Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 13
Claim 1
Independent Claim
270 words
A component for use in making a bracelet comprising an elongate strip of plastic material which is flexible transversely of its thickness having a series of substantially parallel grooves extending transversely of and inwardly from its bottom surface to provide a series of substantially parallel raised elements between said grooves, the upper surface of said strip being substantially flat and devoid of grooves, a series of bottom shells, each bottom shell having a bottom wall positioned adjacent to the surface of a respective one of said raised elements and substantially parallel side walls positioned adjacent to the sides of said associated one raised element, a series of top shells one associated with each said bottom shell, each top shell having a top wall positioned adjacent to said upper surface of said strip, said top walls having side edges with the side edges of adjacent ones of the top shells being adjacent to each other to present a substantially continuous upper surface, said top shell also having end walls extending from the ends of said top wall adjacent to the sides of said strip, the ends of the respective raised element and thence inwardly adjacent to end portions of said bottom wall of said associated bottom shell, and means for directly securing said top shell to the associated bottom shell, said means comprising said end walls of the top shell, whereby said series of top and bottom shells are secured together in pairs, said strip of plastic materiaL is substantially concealed from view by said series of top and bottom shells and the bracelet component is flexible transversely of its thickness.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
270 words
A component for use in making a bracelet comprising an elongate strip of plastic material which is flexible transversely of its thickness having a series of substantially parallel grooves extending transversely of and inwardly from its bottom surface to provide a series of substantially parallel raised elements between said grooves, the upper surface of said strip being substantially flat and devoid of grooves, a series of bottom shells, each bottom shell having a bottom wall positioned adjacent to the surface of a respective one of said raised elements and substantially parallel side walls positioned adjacent to the sides of said associated one raised element, a series of top shells one associated with each said bottom shell, each top shell having a top wall positioned adjacent to said upper surface of said strip, said top walls having side edges with the side edges of adjacent ones of the top shells being adjacent to each other to present a substantially continuous upper surface, said top shell also having end walls extending from the ends of said top wall adjacent to the sides of said strip, the ends of the respective raised element and thence inwardly adjacent to end portions of said bottom wall of said associated bottom shell, and means for directly securing said top shell to the associated bottom shell, said means comprising said end walls of the top shell, whereby said series of top and bottom shells are secured together in pairs, said strip of plastic materiaL is substantially concealed from view by said series of top and bottom shells and the bracelet component is flexible transversely of its thickness.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
A component according to claim 1 wherein said means for securing comprises a pair of tabs, one extending from one of said end walls of the top shell and the other extending from the other of said end walls.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
113 words
A component according to claim 1 wherein the bottom wall of each bottom shell comprises a raised central portion and depressed end portions, at least said end portions of the bottom shell being in face-to-face relationship with the end portions of one surface of a respective one of said raised elements, and end portions of the end walls of said top shell being in face-to-face relationship with end portions of said bottom shell, whereby said component is formed with a substantially flat bottom surface provided by the central portions of the bottom walls of the series of bottom shells and the end portions of the end walls of the series of top shells.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
A component according to claim 3 wherein the bottom wall of each bottom shell comprises a pair of spaced openings, one near one end of the bottom wall and the other near the other end of the bottom wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
16 words
A component according to claim 4 wherein each of said openings is a substantially rectangular aperture.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
29 words
A component according to claim 4 wherein each of said openings is a slot which extends inwardly from the end of the respective end portion of the bottom shell.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
54 words
A component according to claim 4 wherein said means for securing comprises a pair of tabs, one tab extending from the end portion of one of said end walls into one of said openings and the other tab extending from the end portion of the other end wall into the other of said openings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
29 words
A component according to claim 7 wherein the ends of said tabs extend through said openings and into the plastic material of a respective one of said raised elements.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
71 words
A component according to claim 1 wherein the sides of the end walls of said top shell converge as they extend downwardly from its top wall to the associated bottom wall of the bottom shell and the bottom shell is narrower than the top wall of the top shell, whereby spaces are provided between adjacent ones of the assembled top and bottom shells at the lower portion of the assembled component.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
73 words
A component according to claim 1 which also comprises a buckle connector at one end of the component, said connector comprising a bottom wall positioned adjacent to the surface of one of said raised elements, a side wall positioned adjacent to one side of one of said raised elements and a loop for receiving an element of a buckle at the side of said connector bottom wall opposite to said connector side wall.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
109 words
A component according to claim 1 which also comprises an end connector at one end of the component, said connector comprising a top wall positioned adjacent to said upper surface of said strip and end walls extending from the ends of said top wall adjacent to the sides of said strip, the ends of one said raised element and thence inwardly adjacent to end portions of the bottom wall of a bottom shell associated with said end connector, means for securing said end walls of the end connector to the associated bottom shell and a loop for receiving a spring bar at one side of said connector top wall.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
84 words
A component according to claim 1 wherein one side edge of the top wall of each top shell comprises a plurality of spaced openings extending inwardly from said side edge and the opposite side edge is provided with a plurality of spaced extensions of substantially the same size as said openings, said extensions of said one side edge of the top wall extending into the openings of the side edge of the adjacent top wall of the assembled component to provide an attractive appearance.