Patent Publication Number: US-2020288825-A1

Title: Detachable system and apparatus for removable jewelry components and clasps

Description:
CLAIM TO BENEFIT OF A PRIOR-FILED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of the filing date of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/778,864 filed on Dec. 12, 2018. Furthermore, all of the claims in the present application claim the benefit of the prior-filed application. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a releasable locking apparatus to be adapted to an existing or new jewelry clasp for bracelets such as charm bracelets or necklaces or exchangeable decorative end caps. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Related art includes clasps or decorative end caps which may break based upon a design which allows for locking which is insecure or which fail due to the design of the enclosures for biasing springs. 
     The present invention has been developed to help address these issues. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A system and apparatus to resolve the complexity to remove and replace clasps and/or end caps without the limitation of present clasps and a system and apparatus to be adapted to a piece of jewelry where one or more of its components are meant to be removable and replace with another, for example, a decorative end cap. The apparatus consisting of two parts, a female and a male member, where one of the members is detachable. Where in a simple push and twist, the system unlocks and locks the one part of a clasp or component, securing it into place through compression and barrier walls. The apparatus can be adapted to a variety of different designs of clasp or end cap and facilitates the way a charm may be placed in a chain or cord bracelet or necklace. The apparatus can also be adapted to any design component intended to be substituted with another one. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention and together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. The embodiments illustrated are examples. It is understood that the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements and instrumentalities shown, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a cut away side view of the male body and female body in an unlocked orientation. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a cut away side view of the male body and female body in a locked orientation. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the male body. 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the female body. 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the contact element. 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the male body and female body. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a cut away side view of the female body and male body in an unlocked orientation. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a cut away side view of the female body and male body in a locked orientation. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the female body. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the male body. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates a top view of one embodiment of the contact element. 
         FIG. 12  illustrates an exploded perspective view of one embodiment of the female body and male body. 
         FIG. 13  illustrates a cut away side view of one embodiment of the invention having an end cap in an unlocked orientation. 
         FIG. 14  illustrates a cut away side view of one embodiment of the invention having an end cap in a locked orientation. 
         FIG. 15  illustrates a cut away side view of one embodiment of the invention having a clasp in an unlocked orientation. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a releasable locking apparatus. Preferred embodiments of the presently disclosed apparatus will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings in which like reference numerals designate identical or corresponding elements in each of the several views. In the description that follows, the term “top”, as is traditional, will refer to the end of the element which is closest to the operator, while the term “bottom” will refer to the end of the device which is furthest from the operator. 
       FIGS. 1-6  illustrate one preferred embodiment of the presently disclosed releasable locking apparatus shown generally as  10 . The apparatus  10  has a male body  12  and a female body  14 . 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the male body  12  has a top section  16 , a bottom section  18 , and a male body rim  20  located at the bottom section  18 . The male body  12  has a protrusion portion  22  located on the top section  16  of the male body  12 . As shown in  FIGS. 1, 3 and 6 , the protrusion portion  22  has a middle section  24  with an upper portion  26  and a lower portion  28 . As shown, the middle section  24  is generally round. 
     The protrusion portion  22  also includes at least one outer section  30  located on the upper portion  26  of the middle section  24 . The outer section  30  has a radius with a length between the radius of the male body rim  20  and the radius of the middle section  24 . There may be a single outer section  30 , or there may be two outer sections  30  so that a bowtie shape is formed on the protrusion portion  22  as shown in  FIG. 3 . More than two protrusion portions  22  are also contemplated for this invention. 
     In addition, as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , a wall section  32  is located on the middle section  24  at the protrusion portion  22  between the outer section  30  and the top section  26  of the male body  12 . The wall section  32  provides a stop when the male body  12  and the female body  14  interlock. 
