U.S. patent application number 12/618186 was filed with the patent office on 2011-04-14 for earring.
Invention is credited to CHUL-BAE CHOUGH.
Application Number | 20110083471 12/618186 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43135141 |
Filed Date | 2011-04-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20110083471 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
CHOUGH; CHUL-BAE |
April 14, 2011 |
EARRING
Abstract
Provided is an earring that can present decorative appeal by
using 2 fasteners worn on an earlobe and another region of the
external ear, respectively. The earring includes a chain (100), a
first decorative piece (200a) connected to one end of the chain
(100), a second decorative piece (200b) connected to the other end
of the chain (100), a first fastener (300) connected to the first
decorative piece (200a), and a second fastener (400) connected to
the second decorative piece (200b), where the first fastener is
provided with a pin member (311) that is insertable in a pierced
hole of an earlobe (E), and the second fastener is provided with a
pressing member (420) that is pressable onto an outer ear region
(H). The earring is wearable even without a pierced hole in the
non-lobe outer ear region.
Inventors: |
CHOUGH; CHUL-BAE; (Seoul,
KR) |
Family ID: |
43135141 |
Appl. No.: |
12/618186 |
Filed: |
November 13, 2009 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
63/12 ; 63/14.1;
63/14.4; 63/14.5 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A44C 7/00 20130101; A44C
7/009 20130101; A44C 11/00 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
63/12 ; 63/14.1;
63/14.4; 63/14.5 |
International
Class: |
A44C 7/00 20060101
A44C007/00; A44C 11/02 20060101 A44C011/02 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 13, 2009 |
KR |
10-2009-0095102 |
Claims
1. An earring comprising: a chain; a first decorative piece, other
than the chain, connected to one end of the chain; a second
decorative piece, other than the chain, connected to the other end
of the chain; a first fastener connected to the first decorative
piece; and a second fastener connected to the second decorative
piece, wherein the first fastener is provided with a pin member
that is insertable in a pierced hole of an earlobe, and the second
fastener comprises: a supporting part connected to the second
decorative piece; and a pivoting part connected through a hinge to
the supporting part, the hinge comprising at least one pivot
supporting part and at least one stopper such that the pivoting
part can be pivoted about the at least one pivot supporting part
from one side of the stopper, at an open position that facilitates
the second fastener to be slipped over an outer ear region, to
another side of the stopper, at a folded position that presses the
pivoting part in the direction of the second fastener and against
the outer ear region securing the second fastener to the outer ear
region.
2. The earring of claim 1, wherein the second fastener comprises a
clamp or a clip.
3. The earring of claim 1, wherein the hinge of the second fastener
comprises: two pivot supporting parts and two stoppers, and the
pivoting part comprises two end parts supported by the two pivot
supporting parts, respectively, such that the two end parts pivot
about the two pivot supporting parts from the open position to the
folded position of the pivoting part.
4. The earring of claim 3, wherein a surface of the pivoting part
of the second fastener that contacts an outer ear region has a
resilient member installed thereon for preventing slippage of the
second fastener from an outer ear region.
5. The earring of claim 4, wherein the resilient member is formed
of silicon rubber.
6. The earring of claim 1, wherein the second decorative piece
comprises: a pair of connecting hooks connected to the chain and
the second fastener, respectively; and a decorative hook connected
between the pair of connecting hooks such that the connecting hooks
are able to pivot.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn.119
to Korean Patent Application No. 10-2009-0095102 filed on Oct. 7,
2009, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference
in its entirety.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] The present disclosure relates to an earring, and more
particularly, to an earring that can present decorative appeal by
using 2 fasteners worn on an earlobe and another region of the
external ear, respectively, without the need to pierce a hole in
the non-earlobe region.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Earrings are accessories generally worn on earlobes, and
their fasteners can generally be categorized as follows. One
example is a pin-type earring, which has a pin portion projecting
to the rear of the body (decorative portion) and inserted into a
pierced earlobe, and a clutch (fastening portion) inserted at the
back of the earlobe to prevent the earring from falling out. Other
earring types include one-touch (ring) earrings and hook-type
earrings. These earrings have the body (decorative portion) and the
pin portion integrally formed and a wide array of pendants mounted
on the end of the decorative portion. Such related art earrings,
however, involve the following limitations. Because the earring is
worn on the earlobe, the lobe tends to sag from the weight of the
earring, the designs of the earrings tend to focus on only the
pendant portions, and because the earring hangs below the earlobe
and is easily caught on other objects, earrings are frequently lost
or damaged, the wearer's earlobe is likely to suffer injury, and
injury to the pierced portion of an earlobe is prone to injury from
the weight of the earring.
