Abstract:
In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, a method of joining a decorative ornament to an earring base component includes a dapped piece (a meniscus lens shaped piece) of material joined to a threaded tube. An opening in the end of the tube connected to the dapped piece is aligned with a hole in the dapped piece. The support piece is then joined to a decorative ornament. The tube is threaded and receives a threaded rod-like base stud. The threaded base stud passes through the hole in the dapped piece and reaches the threads of the tube. The threaded tube provides alignment and increased support between the base stud and the decorative ornament.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention generally relates to methods and devices for joining jewelry components. More specifically, the present invention relates to methods and devices for joining a decorative ornament to a threaded rod-like base earring member.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     Many articles of jewelry are made by attaching decorative ornaments to base jewelry components. The base jewelry components provide the method for wearing the article of jewelry. For example, some earrings are created by attaching a decorative bead to the end of a rod-like metallic stud base. This may be accomplished by drilling a channel in the bead, passing one end of the rod-like stud into the channel, and securing the stud within the channel. The earring is worn by passing the other end of the rod-like stud base through a traditional ear piercing.  
         [0005]     Alternatively, the decorative ornament may be a gem basket holding a gem or stone. The side of the gem basket opposite the stone face may have a flat disc with a threaded hole for receiving a threaded rod-like metallic stud base. Because the cross-sectional diameter of the rod-like stud base is often small and the thickness of the gem basket disc is very thin, the contact area of the threaded connection is very small. The small contact area makes it difficult to maintain the desired alignment between the gem basket and the stud base, as the gem basket will tend to pivot or wobble. This design may also concentrate stress on the small contact area, which could result in breakage of the earring and loss of the decorative element.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In accordance with one or more embodiments of the invention, a method for joining jewelry components includes attaching a threaded tube member to a support piece. The support piece is then joined to a jewelry component. Finally, the support piece/jewelry component assembly is threaded onto a threaded rod-like jewelry base.  
         [0007]     In accordance with one embodiment of the invention, a method of joining a decorative ornament to an earring base component includes a dapped piece (a meniscus lens shaped piece) of material joined to a threaded tube. An opening in the end of the tube connected to the dapped piece is aligned with a hole in the dapped piece. The tube is threaded and receives a threaded rod-like base stud. The threaded base stud passes through the hole in the dapped piece and reaches the threads of the tube. The threaded tube provides alignment and increased support between the base stud and the decorative ornament.  
         [0008]     In this embodiment, the dapped piece is a meniscus lens shaped piece, which has a hole in the center of the piece. The longitudinal axis of the tube extends substantially normal to a plane tangent to the center point of the curved face of the dapped piece. The end of the tube connected to the dapped piece does not extend past the convex side of the dapped piece. The other end of the tube extends from the concave side of the dapped piece. These and other features will become readily apparent from the following detailed description wherein embodiments of the invention are shown and described by way of illustration.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     For a more complete understanding of various embodiments of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a rear plan view of an attachment device according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a cross-sectional side view, taken generally along the line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 , of the attachment device of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a close-up cross-sectional side view of a tube joined to a dapped support piece preparing to be attached to a rod-like insert according to an embodiment of the invention.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional side view of an attachment device according to another embodiment of the invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an attachment device/decorative ornament assembly according to an embodiment of the invention shown in relation to an earring to which it attaches.  
         [0015]      FIG. 6  is a side view of the attachment device/decorative ornament assembly of  FIG. 5  joined to an earring.  
         [0016]      FIG. 7  is a rear plan view of an attachment device according to a further embodiment of the invention.  
         [0017]      FIG. 8  is a cross-sectional bottom view, taken generally along the line  8 - 8  of  FIG. 7 , of the attachment device of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0018]      FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional side view, taken generally along the line  9 - 9  of  FIG. 7 , of the attachment device of  FIG. 7 .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0019]      FIG. 1  illustrates an embodiment of an attachment device  10  for joining jewelry components according to the invention. Referring to  FIG. 1 , an attachment device  10  includes a dapped support piece  100  with an opening  101  in the center. One end of a tube  102  is attached to the dapped support piece  100 . The tube  102  is centered over the opening  101  such that the longitudinal axis (not shown) of the tube  102  passes through the center of the opening  101 . The tube  102  may be attached to the dapped support piece  100  in a variety of ways, for example by soldering, welding, gluing, or by press-fitting the tube  102  into the opening  101 .  
