GB2241148A

GB2241148A - Earring attachments

Info

Publication number: GB2241148A
Application number: GB9104142A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Franca Maria Gabriella Edwards; Anthony Neal Edwards
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-02-27
Filing date: 1991-02-27
Publication date: 1991-08-28
Anticipated expiration: 2011-02-27
Also published as: GB2241148B; GB9004402D0; GB9104142D0

Abstract

A protector for use with an earring comprising a non-allergic or hypo-allergenic body e.g. of plastics, for providing the whole engagement surface between an earring and the user's earlobe. It may comprise a V-shaped guard 13 which can be located on the ear prior to the earring being attached or a sleeve 17 insertable in a hole 15 in the ear. The post 20 of an earring 14 is then passed through the sleeve. <IMAGE>

Description

Erring Attachments This invention relates to attachments for earrings.

Problems have for a long time arisen from the allergic reaction of wearers of earrings to the metals from which the clasps or posts which are used to attach earrings to the earlobe. The modern fashion is to wear earrings of increasing size and this has lead to an increase in this problem due to the greater engagement between the earring of the outer surface of the earlobe. Attempts are made to overcome these problems by using particular alloys or inert metals but these tend to be extremely expensive.

The present invention consists in a protector for use with an earring comprising a non-allergic or hypo-allergenic body for providing the whole engagement surface between an earring and the user's earlobe.

Thus the body may be in the form of a plastics clasp formed on the earring or alternatively it may be a generally U-shaped guard which can be placed on the earlobe to provide a surface on which a clasp or the like can be engaged.

When a user's ears are pierced the body may be in the form of a sleeve for insertion in the pierced hole and through which the post of the earring may pass and abutment portions carried by the sleeve for providing interfaces between the earlobe and the earring. One of those abutment portions may be formed integrally with the sleeve and the other may be releasably mounted thereon. Conveniently they may each be in the form of an annulus.

Preferably, the outer surface of the sleeve is tapered, whereby fitting the releasably mounted abutment on to the sleeve tends to cause the sleeve to contract onto the post of the earring in use.

The non-allergic or hypo-allergenic material is preferably a plastics material.

The invention may be performed in various ways and specific embodiments will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 illustrates a clasp style earring according to the invention; Figure 2 illustrates a guard in accordance with the invention; and Figure 3 illustrates a protector for a pierced ear style earring.

As can be seen in Figure 1 an earring 10 may be formed with a clasp 11 which is plastics material and which is configured to form the whole engagement between the earring and the user's lobe.

In Figure 2 an earring 12 is mounted on a generally Ushaped guard or protector 13 which can be located on the earlobe prior to the earring being attached on to the guard.

The guard is preferably resilient so that it will clasp the earlobe.

Turning to Figure 3 a post style earring 14 is mounted in a hole 15 in an earlobe 16 by means of a sleeve 17 of tapered form and which has an annular flange 18 formed at one end and a releasable flange 19 mountable on its other end. The flanges each provide a respective engagement surface for the earrings and its anchorage element (not shown) so that the earlobe is fully protected from contact which might result in an allergic reaction. The post 20 of the earring passes through the centre of the sleeve 17. The releasable flange 19 is passed over the free end of the sleeve in use to clamp it onto the post 20. The engagement between the sleeve and the post may remove the need for the usual butterfly or other anchorage element.

The sleeve could of course be inserted immediately on piercing removing the need for metal sleepers to be worn for an initial period. The diameter and thickness of the flanges 19 may be varied as required by the dimensions of the earring.

Claims

1. A protector for use with an earring comprising a non-allergic or hypo-allergenic body for providing the whole engagement surface between an earring and the user's earlobe.

2. A protector as described in Claim 1, wherein the body is in the form of a clasp.

3. A protector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body is a generally U-shaped guard and formed to be placed on the earlobe to provide a surface on which a clasp or the like can engage.

4. A protector as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the body is constituted by a sleeve for insertion in a pierced hole and through which the part of an earring may pass and abutment portions carried by the sleeve for providing interfaces between the earlobe and the earring.

5. A protector as claimed in Claim 4, wherein an abutment portion is formed integrally with the sleeve.

6. A protector as claimed in Claim 4 or Claim 5, wherein each portion is in the form of an annulus.

7. A protector as claimed in Claims 4,5 or 6, wherein the outer surface of said sleeve is tapered.

8. A protector substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.