Patent Publication Number: US-11039670-B2

Title: Necklace storage assembly

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to apparatus and assemblies for containing and storing jewelry. More particularly, this invention relates to such apparatus and assemblies which are specially adapted for storing necklaces. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Chain necklace and pendant combinations are commonly stored and displayed for selection via hanging from jewelry suspension hooks within a jewelry case. Several jewelry hooks may be provided within a large jewelry case for vertically organized and hanging suspension of a collection of such necklaces. In use, an owner of the collection of necklaces so hung and displayed may select and retrieve a single necklace from its jewelry case hook. Thereafter, the owner may don the necklace, wearing it about his or her neck. 
     Following necklace wearing, the owner may remove the necklace and return it to its jewelry case hook for continued storage alongside other necklaces displayed within the jewelry case. Utilization of such jewelry case necklace suspension hooks advantageously allows the selected necklace to be either actively worn or hung in an organized and untangled fashion along with several other necklaces stored within the owner&#39;s jewelry case. 
     In the event that such necklace collection owner desires to pack a selection of such necklaces for travel away from home, the owner may remove multiple necklaces from the above described jewelry hooks and may place the selected necklaces within a travel case. Upon doing so, such necklaces commonly become undesirably tangled and intertwined together. 
     The instant inventive assembly for storing a necklace solves or ameliorates the above described necklace related problems and difficulties by providing specially configured flexible tubes which are capable of easily and conveniently storing and protecting necklaces within a travel case while preventing any tangling or intertwining of the necklaces. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A first structural component of the instant inventive assembly for storing a necklace comprises a flexible tube having a chain insertion end, an opposite end, and having a hollow bore extending therebetween. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible tube has first and second ports or end openings, such ports respectively opening the hollow bore at the flexible tube&#39;s chain insertion end and opposite end. In the preferred embodiment, the flexible tube is composed of a sheet of flexible fabric which is folded or looped into a tubular configuration. Mating edges of the looped sheet are preferably joined at a sewn seam. 
     A further structural component of the instant inventive assembly comprises a first tie having proximal and distal ends, said tie&#39;s proximal end being fixedly attached to or formed wholly with the flexible tube&#39;s opposite end. 
     A further structural component of the instant inventive assembly comprises a first fastener which is preferably of the type incorporating a pair of fastener halves. In the preferred embodiment, one of the halves of such first fastener is fixedly attached to the distal end of the first tie, and the other fastener half is fixedly attached to a wall surface at the flexible tube&#39;s opposite end. 
     In use of the instant inventive assembly, a user may grasp the flexible tube, and may orient it so that the first port at the tube&#39;s insertion end opens upwardly. Thereafter, the user may grasp a pendant and chain necklace combination by its pendant so that the chain hangs vertically downward. Thereafter, the user may position the downwardly extending chain directly over the upwardly opening first port. Thereafter, the user may downwardly lower the chain through the hollow bore of the tube until the lower end of the chain emerges from the second port at the tube&#39;s opposite end. 
     Thereafter, the assembly&#39;s first tie component may be manually extended through the chain at its exposed lower end. Thereafter, the one of the first fastener&#39;s halves which is attached to the distal end of the first tie may be engaged with and fastened against such fastener&#39;s other half. Such tie extending and fastening actions advantageously secure the distal end of the first tie to a side wall of the flexible tube so that such tie effectively holds the looped lower end of the chain at the opposite end of the flexible tube. Provided that the pendant which is attached to the necklace is sufficiently large, the pendant itself may simultaneously lock the opposite end of the chain at the flexible tube&#39;s insertion end. 
     Multiple chain and pendant combinations stored separately within multiple renditions of the instant inventive assembly may be conveniently packed together within a travel case without any intertwining or tangling of chains. 
     Accordingly, objects of the instant invention include the provision of an assembly for storing a necklace which incorporates structures as described above, and which arranges those structures in relation to each other in manners described above for the achievement of functional benefits described above. 
     Other and further objects, benefits, and advantages of the instant invention will become known to those skilled in the art upon review of the Detailed Description which follows, and upon review of the appended drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive assembly for storing a necklace. 
         FIG. 2  is an inverted view of partially assembled components of the  FIG. 1  structure. 
         FIG. 3  redepicts the structure of  FIG. 2 , the view of  FIG. 3  demonstrating lateral overfolding and seam sewing assembly steps. 
         FIG. 4  is an obverted, inverted, and rotated view of the  FIG. 3  structure, the view of  FIG. 4  further showing a necklace whose chain may be received within said structure&#39;s hollow bore. 
