Accessory/decoration that opens like a flower

As a new design, when making part of a decoration rotatable, there is a tendency for this to result in an unnecessarily complex structure, and it was difficult to apply such structures to small decorations such as rings, due to considerations such as strength and smooth movement. Solution: The present invention was configured as follows in order to provide a decoration which, even if having a small size, has a simple structure and strength, and opens like a flower. The decoration has a configuration whereby one of a group of movable petals (1) having a calculated curved surface (2) and which are positioned so as overlap with the positions to be rotated and are synchronized with one another, is opened and closed by a single rotating knob (11) and is synchronized with the other petal-shaped parts (1) smoothly and effectively to replicate the movement of a flower opening and closing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention is concerned with accessories/decorations equipped with several “Petal Shaped Parts” (1) that open/close like a flower in a simple mechanism.

2. Description of Related Art

With traditional accessories/decorations, they are composed of decorated parts or precious metal/stones which are mostly fixed on the base. Thus the design remains indifferent and is not innovative enough to give a surprise.

In Great Britain Patent Application Publication No. 790517, an accessory having an opening/closing mechanism is disclosed. However, the opening/closing mechanism is complicated and requires many components. Thus, it is difficult to mount the opening/closing mechanism on a small accessory and difficult to design the accessory freely. Furthermore, operation of the opening/closing is not smooth, and maintainability is not sufficient.

In European Patent Application Publication No. 2070435, a vertically displacement mechanism used for an accessory or the like is disclosed. This mechanism also requires many components for realizing the opening/closing mechanism. In addition, each of petal shaped parts is independently moved without being moved synchronously. In this mechanism, the petal shaped parts are driven by merely using the principle of leverage. Thus, the driving mechanism is not new.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As a new design, when making part of a decoration rotatable, there is a tendency for this to result in an unnecessarily complex structure, and it was difficult to apply such structures to small decorations such as rings, due to considerations such as strength and smooth movement.

The present invention was configured as follows in order to provide a decoration which, even if having a small size, has a simple structure and strength, and opens like a flower. The accessory/decoration has: a lower group of a plurality of operation bases arranged in a rotationally symmetric positions; and an upper group of a plurality of petal shaped parts, wherein the operation bases are connected with the petal shaped parts respectively, the operation bases form a spherical surface, each of the operation bases is overlapped with the neighboring operation base at an end portion in the arranged direction of the operation bases to form a rotary opening/closing mechanism, rotation shafts are provided at each of connecting portions between the operation bases and petal shaped parts to be directed in a horizontal tangential direction of the spherical surface, the operation bases have the same shape with each other, and the operation bases are rotatable in a predetermined range around the rotation shaft.

With this invention, open/close mechanism like a flower can be easily adopted to accessory/decoration from small one like a ring to large objects, resulting to allow suppliers to develop innovative design line which gives pleasure and surprise to end user. In the present invention, the rotation mechanism can be achieved by the minimum components. For example, the rotation mechanism of five petals can be achieved only by five petal shaped parts formed integrally with the operation bases. Because of this, weight and manufacturing cost can be reduced. Since each of the operation bases is overlapped with the neighboring operation base at an end portion, the operation bases can be moved synchronously only by moving one of them. Because of this, operation of the opening/closing is smooth, and maintainability is good. Since the operation bases are surface-to-surface contact with each other, the operation bases are difficult to wear and kept long time.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The decoration has a configuration whereby one of a group of movable petals (1) having a calculated curved surface (2) and which are positioned so as overlap with the positions to be rotated and are synchronized with one another, is opened and closed by a single rotating knob (11) and is synchronized with the other petal-shaped parts (1) smoothly and effectively to replicate the movement of a flower opening and closing.

By inserting a Torsion Spring (8) in the Main Body (5), the Turning Part (9) is released with a touch of Release Button (16) which will change the angle of Pole For Open/Close (3). This open/close movement on the main petal is transferred to other petals by means of smooth surface contacting/pushing each other, resulting to open the total Petal Shaped Parts (1) pivoted by Shaft of Open/Close (4).

If the Turning-Part—Knob (11) is manually turned anti-clockwise direction, the Petal Shaped Parts (1) are closed and fixed when Turning Stopper Head (16), which is kept pushing to upper direction by Pushing Coil Spring (17), reaches to the position of the Turning Part—Receiver of Stopper Head (13).

Center cut stone (18) and Mele diamonds (19) are arranged, for example, to increase a performance effect when the flower is opened.

Please refer toFIG. 1(open status) andFIG. 2(close status) as an application to a ring.

