# US 11,076,661 B2 · Magnetic jewelry clasp > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,076,661 B2 - Document ID: US11076661B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/515,088 - Filed: 2019-07-18 - Published: 2019-11-28 - Granted: 2021-08-03 - Earliest claimed: 2017-07-28 - Applicants: William Stuart Duncan; Beeman E. Burgoon, Jr. - Inventors: William Stuart Duncan; Beeman E. Burgoon, Jr. - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11076661B2 ## CPC - A44C 5/2071: {with the two ends of the strap or chain overlapping each other and fastened by an action perpendicularly to the main plane of these two ends (A44C5/2009 - A44C5/2057 take precedence)} - H01F 7/0263: {Closures, bags, bands, engagement devices with male and female parts} - A44D 2203/00: Fastening by use of magnets - A44C: PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS - H01F: MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES - A44D: INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO BUTTONS, PINS, BUCKLES OR SLIDE FASTENERS, AND TO JEWELLERY, BRACELETS OR OTHER PERSONAL ADORNMENTS ## Abstract A jewelry clasp is disclosed and includes a first part including a first magnet, a first groove and a first catch and a second part including a second magnet, a second groove and a second catch. The first and second magnets generate an attractive force holding the first part to the second part, the first catch is received in the second groove and the second catch is received in the first groove. A relief disposed on at least one of the first part and the second part at an interface between the first part and the second part is provided to aid in releasing the first part from the second part. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A jewelry clasp comprising: a first part including a first magnet, first groove and first catch; and a second part including a second magnet generating an attractive force holding the first part to the second part in a first direction and a second groove that receives the first catch and a second catch that is received within the first groove for holding the first part to the second part in a second direction transverse to the first direction, wherein at least one of the first part and the second part includes an opening extending into a corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove for receiving a portion of a jewelry item, wherein the first groove and the second groove are sized relative to the corresponding first catch and second catch to define contact points that prevent a tipping force from dislodging the first part from the second part by limiting a spacing between the first magnet and the second magnet to a distance where a magnetic force generated between the first magnet and the second magnet is sufficient to pull the first part and the second part back to a coupled position. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first groove and the second groove include a curved guide surface transverse to the second direction and the first catch and the second catch each include a curved guided surface in contact with the curved guide surface such that the attractive force between the first magnet and the second magnet moves the first part and the second part into centered alignment along the longitudinal length. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 2, including an angled surface disposed on at least one of the first part and the second part at an interface between the first part and the second part to aid in releasing the first part from the second part. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 3, wherein the first groove is on a side of the first magnet opposite the first catch and the second groove is on a side of the second magnet opposite the second catch. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 4, wherein a bottom corner of the one of the curved guide surfaces is spaced relative to an inside surface of a corresponding one of the first and second grooves to limit movement of the first and second parts in response to the tipping force. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 5, wherein the first groove and the second groove are both open to each side to enable relative pivoting movement between the first part and the second part around an axis extending in the first direction and centered on the first and second magnets. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 6, wherein a cross-sectional shape of the clasp is one of an oval shape, spherical shape and rectilinear shape. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 7, wherein each of the first part and the second part include a cavity for receiving a corresponding one of the first magnet and the second magnet. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 8, including an adhesive for holding each of the first magnet and the second magnet within a corresponding cavity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 9, wherein each of the first magnet and the second magnet are flush with an inner surface of each of the first part and the second part. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 10, wherein each of the first magnet and the second magnet comprise permanent magnets. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The jewelry clasp as recited in claim 11, wherein the first part and the second part are formed from non-magnetic material. ### Claim 13 A jewelry item comprising: an elongated member including a first end and a second end; a first part including a first magnet generating a magnetic force, a first groove and a first catch; and a second part including a second magnet generating an attractive force in a first direction that is transverse to a longitudinal length of the first part and the second part for holding the first part to the second part and a second groove that receives the first catch and a second catch that is received within the first groove for holding the first part to the second part in a second direction parallel to the longitudinal length of the first part and the second part, wherein at least one of the first part and the second part includes an opening extending into a corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove for receiving a portion of one of the first end and the second end. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The jewelry item as recited in claim 13, including at least one relief disposed at an interface between the first part and the second part to aid in releasing the first part from the second part, wherein the relief comprises an angled surface along the interface between the first part and the second part. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The jewelry item as recited in claim 14, wherein the first part includes an opening extending into the first groove for receiving a portion of the first end and the second part includes an opening that extends into the second groove for receiving a portion of the second part. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The jewelry item as recited in claim 14, wherein the first part includes an opening extending into the first groove for receiving a portion of the first end and the second part includes a tab extending outward for attachment to the second end of the elongated member. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The jewelry item as recited in claim 16, wherein each of the first groove and the second groove include a curved guide surface transverse to the second direction and the first catch and the second catch each include a curved guided surface in contact with the curved guide surface such that the attractive force between the first magnet and the second magnet moves the first part and the second part into centered alignment along the longitudinal length. