Jewelry with interchangable jewel

A jewelry device adapted to have interchangeable jewels includes a decorative setting, such as a ring, earrings, or pendant, for displaying a jewel. The decorative setting has a jewel receiving space to receive and hold a jewel housing having a jewel secured therein when the jewel housing is inserted into the jewel receiving space. A fastener held by the decorative setting is adapted to attach to and hold the jewel housing with jewel secured therein when the jewel housing is inserted into the jewel receiving space of the decorative setting. The fastener may be inseparably attached to the decorative setting so it is not separated and lost when changing jewels. Further, the jewel receiving space and the jewel housing may have interlocking portions to prevent relative rotational movement between the jewel housing and the decorative setting when the decorative setting is received in the jewel receiving space.

BACKGROUND

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to jewelry with interchangeable jewels.

Related Art

Precious jewels such as diamonds, rubies, emeralds, etc. for jewelry, such as rings, earrings, and pendants, which include such precious jewels, can be very expensive. With such jewelry, the expensive jewel is securely mounted in a setting such as the ring, earrings, or pendant. The setting is a permanent part of the jewelry and will usually be made of a precious metal such as gold, silver, or platinum. In such case, the jewel can only be worn with the setting in which it is permanently mounted, such as in a gold ring.

People like to wear jewelry that goes with cloths that the person is wearing and with the event at which the jewelry is being worn. While a jewel, such as a diamond, may go with many different outfits, the particular setting for the jewel may only go with a limited number of outfits. For example, a silver setting may go with some outfits while a gold setting may go with other outfits. Further, while a ring may want to be worn on certain occasions and with certain outfits, a pendant or earrings may want to be worn for other occasions and with different outfits. In addition, some settings may go with certain outfits for certain occasions, but the particular jewel in the setting may not. It would be desirable to be able to wear a favorite jewel in a number of different settings depending upon the outfit worn and the occasion, or to wear a favorite setting with different jewels depending upon the outfit worn and the occasion.

There are several lines of interchangeable jewelry currently commercially available which provide a number of rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and necklaces along with a number of inserts to be used interchangeably with the rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and necklaces, see for example Kameleon Jewelery (kameleonjewelry.com) and Ginger Snaps (www.gingersnapsjewelry.com). The inserts are pushed into a receiving opening in the rings, earrings, pendants, bracelets, and necklaces and pushed out when it is desired to replace the insert with a different insert. There are also commercially available rings having a threaded shank or stud extending therefrom to receive various interchangeable decorative items, such as beads and glass designs, screwed onto the shank or stud (for examples see www.etsy.com/market/interchangeable_ring). A pendant with similar threaded shank or stud extending therefrom is also available. While these jewelry systems provide jewelry with interchangeable decorative inserts, the inserts available do not include large jewels or expensive jewels and the jewelry produced with these items is not the same as traditional jewelry displaying large and/or expensive jewels. Currently available interchangeable jewelry systems do not provide the safety and security for the interchangeable items needed in order to include expensive and/or large jewels in such items.

Various applications for patent have been filed and patents issued covering interchangeable jewelry systems, see, for example, US 2013/0233017, US 2009/0100869, US 2006/0032270, US 2008/0289363, US 2004/0237587, WO 2008/053263, and French Patent No. 1,535,640. However, there remains a need for an easy to use system for interchanging jewels in settings such as rings, earrings, pendants, etc. which can securely hold such jewels in such settings, and can securely mount large and/or expensive jewels in such settings.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, a decorative setting, such as in the form of a ring, earrings, pendant necklace, bracelet pin, cuff links, or other items of jewelry, has a jewel receiving space in a display side thereof for interchangeably receiving a jewel housing with a jewel, such as a diamond, securely housed therein. The decorative setting includes a fastener adapted to cooperate with the jewel housing when the jewel housing is received in the jewel receiving space of the decorative setting to securely mount the jewel housing in the decorative setting. The fastener may be a screw held by the decorative setting to be screwed into a receiving threaded opening in the jewel housing when the jewel housing is received in the jewel receiving space. The screw may have a screw head which includes a retractable tab for helping a user screw the screw into the threaded opening in the jewel housing. In addition, an interlock may be provided to prevent relative motion, such as rotation, of the jewel housing with respect to the decorative setting. The interlock may include one or more grooves in the jewel receiving space of the decorative setting adapted to receive one or more mating projections from the jewel housing.

