Decorative clasp system

Abstract

An appliance is provided for connecting one or more lengths of decorative material together so that such length or lengths may be worn as an ornament by people or animals. In some preferred embodiments of the invention, all of the lengths of decorative material are removably connected to the appliance and can be worn separately as independent ornaments. In other preferred embodiments of the invention, one or more decorative lengths are permanently attached to the appliance as a part thereof, while one or more other removable decorative lengths are removably connected to the appliance, so that the removable decorative lengths can be worn separately as independent ornaments. In yet other preferred embodiments of the invention, the appliance is constructed of at least two parts, which are removably connected together. In other preferred embodiments of the invention, the appliance has at least two parts that are removably connected to one another by magnetic force.

1 . An appliance for connecting one or more removable lengths of decorative material worn by a wearer, wherein each of such removable lengths of decorative material has two ends and such ends are adapted to be removably connected to one another, such appliance comprising: 
 (a) a joining member, such joining member having; 
 (i) one or more first connecting portions, wherein each of such first connecting portions has magnetic properties and is adapted to be removably connected by magnetic force to one end of a removable length of decorative material, such end being comprised of a material that may be connected to such first connecting portion by magnetic force, so that such end may be removably connected to the joining member; and  
 (ii) one or more second connecting portions, wherein each of such second connecting portions has magnetic properties and cooperates with one first connecting portion and is adapted to be removably connected by magnetic force to the other end of the removable length of decorative material that is removably connected to such cooperating first connecting portion, such other end being comprised of a material that may be connected to such first connecting portion by magnetic force, so that such other end may be removably connected to the joining member;  
   (b) wherein each of such removable lengths of decorative material has two ends and such ends are adapted to be removably connected to one another by magnetic force.    
   
   
       2 . The appliance of  claim 1 , wherein the joining member is further comprised of: 
 (a) a joining portion having an inner surface facing the wearer, a joining portion outer surface approximately opposite the inner surface, a first lateral surface, and a second lateral surface approximately opposite the first lateral surface;    (b) a decorative portion having a decorative portion inner surface and an outer surface approximately opposite the decorative portion inner surface; and    (c) joining portion attachment means for attaching the decorative portion inner surface to the joining portion outer surface.    
   
   
       3 . The appliance of  claim 2 , wherein: 
 (a) each first connecting portion is comprised of a first cavity recessed into a surface of the joining portion, such first cavity having magnetic properties, wherein each such first cavity is adapted to be approximately of the same size and shape as the end of the removable length of decorative material to which it is removably connected, so that all or a portion of such end may be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from such first cavity; and    (b) each second connecting portion is comprised of a second cavity recessed into a surface of the joining portion, such first cavity having magnetic properties, wherein each such second cavity is adapted to be approximately of the same size and shape as the other end of the removable length of decorative material to which such second cavity is removably connected, so that all or a portion of such other end may be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from such second cavity.    
   
   
       4 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more first cavities are located on the first lateral surface of the joining portion and the one or more second cavities are located on the second lateral surface of the joining portion.  
   
   
       5 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the one or more first cavities are located on the inner surface of the joining portion and the one or more second cavities are located on the inner surface of the joining portion.  
   
   
       6 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein the joining portion is approximately in the shape of a square.  
   
   
       7 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein each first cavity and its cooperating second cavity are adapted to receive the end and other end, respectively, of a removable length of decorative material, wherein such end and other end are approximately square or rectangular in shape.  
   
   
       8 . The appliance of  claim 3 , wherein each first cavity and its cooperating second cavity are adapted to receive the end and other end, respectively, of a removable length of decorative material, wherein such end and other end are approximately circular in shape.  
   
