Thermal compensation system for fluid-decorated capsules

Abstract

To provide a system, apparatus and method for providing a way to create an apparently living decoration for personal accessories.SOLUTION: A system comprises at least one liquid, and is able to accommodate the thermal expansion / compression of the liquid over a given temperature range without leaking, bursting or bubble generation, by adapting the liquid containing chamber volume to the ambient temperature.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1A

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application incorporates by reference and relies on U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 857,317, filed June 5, 2019, the contents of which are intended to define the features sought to be protected, all of which are understood to contribute to solving the technical problem underlying the invention, and certain features referred to herein are deemed to be of particular importance. COPYRIGHT AND LEGAL NOTICES

[0002] Portions of the disclosure of this patent document contain material that is subject to copyright protection. Applicant has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by third parties of the patent document as it appears on the Patent and Trademark Office records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights. Furthermore, the disclosure of any third-party patent or article herein should not be construed as an admission that the present invention is not entitled to antedate that material by virtue of prior invention. [Background technology]

[0003] The present invention relates to wearable accessories such as jewelry, watches, and clothing. Most accessories are objects with a semi-permanent shape and decoration. However, some jewelry, watches, and clothing (also referred to as accessories) contain moving elements that create an animated effect when moved. Others have decorative elements suspended in a fluid. However, these conventional devices absorb thermal expansion by providing bubbles in the liquid. Bubbles are a sign of poor quality or leakage, and are undesirable and even unsightly for the user or wearer.

[0004] What is needed is a system / apparatus and / or method that compensates for thermal fluctuations without visible bubbles.

[0005] What is needed is a system / device and / or method that allows for the creation of jewelry and / or fashion items that include fluid animations while ensuring the integrity of the fluid animations over a predetermined temperature range.

[0006] What is needed is a system / device and / or method that will not leak or break in the event of a nominal temperature increase.

[0007] What is needed is a system / apparatus and / or method that does not result in the appearance of unsightly bubbles when the temperature drops.

[0008] New methods are needed to use fluid animation to change appearance and make jewelry more lifelike. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

[0009] A system, apparatus, and method are provided that create a visually lifelike decoration for personal jewelry. The system comprises a capsule containing at least one liquid within which decorative elements can move and provide animation. Liquids generally have significantly higher thermal expansion / contraction rates than solids. The system provides the ability to completely fill the visible portion of the capsule with liquid while avoiding undesirable and unsightly air bubbles and / or system degradation or destruction due to changes in ambient temperature. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0010] The accompanying drawings illustrate different embodiments of the present subject matter. [Figure 1A] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 1B] 1B is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A at a low temperature, with the top and bottom plates of the capsule free to move relative to one another. [Figure 1C] 1B is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 1A at high and low temperatures, with the top and bottom plates of the capsule fixed relative to one another. [Figure 2A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a second embodiment at an elevated temperature, in which the top and bottom plates of the capsule are fixed relative to each other via an external structure. [Figure 2B]FIG. 2B is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment of FIG. 2A at low temperature. [Figure 3A] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a third embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B is a cross-sectional side view of the embodiment of FIG. 3A at an elevated temperature. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5C is a cross-sectional side view taken along line BB in FIG. 5B, which is a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B is a cross-sectional side view taken along line AA of FIG. 5A, which is a fifth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a sixth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 7] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of a seventh embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of an eighth embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 9] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional side view of a ninth embodiment of the present invention.

[0011] Those skilled in the art will appreciate that elements illustrated in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions of some elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to facilitate a better understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Furthermore, as used herein, terms such as "first," "second," and the like are used to distinguish between similar elements, among other things, and do not necessarily denote a sequential or chronological order. Furthermore, terms such as "front," "back," "planar," "bottom," and the like in the specification and / or claims are used for convenience only and do not necessarily collectively denote definitive relative positions. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that such terms may be substituted under appropriate circumstances, for example, when the various embodiments disclosed herein are operable in orientations other than those explicitly illustrated or described. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0012] The following description is exemplary in nature and describes the best mode of the invention known to the inventors at the time of filing, and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Consequently, the arrangement and / or function of any element in the exemplary embodiments disclosed herein may be changed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0013] The system of the present invention includes at least one fluid capsule containing at least one liquid and is worn by a wearer / user as an accessory, an item of jewelry, a watch, or any other fashion item.

