Abstract:
A jewelry includes a body made from a metal and having a hollow interior. The body has a seamless exterior wall substantially enclosing the hollow interior. The wall includes at least one opening which extends completely through the wall so as to define a design formed directly in the wall.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a jewelry and, more specifically, to a ball-shaped jewelry and a method of making same.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     In the jewelry industry, there is a constant need to make a jewelry having a new and unique design or features. It is believed that the prior art is devoid of a jewelry including a ball-shaped exterior wall which has a hollow interior therein and which is provided with a plurality of slots or openings arranged and formed therethrough for forming a complex design directly in the curved wall.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     The present invention overcomes the disadvantages and shortcomings of the prior art discussed above by providing a new and improved jewelry including a body which is made from a metal and which has a hollow interior. The body has a seamless exterior wall substantially enclosing the hollow interior. The wall includes at least one opening which extends completely through the wall so as to define a design directly in the wall.  
         [0004]     In accordance with a feature of the present invention, a method for making the foregoing jewelry is provided. More particularly, the method includes the steps of designing the body with the use of a computer and making an expendable model of the body with the use of a three-dimensional model forming machine. A mold is then formed using the model. A molten metal is thereafter poured into the mold so as to form the body. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is made to the following detailed description of an exemplary embodiment considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a pendant constructed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the pendant shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a bottom plan view of the pendant shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a right side elevational view of the pendant shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a left side elevational view of the pendant shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a front elevational view of the pendant shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a rear elevational view of the pendant shown in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line  8 - 8  and looking in the direction of the arrows, of the pendant shown in  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a plurality of wax models mounted on a sprue structure to form a mold;  
         [0015]      FIG. 10  is a cross-sectional view of a cylinder with the wax models of  FIG. 9  positioned therein;  
         [0016]      FIG. 11  is a view similar to  FIG. 10 , except that investment has been poured into the cylinder;  
         [0017]      FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a mold formed in accordance with the present invention;  
         [0018]      FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view, taken along section line  13 - 13  and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a section of the mold shown in  FIG. 12 ; and  
         [0019]      FIG. 14  is a view similar to  FIG. 13 , except that molten metal has been poured into the mold. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]     Although the present invention can be used in conjunction with any type of jewelry, it is particularly suitable for use in connection with a pendant. Accordingly, the present invention will be described hereinafter in connection with a pendant. It should be understood, however, that the following description is only meant to be illustrative of the present invention and is not meant to limit the scope of the present invention, which has applicability to other types of jewelries.  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  shows a pendant  10  constructed in accordance with the present invention. More particularly, the pendant  10  includes a body  12  having a generally spherical or spheroidal shape. The body  12  includes an outer wall  14  defining the body&#39;s overall spherical or spheroidal shape, as well as a hollow interior  16  (see  FIG. 8 ) enclosed by the wall  14 . The wall  14  has an outer surface  18  and an inner surface  20  (see  FIG. 8 ) which substantially corresponds, in shape, to the outer surface  18  and hence has a spherical or spheroidal shape. The wall  14  is provided with a substantially uniform thickness (i.e., the distance between the outer and inner surfaces  18 ,  20 ) along the entire inner and/or outer surfaces  18 ,  20 . The body  12  in its entirety is formed monolithically such that it is seamless substantially along the entire inner and outer surfaces  18 ,  20  (i.e., the body  12  is formed as a single, monolithic piece and is not therefore formed by a plurality of sections or pieces welded, soldered or otherwise joined together).  
         [0022]     With reference to  FIGS. 1-8 , slots or openings  22  are formed in the wall  14 . More particularly, the slots  22  extend completely through the wall  14  in a generally radial direction so as to define a predetermined design, such as a person&#39;s name, a logo and other indicia. For instance, the slots  22  can be sized, shaped and arranged so as to form the name “JENNIFER”, each one or set of the slots  22  corresponding to one of the letters of the name “JENNIFFER”.  
         [0023]     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 8 , the body  12  includes holes  24 ,  26  extending completely through the wall  14  between the inner and outer surfaces  18 ,  20 . The holes  24 ,  26  are sized and shaped so as to permit a necklace, loop or other flexible wire  28  to extend through the body  12 , thereby allowing the pendant  10  to be removably mounted to the necklace  28  such that it can be worn by a wearer. Portions  30 ,  32  of the wall  14  define the holes  24 ,  26 , respectively, of the body  12 . Annular reinforcement projections  34 ,  36  extend radially inwardly from the portions  30 ,  32 , respectively, such that they circumscribe the holes  24 ,  26 , respectively. The reinforcement projections  34 ,  36  function to reinforce the portions  30 ,  32 , respectively, of the wall  14  and thereby inhibit the wall  14  from being damaged (e.g., wrinkled or crimpled) by the necklace  28  extending through the body  12 . Each of the reinforcement projections  34 ,  36  is formed monolithically with the rest of the body  12 .  
