WO2001065963A1

WO2001065963A1 - Article of personal ornament with changeable ornament

Info

Publication number: WO2001065963A1
Application number: PCT/EP2001/002488
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leopoldo Quintavalle; Alberto Broggi
Original assignee: La Vallee Gioielli S.R.L.
Priority date: 2000-03-08
Filing date: 2001-03-06
Publication date: 2001-09-13
Also published as: IT1318377B1; ITMI20000453A0; ITMI20000453A1

Abstract

An article of personal ornament comprising a main body (1, 1', 1'') of the article, a replaceable (3', 3'') or reversible (3) ornamental element, and means for blocking in position said replaceable (3', 3'') or reversible (3) ornament on said main body (1, 1', 1''), wherein said blocking means comprise at least one positioning sphere (37, 37', 37'') elastically biased for removable snap insertion in a corresponding positioning seat (11, 11', 11'').

Description

ARTICLE OF PERSONAL ORNAMENT WITH CHANGEABLE ORNAMENT.

The present invention relates to an article of personal ornament provided with changeable ornament.

Personal ornament articles may be bracelets, earrings, brooches, clasps, cufflinks and in general everything that can constitute personal ornament, decorated with embellishments, decorations, stones, gems and the like.

US patent n. 5228317 discloses an article of jewellery formed by a main body defining a housing which can be opened and closed again in order to replace the ornament with another one of different aesthetic characteristics.

In particular this article of jewellery is composed of two interconnected half parts which define a housing which can be opened to extract an ornamental element, and closed again to block inside it a new ornamental element.

US patent n. 5588310 discloses a ring formed by a main body which holds a reversibly rotating small plate which has on one face a first ornament and on the other face a second and different ornament.

Said plate has a diametrical rotation pin formed thereon and can be snap blocked into a respective housing of the main body by moving the pin orthogonally to the axis of the pin. The solution adopted by traditional systems for changing and blocking the ornamental element is therefore often fairly complex and impractical as it involves that the blocking/release mechanism can only be actuated after a person has taken off the article of jewellery beforehand.

The object of the present invention is therefore that of providing an article of personal ornament provided with changeable ornament, which remedies the aforesaid disadvantages for articles of this type nowadays available commercially, and in particular an object is that of providing an article wherein the system for changing and blocking the ornament is practical and simple.

Another object of the present invention is that of providing an article of personal ornament provided with changeable ornament performing a safe and accurate blocking of the same ornament..

These objects are achieved by an article of personal ornament in accordance with the independent claims here enclosed.

Positioning with snap blocking/release of the ornamental element on the main body of the article is extremely practical and simple.

The portion of the main body of the article intended to hold the ornamental element is spatially separated from the portion of the main body of the article intended to be applied to the person, so that the operations of positioning of the ornamental element and of application of the article to the person do not interfere one with the other and can be performed one independently of the other.

The precision and safety of positioning of the ornamental element on the main body of the article can be improved by providing more than one blocking points for the ornament. These and other aspects will be made clearer on reading the description of some preferred embodiments of the invention, which refer by way of a non- limiting example to jewellery rings, it being understood that the same principle can be applied identically to any type of article of personal ornament which provides a replaceable or reversible ornamental element.

The following description refers to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of the main body of a ring according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 illustrates an exploded view of the ornamental element which can be applied to the main body of the ring of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 3 is a partially sectioned front view of the ring of the first embodiment with the ornamental element blocked in position in such a way as to exhibit one of its faces;

Fig. 4 is a partially sectioned front view of the ring of the first embodiment in a position of intermediate rotation of the ornamental element for changing the face to be exhibited;

Fig. 5 shows a partially sectioned front view of the main body of the ring in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 6 shows a side view sectioned along line 6-6 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a blown-up and partially sectioned front view of the ornamental element of the second preferred embodiment; Fig. 8 is a blown-up and partially sectioned side view of the second preferred embodiment;

Fig. 9 is a blown-up perspective view of a ring in accordance with a third preferred embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 10 is a partially sectioned front view of the main body of the ring of Fig. 9 with an enlarged view of the guiding element for the positioning sphere; and

Fig. 11 is a sectioned front view of the ornamental element of Fig. 9.

Figs. 1-4 show a ring with an ornamental element which we will define reversible as it is capable of rotating in such a way as to show as required one of its two faces.

The ring consists of a main body 1 and an ornamental element 3 shaped substantially as a rotating disk on the main body 1.