The fastener can advantageously be inseparably held in the decorative setting so that it remains with the decorative setting and is not separated therefrom to become lost during the interchange of jewel housings in the decorative setting or during storage of the decorative setting without a jewel housing therein. The fastener may be a screw extending through the decorative setting from a back side into the jewel receiving space and having a head with a shank that extends from the head through the decorative setting into the jewel receiving space and having a flange attached to the shank in the jewel receiving space to prevent the screw from separating from the decorative setting. The flange may be movably attached to the shank to allow it to move axially along a portion of the shank during tightening and loosening of the jewel housing. In addition, the screw may be a hollow screw open at the end of the shank where it attaches to the jewel housing so that a culet of a jewel housed in the jewel housing can extend from the jewel housing through the receiving threaded opening in the housing into the open hollow end of the screw when the jewel housing is mounted in the jewel receiving space of the decorative setting. This allows a large jewel housed in the jewel housing to be mounted lower in the decorative setting than might otherwise be the case.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATED EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

The invention provides jewelry with interchangeable jewels and allows a person to change the jewels in a particular setting, such as a ring, earrings, pendant, etc., to suit the desires of the wearer. A jewel is securely housed in a jewel housing, and decorative settings, such as rings, earrings, pendants, etc., are provided having a jewel receiving space which interchangeably receives the jewel housing therein to securely mount the jewel housing with the selected jewel in the selected decorative setting. Both the jewel worn and the decorative setting worn can be selected and combined to suit the desires of the wearer.

The jewel housing is designed to securely hold the jewel therein in permanent manner meaning that a user cannot normally change the jewel in the housing. A jeweler would normally secure the selected jewel in the jewel housing and would change the jewel mounted in the housing if desired to be changed by the user. Thus, a user would select a jewel, such as a diamond, and the housing within which the jewel would be secured, such as a prong mount housing or a bezel mount housing. A jeweler would have a standard or several standard housings which could be used to securely hold the selected jewel. Alternately, the user could select from jewels already secured in housings. The user could have several jewels, each of which would be permanently secured in a jewel housing. The user would also select at least one decorative setting, such as a decorative setting in the form of a ring, to which the selected jewel can be interchangeably mounted by the user. The decorative setting will have a back side and a display side with a jewel receiving space in the display side. A fastener is adapted to attach the jewel housing with jewel therein in the jewel receiving space in the decorative setting. The fastener can be inseparably held by the decorative setting so it remains with the decorative setting while interchanging jewel housings or during storage of the decorative setting without a jewel housing mounted therein. This prevents the fastener from separating from the decorative setting and becoming lost.

FIGS. 1-5show a decorative setting in the form of a ring20having a jewel receiving space22therein adapted to receive a jewel housing24with a jewel, schematically shown inFIGS. 1-4as26, securely mounted in the jewel housing.FIG. 6shows a jewel housing andFIG. 7shows jewel housing24with jewel26held in jewel housing24by jewel housing prongs28. While jewel housing24is illustrated as a prong mount housing, other housings, such as a bezel mount housing, can be used. The important thing is that the jewel is securely held in the jewel housing.

To interchangeably position a jewel26in ring20, jewel housing24is placed in jewel receiving space22.FIGS. 1-4show jewel housing24above receiving space22in ring20prior to jewel housing24being positioned in receiving space22.FIG. 5shows jewel housing24secured in jewel receiving space22in ring20. In the embodiment shown, jewel housing24is interlocked in jewel receiving space22by jewel housing prongs28around the outside perimeter of jewel housing24projecting outwardly from the circumference of jewel housing24and being received by grooves30around the inside of jewel receiving space22when jewel housing24is inserted into jewel receiving space22.FIG. 8shows ring20without jewel housing24inserted in ring receiving space22, andFIG. 9shows ring20with jewel housing holding jewel26therein inserted into jewel receiving space22. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 8 and 9, jewel housing24is not visible when secured into receiving space22except for the ends of prongs28holding jewel26in jewel housing24.

