FR2891119A1 - MODULAR JEWEL - Google Patents

Abstract

The ornament consists of a number of interchangeable decorative modules (1A, 1B, 1C) that can be worn or used on their own or grouped together. Each module has two contact surfaces (3, 4), one of which is studded with equally-spaced permanent magnets (8), while the other is of a ferromagnetic material for the magnets to adhere to. The modules can be decorated, for example with gems, precious metals or enamel.

Description

The present invention relates to a modular jewel comprising elements

interchangeable.

  The present invention is in the field of jewelery and jewelery, and relates in particular to modular jewelry, comprising magnetic elements.

  The use of magnetic components in jewelry and jewelery is known, essentially for embedding a support stone, pearl or the like, in a frame of complex shape.

  Other applications use the magnetic properties of a part of a jewel, which are put to good use for the purpose of health or well-being of the person, by using the particularities of a sufficient remanence magnet.

  The known applications of magnetic components in jewelry can be described in several categories: - the juxtaposition of essentially flat elements to form the structure of the jewel, and allow the insertion of gemstones or beads: the document US2004 / 0074259 describes articles of 20 jewelery with magnetic elements and interchangeable inserts.

  The insertion of a support of fine stone or pearl in a recess, constituted at the junction of two magnetic pieces of which at least one comprises a permanent magnet, is secured by the magnetism of this pair of pieces which constitute the structure of the jewel , and which are mounted antagonistically in a single position defining this chamber in which the stone support is trapped.

  Other magnetic elements may be referred to end, outgrowth decorative effect, not participating in the carrying structure of the jewel.

  The documents US2004 / 0079111, US2004 / 0055332, US 2003/0074919, and US2005 / 0044891 develop variants of the same concept of juxtaposition of structural elements enclosing inserts in a single position.

  the juxtaposition of two concentric annular elements external to one another to constitute the structure of the jewel: the documents WO2004 / 105538 and WO2004 / 105539 describe concentric rings, one having on its outside diameter magnets presenting the same polarity, and the other having on its inner diameter magnets having the same polarity opposite to the previous, mounted one in the other.

  JP8308941 still describes the insertion of a captive stone between two such concentric magnetic rings, in a mounting according to a single position.

  the juxtaposition of cylindrical or spherical elements to constitute bracelets or rosaries: Documents FR2848862 and JP11-103915 provide examples of chains, bracelets, or rosaries, constituted by a closed succession of cylindrical or spherical magnetic elements, making it possible to get rid of their drilling and the use of a wire.

  - the use of magnetic zones as decor as such, or to support decorative elements brought back into the outgrowth of the jewel.

  The documents US5193360, US4174620, US4052864, JP2000-334049 and illustrate fasteners tablets, decorations, jewel stands, moving or oscillating decorations, using permanent magnets mounted in a fixed position on the structure of a jewel.

  clasp systems, in combination or not with conventional mechanical clasps: WO94 / 10871 or JP9-84606 present clasps incorporating a set of permanent magnets, often in combination with a conventional mechanical system and for the purpose of to enhance security. Other documents also show the closure of rings or bracelets designed in open rings, by the magnetization of the opening area or the insertion of magnets in this area.

  - The dressing of watch cases: Documents such as FR2740664 or US2003 / 026493 describe watches whose upper face is held by a ring with magnets.

  Other applications use the magnetic properties of a part of a jewel, which are put to good use for the purpose of health or well-being of the person, by using the particularities of a sufficient remanence magnet.

  It is therefore clear that, in most cases of the state of the art, the use of magnetism is substituted for a mechanical assembly, or reinforcing such an assembly, in a unique configuration of the jewel concerned.

  A jewel is commonly an object, whose form and aesthetics are fixed. The high cost of these objects does not allow the possession of jewelry in large quantities, for the majority of users. The user does not find commonly in the trade, a jewel corresponding exactly to his desires, or according to his holding, in terms of shape, volume, materials and colors.

  It has been seen that the state of the art proposes, as modular jewels, only the interchangeability of accessories that can be described as external, protruding on the body of the jewel.

  The user is attentive to security when wearing a jewel, and avoids jewels consisting of elements simply juxtaposed, not offering sufficient guarantee against the risk of damage, loss, or attempted theft. The invention proposes to overcome this deficiency by offering the user a modular jewel.