[0014] 1A-1C, the fluid capsule 100 comprises a top plate 102 attached to a bottom plate 104 by a semi-flexible wall 114 and contains at least one liquid 106. While the drawings show the top plate 102 having the same diameter as the bottom plate 104, the fluid capsule 100 may be constructed with a top plate 102 having a different diameter than the bottom plate 104. For example, the semi-flexible wall 114 may have a spherical-conical shape instead of a cylindrical shape. The liquid 106 is selected to exhibit properties such as viscosity, density, coefficient of thermal expansion, color, transparency, or optical refractive index. The capsule may also contain a decorative element 120 or structure (not shown) capable of generating visual animations activated by gravity as the user / wearer reorients the fluid capsule in response to gravity, by acceleration due to the user / wearer's movement, or by manual or automatic actuation mechanisms, as described in U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 835,038, filed April 17, 2019, or International Application No. PCT / IB2019 / 058381, filed October 2, 2019, the contents of which are incorporated by reference, contained within an accessory, item of jewelry, watch, or any other fashion item into which the fluid capsule 100 is integrated. This feature of including a decorative element 120 is not explicitly shown in any of the other embodiments disclosed herein. However, this feature may be described in any of the embodiments shown in Figures 1A-1C, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A, 5B, and 6-9 disclosed herein. The decorative element 120 or structure (not shown) may be selected so that at least a portion of at least one decorative element exhibits properties such as density, transparency, color, reflectance, visible light properties such as filtration, and / or refractive index. The refractive index of the fluid 106 and at least a portion of the decorative element 120 may be selected to be approximately the same, e.g., less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, and ideally less than 3%, from the liquid 106, such that any selected portion of the decorative element is invisible to the user / observer / wearer.The decorative element 120 may be activated by gravity, as the user / wearer reorients the fluid capsule 100 in response to gravity, by the acceleration of the user's / wearer's movement, or by a manual or automatic activation mechanism, as described, for example, on page 4, lines 12-17, of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 835,038, filed April 17, 2019, or on page 5, lines 19-22, of International Application No. PCT / IB2019 / 058381, filed October 2, 2019. While FIG. 1A shows the fluid capsule 100 at a predetermined temperature, FIG. 1B shows the same fluid capsule 100 at a lower temperature, with the top and bottom plates 102 and 104 free to move relative to each other and the contraction of the capsule 100 evident. Generally, the thermal expansion / contraction rate of a liquid is significantly higher than that of a solid. Because the top plate 102 and the bottom plate 104 have little thermal contraction compared to the contraction of the at least one liquid 106, the difference in volume due to the thermal contraction of the at least one liquid 106 is compensated for by the deformation of the semi-flexible wall 114, allowing the fluid capsule 100 to remain filled with liquid without undesirable and unsightly air bubbles forming in the at least one liquid 106.

