Patent Publication Number: US-6341751-B1

Title: Adjustable holder for watches and jewelry

Description:
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/455,913, filed on Dec. 7, 1999 now abandoned. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a support for displaying watches and jewelry, and is more particularly concerned with an adjustable holder that is used to secure the watch or jewelry, regardless of length or diameter. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Watch and jewelry display packages previously known generally include C-shaped support members which are surrounded by the watch and watch band. Examples of prior art display packages are shown in FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  10 A. A C-shaped collar  1  is provided on an insert  4  to support the watch. The watch is simply slipped around the C-collar  1  for display. A pair of slits  6  are provided at opposite ends of the C-collar  1  to receive the watch band. 
     Watches come in a wide variety of styles and designs, with some watches having long bracelets, some short bracelets, and some having stiff round bangle bracelets. The prior art C-collar cannot be adjusted to fit any particular watch, if the diameter of the watch is to large, the watch will slip off the collar, if the diameter of the watch is too small, the C-collar must be squeezed together to accommodate the watch and may snap. Also, the size of the slits  6  limits the width of the watch bracelet which can be accommodated. 
     To overcome these problems, the metal bracelet or leather band of the watch must be adjusted to the approximate size of the prior art C-collar before the watch may be placed on the C-collar. This procedure is very costly in terms of labor. Also, when a salesperson removes the watch from the collar to show the watch to a customer, the watch is not always properly placed back onto the collar as it is not adjusted to the proper size. This results in the watch not being displayed properly. 
     Thus, the many varieties of watches available have created a problem with displaying watches. Moreover, as the watch is simply slipped around the C-collar, if the package is jostled or is turned upside down during shipping, the watch will invariably fall off its support. This may result in the watch becoming damaged during shipping. In some cases, a “twist-tie” is used to secure the watch to the holder to prevent this problem. However this technique is not aesthetically pleasing. 
     Additionally, because of the ease with which the watch can be slipped onto and off of the C-collar, a problem has arisen with watches displayed in known watch boxes being stolen. A thief may easily slip the watch off of the C-collar. The thief then need not worry about concealing a large, bulky watch box, but only the watch. The thief then closes the box so the theft is not noticed until hours or days later when the watch or jewelry is shown again. 
     Therefore, there is a need for a watch and jewelry holder which secures the watch and jewelry to prevent theft and damage to the article and which can accommodate watches and jewelry of various sizes. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an adjustable watch support or holder. The support comprises a first support element. A second support element is slidably engaged with the first support element. The first and second support elements are moveable between various positions with respect to each other. A lock communicates with the first and second support elements and to secure them a desired position. In a preferred embodiment, the first and second support elements together form a substantially C-shaped element onto which a wrist watch may be removably placed. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above-mentioned objects and advantages of the present invention will be more clearly understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIGS. 1A,  1 B and  10 A illustrate known watch holders; 
     FIG. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 4A-4C illustrate the process of adjusting an embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate a detail of the lock; 
     FIG. 6 illustrates another embodiment of the lock; 
     FIG. 7 illustrates another embodiment of the lock; 
     FIG. 8 illustrates another embodiment of the lock; 
     FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10B illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention may utilize a generally C-shaped support member to retain a wrist watch. The C-shaped member includes first and second support elements which together comprise an elongated flat central segment that merges at opposing ends into a pair of end portions that are positionally displaced from the central segment. The end portions may each be curved, may exhibit the same or different curvatures, may exhibit curvature of the same or different extents and may in some cases take the form of end portions that are displaced with little if any curvature and with the same or different extents. All of these various arrangements, and others which will be apparent to those skilled in the art, are considered to be “C-shaped” support members that can be used in the present invention. 
     Turning now to FIG. 2, an embodiment of the present invention will now be described. First  10  and second  12  support elements form the C-shaped support member  1 . Each of the support elements  10 ,  12  preferably includes one of the curved end portions. The first and second support elements  10 ,  12  are moveable with respect to each other. This allows the C-shaped support member to be adjusted to fit watch bracelets of various lengths and widths. The first and second support elements  10 ,  12  are preferably slidably engaged with each other to accomplish this movement. In this embodiment, the first support element  10  has a recess  14  with a number of indentations  16  formed by sidewalls thereof. The second support element  12  includes an extension  15  which is received in the recess  14 . The extension  15  is held within the recess  14  so that the extension  15  may slide within recess  14 . A lock  20 , preferably arranged on extension  15 , communicates with the indentations  16  to hold the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  in a desired position with respect to each other. 
