Patent Document

INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 
   Applicant(s) hereby incorporate herein by reference, any and all U.S. patents and U.S. patent applications cited or referred to in this application. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates generally to a mesh pouch, bag or purse made of a metal chain formed to enclose a jewel and providing advantages as described. 
   2. Description of Related Art 
   The following art defines the present state of this field: 
   Molinari, U.S. Des. 161,954 describes an open mesh knitted shoulder bag design. 
   Tully, U.S. Pat. No. 672,499 describes a laundry bag consisting of a series of strands converging at the bottom, the said strands being knotted and then lying extending parallel to form a double thickness for the bottom portion; said strands forming loops and a ring in the loops. 
   Schoch, U.S. Pat. No. 6,89,232 describes a metal cloth of concavo-convex plates each having at its periphery a series of arms bent backwardly and inwardly, and connecting-links with crossheads at opposite ends joining one plate with another. 
   Irons, U.S. Pat. No. 726,166 describes a chain fabric comprising a plurality of finished chains and links connecting each finished chain with its adjacent finished chain at intervals, all the links of each finished chain being connected in rows, and links of the finished chains being cross-connected by links to form meshes of which the finished chains are two sides and the connecting links are the other two sides. 
   Aucoc, U.S. Pat. No. 898,166 describes a metallic web or fabric for the purposes specified, comprising a plurality of rings connected in groups, each ring having a central inset portion provided with a setting for the reception of ornamental stones, and each group of rings being centrally connected by a member comprising a stud having a head and a setting therein; and the rings of said groups being connected in pairs by links. 
   Moody, U.S. Pat. No. 1,084,584 describes a green food feeder for poultry and the like comprising a tubular reticulated container member of flexible material, a spreader member within said container at the bottom thereof and having an aperture therein, the marginal meshes of one end of said container passing through said aperture and fastened on the opposite side of said spreader member. 
   Rice, U.S. Pat. No. 5,845,994 describes a holding device including a mesh container having a closed end and an opposite open end defining an interior. A tassel may hang from the container proximate the closed end. The mesh container may be formed by a plurality of strands braided and tied together in a series of knots such that a diamond-shape weave appears. A drawstring is inserted through the interstices of the mesh at the open end of the container. A cinching mechanism, such as a draw bead, slidably engages the drawstring for opening and closing the open end of the container. The drawstring may have a connecting ring for enhancing safety. 
   The prior art above teaches: a mesh bag, a metallic web or fabric, a metal cloth for purses, chatelaine bags etc., a laundry bag, a green food feeder for poultry, an open mesh knitted shoulder bag, and a purse or the like, but does not teach a combination mesh pouch with closure and enclosed jewel wherein the weight of the jewel is sufficient to close the mesh pouch. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a flexible jewel pouch for holding a jewel, comprising a metal mesh dimensioned to hold the jewel therein, a top opening and having a plurality of apertures, the largest aperture being smaller than the jewel; a mesh carrying arrangement slidingly attached to the mesh along the top opening, wherein when the jewel is placed in the mesh, the mesh suspends from the mesh carrying arrangement and the weight of the jewel causes the mesh carrying arrangement to at least partially close the top opening of the mesh thereby securing the jewel therein. 
   In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, the mesh jewel pouch is formed using a bottom ring for closing a bottom end of the jewel pouch. Extending upwardly from the bottom ring are a plurality of metal chain strands forming a mutually spaced-apart chain-strand adjacency relationship around the bottom ring. Each one of the chain strands is joined to its neighbor strands on either side by attachment rings to form an open mesh fabric. Terminal ends of the strands are joined to slider rings on a jewel support band so that with a jewel held within the jewel pouch, and with the jewel pouch suspended from the jewel support band by the slider rings, the weight of the jewel is sufficient to cause the slider rings to slide along the jewel support band into mutual adjacency for closing a top end of the jewel pouch for capturing the jewel therein. 
   The present invention further provides a jewelry kit comprising in combination: at least one jewel pouch as described above and at least two jewels each of which is capable of fitting into the mesh and having at least one visual characteristic different one from the other. Thus, for example the jewels may differ in their color such as to achieve different jewel arrangement by the replacement of a jewel having one color with a jewel of another color and to thereby obtain different adornments. 
   A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that yields advantages not taught by the prior art. 
   Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of being worn for adornment. 
   A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of replacement of one jewel with another jewel selectively without the need for a jewelry mechanic. 
   A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of holding a jewel and securing the jewel by its own weight. 
   Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The accompanying drawings illustrate the present invention. In such drawings: 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of chain strands of the invention configured in V-formations and attached around a bottom ring of the invention at the apex of the V-formations; 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of chain strands of the invention configured in V-formations and attached around a bottom ring of the invention at the ends of the V-formations; 
       FIG. 3  is a plan view of the chain strands of  FIG. 1 , showing the method of attachment of adjacent strands to each other; 
       FIG. 4  is an elevational view of the jewel pouch of the invention as formed with the strands, with a jewel or stone enclosed therein and partly cut away to display a rear top portion of the jewel pouch; 
       FIG. 5  is an elevational view thereof showing a necklace embodiment and an earring embodiment; 
       FIG. 6  is an enlarged partial view of  FIG. 5  showing details of the earring embodiment; 
       FIG. 7  is an elevational view thereof showing a bracelet embodiment; and 
       FIG. 8  is an elevational view thereof showing an anklet embodiment. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The above described drawing figures illustrate the invention in at least one of its preferred embodiments, which is further defined in detail in the following description. Those having ordinary skill in the art may be able to make alterations and modifications in the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Therefore, it must be understood that the illustrated embodiments have been set forth only for the purposes of example and that they should not be taken as limiting the invention as defined in the following. 
