Charm clasp for pearl necklaces and bracelets

A charm clasp having a torus shape and formed as two pivotally connected arcuate parts which are adapted to encircle and releasably attach to a segment of a necklace formed as a strand of pearls, this clasp including an eyelet for attachment of a charm thereto.

A. Field of the Invention

This invention is in the field of jewelry in the form of necklaces and bracelets and particularly clasps for releasably coupling charms to a pearl necklace or pearl bracelet.

B. Background of the Invention

This invention is in the field of necklaces and bracelets formed of strands of beads, and particularly necklaces and bracelets formed as strands of pearls. While beads of regular and irregular or even random shapes are well known, one of the universally popular shapes of beads in necklaces is spheres, and some of the most coveted spheres are pearls. As is well known, pearl necklaces and bracelets are available with pearls of many different qualities and sizes and of different lengths, and with mating coupling elements at the opposite ends of each strand for releasably joining these ends.

The present invention is concerned primarily with strands of pearls, which may be valuable cultured pearls or synthetic pearls or strands of other spherical elements including inexpensive beads of natural or man-made materials. In all these strands, the pearl or bead element has a hole drilled or otherwise formed through its center through which a cord is threaded to create the strand, and spacer elements are generally situated on the strand between each two adjacent pearls or beads. Such a spacer element may be a knot formed in the strand itself or may be a small independent element having its own central bore hole through which the cord is threaded. If the spacer element is spherical or generally spherical, the dimension of the space between beads established by such spacer element will be the diameter of the spacer element. The size of such space is a matter of design and aesthetic choice as regards the dimensional relationship of the spacer to the bead.

While pearl necklaces are generally appreciated for their simple elegance, as where the pearls are essentially identical in size, color and spacing, the present invention provides an opportunity for persons who wear pearl necklaces or bracelets to personalize or creatively modify the appearance of such necklaces or bracelets by attaching a charm or other decorative element of personal choice to the strand. Such charms should be easily attachable and removable to return the necklace to it original design or removable to allow attachment of a different charm. Clasps or attachment means take various forms; however, all known prior art clasps create awkward looking extensions from the simple and pure elegance of a typical and basic strand of pearls. Known clasps have shapes totally different from and esthetically incompatible and conflicting with the original simple elegance of a strand of pearls as seen in prior art patents, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,314,389, 4,530,221, 4,815,180, 7,007,507 and US2004/0194503. The present invention addresses this problem and provides a solution that is both practical and esthetically compatible with the basic strand of pearls appearance.

In the U.S. Pat. No. 4,314,389 of the above-noted prior art publications, a jewelry clasp of generally rectangular shape releasably joins opposite ends of a necklace; in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,530,221 a round cylindrical can-like device fully encompasses a single pearl with a flat blade spring element to releasably capture the pearl in the container; in the U.S. Pat. No. 4,815,180 a ring shaped jewelry clasp is formed of two half-rings connected by a single pivot joint and a single snap clasp, and no additional internal latching element; in the published application US2004/0194503 A1 a pearl necklace clasp is formed generally as a cage that encompasses a single pearl while leaving substantial areas of the pearl surface to be visible; and in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,736,770 an adjustable ring latch has one arcuate arm that slides circumferentially within and engages a mating arcuate arm.

Each of these prior art devices has its own specific function, but none is even close to having the objectives, function, structure and aesthetic harmony with a strand of pearls, as occurs with the present invention. More particularly, features of the preferred embodiments of the jewelry clasp of the present invention include:

(b) dual latches where the outer latch covers, protects and bars the inner latch from opening unless the outer latch is first opened,

(c) formation of a closed ring by each of the latch arms, independently of the other,

(d) the hiding of the inner latch arm within the outer arm,

(e) the outer latch arm combining with a base arm to form a complete torus,

(f) the entire torroid clasp having an appearance that so conforms to the spherical pearls it encompasses, to appear to some as a natural compliment or component element of the strand of pearls it engages,

(g) the clasp securely engaging the strand of pearls at a location that covers only a portion of adjacent ends of two adjacent pearls, while leaving the major parts of the pearls fully visible,

(h) the two latches being easy to operate, secure, but having their respective hook or catch portions essentially invisible; and

(i) having release projections easily accessible.

The above-described features of the new invention constitute some of the many distinctions and advantages of this invention applied separately or in selected combinations over the known prior art. Some of these distinctions are further presented below in the recitations of objects of this invention.

II. OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE NEW INVENTION

A first object of the new invention is to provide a charm clasp or coupling device for releasably attaching a charm or other decorative element to a strand of pearls.

A further object is to provide a charm clasp for releasably attaching a charm to a strand of pearls where such clasp has an outer shape is esthetically compatible with said strand of pearls, and in a preferred embodiment is a torus shaped collar that encircles a segment of the strand, and more particularly encircles the adjacent ends of two adjacent pearls of a strand.

A still further object is to provide a charm clasp that can be releasably engaged to a strand of pearls easily and quickly, and yet provides reliable security from being unintentionally disengaged.

An additionally object is to provide a charm clasp that will conform generally to the shape of the pearls such a torus or other circular collar.

Another object is to provide a charm clasp that will releasably engage the strand without damaging the pearls

The invention accordingly comprises the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set forth, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

IV. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For convenience and clarity in describing these embodiments, similar elements or components appearing in different figures will have the same reference numbers.

