectively memorialize virtually
any different person, place, thing or event.
[0012] Finally, an object of the present invention is to provide
a memorialization wristband jewelry which is relatively simple and
durable in manufacturing and is safe, effective, and efficient in
use.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0013] The present invention provides a memorialization wristband
jewelry including an elongated semi-flexible metal plate strip having
an top surface and a lower surface and a paint material applied
in a generally even layer to the top surface of the metal plate
strip. A memorialization image is formed in the paint material,
the memorialization image being formed by removal of specific selected
areas of the paint material from the top surface of the metal plate
strip and the metal plate strip is then formed into a generally
arcuate shape which approximates the outer circumferential shape
of the human wrist whereby the memorialization wristband is wearable
on the wrist of a person.
[0014] As thus described, the memorialization wristband jewelry
pad of the present invention provides numerous advantages over those
various types of memorialization jewelry found in the prior art.
For example, because the completed wristband will include a readily
recognizable image displaying the person, place or thing which is
being memorialized, the emotional power of the memorializing jewelry
is far greater than other non-image bearing memorialization jewelry.
Furthermore, because the memorialization wristband jewelry of the
present invention displays an image which is durable and damage-resistant,
the wearer need not be as concerned about damaging the jewelry,
which will make it more likely that he or she will wear the memorialization
wristband jewelry more often, thus increasing public exposure of
the memorialization wristband jewelry and thus providing more situations
for honoring the person, place or thing memorialized on the jewelry.
Finally, because the present invention may display virtually any
image thereon, virtually any person, place or thing to be memorialized
can be incorporated into the memorialization wristband jewelry,
thereby allowing a far greater number of persons to use the present
invention. The memorialization wristband jewelry pad of the present
invention thus provides a substantial improvement over those memorialization
jewelry devices found in the prior art.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the memorializing wristband
of the present invention; and
[0016] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the memorializing wristband
of the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0017] The memorialization wristband 10 of the present invention
is shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2 as including a generally flat, generally
rectangular metal strip 12 which, in the preferred embodiment, would
be constructed of aluminum or brass having a gauge thickness of
approximately .025, although the precise thickness, size, and shape
of the metal strip 12 is not critical to the present invention so
long as it safely and comfortably fits around a wearer's wrist and
is not so thick as to prevent bending of the metal strip in order
to facilitate its fitting around the wrist of the individual wearing
the present invention. Applied to the top surface 14 of metal strip
12 is a colored paint 16 which, in the preferred embodiment, would
be an enamel lacquer paint which is generally opaque and of a pleasing
and generally somber color, depending, of course, on the wishes
of the eventual wearer of the memorialization wristband 10. It is
preferred that the paint 16 be applied in a generally even layer
to the top surface 14 of the metal strip 12, and it is important
that the paint 16 applied to the metal strip 12 be of a type which
may be flexed along with the metal strip 12 to prevent cracking
and peeling of the paint 16 from the metal strip 12. Although it
has been found that enamel lacquer paint works best for this purpose,
virtually any type of functionally equivalent paint may be substituted
for the enamel lacquer paint of the present invention without significantly
degrading the functionality of the memorialization wristband 10
of the present invention.
[0018] Once the paint 16 has been applied to the metal strip 12,
each of the corners of the metal strip 12 would be rounded to prevent
the corners from catching on the individual's skin or clothing and
the paint 16 would then be removed from the strip by a photolathing
or laser etching process in which a photograph 20 of the person,
place or thing being memorialized would be formed on the memorialization
wristband 10, as shown best in FIGS. 1 and 2. At the same time,
wording 22 or other such symbols may also be formed in the paint
16 on metal strip 12 by the photolathing process, the wording 22
potentially including memorialization enhancements, advertising
for supporting business entities or other such additional descriptive
materials. Also, it may be preferable to include a circumferential
band 24 which would be lathed or etched around the top surface 14
of the metal strip 12 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 by removing the
paint 16 which will highlight the photograph 20 and wording 22 and
provide additional protection for the paint 16 remaining on top
surface 14.
[0019] Once the photolathing process is complete, the memorialization
wristband 10 is ready to be finally processed for use as a piece
of memorialization jewelry. In general, photolathing involves the
use of a very small and accurate lathe which is movably mounted
on a frame and is guided by a photoelectric scanner to replicate
the photograph in the paint 16 by removing sections of the paint
16 to reveal the underlying metal. The exact nature of the photolathing
process is generally well-known in the prior art, however, its use
in connection with memorialization jewelry is heretofore unknown.
[0020] The final step in the preparation of the memorialization
wristband 10 for use on a wrist of an individual is to form the
metal strip 12 into a generally arcuate shape which approximates
the outer circumferential shape of the wrist of the wearer of the
memorialization wristband 10, as shown best in FIG. 1. This bending
process may be done in several different ways, but it has been found
that bending the metal strip 12 over a wooden form approximating
the shape of the wrist of an individual provides a generally accurate
and comfortable replication of the shape of the wrist of the individual,
thus permitting the memorialization wristband 10 to be worn as a
piece of wrist jewelry. Of course, the metal strip 12 may be bent
in several different appropriate ways, each of which would be understood
by one skilled in the art of metal bending, but it should be noted
that whatever the bending process applied to the metal strip 12
of the present invention, the important feature is that the general
shape of the wrist be replicated by the bent metal strip 12 in order
to permit the memorialization wristband 10 to be fitted onto the
individual's wrist.
[0021] It is to be noted that numerous additions, substitutions,
and modifications may be made to the memorialization wristband 10
of the present invention which fall within the intended broad scope
of the above description. For example, the exact size, shape, and
construction materials used in connection with the memorialization
wristband 10 may be modified or changed so long as the intended
functionality of the memorialization wristband is maintained. Also,
the process by which the photograph of the person, place or thing
to be affixed to the top surface 14 of the metal strip 12 may be
modified or changed, although it has been found that laser etching
or photolathing are the two best methods by which the photograph
20 and wording 22 may be best applied in the paint 16 on top surface
14 of metal strip 12. Finally, the precise nature of the photo 20
and memorialization wording 22 to be used in connection with the
memorialization wristband 10 may be modified or changed depending
on the individual or individuals who are being commemorated by the
memorialization wristband 10, and such modifications would be understood
by those skilled in the art.
[0022] There has therefore been shown and described a memorialization
wristband 10 which accomplishes at least all of its intended purposes.
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