Segmented pendant

Abstract

A decorative pendant includes a plurality of segments, each being shaped and sized so as to have a selected composite shape, such as, for example, a heart shape, an animal shape, etc. Each of the segments has an aperture extending therethrough, and a pivot rod traverses the apertures of the each of the segments, such that each of the segments is freely rotatable with respect to the pivot rod. The first and last segments are coupled to the ends of the pivot rod, with the remaining segments captured between. One of the segments includes a loop for engagement with a necklace, and one of the segments includes a legend inscribed on a surface that, when the segments hang freely from the pivot rod, lies face-to-face with a surface of an adjoining one of the segments, so as to be visible only when the one of the segments is rotated away from its free-hanging position, relative to the adjacent segment.

1 . A pendant, comprising:
 a plurality of segments, each of the segments shaped, positioned and sized relative to each other so as to form a selected composite shape;   a first group of the plurality of segments having an aperture extending therethrough;   a pivot rod extending through the aperture of the each of the first group of segments and having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the aperture such that each of the first group of segments is freely rotatable with respect to the pivot rod; and   a second group of the plurality of segments being coupled to the pivot rod.   
   
   
       2 . The pendant of  claim 1  further including:
 a loop coupled to a first end of one of the plurality of segments, the loop permitting engagement with a necklace.   
   
   
       3 . The pendant of  claim 2  wherein the segment having the loop coupled thereto is rigidly coupled to the pivot rod and does not rotate relative to the rod. 
   
   
       4 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein the composite shape is a heart shape. 
   
   
       5 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein the composite shape is an animal shape. 
   
   
       6 . The pendant of  claim 5  wherein the animal is a dog, and one of the plurality of segments comprises the tail of the dog, and is rotatable relative to a body of the dog. 
   
   
       7 . The pendant of  claim 5  wherein the animal is an elephant, and one of the plurality of segments comprises the trunk, and is rotatable relative to a body of the elephant. 
   
   
       8 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein segments at each end of the pivot rod are coupled to the pivot rod, and at least one of which is rigidly coupled and is not rotatable relative to the rod. 
   
   
       9 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein segments at each end of the pivot rod are coupled to the pivot rod, and at least one of which includes a blind aperture in the form of a recess into which a respective end of the pivot rod extends. 
   
   
       10 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein segments at each end of the pivot rod are coupled to the pivot rod, and at least one of which is rotatable relative to the pivot rod. 
   
   
       11 . The pendant of  claim 10  wherein the at least one segment includes an aperture having a shape and size configured to cooperate with a shape and size of the respective end of the pivot rod to permit that end of the pivot rod to snap into the aperture of the segment. 
   
   
       12 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein each of the plurality of segments includes a surface that, when the segments are arranged adjacent to each other, lies in a common plane with the surfaces of the others of the plurality of segments. 
   
   
       13 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the plurality of segments includes a legend inscribed on a surface that, when the segments are arranged adjacent to each other, lies face-to-face with a surface of an adjoining one of the plurality of segments so as to be visible only when the one of the plurality of segments is rotated away from the adjacent one of the plurality of segments. 
   
   
       14 . The pendant of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first group of segments includes a first surface in which an opening of the aperture is positioned, the first surface lying in a first plane, and a second surface, lying in a second plane, parallel to the first plane and offset therefrom, the first and second surfaces facing in a common direction. 
   
   
       15 . The pendant of  claim 14  wherein the first and second planes are offset by less than 0.005 in. 
   
   
       16 . The pendant of  claim 14  wherein the first surface is circular in shape and has a diameter that is less than a width of the second surface, and the opening of the aperture and the first surface are concentric to each other. 
   
   
       17 . A hanging ornamental object, comprising:
 a plurality of segments, each including a cylindrical aperture having a first diameter extending through the respective segment in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis thereof;   a pivot rod, having a second diameter less than the first diameter, traversing the aperture of each of the plurality of segments;   a first and a second keeping element coupled to respective ends of the pivot rod and serving to hold the plurality of segments on the pivot rod while providing sufficient space to permit each of the plurality of segments to rotate freely on the pivot rod; and   a loop operatively coupled to the pivot rod such that, when the object is suspended by the loop, the rod lies in a substantially horizontal orientation.   
   
   
       18 . The object of  claim 17  wherein the loop is coupled to an end of one of the plurality of segments rather than being directly coupled to the rod. 
   
   
       19 . The object of  claim 17  wherein the first and the second keeping elements are respective ones of the plurality of segments. 
   
   
       20 . The object of  claim 17  wherein, when each of the plurality of segments is positioned with its respective longitudinal axis lying substantially in a common plane, an overall shape of the plurality of segments corresponds to a selected design.