Abstract:
A resealable locket comprising a first cover and a second cover. The first cover defines a see-through opening. The second cover is movably connected to the first cover. The first and second covers define a chamber when the first cover is closed on the second cover. A fixing member is disposed on the first and second covers. The fixing member is operable to enable a user to selectively open and close the locket without the use of a tool so that the user may selectively place and remove a charm from the chamber.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The invention relates to a charm locket and, more particularly, to a charm locket which may be selectively opened and closed by a customer without requiring excessive effort or the use of tools.  
         [0002]     Charm lockets are known in the art and may be used to contain therein various different types of items. For example, some lockets may include a picture of a loved one or a time piece. Such lockets typically have a front and rear cover hingedly connected to one another so that the item may be placed in one of the front or rear cover and the covers may be rotated so as to enclose the item therein. However, a customer cannot view the contents of these prior art lockets without opening one of the covers.  
         [0003]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is shown another example of a prior art locket  20 . Locket  20  includes a top portion  22  and a bottom portion  24  fixedly connected together by a fixation means (not explicitly shown). Top portion  22  includes a transparent opening portion  26 . Similarly, bottom portion  24  includes a transparent opening portion  28 . In locket  20 , top portion  22  and bottom portion  24  are fixedly connected to one another with a fixation means such as screws or bolts. As a consequence, if a customer desired to add to or subtract from the contents internal to locket  20 , such customer would need to use excessive force or tools to open up locket  20 .  
         [0004]     Therefore, there is a need in the art for a locket which can display its contents without being opened, and which may be easily opened by a customer so that the customer may selectively add to and/or subtract from the contents stored within the locket.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     One embodiment of the invention is a locket comprising a first cover, the first cover defining a see-through opening. The locket further comprises a second cover movably connected to the first cover. The first and second covers define a chamber when the first cover is closed on the second cover. A fixing member is disposed on the first and second covers, the fixing member operable to enable a user to selectively open and close the locket without the use of a tool so that the user may selectively place and remove a charm from the chamber.  
         [0006]     Another embodiment of the invention is a method for designing a locket, the locket including a first cover, a second cover, and a chamber defined by the first and second cover when the first cover is closed on the second cover. The method comprises rotating the first cover with respect to the second cover, placing at least one charm in the chamber, and locking the first cover to the second cover. The method further comprises opening the first cover from the second cover without the use of a tool, removing the least one charm from the chamber, placing a second charm in the chamber, and locking the first cover to the second cover.  
         [0007]     Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention which refers to the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is plan view of a locket in accordance with the prior art.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2  is plan view of an open locket in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is plan view of an open locket in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 4  is a plan view of a closed locket with a divider in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of the locket shown in  FIG. 4 .  
         [0013]      FIG. 6  is a plan view of a locket in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]     Referring to  FIG. 2 , there is shown in locket  30  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Locket  30  may be made of gold, silver and the like and includes a first cover  32  hingedly connected to a second cover  34  through a hinge  36 . As shown, second cover  34  includes walls  40  defining a channel  42  therein. Second cover  34  further includes magnets  46  spaced apart within channel  42 . A chain  48  may optionally be connected to locket  30  so that locket  30  may be worn on a user&#39;s neck. An optional bump  38  may be disposed on first cover  32  and is discussed below. Referring also to  FIG. 3 , first cover  32  also includes magnets  44 . Magnets  44  may be countersunk within first cover  32  so that first cover  32  has a generally flat cross-section. Of course, both first cover  32  and second cover  34  may be designed to have either a flat cross-section (as is shown for first cover  32 ) or with walls defining a channel (as shown in second cover  34 ).  
