Earring

Abstract

An earring (10) for a pierced ear (16) having an ear engaging member (24) securely engaging a lobe (14) of the ear (16), an ornament (12) and a coupling member (42) connecting the ear engaging member (24) to the ornament (12). When the ear engaging member (24) engages the ear (16) the coupling member (24) holds the ornament (12) subjacent to the ear lobe (14) and is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward from the user.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] I. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to a secure ornamenting earring. In particular, the invention is an earring that is intended for use with a pierced ear, and provides an item of ornamentation, such as a stone or a charm, which is positioned subjacent to a bottom portion of a user's earlobe without showing the support of the ornament.

[0003] II. Discussion of the Prior Art

[0004] For years earrings have been a popular accessory worn by people of all ages. Earrings come in a variety of design choices including hoops, studs, buttons and dangles covering a portion of the lower ear lobe. In the construction of a typical earring, a post passes through an aperture in the lobe and engages an ear nut behind the lobe, and an ornament hangs down from a front portion of the post below the lobe.

[0005] While prior known earrings have proven to be commercially successful, the prior art designs tend to all look the same as far as the manner in which a gemstone or other object is suspended from a post or wire hook that is made to penetrate through the earlobe. Other designs visibly display how the ornament hangs down from the ear. Still other designs are difficult to secure to the earlobe.

[0006] Thus, there remains a need in the art of an earring which can securely engage the ear and allow the ornament to hang subjacent to the lobe wherein the hanging member is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward the wearer.

[0007] It is the principal object of this invention to provide an earring having a first portion securely engaging a lobe of the user's ear, an ornament and a coupling member coupling the first portion to the ornament, wherein the coupling member is substantially hidden from sight and the ornament appears as floating immediately below the ear lobe.

[0008] It is a further object to provide an earring with an earring engaging member having a post member passing through the front side of the lobe to cooperate with the coupling member to secure the coupling member to a backside of the lobe, the arrangement being such that it appears as if the suspended gemstone or ornament is floating relative to the wearer's earlobe.

[0009] It is a further object of the invention to provide an earring with a decorative post and a hanging ornament.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0010] This invention is directed to an earring that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages inherent in the prior art. In one preferred form, the earring for a pierced ear comprises an ear engaging member adapted to securely engage a lobe of the pierced ear, an ornament and a coupling member coupling the ear engaging member to the ornament, wherein the coupling member is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward from the wearer. The ear engaging member comprises a plate placed behind the lobe, a post and an ear nut, wherein said post enters a piercing in the lobe, passes through an aperture in the plate and is releasably attached to the ear nut. The device suspends the ornament subjacent to the lobe of the ear by the coupling member while the lobe covers the coupling member from the vantage point forward the wearer.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from analysis of the following written specification and accompanying drawings and the appended claims in which:

[0012] FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an earring constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention operatively engaged with a user's ear;

[0013] FIG. 2 is a front view of the earring of FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 3 is a rear view of the earring of FIG. 1;

[0015] FIG. 4 is a side view of the earring in FIG. 1;

[0016] FIG. 5 is a front view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a different ornament;

[0017] FIG. 6 is a rear view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a different ornament;

[0018] FIG. 7 is a front view of a third embodiment of the present invention illustrating a third ornament;

[0019] FIG. 8 is a rear view of a third embodiment of the present invention showing a third ornament; and

[0020] FIG. 9 is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention showing a fourth ornament.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0021] FIG. 1 illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing an earring 10 having a hanging ornament 12 suspended subjacent to the lobe 14 of a pierced ear 16. As is readily apparent, a variety of ornaments can be suspended subjacent to the lobe 14. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the ornament 12 includes an ornament holding member 18 and a jewel 20. The ornament holding member 18 comprises three corner brackets 22a, 22b, and 22c which are adapted to cradle the jewel 20.

[0022] FIG. 2 shows how the earring 10 is adapted to be held to the ear 16. FIG. 2 shows an ear engaging member 24 comprising flat plate member 26 having a first and second plate aperture 28 and 30. In order to engage the earring 10 to the user's lobe 14, a post 32 passes through a piercing (not shown) through the ear lobe 14 and through one of plate apertures 28 and 30, and is engaged by a conventional ear nut 34. The post 32 includes a first end 36 and a second end 38. Disposed on the first end 36 of the post 32 is a second item of ornamentation 40. The second item of ornamentation 40 may be a jewel such as a gem, a pearl or a gold sphere. When the post 32 is passed through the piercing the second item of ornamentation 40 functions as a stud holding the post in the ear and preventing the post from passing entirely through the piercing in the lobe 14. It is the second end 38 of the post 32 which cooperates with the ear nut 34 to releasably attach the ear engaging member 24 to the backside of the ear 16.

