Abstract:
An article of dynamic jewellery includes a protective housing having an interior and a viewing window through which the interior is visible. A pendulum is suspended within the interior of the protective housing. The lower end of the pendulum supports an ornament which gives the pendulum sufficient weight that the pendulum swings freely in response to movements of a wearer&#39;s body.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    There will be described jewellery that oscillates as a person moves, 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Dynamic jewellery oscillates When the wearer moves. This movement attracts visual interest, especially when a gem or other such ornament that sparkles and reflects light is used. A number of patents and patent applications have been published relating to the concept of dynamic jewellery, namely: U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,908 (Michael); U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,304 (Adelman), U.S. Pat. No. 6,820,442 (Kimura); U.S. Pat No. 6,681,599 (Meguro 599); U.S. Pat. No. 7,243,511 (Meguro 511); U.S. Pat. No. 7,316,129 (Meguro 129); U.S. Patent Publication 20060032271 (Thapar); U.S. Patent Publication 20120151963 (Dobashi) and U.S. Patent Publication 20130239613 (Shah). These patent differ in the manner in which the oscillating movement is created. There will hereinafter be described a form of dynamic jewellery with a different structure for creating oscillating movement. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0003]    There is provided an article of dynamic jewellery which includes a protective housing having an interior, a viewing window through which the interior is visible, and a first part of a two part suspension coupling. A pendulum is suspended within the interior of the protective housing. The pendulum has an upper end and a lower end. The upper end has a second part of the two part suspension coupling which engages the first part of the two part suspension coupling for suspending the pendulum for pivotal movement within the protective housing. The lower end supports an ornament. 
         [0004]    With the article of dynamic jewellery described above, the weight of the ornament at the lower end of the pendulum, will cause the pendulum to swing in response to any movement of the body of the wearer. Depending upon the manner of orientation of the suspension coupling, this movement can be side to side, forward and backwards or omni-directional. 
         [0005]    There are various types of suspension coupling that could be used. Beneficial results have been obtained when one of the first part or the second part of the suspension coupling has a pair of sockets and the other of the first part of the second part of the suspension coupling has pins which are received in the sockets. 
         [0006]    Although this dynamic jewellery structure can be used with earrings, broaches and other types of jewellery it was developed for use as a pendant suspended from a chain. A chains can be threaded through protective housing, but when this is done it is more difficult to control the balance point and the chain sometimes shifts position to interfere with the operation of the pendulum. For purposes of orientation, the protective housing can be considered to have a front, a back, an upper end and a lower end. Chain attachment links are preferably positioned at the upper end, whereby the protective housing is suspended from a chain. The chain attachment links are positioned to maintain the pendulum in a substantially vertical orientation. 
         [0007]    It is preferred that the hack of the protective housing be angled from the upper end inwardly toward the front at the lower end. The purpose of this angle of incline is so the protective housing is maintained in a vertical orientation to maximize pendulum movement, even when resting against the wearer&#39;s breast, which has an angle of incline. 
         [0008]    It is preferred that the first part of the two part suspension coupling is a body positioned within the interior and depending from an upper end of the protective housing, but is a separate component from the protective housing. The reason for this is that a separate component can be attached within the protective housing in a vertical orientation, without placing a limitation on possible shapes and configurations for the protective housing. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]    These and other features will become more apparent from the following description in which reference is made to the appended drawings, the drawings are for the purpose of illustration only and are not intended to be in any way limiting, wherein: 
           [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an article of dynamic jewellery. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a rear elevation view of the article of dynamic jewellery of  FIG. 1 , with chain attachment links added. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a side elevation view of the article of dynamic jewellery of  FIG. 1 , with alternative chain attachment links positions illustrated. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of the article of dynamic jewellery of  FIG. 1 , shown resting against a human body. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a detailed perspective view of a two part suspension coupling of the article of dynamic jewellery of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 6  is a detailed perspective view of a first of the two part suspension coupling illustrated in  FIG. 5 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 7  is a detailed perspective view of a second of the two part suspension coupling illustrated in.  FIG. 5 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 8  is a front elevation view of the two part suspension coupling illustrated in  FIG. 5 , showing alternative attachment angles to permit alternative shapes of protective housing. 
           [0018]      FIG. 9A and 9B  show alternative configurations for the second of the two part suspension couplings illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 10  is a detailed view of the pins of the second part of the two part suspension system illustrated in  FIG. 7 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0020]    An article of dynamic jewellery generally identified by reference numeral  10 , will now be described with reference to  FIG. 1  through  FIG. 7 , with some variations described with respect to  FIG. 8, 9A, 9B and 10 . 
       Structure and Relationship of Parts: 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , article of dynamic jewellery  10  includes a protective housing  12 . In the illustrated embodiment, protective housing  12  is shown as a square frame. As will hereinafter be described, protective housing  12  is not limited to a square shape. Protective housing  12  has an interior  14 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , protective housing  12  has a front  16 , a back  18 , an upper end  20  and a lower end  22 . Referring to  FIG. 1 , protective housing  12  front  16  is “open” and has a viewing window  24  through which interior  14  is visible. 
