Patent Protection Granted for Ring Jacket Design - Murray's Jewelers

Todd Murray has been designing and selling jewelry for 42 years at his Muncie, Indiana store...Murray's Jewelers.  This is the first time he has looked into patenting a design

According to the Star Press - Murray has designed a ring jacket or as the Patent Abstract states “a jewelry ring configuration having interchangeable elements.” Murray said he noticed that with many rings that had jackets, or outer bands, the center ring would slip and rotate around the finger. So, he created a jacket that would lock that center ring in place. With a multi-sided shape in the center, the interchangeable center ring doesn’t shift. He describes it as working like a puzzle piece."

Jewelry designs rarely seek or receive patent protection because designs are usually copyrighted, but Murray's design was actually a utility piece.

"There are three major things you look for when you (are) getting a patent,” Patent Lawyer Ritchison said. “It needs to be new or novel, useful and not obvious as to other things that are out there."

Murray came up with his concept in 2013, and then he started the process for obtaining the patent. He received official documentation Sept. 13. The store now has patents pending in 28 European countries, which if they go through, would allow the store to manufacture the product overseas.