         FIG. 5  redepicts the structure of  FIG. 4 , the view of  FIG. 5  showing the necklace&#39;s chain received within said hollow bore. 
         FIG. 6  redepicts the structure of  FIG. 5 , the view of  FIG. 6  showing such structure inverted and showing attached insertion end and opposite end ties extended in port bridging and chain engaging configurations. 
         FIG. 7  presents and alternate configuration of the structure of  FIG. 6 , the view of  FIG. 7  showing the completed chain and tube assembly suspended from a jewelry hook. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to Drawing  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the instant inventive assembly for storing a necklace is referred to generally by Reference Arrow  1 . The assembly  1  comprises a flexible tube  2  which has a chain insertion end  4  and an opposite end  6 . 
     Referring further simultaneously to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the flexible tube  2  preferably comprises a vertically oblongated fabric sheet  24  having a pair of lateral edges  26  and  28 . Upon a leftward folding of the sheet  24  from the  FIG. 2  configuration to the  FIG. 3  configuration, edge  26  overlies and abuts edge  28 , as depicted in  FIG. 3 . Edge incapsulating serger machine applied overlock stitching  30  may be sewn therealong to securely configure the sheet  24  in its initial tubular configuration. Upon an obversion of the tubularly sewn sheet  24  of  FIG. 3  to assume the  FIG. 1  configuration, a hollow chain encapsulating bore  8  is formed. The preferably utilized serger machine stitch  30  advantageously prevents threads of the woven sheet  24  at edges  26  and  28  from falling or straying into the hollow bore  8 . 
     Referring simultaneously to  FIGS. 1-4 , the chain receiving end  4  and the opposite end  6  of the flexible tube  2  respectively define first and second ports  10  and  32 , such ports opening the hollow bore  8  at its opposite ends. At least a first tie  34  is fixedly attached to the flexible tube  2 , such tie&#39;s attachment preferably being positioned at the tube&#39;s opposite end  6 . Such attachment preferably secures a proximal end  36  of the tie  34  at the back side [b] of the tube, and such attachment is preferably effected via stitching  18 . Suitably, the at least first tie  34  may be alternatively formed wholly with or cut as an integral extension from the opposite end  6  of the flexible tube  2 . Referring further simultaneously to  FIG. 7 , the first tie  34  is preferably configured as a loop so that the tie&#39;s distal end  38  may serve as a hook engaging member. 
     A further structural component of the instant inventive assembly comprises a first fastener which preferably is of the type which incorporates a pair of fastener halves. In the preferred embodiment, one of the halves of the first fastener is fixedly attached to a distal end of the first tie, the other fastener half being fixedly attached at the flexible tube&#39;s opposite end  6 , preferably at a front side f of such tube. In the example of  FIG. 4 , a “Velcro” flexible hook pad  42  is mounted to the distal end  38  of the first tie  34 , and a “Velcro” loop pad  44  is correspondingly fixedly attached to the tube&#39;s opposite end  6  at its front side f. Upon engagement of flexible hook pad  42  with flexible loop pad  44  in the  FIG. 6  configuration, the tie  34  advantageously forms a chain engaging bridge  35  across the second port  32 . The flexible hook pad  42  and flexible loop pad  44  first fastener combination is considered as being representative of other suitably substituted and utilized fasteners having paired halves including button loop and button fasteners, button eye and button fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, hook and slot fasteners, snap fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and adhesive fasteners. 
     In use of the instant inventive assembly, referring to  FIGS. 1-5 , a user or operator may grasp the flexible tube  2  in one hand, and may orient such tube so that its first port  10  opens upwardly as indicated in  FIG. 4 . Thereafter, such operator may grasp with the other hand a necklace in the form of a pendant and chain combination, such necklace being referred to generally by Reference Arrow  48 . Holding such necklace  48 , the operator may align the pendant  54  and the chain  50  so that the chain hangs downwardly toward the tube  2 . Thereafter, the operator may further align the pendant and chain combination so that the lower end clasp  52  of the chain  50  directly overlies the first port  10 . Thereafter, the operator may lower the chain  50  downwardly through the hollow bore  8  of the flexible tube  2  until the lower clasp  52  emerges from the second port  32  as indicated in  FIG. 5 . 
     Thereafter, the operator may tactilely manipulate the clasped chain end  52  and the tie  34 , causing such tie to extend beneath the looped clasp  52 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . Such extension of the tie  34  advantageously forms the bridge  35  which spans the second port  32 . Thereafter, flexible hook pad  42  may be engaged with loop pad  44 . 
