Necklaces and bracelets with keepers
AssigneePandora Jewelry, LLC
InventorPer A. Enevoldsen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This invention is a necklace or bracelet with provisions to prevent the bunching of baubles, bangles and beads which are strung on the necklace or bracelet. Bunching is prevented by keepers which are removably attached to bands fixed at intervals on the strands of the necklaces or bracelets. Two types of keepers are disclosed, one of which has internal threads which interact with a threaded bands, and one which uses a clamshell structure to secure the keeper on a band. The keepers may have a variety of shapes for decorative effects, such as cylindrical, spherical, cubical, or pyramid-shaped.
Claims28
A strand jewelry device comprising:
- a strand having a first end and a second end,
- a connector assembly for reversibly coupling the first end and the second end of the strand,
- at least one band fixedly attached to the strand, the band presenting an outer circumference,
- at least one ornament,
- the ornament having a through opening of greater circumference than the outer circumference of the band, the greater circumference being sufficiently large to permit complete passage of the ornament over the band, and
- at least one keeper configured for reversible attachment over the band,
- the keeper being sufficiently large to prevent further passage of the ornament across the band when the keeper is attached to the band,
- wherein the keeper interacts with the band by abutment to restrict the movement of the ornament when the ornament resides on the strand.
A process of reversibly restricting the movement of ornaments on a strand, wherein the strand has a connector assembly for detachably coupling the first end with the second end of the strand to configure the strand as a loop, the ornaments have bores and are strung on the strand by their bores, and a band having an external diameter less than the diameter of the ornament bores is fixed on the strand, comprising the steps of a stringing at least one ornament onto the strand;
- and, b
- a. attaching to the band a keeper having an external diameter greater than the diameter of the ornament bore.
A strand jewelry device that is selectively configurable by a wearer for positional ornament retention, comprising:
- a strand having
- a first end,
- a second end, and
- at least one band of variant cross-section with respect to adjacent portions of the strand that are immediately adjacent to the band;
- a connector assembly for detachably coupling the first end with the second end of the strand to configure the strand as a loop;
- at least one keeper configured and arranged for selective placement around the band,
- the keeper having a bore of complementary dimensions with respect to the variant cross-section such that the keeper is retained in position at the band by abutment when installed on the band,
- at least one ornament,
- the band fixedly circumscribing the strand to provide the variant cross-section as a larger circumference with respect to the strand, the ornament defining a hole of sufficient dimension to pass over the larger circumference,
- the keeper having sufficient outer dimensions to prevent the ornament from moving across the keeper by abutment between the keeper and the band when the keeper the ornament are installed on the strand.
A strand jewelry device comprising:
- a strand;
- presenting an elongate axis;
- an ornament adapted to receive the strand for passage of the strand through the ornament such that the ornament may pass over the elongate means for selectively configuring the strand as a loop;
- means for adapting a circumference of the strand to permanently increase the circumference at a locus that permits passage of an ornament over the locus;
- and
- means for keeping ornament on a predetermined area of the strand by abutment with the means for adapting to prevent passage of the ornament over the locus.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.