Abstract:
A jewelry box is disclosed having a shell defining an interior space and made of a light transmissive material, an insert disposed within said space and made of a light transmissive material of a different color than the shell, a shelf arranged within the insert and adapted to support a jewelry article; and a cover cooperating with the shell to close the space.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     The subject matter of this application is related to a design application for a Jewelry Box, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 29,189,142, filed Aug. 29, 2003, and incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     A. Field of Invention  
         [0003]     This invention pertains to a novel jewelry box, and more particularly to a box made of a combination of different colored transparent and translucent materials. The jewelry box further includes a plurality of support members adapted to hold different types of jewelry, such as a ring, a pair of earrings, or a pendant, so that the jewelry appears to be suspended or floating in the middle of the box. Each jewelry item is thus easily seen from all views while still remaining in the jewelry box.  
         [0004]     B. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0005]     Jewelry is frequently distributed to retailers in boxes that perform several functions. They protect the jewelry from damage during transit, they prevent theft and they provide a means of displaying the jewelry to retail customers on a counter top, in a display case, on display shelves, or in other manners customary to the trade. One traditional means of displaying jewelry is through the use of open boxes, where the top of the box has been removed and the jewelry itself can be easily detached and handled by the prospective customer. If the customer purchases the jewelry, he or she receives a new piece in a new box, and the display jewelry is returned to the open box in its ‘handled’ condition. Some display cases do not contain boxes at all. Instead, the jewelry is displayed openly on hooks or is attached to a pad which is affixed to the display case. In these traditional arrangements, the display case itself is typically locked so that access to the jewelry itself is limited and does not occur without the aid of a store clerk. Again, if an item is purchased, a box is provided.  
         [0006]     Hence, jewelry boxes must have several characteristics that enable them to perform these varied functions. First, the boxes must be strong yet small so that they do not take up too much space. Preferably, the size of the box also allows it to be carried in a pocket by a wholesale or retail vendor or the customer. Second, the boxes must be easy to open.  
         [0007]     Preferably, the jewelry box should be attractive but in a subtle way so that it does not overshadow the jewelry itself.  
         [0008]     Preferably, jewelry boxes must be made of inexpensive materials.  
         [0009]     Various types of jewelry boxes and other structures for displaying jewelry are disclosed in the following patents:  
                                                               3,957,157   3,532,209   5,409,105   5,547,072           4,552,264   4,461,383   4,461,383   4,739,878           1,641,861   4,664,264   3,197,166   4,646,920           5,078,264   5,913,417   6,494,316   5,377,820                      
 
         [0010]     However, none of these patents disclose a jewelry box that performs all the required functions satisfactorily.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     Briefly, a jewelry box constructed in accordance with this invention includes a shell defining an interior space and made of a light transmissive material; an insert disposed within said space and preferably made of a material of a different color than said shell; a shelf arranged within said insert and adapted to support a jewelry article; and a cover cooperating with said shell to close said space. Preferably, the shelf and the cover are made of a clear material. The shelf includes a web extending diagonally across said inner space as said shell is viewed from a side. The cover is sized and shaped to form an interference fit with said shell and said insert.  
         [0012]     Both the shelf and the cover are preferably made of a clear lightweight material, which may be a plastic material. As a result, the jewelry article stored in the box appears to be suspended in the box and can be seen easily and clearly through the cover. The structure of the box represents an improvement over the prior art and has many advantages. When placed on a display case or a counter top, the prospective customer can see the jewelry item immediately. No cover needs to be removed for the prospective customer to easily view the jewelry. It is also less likely that the jewelry will be physically handled since the inventive box itself allows the jewelry to be easily seen and displayed from all angles insofar as the jewelry is floating within the box. In a traditional box, the jewelry rests on a solid surface and the back of the jewelry cannot be viewed unless the jewelry is removed from the box. The inventive box thus lessens the chance that theft of the jewelry will occur. The many advantages of the inventive box will be more fully described below.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0013]      FIG. 1  shows an isometric view of a jewelry box constructed in accordance with this invention;  
         [0014]      FIG. 2  shows an isometric exploded view of the box of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a side elevational view of the box taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0016]      FIG. 4  shows a side elevational view of the box taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 ;  
         [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a side elevational view of an alternate embodiment of the invention;  
         [0018]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show a side and a back elevational view, respectively, of an alternate embodiment of the box;  
         [0019]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0020]      FIGS. 7C and 7D  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0021]      FIGS. 7E and 7F  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0022]      FIGS. 7G and 7H  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0023]      FIGS. 7I and 7J  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0024]      FIGS. 7K and 7L  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0025]      FIGS. 7M and 7N  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf;  
         [0026]      FIGS. 7O and 7P  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf; and  
         [0027]      FIGS. 7Q and 7R  show plan and side elevational views of one embodiment of the shelf. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]     Referring now to the Figures, a jewelry box  10  constructed in accordance with this invention is shown in  FIG. 1  with a generally square shape, although it may have other geometric shapes as well, including circular, rectangular shapes and shapes having more than four sides.  
