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  Dancing stone for suspending from an article of jewelryUSPTO Application #: 20060032271Title: Dancing stone for suspending from an article of jewelry Abstract: A stone for suspending from an article of jewelry, the stone having a crown, a pavilion, a table, a girdle, and a culet. The improvement includes a throughbore extending from the crown to the pavilion of the stone allowing the stone to have improved structural integrity and to have improved luster by virtue of reducing refraction, reflection, and dispersion errors, and when suspended by the throughbore from the article of jewelry, by virtue of eliminating visually obstructive conventional settings, has improved scintillation, improved visibility, and gives an impression that it is floating in air or dancing relative to the article of jewelry. (end of abstract) Agent: Alexander G. Vodovozov, Esq. Jaspan Schlesinger Hoffman LLP - Garden City, NY, US Inventor: Arun Thapar USPTO Applicaton #: 20060032271 - Class: 063032000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Jewelry, Gem The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060032271. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0001] 1. Technical Field of the Invention [0002] The present invention generally relates to a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry. More particularly, the present invention is directed to a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry and having improved structural integrity and having improved luster by virtue of reducing refraction, reflection, and dispersion errors, and when suspended from the article of jewelry, by virtue of eliminating visually obstructive conventional settings, has improved scintillation, improved visibility, and gives an impression that it is floating in air or dancing relative to the article of jewelry. [0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art [0004] Stones, such as gemstones (including diamonds) and synthetic stones (including cubic zirconium or CZ), are available in a variety of shapes, including the princess cut, round or brilliant, marquise, pear shape, heart shape, and others. These stones share similar characteristics as will be described with reference to FIG. 1. FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevational view of a prior art round or brilliant stone 10. The stone 10 has five basic sections that include a crown 12, a pavilion 14, a table 16, a girdle 18, and a culet 20. Each of the crown 12, the pavilion 14, and the table 16 includes at least one facet. The crown 12 is said to represent the top of the stone 10, and the pavilion 14 is said to represent the bottom of the stone 10. Conventionally, the stone 10 is set with the crown 12 thereof facing out, which in the jewelry trade is referred to as "facing up." [0005] Currently, jewelry settings are available in many different types and styles. Among the different settings available are prong, bead, bezel, channel, pave, and invisible settings. These can be used alone or in combination with each other. There are certain disadvantages to each of the foregoing settings. [0006] The prong setting involves securing a stone between two to six wire prongs that extend up from a base that is usually the shape of the stone and oriented on the same axis as the girdle plane of the stone. The prongs are notched to follow the same profile as the stone so that when the prongs are closed onto the stone, the notched profile forms around the girdle of the stone. The notches are usually anywhere from one-third to one-half of the diameter of the prong. The strength of the prong depends on the type of metal, how the metal was heated, how the prong was formed, how the metal was attached to the design, and how much of a notch was cut. The disadvantages to this type of setting are numerous. First, the notches weaken the prong and make it more likely to break. Second, the most common repair on a prong setting is re-tipping whereby metal or solder is added to the top of a worn down prong. This process only works on heat resistant stones, such as diamonds, rubies, or sapphires, which are of sufficient quality so as not to be susceptible to heat expansion stress. If re-tipping does not work, there is a tendency for the prong to snag on clothing, and if one or two prongs break or pull away from the stone, the stone will fall out of the setting. [0007] The bead setting involves setting a stone into a piece of metal just below the surface by drilling a hole into the metal with a specialized burr that will allow the stone to sit on a seat so that the table of the stone can be positioned just below the surface. The stone is then secured to the metal by raising a small bead of metal, with a steel graver or similar tool, immediately next to the stone, until the bead contacts the stone and holds it in the seat. The pave setting uses the same process, except that the stones are set in a broader area, as opposed to traditional bead settings that usually follow a straight line or involve just a single stone. Both bead and pave settings often involve stones of 2.5 mm or less. This setting is very secure. The beads, however, still do wear down and can sometimes snag clothing. Also, the stone is essentially buried into the metal, causing 50%-60% of the stone to be hidden. [0008] The bezel setting is virtually the same as a prong setting, except that the entire perimeter of the stone is covered with a thin ribbon of metal. The bezel is usually a tapered or straight solid tube of an appropriate diameter so as to be able to have a seat burred into it so that the stone will sit on it with enough left to be pushed, hammered, or otherwise lowered onto the stone to hold it in the bezel. Bezel settings have a smooth edge all around the stone that will not snag, and are very secure. This setting technique, however, covers approximately two-thirds of the stone and the metal will wear down over time. [0009] A channel setting involves setting a stone in a channel between opposing channel walls. A small seat is cut in each channel wall so that the corresponding size stone will sit between the walls, suspended above the base of the channel. The walls are then hammered onto the edge of the stone until the stone is secure. This type of setting most often involves stones of 2.5 mm or less. When larger stones are channel set, they are most often set alone. These stones are at more risk than smaller stones because the channel must be larger and will be more susceptible to expansion. As with other types of settings, the metal will wear down over time. [0010] An invisible setting is a technique used to set a number of stones together in rows or patterns so that there is no perceptible means of support. The stones have a very small groove, just under the girdle, on the pavilion. The groove is small enough so as not to be visible from the top, but large enough to accept a thin piece of metal. The stones are grouped together into the particular pattern on top of a lattice form that will accommodate each stone. The metal is then pushed into the grooves of each stone from the back of the lattice, securing