Abstract:
The invention is a folding locket which can take the form of an oblong or cylindrical locket, and can be folded into a generally heart shaped locket. Magnet pairs hold the locket parts in position for oblong or heart forms, both of which can open to reveal two separate photos. In either of these configurations, oblong or heart, the locket can be opened by rotating the two halves of the locket apart. When the two halves of the locket are rotated apart, a picture, hidden on each side of the locket becomes visible; thus, opening the locket makes visible two pictures which can be selected by the user. The pictures displayed in the mounting are mounted in the position which spans the fold line of the locket.

Description:
CLAIM OF PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application is a divisional application of application Ser. No. 12/127,081, filed May 27, 2008, which is pending, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by this reference. This application pertains to the withdrawn technology of a locket with magnet closure, as determined by the Examiner Abigail E. Morrell in art unit 3671 to be a separate species of invention. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention is in the general field of lockets, and more specifically is related to folding lockets which hold pictures and which use magnets to secure the locket closed. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Lockets which open and close to display a photograph are well known in the prior art. Also well known in the prior art are lockets which have a generally oblong shape and which fold into a generally heart shape. Several different mechanisms have been disclosed in the prior art which enable folding in this manner from an oblong shape to a heart shape. Certain of these heart folding lockets also include a position for mounting a photograph. Heart folding lockets of the prior art provide a photograph mounting position which is typically in each of the lobes of the heart. Since there is a seam down the center of the heart, photographs mounted in the lobes of the heart must be split down the middle in order for the locket to function. 
         [0004]    Folding heart lockets of the prior art only provide a photograph position on one side of the heart. Certain of these folding heart lockets do not allow the locket to be open to display photographs when the locket is in both the oblong and the heart configuration. 
         [0005]    The folding locket of the invention folds from an oblong shape into a heart shape, and in either the heart or the oblong shape may be opened to reveal two photograph mounting positions. These photograph mounting positions span across the split in the locket quadrants. Magnets are used to secure the locket parts in the heart or oblong position. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    The invention is a folding locket which is made up of four quarter units, with the quarter units being designated, first, second, third, and fourth. The invention can also be used in the form or a keychain fob, a pill case, a novelty item, or anything in which a secret compartment would be useful. The first and second quarter units are paired together to form a generally oblong first half of the locket. The third and fourth quarter units are paired together to form a generally oblong second half of the locket. Each of these locket halves has a long axis and a short axis, as well as a first end and a second end, and an inner face and an outer surface. The 1 st  and the 3  rd  quarter units form an upper half of the locket and the 2 nd  and 4 th  quarter units form a lower half of the locket. The inner face (between the locket 1 st  and 2 nd  halves, and between the locket upper and lower halves) is a flat surface and is configured to interface with the flat inner face of the other half of the locket. Each of the quarter units of each of the halves are configured to be rotatably joined to the other quarter unit. Thus, the first quarter unit is rotatably joined to the second quarter unit, and the third quarter unit is rotatably joined to the fourth quarter unit. 
         [0007]    Each of the quarter units contains a quarter portion of a middle swivel joint, or the joining structure may be made from the material of the locket. For instance, the entire locket can be made of a material, such as wood, metal, jade, stone, plastic, or any other suitable material. Each of these portions of the swivel joint is mounted fixedly in the quarter unit of the locket. The swivel is what connects the first quarter unit and the second quarter unit, and it also connects the third quarter unit and the fourth quarter unit. By means of the swivel, the second quarter unit is able to rotate in relation to the first quarter unit and the third quarter unit is able to rotate in relation to the fourth quarter unit. 
         [0008]    The two oblong halves of the locket (the first and second locket halves) are also rotatably joined to each other so that one locket half can rotate 360° in relation to the other locket half. The inner face between the first quarter unit and the second quarter unit of the first locket half forms a joint line, and the second locket half has a corresponding joint line which is at an angle from the longitudinal axis of the oblong configuration. By the rotation of the upper and lower halves along the angle of the joint lines, the oblong position can be changed to a heart shaped configuration. 