         [0029]     The box  10  consists of four members: a shell  12 , an insert  14 , a shelf  16  and a cover  18  ( FIG. 2 ). The shell  12  defines an internal space for holding the insert  14 , shelf  16  and a jewelry article supported by the shelf  16 . Preferably the shell  12  is made of a translucent material. In one embodiment, the shell  12  has a milky or whitish appearance and is preferably made of a plastic material.  
         [0030]     The insert  14  is nested inside shell  12  to form an enclosure for the jewelry article. Preferably, its dimensions are selected so that the insert  14  fits telescopically into the shell  12  and forms an interference fit with the inner walls of the shell  12 . Alternatively, or in addition, other means are used to secure the insert  14  to shell  12 , such as an adhesive. The insert  14  is made of a material, preferably plastic. The insert  14  can be transparent or can have the same optical characteristics as the shell  12 . However, preferably the insert  14  has a different color then the shell  12 . For example, the insert  14  may be a light pink, yellow, green, blue, etc. This can be achieved by either making the insert  14  from a material of a different color or making the insert  14  from a clear light transmissive material and then coloring its outer surface with an appropriate translucent or transparent dye.  
         [0031]     As seen in  FIG. 2 , the shelf  16  is Z-shaped and has two legs  20 ,  22  and an intervening web  24 . The legs  20 ,  22  are generally parallel to each other and are spaced and sized so that the shelf  16  fits into the insert  14  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The shelf  16  is preferably made of a clear plastic material and is preferably slightly elastic so that it snaps into the insert  14  and is maintained therein by the interference fit between the legs  20 ,  22  and the sidewalls of the insert  14 . In this manner, the legs  20 ,  22  are biased against the front and the rear walls of the enclosure formed by insert  14  and shell  12 .  
         [0032]     As depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 4 , web  24  is adapted to support a jewelry article within the shell  12  so that the jewelry article is suspended or floats within the shell  12 . For example, it may be formed with two ears  26  punched out of the web  24  with holes  28  disposed adjacent to the ears  26  (see  FIG. 2 ). The ears  26  and the holes  28  may be used to hold a pair of earrings  30  (see  FIG. 4 ). The shape of shelf  16  and the shape of web  24  are constructed so that the earrings dangle downwardly from ears  26  and holes  28 , appearing suspended in the air. This construction allows for almost the entire jewelry article to be viewed from all angles. Other support elements may also be provided on the web  24 , suitable for supporting and suspending a respective jewelry article, such as a ring, a pendant, a watch, etc.  
         [0033]     Finally, the cover  18  is also made of a lightweight material, preferably plastic and shaped so that it fits over the other elements of the box  10 . The cover  18  can be made from the same type of material as the shell  12 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the sidewalls of insert  14  are slightly shorter then that of the shell  12  thereby leaving a small rim. The cover has a matching shoulder and forms an interference fit with the shell  12 , as at  32  in  FIG. 3 . Preferably, the cover  18  is comprised of a clear material so that jewelry articles in the box  10  can be clearly seen therethrough. Cover  18  has a generally trapezoidal cross-section, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 .  
         [0034]     The box  10  has several advantages. It forms a compact container for a jewelry article. It can be easily customized for various types of jewelry articles by simply changing the shelf  16 . The insert  14  can also be changed to present a different appearance. Thus, for many jewelry articles the same box  10  may be used with a different shelf  16  and/or a different insert  14 , thereby eliminating the need for designing and making a different box for every type of jewelry article.  
         [0035]     Importantly, the combination of the translucent shell  12  and a different colored insert  14  gives the box  10  a very pleasing and unique look. However, because the cover  18  is clear, its contents are clearly visible, thereby eliminating the need to remove the cover  18  to view the jewelry article inside. This is advantageous for the display of the jewelry because the jewelry itself is protected from excessive handling, and thus it remains clean and pristine for a longer time then jewelry displayed in an open box. Moreover, the jewelry itself is more secure from theft as compared to jewelry displayed in an open box because the latter can be easily removed and stolen. The jewelry displayed in the inventive clear box  10  looks more attractive to customers because of its pristine nature and is more likely to be chosen for purchase by the customer than jewelry displayed in the traditional box whose cover has been removed. A further advantage of the invention is that because the shelf  16 , and especially its web  24 , are clear, they are not readily visible from the top, and therefore, the elements of the box  10  cooperate to give the illusion that the jewelry article is floating in the box.  
