EP0091523B1

EP0091523B1 - Earfittings for earrings

Info

Publication number: EP0091523B1
Application number: EP82304565A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Roy Kirk; Alan Herbert
Original assignee: Andra Jewels Ltd
Current assignee: Andra Jewels Ltd
Priority date: 1982-03-31
Filing date: 1982-08-31
Publication date: 1985-12-04
Also published as: EP0091523A1; ZA83900B; GB8308890D0; GB2117625A; GB2117625B; DE3267818D1

Description

This invention relates to improvements in ear- fittings for earrings to be worn on pierced ears.
A traditional type of earfitting used with earrings to be worn in pierced ears is known as a French fitting. This comprises a straight cylindrical bar (also referred to as an earring post) which passes through the pierced hole in the ear and is secured in place by a spring loaded scroll (also referred to as a butterfly clip) behind the ear lobe fEP-A-0 007 773). Alternatively, the bar may be threaded and secured in place by a correspondingly threaded wing nut behind the ear lobe. This fitting suffers from a number of disadvantages. It is- difficult to secure the scroll or wing nut in place by sense of feel. The scrolls or wing nuts, being detachable and quite small, are easily lost. The wing nuts or scrolls, when made in precious metal, constitute a relatively high proportion of the total cost of the fitting. This not only affects the initial cost of the article, but must be considered when replacing lost scrolls or wing nuts.
GB-A-2 074 841 discloses a threaded French fitting including a wing nut having a guide ring in register with the internally threaded portion. The provision of the guide ring facilitates assembly. However, in view of its significant weight and design, the wing nut still constitutes a high proportion of the total cost.
Another type of earfitting is the so-called safety wire. This comprises a hook-shaped wire which is passed through the ear lobe. A retaining member attached to the body of the earring is then engaged with the free end of the hook wire. The retaining member may be hinged to the body of the earring. In comparison with the French fitting, the hook wire is relatively difficult to insert through the ear lobe. It may also be uncomfortable to wear, as the ear lobes of people vary considerably in shape and thickness.
An object of the invention is to provide an improved earfitting which does not suffer from the above disadvantages.
The invention provides an earfitting for an earring to be worn on pierced ears, comprising an earring post which in use is positioned in the pierced hole in the ear lobe, and a spearhead hingedly mounted on the end of the earring post to be positioned behind the ear lobe, such that the earring post and spearhead can be mutually aligned to enable the earfitting to be passed through the ear lobe, whereafter the spearhead can be turned with respect to the earring post to secure the earfitting in place, and including locking means for temporarily locking the earring post and the spearhead in mutual alignment, the locking means comprising a hollow cylindrical portion of the earring post with a longitudinal gap and of sufficiently resilient material to permit flexing with widening of the gap, and a portion of the spearhead adapted to cooperate with the cylindrical portion to cause flexing of the cylindrical portion and snap-fit engagement when the earring post and spearhead are mutually aligned.
Means are provided for temporarily locking the earring post and spearhead in mutual alignment. This makes it easier to pass the earfitting through the ear lobe. Once in position, the spearhead is unlocked and turned with respect to the earring post, so that the earfitting is secured in place in the ear. The temporary locking involves a snap fit mechanism, so that the user can sense by feel when the earring post and spearhead are aligned. This makes it easier to align the two members when in position in the ear and then withdraw the earfitting.
In comparison with the prior art, the present invention provides the following advantages. When the earring post and spearhead are aligned, they can be passed through the pierced ear lobe as easily as a conventional French fitting. Once in position, turning of the spearhead to secure the earfitting in place is a simple matter and does not involve the manipulation purely by feel of two separate components behind the ear lobe. The final angle adopted by the spearhead relative to the earring post is variable, thereby providing comfortable wearing properties for ear lobes of varying shape and thickness, and provided the spearhead and earring post are not in the mutually aligned position the earfitting is held securely in the ear. As the scroll or wing nut of the conventional French fitting is dispensed with, there is no risk of loss of such components, and the weight of the fitting is reduced. The latter factor results in considerable saving of cost when the fitting is made from precious metal, such as gold.
Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figures 1 and 2 are respectively top and side views of the separated components in an embodiment of the invention;
Figures 3 and 4 are respectively side and top views of the assembled components corresponding to Figures 1 and 2, constituting an intermediate stage in manufacture; and
Figure 5 is a top view and Figure 6 a side view of the assembled components in the final stage of manufacture.

