CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/402,802, filed on August 31, 2022, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present disclosure relates to jewelry product in general, and more particularly to a jewelry product having a unique aesthetic appearance.

BACKGROUND

[0003] There is always a desire and a need to create a jewelry product with a unique aesthetic so that designers and manufacturers can set themselves apart from others.

SUMMARY

[0004] There is provided a jewelry product with a unique aesthetic appearance comprising an ornamental element having a front side, a rear side, a first opening defined in the ornamental element between the front side and the rear side, a second opening defined in the ornamental element between the front side and the rear side, a support structure configured to enable a user to wear the ornamental element, the support structure appearing to extend away from the rear side from the first and second openings, and a connecting piece that extends along the front side from the first opening to the second opening and appearing to be connected to the support structure. In one embodiment, the connecting piece is integrated with the support structure to form a combination support structure and connecting piece. In an alternative embodiment, the connecting piece is distinct from the support structure and yet appears to be associated with the support structure by virtue of the positioning and curvature of the connecting piece relative to the support structure. Having a distinct connecting piece across the front side of the ornamental element that appears to be connected to the support structure even though it is not connected creates a unique aesthetic appearance.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0006] FIG. 2 is a front view of one embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0007] FIG. 3 is a rear view of one embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0008] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0009] FIG. 5 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0010] FIG. 6 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0011] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0012] FIG. 8 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0013] FIG. 9 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0014] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of ajewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0015] FIG. 11 is a front view of an alternate embodiment of ajewelry product of the present disclosure.

[0016] FIG. 12 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of ajewelry product of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The description of illustrative embodiments according to principles of the present invention is intended to be read in connection with the accompanying drawings, which are to be considered part of the entire written description. In the description of embodiments of the invention disclosed herein, any reference to direction or orientation is merely intended for convenience of description and is not intended in any way to limit the scope of the present invention. Relative terms such as “lower,” “upper,” “horizontal,” “vertical,” “above,” “below,” “up,” “down,” “top” and “bottom” as well as derivative thereof (e.g., “horizontally,” “downwardly,” “upwardly,” etc.) should be construed to refer to the orientation as then described or as shown in the drawing under discussion. These relative terms are for convenience of description only and do not require that the apparatus be constructed or operated in a particular orientation unless explicitly indicated as such. Terms such as “attached,” “affixed,” “connected,” “coupled,” “interconnected,” and similar refer to a relationship wherein structures are secured or attached to one another either directly or indirectly through intervening structures, as well as both movable or rigid attachments or relationships, unless expressly described otherwise. Moreover, the features and benefits of the invention are illustrated by reference to the exemplified embodiments. Accordingly, the invention expressly should not be limited to such exemplary embodiments illustrating some possible non-limiting combination of features that may exist alone or in other combinations of features; the scope of the invention being defined by the claims appended hereto.

[0018] This disclosure describes the best mode or modes of practicing the invention as presently contemplated. This description is not intended to be understood in a limiting sense, but provides an example of the invention presented solely for illustrative purposes by reference to the accompanying drawings to advise one of ordinary skill in the art of the advantages and construction of the invention. In the various views of the drawings, like reference characters designate like or similar parts. [0019] FIG. l is a perspective view, FIG. 2 is a front view, and FIG. 3 is a rear view of a jewelry product 50a comprising an ornamental element 100 having a front side 110, a rear side 120, a first opening 130 defined in the ornamental element 100 between the front side 110 and the rear side 120, a second opening 140 defined in the ornamental element 100 between the front side 110 and the rear side 120, and a support structure 150 configured to enable a user (not shown) to wear the ornamental element 100. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the ornamental element 100 is in the shape of a heart having lobes 102, 104 on either side of a longitudinal axis 106. While a heart-shaped ornamental element 100 is shown, the ornamental element may be any shape, size, thickness, orientation, or configuration. For example, the ornamental element can be a traditional geometric shape such as heart, square, circular, triangular, diamond-shaped or the like, or non-traditional such as a custom shape or the like.

