Patent Publication Number: US-2007113585-A1

Title: Necklace/bracelet connector

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a necklace/bracelet connector, and more particularly to an improved necklace/bracelet connector for easily and quickly connecting both ends of a necklace or a bracelet, and users can change a chain with a new chain or a chain of other material or color, or replace a pendant by their bare hands.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      Referring to  FIG. 4  for the prior art necklace/bracelet connector  2 , a loop  22  is extended from the rear end of an axial barrel  21 . At the stage of shaping the finished product, the axial barrel  21  is stamped into a C-shape and inserted into both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4 , and then stamped into a narrower and flatter form as shown in  FIG. 5  by a punching machine, so that the axial barrel  21  is clamped by both ends  41 ,  42  of the chain  4  to complete the secured connection of the necklace/bracelet connector  2  and both ends  41 ,  42  of the chain  4 . Basically, such prior art necklace/bracelet connector  2  is fixed to both ends  41 ,  42  of the chain  4  properly by a stamping process to prevent them from being loosened from each other. However, an insecure connection may be resulted from a fast mass production process or an operator&#39;s negligence, and consumers will complain about the damage of the necklace or bracelet. After the necklace/bracelet connector is connected to a chain  4  with a surface made of a smooth material (such as a plastic thread, strand, or string, etc), instant glue is usually applied to make sure of a secured connection, and thus complicating the manufacturing process and increasing the manufacturing cost. Particularly, after a necklace/bracelet connector  2  of this kind is connected to both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4 , the chain  4  of other material or color, or another new chain  4  cannot be changed, and the pendant of other model cannot be changed either, and thus causing tremendous inconvenience to consumers.  
      In view of the foregoing shortcomings of a traditional necklace/bracelet connector  2  that is connected to both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4 , manufacturers recently developed a necklace/bracelet connector  3  as shown in  FIG. 6 . Although this kind of necklace/bracelet connector  3  also comprises a loop  32  extended from the rear end of an axial barrel  31 , the axial barrel  31  is a spring barrel made by densely wrapping a wire  310 , and the loop  32  is the final winding of the spring barrel and parallel to the axis of the spring barrel. When this necklace/bracelet connector  3  is connected to both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4 , both ends  41 ,  42  of the chain  4  are passed through the barrel from the front end of the axial barrel  31 , and then a small portion  311  of the end of the first winding of wire is folded or bent to press both ends  41 ,  42  of the chain  4  (as shown in  FIG. 7 ) to complete the connection between the necklace/bracelet connector  3  and both ends  41 ,  42  of the chain  4 . The connection between this recently improved necklace/bracelet connector  3  and both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4  is more secured and thus will not be loosened or damaged easily. However, after the necklace/bracelet connector  3  is connected to a chain  4 , consumers cannot change a new chain  4  or a chain of color material or color by their bare hands, and also cannot change a pendant of a different model. Thus, such improved necklace/bracelet connector  3  is still inconvenient.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      In view of the foregoing shortcomings of the prior art necklace/bracelet connector  2  and the recently improved necklace/bracelet connector  3 , the inventor of the present invention invented and developed an improved necklace/bracelet connector that is easy-to-install, secured, and consumers can change a new chain or a chain of other material or color by their bare hands, or change a pendant of a different model.  
      Therefore, it is a primary objective of the present invention to provide a necklace/bracelet connector that can directly pass both ends of a chain in a direction from the front to the rear through the barrel of an axial barrel and then bend the ends into 180 degrees to insert the ends back into the barrel without a stamping process or using an adhesive for a secured connection.  
      Another objective of the present invention is to provide a necklace/bracelet connector that allows consumers to change a new chain or a chair of other material or color, or change a pendant of a different model by bare hands.  