         [0009]    The folding locket has a first position and a second position. In the first position, the first and second locket halves are aligned so that they form a generally oblong locket. The quarter units can also rotate along the first and second joint lines 180 degrees, so that the locket forms a heart shape. The joint lines can also be formed to not form a heart but to rotate the lower part of the locket in relation to the upper part. To form the heart shape, the second and fourth quarter units rotate as a pair (together called a lower half) in relation to the first and third quarter units (together called an upper half) of the locket. Due to the oblong nature of the locket halves, and the angle of the first and second joint line, the oblong locket can fold into a heart shaped locket with a simple twisting motion of the lower half in relation to the upper half. 
         [0010]    The movement of the locket from oblong shape to heart shape is accomplished by the four piece swivel, or its equivalent. 
         [0011]    The first and second half of the locket can also be moved apart when the locket is in the first or oblong position to reveal a cavity in each half for holding something. One or two of the four locket swivel joint quarters can contain a photo mounting position which allows the picture to span across the joint line and be located more or less in the center of the locket half and on both sides of the first joint line. In addition to a picture mounting position in the first half of the locket, a similar picture mounting position is available on the second half of the folding locket. Both of these photo mounting positions are in the center of and surrounded by two quarters of the swivel mechanism. 
         [0012]    Similarly, when the locket is moved to the second position of the heart shaped configuration by moving the lower half in relation to the upper half, two photo mounting positions are also exposed, with one of these being viewable at a time, viewable by moving the heart to an open position. By having the photo mounting surfaces located on the second and fourth quarter swivels, a different photo will be viewable when the locket is opened in the oval position than is viewable when the locket is opened in the heart shaped position. Each half of the heart has a photo mounting position which is designed to receive a photograph and to make it visible. The photo is positioned over the center of the joint line on both sides of the heart, but the photo does not need to have a seam over the joint line. This is accomplished by having a cavity contained within the swivel joint assembly which provides clearance for the picture when the locket halves are rotated from the oval position to the heart position. 
         [0013]    The device also has a hanging loop, and a rotating joint on one end of the locket, so that the two halves of the locket can rotate apart. The device also has a number of positioning magnets which are located on the various faces of the locket. The positioning magnets are paired, with the poles oriented to attract an opposite magnet when in the first (oblong) or second (heart) position. Thus a first magnet is in the upper half of the locket, and corresponds to a second magnet in the lower half of the locket. A third magnet is in the upper half of the locket, and corresponds to a fourth magnet in the lower half of the locket. A fifth magnet is in the upper half of the locket, and corresponds to a sixth magnet in the lower half of the locket. A seventh magnet is in the upper half of the locket, and corresponds to an eighth second magnet in the lower half of the locket. The positioning magnets are configured so that, when the lower half is in transition between the first and second positions, a pair of corresponding magnets will repel each other, which facilitates the moving of the locket to a different position. The repulsion is caused by positioning a magnet of a certain polarity opposite a magnet of the same polarity. Magnets are positioned so that in the first and second position, they attract, rather than repel, to bring the locket quarters into alignment and to hold it in place by the attraction of the magnets. The attraction of the magnets is caused by positioning an alike with an unlike polarity of magnet in the desired position. A first and second face magnet is also positioned on the inner face of the first and second halves of the locket. They are also positioned on the faces adjacent to the first and second joint lines, on either side of the quarter of the swivel which is in a particular quarter unit of the locket. The magnets are positioned with north and south poles arranged so that the sections repel each other in transit, and attract when in the first or second position. 
         [0014]    The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the public, and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
         [0015]    Still other features and advantages of the present invention will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the following detailed description describing preferred embodiments of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of modification in various obvious respects all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the preferred embodiments are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive in nature. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the locket of the invention. In an oblong and a heart configuration. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the locket of the invention showing an oblong configuration opening to reveal a picture. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the locket of the invention showing the heart configuration opening to reveal a picture. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a front view of an inner face of the invention showing the swivel assembly and picture mounting position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the four quadrants of the swivel assembly. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective, exploded view of the four quarter units of the locket. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the detail showing a detent fitting into a detent recess. 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is a view of the 4 quarters of the locket partially disassembled. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a view of the 4 quarters of  FIG. 8 , showing the reverse side of each section. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    The invention is shown in more detail in  FIGS. 1-9 .  FIG. 1  shows the folding locket  10  of the invention in a first (oblong) position  70  and a second (heart) position  72 . Shown in  FIG. 1  is a generally oblong first half  12  of the locket and a generally oblong second half  14  of the locket. The locket has a first end  20 , and a second end  22 . The locket is formed of an upper half  88  and a lower half  90 . The locket is made up of four quadrants which are identified as first quarter unit  28 , second quarter unit  30 , third quarter unit  32  and fourth quarter unit  34 . Between the second quarter unit  30  and the fourth quarter unit  34  is a rotating joint  46  which is internal to the pieces and is not visible from the outside. The upper half  88  is made up of the first quarter unit  28  and the third quarter unit  32 . The lower half  90  is made up of the second quarter unit  30  and the fourth quarter unit  34 . By the upper half  88  and the lower half  90  rotating, the locket changes from an oblong shape in the first position  70 , to a heart shape in the second position  72 . 