Please refer toFIG. 15(in double allocation—open status) as an application to a brooch.

An accessory/decoration of the present invention is comprised of: petal shaped parts1; shafts4for open/close; a main body5; a torsion spring8; a turning part9; a cap14for turning stopper; a turning stopper15; a pushing coil17of turning stopper release button; a center cut stone18; mele diamonds19; and an ornament (ring)21.

The petal shaped parts1have a hollow shape, for example, formed in a shape of a flower bud. The petal shaped parts1divide an outer shell of a three dimensional shape having an axisymmetric shape into a plurality of parts so that each of the petal shaped parts1has the same shape as the other parts. The petal shaped parts1shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2have a shape linearly divided into equal angles from an apex. Since the basic shape is a closed three dimensional shape having an axisymmetric shape, the original shape of the flower bud can be reproduced by joining all of the divided petal shaped parts1with each other. Accordingly, if the top sides are opened while the bottom sides remain close to each other, the petal shaped parts1look like as if petals are opened. The closed shape of the flower bud is not necessarily constant. For example, the closed shape can be a spherical shape, a shape of a cigar having an approximately elongated shape closed at both top and bottom ends, and a shape of a gourd.

Note that the outer shell formed by a plurality of petal shaped parts1is not necessarily closed. The top sides can be open, for example. As explained above, the petal shaped parts1can be freely designed. Although the number of the petal shaped parts1is five in the present embodiment, the number of the petal shaped parts1can be increased and decreased. However, if the number of petal shaped parts1is too many, a size of each of the parts becomes too small. On the other hand, if the number of petal shaped parts1is too small, the petal shaped parts1is easily interfered with an object housed in the petal shaped parts1when opening the petal shaped parts1while the object is held. Hence, the number of petal shaped parts1is preferably four or more and approximately five to eight, for example.

FIGS. 3-8show operation bases2(bases of the petal shaped parts for open/close) for operating the petal shaped parts.

The operation bases2are formed at an end portion near the bottom side of the petal shaped parts1shown inFIG. 1andFIG. 2.

The petal shaped parts1are opened and closed with the bottom side as a center. Therefore, one shaft4is provided at each of connecting portions between each of the operation bases2and petal shaped parts1. Five shafts (rotation shafts)4are arranged so as to form an approximately regular pentagon. Thus, the operation bases2are formed near the bottom side of the petal shaped parts1. The shafts4are directed in a tangential direction of a circle around which the regular pentagon is circumscribed. Namely, the shafts4are directed in a horizontal tangent direction of the spherical surface.

A shaft hole is formed on each of the operation bases2to insert the shaft4through the shaft hole. The shafts4are arranged to form a shape of an approximately regular pentagon. Each of the petal shaped parts1, which are connected with the operation bases2is rotated with the shafts4as the rotational axis. When the petal shaped parts1are rotated, the bottom side of the petal shaped parts1is served as a supporting point. Accordingly, the top portions of the petal shaped parts1are rotated so as to move in a circular arc.

The petal shaped parts1and the operation bases2are integrally formed. The petal shaped parts1form the top portion, and the operation bases2form the bottom portion. The operation bases2have a shape expanded in the width direction as explained later. The operation bases2are also referred to as bottom wings. The bottom wings form a rotary opening/closing mechanism rotated around a horizontal tangent direction of the petal shaped parts1. The operation bases2are arranged in a rotationally symmetric positions, and have the same shape with each other. The operation bases2are overlapped with each other to form a spherical surface. In each of the operation bases2, a left wing portion (left portion of the bottom wing) is located at a lower part of a right wing portion (right portion of the bottom wing) of the neighboring bottom wing. In other words, operation bases2are overlapped with each other so that the lower surface of the right wing is in contact with the upper surface of the left wing. In the present invention, the laterally expanded wing shape is referred to as the left wing and the right wing. This shape is referred to as a butterfly shape for the sake of convenience of explanation.

As explained above, the operation bases2are overlapped with each other to form a spherical surface so that the lower surface of the right wing is in contact with the upper surface of the left wing. Accordingly, when one of the operation bases2is moved to close the petals, the right wing of the operation base2pushes the neighboring operation base2from the upper surface to the inside. Furthermore, the right wing of the pushed operation base2pushes the neighboring operation base2from the upper surface to the inside. Thus, the movement is transferred. Consequently, all of the operation bases2move in the closing direction. The movement of the operation bases2is converted into the rotation movement of the shafts4to close the petal shaped parts1.

