Abstract:
A tubular bladder has an outside wall connected to an inside surface of a finger passage through a band of a finger ring. An inside wall of the bladder is integral with the outside wall and forms a gas chamber. A passage connects the gas chamber to a source of air. Increasing air in the gas chamber reduces the diameter of the finger passage. Reducing the quantity of air in the gas chamber increases the diameter of the finger passage. A valve can be provided to meter air into and out of the bladder. If the bladder is resilient and tends to expand the area of the gas chamber, an air passage can let air into and out of the bladder.

Description:
This application is a continuing patent application of application Ser. No. 09/940,839, filed Aug. 28, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,672,105. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The finger ring fit adjuster permits a finger ring to be slid onto a finger and over a knuckle and then adjust to a snug fit. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Rings were worn on fingers before recorded history. The problems concerning fit that the first people to wear rings experienced are still with us today. These fit problems relate to initial fit of a ring when the ring is first acquired and changes in finger size with age. A child&#39;s finger grows longer and larger in diameter until the child becomes an adult. The fingers of an adult change as the adults weight changes. Injuries can also change finger size. The knuckle joint connecting the first phalanx to the second phalanx of each finger tends to increase in diameter with age. At the same time the diameter of the first phalanx and the tissue encasing the first phalanx tends to decrease in diameter with advancing age when weight remains substantially constant. When the knuckle joint is larger in diameter than the center portion of the first phalanx, finger rings are loose after they slide over the knuckle joint. 
   Finger rings that are a band with a uniform cross section can rotate about a finger when they are loose. Such rotation of a band is not generally objectionable as long as the rings do not fall off. 
   Most finger rings worn by people today have a shank portion that extends radially outward from the band and carries an ornamentation. Such shank portions are intended to face outwardly from the backside of the hand when the fingers are extended. Rotation of a finger ring with a shank portion tends to move the shank portion and ornamentation carried by the shank portion out of view. When the shank portion rotates to a position between two fingers, it may interfere with the ability to use the fingers and to grasp various objects. To reduce these problems, a person wearing a loose ring has to rotate the ring back to the desired orientation frequently. 
   Numerous devices have been employed to tighten a loose finger ring and prevent rotation relative to a finger. One of the simplest devices is a band of adhesive tape wrapped around a section of the ring band. The tape band reduces the diameter of the finger passage through the ring band however the finger passage diameter must remain sufficiently large to slide over a knuckle. The tape wrap works but is unattractive and requires frequent replacement. Various mechanical devices have been tried to tighten loose rings. One group of mechanical devices includes a wedge member that is moved into a position between an inside surface of the band and a finger. Mechanical devices include levers that pivot about an axis parallel to the ring finger passage and into the finger passage through a ring. Some of these levers are spring biased. Springs and levers are expensive to manufacture, generally require substantial modification of the ring, and require maintenance. 
   Resilient pads have also been proposed to prevent rotation of finger rings relative to a finger. These pads require some machining of the ring, require a ring to be larger in diameter than normal, are difficult to adjust and tend to collect dirt and oils and require frequent cleaning. Resilient pads can be compressed slightly to slide over knuckles. However, such pads may have an adhesive coating that resists ring rotation and also resists passage of a knuckle. 
   Devices to adjust finger ring diameters are not readily available for purchase. Although the need for such devices is well known, none of the devices developed in the past appear to have found substantial acceptance. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The finger ring fit adjuster adjusts the fit of a finger ring band having a band inside surface that is generally cylindrical and forms a finger passage. A tubular bladder, for adjusting the size of the finger passage includes an outside wall that is anchored to the band inside surface. An inside wall is integral with the outside wall and cooperates with the outside wall to form a gas chamber. A passage connects the gas chamber to a source of air. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The presently preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed in the following description and in the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a finger ring with a ring fit adjuster; 
       FIG. 2  is an expanded perspective view of a ring and a ring fit adjuster; 
       FIG. 3  is an enlarged sectional view taken along line  3 — 3  in  FIG. 1  with the gas chamber inflated; 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view through the ring band only in a plane transverse to the finger passage axis; 
       FIG. 5  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  of a modified version of the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a view similar to  FIG. 4  of another modified version of the invention; multiple small bladder elements; and 
       FIG. 7  is a view similar to  FIG. 6  showing a ring fit adjuster with multiple small bladder elements; 
       FIG. 8  is enlarged section view taken along line  8 — 8  in  FIG. 7 ; 
       FIG. 9  shows a finger starting to be inserted into the ring from the rear edge and toward the front edge and through the finger ring adjuster; 
       FIG. 10  shows knuckle joint inside the finger ring band; 
       FIG. 11  shows a knuckle joint at the front edge of the finger ring band; 
       FIG. 12  shows the finger after the knuckle joint has passed completely through the finger ring adjuster; and 
       FIG. 13  is a view similar to  FIG. 3  showing a small hollow needle holding the air valve open. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The finger ring  10  includes a band  12 . The band  12  can be metal or other material with sufficient strength and rigidity. The usual materials for finger rings  10  include silver, gold and platinum. The finger ring  10  includes the band portion  12  and a shank portion  14 . 
