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INVENTORS: Zieverink; Robert M. (7125 Incline Dr., Wake Forest, NC 27587)
U.S. CLASS: 164/4.1; 164/35; 164/45; 164/516; 700/118
ABSTRACT: A method for making personalized jewelry and the personalized product of this jewelry making method. The method includes digitally capturing the image of a person or other object. The image is saved as a digital profile and processed to create a numerical profile. The numerical profile includes prototyping machine instructions that cause a prototyping machine to produce a wax block that contains a replica of the scanned object. The wax block is placed in a warm bath so that an outer wax melts away and an inner wax of the scanned object remains. The wax replica is then used in a "lost wax process" to make a mold of the wax replica. The mold is then used in a casting process wherein the mold is injected with precious, semi-precious, or base metals to make a cast of the object. The finished product is a replica of the object with exacting features such as nose, eyes, ears, etc. Any cavity or flat surface can be colored with epoxies, resins, enamels, or decorated further to give color contrast. Parti al and segregated replication can also take place. The present process truly creates "personalized" charms and pieces of jewelry. XX