The main body 1 is traversed frontally by a circular hole with horizontal axis 5 intended to hold the finger of the person, and above by a seat 7 for housing the ornamental element 3 which has a circular section and extends with a vertical axis until it communicates below with the hole 5.

Inside the seat 7 and near its upper end a horizontal cylindrical pin 9 is fixed diametrically and has narrow terminal sections 29.

The pin 9 is intended to support rotation of the ornamental element 3.

The height of the seat 7 is set substantially equal to the radius of the ornamental element 3 for the reasons which we will see, illustrating the mechanism of changing the face of the ornamental element. The ring has a snap blocking system for the ornament 3 comprising a first and a second positioning spheres 37, 37 elastically biased against the rotation pin 9, a first and respectively a second guides 39, 39 for guiding the first and respectively second spheres 37, 37 radially in respect of the rotation pin 9 axis, and on the rotation pin 9 axis a first and respectively a second housings which can match with the first and respectively second positioning spheres 37, 37.

Said first and respectively a second housings which can match with the first and respectively second positioning spheres 37, 37 are in form of a cavity 1 1 which extends along the horizontal diameter of the central section of the pin 9.

The ornamental element 3 in turn comprises a first and respectively a second ring nuts 21 , 21 removably connected and superimposed one to the other, a first and respectively a second seats 27, 27 diametrically aligned formed between the mating edges of the first and respectively second ring nuts 21 , 21 for holding the rotation pin 9, a first and respectively a second parallelepiped support blocks 17, 17 for supporting the first and second guides 39, 39, a first and respectively a second seats 33, 33 diametrically aligned formed between the mating edges of the first and respectively second ring nuts 21 , 21 for holding the first and respectively second support blocks 17, 17, and a first and respectively a second aesthetic elements 19, 19 integral to the external sides 23, 23 of the first and respectively second ring nuts 21 , 21.

In more detail the seats 27, 27 have a circular shape and can be engaged by the narrow terminal sections 29, 29 of the pin 9, while the seats 33, 33 have a rectangular shape and can mate with rectangular fins 35, 35 of the body of the blocks 17, 17 for supporting the blocks 17, 17 in a radial direction towards the interior of the ring nuts 21 , 21. Moreover from the internal side 25 of each ring nut 21 two perforated and diametrically aligned projections 28, 28 extend outwards.

On coupling between the two ring nuts 21 , 21 , projections 28, 28 of ring nuts 21 , 21 match one with the other and are secured one to the other by tightening screws 31 , 31 inserted through a hole of the projections 28, 28.

The guides 39, 39 for the positioning spheres 37, 37 are in form of tubular containers with internal diameter substantially equal to that of the spheres so as to allow axial sliding movement of the spheres 37, 37 therein.

The guides 39, 39 can be inserted with pressure in cylindrical housings 43, 43, 43 of the blocks 17, 17.

Containers 39, 39 also have one end base closed and one end base open, and the open end base has a collar 13 of lower diameter in such a way that the spheres 37, 37 can be capable of projecting partially outside of the collar 13 of the containers 39, 39 without however having the possibility of exiting them.

Internally and coaxially to the cylindrical containers 39, 39 helical springs 41 ,

41 are provided, arranged between the closed end of the containers 39, 39 and the spheres 37, 37.

The springs 41 , 41 forces the spheres 37, 37 into the position partially projected outside of their containers 39, 39.

The radial position of the spheres 37, 37 is such as to maintain always a contact pressure with the pin 9. The components of the ornamental element 3 are made entirely in gold, with the exception of the positioning spheres 37, 37 which are in ceramic to improve sliding on the pin 9.

It could also be foreseen to make one or more internal components of the ornamental element 3 in stainless steel.

The two aesthetic elements 19, 19 are made one in white gold and the other in yellow gold, but naturally they could also be distinguished by the fact of having different decorations or by the fact of holding different precious stones or gems.

Assembly of the blocking system involves welding of the base of the aesthetic elements 19, 19 to the external sides 23, 23 of the ring nuts 21 , 21 , insertion with pressure of the guides 39, 39 in the housings 43, 43 of the blocks 17, 17, welding of the fins 35, 35 in the relevant impressions 33, 33 on the internal edges 25, 25 of the ring nuts 21 , 21 , engaging of the pin 9 in the seats 27, 27 of the ring nuts 21 , 21 , and tightening of the screws 31 , 31 in the aligned holes of the projections 29, 29.