[0020] In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, support structure 150 is a chain that would have a clasp (not shown) to enable a user (not shown) to wear the ornamental element 100 around the user’s neck or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, support structure 150 appears from the front side 110 to extend away from the rear side 120 from the first and second openings 130, 140. There is also shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 a connecting piece 160 that extends along the front side from the first opening 130 to the second opening 140 and appears from the front side 110 to be connected to the support structure 150. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3, the connecting piece 160 is connected to and forms part of the support structure 150 such that the support structure 150 extends from the rear side 120 of the ornamental element 100 through the first opening 130, across front side 110 as the connecting piece 160, and through the second opening 140 to the rear side 120, and away from the rear side 120. When viewed from the front side 110 as shown in particular in FIG. 2, the support structure 150 appears to extend away from the rear side 120 of the ornamental element 100 at locations 122, 124. While the support structure 150 and connecting piece 160 are formed from a chain having links, the support structure may be any shape, size, construction, or design, so long as the support structure functions to enable a user to wear the ornamental element.

[0021] FIG. 4 is a perspective view, FIG. 5 is a front view, and FIG. 6 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product 50b comprising an ornamental element 200 having a front side 210, a rear side 220, a first opening 230 defined in the ornamental element 200 between the front side 210 and the rear side 220, a second opening 240 defined in the ornamental element 200 between the front side 210 and the rear side 220, and a support structure 250 configured to enable a user (not shown) to wear the ornamental element 200. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, the ornamental element 200 is in the shape of a heart having lobes 202, 204 on either side of a longitudinal axis 206, and wherein the first and second openings 230, 240 are positioned along an axis 208 that is generally parallel to the longitudinal axis 206 such that the ornamental element 200 in the shape of a heart is suspended by the support structure 250 with the heart appearing to be on its side, as opposed to the ornamental element 100 of FIGS. 1-3 that appears to be a heart suspended in the upright position.

[0022] There is also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 a connecting piece 260 that extends along the front side 210 from the first opening 230 to the second opening 240 and appears from the front side 210 to be connected to the support structure 250. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4-6, the connecting piece 260 is connected to and forms part of the support structure 250 such that the support structure 250 extends from the rear side 220 of the ornamental element 200 through the first opening 230, across front side 210 as the connecting piece 260, and through the second opening 240 to the rear side 220, and away from the rear side 220. When viewed from the front side 210 as shown in particular in FIG. 5, the support structure 250 appears to extend away from the rear side 220 of the ornamental element 200 at locations 222, 224. While the support structure 250 and connecting piece 260 are formed from a chain having links, the support structure may be any shape, size, construction, or design, so long as the support structure functions to enable a user to wear the ornamental element. [0023] FIG. 7 is a perspective view, FIG. 8 is a front view, and FIG. 9 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product 50c comprising an ornamental element 300 having a front side 310, a rear side 320, a first opening 330 defined in the ornamental element 300 between the front side 310 and the rear side 320, a second opening 340 defined in the ornamental element 300 between the front side 310 and the rear side 320, and a support structure 350 configured to enable a user (not shown) to wear the ornamental element 300.