   The shank portion  14  shown in  FIG. 2  extends slightly radially outward from the band portion  12  and holds a small cut diamond  16  as shown in  FIG. 2 . The shank  18  shown in  FIG. 4 and 6  is larger and extends radially outward further from the band portion  12  than the shank portion  14  shown in  FIG. 2 . Large shanks  18  can hold large precious or semi-precious stones or other ornamentation. 
   The band inside surface  20  is a cylindrical surface, as shown in the drawings, with a central axis. This surface  20  can also be slightly convex between the front edge  22  and the rear edge  24  of the band  12 . 
   The finger ring adjuster  26  is a tubular bladder with an outside wall  28  and an inside wall  30  that is integral with the outside wall. The outside wall  28  as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  is secured to the band inside surface  20  and extends 360° about the inside inside surface. The inside wall  30  cooperates with the outside wall  28  to form a gas chamber  32  chamber  32  that extends 360° around the finger passage as shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  4 . 
   The outside wall  28  of the finger ring adjuster  26  is preferably fixed to the band inside surface  20  by an adhesive  34 . By using an adhesive  34  no machining of the band portion  12  is required to hold the ring adjuster  26  in place. However, small radially extending bores  36 , drilled into the band  12 , can receive radial projection  38  on the outside wall  28 , to hold the ring adjuster  26  in place or to supplement the adhesive  34 . The outside wall  28  can also be anchored to the band portion  12  by the shape of surfaces on the band and the outside wall  28  that contact each other. 
   A finger ring adjuster  26  is a plastic material film that is flexible and resilient. Due to the thin wall thickness, it requires a minimal space in a radial direction. As a result, the band  12  does not have to be much larger than a persons normal ring size to accommodate the ring adjuster  26 . The surface of the inside wall  30  that contacts a person&#39;s finger has a low coefficient of friction so that it is easy to slip on and off a person&#39;s finger. If desired the surface can be provided with small knobs, projections or grooves that permit some air to circulate in the space between the inside wall  30  and a person&#39;s finger. The surface of the inside wall  30  that contacts a person&#39;s finger can, if desired, include a material with a higher coefficient of friction to reduce movement between a person&#39;s finger and the ring. 
   An air valve  40  is provided in the outside wall  28  of the finger ring adjuster  26  as shown in  FIGS. 1–4 . The air valve  40 , as shown, is a duck bill type valve that is closed by air pressure in the gas chamber  32 . The air valve 40  has flaps  41  and  43  that are opened by a small hollow needle  45  similar to the needles employed to inflate balls used in various athletic games. The needle is used to inflate the gas chamber  32  and to let air out of the chamber. Sufficient air can be forced into the gas chamber by blowing on the needle. Air valves  40  other than duck bill valves can be used. Due to the resilience of the adjuster  26 , the inside wall  30  can be compressed by a person&#39;s finger to increase the diameter of a finger passage and permit the insertion of a knuckle though the band  12 . After the knuckle passes through the band  12 , the air pressure in the gas chamber  32  expands the finger ring adjuster to decrease the diameter of the finger passage and provide a snug fit. 
   The air valve  40  passes through a bore  42  through the band  12  that is spaced from the shank  14  or  18 . The air valve  40  can be relatively small if a miniature needle is employed to add as well as remove air from the gas chamber  32 . 