The assembly of the blocking system can be advantageously removed by extracting the tightening screws 31 , 31 in such a way as to allow inspection of the interior of the ornamental element 3.

The two ring nuts 21 , 21 could be, instead of screwed, welded one to the other if it is preferred that the hooking between them be definitive.

Functioning of the reversing mechanism, that is to say the mechanism which allows a rotation through 180° and blocking/release of the ornamental element 3 to show as required one or the other of its faces 19, is the following.

The decorative element 3 is originally in a horizontal position in such a way as to exhibit one of its faces 19, 19. Blocking of the decorative element 3 in this position is ensured by insertion of the positioning spheres 37, 37 in the cavity 11.

To change the face 19 on show, it will be sufficient to apply pressure on the face 19 on show with a finger of the hand opposite that on which the ring is worn.

The pressure exerted by the finger, which causes the radial backward movement of the spheres 37, 37 is elastically contrasted by the helical springs 41, 41 which compress until they cause the spheres 37, 37 to be released from the cavity 11.

Through the effect of pressure of the finger, each sphere 37, maintained in contact with the side wall of the pin 9 thanks to the thrust exerted by the spring 41, can slide along the circumference of the pin 9, performing an arc of 180° until it meets the end of the cavity 11 opposite that wherein it was previously housed and snap insert therein due to the relaxation of the spring 41. The ornamental element 3 blocked in the new horizontal position reached is capable of showing its other face.

It should be noted that the simple pressure, applied by a finger on the ornamental element 3 from the exterior of the ring, causes both rotation and blocking in position of the same ornamental element 3. The seat 7 for housing the ornamental element 3, formed above the hole 5 wherein the finger is inserted, has a height designed to contain the semicircular part of the ornamental element 3 which is turned towards the interior of the main body 1 of the ring in all the intermediate positions reached during rotation. In this way rotation of the ornamental element 3 is not hindered, not even when the ring is placed on the finger. Naturally it is possible to provide a blocking system having a different number of positioning spheres 37, and provision of only one positioning sphere 37 is also conceivable.

Figs. 5-8 show a second embodiment of a ring in accordance with the present invention, wherein the parts corresponding to those of the first embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numeral followed by an apostrophe.

In this embodiment, unlike the previous one, the ornamental element 3' can be removed from the main body V of the ring and replaced with others holding different ornaments. The ring has a circular hole 5' intended to hold the finger of the person, and a seat 7' for housing the ornament 3'.

This embodiment involves the use of a system for blocking the ornament similar to this of the embodiment described previously.

In particular the blocking system for the ornament comprises two positioning spheres 37', 37' elastically biased by springs 41 ', 41 ' and inserted in cylindrical hollow guides 39', 39' juxtaposed coaxially at their closed ends. Guides 39', 39' are identical to guides 39, 39 of previous embodiment, and therefoe they have an end base closed and an end base open and equipped with a collar 13'.

The blocking system further comprises one parallelepiped support block 17' which has at its axial ends housings for pressure insertion of the guides 39',

39', and at one of its lateral walls a projection 35' which can be fixed, for example by welding, in a corresponding seat 33' formed on the lower base of the ornamental element 3'.

The seat 7' has a flat top 77' for resting of the flat base of the ornament 3', and a rectangular box shape for mating with the block 17'.

The seat 7' further provides housings 11 ', 1 1 ' centred on its opposite lateral walls, which housings 1 1 ', 1 1 ' can mate with the positioning spheres 37', 37'.

In the present case the insertion and respectively extraction of the ornamental element 3' are caused by pressing and respectively pulling by hand in a vertical direction the ornamental element 3'. Blocking in position of the ornamental element 3' occurs when the lower side of the block 7' rests on the base wall of the insertion seat T . The blocking/release mechanism is identical to that illustrated in the previous embodiment, being caused by the snapping of the positioning spheres 37', 37' into/out of the relevant positioning seats 11 ', 1 1 '.

Naturally it could be foreseen in a totally evident manner to provide an opposite configuration of the blocking system wherein the guides 39', 39' and the relevant positioning spheres 37', 37' are integral with the main body of the ring and the positioning seats 11 ', 1 1' integral with the ornamental element. A different number of positioning spheres 37', for example one single positioning sphere 37' or a positioning sphere to each lateral wall of the seat 7' can be provided.

Figs. 9-1 1 show a third embodiment of a ring in accordance with the present invention, wherein the parts corresponding to those of the first and second embodiment will be denoted by the same reference numeral followed by two apostrophes.