         [0036]     An alternate embodiment of the invention is shown in  FIG. 5 . In this embodiment, box  10 A has the same basic elements as box  10 . The sidewalls of the insert  14 A are taller than that of the shell  12 , and the cover  18 A is shaped so that forms an interference fit with the insert  14 A rather then shell  12 .  
         [0037]      FIGS. 6A and 6B  show another alternate embodiment. In this embodiment, box  10 A has a cover  18 A that is hingedly connected to shell  12 . For this purpose, the cover is provided in the back with two downwardly extending ears  40 . Each ear  40  is provided with a round aperture  42 . The shell  12 A is formed on its sidewalls with two depressions  44 , each supporting a respective boss  46 . The bosses  46  extend into the respective aperture  42  thereby capturing the cover  18 A. The ears  40  and the depressions  44  cooperate to allow the cover  18 A to pivot with respect to the shell between an open and closed position, the open position being shown in phantom lines in  FIG. 6A . The insert  14  and the shelf  16  have been omitted from  FIGS. 6A and 6B  for the sake of clarity.  
         [0038]      FIGS. 7A-7R  show alternate embodiments of the shelf  16 , showing various means for holding different types of jewelry pieces. Importantly, each shelf  16  is designed so that the particular jewelry article displayed does not lie flat on a surface but dangles, allowing the prospective customer to view the jewelry article from all angles and obviating the need for the jewelry to be handled.  
         [0039]     In  FIGS. 7A and 7B , the shelf  16  is provided with two tabs  50  that are laterally and vertically offset from each other, with holes  51 . This configuration allows hoop earrings up to 1⅛″ in diameter to be suspended when shelf  16  is placed within insert  14 .  
         [0040]     In  FIGS. 7C and 7D , the shelf  16  is provided with a tab  52  similar to the tabs  52  of  FIG. 7A , and an oval cutout  54 . A tab  56  with hole  58  extends downwardly as shown. Wide hoop earrings thus float when shelf  16  is placed within insert  14 .  
         [0041]     In  FIGS. 7E and 7F , the shelf  16  is provided with two vertical slots  60  with a small hole  62  formed on top of the slots for the suspended display of long drop earrings, ear wires or long lever backs when shelf  16  is placed within insert  14 .  
         [0042]     In  FIGS. 7G and 7H , the shelf  16  is provided with a horizontal ledge  64 . The ledge  64  is cut out from the web of the shelf  16  and is provided with two small holes  66  for the display of studs, posts or drops under 1⅛″ in length and lever backs. The width of the ledge  64  can be increased, as shown in dotted lines at  70 . In this later version, the ledge  64  can be provided with four holes  66  for the display of more than one set of posts, drops or lever backs. Additional holes can also be placed above the ledge  64  for the placement of studs and posts.  
         [0043]     In  FIGS. 7I and 7J , shelf  16  has a horizontal ledge  68  and two adjacent rows of three small holes  70  for display of three sets of earrings, such as a combination of stud earrings and hoop earrings.  
         [0044]     In  FIGS. 7K and 7L , shelf  16  is provided with a horizontal ledge  72 , two sets of holes  74  for the placement of two sets of stud earrings or one set of stud earrings on the top set of holes  74  and smaller hoop earrings on the bottom set of holes  74 .  
         [0045]     In  FIGS. 7M and 7N , shelf  16  contains two sets of tabs  76  laterally offset from one another on the same plane, for the display of hoop earrings up to ¾″ in diameter.  
         [0046]     In  FIGS. 7O and 7P , shelf  16  contains two sets of tabs  78 , laterally offset from one another on the same plane, for the display of hoop earrings from 1.25 to 1.80 inches in diameter.  
         [0047]     In  FIGS. 7Q and 7R , shelf  16  is provided with one set of folding hooks  80  for the display of pendants and charms.  
         [0048]     When many boxes  10  are displayed together (either on a display case or stacked adjacent to or on top of one another), the boxes  10  and the jewelry articles within them combine to give a unique appearance of a sea of floating jewelry, enhancing the attractiveness of the display to the consumer and increasing the likelihood that the jewelry will be purchased.  
         [0049]     The box and its components have been described as being made from a plastic material, including Lucite®. Obviously, other materials may be used, such as glass, quartz, crystal, etc., having similar optical characteristics.  
         [0050]     The elements of the box  10  have various optical characteristics. In the present invention, the term ‘transparent’ refers to a material through which objects can be seen clearly; the term ‘translucent’ refers to a material through which light is defused and therefore objects appear blurred. The term ‘light transmissive’ denotes a material that is either transparent or translucent. The term ‘clear’ is used to denote a colorless material.  
         [0051]     While the invention has been described with reference to several particular embodiments, it is to be understood that these embodiments are merely illustrative of the principles of the invention. Accordingly, the embodiments described in particular should be considered as exemplary, not limiting, with respect to the following claims.