         [0020]     The face of the dapped support piece  100  may have any shape. For example,  FIG. 1  shows the dapped support piece  100  as having a substantially circular face with scalloped edges. However, the face may be circular, rectangular, square, or another regular or irregular shape. The dapped support piece  100  and tube  102  may be constructed of any material suitable for constructing jewelry, for example, gold, silver, or a plastic. The tube  102  and dapped support piece  100  may be, but need not be, constructed of the same material.  
         [0021]      FIG. 2  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of the attachment device  10  of  FIG. 1  taken along the axis  2 - 2 . In one embodiment, the dapped support piece  100  has a meniscus lens shaped cross section. The dapped support piece  100  has a convex surface  103  and a concave surface  104 . The shape of the dapped support piece  100  may be formed, for example, by molding, forging, or hammering. The opening  101  is located at the center of the dapped support piece  100  and is sized to accommodate a desired rod-like jewelry base component (not shown).  
         [0022]     The dapped support piece  100  has a tangent plane  105 , which is tangent to the convex surface  103  at the center point  106  of the convex surface  103 . The tube  102  attached to the dapped support piece  100  has a longitudinal axis  107  extending from an attached end  108  to an extended end  109 . The tube  102  is connected to the dapped support piece  100  such that the attached end does not extend past the convex surface  103 . In addition, the longitudinal axis  107  of the tube  102  is substantially normal to the tangent plane  105 .  
         [0023]     In another embodiment, shown in  FIGS. 7-9 , the dapped support piece is curved along only one axis. Since the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 7-9  is generally similar to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , similar numerals will be utilized to designate similar components, the suffix letter “b” being associated with the numerals of  FIG. 7-9  to avoid confusion. In this embodiment, the attachment device  10   b  has a dapped support piece  100   b , which has a curved cross section taken along a first axis  8 - 8 . The dapped support piece  10   b  cross section taken along a second axis  9 - 9 , which is substantially perpendicular to the first axis, does not curve from top to bottom.  
         [0024]      FIG. 8  illustrates the cross section of dapped support piece  100   b  taken along the first axis  8 - 8 . Along this cross section, the dapped support piece  100   b  has an inner surface  104   b  and an outer surface  103   b  that are curved from side to side. The aspects of the tube  102   b  are similar to the tube found in the embodiment described in  FIGS. 1-3 .  FIG. 9  illustrates the cross section of dapped support piece  100   b  taken along the second axis  9 - 9 . Along this cross section, the dapped support piece  100   b  has an inner surface  104   b  and an outer surface  103   b  that do not curve from top to bottom.  
         [0025]      FIG. 3  shows a close-up cross-sectional side view of the connection site of the tube  102  and the dapped support piece  100 . The terminus of the attached end  108  may rest against the concave surface  104  (as shown). Alternatively, the attached end  108  of the tube  102  may pass through the opening  101  such that the terminus of the attached end  108  is flush with the convex surface  103 , or the terminus may lie between the convex surface  103  and the concave surface  104  (not shown). The tube  102  may be attached to the dapped support piece  100  in a variety of ways, for example by soldering, welding, gluing, or by press-fitting the tube  102  into the opening  101 .  
         [0026]     The tube has an inside surface  110  and an inner diameter  111 . In one embodiment, the inside surface  110  is threaded to receive a threaded rod-like insert  112 . In addition, the inner diameter of the tube  102  is sized to accommodate the rod-like insert  112 . The rod-like insert  112  has an outer surface  113 , which is also threaded. In this embodiment, the tube threads may extend the entire length of the inside surface  110  or may only cover part of the inside surface  110 . After a decorative element is joined to the dapped support piece (described in detail below), the complementary threads allow the attachment device/decorative ornament assembly to be screwed onto the rod-like insert  112 .  
         [0027]     In an alternate embodiment (not shown), the inside surface  110  may have other releasable mechanisms. For example, the releasable mechanisms may include complementary magnets mounted on the inside surface  110  of the tube  102  and on the outer surface  113  of the rod-like insert  112 . As a further example, the releasable mechanism may include a circular channel on the inside surface  110  that mates with a spring-loaded o-ring mechanism mounted on the outer surface  113  of the rod-like insert  112 .  
