WO2013023665A1

WO2013023665A1 - Jewelry article

Info

Publication number: WO2013023665A1
Application number: PCT/DK2012/050298
Authority: WO
Inventors: Beatrice Wolfart
Original assignee: Pandora A/S
Priority date: 2011-08-16
Filing date: 2012-08-16
Publication date: 2013-02-21
Also published as: DE202011050993U1

Abstract

Jewelry article (1, 1a, 1b) with a string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) and at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4) being arrangeable fixed along the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) at a selected position (a, b) on the string (2, 2a, 2b,2c, 2d, 2e), the at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4)being received on a radially expanded holding element (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) provided on the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e), wherein the holding element (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) is made radially elastic and is arrangeable positioned freely on the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) by means of a longitudinal slot (21, 21a) and forms a frictional lock with the at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4).

Description

Jewelry article

The present invention relates to a jewelry article with a string and at least one stop component being arrangeable fixed along the string at a se- lected position on the string, the at least one stop component being received on a radially expanded holding element provided on the string.

The present disclosure claims priority from German utility model DE20201 1050993 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

A jewelry article, for example in the form of necklaces such as a neckband and armbands, is known from EP 1 657 991 B1 , according to which a holding element is fixedly connected with the string in a predetermined position on the string. Position markers such as stop components are applied on this holding element, for example clipsed or screwed on by means of a link and a lock. Further jewelry elements may be mutually separated in a manner limited by the position markers betweeen these fixedly positioned position markers and, where applicable, a lock of the string. Beacuse of the fixed arrangement, the bearer may not himself or herself chose the position of the position marker at all and only restrictedly chose the position of the individual further jewelry elements.

A ring-shaped closed string, the length of which may be adjusted by means of a stopper, is known form US 6,449,810 B1 . Here, one or both string ends of the string is/are threaded on an eye part. The string end or ends is/are tensioned perpendicularly to the extension of the string against the eye part by means of two rubber rings tensioning the string ends with their front sides and being supported by the eye part. The technical embodiment of the stopper limits the creative possibilities of the stopper. Furthermore, the eye part may exclusively be removed from the string by unthreading.

An object of the invention is the further development of a jewelry arti- cle for better usability, particularly with stop components for fixed and freely selectable positioning on the string in a simple manner and for removal from the string in a simple manner. This object is achieved with a jewelry article with a string and at least one stop component being arrangeable fixed along the string at a selected position on the string, wherein the at least one stop component is received on a radially expanded holding element provided on the string, wherein the holding element is made radially elastic and is arrangeable positioned freely on the string by means of a longitudinal slot and forms a frictional lock e.g. a frictional locking, frictional connection, and / or frictional grip with the at least one stop component.

By providing the holding element in longitudinally slotted and elastic form, it can be applied to the string in a simple manner by expanding the longitudinal slot, without having to thread it thereon. Thereby, the holding element can be applied to the string already under slight tension. Thereby a slight gap can be formed at the longitudinal slot. It is understood that slots with a circumferential portion, that is slots comprising an angle with respect to a longitudinal extension of the string or of the holding element, are also encompassed by the term longitudinal slot.

The outer diameter of the holding element in a state attached to the string is in this connection, within the provided elasticity of the holding element, slightly larger than an inner diameter of the stop component, which is to be fastened by friction on the holding element. By subsequent clamping of the stop component on the holding element results on the one hand a radial prestress of the holding element relative to the string, or as the case may be an already existing prestress of the holding element relative to the string becomes additionally reinforced, and on the other hand a prestress of the holding element relative to the stop component, such that it is fixed by friction relative to the string at the selected position of the holding element. The longitudinal extension of the holding element is at the same time preferably slightly less than the longitudinal extension of the stop component so that the holding element not perceived visually.

The holding element may be made of an elastomer such as rubber, natural rubber or elastomeric plastic, such as silicone rubber, polyfluorelastomer (Viton®), ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM), and the like. In special cases, the holding element may be made of elastic metal such as spring steel. In particular, to compensate for different thicknesses of a string and use of the same stop components or use of stop components with different inner diameters, holding elements of different thicknesses, lengths and/or opening diameters may be provided, for example in the form of sets enclosed with the jewelry article or to be purchased separately.

The at least one stop component may be formed such that it is elastically expandable along a longitudinal slot and can be pushed over the holding element. Subsequently, a stop component formed in this way contracts radially and surrounds the holding element forming a radial prestress. Alternatively or additionally, at least one stop component may be formed of two components being mutually connected by means of a hinge or joint and being lockable by means of a closure under radial prestress of the holding element.