In the embodiment shown, a fastener in the form of a screw32having a head34and a threaded shank36extends freely through a fastener opening38which extends from the back side40of the decorative setting, here the inside of ring20, to the display side42of the decorative setting, here the outside or front of ring20. The shank36of screw32extends through fastener opening38so that a portion of shank36extends into jewel receiving space22. When jewel housing24is positioned in jewel receiving space22, the shank36of screw32aligns with a threaded opening44.FIGS. 4, 5, and 6, in jewel housing24, so that screw32can be screwed into threaded opening44. Screw32can be turned by a user, such as by using a short screw driver which cooperates with slot or slots46in screw head34, see particularlyFIG. 10which shows just the screw32. With the two intersecting slots46,FIG. 10, either a flat bladed or a Phillips screw driver can be used. Other heads can be used with appropriate cooperating drivers, such as a socket head with a hex key or allen wrench. In such manner, screw32can be tightened to securely hold jewel housing24in jewel receiving space22. The interlocking grooves30to receive the projecting interlocking portions of jewel housing prongs28, while not required, prevent jewel housing24from rotating in jewel receiving space22so that screw32can be easily tightened sufficiently to securely hold jewel housing24in jewel receiving space22. The back side40of ring20includes a bevel48which receives screw head34when jewel housing24is received in jewel receiving space22and screw32is tightened. This prevents screw head34from projecting from the back side40of ring20to interfere with wearing of the ring and maintains a smooth back ring surface for comfort when a user wears the ring.

Rather than a head needing a cooperating driver which is separate from the screw32, and could become lost, the head34of screw32can be provided with a tab45.FIGS. 11-14, which provides a handle for a user to use to tighten or loosen screw32. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 11-14, tab45is pivotally attached by pin47to the head34of screw32so it can be rotated to an extended position,FIGS. 11 and 12, to extend axially from the screw32, or can be rotated to a retracted position,FIG. 14, in which the tab extends radially from screw32and is received in a receiving opening49in screw head34to be flush with and form part of the head34of screw32. Further, since in this retracted position tab portion45A extends beyond the edge of the head34of screw32as shown inFIG. 14, a receiving recess for tab portion45A is provided in the back side40of the ring to receive extending tab portion45A when rotated to retracted position. While this is not shown for ring20, such a receiving recess will be shown for tab portion45A in connection with its use in the pendant embodiment and such showing and description applies for the ring embodiment also. Such a recess as will be described later can be used to hold the lab in retracted position except when needed to rotate the screw32. Alternately, the pivot attachment and location of the attaching pin47in relation to tab45can be slightly off center such as to provide an over center rotation to retracted position which will snap tab45into retracted position when rotated to retracted position and maintain it in retracted position until manually rotated from retracted position. When tab45is used in the ring embodiment of the invention, it may be easier to use tab45to rotate screw32when tab45is in an intermediate extended position, such as shown inFIG. 13, which may make it easier for a user to rotate screw32using tab45when tab45is inside the ring linger opening, than when tab45is fully extended. Provision of a receiving recess for tab portion45A keeps the screw head34and/or tab45from projecting from the back side40of ring20to interfere with wearing of the ring and maintains a smooth back ring surface for comfort when a user wears the ring.

While screw32is shown having traditional threads along the shank, various other types of connections and interlocks between screw32and jewel housing24can be used.

It is advantageous, and a feature of the illustrated embodiment of the invention, that the fastener, here screw32, be inseparable from the decorative setting, here ring20. This means that screw32remains attached to ring20when no jewel housing is in ring20so that it does not separate from ring20, but remains in position to tighten and hold jewel housing24in jewel receiving space22when jewel housing24is to be secured to decorative setting (ring)20. A user does not have to insert screw32into fastener opening38from inside the ring finger opening when it is desired to secure jewel housing24in jewel receiving space22, which could be difficult. All that is required is that screw32be rotated to thread it into threaded opening44in jewel housing24and tightened when jewel housing24is positioned in jewel receiving space22. Further, screw32cannot become separated from decorative setting (ring)20and become lost. In order to hold screw32in decorative housing (ring)20, a slot50is provided extending axially along a portion of screw shank36. Washer52is positioned against display side portion54of decorative setting20in jewel receiving space22adjacent fastener opening38and screw shank36is passed through washer52,FIGS. 4 and 5. Wire or rod56is inserted through slot50on the side of washer52away from screw head34and away from display side portion54and its ends are attached, such as by laser welding, soldering, or by adhesive, to washer52. In this way, washer52is secured to screw shank36between wire or rod56and display side portion54, and washer52has a larger diameter than fastener opening38, so screw32is locked in fastener opening38and inseparable from decorative setting20. Wire or rod56can slide in slot50so screw32can move back and forth along fastener opening38a limited distance determined by the axial length of slot50. This allows screw32to move up and down in jewel receiving space22without similar movement of washer52and wire or rod56which might interfere with tightening of jewel housing24in jewel receiving space22.

