GB2224926A

GB2224926A - Container for cleaning jewellery

Info

Publication number: GB2224926A
Application number: GB8827099A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Eileen Mary Kilshaw; Rondolph Kilshaw; Shirley Ann Kilshaw
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1988-11-19
Filing date: 1988-11-19
Publication date: 1990-05-23
Also published as: GB8827099D0

Abstract

A container for cleaning jewellery e.g. rings, earrings is provided with a liquid-permeable part 10. The latter may be located within the container or it may constitute part of the outer wall of the container. It may comprise a mesh, gauze, or perforated corrosion-resistant metal or a plastics material such as nylon. A handle 12 may be connected to the liquid-permeable part to lift the latter out of the container. In use, jewellery to be cleaned is placed on the liquid-permeable part and is cleaned by liquid in the container on shaking of the latter. <IMAGE>

Description

CLEANING OF JEWELLERY ITEMS This invention relates to apparatus for, and a method of, cleaning jewellery items, in particular small items such as rings and earrings.

Jewellery items such as earrings require periodic cleaning in order to remove unhygenic deposits. One method commonly used at present involves immersing the items in a container such as a pot or glass, or a wash basin. However, there is a risk of loss of the items, which may be very small, in particular when a wash basin is used if the plug is inadvertently removed.

Products are available comprising a pot with a lid, the pot containing a detergent liquid and a basket.

The basket has a lifting stem and is a loose fit in the pot. Jewellery items are placed in the basket and the basket is dipped in the detergent liquid. Deposits may be freed with the assistance of a brush which is provided. However, the cleaning of jewellery items in this manner is a somewhat messy operation, and small jewellery items can drop over the side of the basket, or through its coarse grid, and down to the bottom of the pot.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided apparatus for cleaning jewellery items, comprising a container which is able to releasably retain jewellery items, and to retain a liquid, which has a part which bounds, at least in part, an enclosed space for the jewellery items, through which liquid can pass.

The liquid-permeable part is so otruted as to be able to retain very small jewellery items, such as small earrings and earring backings. The liquidpermeable part may suitably comprise a mesh, gauze or perforate part, for example of a corrosion-resistant metal or a plastics material such as nylon.

In one embodiment the liquid-permeable part may constitute part of the outer wall of the container, so that the enclosed space for the jewellery items is the entire container. For cleaning the jewellery items the container is oriented with that part uppermost. At the end of the cleaning the container is orientated with that part lowermost, the liquid drains from the container, and the jewellery items may be removed.

In other, preferred, embodiments of the invention the liquid-permeable part is internal to the container; and the container comprises two external parts, for example a pot and a lid, which are engagable together, for example by a push-fit or screw connection, the two external parts being impermeable to the liquid. Using this embodiment of the invention the container may be shaken to assist the cleaning, without the liquid splashing from the container.

The internal liquid-permeable part is suitably removable from the remainder of the container. It may comprise a handle or stem to aid removal.

The internal liquid-permeable part preferably constitutes a partition within the container. In use, all the jewellery items being cleaned are retained on one side of the partition. Preferably, such a partition is retained firmly in place, to obviate the risk of jewellery items passing its sizes and reaching the other region of the container. Suitably, such a partition is retained firmly in place by the entrapment of its periphery between the two external parts of the container.

It may be desirable for the shape of the internal partition to aid the retention of jewellery items. For example, it may have a retaining rim or be curved.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention the liquid-permeable part may comprise an openable enclosure distinct from the rest of the container, in which the jewellery items may be enclosed within for cleaning.

After cleaning has taken place the enclosure may be removed from the rest of the container, and opened.

In these embodiments of the invention having two external parts and an internal, liquid-permeable part, on separation of the external parts, the liquid-permeable part may be removed from the container, carrying with it the jewellery items; or if the jewellery items are on the other side of a liquid-permeable partition, the liquid may be poured off whilst the partition is kept in place, retaining the jewellery items.