     A detail of one embodiment of the lock is shown in FIGS. 5A-5B. Here, the sidewalls of the recess  14  have a zig-zag pattern forming the indentations  16 . The lock  20  includes first  24  and second  26  portions arranged on the extension  15 . Two prongs  28  extend from the first portion  24  of the lock  20 . Each of the prongs  28  has a knob  29  at its end. The second portion  26  of the lock includes a block element  30  arranged between the prongs  28 . The second portion  26  may be moved with respect to the first portion  24  between an unlocked and a locked position, as shown in FIGS. 5A and 5B respectively. In the locked position, the block element  30  is moved between ends of the prongs  28  and is snapped into place. The block element  30  forces the ends of the prongs  28  away from each other and pushes the knobs  29  into indentations  16  in opposite sidewalls of the recess  14 . The contact between the knobs  29  and the indentations  16  holds the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  in a desired position. In the unlocked position, the block element  30  is moved away from the knobs  29  as shown in FIG.  5 A. In this position, the prongs  28  are released from the indentations  16  and the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  may be moved to another position. The second portion  26  of the lock  20  is preferably designed to be operated with a person&#39;s finger and has an area adapted to receive a finger. Thus, the locking and unlocking operations can be accomplished with a flip of a finger. 
     FIGS. 4A-4C show an overview of the process adjusting of the watch holder. FIG. 4A shows the C-collar  1  in an unexpanded or retracted state. Here, the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  are in their most compacted position. The lock  20  is in the unlocked position and the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  are therefore freely moveable. In FIG. 4B the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  are moved to a selected position to fit the diameter of the watch or jewelry. The support elements  10 ,  12  are held in this selected position by activating the lock  20 . A clerk or salesperson applies their finger to the second portion  26  of the lock  20  and moves it to the locked position shown in FIG.  4 C. As described above, in the locked position, the block element  30  forces the knobs  29  into the indentations  16  to hold the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  in place. 
     In the embodiment described above, the watch holder is both expandable and retractable. Consequently, once the C-collar is locked in a desired position, it may subsequently be unlocked and set in another position to fit a watch of a larger or smaller diameter. FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment of the invention in which the C-collar is one way expandable and not retractable. In this embodiment, some of the sidewalls of the recess  14  are angled so the indentations  16  have a somewhat triangular shape. The lock  20  here takes a different form and should be formed to fit into the spaces created by the indentations  16  and should be a portion made from a flexible material. This allows the lock  20  to be compressed as it passes through the indentations  16  when the C-shaped collar is expanded. The also allows the lock  20  to expand and the fill the indentations  16 . Angled surfaces  21  of the lock  20  allow the lock  20  to pass in a first, expansion direction E. Surface  22  prevent the lock  20  and the second support element  12  from moving in an opposite, retraction direction R. This embodiment helps prevent theft as the watch or jewelry cannot be removed from the support unless the watch or jewelry is broken. 
     FIGS. 6-8 show other embodiments of the invention with various locks for the first and second support elements  10 ,  12 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the second support element  12  is provided with a plurality of indentations  34  along at least portions of its sides. The first support element  10  has side panels  36  which engage the indentations  34 . The side panels  36  are preferably flexible and have engaging surfaces  38  which are adapted to be received in the indentations  34 , that is engaging surfaces  38  have a shape corresponding to a contour of indentations  34 . The salesperson or clerk may use their fingers move the operate side panels  36  and adjust the support. For example, pivot elements  35  may be used to connect the side panels  36  to the first support element  10 . A space is provided between ends of the side panels  36  and the first support element  10 . The ends of the side panels  36  are depressed to disengage the engaging surfaces  38  from indentations  34 , thereby permitting the holder to be adjusted. 