As seen inFIGS. 1-3the new charm clasp10in its closed and latched state is adapted to encircle or encompass a strand of pearls or beads12at any location along the length of the strand by generally overlying the adjacent ends of two adjacent beads14,16and the spacer18between said beads. As later described herein, clasp10has its full closure state as seen inFIGS. 4,1and2, its partial open state (same as partial closure state) as seen inFIG. 5, and it's fully open state as seen inFIG. 6.

(b) arcuate outer latch arm30having a proximal end30acoupled via pivot joint25to the first end20aof base element20, and has a distal end30bwhich includes hook or engaging recess32, and

(c) arcuate inner latch arm40having a proximal end40acoupled via pivot joint35to second end20bof said base element20, and having distal end40bwhich includes hook or engaging recess42. Intermediate the proximal end40aand distal end40bof inner latch arm40is a projection44for a user to engage with her finger nail to pop open inner latch arm40when the charm clasp10is being disengaged from the strand.

As seen inFIGS. 5 and 7pivot joint25is formed by a pair or spaced apart lugs36forming a yoke at end30aof outer latch arm30, tongue22at end20aof base element20, and pivot pin26extending transversely through lugs36and tongue22. The outer surface of tongue22serves as a catch24for releasable latch engagement with hook or recess42, as described later,

As seen inFIGS. 5 and 9, pivot joint27is formed by a pair of spaced apart lugs28forming a yoke at end20bof base element20, blade45at proximal end40aof inner latch arm40, and pivot pin29extending transversely through lugs28and blade45.

As seen inFIG. 4, the outer surface40sof end40aserves as a catch for releasable latch engagement with hook or recess32, as described later. In said first stage partial closure ofFIG. 5inner latch arm40is pivoted and cooperates with base element20to encircle a small segment of a strand of pearls or beads, as seen inFIGS. 1-3. This partial closure is completed when hook or recess42at the distal end40bof inner latch arm40resiliently engages catch24, which in this embodiment is an outer surface of tongue22in pivot joint25. The latching engagement of hook42and catch24is achieved by the resilient deflection radially inward of distal end40bas inner latch arm40is pivoted clockwise to said first stage closure, and recess42is forced onto catch24. This closure forms the circular collar10about the segment12of strand of pearls and serves as the first line of security for connecting a charm19to strand12.

As seen inFIG. 4, the second and final stage of latching closure is achieved by pivoting outer latch arm30about pivot joint25until its distal end30bapproaches pivot joint27. Outer latch arm30then overlies inner latch arm20, and it establishes a closed circle with base element20about strand12. In this position of latch arm30, hook or recess32of distal end30bof latch arm30resiliently engages catch40s, which in this embodiment is an outer sleeve surface of arm40at pivot joint27. This coupling is achieved by the resilient deflection radially outward of the distal end30bof outer latch arm30.

As seen inFIGS. 4 and 7and alsoFIGS. 5 and 6, in this final latching phase outer latch arm30, which overlies inner latch arm40, is partially hollow with a slot or trough30cin its inner circumferential surface. This slot slides over and encompasses inner latch arm40which becomes essentially invisible. What remains visible is the torus or donut shaped ring10formed by base element20and outer latch arm30, this shape encircling as a collar, the adjacent edges of a set of adjacent pearls14,16as shown inFIGS. 1 and 2. This combination of a torus (the shape of the collar) and spheres (the shapes of the pearls) is aesthetically harmonious and particularly attractive, the torus being coaxial with the strand and with the central axis through the pearls, and the torus' round cross-section generally hugging the round spherical pearls. As seen inFIGS. 1,2and4-6, after full closure, release edge38at the end30bof the outer latch arm30, extends outward from the torus surface. This edge is conveniently available for the user's finger nail to pop open latch arm30, and thereafter the user can pop open latch arm40by engaging nail grip44.

FIGS. 2 and 3illustrate in side elevation view and in section, respectively, the relationship in this preferred embodiment of the charm clasp10to a strand of pearls12, where the inside diameter D2of the torus shaped clasp must be smaller than the outside diameter D1of the pearls, but must be large enough to encircle the pearls without damaging the outer surfaces of the adjacent pearls where the clasp overlies said pearl surfaces. In the preferred embodiment seen inFIG. 3, clasp10has width W of about 3 mm, and inner diameter D2of about 6 mm for pearls of outside diameter D1of 7 mm, and clasp outer diameter D3of about 10 mm.

While the torus shape of circular cross-section is the preferred embodiment, the charm clasp illustrated herein can be made in various modified forms, as where the collar in cross-section is square, rectangular, oval, hemispherical and other shapes. Furthermore, hook42of inner latch arm40could engage a catch on or near proximal end20aof base element20instead of engaging the outer surface24of tongue22of pivot joint25. Similarly, hook32of outer latch arm30could engage a catch on or near the distal end20bof base element20instead of engaging outer surface40sof the proximal end40aof arm40at pivot joint27.

As seen inFIGS. 2 and 3, as the width W of collar10is increased, inner diameter D2must increase in order for collar10to fit over and onto two adjacent beads14,16. Obviously, however, there will be a limit to width W, because if D2becomes too large collar10will slide freely along the strand and thus not be restricted to a chosen location.

While the invention has been described in conjunction with several embodiments, it is to be understood that many alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, this invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations which fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims which include but are not limited to pearl bracelets and necklaces and strands of pearls or other beads generally.