For example,FIG. 4shows screw32extending into jewel receiving space22, and in the vertical orientation shown inFIG. 4, screw shank portion extends only a minimum distance into jewel receiving space22to provide room in jewel receiving space22to insert jewel housing24into jewel receiving space22substantially as far as it will normally extend. Screw32has not yet been screwed into jewel housing24so it is desirable to have the end of threaded shank36at a minimum extension into jewel receiving space22to allow maximum room to insert jewel housing24into jewel receiving space22. In this position, it can be seen that screw32is withdrawn from jewel receiving space22to the maximum extend with wire or rod56at the end of slot50toward jewel receiving space22. When jewel housing24is inserted into jewel receiving space22, it will extend into jewel receiving space22until it is positioned as far as it can extend into jewel receiving space22or until the bottom of jewel housing24hits and abuts the end of screw32extending into jewel receiving space22. Advantageously, the threaded opening44in the jewel housing42will be positioned aligned with an adjacent to or just against the end of screw32extending into jewel receiving space22. Screw32can then be rotated to screw it into threaded opening44in the jewel housing42to thereby secure and hold jewel housing42in jewel receiving space22, as shown inFIG. 5. It can be seen fromFIG. 5that this process draws the end of screw32into jewel receiving space22while keeping washer52and wire or rod56at the end of jewel receiving space22, i.e., screw32is drawn through washer52, thereby causing wire or rod56to slide along slot50toward its end away from jewel housing42as can be seen inFIG. 5. This arrangement of washer52and wire or rod56passing through axial slot50in screw32allows screw32to move longitudinally with respect to washer52into and out of jewel receiving space22and jewel housing24. It also acts to prevent removal of screw32from ring20.

While screw32may be inseparable from the decorative setting for purposes of the invention so that it cannot easily be separated from the decorative setting by a user, if screw32, washer52, or wire or rod56become damaged or corroded, the user, or generally a jeweler, can unsolder the ends of wire or rod56, or cut wire or rod56, so can then separate screw32from decorative setting20and replace screw32and/or washer52along with wire or rod56, as needed. This does not make screw32separable from decorative setting20for purposes of this invention. It should be noted that if screw32, washer52, and wire or rod56are made of precious metal along with the decorative setting, such as from gold, silver, or platinum, these parts will resist corrosion and generally will not become damaged and need to be replaced.

Screw32may be a hollow screw, as shown, meaning that the inside of screw32, at least at the end portion thereof, is hollow as at58,FIGS. 1, 2, 3, and 15. This is advantageous to allow the jewel26in the jewel housing24to sit as low as possible. In some instances, such as when a large jewel is housed in jewel housing24, the culet59,FIG. 15, of the jewel26held in the jewel housing24can extend into, or even through, threaded opening44of jewel housing24. If the end of screw32is solid, this can limit the distance a screw32can be screwed into threaded opening44thus limiting the distance jewel housing24can be drawn into jewel receiving space22, or can even prevent screw32from being received in threaded opening44of jewel housing24. With a hollow screw end portion58, when screw32is screwed into threaded opening44of jewel housing24, the culet59of jewel26, if it extends into threaded opening44of jewel housing24, can extend into the hollow screw end portion58. Further, in addition to providing hollow Screw end portion58, wire or rod56can be configured with a center portion60,FIG. 15, which extends through hollow screw end portion58, bent therein away from the screw end, again to accommodate the culet59of a jewel26held in the jewel housing.

With the decorative setting in the form of a ring20as shown inFIGS. 1-5and described above, a user can selectively interchange the jewels which are mounted in and displayed by the ring as desired by the user, or can selectively interchange the particular ring used with a particular jewel. The invention is not limited to a decorative setting in the form of a ring. A wide variety of other jewelry items, such as earrings, pendants, necklaces, bracelets, pins, cuff links, etc., can be used with the invention. For example, the invention can be used in connection with earrings as shown inFIG. 16or with pendants as shown inFIGS. 17, 18, and 19.

