Contoured jewelry ring

Abstract

A ring is provided having a crown, a shank defined by a pair of sidewalls, and a base extending between the shank sidewalls. The shank is oriented obliquely to the crown at an angle between 15° and 30° and when worn, the base is at an angle relative to the longitudinal finger axis and lies alongside the proximal digital palmer crease. The crown and the shank may form a circular opening framed by a square outer perimeter such that the junction of the base and shank sidewalls are of an increased thickness. The shank sidewalls may include a flared portion interconnecting them to the crown having a front edge and a back edge that diverge along a curved line. The base may include a substantially flat front surface, a bottom surface and a convex surface extending therebetween. The crown may include an inlaid design or gem stone setting

I claim:  
     
         1 . In a ring to be worn on a finger having a longitudinal finger axis extending between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the finger and wherein said ring includes a crown, the improvement comprising a shank including a pair of sidewall portions of selected thickness that extend from said crown in spaced apart opposed relation to each other and a base portion of selected thickness that extends between said sidewall portions is spaced relation to said crown, said shank having a finger opening defined by an inner shank surface that is formed generally along a cylindrical surface that has an axis generally aligned with the finger axis when the ring is worn, said shank configured so that it is oriented obliquely to the finger axis at an angle of between about 15° and 30° such that said base portion is alongside the proximal digital palmar crease of the finger when said ring is worn.  
     
     
         2 . A ring according to  claim 1  wherein each of said sidewall portions intersects said base portion at a corner portion that is thicker than either said base portion or a respective said sidewall portion.  
     
     
         3 . A ring according to  claim 1  wherein said base portion includes a front surface that is substantially flat, a bottom surface, and a convex surface extending between said front surface and said bottom surface.  
     
     
         4 . A ring according to  claim 1  wherein said shank has a width greater than four millimeters.  
     
     
         5 . A ring according to  claim 1  formed of a material selected from a group consisting of metals, plastic, wood, and composites.  
     
     
         6 . A ring according to  claim 1  including a crown supported by said shank, said crown having a design formed thereon.  
     
     
         7 . A ring according to  claim 6  wherein said crown includes a setting, and including a gem supported in said setting.  
     
     
         8 . A ring to be worn on a finger having a longitudinal finger axis that extends between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the finger, said ring comprising: 
 (A) a crown; and    (B) a shank defined by 
 ( 1 ) a pair of sidewall portions each of a selected thickness and that extend from said crown in spaced apart opposed relation to each other and  
 ( 2 ) a base portion of selected thickness that extends between said sidewall portions is spaced relation to said crown, said crown and said shank together forming a substantially circular opening that is framed by an outer perimeter of a substantially square geometry such that a junction of said base portion and each of said sidewalls has a thickness that is greater than the thickness of said base portion, and wherein said shank is canted relative to said crown such that said base portion is oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal finger axis when said ring is worn.  
   
     
     
         9 . An item of jewelry according to  claim 8  wherein said base portion is oriented at an angle of between about 15° and 30° to the longitudinal finger axis when said ring is worn.  
     
     
         10 . An item of jewelry according to  claim 8  wherein said base portion is adapted to align alongside the proximal digital palmar crease of the finger.  
     
     
         11 . A ring according to  claim 8  wherein said base includes a front surface that is substantially flat, a bottom surface, and a convex surface extending between said front surface and said bottom surface.  
     
     
         12 . An item of jewelry according to  claim 8  formed of material selected from a group consisting of metals, plastics, wood, and composites.  
     
     
         13 . A ring according to  claim 8  wherein said crown has a design formed thereon.  
     
     
         14 . A ring according to  claim 8  wherein said crown includes a setting, and including a gem supported in said setting.  
     
     
         15 . A ring configured to be worn on a person's finger having a longitudinal finger axis that extends between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the finger, comprising: 
 (A) a crown portion;    (B) a shank portion oriented in a plane that traverses the longitudinal finger axis when the ring is worn, said shank portion including a pair of sidewall portions extending upwardly from a base portion that is spaced from said crown portion;    (C) a pair of flared portions interconnecting said sidewall portions and said crown portion, each said flared portion having a front edge that faces the distal end portion of the finger and that diverges from the plane of said shank portion generally at a first angle and and a back edge that faces the proximal end portion of the finger and that diverges from the plane of said shank portion generally at a second angle that is greater than the first angle.    
     
     
         16 . A ring according to  claim 15  wherein the back edge diverges along a curved line with the second angle being between about 25° and 50°.  
     
     
         17 . A ring according to  claim 15  wherein said front edge diverges along a curved line with the first angle being between about 5° and 20°.  
     
     
         18 . A ring according to  claim 16  wherein said crown portion has an uneven top surface including at least two upraised areas positioned along a line extending between the knuckle of the little finger and the tip of the middle finger when the ring is worn.  
     
     
         19 . A ring according to  claim 16  wherein the plane of said shank portion traverses the longitudinal finger axis at an angle of between about 15° and 30° when the ring is worn.  
     
     
         20 . A ring configured to be worn on a person's finger having a longitudinal finger axis that extends between the proximal end portion and the distal end portion of the finger, comprising: 
 (A) a crown portion; and    (B) a shank portion defined by a pair of sidewalls and a base extending therebetween, wherein said crown portion and said shank portion are of an integral construction that together form a substantially circular opening that is framed by an outer perimeter of a substantially square geometry such that junctions of said base and respective ones of said sidewalls have an increased thickness, and wherein said base portion includes a front surface that is substantially flat, a bottom surface, and a convex surface extending between said front surface and said bottom surface.    
     
     
         21 . A ring according to  claim 20  wherein said shank portion is in a plane that traverses the longitudinal finger axis at an angle of between about 15° and 30°.  
     
     
         22 . A ring according to  claim 21  including a pair of flared portions interconnecting said sidewall portions and said crown portion, each said flared portion having a front edge that faces the distal end portion of the finger and that diverges from the plane of said shank portion generally at a first angle and and a back edge that faces the proximal end portion of the finger and that diverges from the plane of said shank portion generally at a second angle that is greater than the first angle.  
     
     
         23 . A ring according to  claim 22  wherein the back edge diverges along a curved line with the second angle being between about 25° and 50°.  
     
     
         24 . A ring according to  claim 22  wherein said front edge diverges along a curved line with the first angle being between about 5° and 20°.