GB2189373A - Ear-rings - Google Patents

Abstract

An ear-ring comprising a shaft (11) adapted to pass through a hole in the wearer's ear, and a disc (12), or other means which fits frictionally and removably onto one end of the shaft to secure the shaft in positions characterised by the feature that the portion (15) of the ear-ring which, in use, faces outward from the ear, and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarily for visual attraction is joined if in use to the shaft by a sufficiently secure but readily separable connection. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improved Ear-Rings Field of the Invention The invention relates to ear-rings and in particular to ear-rings which are intended to pass through a hole pierced in the wearer's ear.

Background to the Invention It is known to provide "stud" ear-rings for pierced ears. Such ear-rings comprise a shaft adapted to pass through the hole pierced in the wearer's ear, a stud which in use faces outwardly of the ear and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarily for visual attraction, and a clip designed to fit onto the shaft and hold the ear-ring in place.

Such ear-rings are widely used and worn, particularly by young people.

Summary of the Invention According to the invention, an ear-ring comprises a shaft adapted to pass through a hole in the wearer's ear, and a disc or other means which fits frictionally and removably onto one end of the shaft to secure the shaft in position; characterised by the feature that the portion of the ear-ring which, in use, faces outward from the ear, and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarilyforvisual attraction, is joined in use to the shaft by a sufficiently secure but readily separable connection.

An ear-ring embodying the invention thus differs from the conventional "stud" ear-ring in which the visual attractive portion is formed integrally with the shaft and the two cannot be separated. The invention makes it possible for a wide variety of outward-facing portions to be used with a single shaft and clip.

The shaft will conventionally be gold or at ieast gold-plated. Preferably, in another advantageous feature of the invention, the clip and that surface of the outward-facing portion which, in use, contacts the wearer's ear, are also gold or gold-plated.

Gold or gold-plated ear-contacting parts will reduce the allergic discomforts sometimes experienced by people whose ear lobes are unduly sensitive to conventional metals or parts plated with conventional metals (i.e. metals other then gold).

The readily separable connection may comprise a screw connection, or a push-fitting or snap-fitting connection, selectable from known aiternatives. It may permit free rotation of the outward-facing portion of the ear-ring when worn, without the shaft rotating. It might be designed to accommodate universally-acceptable outwa rd-facing portions.

Alternatively it might deliberately be so designed as to accept only an outward-facing portion having design features specific to a named designer or design house.

That part of the outward-facing portion which, in use, contacts the wearer's ear, may comprise a disc which fits over the shaft and which is made separately from the main visually attractive part of the outward-facing portion.

Such a disc could carry on half of the readily releaseable connection, rather than such half having to be incorporated into the shaft.

In one embodiment of the invention, to be described and illustrated in this specification, the clip comprises a disc which is a suitably tight but removable fit on one end region of the shaft; and the visually attractive portion of the ear-ring is another disc which fits onto the other end of the shaft in conjunction with a further disc in the form of a washer.But because the visually attractive portion is readily separable from the shaft, and is made separately from it, it is within the scope of the invention for that visually attractive portion to constitute the clip of the ear-ring; in which case the stud would be appropriately headed in its end region opposite that end to which the visually attractive portion of the ear-ring is attached, and the ear-ring would be fitted on the wearer's ear by inserting the headed stud into the ear from behind the ear lobe and then fitting the visually attractive portion of the ear-ring to the outward-projecting end of the stud.

Brief Description of the Drawing and of the Preferred Embodiment The single accompanying drawing shows in "exploded" perspective one ear-ring embodying the invention.

A shaft referenced 11 is elongate and is circularcylindrical and is made of solid gold. A disc 12, also gold, is circular and is centrally apertured, and is a suitably tight but releasable "interference" fit over and along one end region of the shaft 11.

Another disc 13 is also circular and made of gold but is secured firmly and non-releasably to the end of the shaft 11 opposite that end over which the disc 12 fits in use. A brass nut 14, circumferentially and hexagonally flatted, is screw-threaded internally, all in conventional manner and is fixed securely and non-releasablyto the centre of the second disc 13 on that face of the disc 13 opposite to the face from which the shaft 11 protrudes.

A third disc 15, much larger than either of the discs 12 and 13 and not necessarily made of gold or gold-plated, carries on one of its faces 16 a visually attractive design. A stub-shaft 17 projects from the other face of the disc 15 and is screw-threaded to make with the nut 14.

In use, the disc 15 is threaded to the nut 14 to be securely but releasably held on the shaft 11, which is then inserted into a hole pierced through the wearer's ear lobe, the insertion being made from the front of the lobe so that the visually attractive face 16 of the disc 15 faces outward when the shaft 11 is pushed fully home. The disc 12 is then fitted onto and along the projecting end of the shaft 11 to hold the assembled ear-ring in a suitably firm but comfortable manner in the wearer's ear.

