Jewelry piece

• US 6,233,971 B1
• Filed: 01/13/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Calypso Worldwide Marketing, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Calypso Worldwide Marketing, Inc.
• Inventors: Ohlund, Stephen K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOP, ANDREA MARIE
• Application Number:
  US09/229,728
• Time in Patent Office: 860 Days
• Field of Search: 63/3, 63/31, 63/33, 639/00, 63/292, 63/2.L, 63F/OR.101, 362/104, 362/340, 429/97, 439/500, 439/805
• US Class Current: 63/3
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/0015 Illuminated or sound-producing jewellery
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 63/90 Magnetic connector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45524 including resiliently biased projection component or surface segment
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45534 having connected leading edge and separated trailing arms

Abstract

A jewelry piece 10 includes a light transparent, ornamental element 20 and a light emitting diode 16 positioned near the ornamental element. A battery case 12 has a side wall 12b having a threaded opening 29 therein providing access to a battery being held within the battery case. A mechanical clasp 14 has an outwardly projecting threaded element 14b adapted to be received in the threaded opening 29. There is a first conductive wire 26 having one end connected to one terminal of the battery and another end connected to the diode 16 and a second conductive wire 30 having one end connected to the light source and another end having a clasp 14. The clasp 14, when partially inserted into the opening 29, completes a loop but does not contact the other terminal of the battery, preventing the diode 16 from being energized. When completely inserted into the opening 29, the clasp 14 makes contact with the other terminal of battery to energize the light source. A magnetic clasp 60 may be substituted for the mechanical clasp 14. It has a pair of magnets 62 and 64 which engage to close the clasp 60 and are manually separated to open this clasp.

Claims

1. A jewelry piece, including

a light transparent, ornamental element;

a light source having a pair of electrical contacts;

a battery case;

a battery removably positioned within the battery case;

an opaque housing having a cavity in which is seated the light source, said housing having only a single light transmitting window which allows light from the light source to be transmitted outward from said cavity; and

a circuit adapted to be electrically energized by the battery placed in said battery case,

said circuit comprising

first and second conductive members, the first conductive member having one end connected to one of the electrical contacts and another end connected to the battery case and making electrical contact with the battery placed in said case, and the second conductive member having one end connected to the other of the electrical contacts and a free end,

a magnetic clasp having first and second magnetic elements,

the first magnetic element being connected to the battery case and making electrical contact with the battery placed in said case,

the second magnetic element being at the free end of the second conductive member and being removably connected to the first magnetic element;

said light transparent, ornamental element being connected to the housing adjacent the light transmitting window so that, with the second magnetic element disconnected from the first magnetic element, the jewelry piece can be placed around the neck of a user; and

with the second magnetic element connected to the first magnetic element, the circuit is energized and light from the light source emanates from the window and enters the ornamental element, illuminating said ornamental element;

a third magnetic element formed as part of the battery case which is electrically isolated from the battery placed in the case, enabling the second magnetic element to be connected to said third magnetic element without energizing said circuit, at least one of said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element and at least one of said second magnetic element and said third magnetic element being magnetized for magnetically coupling said second magnetic element to either said first magnetic element or said third magnetic element.

2. The jewelry piece of claim 1 where the light source is a light emitting diode.

3. The jewelry piece of claim 1 where the first magnetic element has a spring biased contact member which engages the battery placed in the battery case.

4. A jewelry piece, including

a light transparent, ornamental element;

a light source mounted adjacent to the ornamental element and connected in a circuit powered by a battery having first and second terminals;

a battery case having an upper removable cover, a lower surface and a sidewall therebetween, the case removably retains said battery and has a first magnetic element formed through the sidewall of the case, the first magnetic element including a contact that makes electrical contact with the first terminal of the battery;

a first conductive connector member having one end connected to the second terminal of the battery and another end connected to the light source; and

a second conductive connector member having one end connected to the light source and another end having a second magnetic element which, when placed into electrical contact with the first magnetic element, forms a loop including the ornamental element, the first and second connector members, and the battery case and completes an electrical circuit to energize the light source, at least one of said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element being magnetized for magnetically coupling said first magnetic element and said second magnetic element.

5. The jewelry piece of claim 4 including an opaque housing in which is seated the light source, said housing having only a single light transmitting window which allows light from the light source to be transmitted outward.

6. The jewelry piece of claim 4 where the light source is a light emitting diode.

7. The jewelry piece of claim 6 where the first magnetic element has a spring biased contact member which engages the battery.

8. The jewelry piece of claim 4 wherein the battery case has a third magnetic element which is electrically isolated from the battery placed in the case, enabling the second magnetic element to be connected to said third magnetic element without energizing said circuit, at least one of said second magnetic element and said third magnetic element being magnetized for magnetically coupling said second magnetic element and said third magnetic element.

9. A jewelry piece, including

a light transparent, ornamental element;

a light source adjacent the ornamental element having a pair of electrical contacts;

a battery case;

a battery removably positioned within the battery case;

said battery case having a first magnetic element including a contact that makes electrical contact with a first terminal of the battery placed in the battery case and a second magnetic element which is electrically isolated from the battery placed in the battery case;

a circuit adapted to be electrically energized when the battery is placed in said battery case,

said circuit comprising

first and second conductive connector members,

the first conductive connector member having one end to which is attached a third magnetic element to be removably connected to either the first or second magnetic elements and another end connected to one of the electrical contacts of the light source,

the second conductive connector member having one end connected to the battery case in a manner which places the battery in the case into electrical contact with said one end of the second conductive connector member and another end connected to the other electrical contact of the light source;

whereby, with the third magnetic element disconnected from the first and second magnetic elements, the jewelry piece can be placed around the neck of a user; and

with the third magnetic element connected to the first magnetic element, the circuit is energized and light from the light source enters the ornamental element, illuminating said ornamental element and with the third magnetic element connected to the second magnetic element, the circuit is not energized, at least one of said first magnetic element and said third magnetic element and at least one of said second magnetic element and said third magnetic element being magnetized for magnetically coupling said third magnetic element to either said first magnetic element or said second magnetic element.

10. The jewelry piece of claim 9 including an opaque housing having a cavity in which is seated the light source, said housing having only a single light transmitting window which allows light from the light source to be transmitted outward from said cavity.

11. The jewelry piece of claim 9 where the light source is a light emitting diode.

12. The jewelry piece of claim 9 where the first magnetic element has a spring biased contact member which engages the battery placed in the battery case.

13. A jewelry piece, including

an ornamental element having first and second connector members extending outward therefrom, each connector member having a free end, a battery compartment formed at the free end of the second connector member, the battery compartment having a removable cover and a sidewall, a battery removably positioned within the compartment, and

a clasp member for attaching the free ends together, said clasp member having a first electrically conductive magnetic member formed through the sidewall of the compartment and in electrical communication with the battery, and a second electrically conductive magnetic member secured to the free end of the first connector member, wherein the first and second connectors, ornamental element and battery selectively form an electrical circuit, wherein coupling the second magnetic member to the first magnetic member energizes the circuit, at least one of said first magnetic member and said second magnetic member being magnetized for magnetically coupling said first magnetic member and said second magnetic member.

14. The jewelry piece of claim 13 including an opaque housing having a cavity therein with an open portion serving as a light transmitting window, and

a light source seated within the cavity, said opaque housing preventing light from being emitted from the housing except from the light transmitting window.

15. The device of claim 14 where the ornamental element is transparent and is seated in the light transmitting window.