Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of the co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/187,523 filed Aug. 7, 2008. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for displaying messages and, in particular, to a bracelet with removable clips displaying messaging for wearing on a wrist. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    A clip carrying a message is used to accessorize wearing apparel such as hats, clothes, book bags, bracelets, pants, etc. The clip gives people the opportunity to express themselves with a wide variety of messaging. 
         [0004]    The message clip is formed from a body having a message portion attached to a front surface and a clip portion for attachment. The clip portion can be formed integral with the body, or can be a separate part attached to a rear surface of the body. 
         [0005]    The message clip comprises: a body having a front surface and a rear surface with a flange extending about a periphery of the front surface forming a recessed area; a clip portion connected to the rear surface for releasably holding the body on an item; and a message portion having a display surface with a message displayed thereon, the message portion being mounted on the body and received in the recessed area wherein the message is visible. 
         [0006]    The message clip can be removably attached to a continuous band of flexible, elastic material to provide a bracelet for displaying messages. The bracelet comprises: the continuous band of flexible, elastic material for wearing on a wrist of a user, the band having a predetermined thickness and a predetermined width; at least one message clip body with a front surface, a rear surface and a flange extending about a periphery of the front surface forming a recessed area; a clip portion connected to the body for releasably holding the body on the band with the band retained between the clip portion and the rear surface of the body; and a message portion having a display surface with a message displayed thereon, the message portion being mounted on the body and received in the recessed area wherein the message is visible. When the message clip is attached, the band is slightly compressed between the message clip body and the clip portion. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]    The above advantages, as well as other advantages of the invention, will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment when considered in the light of the accompanying drawings in which: 
           [0008]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation view of a message clip in accordance with the invention; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is side elevation view of the message clip shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of an alternate embodiment the body and message portion of the message clip shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a partial side elevation view of a second alternate embodiment of the body and the clip portion of the message clip shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a third alternate embodiment of the body and the clip portion of the message clip shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a block diagram of a circuit for providing the message clip with light and sound according to the invention; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a front elevation view of a fourth alternate embodiment message clip in accordance with the invention; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is side elevation view of the message clip shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a fragmentary rear elevation view of the free end of the clip portion of the message clip shown in  FIG. 7 ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the message clip shown in  FIG. 1  attached to a bracelet in accordance with the invention; and 
           [0018]      FIG. 11  is a fragmentary bottom elevation view of the message clip and bracelet shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0019]    The message clip according to the invention is a distinctive product to accessorize hats, other articles of clothing, book bags, bracelets, etc. The unique design makes it easy to apply quickly to an assortment of things, The message clip gives people the opportunity to express themselves with a wide variety of messaging. The message clip can be removably attached to a band to be worn on the wrist of a user as a message displaying bracelet. 
         [0020]    The message clip can be made of spring steel, brass, plastic, precious metals, or other suitable material, in a shape similar to a basic money clip. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a message clip  10  has a body  11  with a clip portion  12  attached to one side and a message portion  13  attached to an opposite side. The body  11  has a generally planar rear surface  14  to which the generally U-shaped clip portion  12  is attached at a generally straight leg  15  thereof. The clip portion  12  can be attached to the surface  14  by a fastening means in any suitable manner such as by welding or with an adhesive material. The clip portion  12  is formed from a resilient material so that a free leg  16  can be bent away from the attached leg  15  to insert an item therebetween such as one or more layers of cloth at an edge of a cap, shirt pocket, pants belt loop, etc. When released, the free leg  16  will spring back toward the attached leg  15  to firmly and releasably hold the message clip  10  on the item. 
         [0021]    The body  11  has a front surface  17  at which the message portion  13  is mounted. The front surface  17  is surrounded at a periphery by an outwardly extending flange  18  to form a recessed area such that the message portion  13  is partially recessed ( FIG. 2 ). An outwardly facing display surface  19  of the message portion  13  has a visible message applied thereto. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the message is an exclamation mark  20 , but can be any symbol, logo, words, picture, etc. The display surface  19  can be flat or curved (as shown), and the message can be raised from and/or recessed into the surface  19 . The message portion  13  can be attached to the front surface  17  by a fastening device  21  in any suitable manner such as by welding, or with an adhesive material, or by a mechanical fastener. For example, the fastening device  21  is shown in the form of a layer of adhesive material or a double-sided adhesive sheet. In a preferred embodiment, the body  11 , the clip portion and the message portion are formed from etched brass and the message  20  is offset printed on the display surface. 
         [0022]    Other fastening devices can be used to attach the message portion to the body. As shown in  FIG. 3 , an alternate embodiment body  11   a  can have a projections  22  formed on an inner surface of a flange  18   a . The projections  22  can be of any suitable shape and cooperate with a depression or groove  23  formed in a side of an alternate embodiment message portion  13   a.    