As shown inFIG. 16, the decorative setting62of the invention takes the form of an earring. A screw63has an earring post64attached to the screw head65and extending therefrom. The mounting of the screw63in decorative setting (earring)62and its operation in attaching jewel housing24in decorative setting62is as previously described for a decorative setting in the form of a ring. Thus, threaded shank66of screw65will extend through fastener opening67through decorative setting (earring)62, into jewel receiving space68. Screw63will be attached to decorative setting (earring)62with washer52and wire or rod56as previously described for ring20. Screw head65is shown as knurled to be easily rotated by a user's fingers. Jewel26in jewel housing24is secured to decorative setting (earring)62by positioning jewel housing24in jewel receiving space68and rotating screw63to screw it into threaded opening44in jewel housing24as described for the ring20. Again, jewel culet59can be received in an open hollow end portion of screw63. Decorative setting (earring)62may have grooves around the inside circumference thereof to interlock with prongs28as for the ring, or, since with the earrings the jewel housing24and the knurled screw head65are both readily accessible to and can be held and manipulated by a user, the jewel receiving space may have an inside circumference large enough to receive the jewel housing without providing the grooves to receive and hold the portion of the prongs28which extend into the jewel receiving space68. In this case the jewel housing24is free to rotate in jewel receiving space68, but can be held by the user to prevent it from rotating during tightening of screw63.

As shown inFIG. 17, the decorative setting70of the invention takes the form of a pendant. The pendant70has a connecting loop71connected thereto by connector72. The pendant is worn in normal manner by passing a chain or necklace (not shown) through connecting loop71. A second similar design embodiment of decorative setting in the form of a pendant73is shown inFIGS. 18 and 19. In this second design embodiment73, a connecting loop74is provided for connecting to a chain or necklace. The mounting of the screw76through fastener opening77in decorative setting (pendant)70by washer52and wire or rod56, shown inFIG. 17, and the operation of screw76in attaching jewel housing24in jewel receiving space78, in both embodiments of pendants, is the same as previously described for the decorative setting in the form of a ring20.FIGS. 18 and 19show a screw76having a screw head34similar to that shown inFIGS. 11-14, with tab45pivotally attached to the screw bead34so it can be rotated to an extended position, partially extended position, or a retracted position, as described forFIGS. 11-14. In retracted position, tab45is received in a receiving opening49in screw head34to be flush with and form part of the bead34of screw76. Further, since in this retracted position tab portion45A extends beyond the edge of the head34or screw76similarly as shown inFIG. 14, a receiving recess79for tab portion45A is provided in the back side81of the pendant73to receive extending tab portion45A when rotated to retracted position. With both receiving opening49in screw head34and receiving recess79in the hack side81of the pendant73, for receiving tab portion45A, tab45will provide a substantially smooth back side for pendant73when in retracted position. Receiving recess79is shown in fixed position in the back of pendant73. Since screws76and threaded openings in jewel housings24will be generally standardized, the location of receiving recess79can be determined to receive tab portion45A when substantially in a tightened condition holding jewel housing24in the pendant jewel receiving space78. If deemed necessary or desirable, several receiving recesses79can be provided around the back of pendant73providing a choice of which one to use in a particular situation for tightness of screw76. Further, receiving recess79can be sized to hold tab portion45A in receiving recess79when tab45A is pushed into receiving recess79by a user so that it will remain in the recess until manually pulled out by a user. For example, the width of receiving recess79can be size to tightly and frictionally hold the sides of tab portion45A, or the width between top edges of the receiving recess can provide a tight entrance to receiving recess79which will hold tab portion45A therein. Alternately, as described above, the pivot attachment and location of the attaching pin47in relation to tab45can be slightly off center such as to provide an over center rotation to retracted position which will snap tab45into retracted position when rotated to retracted position and maintain it in retracted position until manually rotated from retracted position. Also as previously indicated, a similar receiving recess or recesses to receive tab portion45A can be provided in rings of the invention or other decorative settings of the invention.

While the embodiments illustrated so far show decorative settings which attach a single jewel housing24, decorative settings can be provided which attach multiple jewel housings24.FIG. 20shows a decorative setting80in the form of a ring having three jewel receiving spaces82,83, and84to attach three separate jewel housings with jewels86,87, and88therein. It should also be realized that jewel housings24can be provided to hold multiple jewels therein rather than just a single large jewel.

The jewel housings can be made in several standard diameters and shapes to be received in jewel receiving spaces of similar receiving sizes and shapes. Various decorative settings can be provided with the same particular size and shape jewel receiving spaces to receive and mount jewels in housing of that particular size and shape. In this way, a variety of jewels in a particular size and shape jewel housing can be interchangeably mounted into a variety of decorative settings.