The ring has a circular hole 5" intended to hold the finger of the person, an arc shaped housing 7" at the top of the ring for housing an arc shaped interchangeable ornament 3". The lateral walls of the housing 7" are open so as to allow lateral sliding insertion of arc shaped ornament 3" into the arc shaped housing 7". In order to do so each axial end of the ornament 3" is provided with a fin 8 which can slidably couple with a corresponding track 10 provided on each axial end wall of the housing 7". In this embodiment one pair of positioning seats 1 1 ",11 " and 11 ", 1 1 " faced one to the other are provided at the axial ends of the ornament 3", while integrally with each of the opposite axial end walls of the housing 7" are provided: one pair of positioning spheres 37", 37" and 37", 37" which can mate with the pair of corresponding positioning seats 1 1 ",1 1 " and 11 ", 1 1 "; one pair of guides 39", 39" and 39", 39" for the corresponding pair of positioning spheres 37", 37" and 37", 37"; and one pair of helical springs 41 ", 41 " and 41 ", 41 " for elastically biasing the corresponding pair of positioning spheres 37", 37" and 37", 37".

Each axial end wall of the seat 7" provides one pair of housings 43", 43" and 43", 43" faced each to the other for pressure insertion of the pair of corresponding guides 39", 39" and 39", 39".

Such a configuration and position of the seat 7" means that the system for changing the ornamental element is completely separate from the hole 5" for the finger and that therefore it is not capable of interfering spatially therewith. Enlargement of the detail relating to the positioning element of Fig. 1 1 shows clearly its components, that is to say the sphere 37", the cylindrical container

39" of the sphere 37" identical to those of the previous embodiments and the helical spring 41 ". In particular the collar 13" n the open base of the container 39", to avoid exiting of the sphere 37", is evident, obtained by bending inwards the free edge of the container 39". Blocking/release of the two parts takes place, with processes similar to the previous embodiments, when the spheres 37", 37" and 37", 37" engage/disengage from the relative seats 1 1 ", 1 1 " and 11 ", 1 1 ". The firm and extremely precise positioning of the ornamental element 3" is ensured by four blocking points arranged on the side walls of the insertion seat 7". However a lower number of blocking points, even only one blocking point, i.e. only one positioning sphere, or two blocking points, i.e. one positioning sphere to a corresponding wall of the insertion seat 7" can be provided. Although the embodiments shown refer to rings, an expert may without any difficulty apply the same principle to provide a system for changing the ornamental element in accordance with the present invention on any article intended for personal ornament.

Claims

1. An article for personal ornament comprising a main body (1 ) of the article, an ornamental element (3) having two opposite ornamental faces to be selectively shown, a housing (7) for housing said ornamental element (3) provided on said main body (1 ) of the article, a rotation pin (9) for said ornamental element (3) provided in said housing for the ornamental element (3) and fixed to said main body (1 ) of the article to support the rotation of the ornamental element (3) between a first position wherein one face of the ornamental element (3) is on show and a reversed position wherein the other face of the ornamental element (3) is on show, a system for snap blocking the rotation of the ornamental element (3) at said first and reversed positions, characterised in that said snap blocking system comprises at least a first positioning sphere (37) elastically biased against said rotation pin (9), a first guide (39) integral with said ornamental element (3) for guiding said first positioning sphere (37) in a radial direction in respect of the axis of said rotation pin (9), and a first seat (1 1 ) which can mate with said first positioning sphere (37) provided on the axis of said rotation pin (9).

2. An article of personal ornament according to the previous claim, characterised in that it further comprises a second positioning sphere (37) elastically biased against said rotation pin (9) at a diametrically opposed position in respect of said first positioning sphere (37), a second guide (39) integral with said ornamental element (3) for guiding said second positioning sphere (37) in a radial direction in respect of the axis of said rotation pin (9), and a second seat (1 1 ) which can mate with said second positioning sphere (37) provided on the axis of said rotation pin (9).

3. An article of personal ornament according to any one of the previous claims, characterised in that said ornamental element (3) comprises a first and a second ring nuts (21 , 21 ) superimposed and connected one to the other, a first and second seats (27, 27) formed between the mating edges of the first and second ring nuts (21, 21) for supporting said rotation pin (9) along a diameter of said first and second ring nuts (21 , 21 ), a first and a second blocks (17, 17) for supporting said first and second guides (39, 39) of said first and second positioning spheres (37, 37), a first and second seats formed between the mating edges of the first and second ring nuts (21 , 21 ) for supporting said first and second support blocks (17, 17) for said first and second positioning spheres (37, 37), and a first and a second aesthetic elements (19, 19) integral with the external side of said first and second ring nuts (21 , 21 ).