     Shown in  FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6  is the female body  14  having a side wall  34  enclosing a void  36 . The female body  14  also includes a bottom section  38  and a top section  40 . The top section  40  includes a female body rim  42 , at least one gap portion  44  complementary to the protrusion portion  22  of the male body  12 , and at least one contact portion  46  extending from the female body rim  42  to the gap portion  44 . The female body  14  also includes a spring  48 . The spring  48  is located within the void  36  is oriented vertically as shown. As shown, the diameter of the spring  48  may be approximately the diameter of the void  36  to prevent the spring  48  from being moved from proper orientation. Other means for prevent the spring  48  from being moved are also contemplated, such as different geometries of the spring  48  and the void  36 . Also, although a coil spring is shown, other springs such as leaf springs are also contemplated. 
     In addition, the female body  14  includes a contact element  50  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 5 . The contact element  50  is movable within the void  36 . It is located in the void  36  between the spring  48  and the contact portion  46  of the female body  14 . As shown, the contact element  50  may be a plate shaped. 
     Also, additional means for keeping the spring  48  in proper orientation are contemplated using centering members for the elements which contact the spring  48 . The contact element  50  may include a spring centering member in the middle of the plate on the side where the contact element  50  contacts the spring  48 . In addition, the bottom section  38  of the female body  14  may include a bottom centering member at the center of the bottom section  38 , wherein the bottom centering member is located within the spring  48 . 
     As shown, in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the diameter of the spring  48  is approximately the diameter of the void  36 . However, the diameter of the spring  48  may be less than the diameter of the void  36 . For example the diameter of the spring  48  may be approximately 80% of the diameter of the void  36  and still be restricted sufficiently so that the spring  48  keeps its alignment. 
     In addition, the spring  48  and the contact element  50  may be connected. Also, the spring  48  and the bottom section  38  of the female body  14  may be connected. Furthermore, the contact element  50  may be connected to the spring  48  and the spring  48  may be connected to the bottom section  38  of the female body  14 . 
     In one embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the male body  12  includes an overhang  52  located at the male body rim  20 . The overhang  52  creates a hollow  54  located between the overhang  52  and the protrusion portion  22 . 
     The female body  14  includes a crown  56  on the contact portion  46 . The crown  56  is a part of the contact portion  46  which extends past the top section of the female body  14 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . The shape of the crown  56  is complementary to the shape of the hollow  54 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 6 , the crown  56  is generally arc shaped. Other shapes are also contemplated for the crown  56 . 
     The overhang  52  includes an overhang contact surface  58 , and the rim  42  of the female body  14  includes a rim contact surface  60 . The overhang contact surface  58  and the rim contact surface  60  are complementary so that the male body  14  and the female body  14  fit closely when in locking orientation. 
     Another embodiment of the apparatus  10  is illustrated in  FIGS. 7 through 12 . In this embodiment, the male body  12  includes a flange  62  located near the bottom section  18  of the male body  12 . The female body  14  has a contact wall  64  located at the female body rim  42 . As shown, the contact wall  64  extends past the contact portion  46  of the female body  14 . 
     The shape of the flange  62  is complementary to the shape of the contact wall  64 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the flange  58  and the contact wall  60  meet horizontally and with a 90 degree angle when the apparatus  10  is in a locked orientation. However, other angles and geometries are also contemplated. 
     In another embodiment of the apparatus, as described in  FIGS. 1 through 6 , and as shown in  FIGS. 13 and 14 , the bottom section  18  of the male body  12  further comprises an end cap  66 . The end cap  66  may include inner walls  68  which are complementary in shape to the female side wall  34 . The inner walls  68  may be longer than the length of the female body  14 , and may be shaped so that the female body  14  is covered. 
     In addition, the bottom section  38  of the female body  14  may include a female housing  70 . The housing may include a female chain  72  or bangle or similar structure. 
     In another embodiment of the apparatus, as described in  FIGS. 7 through 12 , and as shown in  FIG. 15 , the bottom section  18  of the male body  12  includes a male housing  74 . The male housing  74  may contain the end of a chain  76  or bangle, or a similar structure. The female body  14  may include a clasp  78  or similar structure. 
     It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to what has been particularly shown and described herein above. In addition, unless mention was made above to the contrary, it should be noted that the accompanying drawings are not to scale. A variety of modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.