Jewelry with thin, closely adhering fragrance emitting cover layer

Abstract

A fragrant decorative jewelry accessory includes an infusion of fragrantly volatile molecules into the accessory, and an adhesive on the underside of the accessory intended to removably attach the accessory. Fragrance may be infused on the accessory by soaking an absorbent material with the fragrantly volatile molecules, through a printing technique, through attaching encapsulated fragrance molecules onto the accessory or through the attachment of an fragrance layer onto the accessory. The fragrant decorative accessory can be removably attached to clothing, a bra strap, a choker or a hair accessory.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is based upon provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 459,461 dated Apr. 1, 2003, and claims benefit under 35 USC 119 (e).FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0002] The present invention relates to thin, versatile fragrant emitting cover layers for jewelry, including earrings, necklaces, and the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0003] Applicant's prior U.S. Pat. No. 6,162,457 describes a fragrance emitting pad, which has an adhesive side adhered to the inside of clothing and a fragrance emitting side in contact with the wearer's skin. The fragrance emitting side mingles with surface skin oils to create a unique subtle fragrance in the vicinity of the skin. [0004] Moreover, U.S. Pat. No. 6,234,118 of Lahens describes a layer of porous material such as polymer foam, foam rubber, or felt that has been impregnated with fragrance oils. [0005] Fragrant scents are known to be applied to surfaces by applying powder with appropriate binders. An alternate method i...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021] It is further an object of the present invention to provide versatile jewelry, such as earrings or necklaces, which emit fragrances, and which can be worn in a variety of styles.

[0022] It is also an object of the present invention to provide dangling pendants or earrings, which can intermittently contact the skin with fragrances, to allow the skin oils of the wearer to intermittently be in contact with fragrances.

[0032] In another method the pad cover layer substrates mentioned can be coated with fragrance oils that have been encapsulated into tiny beads forming a time release mechanism. U.S. Pat. No. 6,458,754 of Velazquez describes such a process for use in adding scent to detergent powders. A starch was used to encapsulate the oils. Using a starch, contact with moisture from skin or even atmospheric moisture would accelerate the release of the encapsulated fragrance oils since the starch is soluble in water.

[0033] In another embodiment of fragrance emitting jewelry, a beaded chain with a decorative pendant is described. The beads are strung on an elastic cord and the pendant has a clasp, which also permits it to be used as a decorative hairpin. The underside of the pendant has a thin ring cover layer of fragrance emitting material bonded to it with pressure sensitive adhesive. Its design permits the pendant to lie flat against the user's skin when the beaded chain is used as a necklace. In this configuration, the fragrance-emitting pad mingles with skin oils as described above. The elastic cord permits ease of use as a necklace by simply stretching it over the head.

[0035] In an alternate configuration, by using a wide loop of the entire length of the beaded chain, the hair can be formed in a looser style. The elastic cord helps to facilitate these hair styling methods.

Problems solved by technology

Fragrant earrings are typically in the form of hollow containers having a fragrance-emitting liquid or a shaped mass of solid fragrant-emitting material therein, which results in a bulky configuration of the earring.

However, such a hairpiece is made of an inelastic string of beads, which means that if the hairpiece is short in length, the hairpiece may be tight around the head, and if it is long and loose, it results in a very long necklace draped around the chest, not a shorter necklace worn around the neck.

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