the stones to the lattice form. A variation of this technique requires the stones to be notched, much the same way as a tongue and groove arrangement. The perimeter stones are set with metal, while the interior stones of the design are set tongue in groove. This style of setting tends to use smaller stones, usually no larger than 3 mm. Pieces that are invisibly set are more fragile because there is not much metal used to hold the stones in place. In the case of tongue in groove set stones, when one stone falls out or is broken, the rest of the stones in that grouping will come loose and fall out. [0011] The shape or cut of the stone will determine, in part, how it is to be set. Most shapes can be set in prong or bezel settings, while only round and square stones can be channel set, only round stones can be bead or pave set, and only square stones can be invisibly set. These setting methods are generally used for faceted stones as described above. [0012] Typically, beads and pearls are set using different setting methods than those described above. They usually have a hole drilled into or through them, and are glued to a post, or threaded onto a string or wire. Some stones can also be set this way. For instance, a briolette is a stone that is usually drop shaped. It is usually tapered and conical and is fully covered with triangular facets. These stones are set in one of three ways. The first way is similar to setting a bead or pearl. A small hole is cut partially into the small end of the stone. A metal post is then coated with an adhesive and inserted into the briolette. The other end of the post can be fashioned into a loop to be suspended from a jewelry design or attached to a base. Another setting method is to drill a hole through the stone and pass a wire or cord through the hole, twisting the ends of the wire together, and attaching the resulting loop of wire to a jewelry piece. A third method used to set these types of stones is to make a cap that covers one end of the briolette and then attach the cap to a base using an adhesive. A disadvantage of all these types of settings is that adhesives tend to become brittle over time. This will affect the quality of the setting and the stone could fall off. [0013] Generally then, jewelry setting techniques tend to rely on trapping a stone in a metal finding or adhesively connecting a stone to a finding or mounting device. If the stone moves or is loose in the setting, or if the adhesive connection weakens, it is generally considered unsafe. These techniques either end up obscuring a portion of the stone resulting in a loss of observed scintillation when the stone is moved or more precisely when the setting moves the stone, make the stone immovable relative to the setting, create a situation where a part of the setting wears out and needs repairs, or have parts that can easily snag on things and break. [0014] For example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,304 to Adelman teaches a method of making jewelry including providing an item to be mounted, creating a throughbore in the item, threading an elongated member through the item, providing a finding, providing a laser, and attaching the elongated member through the item, providing the item is suspended adjacent to the finding. More specifically, Adelman teaches positioning the throughbore anywhere through the item, without a need for specific surfaces, only that preferably the throughbore should be approximately 1 mm from the edge of the item. Although Adelnan teaches putting a throughbore in an item, it is silent as to the specific surfaces of the item through which the throughbore extends. Thus, Adelman teaches a non-surface specific throughbore. [0015] However, by not knowing specifically which surfaces of the item the throughbore extends through, one cannot say that the positioning of the throughbore improves the luster of the item by reducing refraction, reflection, and dispersion errors. Further, by virtue of the item being set in a Adelman's particular finding having a plurality of metal parts, the item is obscured by the finding and only one degree of freedom of movement is afforded the item relative to the finding in which it is set, and therefore, one cannot say that the item when set this finding, by virtue of eliminating a visually obstructive setting, has improved scintillation, visibility, and gives an impression that the item is floating in air or dancing relative to the finding. [0016] As another example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,681,599 to Meguro teaches a jewelry pendant that includes a flat anchor portion provided on the back surface of a pedestal that includes a chain connecting portion formed in an upper part thereof. A suspension portion is formed in a projecting manner on the front surface of the pedestal at substantially the center position thereof and a suspension hole is formed at the tip of the suspension portion. A decorative piece is swingably suspended through the suspension hole. More specifically, Meguro teaches encircling the girdle of a stone with a ring. By surrounding the girdle portion of the jewel with a ring, one cannot say that the jewel, by virtue of eliminating a visually obstructive setting, has improved scintillation, visibility, and gives an impression that the jewel is floating in air or dancing relative to the pedestal. [0017] Even though the foregoing prior art references may be suitable for the specific individual purposes which they address, they would not be suitable for the purposes of the present invention, namely, a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry and having improved structural integrity and luster by virtue of reducing refraction, reflection, and dispersion errors, and when suspended from the article of jewelry, by virtue of eliminating visually obstructive conventional settings, has improved scintillation, visibility, and gives an impression that it is floating in air or dancing relative to the article of jewelry as heretofore described. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0018] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry that avoids the disadvantages of the prior art. [0019] It is another object of the present invention to provide a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry that is simple to use. [0020] It is still another object of the present invention to provide a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry that has improved luster. [0021] It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry that has improved structural integrity. [0022] It is still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a stone for suspending from an article of jewelry that has improved scintillation when suspended from the article of jewelry by virtue of eliminating visually obstructive conventional settings. Continue reading... Full patent description for Dancing stone for suspending from an article of jewelry Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Dancing stone for suspending from an article of jewelry patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. 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