[0015] 1C , the behavior of the semi-flexible wall 114 is shown when the top and bottom plates 102, 104 are fixed relative to one another and at different temperatures. In this case, at higher temperatures, the semi-flexible wall extends toward the outside of the fluid capsule 100, as indicated by arrow 110, and as the temperature drops, the semi-flexible wall retracts toward the inside of the fluid capsule 100, as indicated by arrow 111. Of course, the combination of relative movement of the top and bottom plates 102, 104 and deflection of the semi-flexible wall 114 toward the inside or outside of the fluid capsule may be used to increase the volume 118 of the fluid capsule 100 to accommodate ambient temperature changes while avoiding undesirable and unsightly air bubbles and / or system degradation or destruction. The relative freedom of movement between the top and bottom plates 102, 104 may be used to facilitate buckling of the semi-flexible wall 114. The semi-flexible wall 114 may be made of a polymer, composite, organic material, metal, or a combination thereof, or it may be the jewelry case itself, simply reinforced with additional material in the area where the components are secured, and the material where the flexing occurs may be made thinner. The inflection point (or plane) near the arrowhead of element 110 in FIG. 1A is sharp, not rounded, and extends further outward than shown in the drawing. It also extends inward. The top plate 102 may be made of a single material or a collection of different materials and may have at least one transparent portion 103 that allows the user / wearer to see inside the capsule. This feature of including a top plate may be made of a single material or a collection of different materials and, although not explicitly shown in any of the other embodiments disclosed herein, may have at least one transparent portion that allows the user / wearer to see inside the capsule. However, this feature may be included in any of the embodiments disclosed herein and shown in Figures 1A-1C, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A, 5B, and 6-9. Representative materials for the top plate 102 include sapphire, glass, transparent plastic, and the like.The top plate 102 may exhibit additional geometric features (illustrated as 132 in FIGS. 2A and 2B) that allow the capsule to be attached to jewelry structures known in the art (illustrated as 130 in FIGS. 2A and 2B). The bottom plate 104 may be made of a single material or a collection of different materials and may be opaque or have at least one transparent portion 105 through which the user / wearer can see the capsule. This feature of including the bottom plate may be made of a single material or a collection of different materials and may be opaque or have at least one transparent portion 105 through which the user / wearer can see the capsule, although this feature is not explicitly shown in any of the other embodiments disclosed herein. However, this feature may be included in any of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1A-1C, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 4, 5A, 5B, and 6-9 disclosed herein. In one embodiment (shown in FIGS. 1A-1C), the semi-flexible wall 114 comprises a semi-flexible ribbon formed as a closed loop that allows the capsule 100 to close. The semi-flexible wall 114 may be primarily composed of a polymer, rubber, metal, or any other flexible material and may house, preferably overmolded, a structure 112 made of a rigid or semi-rigid material, such as a ring, metallic cable, fiberglass, or carbon fiber. The semi-flexible wall may have a pre-shaped bend that ensures that the top plate 102 and the bottom plate 104 remain substantially parallel, independent of the volume 118 of at least one liquid 106 contained in the capsule 100. The semi-flexible wall 114 may be surface-treated to improve its liquid-tightness and / or its temperature resistance, UV resistance, etc. The top plate 102 and the bottom plate 104 have at least one feature to which the structure 112 of the semi-flexible wall 114 can be secured, ensuring that the assembly is liquid-tight. For example, the top plate 102 and bottom plate 104 have at least one groove into which the structure 112 of the semi-flexible wall 114 can be snapped, making the assembly liquid-tight.

[0016] In another embodiment (shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B), the structure 112 comprises thicker zones of semi-flexible walls 114, which are crushed and fixed between the top plate 102 and the jewelry structure 130, and between the bottom plate 104 and the jewelry structure 130, respectively, similar to the attachment of O-rings known in the art. Alternatively, a sealing process, such as gluing, may be performed after assembly. This assembly may involve immersion in the at least one liquid 106 to prevent air bubbles from being trapped inside the capsule 100. During assembly, the ambient temperature must be taken into consideration to avoid overfilling the capsule 100, allowing the semi-flexible walls 114 to expand and accommodate the temperature range for the thermal expansion of the at least one liquid 106. On the other hand, as the temperature drops, the semi-flexible walls 114 flex, reducing the internal volume of the capsule and avoiding the appearance of subsidence, which may cause air bubbles in the at least one liquid 106.

[0017] 3A and 3B, fluid capsule 200 includes a top plate 202 attached to a bottom plate 204 via a gasket 210 and contains at least one liquid 206. Gasket 210 is attached to a structure 220 of the jewelry. The thermal expansion / contraction rate of the gasket is significantly higher than that of solids such as top plate 202, bottom plate 204, or structure 220. As shown in FIGS. 3B versus 3A, an increase in ambient temperature causes expansion of gasket 210, increasing internal volume 218 of capsule 200 and allowing for thermal expansion of at least one liquid 206 without compromising the integrity of capsule 200.

[0018] 4 , the fluid capsule 300 includes a top plate 302 attached to a jewelry structure 320 via a top gasket 312 and a bottom plate 304 attached to the jewelry structure 320 via a bottom gasket 314, and contains at least one liquid 306. The thermal expansion / contraction rates of the gaskets 312, 314 are significantly higher than the thermal expansion / contraction rates of solids such as the top plate 302, the bottom plate 304, or the structure 320. An increase in ambient temperature causes the expansion of the gaskets 312, 314, increasing the internal volume 318 of the capsule 300 and allowing for thermal expansion of the at least one liquid 306 without compromising the integrity of the fluid capsule 300. In one embodiment, one of the plates 302 or 304 can be fixed to the structure 320. The expansion of the internal chamber then occurs in only one direction.