   
       9 . An appliance for connecting lengths of decorative material worn by a wearer, wherein one or more of such lengths of decorative material has two ends and such ends are adapted to be removably connected to one another, such appliance comprising: 
 (a) a first joining member, comprised of: 
 (i) a first inner surface facing the wearer, a first outer surface approximately opposite the first inner surface, a first lateral fastening surface, and a first lateral exterior surface; and  
 (ii) two or more first connecting portions, wherein each of such first connecting portions has magnetic properties and is adapted to be removably connected by magnetic force to one end of a removable length of decorative material, such end being comprised of a material that may be connected to such first connecting portion by magnetic force, so that such end may be removably connected to the first joining member;  
   (b) a second joining member, comprised of: 
 (i) a second inner surface facing the wearer, a second outer surface approximately opposite the second inner surface, a second lateral fastening surface, and a second lateral exterior surface; and  
 (ii) two or more second connecting portions, wherein each of such second connecting portions has magnetic properties and cooperates with one first connecting portion and each such second connecting portion is adapted to be removably connected by magnetic force to the other end of the removable length of decorative material that is removably connected to such cooperating first connecting portion, such other end being comprised of a material that may be connected to such second connecting portion by magnetic force, so that such other end may be removably connected to the second joining member; and  
   (c) joining member fastening means to removably connect the first joining member to the second joining member;    (d) wherein each of such removable lengths of decorative material has two ends and such ends are adapted to be removably connected by magnetic force to one another.    
   
   
       10 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 (a) the first joining member is further comprised of: 
 (i) a first joining portion;  
 (ii) a first decorative portion; and  
 (iii) first joining portion attachment means for attaching the first decorative portion to the first joining portion; and  
   (b) the second joining member is further comprised of: 
 (i) a second joining portion;  
 (ii) a second decorative portion; and  
 (iii)second joining portion attachment means for attaching the second decorative portion to the second joining portion.  
   
   
   
       11 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein: 
 (a) each first connecting portion is comprised of a first cavity recessed into the first joining member, wherein each such first cavity has magnetic properties and is adapted to be approximately of the same size and shape as the end of the removable length of decorative material to which it is removably connected, so that all or a portion of such end may be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from such first cavity; and    (b) each second connecting portion is comprised of a second cavity recessed into the second joining member, wherein each such second cavity has magnetic properties and is adapted to be approximately of the same size and shape as the other end of the removable length of decorative material to which it is removably connected so that all or a portion of such other end may be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from such second cavity.    
   
   
       12 . The appliance of  claim 9 , wherein the joining member fastening means is comprised of the first lateral fastening surface of the first joining member being adapted to be removably connected to the second lateral fastening surface of the second joining member by magnetic force, wherein the first lateral fastening surface and the second lateral fastening surface have magnetic properties.  
   
   
       13 . The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the two or more first cavities are located on the first lateral exterior surface of the first joining member and the two or more second cavities are located on the second lateral exterior surface of the second joining member.  
   
   
       14 . The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the two or more first cavities are located on the first inner surface of the first joining member and the two or more second cavities are located on the second inner surface of the second joining member.  
   
   
       15 . The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein the first joining member and the second joining member are in the shape of a rectangle.  
   
   
       16 . The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein each first cavity and its cooperating second cavity are adapted to receive ends and other ends, respectively, of removable lengths of decorative material wherein such ends and other ends are approximately square or rectangular in shape.  
   
   
       17 . The appliance of  claim 11 , wherein each first cavity and its cooperating second cavity are adapted to receive ends and other ends, respectively, of removable lengths of decorative material wherein such ends and other ends are approximately circular in shape.  
   
   
       18 . The appliance of  claim 11 , further comprising one or more fixed lengths of decorative material, wherein one end of each fixed length of decorative material is attached to the first joining member and the other end of such fixed length of decorative material is attached to the second joining member.  
   
