Patent Publication Number: US-7213605-B2

Title: Jewelry cleaning basket

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION  
   This application is based on and claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/441,423, filed Jan. 21, 2003, which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates, in general, to tools used to hold jewelry during cleaning. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Jewelry articles are cleaned with ultrasonic cleaning equipment, high-pressure steam, cleaning solutions, solvents, and other cleaning methods. These cleaning mediums are often inappropriate for extended contact with the skin of the user. Consequently, a number of tools are employed for positioning the jewelry article. 
   Grasping tools such as long-handled tweezers or hemostats are often used because the jewelry article may be affirmatively positioned for visual inspection and accurate cleaning. The jewelry article often includes a device (e.g., jewel, gemstone) that is affixed by one of a number of means: channel setting, pave setting, prong setting, tension setting, invisible setting, inlay, burnish setting, pick setting, glue setting, and pre-cast setting, etc. Often, the temperature, pressure and vibration of cleaning loosen a device (e.g., jewel, gemstone) mounted to the jewelry article. Grasping tools let a loosened jewelry device fall from the mounting, which can cause embarrassment, inconvenience or expense, especially if this loss occurs in the presence of a customer. 
   To avoid loss of a jewelry device, often an enclosed tool such as a basket is used. As a particular example, a spring-handled basket tool is used that opens a spherical basket formed from two hinged hemispheric wire baskets. Similar or identical spring-handled tools are more generally used for infusing loose tea in a tea cup. These basket tools do avoid the loss of jewelry devices. However, the jewelry article is allowed to tumble within the basket, which may prevent a thorough cleaning or may cause scratching. 
   Consequently, a significant need exists for an improved jewelry-cleaning tool that accurately positions a jewelry article while capturing any dislodged gemstones or jewels. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention overcomes the above-noted and other deficiencies of the prior art by providing a tool for cleaning a jewelry article that affirmatively grasps the article while encompassing the article in a porous enclosure for capture of any jewelry device (e.g., gemstone, jewel, etc.) that should become dislodged during cleaning. 
   In one aspect of the invention, a spring-handled basket tool includes a clip affixed to the interior of the basket. Thereby, the jewelry article may be inspected or oriented to a cleaning medium. Moreover, the cleaning process has less risk of a mishap, thereby alleviating job stress for the user. In addition, the tool provides the ability to see the jewelry while under a stream of high pressure steam, enabling one to direct the steam under prongs, inside channel settings, and inside rings, without the loss of gems. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention shall be made apparent from the accompanying drawings and the description thereof. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
     The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and, together with the general description of the invention given above, and the detailed description of the embodiments given below, serve to explain the principles of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a closed, spring-handled basket tool having an inwardly oriented clip affixed to a basket rim. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the spring-handled basket tool of  FIG. 1  with the handle depressed to open the basket, exposing the clip for insertion of a jewelry article. 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the spring-handled basket tool of  FIGS. 1 and 2  with a jewelry article grasped and enclosed. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1–3  depict a tool  10  for holding jewelry article  12  during cleaning. In particular, a grasping member, depicted as an alligator clip  14  that is treated to prevent scratching of the jewelry article, is attached to an interior  16  of a porous enclosure  18 . In the illustrative embodiment, the porous enclosure  18  is provided by a spring-handled basket tool  20  generally known for cleaning jewelry and for infusing loose tea. The porous enclosure  18  is thus provided by a selectively opened wire sphere  20  with a handle  22  biased to a closed position. The sphere  20  is formed from two pivoting hemispheres  24 ,  26 , each contacting the other at a respective circular ring  28 ,  30 . The lower ring  28  provides a convenient place for affixing (e.g., riveting, brazing) the clip  14 . 
   The components may be selected from materials suitable for the cleaning environment and thus be resistant to corrosion. A clip  14  should be selected for having a soft contacting portion that does not mar the jewelry article  14  and have a resilient closing strength suitable to hold the article without damage. It may be desirable to also include a locking ring (not shown) that slides along the handle  22  and has a diameter such that the handle  22  is squeezed to hold open the hemispheres  28 ,  30 . 
   In use, cleaning a jewelry article  12  is safely accomplished by clipping the jewelry article  12  to an interior of a basket that has porous openings to allow entry of a cleaning liquid. The basket is closed. Then the basket is positioned by an attached handle to expose the basket, and thereby the contained jewelry article  12 , to the cleaning liquid (e.g., steam, ultrasonic, ammonia solution, etc.). With reference to  FIG. 1 , the tool  10  is initially closed and empty. In  FIG. 2 , the tool  10  is opened and the clip  14  is opened to receive a jewelry article  12 . In  FIG. 3 , the jewelry article  12  has been clipped and the tool  10  closed for cleaning. 
   While the present invention has been illustrated by description of several embodiments and while the illustrative embodiments have been described in considerable detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional advantages and modifications may readily appear to those skilled in the art. For example, other types of porous enclosures may be used that allow the introduction of cleaning steam, ultrasonic water, solutions, etc. Moreover, other types of selective openings may be used, such as a door. In addition, other grasping tools may be affixed to the interior of the enclosure. As another example, rather than relying upon spring action to close the tool  14  and the clip  14 , affirming locking means may be employed.