         [0023]    The message portion  13  can be permanently fixed relative to the clip portion  12 , as well as be variably fixed, which allows the user to “turn” the display surface  19  to the desired angle. In some cases, the attachment of the message clip  10  to an item may require reorientation of the message  20  for proper viewing. For example, if the message clip  10  shown in  FIG. 1  is rotated 90°, it may be difficult to recognize the message  20  as an exclamation mark. As shown in  FIG. 5 , an alternate embodiment body  11   b  can be attached to a clip potion  12   b  by a rotation device such as a pivot pin  24  that permits rotation of the body  11   b  relative to the clip portion  12   b.    
         [0024]    As shown in  FIG. 4 , a message clip body  11   c , similar to any of the bodies  11 ,  11   a ,  11   b , can have a clip portion  12   a  formed integral therewith such that the body  11   c  and the clip portion  12   a  are a one-piece unit. A leg  16   a , similar to the leg  16 , extends generally parallel to and is spaced from the rear surface  14 . The leg  16   a  has one end  16   b  that is U-shaped and connects to a peripheral surface lid of the body  11   c . An opposite free end  16   c  of the leg  16   a  extends away from the body  11   c  at the peripheral surface  11   d . Similar to the message clip  10  shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the free end  16   c  of the leg  16   a  is positioned at an upper portion of the message  20  when the message clip is oriented for viewing. 
         [0025]    The message clip  10  also can be provided with the capability to light up and/or play sounds. As shown in  FIG. 6 , a light  25  and an audio player  26 , for playing stored music, words, miscellaneous sounds, etc., are connected to a source of power such as a battery  27  by a switch  28 . The light  25 , the audio player  26 , the battery  27  and the switch  28  can be located in the recess formed in the body  11  by the front surface  17  and the flange  18 . A message portion  13   b  is used to selectively actuate the switch  28  by mechanical action, or preferably by sensing contact of a human finger on the display surface  19 . Although only the one switch  28  is shown, separate switches could be provided for the light  25  and the audio player  26 . 
         [0026]    The message clip  10  can come in a variety of shapes and sizes to compliment the message  20  being displayed. For example, the body  11  and the message portion  13  can be circular. This would permit the message portion  13  to be rotatably attached to the body  11  by the pivot pin  24 . 
         [0027]    The message  20  can be proprietary and non-proprietary verbiage, slogans, sayings, taglines, company names, brand names, logos, icons, licensed materials, and imagery to express any messages desired. 
         [0028]    As shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , a message clip  30  has a body  31 , similar to the body  11   c  shown in  FIG. 4 , with a clip portion  32  formed integral therewith such that the body  31  and the clip portion  32  are a one-piece unit. The message clip  30  includes the message portion  13  mounted in a recessed area at the front surface for displaying the message  20 . The clip portion  32  extends from an upper periphery  31   a  of the outwardly extending flange  31   b  that forms a side wall of the recess. A leg  33  of the clip portion  32  extends at an angle to and is spaced from the rear surface of the body  31 . The leg  33  has one end  33   a  that is U-shaped and connects to the upper periphery  31   a  of the body  31 . The leg  33  then angles toward the body  31  and terminates in a free end  33   b  that curves away from the body  31  short of a lower periphery  31   c.    
         [0029]    The free end  33   b  of the leg  33  has a raised portion  34  extending toward the back surface of the body  31  as shown in  FIG. 8 . If the body  31  and the clip portion  32  are formed of a plastic material, the raised portion can be a molded feature. If the body  31  and the clip portion  32  are formed of a metal material, the raised portion  34  can be formed by displacing material in the free end  33   b  resulting in a corresponding depression  35  at the outer surface of the leg  33  as shown in  FIG. 9 . 
         [0030]    The message clip  30  is intended to be used in a message display bracelet  36  as shown in  FIG. 10 . The bracelet  36  includes a continuous band  37  of flexible, elastic material. For example, the band  37  can be formed from a silicone material that is latex free. The band  37  has a generally rectangular cross section with a width W and a thickness T. The band  37  will stretch in diameter to slide over a hand of the user and then return to the unstretched diameter or larger to accommodate the user&#39;s wrist. The message clip  30  is shown removably attached to the band  37  by receiving the band between the rear surface of the body  31  and the clip portion  32 . The height of the body  31  between the upper periphery  31   a  and the lower periphery  31   c  is approximately equal to the width W of the band  37 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , the body  31  and the clip portion  32  slightly compress the band  37  to reduce the thickness from T to T′. This compression and gripping by the raised portion  34  removably secure the clip  30  to the band  37  for wearing the bracelet  36 . Of course, more than one of the message clip  30  can be removably attached to the band  37  for displaying different messages. 
         [0031]    In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the invention has been described in what is considered to represent its preferred embodiment. However, it should be noted that the invention can be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described without departing from its spirit or scope.

Technology Category: g