According to an advantageous embodiment of a jewelry string article one or more additional jewelry elements may be arranged on the string in that this element or these elements are threaded onto the ends of an open string or are applied radially on the string by means of a joint or hinge of re- openable construction. By means of one or more mutually spaced apart stop components fixed at the desired position, a largely free customizable construction of the jewelry article may follow without limitations due to a fixed specification of the holding elements by the manufacturer. Thereby, the jewelry element or elements may comprise a slightly enlarged internal diameter relative to the string, such that the element or elements are displaceable along the string. The inner diameter is advantageously less than the outer diameter of the at least one stop component, whereby the stop component is path limiting for a jewelry element.

It has also been found to be advantageous that the inner diameter of the jewelry elements can be smaller than the outer diameter of the holding elements, as these may be placed after application of the jewelry elements and a selection of the position of the stop components may follow when all jewelry elements are already applied. In particular, disk-shaped jewelry elements with a large outer diameter and small thickness may by means of the possible arrangement of the holding elements after the application of these be formed with only a slightly larger inner diameter with respect to the string, such that they are guided better by the string and are held in an upright position.

The string may for example be made of a single filament, a plurality of filaments being bundled at least in the region of the holding elements, a coiled cord, a mesh or a chain. Metals such as silver as well as alloyed metals such as gold alloys, steel, and the like, as well as non-metallic materials such as leather, textiles, plastics and the like may serve as materials.

The jewelry article can be formed as a necklace, tiara, bracelet or foot band, ring or the like with a closed string or as an open string, which is provided at both ends with closure components forming a closure. In an advantageous manner, the closure can be formed by means of a stop component and a holding element arranged underneath, in that the two ends of the string overlap and the holding element and then the stop component are placed and fixed at both ends forming a prestressed frictional lock.

The at least one stop component may be made of metal, plastic, natural materials and/or a combination thereof.

It has furthermore proven to be advantageous if string, holding elements, stop components and jewelry elements are adapted modularly to one another with respect to their diameters in such a way that for example a range of jewelry with neck, head, arm and/or foot jewelry can be proposed. In this connection, the proposed elastic holding elements have proven to be particularly advantageous, as at least minor differences in diameter of the strings of different materials, such as metal and leather, and uses, such as necklaces and bracelets, may be compensated due to the elasticity. Especially with strings of soft material such as leather, a fixing of stop components by means of these holding elements has only now become possible in a reversible and simple way.

The invention is described in further details with reference to the embodiments shown in Fig. 1 to Fig. 5. In the drawings: Fig. 1 shows a view of a jewelry article formed as a necklace,

Fig. 2 shows a view of a jewelry article formed as a bracelet,

Fig. 3 shows a view of a jewelry article formed as a bracelet with a stop component working as a closure,

Fig. 4 shows a section through a stop component with a holding element,

Fig. 5 shows a section through a stop component modified with resepct to the stop component of fig. 4, and

Fig. 6 shows an exploded view of a detail of a jewelry article.

Fig. 1 shows a view of a jewelry article 1 in the form of a necklace with a string 2, two differently formed stop components 3, 4 arranged fixed at positions a, b and preferably blending into the design of the jewelry article 1 , which stop components 3, 4 are fixed by means of the holding elements 5, which are not visible and only indicated by dashed lines. The open string 2 is at its ends provided with closure elements 7, 8 forming a closure 6, the closure elements 7, 8 being known per se and being indicated schematically only. Further jewelry elements 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13 may be provided between the fastener elements 7, 8 and/or the stop components 3, 4 according to the taste of the wearer of the jewelry article 1 , which jewelry elements may be formed in the same or different jewelry designs and materials. Depending on the specification of their inner diameter, the jewelry elements 9, 10, 1 1 , 12, 13 may be arranged fixed or displacable along the string 2. The jewelery elements 10, 12 may in case of a sufficient inner diameter furthermore be threaded over the outer diameter of the fastener elements 7, 8 onto the string 2. Furthermore, jewelry elements 1 1 may be provided which are, preferably before application of the last of the closure elements 7, 8, threaded onto the string 2 and connected fixedly to the string 2 or formed therefrom. Further, the jewelry elements 9, 13 may subsequently, even in case of a smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of the fastener elements 7, 8, be applied to the string 2. For this purpose the jewelery element 9 comprises a longitudinal slot 14 and is in this case drawn on the string 2 by elastic expansion of the slot 14. The jewelery element 13 comprises a joint 15 and a closure 16 and is in the open state applied to the string 2 and closed. Within the meaning of a broad application of various jewelry components, the jewelry elements 9, 13 may also be used as stop components 3, 4 when they are underlayed by a holding element 5.