   The present invention is a mesh jewel pouch  10  formed using a bottom ring  20  of sufficient rigidity and strength for closing a bottom end  12  of the jewel pouch  10 , which as described below, will support and enclose a jewel  5  of a significant weight ( FIG. 4 ). The word “jewel” in this specification and in the claims to follow shall include in its meaning, precious and semi-precious gems, stones, crystals and like objects without exception. 
   Attached to, and extending upwardly from the bottom ring  20  are a plurality of highly flexible, jewelry quality metal chain strands  30  forming a mutually spaced-apart chain-strand adjacency relationship around the bottom ring  20  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . That is, the strands  30  are movable on the bottom ring  20  and are preferably attached to the bottom ring  20  using rings  21  somewhat larger than the links of the strands  30 . 
   Preferably, the strands  30  are made up of chains having a length equal to the length of two of the strands  30 , and the chains are then folded in half at a midpoint  35  of the chains to form two V-shaped strands  30 . In one approach, the midpoint  35  of the strands is attached to the bottom ring  20 , as shown in  FIG. 1 , while in a second embodiment, the free ends of the V-shaped strands  30  are attached to the bottom ring  20  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
   In either case, each one of the chain strands  30  is joined to another strand (e.g. an adjacent/neighboring one) of the chain strands, identified by the numeral  30 ′ in  FIG. 3 , by one of a plurality of attachment rings  40  at spaced-apart intervals  50 , and to a second adjacent one of the chain strands, identified by the numeral  30 ″ in  FIG. 3 , at points  55  within the intervals  50 . 
   The intervals  50  may be of a constant dimension, or may vary across the pouch  10 . Likewise, the pattern of the strands  30  may be of various shapes and other than the diamond shape shown in  FIG. 4 . In this manner, the jewel pouch  10  is constructed with a plurality of apertures which may be of any one of a wide range of shapes and said shapes may vary within a pouch. 
   When the midpoint  35  of each chain is fastened to the bottom ring, as defined in  FIGS. 1 and 3 , the terminal ends  32  of each of the chain strands  30 ,  30 ′,  30 ″ is engaged with a slider ring  60  and is therefore slidingly engaged with a pouch support means, typically a necklace  70 , having a clasp means  72  for closing the necklace  70  in a continuous loop ( FIG. 5 ), or with a bracelet  75  ( FIG. 7 ) or with an anklet  80  ( FIG. 8 ). However, when the midpoint  35  is fastened to the slider ring  60  ( FIG. 2 ), the free ends  32  of chain strands  30  are attached to the bottom ring  20 , via rings  21 , and indeed, may extend below as a fringe  31  ( FIG. 4 ). 
   The jewel  5  is held within the jewel pouch  10 , wherein with the jewel pouch  10  suspended from the jewel support means by the slider rings  60 , the weight of the jewel  5  is sufficient to cause the slider rings  60  to slide along the jewel support means into mutual adjacency for closing a top end  14  of the jewel pouch  10  for capturing the jewel  5  therein. Preferably, a safety clasp  100  ( FIG. 4 ) is engaged with at least two of the slider rings  60  for securing the jewel pouch  10  in a top-closed attitude as shown in  FIGS. 5-8 . 
   A plurality of the jewel pouch  10 , as described above, may be mounted onto a single necklace (not shown), bracelet ( FIG. 7 ) or anklet ( FIG. 8 ) and these are preferably placed in fixed, spaced apart locations as shown in the figures. 
   The enablements described in detail above are considered novel over the prior art of record and are considered critical to the operation of the instant invention and to the achievement of the above described objectives. The words used in this specification to describe the invention and its various embodiments are to be understood not only in the sense of their commonly defined meanings, but to include by special definition in this specification: structure, material or acts beyond the scope of the commonly defined meanings. Thus if an element can be understood in the context of this specification as including more than one meaning, then its use must be understood as being generic to all possible meanings supported by the specification and by the word or words describing the element. 
   The definitions of the words or elements of this described invention and its various embodiments are, therefore, defined in this specification to include not only the combination of elements which are literally set forth, but all equivalent structure, material or acts for performing substantially the same function in substantially the same way to obtain substantially the same result. In this sense it is therefore contemplated that an equivalent substitution of two or more elements may be made for any one of the elements in the invention and its various embodiments or that a single element may be substituted for two or more elements in a claim. 
   Changes from the claimed subject matter as viewed by a person with ordinary skill in the art, now known or later devised, are expressly contemplated as being equivalents within the scope of the invention and its various embodiments. Therefore, obvious substitutions now or later known to one with ordinary skill in the art are defined to be within the scope of the defined elements. The invention and its various embodiments are thus to be understood to include what is specifically illustrated and described above, what is conceptually equivalent, what can be obviously substituted, and also what essentially incorporates the essential idea of the invention. 
   While the invention has been described with reference to at least one preferred embodiment, it is to be clearly understood by those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited thereto. Rather, the scope of the invention is to be interpreted only in conjunction with the appended claims and it is made clear, here, that the inventor(s) believe that the claimed subject matter is the invention.

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