[0023] As best seen in FIGS. 3 and 4, the ear engaging member 24 is coupled to the ornament 12 by a suitably shaped coupling member 42 having a first end 44 and a second end 46. The first end 44 of the coupling member 42 is attached to the ear engaging member 24, and the second end 46 is attached to the ornament 12. The coupling member 42 is bent at an angle to curve under the lobe 14 so that the ornament 12 is hung subjacent to the lobe 14. Because the plate member 26 is disposed behind the lobe 14 of the ear 16, the coupling member 42 is substantially obscured by the lobe 14 and the body of the ornament 12. Thus, from the vantage point forward of the wearer, the coupling member 42 is hidden from sight. This creates the illusion that the ornament 12 is suspended beneath the lobe 14 without visible means of support typically found in prior art earrings.

[0024] FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the earring 10 with a differently configured ornament 12. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the ornament holding the member 22 comprises a top bracket 48 and a bottom bracket 50. The top bracket 48 is disposed above the jewel 20 and the bottom bracket 50 cradles the bottom to the jewel 20. In the rear view of FIG. 6 shown are two integrally formed side brackets 52, 54 that couple the top bracket 48 to the bottom bracket. The second end 46 of the coupling member 42 is coupled to the top bracket 48 of the ornament holding member 22. The top bracket 48 extends substantially the length of the top of the jewel 20.

[0025] Similarly, a the third embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the ornament holding member comprises a top bracket 56 and a bottom bracket 58, but the top bracket extends less than a major portion of the length of the top of the jewel 20. FIG. 8 shows that an integral backing bracket 60 couples the coupling member 42 to the ornament holding member 22.

[0026] In a fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the ornament holding member 22 is a unitary bracket 62 which substantially surrounds the entire perimeter of the jewel 20.

[0027] The invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different ornament shapes and coupling devices, and that various modifications, as to ornamentation, can be accomplished without departing from the scope to the invention itself.

Claims

1. An earring for a pierced ear, comprising an ear engaging member adapted to securely engage a backside of a lobe of a wearer's ear, an ornament and a coupling member connecting the ear engaging member to the ornament, wherein when said ear engaging member is removably attached to the lobe of the ear, the coupling member holds the ornament subjacent to the lobe and said coupling member is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward of the wearer.

2. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 1 wherein the ear engaging member comprises a plate member having at least one aperture and a post member, said post member having a first end and a second end, an ornamental stud coupled on said first end, wherein said post is adapted to pass through the lobe from a front side of the ear and through the backside of the lobe, and the at least one aperture and an ear nut releasably attached to the second end to the post member.

3. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 2 wherein the stud is a second item of ornamentation.

4. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 2, wherein the ornament comprises a jewel and a jewel holding member holding said jewel.

5. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 4 wherein the jewel holding member comprises a plurality of corner brackets each holding a corner of the jewel, said corner brackets being mutually coupled to each other by supporting brackets, wherein the second end of the coupling member attaches to one of said supporting brackets.

6. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 4 wherein the jewel holding member comprises a top bracket extending the length of the top of the jewel and a bottom bracket cradling a bottom of the jewel, and supporting brackets mutually coupling the top brackets to the bottom bracket, wherein the second end of the coupling member attaches to one of said supporting bracket.

7. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 4 wherein the jewel holding member includes a top bracket extending less than a major portion of a length of a top of the jewel and a bottom bracket cradling the bottom of the jewel and supporting brackets mutually coupling the top bracket, wherein the second end of the coupling member attaches to one of the supporting brackets.

8. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 4 wherein the jewel holding member includes a plurality of mutually coupling bracket members cradling a perimeter of the jewel, wherein the second end of the coupling member attaches to one of the mutually coupling brackets.

9. The earring for a pierced ear of claim 1 wherein the coupling member is a rigid link bent to curve under the lobe of the ear.