Abstract:
The set of jewelry contains least one ring and a plurality of stud earrings as well as other pieces of jewelry, such as a necklace and a bangle. The ring as well as the necklace and the bangle are each formed with one or more bores into which one of the stud earrings can be inserted and is retained releasably therein.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of copending International Application No. PCT/IB00/01068, filed Jun. 28, 2000, which designated the United States. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a set of jewelry and the like which contains at least one ring and a plurality of stud earrings as well as other pieces of jewelry, preferably a necklace and a bangle. It is thereby possible for the stud earrings to be inserted into a piece of jewelry.  
           [0003]    Known pieces of jewelry are designed as rings, necklaces, bangles and the like. Furthermore, pieces of jewelry are also designed as stud earrings. Known pieces of jewelry or stud earrings in this case are only ever in the form of individual elements which, although they can be used together, cannot be combined to form a single piece of jewelry. It is thus also the case that it is not possible to change the appearance of pieces of jewelry, e.g. in order thereby to match them with stud earrings.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0004]    It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a jewelry set and stud earrings, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which makes it possible for individual pieces of jewelry to be changed using stud earrings belonging to the set, as a result of which it is made possible, in particular, to match pieces of jewelry with one another such that they each contain a coinciding element.  
           [0005]    With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a jewelry set, comprising:  
           [0006]    at least one first piece of jewelry selected from the group consisting of a ring, a necklace, a bangle, a brooch, a clip earring, and a jewelry attachment, having a bore formed therein with a minimum depth of 8 mm;  
           [0007]    a plurality of stud earrings formed with a stud to be inserted and releasably retained in the bore of the first piece of jewelry.  
           [0008]    In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the plurality of stud earrings include earrings of mutually different designs.  
           [0009]    In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, the jewelry attachment is configured for attachment to a wrist watch.  
           [0010]    In accordance with another feature of the invention, there is provided a wristwatch formed with at least one bore for receiving and retaining therein a stud of a respective one of the plurality of stud earrings.  
           [0011]    In accordance with again an added feature of the invention, there is provided a pair of eyeglasses formed with least one bore for receiving and retaining therein a stud of a respective one of the plurality of stud earrings.  
           [0012]    In accordance with again another feature of the invention, the studs of the stud earrings are threaded pins, and the bore in the first piece of jewelry is a threaded bore.  
           [0013]    In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the stud earrings is releasably fastened in the bore by one or more elements selected from the group consisting of a mechanical lock, a bayonet closure, interacting resilient elements, clip elements, piercing closures, screw-connection parts, and magnetic elements.  
           [0014]    In other words, the objects are achieved according to the invention in that the set contains in each case a plurality of stud earrings of different types, and in that the at least one ring and the other pieces of jewelry, such as the necklace and the bangle, are each designed with at least one bore which has a minimum length of 8 mm and into which one of the stud earrings can be inserted and is retained releasably therein.  
           [0015]    The set preferably additionally contains a brooch or a clip earring, which are designed with at least one bore into which one of the stud earrings can be inserted. Furthermore, it may also contain a wristwatch which is designed with at least one bore into which one of the stud earrings can be inserted. In addition, the set may also contain a pair of glasses which is designed with at least one bore into which one of the stud earrings can be inserted.  
           [0016]    For the releasable fastening of the stud earrings in the pieces of jewelry or the like, it is possible for the pins of the stud earrings to be designed as threaded pins and for the bores provided in the pieces of jewelry and the like to be designed as threaded bores. Alternatively, it is also possible to provide mechanical fastening elements, such as bayonet closures or resilient elements, so-called clips, as well as so-called piercing fasteners and also magnetic closures, by means of which the pins of the stud earrings are retained releaseably in the bores of the pieces of jewelry and the like.  
           [0017]    Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.  
           [0018]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a set of jewelry, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. 
       
    
    
       [0019]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings.  
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]    [0020]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a ring into which a stud earring has been inserted;  
         [0021]    [0021]FIGS. 1 a ,  1   b  and  1   c  are sectional views taken along the line A-A in FIG. 1 showing the ring with different methods of fastening the stud earring;  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a second ring into which a stud earring has been inserted;  
         [0023]    [0023]FIG. 2 a  is a sectional view taken vertically through the line B-B in FIG. 2;  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 2 b  is a sectional view through a third ring into which a stud earring has been inserted;  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a fourth ring into which two stud earrings have been inserted;  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 3 a  is an exploded sectional view taken along the line C-C, with the stud earrings just outside the insertion openings;  
         [0027]    [0027]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a brooch into which a stud has been inserted;  
         [0028]    [0028]FIG. 4 a  is a sectional view of the brooch of FIG. 4 taken along the line D-D and showing the stud earring just outside the insertion opening;  
         [0029]    [0029]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a necklace into which a stud earring has been inserted;  
         [0030]    [0030]FIG. 5 a  is a related sectional view taken along the line E-E in FIG. 5, with the earring just outside the insertion opening;  
         [0031]    [0031]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a bangle into which a stud earring has been inserted;  
         [0032]    [0032]FIG. 6 a  is a related sectional view taken along the line F-F in FIG. 6, with the stud just outside the insertion opening;  
         [0033]    [0033]FIG. 7 is a plan view onto a watch with a decorative element into which a stud earring has been inserted;  
         [0034]    [0034]FIG. 7 a  is a perspective view of the decorative element with the stud inserted;  
         [0035]    [0035]FIG. 7 b  is a sectional view of the jewelry element taken along the line G-G;  
         [0036]    [0036]FIG. 8 is a side view, partly broken away, of a clip earring; and  
         [0037]    [0037]FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a pair of glasses.  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0038]    Referring now to the figures of the drawing in detail and first, particularly, to FIG. 1 thereof, there is shown a ring  1  into which a stud earring  2  has been inserted. As can be seen from FIGS. 1 a ,  1   b  and  1   c,  the ring  1  is designed with a bore  11  into which the pin  21  of the stud earring  2  can be inserted.  