         [0015]     As shown, first cover  32  is generally cylindrical defining a void therein. The void may be covered by a transparent member  50  such as glass, defining a window. Similarly, second cover  34  is generally cylindrical and defines a void therein. The void in second cover  34  may also be covered with a transparent member  52  such as glass. Clearly, members  50  and  52  need not be made of glass and could be made of any see-through material such as plastic or a translucent material. In operation, a user may deposit charms on top of either transparent member  50  or transparent member  52 . Thereafter, the user may rotate either one of first cover  32  or second cover  34  toward the other cover, with the cover or covers moving in parallel planes about the hinge  36  which extends perpendicularly to the planes of the covers. When first cover  32  and second cover  34  are close to being coextensive with one another, magnets  44  and magnets  46 , due to their oriented polarities, will attract one another and fixedly close and engage first cover  32  with second cover  34  as is shown in  FIG. 4 . As a consequence, charms  54  disposed within locket  30  are now maintained therein. Charms  54  could be, for example, letters, birthstones (either monochrome or in color), loose stones, gold dust, angel dust, keys, figures, hearts, crosses, stars, etc. When closed, a width of the combination of first cover  32  and second cover  34  may be, for example, 5.75 millimeters. Clearly, any desirable width may be used. A cross-sectional view of the closed lock in  FIG. 4 , taken along the lines  5 - 5 , is shown in  FIG. 5 .  
         [0016]     An optional divider  56  may be disposed internal to locket  30 . Divider  56 , as shown, divides the space internal to locket  30  into three chambers  56   a ,  56   b  and  56   c . Clearly, divider  56  may divide the space internal to locket  30  into any number of chambers and three is simply shown as an example. Divider  56  ensures that charms  54  are maintained in generally a fixed position within locket  30 . As could be understood, without divider  56 , charms  54  may move about the internal chamber of locket  30 . Divider  56  may be designed so as to have a width which is substantially the same as the width of the chamber within locket  30 . Alternatively, divider  56  may have a width which is less than a width of the chamber in locket  30  so that charms  54  are generally maintained within a fixed area within locket  30  but can occasionally move from one chamber to another chamber.  
         [0017]     When desired, a customer may open locket  30  by rotating first cover  32  with respect to second cover  34  about hinge  36  to thereby gain access to the chamber defined therein. Such rotation may be facilitated by, for example, engaging bump  38  shown on first cover  32  in  FIG. 2 .  
         [0018]     Channel  42  may optionally be covered with a gasket  43 . Furthermore, as discussed above, first cover  32  may also include a channel and corresponding gasket. By providing such gaskets, the internal chamber of locket  30  may be substantially water-resistant when first cover  32  is closed on second cover  34 .  
         [0019]     Referring to  FIG. 6 , there is shown another locket  30   a  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. Locket  30   a  may include first cover  32 , as discussed above, hingedly connected by hinge  36  to a second cover  60 . Unlike second cover  34 , second cover  60  is generally solid and has an opaque middle section  62 . Middle section  62  of second cover  60  may be, for example, made of a reflective material and may form a mirror.  
         [0020]     Locket  30  or  30   a  may be sold to a customer in a kit. For example, locket  30 ,  30   a  may include first cover  32  and second cover  34  or  60 , a selection of charms  54 , a divider  56  and small bottles of colored water—for example, pink, blue, purple, colored water, etc. In this way, a customer may design his or her own jewelry arrangement for locket  30 . Furthermore, with the provision of gaskets  43 , the customer may also add colored water to the chambers defined by locket  30 ,  30   a.    
         [0021]     While locket  30 ,  30   a  is shown as being substantially cylindrical and/or having a circular cross-section, clearly any shape may be used for first cover  32  and second cover  34 ,  60  as long as a void is defined in at least one of the covers. For example, a heart, oval or egg shape, may be used. Moreover, while first cover  32  and second cover  34  are shown as having substantially flat outer surfaces, clearly surfaces which have bumps and ridges and/or different types of beveling may be used. While a locking means in the form of a plurality of magnets is shown, clearly any type of locking means may be used. For example, a tongue and groove arrangement may be used so that a tongue extends inwardly from one of the covers and a groove is disposed on the other of the covers so that when the first and second covers are positioned in a coextensive manner, the tongue mates with the groove and locks the first and second cover together. While hinge  36  is shown as enabling first cover  32  to rotate parallel to a plane defined by second cover  34 , clearly other arrangements could be used so that first cover  32  may be opened and closed with respect to second cover  34 .  
         [0022]     Thus, by providing a fixing member on a locket with a cover having a see-through opening so that a user may selectively open the locket and insert charms therein and close the locket to maintain charms therein, an improved arrangement may be achieved.  
         [0023]     Although the present invention has been described in relation to particular embodiments thereof, many other variations and modifications and other uses will become apparent to those skilled in the art. It is preferred, therefore, that the present invention be limited not by the specific disclosure herein, but only by the appended claims.