In contrast to the jewelry elements 9, 10, 12, 13, the firmly fixed stop components 3, 4 serve to the division of the string 2, where applicable with its applied jewelry elements. For this purpose a radially elastic holding element 5 is arranged under each of the stop components, which holding elements are freely displacable along the string 2 in the state not being radially loaded by means of the stop components 3, 4. The holding element 5 has a longitudinal slot, which is not visible here, and may at any time and at any position be applied to the string 2 and removed again. Following selection of a desired position a, b, one of the stop components 3, 4 is arranged over the holding element 5 and prestressed against the holding element 5, whereby radial prestress is formed between the holding element 5 and the string 2 on the one hand and the holding element 5 and the stop component on the other hand and thus a frictional lock is formed, whereby the stop component 3, 4 is fixed to the string 2. The stop component 3 is made foldable by means of a hinged joint 17 and closable by means of a closure 18, so that the radial prestress is applied to the holding element 5 after application of the stop component by closing the stop component. The stop component 4 is preferably made elastic and provided with the longitudinal slot 19. The stop component 4 is pulled over the holding element 5 under expansion of a longitudinal slot 19, the radial prestress against the holding element 5 is effected by reducing the expansion of the longitudinal slot.

Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of a jewelry article 1 a in the form of a closed bracelet, whose string 2a is formed annularly, or as shown here is made permanently closed or reopenable by means of a connecting element 20. In the embodiment shown, the two stop components 3 and disposed therebetween the jewelry element 9 are arranged on the string 2a. According to the closed configuration of the jewelry article 1 a, the jewelery element 9 is formed to be subsequently applicable and is by means of the longitudinal slot 14 applied from the outside to the string 2a by means of elastic construction, optionally by expansion of the longitudinal slot 14. The stop components 3 with the non-displayed holding elements arranged below and between these and the string 2a, are in the illustration shown aligned differently, such as along the string 2a and turned against each other, so that the joint 17 is visible once and at the other stop components the closure 18 is visible. It is understood that in principle the predetermined setting of the twist angle of the string 2a and stop component 3 due to the frictional connection between the string 2a and stop component 3 allows a desired orientation of the stop component 3 with respect to the string 2a. This can be particularly advantageous if the stop components 3 have a preferred viewing side, for example in the form of a relief or an image. In specially designed necklaces, a piece of jewelry arranged centrally on the string may for example be arranged as a stop component or be connected thereto.

Fig. 3 shows a jewelry article 1 b in the form of a bracelet in a front view. In this case the string 2e is formed open at both ends with ends 23, 24, which are brought to overlap depending on the desired length of the string 2e and which are connected to each other in a frictional connection by means of the stop component 3d and a holding element arranged underneath to form the closure 6a.

The fig. 4 shows a detail of a jewelry article, for example corresponding to the jewelry articles 1 , 1 a, 1 b of fig. 1 to fig. 3, in a sectional view of a stop component 3a. The stop component 3a may be formed radially expandable by means of a longitudinal slot or foldable by means of a joint and a closure, and is applied under radial prestress on the holding element 5a. The elastic holding element 5a, which is for example made of an elastomer, is provided with a longitudinal slot 21 , which in the embodiment shown is not formed along the longitudinal extension of the string 2b but is rotated with respect thereto. In further embodiments, this longitudinal slot 21 may be also provided along the longitudinal extension of the string 2b. The holding element 5a is applied to the string 2b during manufacture of the jewelry article, or later by the service staff or the wearer, by expansion of the longitudinal slot 21 , whereby a low initial stress may already here be set relative to the string 2b. Subsequently, the stop component 3a is placed around the outer diameter of the holding element 5a and the holding element 5a is prestressed radially, such that a frictional connection between the string 2b and holding element 5a and between the holding element 5a and stop component 3a is set, whereby the latter is fixed with respect to the string 2b. For producing a visual transition between stop component 3a and string 2b, the stop component 3a overlaps the holding element 5a radially by means of cheeks 22 arranged preferably at both ends.

