Hinge and its application in jewelry making

The present invention particularly relates to a novel type of hinge to be used for sequentially interconnecting different elemental jewelry units of a jewelry item. Type of hinge constructions used in jewelry making of prior art do not permit the jewelry item to retain during use its appropriate shape which is required for bringing out beauty value of the jewelry item like the diamond-studded necklace. The necklace may present itself as an ordinary metal chain, which, as if, “falls down loose”, giving a U-shape or any other unplanned shape. Hinge-construction of prior art does not restrict movement of different elemental jewelry units in different unplanned directions. The difficulty becomes more pronounced when very small size diamonds are used in the necklace. The novel type of hinge of the present invention provides two mating pairs for each elemental jewelry units permit each unit to have predetermined appropriate amounts of clockwise and anticlockwise rotational motions. This helps the jewelry item to take and retain its planned appropriate shape to achieve gracefulness and beauty, giving very attractive and impressive appearance. Hinge-construction of present invention can be used for making different jewelry items such as necklace, bracelets, pendants, earrings and the like.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a 371 National Stage entry of PCT/IN2007/000596, filed on Dec. 14, 2007, which claims priority to Indian Patent Application Number 2098/MUM/2006, filed on Dec. 22, 2006.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This invention generally relates to jewelry making and particularly relates to a novel type of hinge to be used in interconnecting different elemental jewelry units.

DISCUSSION OF PRIOR ART

Hinges and hinge-based mechanisms are incredibly important mechanical devices and are vital to linkage systems used in jewelry-making.

For jewelers, applications of hinges are obviously in necklaces, bracelets, pendants, earrings and such other jewelry items.

The concept of a “hinge” obviously seems to be inextricably linked to rotation; that is, there are at least two parts that are joined or linked, and these rotate relative to each other. There are number of ways of accomplishing such relative movement or rotation.

Metals used in jewelry making are soft and rather unsuitable for building mechanisms such as hinges. Therefore, whenever a hinge is built in jewelry-making, initially it may be built very tightly. It will be found that within six months, it will be moving very freely. But, if one starts with a hinge that has any looseness to it, then it is likely to be floppy and sloppily loose down the road.

In simple hinge-construction, each small elemental jewelry unit shall have a jump ring and a wire. The wire of first elemental jewelry unit is passed through the jump ring of second elemental jewelry unit, then the wire is appropriately bent and soldered back to the first elemental jewelry unit. The bent and soldered wire may form an appropriate U-shape or ring shape, so that the jump ring and the U-shape can rotate with respect to each other and provide required flexibility to the overall jewelry item such as bracelet, necklace, pendant, earrings and the like.

A number of disadvantages and difficulties are associated with the use of this type of hinge-construction in jewelry-making, as explained below:a. The above mentioned hinge-construction, when used in making a diamond necklace, does not permit this jewelry item to retain its proper shape, which is appropriate for bringing out the beauty-value of the necklace. Hence the necklace may present itself as an ordinary metal chain, which, as if, falls down, giving a U-shape or any other unplanned shape. This happens because such hinge-construction does not restrict movement of different elemental jewelry units in different unplanned directions. Hence the graceful appropriate shape of necklace is not obtained and retained.b. The difficulty becomes more pronounced when very small size diamonds are used in making the diamond-studded necklace. The real appearance-value of necklace is obtained when the tables of all cut and polished diamonds of the necklace lie in such directions that all diamond-tables reflect light at approximately same time. If individual diamond-tables in the necklace are oriented in different directions at random, then this appearance-value effect will not be achieved. Exactly this is what happens when above mentioned hinge-construction of prior art is used in making the necklace. The individual collets, that is, the individual elemental jewelry units can freely rotate at random, become inclined and occupy differently oriented positions, so that all diamond-tables, when considered as a whole for the necklace, do not present a high-appearance-value for the necklace. This happens because there is no appropriate restriction provided to permit the predetermined amount of rotational movement of each individual elemental jewelry unit.