[0024] In the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, support structure 350 appears from the front side 310 to extend away from the rear side 320 from the first and second openings 330, 340, by virtue of a connecting piece 360 that extends along the front side 310 of the ornamental element 300 from the first opening 330 to the second opening 340, and the connecting piece 360 appears from the front side 310 to be connected to the support structure 350. However, in the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, the connecting piece 360 is not connected to and does not form part of the support structure 350 as illustrated in the previous embodiments of FIGS. 1-6, as shown with reference to the rear side 320. In the embodiment of FIGS. 7-9, the connecting piece 360 is distinct from the support structure 350 but appears from the front side 310 of the ornamental element 300 to be a part of the support structure 350 by virtue of the connecting piece 360 having a curvature that follows the curvature of the support structure 350 when the jewelry product 50b is worn and as shown in FIGS. 7-9. In this embodiment, the connecting piece 360 is separate from the support structure 350 and may, for example, create the appearance of a fine jewelry element incorporating, but not limited to diamonds or the like, which creates a unique visual impression and aesthetic in combination with the support structure 350 when the jewelry product 50b is viewed from the front side 310. Instead of the support structure 350 connecting through the first and second openings 330, 340, the support structure 350 attaches to the ornamental element 300 at locations 322, 324. However, when viewed from the front side 310, the support structure 350 appears to be continuous with the connecting piece 360 as the connecting piece 360 appears to extend from the front side 310 to the rear side 320 through the openings 330, 340 and then appears to connect to the support structure 350 by virtue of the appearance of a continuous curvature between the support structure 350 and the connecting piece 360. However, as shown by the rear side 320 of FIG. 9, the connecting piece 360 is primarily attached to the ornamental element 300 along the front side 310 and is not continuous with the support structure 350.

[0025] FIG. 10 is a perspective view, FIG. 11 is a front view, and FIG. 12 is a rear view of an alternate embodiment of a jewelry product 50d comprising an ornamental element 400 having a front side 410, a rear side 420, a first opening 430 defined in the ornamental element 400 between the front side 410 and the rear side 420, a second opening 440 defined in the ornamental element 400 between the front side 410 and the rear side 420, and a support structure 450 in the form of a ring configured to enable a user (not shown) to wear the ornamental element 400.

[0026] In the embodiment of FIGS. 10-12, support structure 450 is a ring that enables a user (not shown) to wear the ornamental element 400 around the user’s finger or the like. The support structure 450 may be any shape, size, construction, or design, so long as the support structure functions to enable a user to wear the ornamental element. For example, the support structure 450 may be sized to wear around a user’s wrist in the form of a bracelet or bangle. Other configurations are possible.

[0027] In the embodiment of FIGS. 10-12, support structure 450 appears from the front side 410 to extend away from the rear side 420 from the first and second openings 430, 440, by virtue of a connecting piece 460 that extends along the front side 410 of the ornamental element 400 from the first opening 430 to the second opening 440, and the connecting piece 460 appears to be connected to the support structure 450. However, in the embodiment of FIGS. 10-12, the connecting piece 460 is distinct from and is not connected to and does not form part of the support structure 450. The connecting piece 460 is different from the support structure 450 but visually appears to be a part of the support structure 450 by virtue of the connecting piece 460 having a curvature that follows the curvature of the support structure 450. In this embodiment, the connecting piece 460 is separate from the support structure 450 and may, for example, create the appearance of a fine jewelry element incorporating diamonds or the like, which creates a unique visual impression and aesthetic in combination with the support structure 450. Instead of the support structure 450 connecting through the first and second openings 430, 440, the support structure 450 attaches to the ornamental element 400 along the rear side 420. However, when viewed from the side as shown in FIG. 10, the support structure 450 appears to be continuous with the connecting piece 460 as the connecting piece 460 appears to extend from the front side 410 to the rear side 420 through the openings 430, 440 and then appears to connect to the support structure 450 by virtue of the appearance of a continuous curvature between the support structure 450 and the connecting piece 460.

[0028] While the present invention has been described at some length and with some particularity with respect to the several described embodiments, it is not intended that it should be limited to any such particulars or embodiments or any particular embodiment, but it is to be construed with references to the appended claims so as to provide the broadest possible interpretation of such claims in view of the prior art and, therefore, to effectively encompass the intended scope of the invention. Furthermore, the foregoing describes the invention in terms of embodiments foreseen by the inventor for which an enabling description was available, notwithstanding that insubstantial modifications of the invention, not presently foreseen, may nonetheless represent equivalents thereto.