     Of course, the indentations  34  and engaging surfaces  38  may have a number of different shapes. In FIG. 7, the indentations  34  are formed with angled surfaces facing away from the first support element  10 , the opposite of that shown in FIG.  6 . In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the engaging surfaces  38 , again adapted to be received in the indentations  34  prevent the C-shape collar from being contracted unless the lock is released. 
     Another form of the lock is shown in FIG.  8 . Here the lock includes a spring  40  arranged on the second support element  12 . The spring  40  expands into and grabs the indentations  16  to hold the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  in place. When the support elements are to be moved, the spring contracts to allow free movement of the first and second support elements  10 ,  12 . 
     FIGS. 9A-9C illustrate a third embodiment of the present invention. The third embodiment is similar to the embodiments described above in that the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  are slidably engaged with each other, for example, the first support element  10  may be received in a recess in second support element  12 . In the third embodiment, ridges  45  are provided on one of the support elements, here, the first support element  10 . A lock is provided on the other of the support elements. The lock preferably prevents the second support element  12  from being moved with respect to the first support element in at least one of the directions shown in FIG.  9 B. The ridges  45  should be arranged substantially perpendicular to the direction of movement of the device as shown in FIG.  9 C. The ridges  45  are preferably formed from an alternating pattern of angled surfaces  47  and straight surfaces  49  as shown in FIG.  9 B. Angled surfaces  47  should slope away from the second support element  12  and straight surfaces  49  should extend substantially perpendicular from the surface of the first support element  10 . The lock is received between these surfaces and the device is prevented from being compressed by interaction of the lock with one of the straight surfaces  49 , thereby preventing removal of a watch or other item on the device. 
     The lock is attached to the second support element  12  by tabs  50 , as shown in FIG.  9 A. The tabs  50  are preferably made form a flexible material so that the first support element  12 , with ridges  45 , can slide under the lock. The lock has a first surface  52  extending from the tabs  50  and inter-acting with the ridges. First surface  52  should also be arranged substantially perpendicular to the adjusting direction of the device. First surface  52  preferably has a pointed or otherwise tapered end  54  whose shape should correspond to a contour of ridges  45 . End  54  is forced into the ridges  45  by the tabs  50  to hold the first and second support elements  10 ,  12  in place. As shown in FIG. 9B, this is done by interaction between end  54  and straight surface  49 . The lock may be released by applying force on stub  53  in the direction of arrow  57  in FIG.  9 B. End  54  is thereby released from ridges  45  and the second support element  12  may now be moved in retraction direction R. The angled surfaces  47  and flexibility of the tabs  50  allow the device to be expanded with out deactivating the lock. When second support element  12  is moved in expansion direction E, end  54  simply slides up angled surface  47  and into the next ridge  45 . Thus, the alternating pattern of angled surfaces  47  and straight surfaces  49  used here prevent the device from being retracted without using the lock, but allow the device to be easily expanded. Sloping angled surfaces  47  towards second support element  12  has the opposite effect. Of course, other arrangements of the ridges may also be used to prevent any movement of the support elements without deactivating the lock. 
     In a preferred embodiment of the invention, ears  42  are provided on the C-shaped collar as shown in FIGS. 10A and 10B. The ears preferably extend from the curved end portions of the C-shaped collar. The ears  42  are provided to prevent the watch from slipping of the collar. Traditionally, there was a very limited size the ears could be made. If the ears were too long, it was difficult to place the watch on the collar. If the ears were too short, the watch simply falls off the collar. The present invention allows the ears to be long enough to securely hold the watch on the collar. The adjustability of the C-shaped collar allows the watch to easily be placed on the collar when the collar is in the collapsed state. The collar can then be expanded and the watch is held securely in place. 
     FIGS. 10A and 10B also show the adjustable watch holder as part of a watch stand or display stand. However, the adjustable holder of the present invention may also be adapted to fit in a traditional watch box. 
     Accordingly, a watch and jewelry holder which supports a watch or jewelry has been provided. In one embodiment, the C-shaped support is formed from first and second support elements. The first and second support elements are slidably engaged with each other to be moveable to various positions. A lock or hook-in may be provided to secure the support elements in a selected position. The support is thus adjustable to fit watches of various length and diameters. Additionally the support is easy to operate and deters theft. 
     While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, since variations in the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention should not be construed as limited to the specific embodiments described above.