This is totally undesirable when one is aware of the fact that, it is the high-appearance and beauty-value of the necklace, which determines the commercial price of the necklace.

This is true for all other jewelry items like bracelets, earrings, pendants and the like.

In view of the above mentioned disadvantages and limitations of the hinge-construction of the prior art discussed earlier, there is a need for developing new hinge-construction and method of its making, for the jewelry items, to overcome these disadvantages and limitations.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES OF PRESENT INVENTION

Accordingly, the objects and advantages of the present invention are described below:

An object of the present invention is to provide an efficient hinge-construction for use in jewelry making.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge-construction permitting appropriate restricted and limited amount of clockwise and anticlockwise rotational movement of each of the individual elemental jewelry units of a jewelry item.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a hinge-construction which enhances appearance and beauty-value of a jewelry item.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of accompanying drawings and ensuing description.

NOMENCLATURE OF PARTS

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention particularly relates to a novel type of hinge to be used for sequentially interconnecting different elemental jewelry units of a jewelry item. Type of hinge constructions used in jewelry making of prior art do not permit the jewelry item to retain during use its appropriate shape which is required for bringing out beauty value of the jewelry item like the diamond-studded necklace. The necklace may present itself as an ordinary metal chain, which, as if, “falls down loose”, giving a U-shape or any other unplanned shape. Hinge-construction of prior art does not restrict movement of different elemental jewelry units in different unplanned directions. The difficulty becomes more pronounced when very small size diamonds are used in the necklace. The novel type of hinge of the present invention provides two mating pairs for each elemental jewelry unit permit each unit to have predetermined appropriate amounts of clockwise and anticlockwise rotational motions. This helps the jewelry item to take and retain its planned appropriate shape to achieve gracefulness and beauty, giving very attractive and impressive appearance. Hinge-construction of present invention can be used for making different jewelry items such as necklace, bracelets, pendants, earrings and the like.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The method of application of this novel type of hinge of the present invention is illustrated here with respect to one type of jewelry item, that is, a necklace. However it should be noted that, this novel type of hinge can be used in making other jewelry items, such as, bracelet, pendant, earrings and the like.

According to the most preferred embodiment of the present invention, the details of the components of a trinity collet, that is an elemental jewelry unit J, are shown schematically inFIG. 1. The outer prongs,1-A,1-B, and1-C, with grooves for holding the gems such as diamonds2(not shown inFIG. 1, but shown inFIG. 7) are positioned such that their lower ends are fixedly connected to the lower bezel3; near free upper ends of outer prongs1-A,1-B, and1-C are provided, grooves on their inner surfaces for supporting edges of gem like diamond, and each of the outer prongs is also rigidly connected to outer surface of the upper bezel4. This arrangement also ensures that the lower and upper bezels3and4are disposed approximately parallel to each other. A curved pin5of appropriate length and shape is rigidly connected to the outer surface of the bezel4and has a slot6made near other end thereof. The connecting area of curved pin5and upper bezel4is equidistant from two adjacent outer prongs1-A and1-C. The outer surface of an inner prong7-A which is lying equidistantly from outer prongs1-A and1-C, is connected to the upper bezel4on bezel's inner surface, such that the curved pin5and the connected inner prong7-A lie on opposite sides of curved portion of the upper bezel4, such that the central longitudinal axis of inner prong7-A and curved axis of curved pin5lie approximately in the same plane. The remaining two inner prongs7-B and7-C are similarly rigidly connected to the inner surface of the upper bezel4such that inner prong7-B lies between outer prongs1-A and1-B; and inner prong7-C lies between outer prongs1-B and1-C, at two separate appropriate locations such that each of these two locations are equidistant from outer prong1-B and are lying on two sides of the outer prong1-B. Each of the inner prongs7-A,7-B, and7-C has a groove at appropriate location and side to support an edge of a respective gem. Full length of each of these inner prongs lies above the bottom plane of the upper bezel4. The level of top of all inner prongs is lying below the level of top of all outer prongs.

