Abstract:
The invention incorporates the use of reconstituted leather board in decorative wearing accessories such as cuffs, belts, necklaces, hat bands, headbands, bracelets, decorative chokers, vests and other wearing accessories for personal use and adornment worn by both men and women. Reconstituted leather board is incorporated into decorative wearing accessories so that the decorative wearing accessory is made stronger and more durable and at the same time also is more malleable and can be formed into a desired shape and maintain that shape through continuous wear.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of decorative wearing accessories such as jewelry items and various garments including bracelets, necklaces, belts worn as decorative accessories, headbands, hat bands, chokers, cuffs, vests and other decorative wearing apparel which can contain precious or semiprecious stones. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     In general, to the best of the present inventor&#39;s knowledge, no one has created any of the products which are discussed in this application out of reconstituted leather. 
     Reconstituted leather or bonded leather is a man-made material composed of eight percent to one hundred percent leather fibers. It consists of collagen fibers obtained from macerated hide pieces bonded together with latex binders constructed into a fibrous mat to create a look and feel similar or sometimes identical to that of genuine leather. 
     Examples of products that are most commonly constructed out of bonded leather are bibles, diaries, art books, desk accessories, handbags, chairs and sofas. 
     Reconstituted leather or bonded leather is a material made of varying degrees of genuine leather combined with other substances to give the appearance of leather at reduced costs. There are different types of bonded leather, but the type being using on upholstered furniture today is a polyurethane or vinyl product backed with fabric and then a layer of latex or other material mixed with a small percentage of leather fibers in the product backing material. The actual leather content of bonded or reconstituted leather varies from manufacturer to manufacturer. 
     There is a significant need for an improved jewelry item and wearing accessory which incorporates the use of reconstituted leather or in particular to reconstituted leather board, to enhance the benefits of the jewelry and wearing accessory item. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention incorporates the use of reconstituted leather board in decorative wearing accessories such as cuffs, belts, necklaces, hat bands, headbands, bracelets, decorative chokers, vests and other wearing accessories for personal use and adornment worn by both men and women. 
     It has been discovered according to the present invention that by incorporating reconstituted leather board into decorative wearing accessories, the decorative wearing accessory is made stronger and more durable and at the same time is also more malleable so that it can be shaped and formed into a desired shape and maintain that shape through continuous wear. 
     In its preferred embodiment, the reconstituted leather board forms the core or basis of the decorative wearing apparel and is enveloped by various covering members which serve to conceal the interior bonded leather board which serves the purpose of making the jewelry item or wearing apparel item more malleable and strong. 
     It has further been discovered according to the present invention that the incorporation of reconstituted leather board into a decorative wearing apparel item such as jewelry strengthens the decorative wearing apparel item and enables it to be formed into various desired wearing shapes such as cuffs which can be worn by a woman wearing a sleeveless dress or alternatively, worn over the sleeves of a dress or sweater or other long sleeved garment to help beautify and enhance the aesthetic appearance of the wearer. 
     For the cuff, the decorative wearing accessory comprises a reconstituted leather board core to which is affixed a button stud closure member which extends through an opening formed or punched into the reconstituted leather board core and is retained to the reconstituted leather board by affixation means such as a threaded bolt extending into a threaded receiving opening in the bulb headed closing member. The back end of the affixation means is concealed by a foam padding layer affixed to the rear surface of the reconstituted leather board core. An upper top layer of suede leather is affixed at its interior surface to the foam core by affixation means such as glue or sewing and then a lower layer of suede leather has a hole punched through it, which hole is press fit over the bulb head of the button stud closing member and affixed to the lower surface of the reconstituted leather board by means such as glue to form a completely enclosed jewelry member. Another hole is punched through the top suede leather surface, the foam core, the reconstituted leather board cord and the lower suede surface so that the bulb head of the button stud closing member is pressed through the second hole to form a generally cylindrical object of any desired circumferential design to form a cuff worn on a person&#39;s wrist with the bulb head which closes the cuff hidden inside the cuff. The top exterior surface can be decorated with any desired ornamentation such as large stones affixed to the top surface and held firmly by affixation through strong sewing thread or cord firmly sewn into the top suede leather surface, through the foam core and into the reconstituted leather board by strong stitching. Alternatively, a secondary ornamentation piece is affixed to the top suede leather surface and the ornamentation piece can retain light ornamentation such as smaller jewels such as pearls. A decoration on the circumference of the secondary ornamentation such as rat tail cord or other ribbon decoration can further enhance the beauty of the jewelry piece. The ornamentation piece can also be made of satin or any other fine fabric. 
     While the cuff is one of the more complicated pieces of jewelry to make, a suede leather belt with an exterior suede leather surface and an interior suede leather surface which surround a reconstituted leather board core is also within the spirit and scope of the present invention. The same button stud closure or a belt buckle and holes for the belt engagement member is all that is required. Any ornamentation can be placed on the exterior suede leather surface. The foam core is optional. The circumference can be encircled with a cord or with a trim affixed around the exterior suede leather surfaces. 