As a modification to the stop component 3a and the holding element

5a of fig. 4, a substantially cylindrical stop component 3b without cheeks is shown in fig. 5. The holding element 5b is furthermore provided with a longitudinal slot 21 a formed along the longitudinal extension of the string 2c. The inner diameter of the holding element 5b, its wall thickness, its outer diameter and its elasticity are formed such that variations of the jewelry article with respect to outer diameters of the string 2c and inner diameters of the stop components 3b due to different materials, production conditions or design conditions may be covered by means of one or a few types of holding elements 5b while maintaining a frictional connection.

Fig. 6 shows an exploded view of a part of a jewelry article before completion. To make the stop component 3c, which is here illustrated unfolded, fixed on the string 2d, the holding element 5c - here shown already expanded - is slipped onto the string 2d at the desired position b. Subsequently, the stop component is brought over the holding element 5c and is closed under radial prestress.

List of reference numerals

1 : Jewelry article

1 a Jewelry article

1 b Jewelry article

2: String

2a String

2b String

2c String 2d String

2e String

3: Stop component

3a Stop component

3b Stop component

3c Stop component

3d Stop component

4: Stop component

5: Holding element

5a Holding element

5b Holding element

5c Holding element

6: Closure

6a Closure

7: Closure element

8: Closure element

9: Jewelry element

10 Jewelry element

1 1 Jewelry element

12 Jewelry element

13 Jewelry element

14 Longitudinal slot

15 Joint

16 Closure

17 Joint

18 Closure

19 Longitudinal slot

20 Connecting element

21 Longitudinal slot

21 a: Longitudinal slot

22 Cheek

23 End

24 End

a: Position

b: Position

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S

1. Jewelry article (1, la, lb) with a string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) and at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4) being arrangeable fixed along the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) at a selected position (a, b) on the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e), the at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4) being received on a radially expanded holding element (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) provided on the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e), cha racterized in that the holding element (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) is made radially elastic and is arrangeable positioned freely on the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) by means of a longitu- dinal slot (21, 21a) and forms a frictional lock with the at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 4).

2. Jewelry article (1, la, lb) according to claim 1, cha racterized in that the holding element (5, 5a, 5b, 5c) is made of an elastomer.

3. Jewelry article (1) according to claim 1 or 2, cha racter- i z e d in that the at least one stop component (3a, 3b, 4) comprises a longitudinal slot (19), is radially elastically expandable and encloses the holding element (5) under radial prestress.

4. Jewelry article (1, la, lb) according to claim 1 or 2, cha racter i z e d in that the at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d) is formed of two component parts being connected with each other by means of a joint (17) and being lockable by means of a closure (18) under radial prestress of the holding element (5, 5a, 5b, 5c).

5. Jewelry article (1, la) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, cha racterized in that at least one jewelry element (9, 10, 12, 13) is arranged on the string (2, 2a), the at least one jewelry element being dis- placeable along the string (2, 2a) and limited in its displacement by the at least one stop component (3, 4).

6. Jewelry article (1, la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, cha racterized in that the string (2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 2e) is made of one filament, a plurality of juxtaposed filaments, a coiled cord, a mesh or a chain.

7. Jewelry article (1, la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, cha racterized in that the string is made of metal, leather, textile or plastic.

8. Jewelry article (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, c h a r - acterized in that the string (2) at both ends is provided with closure elements (7, 8) forming a closure (6).

9. Jewelry article (lb) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, c h a r - acterized in that a closure (6a) is formed by means of a stop compo- nent (3d) enclosing both ends (23, 24) of the string (2b).

10. Jewelry article (la) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, cha racterized in that the string (2a) forms a closed ring.

11. Jewelry article (1, la, lb) according to any one of claims 1 to 10, cha racterized in that the at least one stop component (3, 3a, 3b, 3c, 4) is made of metal, plastic, natural materials and/or a combination thereof.

12. Jewelry article according to any one of claims 1 to 11, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the longitudinal slot of the holding element is extending in an inclined manner i.e. not perpendicular to the respective ends of the holding element.

13. A holding element for temporarily engaging with a string of a jewelry article, wherein said holding element is radially elastic and comprises a longitudinal slot allowing said holding element to be positioned at any position along said string of said jewelry article.

14. A holding element according to claims 13, ch a ra cte ri zed in that the holding element is made of an elastomer.

15. A holding element according to any one of claims 13 to 14, cha racterized in that the longitudinal slot of the holding element is extending in an inclined manner i.e. not perpendicular to the respective ends of the holding element.

16. A holding element according to any one of claims 12 to 15, wherein said holding element is configured to establish a frictional grip with said string of said jewelry article.