         [0024]     A method for making the pendant  10  in accordance with the present invention will be discussed hereinbelow. The three dimensional (3-D) design of the pendant  10  is formed using a conventional computer and a conventional three dimensional (3-D) modeling software, such as those sold by TLM, Inc. DBA Robert McNeel &amp; Associates, Seattle, Wash., under the trademark “RHINOCEROS”. The design formed with the use of the computer and software is then fed to a conventional three-dimensional printer (i.e., a 3-D wax-structure making device), such as 3-D printers sold by 3D Systems, Inc. under model no. “INVISION HR 3-D”. In response, the printer forms a wax model  38  (see  FIG. 9 ) from a conventional wax material. When formed by the printer, the wax model  38  is supported on a support material (not shown) which is removed from the wax model  38 . The wax model  38  formed in the foregoing manner has a structure corresponding to the design of the pendant  10 .  
         [0025]     After multiple wax models  38  have been made, they are used for constructing a mold or molds in a conventional manner so as to make corresponding jewelry products. More particularly, each of the models  38  is attached to a support structure  40  (see  FIG. 9 ), which is made from a conventional expendable material, such as wax. The support structure  40  includes a plate  42 , a support column  44 , which depends from the plate  42 , and a plurality of wax rods or sprues  46 , each of which is mounted to the support column  44 . After each of the models  38  has been attached to a corresponding one of the sprues  46 , the support structure  40  is turned upside down, and a cylinder  48  is placed around the models  38  such that the plate  42  defines the base of the cylinder  48  (see  FIG. 10 ). Investment  50  in slurry form having a conventional composition (e.g., a ceramic material, plaster, etc.) is poured into the cylinder  48  through an open end thereof so as to fill voids in the cylinder  48 , including voids contained in the wax models  38  (see  FIG. 11 ). Once dried, the investment  50  contained in the cylinder  48  is subjected to low to moderate heat so as to melt away the support structure  40  (i.e., the plate  42 , the support column  44  and the sprues  46 ) and the models  38  and to thereby remove same from the investment  50 , forming a mold  52  having channels  54 ,  56  and mold cavities  58  (see  FIGS. 12 and 13 ). More particularly, the channels  54 ,  56  are formed by the displacement of the support column  44  and the sprues  46 , respectively, while the mold cavities  58  are formed by the displacement of the models  38 . The mold  52  is then flipped such that the channels  56  are angled downwardly (see  FIGS. 12 and 13 ), and molten metal  60  (e.g., gold, silver, etc.) is poured into the channel  54  of the mold  52  such that it flows into the channels  56  and then into the mold cavities  58  (see  FIG. 14 ). Once each of the mold cavities  58  is filled with the molten metal  60  and the metal  60  solidifies, the mold  52  is dipped in water and is allowed to disintegrate, leaving a metal structure (not shown) having a hollow metal balls. The metal balls are cut from the rest of the metal structure and undergo a conventional finishing process (e.g., filing and polishing). Each of the finished balls corresponds to the pendant  10  illustrated in  FIGS. 1-8 .  
         [0026]     It should be appreciated that the present invention provides numerous advantages over the prior art discussed above. For instance, the present invention provides a jewelry having a ball-shaped body which includes a hollow interior enclosed therein. The slots  22  formed in the wall  14  cooperate to provide a design having a “floating” appearance (i.e. the letters formed by the slots  22  appear to be “floating” on the curved surface of the wall  14 ). Moreover, the method of the present invention makes it relatively simple and efficient to manufacture a jewelry having a complicated three-dimensional design.  
         [0027]     It should be noted that the present invention can have numerous modifications and variations. For instance, the present invention can be used in conjunction with other types of jewelries, such as earrings. Moreover, the pendant  10  can be provided with a shape other than the spherical or spheroidal shape shown in  FIGS. 1-8  (e.g., an oval, cube, pyramid, cone, cylinder, etc.). In addition, the slots  22  can be modified such that they form different words, phrases or design (e.g., other names, such as “SAMANTHA”, “KATHERINE”, etc.). The models  38  can also be made from any conventional materials. Further, the method for forming a mold from wax models can be modified and/or replaced with other conventional methods for making a mold from a wax model.  
         [0028]     It will be understood that the embodiment described herein is merely exemplary and that a person skilled in the art may make many variations and modifications without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. All such variations and modifications, including those discussed above, are intended to be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.