     Earrings with an outer and inner suede leather surface surrounding a reconstituted leather board core are also within the spirit and scope of the present invention, clip-on means or pierced earring pins can be affixed to the rear surface of the suede leather and further retained by retaining means affixed into the reconstituted leather board core. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to create decorative wearing accessories including jewelry items and garment items which have as their core reconstituted leather board enveloped by a decorative outer material such as suede leather skin, satin cord, or other fine material on both the top and bottom of the item such as suede or leather below the reconstituted leather and/or above the reconstituted leather, which decorative items further serve to retain items of adornment such as turquoise stones or other gems which are sewn onto or stitched into the covering and embedded in the reconstituted leather board to strengthen the bond between the decorative stones and the reconstituted leather board 
     Further novel features and other objects of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, discussion and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Referring particularly to the drawings for the purpose of illustration only and not limitation, there is illustrated: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan view of an interior core reconstituted leather board used as the interior strengthening member of a cuff with a fanciful circumferential shape designed to match the fanciful circumferential shape of the cuff; 
         FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of a closing button stud closing member used to close the cuff, and illustrating the ball shaped head, the stem and a bottom base having interior threads; 
         FIG. 3  is a side perspective view of a threaded bolt having a base with a screwdriver receiving opening; 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom plan view of the reconstituted leather board core with the button stud closing member extending through the reconstituted leather board core with the ball shaped head extending from the bottom surface of the reconstituted leather board core; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial top plan view of the reconstituted leather board core illustrating the bottom of the threaded bolt which lies against the top surface of the reconstituted leather board core and which affixes the button stud closing member to the reconstituted leather board core; 
         FIG. 6  is a top plan view of a foam core which is affixed at its bottom surface to the top surface of the reconstituted leather board core, the foam core in the same shape as the reconstituted leather board core; 
         FIG. 7  is a bottom plan view of the combined reconstituted leather board and glued on foam placed face down so that the foam leather piece is against the interior surface of top exterior suede leather surface with a multiplicity of odd shaped cuts cut into the top surface suede leather to form cutout areas in the top suede leather to facilitate glueing of the top suede leather surface to the rear surface of the reconstituted leather board; 
         FIG. 8  is a bottom plan view of the interior of the top suede leather surface glued to the rear surface of the reconstituted leather board core; 
         FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of a silver metal cord glued around the exterior circumferential area of the top suede leather surface and foam core so that the silver metal cord is entirely surrounds the top surface of top suede leather; 
         FIG. 10  is a bottom perspective view of the bottom suede leather surface with a hole punched into it and fed onto and through the top ball of the button stud closing member so that it rests around the stem and is then rotated so that its circumference is adjacent to the silver metal cord and is glued in place by glue applied to the interior surface and along the circumference of the bottom suede leather surface so that the bottom suede leather surface is glued to the interior surface of the reconstituted leather core and to the cutout portion of the outer suede leather surface so that the silver metal cord surrounds the entire exterior circumference of the top suede leather surface and a portion of the foam core; 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom plan view illustrating another hole with a key shape punched through the top suede leather surface, through the foam core, through the reconstituted leather board core and through the bottom suede leather surface; 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the cuff with a decorative upper suede leather ornamental piece with a rat tail cord affixed to its circumference by affixation means with the decorative ornamental piece affixed to the upper top surface of top suede leather surface and with additional decorative ornamentation such as a multiplicity of pearls affixed to the upper surface of decorative suede leather ornamentation piece; 
         FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12  to show all of the components of the present invention cuff jewelry piece except for the closure mechanism; 
         FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 4  to illustrate the button stud closing member and its component parts extending through the bottom suede leather surface, extending through the reconstituted leather board core, and hidden by the foam core section and the upper surface suede leather; 
         FIG. 15  is a perspective view of the cuff in the closed condition; 
         FIG. 16  is a top perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the cuff with the same components as the first embodiment but with different turquoise stone decorations affixed to the top surface of the cuff; and 
         FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the alternative embodiment of the cuff in the closed condition. