Abstract:
This is directed to systems, processes, machines, and other means that attach ornaments to manufactured articles. The invention can allow a user to express oneself by attaching a removable object to a manufactured article by using a screw, snap, or magnet.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to provisional patent application Nos. 61/462,020 and 61/574,194. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This application relates to a method and apparatus for decorating footwear and other clothing accessories. 
       BACKGROUND ART 
       [0003]    Flip-out sandals are a product for sale that teaches a screw built into the strap. However, this product does not have center jewelry or removable female inserts. Flip-out sandals integrate the threaded female insert with the sandal strap, and do not explain how to make an entirely removable system in a comfortable manner. 
         [0004]    SwitchFlops sandals are a product for sale that teaches a snap built into the strap. Again, this product does not have center jewelry or removable female inserts. Center jewelry provides for a larger number of combinations of ornaments that can be worn because a center article can join an unlimited number of jewelry styles to the decorated article. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    This invention relates to interchangeable jewelry accessories (also called ornaments) that can either have an interchangeable center jewelry or that do not have an interchangeable center jewelry. The advantage over the prior art is universality, a user can choose to connect an ornament to a decorated article be a screw, snap or magnet. Only one of these needs to be purchased which is interchangeable with a large number of ornaments. Regardless of whether the jewelry has the interchangeable center, the ornament is attached to the article in the same method as described below. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    Methods, systems, and other means are provided for adding ornaments to articles. In accordance with some embodiments, a user possesses a manufactured object and desires to add an ornament. The manufactured object comprises an attachment object, to which the user desires to attach the ornament. The user will take a first attachment mechanism which is mechanically coupled to the ornament, a joining mechanism which is separate from the ornament in some embodiments and is fixed to the ornament in other embodiments, and a second attachment mechanism which is mechanically coupled to the attachment object and connect the first attachment object with a second attachment object by using the joining mechanism. This method allows a user to mechanically couple a manufactured object and an ornament. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    Having thus described the invention in general terms, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1 : is a forward perspective view of the invention shown in use. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2 : is an exploded view of the First embodiment of the invention exemplifying the method of attachment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3 : is an exploded view of the second embodiment of invention exemplifying the method of attachment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 4 : is an exploded view of the third embodiment of the invention exemplifying the method of attachment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 5 : is an exploded view of the fourth embodiment of the invention exemplifying the method of attachment. 
           [0013]      FIG. 6 : is a detail rear perspective of the first embodiment of the invention illustrating an exemplary jewelry article only. 
           [0014]      FIG. 7 : is a detail perspective of the first embodiment of the invention illustrating an exemplary center jewelry article only. 
           [0015]      FIG. 8 : is a detail perspective of the first embodiment of the invention illustrating the threaded female couple only. 
           [0016]      FIG. 9 : is a detail rear perspective of the second embodiment of the invention illustrating the exemplary jewelry article only. 
           [0017]      FIG. 10 : is a detail section view of the first embodiment of the invention along line  10 - 10  in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 11 : is a detail section view of the second embodiment of the invention. 
           [0019]      FIG. 12 : is a detail section view of the third embodiment of the invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 13 : is a detail section view of the fourth embodiment of the invention. 
           [0021]      FIG. 14 : is a perspective of the fifth embodiment of the invention exemplifying the usage application concept. 
           [0022]      FIG. 15 : is a perspective of the sixth embodiment of the invention exemplifying the usage application concept. 
           [0023]      FIG. 16 : is a perspective view of the seventh embodiment of the invention exemplifying the usage application concept. 
           [0024]      FIG. 17 : is a detail rear perspective view of the third embodiment of the invention exemplifying the female snap insert only. 
           [0025]      FIG. 18 : a detail rear perspective view of the fourth embodiment of the invention exemplifying the magnet insert only. 
           [0026]      FIG. 19 : is a perspective view of the eighth embodiment of the invention. 
