Expandable locket

Abstract

A locket having a hub, a lock and a plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is provided. The hub comprises a locking cavity having an upper wall and a lower wall. The lock has an upper biasing member and a lower biasing member. The upper biasing member and the lower biasing member are connected at a lock tip and biased away from each other. The lock is releasably, frictionally engageable with the locking cavity. The plurality of successive hingedly connected panels extends between the hub and the lock. The first panel of the successively hingedly connected panels is hingedly connected to the hub. The last panel of the successively connected panels is hingedly connected to the lock. At least one of the panels in the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is adapted to retain a presentment therein.

1 . A locket, comprising: 
 a hub having a locking cavity, the locking cavity comprising an upper wall and a lower wall;    a lock having a upper biasing member connected at a lock tip to a lower biasing member, the upper biasing member being biased away from the lower biasing member, wherein the lock is releasably, frictionally engageable within the locking cavity; and    a plurality of successive hingedly connected panels extending between the hub and the lock; 
 wherein a first panel of the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is hingedly connected to the hub;  
 wherein a last panel of the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is hingedly connected to the lock; and  
 wherein at least one panel of the plurality of panels is adapted to retain a presentment therein.  
   
   
   
       2 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper biasing member is releasably, frictionally engageable with the upper wall and the lower biasing member is releasably, frictionally engageable with the lower wall.  
   
   
       3 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is expandable.  
   
   
       4 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the plurality of panels comprises a picture frame.  
   
   
       5 . The locket according to  claim 1 , further comprising at least one retaining nub disposed on each of the upper biasing member and the lower biasing member, wherein the at least one retaining nub on the upper biasing member is juxtaposed away from the at least one retaining nub on the lower biasing member.  
   
   
       6 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the locket is suspendable from a piece of jewelry.  
   
   
       7 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels comprises an even number of panels.  
   
   
       8 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel adapted to retain a presentment therein comprises an odd number of panels.  
   
   
       9 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one panel adapted to retain a presentment therein comprises an even number of panels.  
   
   
       10 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of panels is adapted to fold in an accordion type manner.  
   
   
       11 . A locket comprising: 
 a hub, wherein the hub includes a front portion having a first hinge and a rear portion having a locking cavity;    a first panel hingedly connected to the first hinge and having a second hinge disposed distal from the first hinge;    a plurality of successive hingedly connected panels hingedly connected to the second hinge, wherein a last of the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is hingedly connected to a locking tab, wherein the locking tab is removably insertable into the locking cavity such that the locking tab releasably secures the last of the successive hingedly connected panels to the hub.    
   
   
       12 . The locket according to  claim 1 , wherein the upper biasing member is releasably, frictionally engageable with the upper wall and the lower biasing member is releasably, frictionally engageable with the lower wall.  
   
   
       13 . The locket according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of successive hingedly connected panels is expandable.  
   
   
       14 . The locket according to  claim 11 , wherein at least one of the plurality of panels comprises a picture frame.  
   
   
       15 . The locket according to  claim 11 , further comprising at least one retaining nub disposed on each of the upper biasing member and the lower biasing member, wherein the at least one retaining nub on the upper biasing member is juxtaposed away from the at least one retaining nub on the lower biasing member.  
   
   
       16 . The locket according to  claim 11 , wherein the locket is suspendable from a piece of jewelry.  
   
   
       17 . The locket according to  claim 11 , wherein the at least one panel adapted to retain a presentment therein comprises an even number of panels.  
   
   
       18 . The locket according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of panels is adapted to fold in an accordion type manner.  
   
   
       19 . A method for opening a locket comprising: 
 providing a locket having 
 a hub, comprising a locking cavity;  
 a lock, comprising; 
 an upper biasing member having an upper open end and an upper joined end, the upper open end having a tab,  
 a lower biasing member having a lower open end a lower joined end, said upper joined end being fixedly connected to said lower joined end and said upper open end being biased away from said lower open end;  
 
 a plurality of hingedly connected panels extending between the hub and the lock;  
 wherein the lower open end of the lower biasing member is hingedly connected to the plurality of panels and the hub is hingedly connected to the plurality of panels;  
 wherein the plurality of panels is arranged in stacked succession;  
 and wherein the lock is frictionally retained within the locking cavity, the upper and lower joined ends being furthest inserted into the locking cavity and the tab and upper and lower open ends extending slightly outside of the locking cavity;  
   pressing the tab toward the lower open end;    pulling the tab and lock away from the hub; and    extending the plurality of panels from a position of stacked succession to a position of elongated succession.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising closing the locket by; 
 folding the plurality of panels from a disposition of elongated succession to a disposition of stacked succession wherein the lock is moved towards the locking cavity;    inserting the lock into the locking cavity by first inserting the upper and lower joined ends into the locking cavity and pressing the lock into the locking cavity until the tab engages the hub.