  The invention relates more particularly to a modular jewel comprising interchangeable elements comprising means of assembly reversible between them, characterized in that each element is designed capable of being used alone as a jewel in the same use as said assembled modular jewelery and said assembly means comprise at least one permanent magnet, designed to be embedded in said element.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, each element comprises a first contact zone, designed in a shape adapted to cooperate with a second contact zone of another element, to ensure their reversible assembly by magnetization through said contact zones. a particular embodiment of the invention, each element comprises a first contact zone, designed to complement a second contact zone of another element, to ensure their reversible assembly by magnetization through said contact zones. Another feature of the invention, at least one element further comprises at least one second contact zone designed capable of cooperating with the first or the second contact zone of another element.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said first contact zone and second contact zone are formed on two opposite faces of said jewel element.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said assembly means comprise several permanent magnets having the same polarity in said first contact zone.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said assembly means comprise at least one permanent magnet having, in the second contact zone, the opposite polarity with respect to that of said first contact zone.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said permanent magnets have, at least partly of them, a symmetrical geometric distribution, on said first and second contact zones.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said permanent magnets are equidistant in pairs, on each of said first and second contact zones.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said permanent magnets are distributed according to a figure having a symmetry of revolution, on each of said first and second contact zones.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said first and second contact zones of the same element are substantially parallel.

  According to another characteristic of the invention, said first and second contact zones are planar.

  The invention also relates to a modular jewel element having all or part of the preceding features, comprising at least one assembly means itself having at least one permanent magnet.

  It is well understood that said jewel element is thus designed capable of being assembled without tools with other elements having the same assembly means, and to be dismounted without tools of such an assembly.

  Thus, the user is free to perform to his taste the composition of the jewel, and to perform only disassembly or reassembly, without requiring special tools.

  In a preferred embodiment, the jewel consists of the juxtaposition of annular elements.

  According to other embodiments, the jewel may take the form of rings, bracelets, earrings, pendants, brooches, and the like, this list being in no way limiting.

  Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will emerge from the following detailed description relating to a nonlimiting exemplary embodiment.

  The understanding of this description will be facilitated by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic and perspective view of the assembly, in the course of production, of three jewelery elements according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic perspective view of a jewel made by assembling three elements in another embodiment of the invention; FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic front view of a jewel made by the assembly of four elements, according to another embodiment of the invention.

  - Figure 4 shows, schematically and in section, a jewel made by the assembly of six elements, according to another embodiment of the invention.

  - Figure 5 shows, schematically and in section, a jewel made by the assembly of three elements, according to another embodiment of the invention.

  As shown in the figures, the present invention relates to the field of jewelery.

  In particular, the invention relates to a modular jewel 10. This jewel consists of interchangeable elements 1.

  This jewel element 1 comprises reversible assembly means 2 with other jewel elements, so as to form with them another jewel.

  In particular, this jewel may consist of a ring, a bracelet, an earring, a necklace, a pendant, a brooch, a tie clip, a signet ring, an ear chip or the like, a badge, or any other type of usual jewel.

  The jewel element 1 according to the invention can be used alone as a jewel, in particular in the same use as the composite modular jewel 10: it has the functional characteristics, for example: - Threading on a body element of the body user, generally through an orifice 7, or threading, stapling, suspension, or other, on a chain, a lace, a pin, or the like, attached to the body or to a wear of the wearer of jewelery elements, pearls, enamels or the like, as well as ornamental features: decorated or chiselled decorations 5, 6, or others.

  The jewel element 1 according to the invention is also designed to be used in combination with other elements 1B, 1C, 1D, ... 1N ... having reversible assembly means 2 compatible with his own, to compose a jewel 10, as visible in the figures.

  The reversible assembly means 2 of the jewel element 1 comprise at least one permanent magnet 8.

  The jewel element 1 according to the invention comprises at least one ferromagnetic part, recessed or not. This ferromagnetic part may in particular be constituted by said permanent magnet 8.

  These ferromagnetic parts may be constituted by the body of the jewel element 1, or by ferromagnetic or magnetized inserts, embedded where appropriate in the body of the jewel element 1, or even invisibly embedded under the outer surface of the jewel element 1. this jewel item 1.

  The assembly means 2 comprise in particular the cooperation of the permanent magnet 8 with a ferromagnetic antagonistic element.

  Each jewel element 1 thus comprises a first contact zone 3.

  The shape of this first contact zone 3 is designed to allow its cooperation with a second contact zone 4 of another element, to ensure their reversible assembly by magnetization through said contact zones.