         [0039]    According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 a , the bore  11  is designed with a thread  12  and the pin  21  is likewise designed with a thread  22 , as a result of which the stud earring  2  can be screwed into the bore  11  of the ring  1 .  
         [0040]    According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 b , the bore  11  is designed with coupling elements  13  in the manner of a bayonet closure, and a helical compression spring  14  is located in said bore, and the pin  21  is likewise designed with coupling elements  23 .  
         [0041]    According to the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 1 c , the ring is designed with a first magnetic element and the stud earring  2  is designed with a second magnetic element  25 , the two elements interacting with one another.  
         [0042]    It is thus possible for the stud earring  2  to be retained in the ring  1  by screw-connection, by locking or by magnetic force. Alternatively, it is also possible for the pin  21  to be fastened in the bore  11  by means of resilient elements, so-called clip elements, which are provided in the bore or on the pin.  
         [0043]    [0043]FIGS. 2 and 2 a  illustrate a second ring  1   a , which is likewise designed with a bore  11   a  into which a stud earring  2   a  can be inserted. In the illustration, the bore  11   a  and the pin  21   a  of the stud earring  2   a  are designed with a thread. It is also possible here for the stud earring  2   a  to be fastened in the bore  11   a  of the ring  1   a  by means of a coupling in the manner of a bayonet closure, by means of resilient elements or by means of magnetic elements.  
         [0044]    [0044]FIG. 2 b  illustrates a third ring  1   b , which is designed with an extension  16  which is provided with a bore and into which a stud earring  2   b  can be inserted. In this case, the pin of the stud earring  2   b  is designed with a thread and the stud earring  2   b  is assigned a screw-connection element  26  which can be screwed onto the pin of the stud earring, as a result of which the stud earring  2   b  can be fastened on the ring  1   b.    
         [0045]    [0045]FIGS. 3 and 3 a  illustrate a fourth ring  1   c , which is designed with two bores  11   c  into which two stud ear rings  2   c  can be screwed. It is also possible here for the stud earring  2   c  to be fastened in the ring  1   c  by means of couplings in the manner of bayonet closures, by means of resilient elements or by means of magnetic closures.  
         [0046]    [0046]FIGS. 4 and 4 a  illustrate a brooch  3  which can be fastened on an item of clothing by means of a closure pin  32 . This brooch  3  is also designed with a bore  31  into which a stud earring  2   d  can be inserted and fastened therein.  
         [0047]    [0047]FIGS. 5 and 5 a  illustrate a necklace  4  which is designed with a cylindrical element  4   a  which is provided with a bore  41  into which a stud earring  2   e  can be inserted and fastened therein.  
         [0048]    [0048]FIGS. 6 and 6 a  illustrate a bangle  5  which is likewise designed with a bore  51  into which a stud earring  2   f  can be screwed.  
         [0049]    [0049]FIGS. 7, 7a and  7   b  illustrate a wristwatch  6  which is designed with a jewelry element  6   a . The jewelry element  6   a  here is designed with a bore  61  into which a stud earring  2   g  can be inserted.  
         [0050]    [0050]FIG. 8 illustrates a clip earring  7  which is likewise designed with a bore  71  into which a stud earring  2   h  can be inserted. The clip earring  7  is fastened by means of a pivoting clip  72  which is subjected to the action of a spring.  
         [0051]    [0051]FIG. 9 illustrates a pair of glasses  8  which, in the two lateral regions  83  on which the side legs  82  of the glasses are articulated by means of a hinge  84 , are likewise designed with bores into which stud earrings  21  can be inserted.  
         [0052]    The stud earrings may be fastened releasably in the bores of the pieces of jewelry or the like in each case by screw-connection, by mechanical locking in the manner of a bayonet closure, by means of resilient elements, so-called clip elements, by means of so-called piercing fasteners, by means of screw-connection elements, by means of magnetic elements or in any other desired manner. The essential factor is for the bores in the case of the jewelry elements, it being possible for these bores to be designed as open through-passage bores or blind bores, each to have a minimum length of approximately 8 mm, with the result that a stud earring can be inserted into them.