[0019] 5A and 5B, the fluid capsule 400 includes a top plate 402 attached to a bottom plate 404 by a rigid structure 420, forming a rigid main chamber 408 containing at least one liquid 406. The bottom plate 404 contains an expansion chamber 432 filled with a gas 438 and connected to the rigid main chamber 408 via a microchannel 434. The dimensions of the channel 434 are defined to generate a meniscus between the at least one liquid 406 and the gas 438 due to capillary forces. To prevent the gas 438 from dissolving in the at least one liquid 406 or vaporizing with the gas 438, the additional liquid 436 separates the gas 438 from the at least one liquid 406. The additional liquid 436 is immiscible with the at least one liquid 406, does not absorb the gas 438, and prevents the gas 438 from passing through the barrier formed by the additional liquid 436. Also, a function similar to that of the additional liquid 436 can be achieved using a gel 436' with the same properties of immiscibility with the at least one liquid 406 and non-absorption of the gas 438, or with a moving solid plug 436'' or piston. When the system undergoes a temperature change, for example, when the temperature increases, the liquid 406 expands, reducing the volume of the gas 438. The length of the flow channel 434 is defined so that, in the case of an additional liquid 436 between two liquids, the meniscus between the at least one liquid 406 and the gas 438 remains inside the flow channel within a defined temperature range. The flow channel 434 may be surface-treated to aid in the displacement of the meniscus. As shown in FIG. 5B, the flow channel 434 may be attached to the periphery of the base plate 404 or to the structure 420 when the base plate is transparent and the flow channel must be outside the field of view of an observer looking through the fluid capsule 400.

[0020] 6 , the fluid capsule 500 includes a top plate 502 attached to a bottom plate 504 by a rigid structure 520, forming a rigid main chamber 508 containing at least one liquid 506. The bottom plate 504 contains an expansion chamber 532 filled with a gas 538 and connected to the rigid main chamber 508 via a flow channel 534. A rotating membrane 536 creates a separation between the at least one liquid 506 and the gas 538. As the at least one liquid 506 expands or contracts due to temperature changes, the rotating membrane 536 rotates and unwinds to accommodate the volume change of the at least one liquid 506. Additional guide sliders (not shown) may be used to ensure the correct displacement of the rotating membrane.

[0021] 7 and 8, the fluid capsule 600 of the embodiment shown includes a top plate 602 attached to a bottom plate 604 by a rigid structure 620, forming a rigid main chamber 608 and containing at least one liquid 606. The bottom plate 604 contains a flow channel 634 that connects to a flexible expansion chamber 632 formed by a membrane 636, allowing the volume 618 of the fluid capsule to accommodate thermal expansion of the fluid 606 as the ambient temperature changes. Alternatively, the membrane 636 may be constructed in the form of a combination of a rigid portion 644 and a flexible portion 646.

[0022] 9, fluid capsule 700 includes a top plate 702 attached to a rigid structure 720, a bottom plate 704 attached to the rigid structure 720 via a flexible membrane 710, and contains at least one liquid 706. Flexible membrane 710 allows movement of bottom plate 704 relative to top plate 702, allowing volume 718 of the fluid capsule to accommodate thermal expansion of fluid 706 as the ambient temperature changes.

[0023] The fluid capsules may be used for purposes other than decorative jewelry, and may be used to store or deliver fluids in other personal jewelry, such as inhalers, e-vaping devices, perfume diffusers, etc., to avoid leakage or failure when the ambient temperature changes, in which case the capsules may not contain a transparent portion.

[0024] Advantageously, the systems and methods / apparatus of the present invention allow for the creation of jewelry and / or fashion items that accommodate fluid animations over a range of temperatures and ensure the integrity of the fluid animations.

[0025] Also advantageously, the systems / devices and / or methods of the present invention do not leak or fail in the event of a nominal temperature rise.

[0026] Also advantageously, the systems / devices and / or methods of the present invention avoid the appearance of unsightly bubbles when the temperature drops.

[0027] It should be understood that the particular embodiments disclosed and described herein are illustrative of typical and best modes of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

[0028] The system of the present application is also intended for use, sale and / or distribution of any goods, services or information having similar functionality to the present application.

[0029] The present specification and drawings should be understood as illustrative rather than limiting, and all modifications described herein are intended to be encompassed within the scope of the invention as claimed. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be determined by the appended claims (whether present, later amended or added, or their legal equivalents), and not by the mere illustrative examples set forth above. The steps recited in any method or process may be performed in any order unless otherwise specified, and are not limited to the specific order recited in the claims. Furthermore, the elements and / or components recited in the apparatus claims may be assembled or operatively configured in various permutations to achieve essentially the same results as the present invention. In general, the present invention is not limited to the specific configurations recited in the claims.

[0030] The benefits, advantages, or solutions described herein should not be construed as essential, required, or essential features or elements of any or all claims.