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The jewelry item as recited in claim 17, wherein a bottom corner of the one of the curved guide surfaces is spaced relative to an inside surface of a corresponding one of the first and second grooves to limit movement of the first and second parts in response to a tipping force, wherein the engagement of the contact points limit the spacing between the first and second magnets such that the attractive magnetic forces provided by the first and second magnets is sufficient to pull the first and second parts back to a coupled position upon release of the tipping force. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The jewelry item as recited in claim 18, wherein each of the first groove and the second groove are open on each side of the corresponding one of the first part and the second part. ### Claim 20 A clasp comprising: a first part including a first groove and a first catch; and a second part including a second groove that receives the first catch and a second catch that is received within the first groove for resisting separation of the first part from the second part in a first direction along a longitudinal length of the first part and the second part, wherein at least one of the first part and the second part includes a magnet generating an attractive force holding the first part to the second part in a direction transverse to the longitudinal length; and at least one relief on one of the first part and the second part and disposed parallel to the longitudinal length of the first part and the second part at an interface between the first part and the second part, the relief providing for the application of a force for decoupling the first and second parts. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The clasp as recited in claim 20, wherein the relief comprises an angled surface on at least one of the first part and the second part at the interface between the first part and the second part. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The clasp as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of the first groove and the second groove is a guide surface and at least one of the first catch and the second catch is a guided surface that is guided by the guide surface to align the first part with the second part along a longitudinal length. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The clasp as recited in claim 22, wherein a bottom corner of one of the first catch and the second catch is spaced relative to an inside surface of a corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove such that the bottom corner of one of the first catch and the second catch abuts a surface of a corresponding one of the first groove and the second groove to limit a spacing between the first part and the second part responsive to a tipping force that the magnet exerts sufficient magnetic force to draw the first part and the second part back to together upon release of the tipping force. ### Claim 24 A clasp comprising: a first part including a first groove and first catch; and a second part including a second groove that receives the first catch and a second catch that is received within the first groove for holding the first part to the second part in a first direction along a longitudinal length of the first part and the second part, wherein at least one of the first part and the second part includes a magnet generating an attractive force holding the first part to the second part in a direction transverse to the longitudinal length and a bottom corner of one of the first catch and the second catch is spaced relative to an inside surface of one of the first groove and the second groove so as to limit movement between the first part and the second part responsive to an applied force to a spacing where a magnetic force generated by the magnet is sufficient to pull the first part and the second part back to a coupled position. ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The clasp as recited in claim 24, both the first part and the second part include a magnet aligned along an axis transverse to the longitudinal axis. ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The clasp as recited in claim 24, including a relief disposed at an interface between the first part and the second part that provides for an application of force in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis to aid in releasing the first part from the second part. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The clasp as recited in claim 26, wherein the interface is along sides of the first part and the second part and the relief comprises at least one surface angled relative to the sides to an angle less than ninety degrees. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The clasp as recited in claim 27, wherein the angle is approximately forty-five degrees from the sides. ### Claim 29 A connector for attachment of distal ends of an elongated item, the connector comprising: a first part including a first catch spaced longitudinally apart from a first groove; a second part including a second catch spaced longitudinally apart from a second groove; at least one magnet disposed within one of the first part and the second part for generating an attractive force for holding the first part to the second part in a coupled condition, wherein in the coupled condition, the first catch is received within the second groove and the second catch is received within the first groove to prevent decoupling in a direction along a longitudinal length of the first part and the second part; and a relief disposed at an interface between the first part and the second part, the relief defining a surface for application of a force transverse to the attractive force of the at least one magnet for decoupling the first part from the second part, wherein the first part is rotatable relative to the second part in the coupled condition about a central axis that is transvers to a longitudinal length of the first part and the second part. ### Claim 30 (depends on 29) The connector as recited in claim 29, wherein the relief comprises a surface less than ninety degrees from a plane transverse to the longitudinal length of the first part and the second part. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The connector as recited in claim 30, wherein a bottom corner of one of the first catch and the second catch is spaced relative to an inside surface of one of the first groove and the second groove so as to limit movement between the first part and the second part responsive to an applied force to a spacing where a magnetic force generated by the magnet is sufficient to pull the first part and the second part back to a coupled position. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The connector as recited in claim 31, wherein each of the first groove and the second groove include a curved guide surface transverse to the longitudinal length and the first catch and the second catch each include a curved guided surface in contact with a corresponding one of the curved guide surface for aligning the first part to the second part along the longitudinal length. ### Claim 33 (depends on 29) The connector as recited in claim 29, wherein at least one of the first part and the second part includes an opening along the longitudinal length through a corresponding one of the first catch and the second catch for receiving an attachment member of an elongated item.