Abstract:
A ring-like article of manufacture capable of being worn as jewelry such as a ring on a human finger for adornment, having a triangular cross section throughout its circumference, wherein the sides of the triangular cross section are formed by a single continuous, endless surface, and the vertexes of the triangular cross section are formed by a single continuous, endless ridge that preferably acts as an internal thread that is capable of being used to screw or unscrew the ring when worn on the finger.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The invention relates to a ring construction having unique properties that invite analyses by an observer. The ring can be used, for instance, as jewelry for human adornment, such as a finger ring or a wrist or neck bracelet, or can be formed into an exhibit, large or small. It is a form of a puzzle. 
   2. The Prior Art 
   U.S. Pat. No. 4,042,244 discloses a Moebius ring formed from an elongated band of two sides. The Moebius phenomena, wherein a band with two sides is given a twist throughout the length of its circumference, is used to form the ring in the &#39;244 patent. 
   Other prior art rings using the Moebius phenomena are known. 
   The Moebius phenomena is also used in numerous puzzles. 
   SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
   The ring of the present invention departs from the concept of a flat band, as in the Moebius phenomena in the prior art, and deals with a triangular cross section that, when formed into a ring, has a single continuous surface, and a single continuous ridge, that form the triangular cross section. Whereas the Moebius ring has a 180° twist of the cross section throughout the length of its circumference, the present invention requires either a 120°, or a multiple of 120°, twist, that is not 360° or a multiple of 360°, throughout one complete circumferential travel. A 360° twist, or a multiple thereof, does not work. 
   The ring of the present invention has a triangular cross section at any point along its circumference. The triangular cross section has three sides and three vertexes. Each of the vertexes forms a ridge. 
   By virtue of the ring&#39;s construction, a single continuous, endless surface extending longitudinally along the circumference of the ring forms all three sides of a triangular cross section of the ring, and a single continuous ridge forms all three vertexes of a triangular cross section of the ring. The continuous, endless ridge and the continuous, endless surface, that form a ring with a triangular cross section at any point on its circumference, is achieved by giving, to the cross section of the ring, a twist or rotation of 120°, or multiples thereof, that is not 360° or a multiple of 360°, about the circumferential axis, through the length of the travel of one circumference of the ring. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the ring of the invention, with a triangular cross section shown in dotted lines, and the ridge, where hidden, shown in broken lines. 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the ring of the invention showing the continuous path of the ridge starting at point “A”. 
       FIG. 3  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 10  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 11  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  11 - 11  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  12 - 12  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 13  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 14  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 15  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  15 - 15  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 16  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  16 - 16  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 17  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  17 - 17  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 18  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  18 - 18  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 19  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  19 - 19  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 20  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  20 - 20  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 21  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  21 - 21  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 22  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  22 - 22  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 23  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  23 - 23  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 24  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  24 - 24  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 25  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  25 - 25  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 26  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  26 - 26  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 27  is a cross sectional view taken on the line  27 - 27  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIGS. 28 through 30  show a hypothetical construction of the ring to illustrate the principle of the ring. 
       FIG. 28  is a perspective view of a straight length having a triangular cross section capable of being formed into the ring of  FIG. 1 , having a length equal to the circumference of the ring of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 29  is a view similar to  FIG. 28  showing the length twisted 120° about its longitudinal axis before being formed into a ring. 
       FIG. 30  shows the straight length, as shown twisted or rotated in  FIG. 29 , formed into a circumference, with the ends of the length about to be joined, in their rotated condition. 
       FIG. 31  is a cross sectional view showing the ring having a triangular cross section with two equal length sides. 
       FIG. 32  is a cross sectional view showing the ring having a triangular cross section with unequal length sides. 
       FIG. 33  is another cross sectional view showing the ring having a triangular cross section with unequal length sides. 
       FIG. 34  is another cross sectional view showing the ring having a triangular cross section with unequal length sides. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In  FIG. 1 , there is shown the ring  20  of the invention having a continuous, endless surface  21  and a continuous, endless ridge  22 . 
   The ring  20 , at any point along its circumference, has a triangular cross section  23 , as shown, for instance, by dotted lines at  25  in  FIG. 1 . 
   An examination of ridge  22  in  FIG. 1  will reveal that what appear to be three distinct ridges  26 ,  27 ,  28 , at the vertexes of the triangular cross section  23  along the ring  20  is in reality one continuous, endless ridge  22 . 
