Field of the I nvention

[1] This invention relates general ly to bracelet ornamentation and, more particularly, to a bracelet com prising magnetic elements therein for repel ling adjacent bracelets.

Background of the Invention

[2] US 20130125584 A1 (Chi) 23 M ay 2013 discloses a bracelet com prising a plurality of precious or sem iprecious objects movably positioned along a pl iable strand. Each object includes a magnetic insert which repels an adjacent object to prevent or reduce contact between each object along the pl ia ble strand.

[3] US20150359301A1 ( Lavorato) 17 Decem ber 2015 discloses a sim ilar arrangement is that of Chi except that the strand com prises magnets em bedded therein which magnetically attracts ornaments to respective spaced apart positions along the strand.

[4] USD552004S1 (Varon) 2 October 2007 discloses cylindrical mag nets em bedded within a transl ucent bracelet, the cylindrical magnets orientated radially.

[5] The present invention seeks to provide magnetic bracelet, which wil l overcome or substantial ly amel iorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[6] It is to be understood that, if a ny prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an adm ission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Austral ia or any other country.

Summa ry of the Disclosure

[7] There is provided herein a set of bracelets which, in a broadest sense, are configured to magnetical ly repel each other. As such, the set of bracelets may be worn on the wrist and which space apart along the wrist by magnetic repulsion.

[8] The present bracelet may com prise a central ring defining inner a nd outer surfaces and opposite facing ends.

[9] The present bracelet further com prises a plurality of permanent dipole magnets arranged on each facing end.

[10] Each dipole magnet is arranged such that polarity thereof is perpendicular to a respective facing end plane.

[11] Furthermore, the dipole magnets are arranged such that polarity of dipole magnets of each opposite facing end is oppositely orientated. For exam ple, the dipole mag nets may be arranged such that inner south poles thereof face towards the central ring and outer north poles face thereof face away from the central ring.

[12] As such, facing poles of adjacent bracelets is of the same polarity, thereby causing magnetic repulsion therebetween .

[13] The central ring may com prise a pl iable material having an expansion gap for flexibly expanding for fitting in use.

[14] As such, the bracelet may be configured to allow for flexing of the pl iable ring despite using inflexible/brittle permanent dipole magnets.

[15] In this regard, the dipole magnets may not be adhered/affixed to the facing ends of the central ring. Rather, the central ring may com prise a magnetic material such as of steel and the dipole magnets may magnetically attract to the magnetic material of the central ring whilst allowing movement tolerance therebetween when the pl iable central ring flexes.

[16] Each dipole magnet may com prise a planar inner face which faces a corresponding planar facing end of the centra l ring thereby enhancing magnetic attraction therebetween. Furthermore, each dipole magnet may be shaped in an arc such that outer and in ner surfaces thereof coinciding substantial ly with those of the central ring thereby maxim ising surface area for repell ing adjacent bracelets.

[17] Outer edges of ends of each dipole magnet may com prise cutaways so as to prevent im pingement during flexing of the central ring.

[18] As such, as the central ring flexes while expanding or contracting during fitting, such movement tolera nce of the circular arrangement of the permanent dipole magnets are not flexed or strained.

[19] In accordance with one aspect, there is provided a bracelet com prising: a central ring defining inner and outer surfaces and opposite planar facing ends, a circular arrangement plural ity of permanent dipole magnets on each opposite facing end, the dipole magnets arranged such that pola rity thereof is perpendicular to respective facing end planes; a nd the dipole magnets arranged such that polarity of dipole magnets of each opposite facing end is oppositely orientated.

[20] In accordance with another aspect, there is provided a bracelet com prising: a central ring defining inner and outer surfaces and opposite planar facing ends, the ring com prising a pl ia ble material and having a gap for flexibly expanding for fitting in use, a circular arrangement pl ural ity of permanent dipole magnets on each opposite facing end, each dipole magnet com prising a planar inner face facing a respective planar facing end of the central ring, each dipole magnet being shaped in an arc such that outer and inner surfaces thereof coincide substantial ly with those of the central ring a nd such that the dipole magnets occupy substantially the entire surface area of each facing end; the dipole magnets arranged such that pola rity thereof is perpendicular to respective facing end planes; a nd the dipole magnets arranged such that polarity of dipole magnets of each opposite facing end is oppositely orientated.

[21] The pliable material may be metal lic.

[22] The dipole magnets may not be adhered or fastened to respective facing ends of the central ring.

[23] The central ring may com prise a magnetic material and wherein the magnets magnetical ly attract to facing ends of the central ring.

[24] The central ring may com prise a central n on-magnetic circular discontin uity.

[25] The bracelet may further com prise an annu lar covering surrounding the central ring and the dipole magnets therein.

[26] Ends of each dipole magnet may com prise outer edge cutaways.

[27] The central ring may com prise channels along an axial axis of the bracelet.

[28] The channels may on the outer surface of the central ring.

[29] According to another aspect, there is provided a display stand for the bracelet , the display stand com prising a base com prising a circular arra ngement of a plural ity of upright posts the upright posts spaced to engage inner surfaces of the bracelet, the display stand com prising a magnetic fixture therein, the magnetic fixture orientat ed such that polarity thereof repels the bracelet thereabove.

[30] The post may com prise sufficient length for engaging a pl ural ity of bracelets in an elevated spaced apart configuration.

[31] Each upright post may be transparent or translucent and wherein the base may com prise l ight em itting devices therein which direct l ight along each upright post.

