Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A44—HABERDASHERY; JEWELLERY
  • A44C—PERSONAL ADORNMENTS, e.g. JEWELLERY; COINS
  • A44C11/00—Watch chains; Ornamental chains

Definitions

• the present invention relates to chains of jewelry. More particularly, the invention relates to a jewelry chain comprising articulated links two by two, this chain comprising first links which each comprise two half-links assembled together, these first links each extending substantially along a plane and being connected pivotally to the adjacent links, by pivots all parallel to the respective planes of said first links.
• Document EP-A-0 313 711 describes an example of such a jewelry chain, comprising only first links.
• the two half-links of each of these first links are assembled together by simple mutual interlocking of two grooves formed respectively in these half-links, the half-links being prevented from dislodging thanks to their mounting without play on all parallel pins which link the links together.
• This type of mounting has the disadvantage of being incompatible with a chain whose adjacent links are perpendicular two by two, which is desirable in some cases.
• the assembly in question can sometimes lack resistance, insofar as the chain only holds thanks to the engagement without play of the pins in the half links.
• this chain of the prior art does not allow a relative movement between the links other than the pivoting around the pins all parallel to each other: however, a certain freedom of movement can sometimes be desirable.
• the present invention therefore aims in particular to overcome these drawbacks, and to propose a chain of jewelry: whose adjacent links can be perpendicular if necessary two by two, advantageously by forming rings of substantially identical sizes engaged in each other leaving an empty space in the center of each ring, which preferably has better mechanical strength as the aforementioned chains of the prior art, - and which may if necessary have a certain freedom of movement along several axes of rotation between adjacent links.
• a jewelry chain of the kind in question is characterized in that it further comprises second links different from the first links and arranged alternately with said first links, each of the second links forming a ring. continuous (this continuity possibly being obtained by welding or brazing several pieces together) and extending substantially along a plane, the respective planes of these second links being substantially perpendicular to the planes of the first adjacent links, and the half links of each first link being joined together by welding and / or brazing thereby forming a continuous ring of material.
• a jewelry chain is obtained: the links of which are kept substantially perpendicular two by two, these links possibly being all substantially identical and engaged one inside the other, leaving a free space in the center of said links, which has great resistance taking into account that the first and second links each form a continuous ring of material, and which allows, if necessary, a play between the links outside of the simple pivoting around the pivots, which then makes it possible to obtain greater flexibility of the chain.
• the second links each have two through holes drilled perpendicular to the planes of said second links, and the first links each comprise two pins parallel to each other and parallel to the planes of said first links, the first and second links being articulated two by two by engagement of the pins of the first links in the through holes of the second links;
• the pins of each first link are each fitted into two blind holes opening towards the inside of said first link and formed respectively in each of the two half-links constituting said first link;
• each pin of a first link is secured by welding or brazing with the two half-links constituting said first link;
• each first link has two notches open towards the inside of the first link and each crossed by one of the pins of said first link, each of these notches being formed partly in one of the half-links constituting said first link and partly in the other half-link constituting said first links;
• the half links constituting each first link are in mutual contact by two end faces, at
• FIG. 1 is a schematic view of a bracelet comprising a chain according to an embodiment of the invention
• Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the chain belonging to the bracelet of Figure 1
• Figure 3 is a detail view of a first link of the chain of Figure 2
• - Figure 4 is a view illustrating the method of manufacturing the first link in FIG. 3
• FIG. 5 is a detail view of a second link in the chain in FIG. 2
• FIG. 6 is a partial sectional view of the chain in FIG. 2, section being taken along line VI - VI of Figure 5
• Figure 7 is a partial sectional view along line VII - VII of Figure 6.
• FIG. 1 represents a bracelet 1 comprising a chain 2 according to an embodiment of the invention which, in the example shown, carries charms 3.
• the chain 2 is formed by an alternation of first and second metal links 4, 5 in the form of rings which are articulated two by two and substantially perpendicular two by two.
• These links 4, 5 are here all of identical general shape, substantially square with rounded corners and they penetrate into each other leaving a free space in the center of each link. This free space preferably has a dimension greater than the thickness of the links. More generally, the hollow space at the center of each link 4,