  In a preferred embodiment, the first contact zone 3 is designed to complement a second contact zone of another element, in the same way to ensure their reversible assembly by magnetization through said contact zones.

  In a preferred embodiment, at least one jewel element 1 constituting the modular jewel 10 comprises a second contact zone 4 which is designed capable of cooperating with a contact zone of another jewel element 1, for example the first 3 or the second 4 contact zone of such an element.

  A first contact zone 3 of a first jewel element 1A is thus brought into contact with a second contact zone 4 of an antagonistic element 1B, which comprises a ferromagnetic antagonistic element, which is attracted by the magnetizing force. of the permanent magnet 8 of the first jewel element 1A.

  Different configurations are conceivable: the ferromagnetic antagonistic part of the antagonist element 1B can be passive, that is to say without permanent magnetization. It may also consist of an antagonistic permanent magnet, which must then have, at the level of the second contact zone 4, a polarity opposite to that exhibited by said permanent magnet 8 of the first jewel element 1A at the level of the first contact zone. 3.

  Of course several analogous permanent magnets can be installed on one or both of the elements 1A, 1B, so as to ensure a sufficient attractive force for a good maintenance of the jewel element 1B antagonist contact of the first element 1A.

  In particular it can be conceived that the same jewel element 1 comprises a single permanent magnet 8, in the vicinity of the opposite poles of which are respectively defined a first 3 and a second 4 contact zones.

  According to a preferred embodiment, the jewel element 1 has opposite faces or surfaces to one another, defining a first 3 and a second 4 contact zones. A particular embodiment consists in integrating in the vicinity of each of these surfaces one or more permanent magnets 8, having the same polarity opposite the same surface; preferably, the polarity opposite the second contact zone is the opposite of that opposite the first contact zone of the same element.

  The assembly means 2 then comprise several permanent magnets 8 having the same polarity in the first 3 contact zone.

  The assembly means 2 may further, depending on the configuration of the jewel, incorporate other elements, including mechanical, for example for centering or proper alignment.

  In a preferred embodiment, corresponding to the frequent case and corresponding to the examples illustrated in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, the jewel elements are juxtaposed along substantially planar faces.

  In a preferred embodiment, intended to ensure an optimum attractive force, as explained above, the assembly means 2 comprise several permanent magnets, in the vicinity of said first contact zone 3, and having the same polarity.

  The geometrical configuration of the jewel may be such that the areas of contact between elements have a reduced surface, and do not make it possible to accommodate the desired number of magnets 8 in combination with an inert ferromagnetic part in the vicinity of a second contact surface 4 .

  It is therefore expected that the assembly means 2 comprise at least one permanent magnet 8, having, in the vicinity of the second contact zone 4, the opposite polarity with respect to that of said first contact surface 3, so as to increase the ability of mutual attraction of the jewel elements between them.

  As can be seen in an exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5, permanent magnets 8 have, in the vicinity of the first contact surface 3, the same polarity, North in the example of the figure; permanent magnets 8, which may be the same as the previous ones, or even different magnets, have the opposite polarity, South in the case of the figure, in the vicinity of the second contact surface. It is the same on the example of Figure 3.

  For maximum efficiency, these permanent magnets 8, of opposite polarity between the first 3 and the second contact surface 4, have, at least partly of them, a symmetrical geometric distribution, on said first 3 and second 4 zones of contact.

  For example, a distribution according to an equilateral triangle in the vicinity of a contact zone, may correspond to a distribution according to a regular hexagon superimposable to the preceding triangle, in the vicinity of an antagonistic contact zone.

  Another example may be a distribution in regular duodecagon, in correspondence with an equilateral triangle, or with a square, or with a regular hexagon, to which it is superimposable.

  The user can thus compose his jewel 10, according to the elements it has, and functional requirements, generally threading at an orifice 7.

  For decorative parts, it is possible to provide several bores 7A, 7B, etc ..., which will allow threading elements at different heights, according to the example of Figure 4. It is then necessary to provide the equidistance of the permanent magnets 8 two by two, on each of said first 3 and second 4 contact zones.

  In the same way, it is interesting to be able to arrange the elements of revolution, such as rings, bracelets or similar, so as to modify the distribution in space of the surfaces supporting the ornamentation 5, 6.

  For this purpose, in a preferred application of the invention, the permanent magnets 8 are distributed according to a figure having a symmetry of revolution, on each of said first 3 and second 4 contact zones.

