Refrigerator art jewelry

Abstract

A method and machine for making personalized jewelry. A picture or drawing, preferably one with sentimental value, is scanned or digitally imported into a computer and saved as image data. The image data is manipulated by the computer's software and is used along with parameter information input by an operator to create numerical milling controls that are sent to a milling machine. The control instructions are executed by the milling machine and the result is that a replica of the scanned picture or drawing is milled into a piece of precious metal that is held by the machine. The piece of precious metal with the replicated image can be adapted to be worn as a pendant, a charm, earrings or as other types of jewelry. The method can be used to turn a whimsical piece of “refrigerator art” into a long lasting and treasured piece of “refrigerator art jewelry”, for example. Coloring agents can optionally be applied to milled areas of the metal to reproduce color drawings or pictures.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A method for making a personalized piece of jewelry comprising the steps of: 
 digitally capturing a picture or drawing in a computer;    storing the captured picture or drawing as image data;    manipulating the image data with computer software to produce a numerical milling command;    replicating the picture or drawing on a piece of metal by executing the numerical milling command on a computer controlled milling machine; and    adapting the piece of metal so it can be worn as a piece of jewelry.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, the picture or drawing is in color and the step of replicating includes adding color to the piece of metal so that a color replica is produced.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, the drawing comprises a child's drawing, a professional's drawing, or a handwritten message.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, the step of digitally capturing comprises scanning or taking a digital picture of the picture or drawing.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein, the step of digitally capturing comprises importing a picture or drawing that is already in a digital form into the system.  
     
     
         6 . A computerized milling machine for making a personalized piece of jewelry, comprising: 
 a digital capturing device for importing a picture or drawing;    a memory for storing a digital representation of the picture or drawing;    a computer controlled milling machine; and, processing circuitry for reading the memory, creating milling machine instructions, and controlling the milling machine in a manner that results in the picture or drawing being replicated on a piece of metal by the milling machine.    
     
     
         7 . The milling machine of  claim 6  wherein, coloring agents are added to the piece of metal after milling so that a color picture or drawing is replicated.  
     
     
         8 . The milling machine of  claim 6  wherein, the drawing comprises a child's drawing, a professional's drawing, or a handwritten message.  
     
     
         9 . The milling machine of  claim 6  wherein, the digital capturing device is a scanner or a digital camera.  
     
     
         10 . The milling machine of  claim 6  wherein the picture or drawing is already in a digital form and the digital capturing device merely facilitates importing the digital form into the machine.  
     
     
         11 . An article of jewelry comprising a precious metal with an image milled into a surface of the metal by a computer controlled milling machine wherein the image is a replication of a painting or drawing that was scanned or otherwise digitally captured by the computer controlled milling machine.  
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11  wherein, the image that is replicated on the metal is in color.  
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 11  wherein, the image is a child's drawing, a professional's drawing, or a handwritten message.