Pendant with a retractable and custom-fit chain

Abstract

Jewelry is provided with a tether (e.g., chain, band, belt, fish line) that can be varied in length by a user. Excess portions of the tether are stored in the jewelry's housing and, in some embodiments, is self-retractable. Alternatively, a tether may be retracted into the jewelry housing via manual interactions with the jewelry or an electric motor.

1 . A piece of custom-fit jewelry comprising: 
 a housing having an exterior surface;    a tether having a tether diameter;    a storage space located in said housing, wherein said storage space can store at least a substantial portion of said tether and said housing is operable to be opened to reveal said storage space;    a first aperture extending from said storage space to said exterior surface and having a first diameter that is greater than said tether diameter; and    a second aperture extending from said storage space to said exterior surface and having a second diameter that is greater than said tether diameter.    
   
   
       2 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 1  wherein said tether has the shape of a closed loop.  
   
   
       3 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 1  wherein said housing further comprises: 
 a lid;    a base, wherein said base is attached to said lid by hinges, at least a portion of said storage space and at least a portion of said first and second apertures are defined in said base, and said hinges are placed around said first and second apertures.    
   
   
       4 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 3  wherein said tether is included in said first and second apertures between said hinges.  
   
   
       5 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 4  further comprising a first and second washer included around said tether, wherein said first washer has a first interior diameter that tightly fits around said tether, said second washer has a second interior diameter that tightly fits around said tether, said first washer has a first exterior diameter that is greater than said first diameter, and said second washer has a second exterior diameter that is greater than said second diameter.  
   
   
       6 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 1  wherein said tether is a transparent wire, a wire, a chain, a band, or a belt.  
   
   
       7 . A piece of custom-fit jewelry comprising: 
 a jewelry housing that is not operable to be opened, said jewelry housing having an exterior surface and an interior storage space; and    a tether having a first and second end, wherein said tether is self-retractable into said interior storage space of said jewelry housing.    
   
   
       8 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 a fixture located on said exterior surface;    an attachment on said first end of said tether that is operable to mate with said fixture.    
   
   
       9 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 7  further comprising an aperture extending from said interior storage space to said exterior surface, wherein said aperture has an aperture diameter that is greater than the diameter of said tether and said attachment is not operable to fit through said aperture diameter.  
   
   
       10 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 7  wherein said interior storage surface further comprising: 
 a spiral spring having a first and second spiral spring end;    an axle;    a hollow spindle, wherein said first spiral spring end is fixed to said axle and said second spiral spring end is fixed to said spindle, wherein said second end of said tether is fixed to the exterior of said hollow spindle.    
   
   
       11 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 7  wherein said tether is a transparent wire, a wire, a chain, a band, or a belt.  
   
   
       12 . A piece of custom-fit jewelry comprising: 
 a jewelry housing that is not operable to be opened, said jewelry housing having an exterior surface and an interior storage space; and    a tether that is manually-retractable into said interior storage space of said jewelry housing, wherein said tether has a first and second end.    
   
   
       13 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 12  further comprising: 
 a fixture located on said exterior surface;    an attachment on said first end of said tether that is operable to mate with said fixture.    
   
   
       14 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 12  further comprising an aperture extending from said interior storage space to said exterior surface, wherein said aperture has an aperture diameter that is greater than the diameter of said tether and said attachment is not operable to fit through said aperture diameter.  
   
   
       15 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 12  wherein said interior storage surface further comprising: 
 an axle that can be manually turned wherein said second end of said tether is fixed to said axle.    
   
   
       16 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 12  wherein said interior storage surface further comprising: 
 a spindle that can be manually turned wherein said second end of said tether is fixed to said spindle.    
   
   
       17 . The custom-fit jewelry of  claim 12  wherein said tether is a transparent wire, a wire, a chain, a band, or a belt.  
   
   
       18 . A piece of custom-fit jewelry comprising: 
 a jewelry housing that is not operable to be opened, said jewelry housing having an exterior surface and an interior storage space;    an electric motor included in said interior storage space; and    a tether having a first and second end, wherein said second end is attached to said motor and said tether is operable to be retracted into said interior storage space by said electric motor.