Charm jewelry adornment

Abstract

An adornment attachable to a bracelet, necklace, or anklet, the adornment includes a front element having an inner surface, a rear element having an inner surface opposing the front element inner surface, and at least one hinge configured to hingedly interconnect the front and the rear element. The adornment can include a locking mechanism having a sphere, and a catch piece, wherein the catch piece is configured to capture at least a portion of the sphere to retain the front and rear elements in a closed position.

1 . An adornment attachable to a bracelet, necklace, or anklet, the adornment comprising:
 a front element having an inner surface;   a rear element having an inner surface opposing the inner surface of the front element; and   at least one hinge configured to hingedly interconnect the front and the rear element;   wherein when in a closed position the front element and the rear element form an aperture that accommodates a strip, wherein the strip is at least one of a bracelet, anklet, and necklace.   
     
     
         2 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge is mounted on the respective inner surfaces of the front and the rear elements. 
     
     
         3 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the respective inner surfaces is substantially flat. 
     
     
         4 . The adornment of  claim 1 , further including:
 a distal portion of the front element and a distal portion of the rear element include mating portions of a locking mechanism configured to resist unintended opening of the adornment.   
     
     
         5 . The adornment of  claim 4 , wherein the locking mechanism includes:
 a sphere; and   a catch piece, wherein the catch piece includes at least one of a ridge and a recess configured to capture at least a portion of the sphere.   
     
     
         6 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the hinge includes a spring that exerts a force on the front element and the rear element, whereby the adornment can be applied to a ribbon-shaped strip in a self-clamping manner. 
     
     
         7 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the adornment is comprised of at least one of silver, gold, and platinum. 
     
     
         8 . The adornment of  claim 1 , further including a plug of deformable elastic material located between the respective inner surfaces of the front element and the rear elements. 
     
     
         9 . The adornment of  claim 8 , wherein when the adornment is in a closed position the plug is compressible between at least one of the respective inner surfaces and the strip so that the adornment resists movement along the strip. 
     
     
         10 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the adornment is mechanically coupled to the strip without mechanically decoupling other adornments previously mechanically coupled to the strip. 
     
     
         11 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the respective inner surfaces of the front and the rear elements comprise projections, whereby each projection presses against the strip when the adornment is in a closed position to reduce movement of the adornment along the strip. 
     
     
         12 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the rear element is rectangular and the front element is substantially planar, whereby a locking mechanism is located behind the front element and distal from the hinge. 
     
     
         13 . The adornment of  claim 5 , wherein when the catch piece contains both the ridge and the recess, and the recess is located below the ridge. 
     
     
         14 . The adornment of  claim 1 , wherein the strip is a charm bracelet. 
     
     
         15 . An adornment attachable to a bracelet, necklace, or anklet, the adornment comprising:
 a front element having an inner surface;   a rear element having an inner surface opposing the inner surface of the front element; and   at least one hinge coupled to a proximate portion of the front element and to a proximate portion of the rear element, the at least one hinge configured to hingedly interconnect the front and the rear element;   wherein when in a closed position the front element and the rear element form an aperture that accommodates a strip, wherein the strip is at least one of a bracelet, anklet, and necklace.   
     
     
         16 . The adornment of  claim 10 , further including:
 a distal portion of the front element and a distal portion of the rear element include mating portions of a locking mechanism configured to resist unintended opening of the adornment.   
     
     
         17 . The adornment of  claim 11 , wherein the locking mechanism includes:
 a sphere; and   a catch piece, wherein the catch piece includes at least one of a ridge and a recess configured to capture at least a portion of the sphere.   
     
     
         18 . The adornment of  claim 10 , wherein the hinge includes a spring which exerts a force on the front element and the rear element, whereby the adornment can be applied to a ribbon-shaped strip in a self-clamping manner. 
     
     
         19 . The adornment of  claim 10 , further including a plug of deformable elastic material located between the respective inner surfaces of the front element and the rear elements. 
     
     
         20 . The adornment of  claim 14 , wherein when the adornment is in a closed position the plug is compressible between at least one of the respective inner surfaces and the strip so that the adornment resists movement along the strip.