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Although specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated an interior layer of the present invention reconstituted leather board  10  which is cut into the shape of the jewelry piece to be manufactured, which in the present case is a cuff. An opening  12  is punched through the entire thickness of the reconstituted leather board extending from the upper surface  14  to the lower surface  16 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , a button stud closing member  60  includes a ball shaped head  62  affixed to one end of  63  of a stem  64  which in turn at its second end  65  is affixed to a base  66  having an interior cavity  68  with a threaded interior surface  67 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , a threaded bolt  70  having a base  72  with a screwdriver opening  74  extends to a stem  76  having mating threads  78 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , the ball shaped head  62  and stem  64  are pushed through opening  12  from the upper surface  14  to the rear or lower surface  16  so that the stem  64  and ball shaped head  62  extend away from the rear or lower surface  16 . Referring to  FIG. 5 , the base  66  extends through to the rear surface  16  and threaded bolt  70  has its stem  76  inserted into threaded opening  68  so that threads  78  are threaded into interior threads  67  so that the bolt base  72  and screwdriver opening  74  are against the front surface  14  of the reconstituted leather board core  10 . A screwdriver is used to screw threaded bolt  70  into the button stud closing member  60 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , a foam core  20  which is formed in the same shape as the reconstituted leather board core  10  is then glued to the front surface  14  of the reconstituted leather board  10  so that it conceals the bolt base  72 , screwdriver opening  74  and base  66  of the button stud closing member  60 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the combined reconstituted leather board  10  and glued on foam  20  are placed face down so that the foam core  20  is against the interior surface  32  of top exterior suede leather surface  30  with a multiplicity of odd shaped cuts  34  cut into the top surface suede leather  30  to form cutout areas  36  in the top suede leather to facilitate glueing of the top suede leather surface  30  to the rear surface  16  of the reconstituted leather board. 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , glue or other affixation means  38  is placed onto the cutout areas  36  of rear surface  32  of the exterior top suede leather  30  so that the cutout areas  36  are glued or otherwise affixed to the rear surface  16  of reconstituted leather board  10 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a metallic cord  40  which has an interior tape by which it is then glued between the foam core  20  and upper top suede leather member  30  (see  FIG. 13 ) so that the metallic cord  40  surrounds the top suede leather portion  30  and a portion of the foam core  20 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , rear or bottom suede leather surface  50  has a hole  52  punched into it and is fed onto and through the top ball  62  of button stud closing member  60  so that it rests around the stem  64  and is then rotated so that its circumference  54  is adjacent to the silver metal cord  40  and is glued in place by glue applied to the interior surface  56  of the bottom suede leather surface so that the bottom suede leather surface  50  is glued onto the bottom surface  16  of reconstituted leather core board  10 , and to the cutout portion  36  of outer suede leather surface  30  so that the metallic cord  40  surrounds the entire exterior circumference of the top suede leather surface  30  and a portion of the foam core  20 . This is also illustrated in  FIG. 12 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 11 , another hole  80  with a key slot  82  is then punched through the top suede leather  30 , through the foam core  20 , through the reconstituted leather board  10  and through the bottom suede leather surface  50 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 12 , a decorative upper suede leather ornamental piece  90  with a rat tail cord  92  affixed to its circumference by affixation means such as sewing or glueing is then affixed to the upper top surface  33  of top suede leather surface  30  by affixation means such as glue. Additional decorative ornamentation such as a multiplicity of pearls  100  is then affixed to the upper surface  96  of decorative suede leather ornamental piece  90 . 
       FIG. 13  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  13 - 13  of  FIG. 12  to show all of the components of the present invention cuff  2  jewelry piece except for the closure mechanism. The components include the pearl ornamentation  100 , the decorative ornamentation suede leather piece  90  surrounded by the rat tail cord  92 , the top suede leather piece  30 , the interior foam core  20 , the reconstituted leather board core  10 , the bottom suede leather piece  50 , the top suede leather piece  30  and the upper portion of foam core  20  surrounded by the silver metallic cord  40 . 
       FIG. 14  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  14 - 14  of  FIG. 4  to illustrate the button stud closure member  60  and its component parts extending through bottom suede leather surface  50 , extending through reconstituted leather board  10 , hidden by foam core  20  and upper surface  30 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 15 , ball head  62  of ball head closing member  60  is press fitted through second opening  80  through key opening  82  so that the ball head lies within the cuff  2  and is hidden from view while the cuff illustrated in  FIG. 15  is formed into a closed cylinder which encircles a person&#39;s wrist. 
     An alternative variation of the present invention cuff  102  is illustrated in  FIG. 16 . All of the components including the upper suede leather surface  130 , an interior foam core, an interior reconstituted leather board core, a bottom suede leather surface, and a silver ornamental metallic cord  140  encircling all components is the same as the first embodiment cuff  2 . Here the decorative features are stones  200  such as turquoise stones which are affixed to the upper surface  33  of upper suede leather top  130  by affixation means such as strong sewing thread  210  and/or  220  sewn through the top suede leather surface  130 , through the foam core and into the reconstituted leather board and as illustrated in  FIG. 17 , retained by a comparable ball head closing button inserted through an oppositely disposed hole extending through all layers of the cuff  102  to form a generally cylindrical cuff. 
     Broadly described, the cuff is a decorative wearing accessory. The present invention incorporates the use of reconstituted leather board in decorative wearing accessories such as cuffs as discussed in detail above and the same principles are incorporated into other decorative wearing accessories such as belts, necklaces, hat bands, headbands, bracelets, decorative chokers, vests and other wearing accessories for personal use and adornment worn by both men and women. 
     Of course the present invention is not intended to be restricted to any particular form or arrangement, or any specific embodiment, or any specific use, disclosed herein, since the same may be modified in various particulars or relations without departing from the spirit or scope of the claimed invention hereinabove shown and described of which the apparatus or method shown is intended only for illustration and disclosure of an operative embodiment and not to show all of the various forms or modifications in which this invention might be embodied or operated.