• the dimensions 1 of the hollow space are identical in the two directions X, Y or Y,
• each link 4, 5 is identical here whether it is measured in the plane of said link or perpendicular to this plane, but it could also be otherwise, if necessary.
• the first links 4, one of which is shown in Figure 3, consist of two half-links 4a, 4b each extending along a plane X, Y where X and Y are two perpendicular axes which are parallel to the sides respectively 9, 10 of the link 4.
• this link forms notches 8 open towards the inside of said link.
• Each of these notches 8 is crossed by a metal pin 7 which is parallel to the longitudinal axis X of the corresponding side 10 of the link, and which serves as an axis of rotation between the links 4, 5.
• each of the two half-links 4a, 4b therefore forms two opposite sides 9 complete of the link 4 and two opposite half-sides, respectively 10a for the half-link 4a and 10b for the half link 4b.
• the half-sides 10a, 10b of the half-links respectively form two halves 8a, 8b, of each of the notches 8 and extend towards each other up to facing end faces ⁇ a, 6b which form the aforementioned junctions 6 when the half links are assembled.
• each of the half-links 4a, 4b comprises two blind holes 11 open towards the inside of the link and into which the ends 7a, 7b of the pins 7 are fitted.
• each pin 7 Before “fitting the links 4, one end of each pin 7 is fitted and welded into the blind hole 11 corresponding to one of the two half-links 4a, 4b, while a drop of solder 14 is deposited at the molten state then solidified at the opposite end of each pin (in the example shown in FIG. 4, each half-link 4a, 4b is thus assembled to one of the pins 7 of the corresponding link, but of course, the two pins 7 could thus be assembled in advance at the same half link).
• the half-links 4a, 4b of the links 4 are assembled by interlocking (preferably by force) the ends of the pins 7 provided with drops of solder 14 in the corresponding blind holes 11, while engaging said pins 7 in the second links 5, as will be explained below.
• the chain 2 thus produced is heated above the melting point of the solder drops 14, which then melt.
• the half-links 4a, 4b forming the first links 4 are assembled together by welding and brazing (if necessary, the assembly could be carried out by brazing at the two ends of the pins 7), so that the first links 4 each form a ring of continuous material and have excellent mechanical strength.
• the end faces 6a, 6b of the half-sides 10a, 10b may be provided, one with pins 12 and the other, with blind holes 13 receiving the pins 12 by interlocking during the assembly of the half links 4a, 4b.
• This interlocking has the effect, on the one hand, of promoting the correct positioning of the half-links and, on the other hand, of further increasing the mechanical strength of the link 4.
• each second link 5 of the chain 2 extends substantially along a plane Y, Z (Z being an axis perpendicular to the axes X and Y mentioned above) and has two opposite sides 15 extending along the Y axis parallel to the sides 9 of the first links 4, and two opposite sides 16 extending along the Z axis substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis X of the sides 10 of the first links.
• Each of the sides 16 of the second links 5 comprises, substantially at its center, two recesses 17 in the form of grooves substantially parallel to the axis Y, the grooves 17 on each side 16 being arranged in a substantially symmetrical manner relative to the mean plane Y, Z of the second link 5. At the center of each of these grooves is formed a through hole 18, parallel to the axis X.
• each hole 18 receives with play one of the pins 7 of a first adjacent link 4.
• the hole 18 advantageously has a double divergent shape, flaring from the middle part of the hole 18 to the ends of this hole, which open into the grooves 17.
• each side 16 of the second links 5 is received with clearance in the corresponding notch 8 of the first corresponding link 4.
• each second link 5 can not only pivot around the axis X of each pin 7 on which it is engaged, but also pivot with a limited clearance (for example, 5 to 30 °, advantageously 10 to 20 ° ) around the axes Y and Z with respect to the first adjacent links 4.

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• Adornments (AREA)
• Crystals, And After-Treatments Of Crystals (AREA)

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• 2001
  • 2001-03-12 FR FR0103317A patent/FR2821724B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2002
  • 2002-03-08 EP EP05011801A patent/EP1584255B1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-03-08 JP JP2002570854A patent/JP2004520910A/ja active Pending
  • 2002-03-08 AT AT05011801T patent/ATE332092T1/de not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2002-03-08 EP EP02716886A patent/EP1367917A1/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-03-08 US US10/471,371 patent/US7055343B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2002-03-08 WO PCT/FR2002/000839 patent/WO2002071885A1/fr not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2002-03-08 DE DE60213013T patent/DE60213013D1/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2005
  • 2005-10-19 HK HK05109215A patent/HK1074980A1/xx not_active IP Right Cessation

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