   
       19 . An appliance for connecting lengths of decorative material worn by a wearer, wherein each of such lengths of decorative material has two ends, such appliance comprising: 
 (a) a first joining member, comprised of: 
 (i) a first joining member having a first inner surface facing the wearer, a first outer surface approximately opposite the first inner surface, a first lateral fastening surface, and a first lateral exterior surface; and  
 (ii) one or more first connecting members attached to the first joining member, wherein each of such first connecting members is adapted to be removably connected to one end of a removable length of decorative material so that such end may be removably connected to the first joining member; and  
   (b) a second joining member, comprised of: 
 (i) a second inner surface facing the wearer, a second outer surface approximately opposite the second inner surface, a second lateral fastening surface, and a second lateral exterior surface; and  
 (ii) one or more second connecting members attached to the second joining member, wherein each of such second connecting members cooperates with one first connecting member and each such second connecting member is adapted to be removably connected to the other end of the removable length of decorative material that is removably connected to such cooperating first connecting member so that such other end may be removably connected to the second joining member;  
   (c) magnetic fastening means to removably connect the first joining member to the second joining member by magnetic force;    (d) wherein each of such removable lengths of decorative material has two ends and such ends are adapted to be removably connected to one another.    
   
   
       20 . The appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the magnetic fastening means is comprised of: 
 (a) a fastening tab portion of the first joining member, such fastening tab having magnetic properties; and    (b) a fastening cavity portion of the second joining member, such fastening cavity portion having magnetic properties and being recessed into the second lateral fastening surface of the second joining member;    (c) wherein the fastening tab portion and the fastening cavity portion are adapted to be of a shape and size so that the fastening tab portion can be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from the fastening cavity portion and the first joining member and second joining member are removably connected together by magnetic force while the fastening tab portion is inserted into the fastening cavity portion.    
   
   
       21 . The appliance of  claim 19 , wherein the magnetic fastening means is comprised of: 
 (a) the first joining member, wherein the first outer surface and the first lateral fastening surface of the first joining member have magnetic properties; and    (b) the second joining member, wherein a portion of the second inner surface and the second lateral fastening surface of the second joining member have magnetic properties;    (c) wherein the first outer surface and the first lateral fastening surface of the first joining member and such portion of the second inner surface and the second lateral fastening surface of the second joining member are adapted to be of a shape and size so that the first outer surface and the first lateral fastening surface of the first joining member can be positioned adjacent to such portion of the second inner surface and the second lateral fastening surface of the second joining member, so that when such surfaces are placed adjacent to one another the first joining member is removably connected by magnetic force to the second joining member.    
   
   
       22 . The appliance of  claim 19 , wherein: 
 (a) the first joining member is further comprised of: 
 (i) a first joining portion;  
 (ii) a first decorative portion; and  
 (iii) first joining portion attachment means for attaching the first decorative portion to the first joining portion; and  
   (b) the second joining member is further comprised of: 
 (i) a second joining portion;  
 (ii) a second decorative portion; and  
 (iii) second joining portion attachment means for attaching the second decorative portion to the second joining portion.  
   
   
   
       23 . The appliance of  claim 19 , further comprising: 
 (a) one or more first cavity portions recessed into a surface of the first joining member, wherein each such first cavity portion has magnetic properties and is adapted to be removably connected by magnetic force to one end of a removable length of decorative material, such end being comprised of a material that may be connected to such first cavity portion by magnetic force, and wherein each such first cavity portion is adapted to be approximately of the same size and shape as such end so that all or a portion of such end may be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from such first cavity portion; and    (b) one or more second cavity portions recessed into a surface of the second joining member, wherein each such second cavity portion has magnetic properties and cooperates with one first cavity portion and each such second cavity portion is adapted to be approximately of the same size and shape as the other end of the removable length of decorative material that is removably connected to such cooperating first cavity portion, such other end being comprised of a material that may be connected to such second cavity portion by magnetic force, and wherein all or a portion of such other end may be slideably inserted into and slideably removed from such second cavity portion so that such other end may be removably connected by magnetic force to the second joining member;    (c) wherein each of such removable lengths of decorative material has two ends and such ends are adapted to be removably connected to one another by magnetic force.    
   
   
       24 . The appliance of  claim 19 , further comprising one or more fixed lengths of decorative material, wherein one end of each fixed length of decorative material is attached to the first joining member and the other end of such fixed length of decorative material is attached to the second joining member.