   The finger ring adjuster  46  shown in  FIG. 5  is a modified version of the finger ring adjuster  26  shown in  FIGS. 1–4 . The air valve  40  shown in  FIG. 3  has been eliminated. Elimination of the air valve eliminates the need for a bore  42  through the band  12 . An outside wall  48  of the modified ring adjuster  46  is secured to the inside surface  20  of the band  12  the same as the outside wall  28  as described above. The inside wall  50  of the finger ring adjuster  46  is formed with a bias toward the shape shown in  FIG. 5 . An air chamber  52  is expanded when there is no external load on the inside wall  50  and the pressure of air inside the air chamber is the same as atmospheric air pressure. When a person inserts a finger into the finger passage, the inside wall  50  is forced to collapse some. A portion of the air in the air chamber  52  is forced out of the air chamber through one or more vent apertures  54  connecting the air chamber  52  to atmospheric air. After a finger knuckles passes through the finger passage through the finger ring adjuster  46 , the internal bias formed in the inside wall  50  will decrease the diameter of the finger ring bore passage and keep the inside wall in contact with the finger in the passage. The decrease in the diameter of the finger bore passage increases the volume of the air chamber  52  and causes air to enter the air chamber through the vent aperture or apertures  54 . When air pressure inside the air chamber  52  is equalized with atmospheric air pressure, the force of the internal bias in the finger ring adjuster  46  is the force exerted on the finger of a person wearing the finger ring. 
   The finger ring adjusters  26  and  46  extend 360° along the band inside surface  20  to form continuous air chambers  32  and  52 . Finger rings  10  that require a small adjustment in the diameter of the band inside surface  20  can employ a finger ring adjuster  56  with a tubular bladder that extends less than 360° about the inside surface as shown in  FIG. 6 . The finger ring adjuster  56  has an outside wall  58  that extends a little more than 90° along the band inside surface  20 . An inside wall  60  is integral with the outside wall  58  and cooperates with the outside wall to form a chamber  62  that is an arc of about 90° from end to end. The length of the walls  58  and  60  can be changed as desired to increase or decrease the length of the tubular bladder of the finger ring adjuster  56 . Air can be forced in and out of the chamber  62  the same way it is forced in and out of the chamber  32  by providing a valve  40  as described above. Air can also move in or out of the chamber  62  by providing at least one vent aperture  54  as described above and forming the inside wall  60  with an internal bias that will tend to increase the area of the air chamber  62 . 
   The finger ring adjusters  26 ,  46  and  56  described above can be replaced by one or more finger ring adjusters  66  as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 . These finger ring adjusters  66  have an inside wall  68  with a generally circular outer periphery  70 . An outside wall  72  joins the inside wall  68  along a line  74 . An air valve  76  is connected to the outside wall  72  and passes through a bore  78  through the band  12 . An air passage  80  through the air valve  76  extends from outside the ring band  12  through the ring band and to an air chamber  82 . A resilient membrane  84  covers the passage  80  to hold air in the chamber  82 . The membrane  84  opens to let air into the chamber  82  when an air pressure is applied to the passage  80 . Air is forced out of the air chamber  82  when excess pressure is applied to the inside wall  68 . Due to the relatively small size of the adjuster  66  pressure can be applied to force air from the air chamber  82  by a finger tip. Two finger ring adjusters  66  are shown in  FIG. 7 . In some cases one of the adjusters would be sufficient. In other cases more than two of the adjusters  66  may be required. 
   The air pressure opened valve  84  in the finger ring adjuster  66  can be replaced by the air valve  40  shown in  FIG. 3 , by the air passage  54  shown in  FIG. 5  or by another suitable valve. The air pressure opened membrane  84  could also be used in place of the air valve  40  or the vent aperture  54  as described above. 
   The finger ring adjusters have been described as having an inside wall and an outside wall that form air chamber  32 ,  52 ,  62  or  82 . These finger adjusters can have inside walls and outside walls that are made of the same material and are one unitary construction. The finger ring adjusters can also be formed from multiple sections. A three piece tubular bladder could for example have an outside wall of relatively rigid material, an inside wall that joins the outside wall along one edge and an expandable wall that is connected to a second side of the outside wall and a second side of the inside wall. The expandable wall could be expandable because of its shape. The expandable wall can be expandable because of the material it is made from. The expandable wall can also expand more than other portions of a bladder due to the reduced thickness of a resilient material. 
   The disclosed embodiments are representative of a presently preferred form of the invention, but is intended to be illustrative rather than definitive thereof. The invention is defined in the claims.