      To achieve the foregoing two objectives, a necklace/bracelet connector of the present invention comprises a loop extended from the rear end of an axial barrel, and a circular hole disposed at the front end of the axial barrel, and the width of the rear end is substantially corresponsive to the circular hole, and the length of the circular hole is at least 1.4 times of the long circular hole, elliptic hole, or an “8”-shaped hole to define a flared barrel with a smaller front portion and a larger rear portion. Both ends of a chain are passed in a direction from the front to the rear through the barrel, and then bent 180 degrees and finally inserted back into the barrel without a stamping or adhering process, so as to change a new chain or a chain made of another material or with a different color (such as plastic thread, strand, string, and leather string) or change a pendant with another one with a different model in a convenient and quick manner by bare hands.  
      The necklace/bracelet connector according to another preferred embodiment comprises a female necklace/bracelet connector and a male necklace/bracelet connector connected with each other, wherein the female necklace/bracelet connector comprises an axial barrel, a sleeve extended from a rear end of the axial barrel, and a sphere fixed onto an external sidewall of the sleeve; and the male necklace/bracelet connector comprises an axial barrel, an insert extended from a rear end of the axial barrel, a cylinder fixed onto the axial barrel; and a snap-in rod being substantially Y-shaped and having a closed end and pivotally connected to the cylinder, such that the insert of the male necklace/bracelet connector can be inserted correspondingly into the sleeve of the female necklace/bracelet connector to directly connecting the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors with each other, and the Y-shaped snap-in rod having an opening with a closed end on the male necklace/bracelet connector is latched to a sphere on the sleeve of the female necklace/bracelet connector, so as to connect the male and female necklace/bracelet connectors and maintain their fixed connection. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  shows a front view and a cross-sectional view of two necklace/bracelet connectors being connected to an S-shaped hook and two connecting rings according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 2  shows a cross-sectional view of Section  2 ˜ 2 ′ as depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3  shows a cross-sectional view of Section  3 ˜ 3 ′ as depicted in  FIG. 1 ;  
       FIG. 3 ˜ 1  is a top view of a female necklace/bracelet connector and a male necklace/bracelet connector being connected with each other according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 3 ˜ 2  is a cross-sectional view of a female necklace/bracelet connector and a male necklace/bracelet connector being connected with each other according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  shows a front view and a cross-sectional view of two prior art necklace/bracelet connectors being connected to a set of screw rod and screw nut;  
       FIG. 5  shows a cross-sectional view of Section  4 ˜ 4 ′ as depicted in  FIG. 4 ;  
       FIG. 6  shows a front view and a side view of two recently improved necklace/bracelet connectors being coupled to a spring ring; and  
       FIG. 7  shows a cross-sectional view of Section  7 ˜ 7 ′ as depicted in  FIG. 6 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The structural assembly, technical measures, and functions of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.  
      Referring to  FIGS. 1, 2  and  3 , a necklace/bracelet connector  1  comprises a loop  12  extended from the rear end of an axial barrel  11 , and the axial barrel  11  at its front end includes a circular hole  111  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), and its rear end has a width substantially corresponding to the circular hole, and the length corresponds to a long circular hole  112 , an elliptic hole, or an “8”-shaped hole (as shown in  FIG. 3 ) which is at least 1.4 times of the circular hole to produce a flared barrel  110  with a smaller front portion and a larger rear portion, and both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4  are passed through the barrel  110  in a direction from the front to the rear, and then bent 180 degrees and inserted back into the barrel  110  (as shown in the left cross section of  FIG. 1 ) without using a stamping or adhering process. Users can change a chain  4  with a new chain  4  or a chain  4  of other material or color (including a plastic thread, a strand, a string, and a leather cord).  