[0031] As used herein, the terms "consisting of," "composed of," and similar phrases are used to express a non-limiting list of elements, and the device, process, method, article, or composition of the present invention comprising that list of elements may include not only the listed elements, but also other elements described herein. Furthermore, the terms "comprising," "comprising," or "essentially comprising" are not intended to limit the scope of the invention to only the listed elements, unless otherwise specified. The combinations or modifications of the above-described elements, materials, or structures used in carrying out the present invention may be modified or adapted to other designs by those skilled in the art without departing from the general principles of the present invention.

[0032] The above-cited patents and publications are incorporated herein by reference to the extent they do not contradict this disclosure, unless otherwise stated.

[0033] The present invention can be summarized by the following set of features: 1. A system including at least one liquid 106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706, the liquid being impermeable to a plurality of physical boundaries 102, 104, 114, 202, 204, 210, 302, 304, 312, 314, 320, 402, 404, 420, 436, 502, 504, 520, 602, 604, 620, 636, 644, 646, 702, 704, 710, 720, and at least one physical boundary 114, 210, 312, 314, 436, 436', 436'', 536, 636, 646, 710 is movable to accommodate thermal expansion or contraction of the liquid caused by temperature changes within a predetermined temperature range, thereby preventing leakage, bursting, and bubble formation, and adapting the liquid containing chamber volume to the ambient temperature. 2. The system of feature set 1, wherein the liquid 106, 206, 306, 606, 706 is contained in a fluid-tight capsule 100, 200, 300, 600, 700 consisting of at least one rigid portion 102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 304, 602, 604, 620, 702, 704, 720 and at least one flexible portion 114, 210, 312, 314, 636, 646, 710. 3. The system of Feature Set 1, wherein the liquid 106, 206, 306, 606, 706 is contained in a fluid-tight capsule 100, 200, 300, 600, 700 consisting of at least two rigid portions 102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 304, 602, 604, 620, 702, 704, 720 tightly connected to each other by at least one flexible portion 114, 210, 312, 314, 636, 646, 710. 4. The system of feature set 3, wherein the at least one flexible portion 114, 210, 312, 314, 636, 646, 710 allows relative movement of the at least two rigid portions 102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 304, 602, 644, 702, 704 to change the internal volume 118, 218, 318, 618, 718 of the fluid capsule 100, 200, 300, 600, 700. 5. The system described in feature set 3, wherein the at least two rigid portions 102, 104, 202, 204, 602, 604, 620, 702, 720 are fixed and the at least one flexible portion 114, 210, 636, 646, 710 deforms to change the internal volume 118, 218, 618, 718 of the fluid capsule 100, 200, 600, 700. 6. The system of feature set 3, wherein the at least two rigid portions 102, 104, 202, 204, 602, 604, 620, 702, 720 are capable of relative movement and the at least one flexible portion 114, 210, 636, 646, 710 deforms to change the internal volume 118, 218, 618, 718 of the fluid capsule 100, 200, 600, 700. 7. The system of feature set 1, wherein the liquid 206, 306 is contained in a fluid-tight capsule 200, 300 consisting of a rigid portion 202, 204, 302, 304 having a low coefficient of thermal expansion and at least one portion 210, 312, 314 having a high coefficient of thermal expansion, and wherein the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient of the capsule 200, 300 differs from the volumetric thermal expansion coefficient of the liquid by less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, ideally less than 3%, etc. 8. The system of Feature Set 1, wherein the liquid 406, 506 is contained in a fluid-tight capsule 400, 500 comprising a first rigid chamber 408, 508 and a second rigid chamber 432, 532 in fluid communication with the first chamber via a capillary channel 434, 534, the second rigid chamber 432, 532 containing a gas 438, 538, the liquid and the gas being separated within the channel by a separation element 436, 436', 436'', optionally selected from the list of separation elements consisting of a second liquid 436, a gel 436', or a solid displacement plug 436''. 9. The system of Feature Set 8, wherein the liquid 506 and the gas 538 are separated in the flow path 532 by a separation element, the separation element being a rotating membrane 536. 10. The system of Feature Set 1, wherein the liquid 606 is contained in a fluid-tight capsule 600 consisting of a first rigid chamber 608 and a second semi-rigid chamber 632 in fluid communication with the first chamber via a capillary channel 634, the second chamber 632 being formed by at least one membrane 636, 646, and the second chamber 632 contains the liquid 606. 11. Personal clothing comprising a system according to any of the above feature sets. 12. Personal jewelry according to feature set 11, wherein the capsule 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 has at least one transparent portion 103 that allows the user / wearer to see inside the capsule. 13. Personal jewelry according to feature set 12, wherein the capsule (100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700) contains a decorative element (120) that is immersed in the liquid (106). 14. Personal jewelry according to feature set 13, wherein at least a portion of one of said decorative elements 120 immersed in said liquid 106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706 exhibits a refractive index substantially identical to that of said liquid 106, 206, 306, 406, 506, 606, 706, such as a difference of less than 10%, preferably less than 5%, and ideally less than 3%, thereby making said portion of one of said decorative elements 120 invisible to an observer. 15. The personal jewelry of any of the preceding feature sets, wherein the decorative element 120 is actuated by gravity when the user / wearer reorients the fluid capsule 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700 in response to gravity, by acceleration due to the movement of the user / wearer, or by a manual or automatic actuation mechanism. 16. A method for imparting movement to jewelry, comprising the steps of: a. fastening an article of clothing having feature set 1 to a wearer / user; b. moving the jewelry relative to gravity; c. Observing the animation effect; A method consisting of:

