Patent Publication Number: US-2019191829-A1

Title: Silicone metal composite ring

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     This disclosure relates to the technical field of accessories, specifically to a type of ring having metallic portions and silicone portions. Certain aspects of the disclosure relate to a method of manufacturing a type of ring having metallic portions and silicone portions of a ring composed of a front portion of the ring being made of metal and the remaining portion of the circumference of the ring being made of silicone. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Wedding rings or wedding bands have customarily been worn by both men and women throughout history. The ring is normally worn on the base of the left or right “ring” finger. One possible reason the “ring” or fourth finger on the left hand is the chosen location for wearing a ring is that the likelihood of injury is minimized. Humans are predominately right handed and wearing a wedding ring on the left hand on the fourth finger likely results in a decreased amount of injuries and less wear and tear on the ring itself. Typically, wedding rings are made of precious metals such as gold, silver, palladium, and platinum. Other examples include those rings made out of titanium, tungsten, ceramic, etc. Certain occupations and active lifestyles are not conducive to the wearing of a wedding band. Serious injury can result to the finger and hand if a conventional wedding ring gets caught on an object. Many individuals remove their rings for safekeeping, only to find that after completing work or other activity the ring has been misplaced, lost, or even stolen. It is known that rings made of silicone have been used as a replacement to conventional wedding bands or even for other jewelry rings. 
     To alleviate the hazards and risks associated with the wearing of a conventional wedding band, a ring manufactured of silicone may eliminate potential risks of injury to the hand and finger posed by an all metal ring. A silicone ring may also provide a cost-effective alternative to those who desire to wear a ring continuously and a ring that will not interfere with an active lifestyle. Silicone rubber is widely known to be resistant to extreme temperatures, is resistant to abrasions, is resistant to chemicals, is resistant to weather, is hypoallergenic, is comfortable to wear, and is less harmful to the environment than many organic rubbers. 
     Some ring wearers may want the benefits of a silicon ring, but also seek the look and feel of a metal ring. Conventional methods of manufacturing or molding a silicone ring cannot produce a ring made of a silicone portion and a metal portion. Common problems with conventional methods may include a rough transition between silicone and metal, mis-shaped rings, or failure, break or tear points at or near the transition from silicone to metal. The ring and method disclosed herein seeks to overcome these shortcomings. 
     Summary 
     This Summary provides an introduction to some general concepts relating to this disclosure in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the disclosure. 
     Certain aspects of the present disclosure relate to a unique metal and silicone combination ring, or methods of making such a ring. In accordance with one exemplary aspect of the disclosure, a metallic silicone combination ring, comprises a silicone ring part and a metallic part. The silicone ring is equipped with a metallic joint, and the metallic part is a split ring, with at least two uniformly distributed connecting holes at both terminals of the metallic part, respectively; the inner wall of the metallic part is in contact with and connected to the outer wall of the metallic joint, and the silicone ring at the two terminals of the metallic joint is equipped with connecting posts that extend into the connecting holes. 
     In accordance with another exemplary aspect of the disclosure, a metallic silicone combination ring comprising a silicone ring and a metallic part, wherein, the silicone ring comprises a metallic joint, and the metallic part is a split ring, with at least two uniformly distributed connecting holes at both terminals of the metallic part, respectively; an inner wall of the metallic part is in contact with an outer wall of the metallic joint, and the silicone ring at two terminals of the metallic joint comprises connecting posts that extend into the connecting holes. 
     In accordance with yet another exemplary aspect of the disclosure, a metal silicone composite ring comprising a silicone portion and a metal portion, wherein, the silicone portion comprises an annular ring having a seat for the metal portion, and the metal portion comprising an arc section of a ring, the metal portion having at least two uniformly distributed holes at ends of the metal portion; an inner surface of the metal portion is in contact with an outer surface of the seat, and the silicone portion having that extend into the connecting holes. 
     Optionally, the connecting post is cylindrical. 
     Optionally, the end face of the connecting post is a circular arc surface. 
     Optionally, the connecting post is a circular hole. 
     Optionally, the edge of the outer wall of the metallic part is chamfered. 
     Optionally, the chamfer at the edge of the outer wall of the metallic part is a circular arc chamfer. 
     Optionally, the edge of the outer wall of the outer ring is chamfered. 
     Optionally, the chamfer at the edge of the outer wall of the outer ring is a circular arc chamfer. 
     Optionally, the number of connecting posts and connecting holes is at least two, respectively. 
     Optionally, the connecting posts and connecting holes are evenly distributed, respectively. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       Exemplary embodiments of the disclosure will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram showing the combined structure of the metallic silicone combination ring under the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic diagram showing the silicone ring structure of the metallic silicone combination ring under the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a front elevation diagram showing the metallic part of the metallic silicone combination ring under the present disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view of the metallic part of the metallic silicone combination ring under the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     In the following description of various examples of a combination silicone and metal ring and methods of manufacture in this disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. 