4. An article for personal ornament comprising a main body (1 ') of the article, a replaceable ornamental element (3'), a housing (7') for housing said ornamental element (3) provided on said main body (1 ') of the article, a system for snap blocking the ornamental element (3') inserted in said housing (7') for said ornamental element (3'), characterised in that said snap blocking system comprises at least a first positioning sphere (37') which can be elastically biased against a corresponding wall of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3'), a first guide (39') integral with said ornamental element (3') for guiding said first positioning sphere (37') against said corresponding wall of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3'), and a first seat (1 1 ') which can mate with said first positioning sphere(37') provided on said corresponding wall of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3').

5. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that it further comprises a second positioning sphere (37') which can be elastically biased against a corresponding wall of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3'), a second guide (39') integral with said ornamental element (3') for guiding said second positioning sphere (37') against said corresponding wall of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3'), and a second seat (1 1 ) which can mate with said second positioning sphere (37') provided on said corresponding wall of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3').

6. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that said first and second spheres (37', 37') are elastically biased against two opposed walls of said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3).

7. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that said system for blocking the ornamental element further provides one support block (17') for supporting said first and second guides (39', 39') integral to said ornamental element (3').

8. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that said housing (7') for the ornamental element (3') has a flat top (77') and said ornamental element (3') has a flat base for resting on said flat top (77')of the housing (7') for the ornamental element (3'), and in that said support block (17') projects below the flat base of the ornamental element (3') for matching inside the housing (7') for the ornamental element (3').

9. An article for personal ornament comprising a main body (1") of the article, a replaceable ornamental element (3"), a housing (7") for housing said ornamental element (3") provided on said main body (1") of the article, a system for snap blocking the ornamental element in said housing (7") for said ornamental element (3"), characterised in that said snap blocking system comprises at least a first positioning sphere (37") which can be elastically biased against a corresponding wall of said ornamental element (3"), a first guide (39") integral with said main body (1") of the article for guiding said first positioning sphere (37") against said corresponding wall of said ornamental element (3"), and a first seat (1 1 ") which can mate with said first positioning sphere (37"2) provided on said corresponding wall of said ornamental element (3").

10. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that it further comprises a second, third and forth positioning spheres (37", 37", 37") which can be elastically biased against the walls of said ornamental element (3"), a second, third, and fourth guides (39", 39", 39") integral with said main body (1") of the article for guiding said second, third and fourth positioning spheres (37", 37", 37") against said walls of said ornamental element (3"), and a second, third and fourth seats (11", 11", 11") which can mate with said second, third and fourth positioning spheres (37", 37", 37") provided on said walls of said ornamental element (3").

1 1. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that said housing (7") for the ornamental element (3") is arc shaped and has the two lateral opposed walls open and said ornamental element (3") has an arc shape to lateral sliding insertion in said housing (7") for the ornamental element (3"), and in that said positioning spheres (37", 37" and 37", 37") are placed in two pairs of spheres (37", 37" and 37", 37") opposed at the axial end walls of the housing (7") for the ornamental element.

12. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim, characterised in that each axial end wall of said housing (7") for the ornamental element (3") has a track (10, 10) and each axial end wall of said ornamental element (3") has a fin (8, 8) slidingly engageable with one corresponding track

(10, 10).

13. An article of personal ornament according to any of previous claims characterised in that each guide (39, 39', 39") is in form of a tubular container for axial guiding the positioning sphere (37, 37', 37") inside it, and in that said container in turn comprises a closed axial end base, an open axial end base, and a collar (13, 13', 13") at the open axial end base allowing the positioning sphere (37, 37', 37") to partially project out of the open axial end base of said container.

14. An article of personal ornament according to previous claim characterised in that a helical spring (41 , 41', 41") is axially placed between the positioning sphere (37, 37', 37") and the closed axial end base of the container (39, 39', 39") for providing elastic bias to the positioning sphere (37, 37', 37").

15. A ring according to any of previous claims characterised in that said snap blocking systems for the ornamental element (3, 3', 3") in positioned and operates apart from the hole of the ring which receives the finger of the user.