  It will be understood that the magnets are thus distributed in a step which makes it possible to dispose, as desired, the decorated areas, as can be seen in FIG. 1: two adjacent elements 1B and 1C, identical and bearing the same elements of ornamentation 5, 6 , compose, after juxtaposition a decoration which is quite different from the decoration of each element taken separately.

  The ornamentation 5, 6 of the different visible surfaces of such a jewel element 1 may advantageously be different according to their position relative to the said permanent magnet or magnets 8. In particular according to their angular position relative to that of the magnets, in the jewelry case with a symmetry of revolution. This allows a large number of different combinations as to the appearance of the modular jewels 10 thus composed, according to the juxtaposition made between the different elements of jewelry 1.

  The combination by the user of jewelery elements 1 in different materials (for example gold, silver, platinum) with different patterns or ornaments, and differently arranged, makes it possible to obtain a number of variants all the higher as the number of juxtaposed elements is large, and the possibilities offered by an angular repositioning are wide; this angular offset is conditioned by the number of permanent magnets 8 distributed in the vicinity of each of the contact areas, in particular in the figure of revolution (here a circle, in the example of Figure 1).

  As has been explained above in the context of the at least partial superimposition of geometric figures, the number of permanent magnets 8, or ferromagnetic antagonistic surfaces, may be different depending on the item of jewelry considered.

  The permanent magnets 8 used in the jewel elements 1 according to the invention can be embedded in this jewel element 1, as shown in the example of FIG. 5, or be salient, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, according to the desired aesthetic effect.

  In the most common uses, the first 3 and second 4 contact areas are substantially parallel (even if they are left, as in the case of Figure 5), so as to allow the construction of a jewel 10 according to a diagram substantially linear.

  In an economical approach, the first 3 and second 4 contact zones are achievable in plane form.

  However, according to the example of Figure 3, imagine other configurations; the limitations are essentially fixed by the constraints relating to the wearing or hanging of the jewel.

  Due to the assembly with permanent magnets 8, a jewel 10 composed of elements 1 according to the invention, having the same assembly means 2, can be assembled without tools, and likewise be disassembled without tools.

  The invention also relates to a modular jewel element 10, comprising one or more of the preceding characteristics, and comprising at least one assembly means 2 itself comprising a permanent magnet 8.

  Of course, the invention is not limited to the examples illustrated and described above which may have variants and modifications without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (13)

  1. Modular jewel (10) comprising interchangeable elements (1) having reversible assembly means (2) between them, characterized in that each element (1) is designed to be used alone as a jewel in the same use as said modular jewel (10) assembled and said assembly means (2) comprise at least one permanent magnet (8) designed adapted to be embedded in said element (1).   2. Jewel according to claim 1, characterized in that each element (1) comprises a first contact zone (3), designed in a shape adapted to cooperate with a second contact zone (4) of another element, for ensure their reversible assembly by magnetization through said contact areas.   3. Jewel according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that each element (1) comprises a first contact zone (3), designed complementary shape to a second contact zone (4) of another element, for ensure their reversible assembly by magnetization through said contact areas.   4. Jewel according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that at least one element (1) further comprises at least a second contact zone (4) designed adapted to cooperate with the first (3) or the second (4) contact zone of another element (1).   5. Jewel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said first (3) and second (4) contact areas are respectively formed on two opposite faces of said element (1) jewelry.   6. Jewel according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that said connecting means (2) comprise a plurality of permanent magnets (8) having the same polarity in said first contact zone (3).   7. Jewel according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that said connecting means (2) comprise at least one permanent magnet (8) having, in the second contact zone (4), the reverse polarity with respect to that of said first contact zone (3).   8. Jewel according to any one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that said permanent magnets (8) have, at least partly of them, a symmetrical geometric distribution, on said first (3) and second ( 4) contact areas.   9. Jewel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said permanent magnets (8) are equidistant in pairs, on each of said first (3) and second (4) contact areas.   10. Jewel according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized in that said permanent magnets (8) are distributed in a figure having a symmetry of revolution, on each of said first (3) and second (4) contact areas .   11. Jewel according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that said first (3) and second (4) contact areas of the same element (1) are substantially parallel.   12. Jewel according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said first (3) and second (4) contact areas are planar.   13. Element (1) for modular jewelry according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one permanent magnet (8) as a reversible assembly means (2) with another element.