[32] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[33] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fal l within the scope of the present invention, preferred em bodiments of the disclosure wil l now be described, by way of exam ple only, with reference to the accom panying drawings in which :

[34] Figure 1 shows a pl ural ity of magnetic bracelets repell ing each other when worn on a wrist in accordance with an em bodiment; [35] Figure 2 shows polarities of permanent dipole magnets of the bracelets in accordance with an em bodiment;

[36] Figure 3 shows an exploded representation of the bracelet in accordance with an em bodiment;

[37] Figure 4 shows a magnified view of ends of adjacent dipole magnets on a central ring of the bracelet in accordance with an em bodiment;

[38] Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view of the bracelet in accordance with an em bodiment;

[39] Figure 6 shows expansion channels of a central ring of the bracelet in acco rdance with an em bodiment; and

[40] Figure 7 shows a display stand for accommodating a pl ural ity of bracelets and a vertical spaced apart configuration in accordance with an em bodiment.

Description of Em bodiments

[41] Figure 1 shows a set of bracelets 100 worn on a wrist. Each bracelet 100 com prises a central ring 101. The central ring 101 defines an inner surface 105 an outer surface 106 and opposite facing ends 107. The opposite facing ends 107 may each be planar and may lie on a facing end plane.

[42] The central ring 101 may comprise a pl iable material such as metal and may com prise an expansion gap 102 to al low for the expansion or contraction of the central ring during fitting to or removal from the wrist .

[43] The bracelet 100 comprises a plural ity of permanent dipole m agnets 104 on each opposite facing end 107. Each dipole magnet 104 com prises a north pole 108 and a south pole 109.

[44] Each dipole magnet 104 may com prise a planar inner face 110 which l ies flush on the correspondingly planar bracelet facing end 107. Each dip ole magnet 104 may further com prise an outer face 111 which may be planar and paral lel with the in ner face 110.

[45] Each dipole magnet 104 may be shaped in an arc such that inner and outer surfaces thereof coinciding substantially with that of the central ring 101.

[46] Each dipole magnet 104 is arranged such that polarity thereof is perpendicular to each respective facing end plane. Fu rthermore, the polarity of the dipole magnets 104 on each opposite facing end 107 is opposite such that, in use, the dipole magnets 104 repel dipole magnets 104 of an adjacent bracelet in the direction of the axial axis 103 of the bracelet 100. [47] For exam ple, with reference to Figure 2, the dipole magnets 104 may be arranged such that inner south poles 109 thereof are orientated towards the central ring 101 whereas outer north poles 108 thereof are orientated away from the central ring 101. In alternative em bodiments the dipole magnets 104 may be arranged oppositely in that inner north poles 108 thereof face towards the central ring 101 and outer south poles 109 thereof face away from the central ring.

[48] The magnetic fl ux lines of Figure 2 ill ustrate how adjacent bracelets 100 repel each other in the d irection of the axial axis 103 so as to space the bracelets 100 along the wrist in the manner shown in Figure 1 by magnetic repulsion .

[49] With reference to Figure 5, each bracelet 100 may com prise an annular outer covering 112 such as of leather. A leather covering 112 may be stitched around the central ring 101 and dipole magnets 104.

[50] In embodiments, the dipole magnets 104 are preferably not adhered/fixed to the central ring so as to allow movement tolerance between the dipole magnets 104 and the central ring 101 as the central ring 101 expands or contracts.

[51] In this regard, the central ring 101 com prises a magnetic material such as of steel, and the dipole magnets 104 may magnetical ly attach to the magnetic material 106. To enhance magnetic attraction between the dipole magnets 104 and the central ring, the central ring 106 may comprise a central non -magnetic ring ( not shown) such as of plastic to form a discontinuity between magnetic fl ux of the same inner facing poles of the opposite dipole magnets 104.

[52] With reference to Figure 4, ends 114 of each dipole magnet 104 may com prise cutaways 115 on outer edges thereof so as to define an outer avoidance gap 116 to allow the central ring 101 to flexibly expand without im pinging outer corners of the magnets 104.

[53] With reference to Figure 6, the central ring 105 may com prise channels 117 along the axial axis 103 to aid flexing of the central ring 101. I n the em bodiment shown in Figure 6, the channels 117 are on the outer surface 106 of the central ring 101. The channels 117 may extend approximately halfway into the ring 101.

[54] Figure 7 shows a display stand 118 for housing a pl ural ity of bracelets in accordance with an em bodiment.

[55] The display stand 118 com prises a base 119 com prising a circular arrangement of a plural ity of upright posts 120 extending therefrom .

[56] The base 119 may com prise a magnetic fixture 121 located therein . M agnetic fixture 121 may be arranged such that the polarity of the fixture 121 repel s the dipole magnets 104 of a bracelet 100 thereabove. With reference to the exem plary polarity orientation given in Figure 2, the north pole of the magnetic fixture 121 may be orientated upwardly so as to repel the adjacent north pole 108 of the bracelet 100 thereabove.

[57] A pl ural ity of bracelets 100 may be stacked to repel each other in the spaced apart manner shown in Figure 7 and retained by the central arrangement of posts 120 engaging inner surfaces 105 thereof.

[58] The post 120 may be transparent or transl ucent and, in em bodiments, may com prise acryl ic. The display stand 118 may com prise light em itting devices within the base 119 which em it l ight via the translucent posts 120.

[59] The foregoing description, for purposes of expla nation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough u nderstanding of the invention. Flowever, it will be apparent to one skil led in the art that specific details are not required in order to practi se the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific em bodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of ill ustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to lim it the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the above teachings. The em bodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the princi ples of the invention and its practical appl ications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best util ize the invention and various em bodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contem plated. It is intended that the fol lowing claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

[60] The term "approximately" or sim ilar as used herein should be construed as being within 10% of the value stated unless otherwise indicated.