The third support for each of the gem is provided by a triangular prong8(not shown inFIG. 1, but shown inFIG. 7) with the centre thereof lying on central vertical axis of the elemental jewelry unit, that is, collet.

Referring toFIGS. 1,2and5, a rigid stub9(FIG. 2) is rigidly connected at its upper and lower ends respectively to upper bezel4and lower bezel3. The curved pin5and stub9are located on two sides of the outer prong1-A. A jump ring10is rigidly connected to the stub9, such that curved circular axis of wire forming jump ring10, passes through vertical longitudinal axis of stub9, and such that the jump ring10is approximately parallel to the lower and upper bezels3and4. An appropriately shaped and sized rigid pin11is connected to the outer surface of jump ring10so that the rigid pin is positioned nearer to the outer prong1-B and farther away from the outer prong1-A. The lower bezel3has a groove12in its lower surface. When the curved pin5is appropriately bent, the balance metallic portion of the curved pin5near the slot6appropriately fits in this groove12. The lower bezel3has a bulged up portion above this groove12for maintaining appropriate structural strength.

Referring toFIGS. 1 and 3, an appropriately shaped and sized stopper13is rigidly fixed to the outer prong1-C, such that the stopper13occupies some space between lower and upper bezels3and4, the stopper13being rigidly attached to the inner surface of the outer prong1-C. Three different views of stopper with outer prong1-C are shown inFIG. 3.

Referring toFIGS. 4 and 5, two collets, that is, two individual elemental jewelry units, P and Q, are placed such that curved pin5of collet P is ready to enter into central hollow space of jump ring10of collet Q as shown inFIG. 4. After passing through the central hollow space of jump ring10of collet Q, the curved pin5of collet P is bent as shown inFIG. 5, so that after bending the pin5, the slot of bent curved pin5matches with the groove12of lower bezel3of collet P. Appropriate soldering is done to make the joint strong and rigid.

This procedure completes the formation of a hinge permitting rotational motion between curved pin of collet P and jump ring of collet Q relative to each other.

InFIG. 6, the stopper13, lower bezel3, a part of curved pin5of collet P are shown. TheFIG. 6also shows lower bezel3, and jump ring10of collet Q. The curved pin5of collet P is seen to be passing through hollow space of jump ring10of collet Q. The jump ring10of collet Q can rotate about the curved axis of curved pin5of collet P, in clockwise or anticlockwise direction as viewed from above. There is a limiting condition on amount of rotation on both of these rotational motions due to this type of hinge-construction.

In anticlockwise rotation of jump ring10of collet Q, the rotational motion is permitted only till the outer prong1-C of collet P and outer prong1-B of collet Q touch each other.

In clockwise rotation of jump ring10of collet Q, the rotational motion is permitted only till the rigid pin11of collet Q touches the stopper13of collet P.

The predetermined appropriate amounts of permitted clockwise or anticlockwise rotational motions of all jump rings of all individual elemental jewelry units of the jewelry item such as necklace will permit the necklace to take and retain the predetermined appropriate shape of necklace to achieve the gracefulness and beauty, and very attractive and impressive appearance, thereby overcoming the disadvantages and limitations of the hinge-construction of the prior art discussed earlier.

In view of above mentioned details of the present invention it is apparent to the person skilled in the art that the present invention basically comprises of the following two items;