   In like manner, the three sides  30 ,  31 ,  32  that form the triangular cross section  23  of the ring  20 , appear to be formed by three distinct different surfaces, but in reality the sides  30 ,  31 ,  32 , are formed by one continuous endless surface  21 . 
   To explain the phenomena of one continuous, endless ridge  22 , and one continuous, endless surface  21 , reference is made particularly to  FIGS. 2 through 27  inclusive. 
   As seen in  FIG. 3 , the ridge  22  begins at position A 1  and continues to travel around the ring  20  circumference three times, before it comes back to its original starting point. 
   As it travels about the circumference of the ring  20  three times, the triangular cross section  23  of the ring will twist, or rotate, about the circumferential axis of ring  20 , once, as seen in  FIGS. 3 through 27 , to where the ridge at location A 1  will coincide with location A 25 . 
     FIGS. 28 and 29  illustrate the concept of the twist in a hypothetical construction of ring  20 , to illustrate the twist which is present in the ring  20  of  FIG. 1  itself. The twist, in  FIGS. 28 and 29 , for conceptual purposes, is shown in a length  35  of straight bar equal to the circumference of the ring  20 . 
   As seen in  FIG. 28 , the length  35  of the bar is equal to the circumference of the ring  20 . The length  35  of bar has a triangular cross section  23  with vertexes designated A, B, and C, at one end and A′B′C′ at the other end. The length also has sides designated AB, BC, and CA at one end, and A′B′, B′C′, and C′A′ at the other end. The bar is shown formed of a triangle which is equalateral throughout the bar length  35 . However, as shown in  FIGS. 31-34 , the cross section  23 ,  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106  can vary throughout its length, providing it remains a triangle. 
   As seen in  FIG. 29 , the bar at A′B′C′ remains fixed, whereas the bar at ABC is rotated 120° about the longitudinal axis of the length  35  of the bar. The length  35  of the bar may also be twisted or rotated multiples of 120°, but not twisted or rotated 360° or multiples of 360°, to form other embodiments of the invention. A twist of 360° or multiples thereof would create a ring with three separate surfaces and three separate ridges. 
   The twist may be uniform throughout the circumference of the ring, or the twist may occur at a non-uniform rate throughout the circumference of the ring  20 . It is necessary, however, that the twist, or rotation, as explained above, does occur. 
   To complete the illustration of a hypothetical construction of the ring  20  as shown in  FIG. 1 , the length  35  of the bar of  FIG. 29  is bent circumferentially into the ring  20  of  FIG. 1 , as seen in  FIG. 30 . Side BC is joined to side A′B′, side AB is joined to side A′C′, and side CA is joined to side C′B′. 
   Vertex C′ is joined to vertex A, vertex A′ is joined to vertex B, and vertex B′ joined to vertex C. In  FIG. 30 , the length  35  of the bar of  FIG. 29  is not yet fully bent into the circumference of the ring  20  of  FIG. 1 . 
   In  FIG. 30 , a gap is shown between the cross sections  23  shown in solid lines to illustrate that the length  35  of the bar is to continue to be bent as shown by the arrowed lines  36 ,  37 , and  38 , to fully form the ring  20 . 
     FIGS. 28 ,  29 , and  30 , merely illustrate the ring&#39;s characteristics when fully formed, and form no limitation on how the ring  20  is actually constructed, as, for instance, by well known prior art molding or forging techniques. The ring  20  may be formed of metal, wood, ceramic, plastic, or any other material that is or becomes solid. 
   Again, it should be understood that the actual manufacture of the ring  20  would be by prior art methods, such as a molding procedure, and that  FIGS. 28 ,  29 , and  30  merely are to illustrate the concept involved wherein a single continuous, endless ridge  22  forms all three vertexes of any cross section  23  of the ring  20 , and a single continuous, endless surface  21  forms all three sides of any cross section  23  of the ring  20 . 
   It is believed the ring  20  of the invention will create great interest in attempts to analyze the ring. Additionally, the continuous, endless ridge  22  with its travel about the circumference of the ring, can act as a thread that can be used to, in effect, screw or unscrew the ring  20  from the wearer, as, for instance, on or off a finger, or on or off a wrist.