[0034] Other features and embodiments of the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

[0035] The materials used to implement the present invention are selected to be suitable and compatible with the operating temperature range of the present invention, such as metal, polymer or glass, in particular sapphire glass, and the structures used to implement the present invention, such as bellows, chips or intrinsic membranes, are also designed to be suitable and compatible with the operating temperature range of the present invention.

[0036] Furthermore, the invention is considered to consist of all possible combinations of all features described in this specification, the appended claims and / or drawings that are considered to be novel, inventive and industrially applicable.

[0037] Additional features and functionality of the present invention are set forth in the accompanying claims and / or abstract, which claims are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and are to be considered part of the filed application.

[0038] Various modifications and improvements can be made to the above-described embodiments of the invention. While certain specific embodiments of the invention have been disclosed and described, a wide range of improvements, modifications, and substitutions are contemplated in the above-described embodiments. While the above description contains many specific details, these should not be considered as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as exemplification of one or other preferred embodiments. In some cases, some features of the invention are employed without a corresponding use of other features. Therefore, the above description should be construed broadly and understood as merely illustrative or exemplary, with the spirit and scope of the invention being limited only by the claims ultimately issued on this application.

Claims

1. 1. A personal accessory comprising a capsule having at least one transparent portion through which a user / wearer can see into said capsule, said capsule containing a liquid and being completely filled with said liquid, said capsule containing at least one decorative element immersed in said liquid, at least a portion of one of said decorative elements immersed in said liquid having an optical refractive index that is substantially the same as that of said liquid, i.e., less than 10% different, such that said portion of said decorative element is substantially invisible to an observer, said liquid being enclosed in a chamber by a plurality of liquid-tight physical boundaries; the physical boundary comprises at least two rigid portions tightly connected to one another by at least one flexible portion; At least one of the rigid portions has at least a portion of the transparent portion; The at least one flexible portion deforms to accommodate thermal expansion or contraction of the liquid caused by temperature changes within a predetermined temperature range, changing the volume of the chamber, thereby preventing leakage, bursting, and bubble formation, and allowing the liquid contained in the chamber to adapt to ambient temperatures while completely filling the capsule.

2. 10. The personal accessory of claim 1, wherein two of said rigid sections are parallel and opposite each other and connected by said flexible section.

3. 3. The personal accessory of claim 2, wherein two of said rigid portions are movable so that their distance from one another changes while remaining parallel due to deformation of said flexible portions.

4. 3. The personal accessory of claim 2, wherein two of the rigid portions are fixed so that the distance between them does not change, and the flexible portion deforms to change the volume of the chamber.

5. 2. The personal accessory of claim 1, wherein the capsule comprises a first rigid chamber and a second semi-rigid chamber in fluid communication with the first rigid chamber via a flow path, the second semi-rigid chamber being formed by at least one membrane, and the first rigid chamber and the second semi-rigid chamber being completely filled with the liquid.

6. 6. The personal accessory of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the decorative element is activated by gravity when the user / wearer reorients the capsule in response to gravity, or by acceleration due to the user / wearer's movement, or by a manual or automatic activation mechanism.

7. 6. The accessory according to claim 1, wherein the decorative element is movable in three mutually perpendicular axes within the chamber and the angle of the movable element is variable.

Images