1. An ear-ring comprising a shaft adapted to pass through a hole in the wearer's ear, and a disc, or other means which fits frictionally and removably onto one end of the shaft to secure the shaft in position; characterised by the feature that the portion of the ear-ring which, in use, faces outward

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Improved Ear-Rings Field of the Invention The invention relates to ear-rings and in particular to ear-rings which are intended to pass through a hole pierced in the wearer's ear. Background to the Invention It is known to provide "stud" ear-rings for pierced ears. Such ear-rings comprise a shaft adapted to pass through the hole pierced in the wearer's ear, a stud which in use faces outwardly of the ear and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarily for visual attraction, and a clip designed to fit onto the shaft and hold the ear-ring in place. Such ear-rings are widely used and worn, particularly by young people. Summary of the Invention According to the invention, an ear-ring comprises a shaft adapted to pass through a hole in the wearer's ear, and a disc or other means which fits frictionally and removably onto one end of the shaft to secure the shaft in position; characterised by the feature that the portion of the ear-ring which, in use, faces outward from the ear, and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarilyforvisual attraction, is joined in use to the shaft by a sufficiently secure but readily separable connection. An ear-ring embodying the invention thus differs from the conventional "stud" ear-ring in which the visual attractive portion is formed integrally with the shaft and the two cannot be separated. The invention makes it possible for a wide variety of outward-facing portions to be used with a single shaft and clip. The shaft will conventionally be gold or at ieast gold-plated. Preferably, in another advantageous feature of the invention, the clip and that surface of the outward-facing portion which, in use, contacts the wearer's ear, are also gold or gold-plated. Gold or gold-plated ear-contacting parts will reduce the allergic discomforts sometimes experienced by people whose ear lobes are unduly sensitive to conventional metals or parts plated with conventional metals (i.e. metals other then gold). The readily separable connection may comprise a screw connection, or a push-fitting or snap-fitting connection, selectable from known aiternatives. It may permit free rotation of the outward-facing portion of the ear-ring when worn, without the shaft rotating. It might be designed to accommodate universally-acceptable outwa rd-facing portions. Alternatively it might deliberately be so designed as to accept only an outward-facing portion having design features specific to a named designer or design house. That part of the outward-facing portion which, in use, contacts the wearer's ear, may comprise a disc which fits over the shaft and which is made separately from the main visually attractive part of the outward-facing portion. Such a disc could carry on half of the readily releaseable connection, rather than such half having to be incorporated into the shaft. In one embodiment of the invention, to be described and illustrated in this specification, the clip comprises a disc which is a suitably tight but removable fit on one end region of the shaft; and the visually attractive portion of the ear-ring is another disc which fits onto the other end of the shaft in conjunction with a further disc in the form of a washer.But because the visually attractive portion is readily separable from the shaft, and is made separately from it, it is within the scope of the invention for that visually attractive portion to constitute the clip of the ear-ring; in which case the stud would be appropriately headed in its end region opposite that end to which the visually attractive portion of the ear-ring is attached, and the ear-ring would be fitted on the wearer's ear by inserting the headed stud into the ear from behind the ear lobe and then fitting the visually attractive portion of the ear-ring to the outward-projecting end of the stud. Brief Description of the Drawing and of the Preferred Embodiment The single accompanying drawing shows in "exploded" perspective one ear-ring embodying the invention. A shaft referenced 11 is elongate and is circularcylindrical and is made of solid gold. A disc 12, also gold, is circular and is centrally apertured, and is a suitably tight but releasable "interference" fit over and along one end region of the shaft 11. Another disc 13 is also circular and made of gold but is secured firmly and non-releasably to the end of the shaft 11 opposite that end over which the disc 12 fits in use. A brass nut 14, circumferentially and hexagonally flatted, is screw-threaded internally, all in conventional manner and is fixed securely and non-releasablyto the centre of the second disc 13 on that face of the disc 13 opposite to the face from which the shaft 11 protrudes. A third disc 15, much larger than either of the discs 12 and 13 and not necessarily made of gold or gold-plated, carries on one of its faces 16 a visually attractive design. A stub-shaft 17 projects from the other face of the disc 15 and is screw-threaded to make with the nut 14. In use, the disc 15 is threaded to the nut 14 to be securely but releasably held on the shaft 11, which is then inserted into a hole pierced through the wearer's ear lobe, the insertion being made from the front of the lobe so that the visually attractive face 16 of the disc 15 faces outward when the shaft 11 is pushed fully home. The disc 12 is then fitted onto and along the projecting end of the shaft 11 to hold the assembled ear-ring in a suitably firm but comfortable manner in the wearer's ear. CLAIMS

1. An ear-ring comprising a shaft adapted to pass through a hole in the wearer's ear, and a disc, or other means which fits frictionally and removably onto one end of the shaft to secure the shaft in position; characterised by the feature that the portion of the ear-ring which, in use, faces outward from the ear, and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarily for visual attraction is joined in use to the shaft by a sufficiently secure but readily separable connection.

2. An ear-ring according to claim 1 in which the shaft, the clip and that surface of the outward facing portion which, in use contacts the wearer's ear are gold or gold plated.

3. An ear-ring according to claims 1 or2 in which that part of the outward facing portion which in use, contacts the wearer's ear, comprises a disc which fits over the shaft and which is made separately from the main visually attractive part of the outward facing portion.

4. An ear-ring substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.

4. An ear-ring substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawing.

Amendments to the claims have been filed, and have the following effect: New or textually amended claims have been filed as follows:- 1. An ear-ring comprising a shaft adapted to pass through a hole in the wearer's ear, and a disc, or other means which fits frictionally and removably into one end of the shaft to secure the shaft in position; characterized by the feature that the portion of the ear-ring which, in use, faces outward from the ear, and is the part of the ear-ring designed primarily for visual attraction is joined in use to the shaft by a sufficiently secure but readily separable screw connection.

2. An ear-ring according to claim 1 in which the shaft, the clip and that surface of the outward facing portion which, in use contacts the wearer's ear are gold or gold plated.

3. An ear-ring according to claims 1 or 2 in which that part of the outward facing portion which in use, contacts the wearer's ear, comprises a disc which fits over the shaft and which is made separately from the main visually attractive part of the outward facing portion.