SUMMARY
[0004] Embodiments provide an earring that can present decorative
appeal by using 2 fasteners worn on an earlobe and another region
of the external ear, respectively, without the need to pierce a
hole in the non-earlobe region, to prevent loss of and damage to
the earring and personal injury.
[0005] In one embodiment, an earring includes a chain, a first
decorative piece connected to one end of the chain, a second
decorative piece connected to the other end of the chain, a first
fastener connected to the first decorative piece, and a second
fastener connected to the second decorative piece, where the first
fastener is provided with a pin member that is insertable in a
pierced hole of an earlobe, and the second fastener is provided
with a pressing member that is pressable onto an outer ear region.
The pressing member of the second fastener may be a clamp or a
clip, and a surface of the pivoting part of the second fastener
that contacts an outer ear region may have a resilient member
installed thereon for preventing slippage from an outer ear
region.
[0006] The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the
accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features
will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0007] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall
configuration of an earring according to the present invention.
[0008] FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second decorative piece
and a second fastener of an earring according to the present
invention.
[0009] FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the operation of a decorative
piece of an earring according to the present invention.
[0010] FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the operation of a second
fastener of an earring according to the present invention.
[0011] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an earring according to
the present invention worn on an earlobe and another region of the
outer ear.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Reference will now be made in detail to the embodiments of
the present disclosure, examples of which are illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
[0013] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the overall
configuration of an earring according to the present invention,
FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing a second decorative piece and a
second fastener of an earring according to the present invention,
FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the operation of a decorative piece
of an earring according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a plan
view showing the operation of a second fastener of an earring
according to the present invention, and FIG. 5 is a perspective
view showing an earring according to the present invention worn on
an earlobe and another region of the outer ear.
[0014] Referring to FIGS. 1 to 5, an earring according to the
present invention includes a chain 100, a first decorative piece
200a connected to one end of the chain 100, a second decorative
piece 200b connected to the other end of the chain 100, a first
fastener 300 connected to the first decorative piece 200a, and a
second fastener 400 connected to the second decorative piece 200b,
where the first fastener is worn on an earlobe E, and the second
fastener is worn on an outer ear region H.
[0015] The chain 100 may be configured with a plurality of
connected links, may be a single strand, or may be two strands or
more as shown in FIG. 1.
[0016] The first decorative piece 200a and the second decorative
piece (200b) may include a pair of connecting hooks 220 and 220'
connected to the chain and the corresponding fastener,
respectively, and a decorative hook 210 and 210' connected between
the corresponding pair of connecting hooks 220 and 220',
respectively, such that the connecting hooks are able to pivot.
[0017] Because the structures of the connecting hooks 220 and 220'
and the decorative hooks 210 and 210' are the same, for descriptive
convenience, only the structure of the second decorative piece 200b
will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.
[0018] The decorative hook 210' includes a front plate 211 having a
pair of pin parts 211a, and a back plate 212 mounted on an end of
the pin part 211a a distance apart from the front plate 211, and
may be one of various shapes such as elliptical or round. A
decorative portion 211b is further provided on the front surface of
the front plate 211.
[0019] One of the pair of connecting hooks 220' is connected to the
chain 100, the other is connected to the second fastener 400, and
the pin parts 211a of the decorative hook 210' are inserted in pin
holes 221 of the connecting hooks 220' so that the decorative hook
210' can pivot with respect to the connecting hooks 220'.
[0020] The thus-configured 3 hooks constituted of the pair of
connecting hooks 220' and the decorative hook 210', as shown by the
dotted lines in FIG. 3, are connected to move freely, so that when
the earring of the present invention is worn, the second decorative
piece 200b can be varied in many forms by movement of the wearer,
and the change in form can elicit aesthetic appeal.
[0021] The first fastener 300, is in a form capable of being
attached using a pierced hole of an earlobe, and may be configured
as a pin-type, hook-type, post-type, or screw-type fastener. Here,
a pin-type fastener is one that is inserted and fixed in a pierced
hole of an earlobe, a hook-type fastener is a hook-shaped pin that
is inserted and fixed in a pierced hole of an earlobe, a post-type
fastener is similar to the pin-type except that it is inserted in a
pierced hole of an earlobe after which a stopper is inserted and
fixed over the pin, and a screw-type fastener is one in which a
screw-shaped pin part is inserted in a pierced hole of an earlobe
after which a nut is screwed and fixed over the pin part.
[0022] The structure of the first fastener 300 according to the
present invention, as shown in FIG. 1, has one end configured with
a first semicircular part 310 having a pin part 311, and the other
end configured with a second semicircular part 320 connected via a
hinge to the first semicircular part 310 of the first end, in which
the pin part 311 can be inserted.