Figures 1 and 2 show the earring post 21 and spearhead 22 separated, and Figures 3 and 4 show them assembled together. Figures 1 and 4 are views from above, and Figures 2 and 3 are views from the side. One end 21A of the earring post is attached to the decorative part of the earring (not shown), and one end 22A of the spearhead is tapered for insertion through the ear lobe. The earring post 21 is initially a U-shaped (in transverse section) channel member. The bottom of the channel terminates shortly before an end adjacent the spearhead, and two holes 23 are provided in the sides of the channel in this region to accommodate a rivet 24 which passes through a hole 25 in register on the spearhead. The spearhead can therefore rotate as shown by the arrow in Figure 3. In the aligned position, a portion 26 of the spearhead opposite the end 22A abuts against the lower internal surface of the channel. This prevents the spearhead from being rotated in a direction opposite to the arrow in Figure 3.
Figures 5 and 6 are respectively a top view and a side view of a completed earfitting. The earring post 31 is of tubular cylindrical section with a narrow gap or seam 32 along the top. The seam is also shown in the partial transverse sectional views of the earring post next to each Figure. One end 31A is connected to the decorative portion of the earring (not shown). The spearhead 33 is made from flat sheet metal and has one end 33A tapered for insertion through the ear lobe. The end of the earring post opposite the end 31A is provided with two extending wings 34 which are slightly flattened to define a channel therebetween. The end of the spearhead opposite the end 33A is accommodated in this channel. Holes in register are provided in the two wings 34 and in the adjacent portion of the spearhead, and a rivet 35 passes through these holes. This enables the spearhead to hinge relative to the earring post, as shown by the broken lines in Figure 6.
This fitting is assembled as follows. The earring post is manufactured initially as a channel section, i.e. the member 21 of Figures 1 to 4. The spearhead is then-engaged in a position at right angles to the earring post (i.e. as shown by the broken lines in Figure 6). The holes in the spearhead and in the wings 34 are aligned, the rivet is inserted, and it is spun to make a head on its end, thereby sealing it in position (Figures 3 and 4). The channel section of the earring post is then folded into a tube section, leaving the narrow seam 32. The spearhead is then straightened into the aligned position for the first time (Figures 5 and 6). In this process, the end edge 36 of the spearhead is forced across an edge 37 of the earring post in the region of the end of the seam 32. In this first straightening the mechanism is stiff. The spearhead and earring post are made of relatively hard but still somewhat resilient material, such as a spring hard 9 ct gold alloy. The material is apparently deformed slightly in the first straightening operation, but thereafter operates more easily in the manner of a snap fit mechanism, a "set" having been put on the edge 37 of the earring post in the region of the end of the seam. The wearer can therefore feel a "click" when the spearhead is raised to the aligned position, and this greatly facilitates withdrawal. The mechanism described locks the spearhead and earring post temporarily in the aligned position, and this locking can be manually overriden by the wearer once the earfitting has been inserted.
An alternative locking mechanism is operated by creating a convex surface on one, or both, sides of the spearhead adjacent to the end 36.
This convex surface, by leverage on the adjacent enclosing sides of the earring post edge 37, causes temporary flexing of the seam 32 whilst the spearhead is in its position of maximum cross-section.
This interaction thus uses the entire earring post tube section as a semi-circular spring and, owing to the greater surface areas involved, permits a wider variation of materials, of differing hardness, to be used.

Claims

1. An earfitting for an earring to be worn on pierced ears, comprising an earring post (31) which is use is positioned in the pierced hole in the ear lobe, and a spearhead (33) hingedly mounted on the end of the earring post to be positioned behind the ear lobe, such that the earring post and spearhead can be mutually aligned to enable the earfitting to be passed through the ear lobe, whereafter the spearhead can be turned with respect to the earring post to secure the earfitting in place, and including locking means for temporarily locking the earring post and the spearhead in mutual alignment, characterised in that the locking means comprise a hollow cylindrical portion (31) of the earring post with a longitudinal gap (32) and of sufficiently resilient material to permit flexing with widening of the gap, and a portion (36) of the spearhead adapted to cooperate with the cylindrical portion to cause flexing of the cylindrical portion and snap-fit engagement when the earring post and spearhead are mutually aligned.

2. An earfitting according to claim 1, wherein a rounded end edge (36) of the spearhead is adapted to cooperate with an end edge (37) of the cylindrical portion of the earring post adjacent the end of the longitudinal gap.

3. An earfitting according to claim 1, wherein the hollow cylindrical portion (31) of the earring post is integral with two extending end portions (34) between which the spearhead is hingedly mounted, the spearhead having a convex surface adapted to cooperate with said end portions to cause flexing of the cylindrical portion.