On the other hand, when one of the operation bases2is moved to open the petals, the left wing of the operation base2pushes the neighboring operation base2from the lower surface to the outside. Furthermore, the left wing of the pushed operation base2pushes the neighboring operation base2from the lower surface to the outside. Thus, the movement is transferred. Consequently, all of the operation bases2move in the opening direction. The movement of the operation bases2is converted into the rotation movement of the shafts4to open the petal shaped parts1. Thickness of the operation bases2is reinforced at a portion overlapped with the neighboring operation base2to increase the strength of the outer shell.

The rotation mechanism is formed by the operation bases2. When the operation bases2are rotated with the shafts4as a shaft center, a group (2) of the operation bases and a group (1) of the petal shaped parts are synchronously rotated. Since the operation bases2are formed to divide a spherical surface, the opening/closing operation can be transferred certainly and smoothly.

Although the operation bases2can be formed to divide a spherical surface as shown inFIG. 3andFIG. 4, a spherical surface is not necessarily formed. Each of the operation bases2is overlapped with the neighboring operation base2at an end portion in the arranged direction of the operation bases. When the operation bases2are overlapped, at both end sides of the rotation axis, an end portion of one operation base2is located at an upper surface of the other end portion of the neighboring operation base2. Since a plurality of operation bases2are annularly (spherically) arranged, the movement of one of the operation bases2can be transferred to all of the operation bases2.

On only one of five petal shaped parts1, a pin-shaped pole3for open/close is projected approximately vertically downward from the operation base2. When the tip side of the pin-shaped pole3for open/close is moved closed to the shaft center of five petal shaped parts1, the petal shaped parts1are opened. On the other hand, when the tip side is moved separate from the shaft center of five petal shaped parts1, the petal shaped parts1are closed.

In the preset embodiment, one spherical surface is divided into a butterfly shape (FIG. 3), the rotation mechanism (pole3) is formed on a lower surface of the bottom wing to be rotated around the shafts4which are directed in a horizontal tangent direction, and a plurality of operation bases2(FIG. 5) are provided so that the lower surface of the right wing is in contact with the upper surface of the left wing on the spherical surface. In addition, the petal shaped parts1connected respectively with the operation bases2(FIG. 12) are provided. When one of the operation bases2is rotated by the rotation mechanism (pole3) formed on the lower part of the bottom wing, the rotation movement of one of the petal shaped parts1formed integrally with one of the operation bases2is synchronously transferred to all operation bases2and petal shaped parts1surely and smoothly. Consequently, the group (1) of petal shaped parts1as a whole changes the shape as if the flower is opening/closing.

The main body5is formed in a disk shape having a certain thickness and arranged below the operation bases2. A receiver7of shaft is formed on the main body5to rotatably house five shafts4at both end portions so that a regular pentagon is formed in an approximately horizontal plane. Since each of the shafts4penetrates through the operation base2and rotatably supports the operation base2, a receiver6of base of petal is formed on the main body5so that the operation bases2are rotatable within a predetermined range around the shafts4. Furthermore, since the pin-shaped pole3for open/close is projected vertically downward from one of the operation bases2, a hole to penetrate the pole3for open/close through is also formed.

The turning part9is formed in a shallow plate shape to rotatably house the disk-shaped main body5. The turning part9is arranged below the main body9to rotate some of the operation bases2around the shafts4so that a shape of the petal shaped parts2as a whole is changed as if petals are opened and closed. The torsion spring8is housed between the turning part9and the main body5. One end of the torsion spring8is engaged with the main body5, and the other end is engaged with a receiver12of torsion spring formed on the turning part9. The torsion spring8applies rotation force to the turning part9counterclockwise with respect to the main body5. The explanation of the engaged portion is omitted because the engaged portion has a general shape to apply the rotation force by the torsion spring.

Five rotating knobs11are formed at equal angular intervals from a periphery of the turning part9approximately outward in the horizontal direction. The rotating knobs11extend outward so as to be operable as a knob. The shape of the rotating knobs11can be arbitrarily changed. An angle control gap10of pole is formed on an inner bottom surface of the shallow plate shaped turning part9. The angle control gap10has a circular arc shape to penetrate in the vertical direction. The angle control gap10of pole is actually formed in a part of a spiral, not the circular arc shape. The pole3for open/close is inserted into the angle control gap10of pole to form a cam mechanism by them. The pin is inserted into the hole forming the spiral. When the side of the spiral is rotated, the pin is moved in the radial direction. Namely, when the turning part9is rotated, the angle control gap10of pole is also rotated. Consequently, the pole3for open/close is moved close to the shaft side or separate from the shaft side. As a result, the petal shaped parts1are opened or closed.

