US20030041621A1

US20030041621A1 - Piercing jewelry

Info

Publication number: US20030041621A1
Application number: US10/229,427
Authority: US
Inventors: Anita Kronvold
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2001-08-31
Filing date: 2002-08-27
Publication date: 2003-03-06
Also published as: DK200101281A; DK173984B1

Abstract

A piece of piercing jewelry adapted to be placed around a pierced body part, such as a nipple, includes a jewelry part (1) of resilient material and a piercing rod (2) arranged on the rear side of the jewelry part (1).One end of the piercing rod (2) is pivotally mounted (3) in one side of the jewelry part (1), whereas the opposite free end of said piercing rod is capable of engaging a locking means in the opposite side of said jewelry part. The locking means is formed by a transverse recess (6) provided in the jewelry part (1), the cross section of said locking means substantially corresponding to the cross section of the piercing rod (2).The recess (6) includes a narrow opening (4) facing the front of the jewelry part (1) as well as a wide opening (5) facing the rear side of the jewelry part (1), said wide opening (5) presenting such a minimum cross dimension that the piercing rod (2) can be pressed through the wide opening (5) and into the recess (6) by a slight pressure, such as by a finger nail, on the projecting free end (7) of said piercing rod (2) so as to enter a locking engagement with said recess. As a result a reliable locking of the piercing rod (2) is obtained without necessitating the use of a separate locking means. The jewelry part (1) is advantageously a circular ring, and the piercing rod (2) can be of a circular cross section. In addition, the piercing rod can be shaped with a curvature perpendicular to the plane of the jewelry part. The jewelry part (1) and the piercing rod (2) can both be made of surgical steel or of eighteen-carat gold.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a piece of piercing jewelry to be placed around a pierced body part, such as a nipple, and which includes a jewelry part and a fastening device arranged on the rear side of the jewelry part, said jewelry part comprising a bore preferably provided in the middle of said jewelry part and presenting a cross section substantially corresponding to the cross section of the pierced body part, and whereby the fastening device includes a piercing rod having one end pivotally mounted in one side of the jewelry part and the opposite end capable of engaging a locking means in the opposite side of said jewelry part.

Danish Utility Model Specification No. 1998 00402 discloses a piece of piercing jewelry of the above type, where the fastening device includes a piercing rod and a locking means. This locking means is formed by a separate locking clip. The use of such a locking clip involves a complicated manufacturing procedure as said locking clip must be manufactured and optionally secured separately. In addition, the spring action of the locking clip is limited due to the possible dimensions of the material. Other known fastening devices employ loose assembling parts.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to provide a piece of piercing jewelry of the above type which allows a reliable locking of the piercing rod without involving separate parts for this purpose.

The piece of piercing jewelry according to the invention is characterised in that the locking means is formed by a transverse recess shaped in the jewelry part, where the recess is of a cross section substantially corresponding to the piercing rod, and where said recess includes a narrow opening facing the front of the jewelry part as well as a wide opening facing the rear side of said jewelry part, said wide opening presenting such a minimum cross dimension that the piercing rod can be pressed by means of a slight pressure through the opening and into the recess so as to enter a locking engagement with said recess, that the free end of said piercing rod projects slightly beyond the outer rim of the jewelry part, and that said jewelry part is made of a resilient material.

In use, such a piece of piercing jewelry is inserted by the piercing rod of the piece of piercing jewelry initially being inserted in a hole, viz. a so-called piercing, in the desired body part, such as a nipple. In order to subsequently lock the jewelry part to the piercing rod, said piercing rod is pressed by way of a slight pressure on its free end against the lower rim of the wide opening of the recess. As a result, the jewelry part is forced to open in such a manner that the piercing rod is embedded in the recess. The resilient material of the jewelry part provides a spring action which ensures that the recess automatically closes again with the result that the piercing rod is retained. When the jewelry part is to be removed again, the piercing rod is slightly pressed against the open side of the recess. In order to allow a pressing on the piercing rod by means of for instance a finger nail, it is necessary that the free end of the piercing rod projects slightly beyond the outer rim of the jewelry part. As a result, no separate members are accordingly necessary for ensuring an easy insertion and removal of the jewelry part. In addition, a reliable locking during the use is ensured.