           [0027]      FIG. 20 : is a perspective view of the ninth embodiment of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    Embodiments of the present invention overcome many of the obstacles associated with applying ornamental articles to footwear and clothing accessories, and now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings that show some, but not all embodiments of the claimed inventions. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  shows first embodiment  10 . In the first embodiment of the invention comprises footwear  24 , which is well known. Footwear  24  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  through attachment object  26  in a manner that is well known. Footwear strap  38  is mechanically coupled to ornament  34  in a novel manner described in  FIG. 6 . Footwear  24  can be a wide variety of footwear including thong slippers, fuzzy slippers and sandals. 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  shows first embodiment  10 , which comprises footwear  24  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  through attachment object  26  as indicated above. Footwear strap  38  comprises hole  40  which can be made with a drill press, hole punch or other similar technique. Ornament  34  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  as shown in  FIG. 10  below. Threaded female coupling  50  is described in more detail in  FIG. 8  below. 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows second embodiment  12  which comprises footwear  24  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  through attachment object  26  where footwear strap  38  further comprises hole  40  as indicated above. Here, ornament  34  further comprises holed ornament  54  which further comprises hole  44  which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 9  below. Holed ornament  54  can be mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  by mechanically coupling threaded female couple  50  (detailed in  FIG. 8 ) to threaded center article  36  (detailed in  FIG. 7 ) as shown in  FIG. 11 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  shows third embodiment  14  which comprises footwear  24  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  through attachment object  26  where footwear strap  38  further comprises hole  40  as indicated above. Here, ornament  34  further comprises holed ornament  54  which further comprises hole  44  which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 9  below. Holed ornament  54  can be mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  by mechanically coupling female snap insert  62  (detailed in  FIG. 17 ) to snap article  66  as shown in  FIG. 12 . Snap insert  62  is not permanently fixed to footwear strap  38  and can be removed. Snap article  66  comprises a first end which is ornamental and wider and a second end which contains a snap and is narrow. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  shows fourth embodiment  16  which comprises footwear  24  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  through attachment object  26  where footwear strap  38  further comprises hole  40  as indicated above. Here, ornament  34  further comprises holed ornament  54  which further comprises hole  44  which is shown in more detail in  FIG. 9  below. Holed ornament  54  can be mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  by mechanically coupling magnet insert  64  (detailed in  FIG. 18 ) to magnet center article  68  as shown in  FIG. 13 . Magnet insert  64  is not permanently fixed to footwear strap  38  and can be removed. Magnet article  68  comprises a first end which is ornamental and wider and a second end which contains a magnet and is narrow. 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  shows part of first embodiment  10  where ornament  34  comprises shafted ornament  52  which further comprises shaft  42 . Shaft  42  can be threaded with conventional threading technology such that it can be mechanically coupled to threaded female coupling  50  as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  shows center article  36  which contains an ornamental portion large enough to completely cover hole  44  and a threaded portion long enough to pass through hole  44  and hole  40 . The threaded portion is capable of being mechanically coupled with threaded female coupling  50  which is shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         [0036]      FIG. 8  shows threaded female coupling  50  which comprises a first end which is wider than a second end such that the first end is larger than hole  40  preventing a user from pulling threaded female coupling  50  through hole  40 . Threaded female coupling  50  also comprises a second end which is a threaded fastener such that threaded female coupling  50  can be mechanically coupled with center article  36 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 9  shows ornament  34  as used in second embodiment  12 , third embodiment  14  and fourth embodiment  16  that comprises holed ornament  54 , which further comprises hole  44 . Hole  44  is sufficiently large that it can receive the second end of center article  36 , the second end of snap article  66  or the second end of magnet article  68  through hole  44  in its entirety. However, it is smaller than the second end of center article  36 , the second end of snap article  66  or the second end of magnet article  68  such that center article  36 , snap article  66  and magnet article  68 , cannot be pulled through hole  44  as shown in  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 12  and  FIG. 13 . 
         [0038]      FIG. 10  shows a section view of first embodiment  10  where attachment object  26  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38 . Ornament  34  comprises shafted ornament  52 , which further comprises shaft  42  where shaft  42  can be placed through hole  40  and mechanically coupled with footwear strap  38  by threaded female couple  50 . Threaded female couple  50  is not permanently fixed to footwear strap  38  and can be removed. 
         [0039]    In first embodiment  10 , the manufactured article is footwear  24 , the first attachment mechanism is shaft  42  which is mechanically coupled to shafted ornament  52 , the joining mechanism is hole  40 , and the second attachment mechanism is the threaded female couple  50 . Here, the user could connect shafted ornament  52  to threaded female couple  50  by inserting shaft  42  into hole  40 , turning shafted ornament  52  (and thus shaft  42 ) until the mechanical couple is complete. 
         [0040]      FIG. 11  shows a section view of second embodiment  12  where attachment object  26  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38 . Holed ornament  54  can be mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  by placing center article  36  through hole  44  and into hole  40  then coupling center article  34  with threaded female couple  50 . 