         [0022]    Referring to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 6 , a first part  26  of a two part suspension coupling, generally identified by reference numeral  28 , is in the form of a body  30  positioned within interior  14  and depending from upper end  20  of protective housing  12 . Referring to  FIG. 6 , body  30  which forms first part  26  of two part suspension coupling  28  has a pair of sockets  32 . 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a pendulum  34 , in the form of a shaft with a weighted lower end, is suspended within interior  14  of protective housing  12 . Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , pendulum  34  has an upper end  36  and a lower end  38 . Upper end  36  has a second part  40  of two part suspension coupling  28 . Lower end  38  supports an ornament  42 . A diamond has been selected for illustration. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 5  and  FIG. 7 , second part  40  of two part suspension coupling  28  includes a pair of pins  44  supported in opposed relation. Pins  44  engage sockets  32  on first part  26  of two part suspension coupling  28  for suspending pendulum  34  for pivotal movement within interior  14  of protective housing  12  about a pivot axis  45 . In the preferred embodiment, pendulum  34  consists of two elongated members  46  and  48 , with one of pins  44  secured to each of elongated members  46  and  48 . 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , chain attachment links  50  are provided at upper end  20  of protective housing  12 , whereby protective housing  12  is suspended from a chain  52 . Referring to  FIG. 3 , there is shown three alternative positioning for chain attachment links  50  in order to ensure that protective housing  12  is suspended from its vertical balance point, shown by dotted lines  53 . Those alternative chain attachment link positions are identified by letters A, B and C. Maintaining vertical balance point  53  is desirable, in order to keep pendulum  34  free moving. The positioning of vertical balance point  53  depends upon a combination of suspension angle, length of protective housing, weight and shape. It will be appreciated that the pendulum has a range of movement. It can move in a first direction, but when it reaches the range limit of that movement in the first direction it will become stationary. It can also move in a second direction, but when it reaches the range limit of that movement in the second direction it will become stationary. Body  30  can be bent with pliers to a small extent in order to make fine adjustments. However, the main factor in maintaining pendulum  34  in a vertical position is by selecting chain attachment link  50  positions. 
         [0026]    It is to be noted that back  18  of protective housing  12  is angled from upper end  20  inwardly toward front  16  at lower end  22 . Referring to  FIG. 4 , this is to enable protective housing  12  to maintain the desired vertical orientation even when resting against an incline of a human breast  55 . 
       Operation: 
       [0027]    When article of dynamic jewellery  10  is worn as a pendant, a wearer places chain  52  around their neck and suspends protective housing  12 . The positioning of chain attachment links  50  is made to ensure that, when protective housing  12  is hanging freely, it will remain in a vertical orientation. As long as protective housing  12  remains in a vertical orientation, pendulum  34  will swing freely about pivot axis  45  in response to body movement of the wearer as pins  44  rotate in sockets  32 . Back  18  of protective housing  12  is inclined at an angle, so that even when protective housing  12  be resting against an incline of the human breast  55  of the wearer, it will remain in a substantially vertical orientation, thereby allowing pendulum  34  to swing freely. 
       Variations: 
       [0028]    In the preferred embodiment, pendulum  34  consists of two elongated members  46  and  48  arranged in parallel spaced relation. It will be apparent to one skilled in the art that there need not be two member, Referring to  FIG. 9A , there is illustrated that the same result can be attained with a single elongated member  60  in a “T” configuration. Even where two elongated members are used, it will be appreciated that they need not be in parallel relation. Referring to  FIG. 9B , there is illustrate two elongated members  62  and  64  which diverge from lower end  38  to upper end  36  to form a “V” shaped configuration. Protective housing  12  is shown as being rectangular. 
         [0029]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , there is illustrated that body  30  of first part  26  of two part suspension coupling  28  may be secured within interior  14  of protective housing  12  in an angular relation. Changing the angle of attachment enables a shape other than rectangular to be used, if desired, for protective housing  12 ; while still maintaining pendulum  34  in a substantially vertical orientation within interior  14  of protective housing  12 . 
         [0030]    Various efforts have been made to increase the duration of movement of pendulum  34  in response to movement by the wearer of the pendant. As a general rule, the longer the duration of movement of pendulum  34 , the more attractive the visual effect. Experiments were made with lubricating compounds to reduce friction. These experiments were only marginally successful, and there was a concern that the lubricating compounds would eventually wear off. Referring to  FIG. 10 , the eventual solution that yielded results, increasing pendulum movement to close to a minute, was altering pins  44  so that the bottom edge  66  came to a point  68 . This point contact was effective to increase the duration of movement. 
         [0031]    In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be one and only one of the elements. 
         [0032]    The scope of the claims should not be limited by the illustrated embodiments set forth as examples, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with a purposive construction of the claims in view of the description as a whole.