The main body5is screwed and fixed to a main body receiver20formed at an upper part of the ornament (ring)21. The turning part9can be rotated within a predetermined angle range between the main body5and the ornament21. In the ornament21, a recess is formed at a portion below the turning part9. The turning stopper15and the pushing coil17of turning stopper release button are housed in the recess. In the turning stopper15, a portion located upper than the pushing coil17of turning stopper release button functions as a turning stopper release button16. The cap14for turning stopper is attached to cover the portion nearer to the rotation axis of the turning part9than the turning stopper release button16. Namely, the turning stopper15is held between the recess of the ornament21and the cap14for turning stopper, and the turning stopper15is pushed upward by the pushing coil17of turning stopper release button. The turning stopper15faces the lower surface of the turning part9. Two receivers (holes)13of stopper head are formed at the bottom surface of the turning part9. As explained above, the positions of two receivers13of stopper head are specified so that the receivers13face the turning stopper15respectively at the opened position and the closed position of the petal shaped parts1when the turning part9is rotated. At the facing position, the tip of the turning stopper15is inserted into one of the receivers13of stopper head. Although the rotating biasing force is applied to the turning part9by the torsion spring8, the position of the turning part9is held when the tip of the turning stopper15is inserted into one of the receivers13of stopper head. Since the pole3for open/close is inserted into the angle control gap10of pole, the range of rotating the turning part9is restricted by the shape of the angle control gap10of pole.

In the above described configuration, five petal shaped parts1are initially closed. In this state, although the turning part9receives the maximum rotating biasing force from the torsion spring8, the position of the turning part9is held because the tip of the turning stopper15is inserted into one of the receivers13of stopper head and locked. Thus, the rotation of the turning part9is prohibited. In addition, the petal shaped parts1are held at the closed position.

From this state, the turning stopper release button16supported on the ornament21is pushed down against the biasing force of the pushing coil17of turning stopper release button. Because of this, the turning stopper15is released from the receiver13of stopper head and the turning part9is rotated by receiving the biasing force of the torsion spring8. Thus, the rotation of the turning part9is allowed. Consequently, the pole3for open/close, which forms the cam mechanism together with the angle control gap10of pole, receives the driving force to be pulled toward the shaft center of the turning part9. Thus, five petal shaped parts1are driven to open the petals. When the petal shaped parts1are completely opened, the turning stopper15faces the other of the receivers13of stopper head. Thus, the turning stopper15is inserted into the receiver13of stopper head and locked.

When closing the petal shaped parts1, the turning stopper release button16is pushed down against the biasing force of the pushing coil17of turning stopper release button and then the turning part9is rotated in the direction opposite to the direction when the petal shaped parts1are opened. Consequently, the pole3for open/close, which forms the cam mechanism together with the angle control gap10of pole, receives the driving force to be separated from the shaft center of the turning part9. Thus, five petal shaped parts1are closed. When the petal shaped parts1are completely closed, the turning stopper15faces the one of the receivers13of stopper head. Thus, the turning stopper15is locked.

FIG. 15shows an example that petals are doubled. In main body5, shafts are doubly arranged in an inside and an outside so that petals are arranged in the inside and the outside. In the turning part, the angle control gaps are formed to be located at the inside and the outside so that the petals of the inside and the outside can be opened and closed.

Namely, a plurality of groups of operation bases2and petal shaped parts1having different sizes are arranged in a nested structure so that one of the groups is continuously surrounded by the other of the groups (FIG. 15). Thus, a plurality of petals are opened and closed.

As explained above, the group of the operation bases2and the group of the petal shaped parts1connected respectively with the operation bases2are surrounded by another group of operation bases2and another group of the petal shaped parts1connected respectively with the operation bases2. Thus, an effect as if a plurality layers of petals are opened and closed can be obtained.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

This invention is applicable to Accessories/Decorations/Objet/Package etc.

Thanks to the simple mechanism realized by this invention, open/close function replicating a flower movement becomes applicable easily throughout the accessories/decorations from small one like rings to big one including brooches, table ornaments, thus helping suppliers to create new design line with which pleasure and surprise can be conveyed to the end user.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

1Petal shaped parts

2Base of petal shaped parts for open/close (Operation base)

6Main body—Receiver of base of petal

10Turning part—Angle control gap of pole

12Turning part—Receiver of torsion spring

13Turning part—Receiver of stopper head

16Turning stopper release button

17Pushing coil of turning stopper release button

18Center cut stone

20Receiver of main body