     Provided that pendant  54  is larger than the first port  10 , the pendant may itself lock the opposite end of the chain at the tube&#39;s chain receiving end  4 . Such pendant actuated locking of the chain  50  in combination with the locking action of the bridge  35  at the clasp end of the chain may securely hold the entire length of the chain  50  within bore  8 . Accordingly, the instant inventive assembly holds and protects the necklace chain  50  within hollow bore  8 , advantageously preventing such chain from tangling with other necklace chains. 
     Several renditions of the flexible tube assembly  2  may be provided for holding and storing multiple pendant and chain combinations. To accommodate varying necklace chain lengths, such multiple renditions of the invention&#39;s flexible tube may have corresponding varying tube lengths. Where multiple pendant and chain combinations are held and stored within such multiple renditions of the instant invention&#39;s flexible tube assembly, such held and stored necklaces may be conveniently packed within a travel case (not depicted within views) in close proximity with each other tube encapsuled chains without intertwining and tangling of chains. 
     To accommodate for pendants which are small enough to pass through the first port  10  at the chain insertion end  4  of the flexible tube  2 , a second tie  12  is preferably provided, such second tie preferably being configured similarly with the first tie  34 , the second tie having proximal and distal ends  14  and  16  and having a stitched proximal end attachment  19  positioning the tie at the back side b of the chain receiving end  4  of the flexible tube  2 . A second fastener incorporating paired fastener halves, suitably comprising a second “Velcro” flexible hook pad half  20  and a second “Velcro” loop pad half  22 , is attached to tie  12  and to end  4  in a fashion mirroring the opposite end attachments of “Velcro” flexible hook pad  42  and “Velcro” loop pad  44 . As with such first “Velcro” flexible hook pad and loop pad fastener  42 , 44 , the second “Velcro” fastener  20 , 22  supported at the tube&#39;s chain insertion end  4  is intended as being representative of second releasable connectors selected from button loop and button fasteners, button eye and button fasteners, hook and eye fasteners, hook and slot fasteners, snap fasteners, magnetic fasteners, and adhesive fasteners. 
     Referring in particular to  FIG. 6 , upon an extension of the second tie  12  across the first port  10  and through chain  50 , a second bridge  13  is advantageously formed, such bridge securing the pendant end of the chain  50  within the bore  8  of the flexible tube  2 . The second bridge  13  advantageously retains the chain  50  regardless of whether pendant  54  is large enough to lock against the peripheral edge of port  10 . Accordingly, the assembly&#39;s provision of the second tie  12  and second fastener  20 , 22  structures lends versatility to the assembly, allowing it to hold and store chains having both large and small pendants, or no pendant at all. 
     Dashed line  46  drawn upon the flexible tube  2  of  FIG. 6  denotes a preferred mirroring vertical division of the assembly into upper and lower halves u and L. In such preferred configuration, structures at the chain insertion end  4  of the flexible tube  2  substantially structurally mirror those at the opposite end  6 . Such preferred mirroring end to end structural configuration of the tube  2  advantageously allows a user to slidably insert necklace chain  50  from either end or from either direction, and allows utilization of ties  12  and  34  to secure either end of the chain  50  within the hollow bore  8 . 
     At the end of a trip, the user of the instant inventive assembly may find several renditions of the complete  FIG. 6  assembly stored without tangling or intertwining within his or her suitcase. Upon unpacking, the user may wish to return each of the tube encapsuled pendant and chain combinations to hooks within his or her jewelry case. In order to do so, the user may simply and conveniently detach each of the opposite end  6  “Velcro” hook pads  42  from their “Velcro” loop pads  44 , and may upwardly extend the first ties  34 . Thereafter, the user may engage each first tie  34  with one of the suspension hooks  56  which are mounted within the user&#39;s jewelry case. To facilitate such jewelry hook engagements and suspensions, the ties  12  and  34  are preferably configured as loops which are composed of woven strapping or ribbon. In the  FIG. 7  mode of use of the inventive assembly, multiple renditions of the assembly may conveniently hang in a tangle free and organized fashion from multiple jewelry hooks  56 . 
     While the principles of the invention have been made clear in the above illustrative embodiment, those skilled in the art may make modifications to the structure, arrangement, portions and components of the invention without departing from those principles. Accordingly, it is intended that the description and drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in the limiting sense, and that the invention be given a scope commensurate with the appended claims.