      If it is necessary to remove a chain  4  connected to the necklace/bracelet connector  1  of the invention, a user just needs to hold and push the chain  4  in a direction as shown in Arrow “A”, so that the chain  4  can be moved towards the loop  12  and the 180-degree bent portion  43  of the chain  4  can be moved out of the external side of a long circular hole  112  of the flared barrel  110  to quickly resume the 180-degree bent portion  43  back into a linear form, and the chain  4  is drawn out in a direction opposite to the direction indicated by Arrow “A”, so as to remove the chain  4  from the necklace/bracelet connector I of the invention. The procedure is very simple and quick, and thus users can change a chain  4  with a new chain  4  or a chain  4  of other material or color (including a plastic thread, a strand, a string, and a leather cord) by their bare hands. Regardless of the material or color of the chain  4 , the chain  4  usually has a pendant (not shown in the figure). If the connector connecting both ends of the necklace adopts the necklace/bracelet connector  1  of the invention, then the pendant of a different model can be changed by removing the necklace/bracelet connector  1  at an end of the chain  4 . The removal and reinstallation are the same as those for removing and installing the chain  4 , whose procedure is also simple and quick, and thus will not described further here.  
      Referring to FIGS.  3 ˜ 1  and  3 ˜ 2  for the top view and the cross-sectional view of a necklace/bracelet connector according to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the necklace/bracelet connector includes a female necklace/bracelet connector la and a male necklace/bracelet  1   b,  wherein the female necklace/bracelet connector  1   a  is comprised of a sleeve  13  extended from a rear end of an axial barrel  11 , and the male necklace/bracelet connector  1   b  is comprised of an insert  14  extended from a rear end of the axial barrel  11 . In the meantime, the insert  14  of the male necklace/bracelet connector lb is inserted correspondingly into the sleeve  13  of the necklace/bracelet connector la to connect the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  with each other. Further, the shape and structure of the axial barrel  11  of the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  are identical to those of the axial barrel of the necklace/bracelet connector  1  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 . A front end of the axial barrel  11  includes a circular hole  111  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), and the width of a rear end of the axial barrel  11  the is substantially equal to the circular hole  111 , but the length is at least 1.4 times of a circular hole  111 , a long circular hole  112 , an elliptic hole, or an  8 -shaped hole (as shown in  FIG. 8 ). Similarly, both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4  are passed through its cylinder  110  in a direction from the front to the back of each axial barrel  111  of the female and male necklace/bracelet connector  1   a,    1   b,  and then bent 180 degrees and inserted into each cylinder  110  for securely connecting both ends  41 ,  42 . Like the necklace/bracelet connector  1  as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , no stamping or adhering process is needed.  
      Referring to FIGS.  3 ˜ 1  and  3 ˜ 2  for the necklace/bracelet connector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the necklace/bracelet connector is designed into a female necklace/bracelet connector la and a male necklace/bracelet connector  1   b  for connecting both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4  and then directly connecting the male and female necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  without using a movable buckle or S-shaped connecting hook. To assure and maintain the fixed connection of the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  and prevent them from being loosened or fallen out, a sphere  15  or a raised point is soldered onto an external sidewall of the sleeve  13  of the female necklace/bracelet connector  1   a.  In the meantime, a cylinder  16  or a ring is soldered and transversally disposed on the axial barrel  11  of the necklace/bracelet connector  1   b,  and pivotally installed to a snap-in rod  17  which is substantially Y-shaped and has an opening with a closed end.  
      When the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention are inserted and coupled to both ends  41 ,  42  of a chain  4 , the insert  14  disposed at a rear end of the male necklace/bracelet connector lb is inserted directly into the sleeve  13  disposed at a rear end of the female necklace/bracelet connector la for connecting the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  without using a movable buckle or S-shaped connecting hook. In the meantime, the Y-shaped snap-in rod  17  having an opening with a closed end and disposed on the male necklace/bracelet connector  1   b  is latched onto a sphere  15  disposed on the female necklace/bracelet connector la for connecting and fixing the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  and maintaining their fixed connection. Further, the female and male necklace/bracelet connectors  1   a,    1   b  can be separately easily by lifting up the rear end of the snap-in rod  17  along the direction indicated by the arrow A of  FIG. 3 ˜ 2  to a position indicated by an imaginary line, so as to pull the insert  14  out from the sleeve  13 . Therefore, the necklace/bracelet connector can be installed or separated easily and quickly.