     It is to be understood that other combination silicone and metal rings and methods of manufacture may be utilized, and that structural and functional modifications may be made from the specifically described examples and methods without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, the figures of this disclosure may represent the scale and/or dimensions according to one or more embodiments, and as such contribute to the teaching of such dimensional scaling. However, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that the disclosure herein is not limited to the scales, dimensions, proportions, and/or orientations shown in the figures. 
     The embodiments and methods described herein provide, inter alia, a combination silicone and metal ring and the method of manufacturing. The combination silicone and metal ring is unique and may be used as a substitute to a conventional wedding band. The combination silicone and metal ring provides a safe alternative to individuals with active lifestyles or professions not conducive to the wearing of conventional rings or wedding bands due to the risk of injury to the finger and hand. 
     The design of the combination silicone and metal ring and associated process of manufacturing may result in a ring design composed of a front portion of the ring being made of metal and the remaining portion of the circumference of the ring being made of silicone. 
     In the figures,  1  is the silicone ring,  101  is the metallic joint,  102  is the connecting post,  2  is the metal portion, and  201  is the connecting hole. 
     A metallic silicone combination ring, as shown in  FIGS. 1 to 4 , comprising a silicone ring  1  having a metal portion  2 . The silicone ring  1  may have a metal joining section  101  where the metal portion  2  may be seated when combined with the silicone ring  1  in a mold. The metal portion  2  is a split ring or an arced portion of a ring circumference. The center area  4  of the metal portion  2  may be the visible or ornamental part of the metal portion  2 . The metal portion  2  may also have two ends ( 6 ,  8 ) which may not be visible once the metal portion  2  is combined with the silicone ring  1 . At metal portion ends  6  and  8 , may have at least at least two uniformly distributed holes  201  used in the method for combining the metal portion  2  with the silicone ring  1  as described below. There may be one or more holes  201  on each end ( 6 ,  8 ) of the metal portion  2 , respectively. An inner surface  10  of the metal portion  2  is in contact with and may become connected to an outer surface  12  of the metal joining section  101  of the silicone ring  1 . In an embodiment, the silicone ring  1  at the outer ends of the metal joining section  101  may have protrusions located under the holes  201  in the metal portion  2 . In the method for combining the metal portion  2  with the silicone ring  1  as described below, the protrusions becoming connectors  102 , taking the form of the holes  201 . In other embodiments, no such protrusions are provided. 
     In an embodiment, to form the metal silicone combination ring, the materials for the metal portion  2  and the silica gel to form the silicone ring  1  may be placed into a mold together, and subjected to high temperature pressing and heat forming. In the forming process, the silicone may extrude through holes  201 , forming connectors  102  within the holes  201 . The connectors  102  may fixedly connect the metal portion  2  to the metal joining section  101 . After forming, in an embodiment, both ends  6 , 8  of the metal portion  2  may now be bound or encased in the silicone. The combination and interconnectedness of the silicone ring  1  and the metallic part  2  constitutes a structure of a closed circular ring, which may not only improve the comfort of wearing the ring during exercise and work through the structure of the silicone ring  1 , but also preserves the metallic texture through the structure of the metallic part  2 . At the same time, the structure in which the connecting holes  201  and connecting posts  102  are connected to and combined with each other ensures the strength of the bonding of the silicone ring  1  and the metal portion  2 . 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the thickness of the metal joining section  101  may be less than the thickness of the remainder of the silicone ring  1 . This may allow the metal portion to be seated in the silicone ring  1 . 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the holes  102  in the ends  6 , 8  of the metal portion  2  are cylindrical. Therefore, after forming, the connecters  102  may also be cylindrical. In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the end face of the connecters  102  are a circular arc surface. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the edge of the outer wall of the metal portion  2  may have a chamfered edge. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the chamfer at the edge of the outer wall of the metal portion  2  may be a circular arc chamfer. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the edge of the outer wall of the silicone ring  1  is a chamfered edge. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the chamfer at the edge of the outer wall of the silicone ring  1  is a circular arc chamfer. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the total number of connecting posts  102  and connecting holes  201  is at least two, respectively. 
     In another exemplary embodiment of the disclosure, the connecting posts  102  and connecting holes  201  are uniformly distributed, respectively, such that there may be one on each side, or two on each side, etc. 
     It should be noted that the metal silicone combination ring under this disclosure is an improvement for the above structure. As for other functions, components and structures not mentioned, components and structures under the prior art that are able to realize the corresponding functions may be used for implementation where necessary. 
     Although this disclosure has been described in detail above with reference to the general descriptions and specific embodiments, modifications and improvements may be made on the basis of this disclosure, which will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, such modifications or improvements made without departing from the spirit of the invention are within the scope of the claimed invention.