Jewelry with sliding collets

Abstract

A jewelry item which includes sliding collets is disclosed. The collets may slide along first and second elongated collet mounting structures, such as a wire, recess or flange. The covets may have one or more wings and/or one or more bosses which are received by the first and second elongated collet mounting structures. The collets may slide freely along the first and second elongated collet mounting structures.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A jewelry item comprising:
 first and second collet mounting structures; and   a collet having a first wing, a first boss with a central opening or a first cutout received by the first collet mounting structure on a first collet side, and a second wing, a second boss with a central opening or a second cutout received by the second collet mounting structure on a second collet side.   
     
     
         2 . The jewelry item of  claim 1 , wherein;
 the first collet mounting structure is elongated in comparison to the collet and includes a first elongated wire extending between first and second ends of the first collet mounting structure, said first elongated wire being received by the central opening in the first boss.   
     
     
         3 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , wherein the central opening in the first boss is adapted to permit the collet to slide along the first elongated wire. 
     
     
         4 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , wherein the first elongated wire has a circular cross section. 
     
     
         5 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , wherein the first elongated wire has a non-circular cross section. 
     
     
         6 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , further comprising a first rigid extension extending between the first and second ends of the first collet mounting structure and provided adjacent to the first elongated wire. 
     
     
         7 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , wherein the first and second collet mounting structures are removable as a single unit from the jewelry item. 
     
     
         8 . The jewelry item of  claim 7 , wherein the single unit is press fit into the jewelry item. 
     
     
         9 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , wherein the first end of the first collet mounting structure is adapted to repeatedly connect to and disconnect from the first elongated wire. 
     
     
         10 . The jewelry item of  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the first collet mounting structure includes a recess for receiving an end of the first elongated wire. 
     
     
         11 . The jewelry item of  claim 9 , wherein the first end of the first collet mounting structure includes a hole through which an end of the first elongated wire extends. 
     
     
         12 . The jewelry item of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a first side structure disposed adjacent to and shielding the first elongated wire.   
     
     
         13 . The jewelry item of  claim 12 , wherein:
 the second collet mounting structure is elongated in comparison to the collet and includes a second elongated wire extending between first and second ends of the second collet mounting structure, said second elongated wire being received by the central opening in the second boss.   
     
     
         14 . The jewelry item of  claim 13 , further comprising a second rigid extension extending between the first and second ends of the second collet mounting structure and provided adjacent to the second elongated wire. 
     
     
         15 . The jewelry item of  claim 14 , wherein the first and second collet mounting structures are removable as a single unit from the jewelry item. 
     
     
         16 . The jewelry item of  claim 15 , wherein the single unit is press fit into the jewelry item. 
     
     
         17 . The jewelry item of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a second side structure disposed adjacent to and shielding the second elongated wire.   
     
     
         18 . The jewelry item of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the collet has a first boss with a central opening and a second wing;   the first collet mounting structure includes an elongated wire extending between first and second ends of the first collet mounting structure, said first elongated wire being received by the central opening in the first boss: and   the second collet mounting structure includes an elongated recess, said second wing being received by the elongated recess.   
     
     
         19 . The jewelry item of  claim 18 , further comprising a first rigid extension extending between the first and second ends of the first collet mounting structure and provided adjacent to the first elongated wire. 
     
     
         20 . The jewelry item of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second collet mounting structures are elongated in comparison to the collet;   the collet has a first wing and a second wing; and   the first and second collet mounting structures are elongated recesses which receive the first wing and the second wing, respectively.   
     
     
         21 . The jewelry item of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first and second collet mounting structures are elongated in comparison to the collet;   the collet has a first cutout and a second cutout; and   the first and second collet mounting structures are elongated flanges which receive the first cutout and the second cutout, respectively.   
     
     
         22 . The jewelry item of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the collet has a first boss with a central opening and a second cutout;   the first collet mounting structure includes an elongated wire extending between first and second ends of the first collet mounting structure, said first elongated wire being received by the central opening in the first boss; and   the second collet mounting structure includes an elongated flange which receives the second cutout.   
     
     
         23 . The jewelry tern of  claim 22 , further comprising a first rigid extension extending between the first and second ends of the first collet mounting structure and provided adjacent to the first elongated wire.