         [0026]    In  FIG. 1  the same locket is shown in the second position  72 , with the four quarter units of the locket identified, and the locket twisted into a heart shape. A hanging attachment  74  is attached to the locket to enable it to be hung by a string or a chain. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows the locket  10  and its configuration which allows opening the locket by rotating the first half  12  away from the second half  14  about the rotating joint  46 . Shown in  FIG. 2  are the first quarter unit  28  and the second quarter unit  30  which are joined together, thus, rotatable as a unit away from the second half  14 , which is made up of third quarter unit  32  and fourth quarter unit  34 . Where the first  28  and second  30  quarter units join is seen as a first joint line  52 . The inner face  24  of the second half  14  of the locket is visible in  FIG. 2 , as is the second joint line  54 . Visible on the inner face  24  of the second half of the locket  14 , is the swivel assembly  36 , which is located on the second joint line  54 . The swivel assembly  36  surrounds a second picture mounting position  50 , with a second picture  78  shown inside the second picture mounting position  50 . 
         [0028]      FIG. 3  shows the folding locket  10  of the invention in a second configuration  72 , in which the locket is generally heart shaped. Shown is the hanging attachment  74 , a first quarter unit  28 , a second quarter unit  30 , a third quarter unit  32  and a fourth quarter unit  34 . A rotating joint  46  is positioned between the inner faces  24  of the quarter units of the locket. In this configuration, first quarter unit  28  is connected edge to edge to fourth quarter unit  34 , third quarter unit  32  is connected edge to edge with second quarter unit  30 . Shown in  FIG. 3  is the swivel assembly  36 , which in this position shows the first picture mounting position  48 . The second picture mounting position  50  is viewable on the interfaces of quarter units  34  and  28 , but not visible from the viewpoint shown in  FIG. 3 . Shown is outer surface  26 . 
         [0029]      FIG. 4  is a front view of third quarter unit  32  and fourth quarter unit  34  of the locket of the invention which make up second half  14  of locket  10 . Shown in  FIG. 4  is a hanging attachment  74 , a positioning magnet  94  and a detent  68 . This view shows what the generally oblong second half  14  of the folding locket would look like if the first half  12  were removed. Visible in this view is a shaft  80  where the rotating joint  46  would fit and join the first half  12  and the second half  14  together. Also shown in  FIG. 4  is the second picture mounting position  50  where a picture may be mounted and allowed to overhang into the third quarter of the locket and span the second joint line  54 . Also shown in  FIG. 4  is a third quarter  42  of the  4  piece swivel and fourth quarter  44  of the  4  piece swivel. A first quarter  38  of the swivel and a second quarter  40  of the swivel would be identical in nature and would be mounted in the first half  12  of the locket. The swivel assembly  36  is thus made of four quarters, with two of the quarters shown in  FIG. 4 . These two quarters are rotatably joined to each other by the rim  60  on the third quarter of the swivel  42 , and by the retaining ridge  62  of the fourth quarter of the swivel  44 . The rim  60  and retaining ridge  62  act together to allow quarter units  32  and  34  to rotate around each other while remaining attached. Since the first and third quarter units have similar swivel quadrants, and the second and fourth quarter units have similar swivel quadrants, as long as the four quarters are aligned accurately, the fourth quarter  34  and the second quarter  30  can also rotate around the joined first quarter  28  and the third quarter  32 . 