The impermeable parts of the container may suitably be of a plastic material, and may be clear, tinted, opaque, translucent, patterned etc. A range of containers of different colour, pattern or tint may be offered at the point of sale, whereby a purchaser may choose one which matches the decor of, for example, their bathroom.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of cleaning jewellery items, using a container as hereinbefore described.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of a jewellery cleaning container in accordance with the invention; Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3A and Fig. 3B show an enclosure for jewellery items; Fig. 4 shows an enclosure of the type shown in Figs. 3A and 3B, housed in a container of the type shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

As shown in Figs., 1, 3 and 4, the jewellery cleaning container comprises a pot# 2 and a lid 4 which is a push-fit onto the pot. The inner wall of the pot has a ledge 6 and trapped between a wall 8 carried by the underside of the lid and the ledge 6 is the periphery of a nylon mesh 10. The mesh 10 is of sufficiently fine weave that small jewellery items such as earring backings cannot pass through it. The mesh 10 carries, on its side which faces the lid 4, a lifting handle 12. In this embodiment the container is a 50mm x 50mm x 50mm cube.

In the embodiment of Fig. 1 the mesh 10 is flat with a rim 11 around the periphery. In the embodiment of Fig. 2, the mesh 10 is in the form of a basket to aid the retention of jewellery items when the mesh is lifted from the pot.

In use, with the lid on the pot, jewellery items are retained on one side of the mesh 10 and are cleaned by a liquid, for example water containing a detergent, the container being shaken to assist the cleaning.

Figs. 3A, 3B and 4 show an alternative embodiment in which an internal mesh enclosure is provided. The enclosure comprises a flat lid 12 and a basket 14. The lid 12 and the basket 14 have, around their respective peripheries, a surround of solid (non-mesh) plastics material. Each corner of the surround of the basket 14 is moulded with a small projection 16, and each corner of the lid 12 is moulded with a corresponding hole 18. Each projection 16 tapers slightly towards its free end. In use, jewellery items are placed within the basket 14 and the lid 12 is located over the mouth of the basket, the projections 16 being located within the respective holes 18. The mesh enclosure is then located within the container of Fig. 4, with the surround of the basket 14 resting on the ledge 6. The lid is located in place and the end of the wall 8 of the lid engages the surround of the lid 12, whereby the enclosure is retained firmly in place between the lid and the pot. It will be observed in Fig. 4 that the length of the pins 16 correspond to the depth of the holes 18.

In another embodiment the lifting handle may be a loop hinged to the mesh at each end of the diameter thereof, the loop being shaped to follow the periphery of the mesh and being lifted therefrom when it is desired to lift the mesh.

In the embodiments described above the pot 2 and lid 4 are of a clear plastics material. In other embodiments they may, for example, be tinted, opaque, translucent, patterned etc.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with this specification, and which are open to public inspection with this specification and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in the specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. A container which is able to releasably retain jewellery items, and to retain a liquid, which has a part which bounds, at least in part, an enclosed space for the jewellery items, through which liquid can pass.

2. A container as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the liquid-permeable part comprises a mesh or gauze.

3. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid-permeable part constitutes part of the outer wall of the container, whereby the enclosed space for the jewellery items is the entire container.

4. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid-permeable part is internal to the container, and the container comprises two external parts, which are engagable together, the two external parts being impermeable to the liquid.

5. A container as claimed in Claim , wherein the internal liquid-permeable part is remoVable from the remainder of the container.

6. A container as claimed in Claim 5, wherein the internal liquid-permeable part comprises a handle or stem to aid removal.

7. A container as claimed in Claim 4, 5 or 6, wherein the internal liquid-permeab;e part constitutes partition within the container.

8. A container as claimed in Claim 7, wherein the liquid-permeable part which constitutes a partition within the container is retained in place by the entrapment of its periphery between the two external parts of the container.

9. A container as claimed in any of Claims 4 to 8, wherein the internal partition is shaped to aid the retention of jewellery items.

10. A container as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, wherein the liquid-permeable part comprises an openable enclosure which is distinct from the rest of the container, and in which the jewellery items may be enclosed within for cleaning.

11. A container as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein liquid-impermeable parts of the container are of a plastics material.

12. A container substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.