Methods and apparatus for integrating gemstones into glass jewelry

Abstract

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for integrating gemstones into glass ornaments. Specifically, it relates to a method for integrating gemstones into glass ornaments, wherein the gemstones are held by a suction sleeve inserted into the bottom of a tube of semi-molten glass, and wherein a vacuum is released once sufficient depth is reached to place the gemstones without delay. To position the gemstones that require precise insertion into the glass for maximum optical effect, a suction sleeve with openings is used to align the gemstones and elements such as spirals or meshes to provide a uniform distance from the wall of the glass tube into which they are inserted.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the original application with international application number PCT / IB2017 / 000890, international filing date of 28 July 2017, Chinese national application number 201780093487.4, entered China on 22 January 2020, and the invention title of "Method and device for integrating a gemstone in a glass setting". TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The invention relates to a method of manufacturing jewelry, more precisely to the incorporation of a gemstone, in particular a diamond, in glass in order to enhance their appearance in terms of size and reflectivity. BACKGROUND

[0003] In order to emphasize the reflective and scintillating power of a gemstone, these need to be at a slight distance from the surface of the wearer and allow not only frontal illumination but also the incidence of light from the sides.

[0004] The goldsmith can take this into account and place the most scintillating gemstone at the top of the crown or with the most sparse skirt.

[0005] It is more effective to incorporate the gemstone in a glass sphere or drop, the glass setting also visually enlarges the gemstone.

[0006] Problem

[0007] However, this is not an easy task. So far, for this purpose a heated gemstone is introduced into a semi-fused glass tube, which is then further heated by a gas flame to complete fusion and thereby closes the tube to form a spherical or drop-shaped glass shell.

[0008] Thus, the problem is that the optical effect is strong only if the gemstone is tightly surrounded by glass on all sides without leaving gaps and the cutting axis and polished stone will be completely vertical.

[0009] However, the above-mentioned effect cannot be provided by randomly introducing the gemstone into the glass tube as is done nowadays, which results in a poor product quality and high scrap rate.

[0010] State of the art

[0011] Two related patents have been found which cover the idea of fusing an object in glass:

[0012] US 6060011 proposes to encapsulate an object in a low melting point glass matrix and to solidify it in the encapsulating mass.

[0013] Although this method has the advantage of being used in production lines and therefore with high productivity, the result of melting the glass substrate and self-forming the ball or drop by capillary tension alone results in a very random form and result. When it comes to the encapsulation of precious stones, the waste would be intolerable.

[0014] US201 1 / 0030422A1 provides a method of loading a gem into a mold, injecting molten glass, cooling it and demolding the object and then polishing it.

[0015] The demolding process without traces on the glass surface is essential, so polishing is tedious. Furthermore, so far, the encapsulated object can only be precisely positioned by some kind of frame or base, which is either left as a holder for a necklace or bracelet, etc., which can leave a void in the encapsulation; or the frame or base has to be removed, even adding to the polishing work to be done. SUMMARY

[0016] Task of the invention

[0017] Therefore, the task of the invention disclosed herein is to find a method in the age-old type of gem injection procedure, so that the gem is perfectly positioned.

[0018] However, quite a number of attempts to inject the gem with tweezers or pliers cannot provide reliable results.

[0019] Approach

[0020] Therefore, after several attempts, the inventive step of the invention was found, which consists in precisely vertically stepping the gem into the bottom of the semi-molten glass tube by applying a specific vacuum tweezer technique, wherein the sleeve is equipped with an end piece, which is imprinted with the inverse section of the relevant shape of the applied gem, so that, by applying vacuum suction, the gem will be held perfectly upright.

[0021] Furthermore, the sleeve is equipped with heat-resistant guiding means for the glass tube, which can be concentric metal spirals, or high heat-resistant plastic (e.g. PTFE) clamps.

[0022] Therefore, the length of the sleeve needs to be slightly shorter than the depth of the glass tube minus the size of the gem, so that, when inserted up to the handle of the cone, the gem will be perfectly in place.

[0023] There can be an opening valve on this cone, which releases the vacuum as soon as sufficient depth is reached, thus placing the gem without delay. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0024] Figure 1 A commonly used method taken from PCT / AT2006 / 000224 is shown as prior art.

[0025] Figure 2 A device capable of achieving defined positioning is shown. Detailed Implementation

[0026] Figure 1 The diagram illustrates a common method, taken from PCT / AT2006 / 000224, as a prior art, in which a gemstone (3) is simply inserted into a glass tube (1) to be melted, into its heated base (4). Clearly, the final position of the gemstone is necessarily accidental and does not necessarily produce the desired effect.

[0027] Figure 2 A device capable of achieving specific positioning is shown:

[0028] The end piece (5) of the suction sleeve (6) has an opening (7) ground to the shape of the gemstone, which can hold the gemstone in place while the sleeve, guided by a Teflon clip or mesh (8), is inserted into the glass tube. Figure 1 1) up to its handle (10).

Claims

1. A method of integrating a gemstone into a glass setting, wherein, The method comprises the steps of holding the gemstone by a suction sleeve, inserting the suction sleeve into a semi-molten glass tube and placing the gemstone vertically in the bottom of the semi-molten glass tube, and wherein the vacuum is released once a sufficient depth is reached to place the gemstone without delay, wherein the opening of the sleeve is imprinted or ground according to the shape of a part of the gemstone.

2. The method of integrating a gemstone into a glass setting of claim 1, wherein, The melting point of the glass tube is lower than the decomposition temperature of the gemstone.

3. An apparatus for incorporating a gemstone into a glass setting, the apparatus comprising a semi-fused glass tube and a suction sleeve for holding the gemstone, wherein, The suction sleeve is configured for insertion into the semi-molten glass tube and for placing the gemstone vertically in the bottom of the semi-molten glass tube, and wherein the vacuum is released once a sufficient depth is reached to place the gemstone without delay, wherein the opening of the sleeve is imprinted or ground according to the shape of a part of the gemstone.

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