         [0041]    In second embodiment  12 , the manufactured article is footwear  24 , the first attachment mechanism is center article  36  which is mechanically coupled to holed ornament  54 , the joining mechanism is hole  44  and hole  40 , and the second attachment mechanism is threaded female couple  50 . Here, the user could connect holed ornament  54  to footwear strap  38  by inserting center article  36  through hole  44  and through hole  40  into threaded female couple  50  and turning center article  36  until the mechanical couple is complete. In an alternate configuration, threaded female couple  50  can be combined with hole  40  into a single item as explained above in first embodiment  10 . 
         [0042]      FIG. 12  shows a section view of third embodiment  14  where attachment object  26  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38 . Holed ornament  54  can be mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  by placing snap article  66  through hole  44  and into hole  40  then coupling snap article  66  with snap insert  62 . 
         [0043]    In third embodiment  14 , the manufactured article is footwear  24 , the first attachment mechanism is snap article  66  which is mechanically coupled to holed ornament  54 , the joining mechanism is hole  44  and hole  40 , and the second attachment mechanism is snap insert  62 . Here, the user could connect holed ornament  54  to footwear strap  38  by inserting snap article  66  through hole  44  and through hole  40  into snap insert  62  and compressing snap article  66  until the mechanical couple is complete. In an alternate configuration, snap insert  62  can be combined with hole  40  into a single item as explained above in first embodiment  10 . 
         [0044]      FIG. 13  shows a section view of fourth embodiment  16  where attachment object  26  is mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38 . Ornament  34  can be mechanically coupled to footwear strap  38  by placing magnet article  68  immediately adjacent to magnet insert  64  creating a single unit that can be removed by pulling magnet article  68  away from magnet  54 . 
         [0045]    In fourth embodiment  16 , the manufactured article is footwear  24 , the first attachment mechanism is magnet article  68  which is mechanically coupled to holed ornament  54 , the joining mechanism is hole  44  and hole  40 , and the second attachment mechanism is magnet insert  64 . Here, the user could connect holed ornament  54  to footwear strap  38  by inserting magnet article  68  through hole  44  and through hole  40  into magnet insert  64  and compressing magnet article  68  until the mechanical couple is complete. In an alternate configuration, magnet insert  64  can be combined with hole  40  into a single item as explained above in first embodiment  10 . 
         [0046]      FIG. 14  shows fifth embodiment  18  which comprises glasses  28 , which further comprises attachment object  26 . Attachment object  26  can be mechanically coupled to ornament  34  using any of the methods outlined above. The manufactured article is glasses  28 . 
         [0047]      FIG. 15  shows sixth embodiment  20  which comprises wallet  30 , which further comprises attachment object  26 . Attachment object  26  can be mechanically coupled to ornament  34  using any of the methods outlined above. The manufactured article is wallet  30 . 
         [0048]      FIG. 16  shows seventh embodiment  22  which comprises purse  32 , which further comprises attachment object  26 . Attachment object  26  can be mechanically coupled to ornament  34  using any of the methods outlined above. The manufactured article is purse  32 . 
         [0049]      FIG. 17  shows a portion of the third embodiment  14  comprising snap insert  62 . Snap insert  62  further comprises a first wide end and a second narrow end. The second narrow end is sufficiently narrow to fit through hole  40  as shown in  FIG. 12 . The first wide end is sufficiently large to avoid being pushed through hole  40 , however it rests flush to strap  38  in a manner which is comfortable to the user. 
         [0050]      FIG. 18  shows a portion of fourth embodiment  16  comprising magnet insert  64 . Magnet insert  64  further comprises a first wide end and a second narrow end. The second narrow end is sufficiently narrow to fit through hole  40  as shown in  FIG. 13 . The first wide end is sufficiently large to avoid being pushed through hole  40 , however it rests flush to strap  38  in a manner which is comfortable to the user. 
         [0051]      FIG. 19  shows eighth embodiment  76  where ornament  34  comprises snap ornament  72  which further comprises snap  46 . Snap  46  can be placed through hole  40  and mechanically coupled with footwear strap  38  by snap insert  62  in a manner similar to  FIG. 10  above. 
         [0052]      FIG. 20  shows ninth embodiment  78  where ornament  34  comprises magnet ornament  74  which further comprises magnet  48 . Magnet  48  can be placed through hole  40  and mechanically coupled with footwear strap  38  by magnet insert  64  in a manner similar to  FIG. 10  above.