A novel type of hinge and its application in jewelry making, comprising a rotational-motion-limiting arrangement provided for each elemental jewelry unit of a plurality of elemental jewelry units sequentially interconnected for capably forming a jewelry item, wherein said arrangement, when provided for limiting maximum permissible amount of rotational motion of a respective jump ring of said elemental jewelry unit, comprises:a. a jump ring provided in said elemental jewelry unit;b. a curved pin provided in an adjacent elemental jewelry unit;c. a rigid pin provided in said elemental jewelry unit;d. a stopper provided in said adjacent elemental jewelry unit;e. a stub provided in said elemental jewelry unit;f. two respective sets of outer supporting prongs with one set provided in said elemental jewelry unit and another set in said adjacent elemental jewelry unit;g. a set of bezels provided in said adjacent elemental jewelry unit;

wherein, said jump ring of step (a) is integrally joined to said elemental jewelry unit, preferably through said stub which is integrally joined thereto, said jump ring being disposed on one side of said elemental jewelry unit and located between two adjacent outer supporting prongs of respective set of prongs thereof;

wherein, said adjacent elemental jewelry unit is disposed in an appropriate location, such that said curved pin of step (b), whose one end is integrally secured to one bezel of said adjacent elemental jewelry unit and whose other free end, after passing through said jump ring forms a closed loop having U-shaped bend when said free end is integrally joined to appropriate bezel from respective set of bezels of said adjacent elemental jewelry unit, with said closed loop capably permitting smooth rotational motion of said jump ring in both the clockwise and anticlockwise directions;

wherein, said rigid pin of step (c) is integrally joined to said jump ring at an appropriate location thereof, with size of said rigid pin and said location being dependent on the appropriate predetermined maximum amount of permissible clockwise-rotational motion of said jump ring;

wherein, said stopper of step (d) is integrally joined to appropriate outer supporting prong from respective set of prongs of said adjacent elemental jewelry unit, with size of said stopper being dependent on said appropriate predetermined maximum amount of permissible clockwise rotational motion of said jump ring,

wherein, said stopper and said rigid pin comprise clockwise-rotational-motion-limiting mating pair which capably permits said appropriate predetermined maximum amount of clockwise rotational motion of said jump ring;

wherein, two adjacent prongs, with one prong being disposed on said elemental jewelry unit at an appropriate location thereof and with another prong being disposed on said adjacent elemental jewelry unit at another appropriate location thereof, comprise anticlockwise-rotational-motion-limiting mating pair which capably permits respective appropriate predetermined maximum amount of permissible anticlockwise rotational motion of said jump ring; and

wherein, similar set of bezels, set of outer supporting prongs and clockwise-rotational-motion-limiting mating pairs and anticlockwise-rotational-motion-limiting mating pairs are provided for all remaining elemental jewelry units of said plurality of elemental jewelry units of said jewelry item.

A method of making a novel type of hinge for its application in jewelry making, wherein a separate rotational-motion-limiting arrangement is provided separately for each of clockwise and anticlockwise rotation of each elemental jewelry unit of a plurality of elemental jewelry units capably interconnected for forming a jewelry item, comprising the steps of:a) joining integrally an appropriately shaped rigid pin to a jump ring of an elemental jewelry unit at an appropriate location thereof;b) joining integrally an appropriately shaped stopper to an outer supporting prong of an adjacent elemental jewelry unit at an appropriate location thereof;c) passing a curved pin of said adjacent elemental jewelry unit through said jump ring of step (a); further bending appropriately said curved pin and integrally securing free end thereof to an appropriate bezel of said adjacent elemental jewelry unit, thereby forming a closed loop capably permitting smooth rotational motion of said jump ring in clockwise direction and also in anticlockwise direction;d) permitting an appropriate predetermined maximum amount of permissible clockwise rotational motion of said jump ring, with said maximum amount of step (d) being limited by mating of components of first mating pair comprising said stopper and said rigid pin;e) permitting another appropriate predetermined maximum amount of permissible anticlockwise rotational motion of said jump ring, with said maximum amount of step (e) being limited by mating of components of second mating pair comprising one appropriately disposed prong of said elemental jewelry unit of step (a) and another appropriately disposed prong of said adjacent elemental jewelry unit of step (b); andf) continuing work of formation of the two mating pairs similar to those of step (d) and step (e), for all other remaining elemental jewelry units capably providing similar rotational-motion-limiting arrangements.

While the above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitation in the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiments thereof. Many other variations are possible. Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiments illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.