         [0028]     In at least one embodiment (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), the opening  101  has a curved lip  115 , which acts to guide the threaded rod-like insert  112  to the threads of the inside surface  110 . In alternate embodiments (not shown), the opening  101  may have a square edge or angular surface in place of the curved lip  115 . Where an angular surface is used, a frustoconical opening is formed in the dapped support piece  100 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of an attachment device  10   a  for joining jewelry components according to the invention. Since the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIG. 4  is generally similar to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in  FIGS. 1-3 , similar numerals will be utilized to designate similar components, the suffix letter “a” being associated with the numerals of  FIG. 4  to avoid confusion.  
         [0030]     The embodiment of the attachment device  10   a  includes a dapped support piece  100   a  with an opening  101   a  in the center. The dapped support piece  100   a  has a meniscus lens shaped cross section and has a convex surface  103   a  and a concave surface  104   a . One end of a tube  102   a  is attached to the dapped support piece  100   a . The tube  102   a  is centered over the opening  101   a  such that the longitudinal axis (not shown) of the tube  102   a  passes through the center of the opening  101   a . The tube  102   a  has an attached end  108   a  and an extended end  109   a . The tube  102   a  is connected to the dapped support piece  100   a  such that the attached end  108   a  does not extend past the convex surface  103   a.    
         [0031]     In this embodiment, the radius of curvature of the dapped support piece  100   a  is greater than in the previously described embodiment of  FIGS. 1-3 . The radius of curvature and facial area of the dapped support member  100   a  may be varied to accommodate any size of decorative ornament to be attached. The dapped support piece  100   a  has an edge plane  114   a , which passes through the outer most edges of the dapped support piece  100   a . In at least one embodiment of the invention, the terminus of the extended end  109   a  of the tube  102   a  extends past the edge plane  114   a . However, the terminus of the extended end  109   a  of the tube  102   a  need not extend past the edge plane  114   a , as the length of tube  102   a  may be varied to accommodate any size of decorative ornament to be attached.  
         [0032]     In this embodiment, the greater radius of curvature would allow the attachment device  10   a  to better accommodate direct attachment to a spherical decorative ornament, such as a pearl (not shown). In this example, the tube  102   a  would extend into a channel made in the pearl, and the pearl&#39;s surface would be bound to the concave surface  104   a  by an adhesive. In addition, the radius of curvature of the dapped support piece  100   a  would be selected to substantially conform to the radius of curvature of the outer surface of the pearl.  
         [0033]      FIG. 5  illustrates an attachment device/decorative ornament assembly  20  according to an embodiment of the invention. In at least one embodiment, the decorative ornament is a gem basket  200  holding an ornamental stone. A dapped support piece  201  of an attachment device  202  may be joined to the gem basket  200  in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to welding, soldering, or gluing. The dapped support piece  201  is of a size and a shape to accommodate the size and shape of the gem basket  200 .  
         [0034]     In this embodiment, the rear of the gem basket  200  fits snuggly against the concave surface of the dapped support piece  201 . This arrangement provides ample surface contact between the dapped support piece  201  and the outer surface of the gem basket  200 . Thus, the two components may be securely joined as described above. In addition, the outer most edges of the dapped support piece  201  partially wrap around the rear of the gem basket  200 . This design facilitates the attachment device  202  being hidden behind the ornamental stone when viewed from the front.  
         [0035]     A tube  203  (the hidden cross section of which is shown in dash lines on  FIGS. 5 and 6 ) is attached to the dapped support piece  201  generally similar to the manner described in the above embodiments. The tube  203  is threaded to receive a complementary threaded rod-like insert  204 , which is part of a base component of an earring  21 . The earring  21  may also have a second decorative element  205  attached to an end of the earring  21  opposite the rod-like insert  204 . The second decorative element  205  may be, for example, a gem basket holding a stone.  FIG. 6  illustrates the attachment device/decorative ornament assembly  20  of  FIG. 5  as threaded onto the rod-like insert  204  of earring  21 . The threaded inner surface (not shown) of the tube  203  engages the threads on the outer surface of the rod-like insert  204 .  
         [0036]     As will be realized, the inventions are capable of other and different embodiments and its several details may be capable of modifications in various respects, all without departing from the invention as set out in the appended claims. For example, the decorative ornament need not be mounted in a gem basket, but could be attached directly to the dapped support piece. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not in a restrictive or limiting sense with the scope of the application being indicated in the claims.