         [0030]    Shown in  FIG. 4  is a positioning magnet  94 , which is positioned to attract a corresponding positioning magnet of opposite polarity on the first half  12  of the locket. Other positioning magnets  96 ,  98 ,  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , detents  68 , and detent recesses  82  are also present on the faces between quarter units  28  and  30 , that form the first joint line and the second joint line between quarter units  32  and  34 , and cause the four pieces to snap into position as they approach their correct location in relation to each other. The interface between two of these quarter units are shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 5  shows a view of the four quarters of the swivel, with the locket pieces themselves removed. The swivel assembly  36  is shown, with the first quarter of the swivel being  38 , second quarter of the swivel being  40 , third quarter of the swivel being  42 , and the fourth quarter of the swivel identified as  44 . Located on the first and third quarter of the swivels is a rim  60 , which interfaces with a retaining ridge  62 , which is formed by the second quarter of the swivel and the fourth quarter of the swivel. When these four pieces are joined together, the first and third quarter of the swivel,  38  and  42 , are free to rotate around the second and fourth quarter of the swivel,  40  and  44 . Each of these quarters of the swivel is attached to a quarter unit of the locket, thus, each of the four quarters of the locket may rotate around each other as permitted by the swivels and by the rotating joint  46 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 6  shows an exploded view of the locket of the invention. In this view the four quarters are shown without being attached to any of the other four quarters. Shown in this view are a number of positioning magnets  96 ,  98 ,  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , with magnets positioned in opposing pairs with opposite polarity on each of the edge faces  86 . Quarter units  28  and  32  form the upper half  88 . Quarter units  30  and  34  form the lower half  90 . A first magnet  96  is in the upper half  88  of the locket, and corresponds to a second magnet  98  in the lower half  90  of the locket. A third magnet  100  is in the upper half  88  of the locket, and corresponds to a fourth magnet  102  in the lower half  90  of the locket. A fifth magnet  104  is in the upper half  88  of the locket, and corresponds to a sixth magnet  106  in the lower half  90  of the locket. A seventh magnet  108  is in the upper half  88  of the locket, and corresponds to an eighth magnet  110  in the lower half  90  of the locket. The positioning magnets are configured so that when the lower half is in transition between the first (oblong) and second (heart) positions, a pair of magnets will repel each other, which facilitates the moving of the locket to a different position. The repulsion is caused by positioning a magnet of a certain polarity opposite a magnet of the same polarity. The positioning magnets are positioned so that in the first and second position, all magnet pairs attract, rather than repel, to bring the locket halves into alignment and to hold them in place by the attraction of the magnets. The attraction of the magnets is caused by positioning a like with an unlike polarity of magnet in each magnet position. A first and second face magnet  92  and  94  is also positioned on the inner face of the first and second halves of the locket, which are shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  6 ,  7 , and  8 . 
         [0033]    Adjacent to the positioning magnets  96 ,  98 ,  100 ,  102 ,  104 ,  106 ,  108 ,  110 , on the edge faces  86  are several protruding detents  68 . Opposite from the detents  68  on one of the edge faces  86  are corresponding detent recesses  82 . In addition to detents  68  and the detent recesses  82  positioned on the edge faces  86 , detents and detent recesses can also be positioned on the inner faces  24 . The polarity of the positioning magnets is arranged so that, when the four quarters are in the correct position, each of the ten magnets is adjacent to a magnet of the opposite polarity. This causes the locket to clamp itself into shape by magnetic attraction. Conversely, when the locket is rotated in other positions, the magnets are arranged so that, when the locket quarters are in transition positions the magnets pass by other magnets of the same polarity, causing repulsion of the magnets until they are in the correct position. 
         [0034]    Shown in  FIG. 6  is a shaft  80 , which corresponds to a shaft tube  84 , which forms the rotating joint  46  of the invention and which allows the oblong version of the locket to open as shown in  FIG. 2 . A half cylinder projection  45  is shown as part of swivel 4 th  quarter  44 , with a corresponding half cylinder recess  47  formed in third swivel unit  42 . A similar half cylinder projection  45  and recess  47  is shown in swivel quarter units  40  and  38 . 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  shows the detent  68  and a detent recess  82  of the invention. In this case, the detent  68  is merely a slight protrusion from the face of one of the quarters. The detent recess  82  corresponds to the detent, and is a slight recession which corresponds to the size and depth of the detent  68 . The detents can take a number of forms, including ball detents, or mere protrusions of the substrate material of the quarters. The purpose of the detents is to precisely align the quarters of the locket together so that it can freely rotate between the oval and heart shapes and so the halves can easily open to reveal the pictures. 
         [0036]    While there is shown and described the present preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.