[0023] The second fastener 400 is configured as a clamp or
clip-type fastener that can fasten to an outer ear region even when
there is no pierced hole there. A clamp-type earring is formed in a
thin cylinder shape with a cutout and can be deformed so that the
cutout can be inserted over the outer ear, clamped over the ear,
and worn. A clip-type fastener according to an embodiment of the
present invention, shown in FIG. 2, is a resiliently deformable
fastener that can be locked and unlocked with a one-touch
method.
[0024] A detailed description of the second fastener 400 will be
provided with reference to FIGS. 1, 2, and 4. The second fastener
400 includes a supporting piece 410 connected to the second
decorative piece, and a pivoting piece 420 connected through a
hinge to the supporting piece, and the pivoting piece 420 can press
against an outer ear region H by moving in the direction toward the
second fastener.
[0025] The supporting piece 410 is perpendicularly connected to the
connecting hook 220' and formed in an overall "Y" configuration,
has a curvature across its overall length corresponding to the
shape of an outer ear, and has a pair of pivot supporting parts 411
installed along the same axis at the top thereof. A stopper 412 is
installed at the opposite ends of the pivot supporting parts
411.
[0026] The pivoting piece 420 is shaped in an overall ".OMEGA."
shape with the width between each of its end parts 421 formed wider
than the distance between the pair of pivot supporting parts 411,
so that when the end parts 421 are pressed in directions against
one another and inserted over the pivot supporting parts 411, the
end parts 421 each open outward in the directions of the arrows
shown in FIG. 4A.
[0027] To describe the operation of the pivoting piece 420 of the
second fastener 400, with the pivoting piece 420 in an open state
as shown in FIG. 4A, when the pivoting piece 420 is pivoted about
the pivot supporting parts 411, each end part 421 is inhibited in
its pivoting by the stoppers 412, and the distance between the end
parts 421 narrows in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 4B. When
the pivoting piece 420 is pivoted further, the end parts 421 pass
over the stoppers 412 so that the end parts 421 widen again to
their original state in the direction of the arrows in FIG. 4C, and
the pivoting piece 420 can be maintained in its folded position. In
FIG. 4, reference numeral 220' indicates a connecting hook to which
a supporting piece 410 is fixed.
[0028] A silicon rubber 430 for preventing slippage may be used on
the surface of the pivoting piece 420 of the second fastener 400
that contacts an outer ear region. The silicon rubber 430 has
greater friction and resilience than metal. If a pivoting piece 420
of the second fastener formed of metal having low friction and
resilience is used to press against a region of the outer ear,
slippage may occur between the outer ear and the pivoting piece, or
pressing of the pivoting piece against the outer ear region may
cause pain, and thus the silicon rubber may be used to prevent
slippage and alleviate pain.
[0029] Regarding the method of wearing the earring according to the
present invention with reference to FIG. 5, the pin 311 of the
first fastener 300 is inserted in a pierced hole of an earlobe E
(not shown) and worn, and the pivoting piece 420 of the second
fastener 400, preferably with the silicon rubber 430, is pressed
against the outer ear region H and worn. In wearing the second
fastener on an outer ear region, the wearer can select any region
of the outer ear on which to wear the fastener, which can be worn
without having to pierce a hole in the outer ear H because the
fastener is worn by using pressure.
[0030] The following effects may be realized by the present
invention.
[0031] 1) With one end of an earring worn on an earlobe, the other
end may be worn on various other regions of the outer ear, allowing
an assortment of different aesthetic effects to be obtained.
[0032] 2) Because the earring can be worn without having to pierce
regions of the outer ear, it can be worn by piercing only the
earlobe.
[0033] 3) An earring can be prevented from slipping from a region
of the outer ear by an anti-slip member of a fastener worn on the
outer ear.
[0034] 4) Because a variety of pendants can be attached and
detached to and from a chain, a wide assortment of ornaments can be
displayed.
[0035] 5) Because the weight of an earring can be distributed
through fasteners for the earlobe and other outer ear parts,
pierced earlobe regions and other outer ear parts can be
protected.
[0036] Although embodiments have been described with reference to a
number of illustrative embodiments thereof, it should be understood
that numerous other modifications and embodiments can be devised by
those skilled in the art that will fall within the spirit and scope
of the principles of this disclosure. More particularly, various
variations and modifications are possible in the component parts
and/or arrangements of the subject combination arrangement within
the scope of the disclosure, the drawings and the appended claims.
In addition to variations and modifications in the component parts
and/or arrangements, alternative uses will also be apparent to
those skilled in the art.
* * * * *