The piece of piercing jewelry according to the invention is further advantageous by the fact that the fastening device can be mounted on the jewelry part without necessitating a heating, viz. a soldering, of the jewelry part. The fact is that a heating for a soldering implies that the spring action would be lost in cold processed materials for jewelry. Yet another advantage obtained by avoiding the use of separate parts is that a minimum of joints are involved which can be a growing site for bacteria. Furthermore, a low structure height of the piece of piercing jewelry is obtained as the locking means of the piercing rod does not project beyond the jewelry part, but instead is formed by a recess located inside the jewelry part. As a result, the jewelry part can be placed close to the body part, such as the breast, adjacent the pierced body part in question, such as a nipple. Accordingly the jewelry part does not stick to the cloth of the user surrounding the pierced body part. The hinging of the piercing rod renders it furthermore possible to accentuate the pierced body part while the jewelry part is pressed against the body, because the hinging prevents the piercing rod from turning about its own axis.

The piece of piercing jewelry is advantageously shaped such that the piercing rod is shaped as a rectilinear rod of a circular cross section, that the jewelry part is a circular ring of a circular cross section, and that the recess in the jewelry part is formed by a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial to said piercing rod and is of the same diameter as said piercing rod.

As an alternative, the piece of piercing jewelry can be shaped such that the piercing rod is shaped as a rod of a circular cross section and with a curvature perpendicular to the plane of the jewelry part, that said jewelry part is a circular ring of a circular cross section, and that the recess in the jewelry part is shaped in a manner adapted to the piercing rod.

The recess in the jewelry part can be shaped such that the wide opening of the recess facing the rear side of the jewelry part expands in a direction towards the rear side, and that the narrow opening of the recess facing the front of the jewelry part is shaped as a narrow slot relative to the cross-sectional dimensions of the piercing rod.

The piece of piercing jewelry can be manufactured such that the material of the jewelry part and the piercing rod is surgical steel.

Furthermore, the piece of piercing jewelry can be manufactured such that the material of the jewelry part and the piercing rod is eighteen-carat gold.

The material for the piece of piercing jewelry is advantageously selected such that the material of the jewelry part and the piercing rod is fourteen and eighteen-carat gold, respectively. The material can also be selected such that the material of the jewelry part and the piercing rod is eight and eighteen-carat gold, respectively.

Moreover, the piece of piercing jewelry can be manufactured such that the material of the jewelry part and the piercing rod is acrylics, optionally luminous acrylics.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in greater detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which [0014]
FIG. 1 is a front view, i.e. shoving the visible side, of a first embodiment of the piece of piercing jewelry according to the invention, [0015]
FIG. 2 is a sectional view perpendicular to the piercing rod taken along the line II-II of FIG. 1, [0016]
FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line III-III of FIG. 1 and axial through the piercing rod, [0017]
FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3, viz. an axial sectional view through a piercing rod for a second embodiment of a piece of piercing jewelry according to the invention, said piercing rod being shaped with a curvature perpendicular to the plane of the jewelry part, and [0018]
FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the piece of piercing jewelry of FIG. 2 which has been inserted in a nipple. [0019]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is made to FIGS. [0020] 1 to 3 showing a first embodiment of a piece of piercing jewelry, where the main parts are a jewelry part 1 and a piercing rod 2.
This embodiment of the jewelry part [0021] 1 is shaped as a circular ring of a material of a circular cross section. The jewelry part 1 must be of a closed shape with ends almost being in contact with one another.
The [0022] piercing rod 2 is shaped as a rectilinear profile rod of a material of a circular cross section. At one end, the piercing rod 1 is pivotally mounted, viz. hinged, in one side of the jewelry part 1. A hinge 3 is shaped as a bending located in a groove in the jewelry part 1. The opposite free end of the piercing rod 1 is capable of engaging a locking means provided in the opposite side of the jewelry part 1. This locking means is formed by a transverse recess 6 shaped in the material of the jewelry part 1, cf. FIG. 2, and reliably securing the piercing rod 2. The recess 6 is advantageously shaped as a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial to the piercing rod 2, and it is of a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the piercing rod in such a manner that the jewelry part 1 reliably engages the piercing rod 2. Therefore the dimensions of the jewelry part 1 must allow sufficient material for the shaping of the recess 6 as stated above. In other words the diameter of the piercing rod 2 must not be too large. Thus when the jewelry part 1 is a circular ring of circular material of a diameter of for instance 2.4 mm, the piercing rod 2 can be of a circular material of a maximum diameter of for instance 2.4 mm.
The [0023] recess 6 includes both a narrow opening 4, cf. FIGS. 1 and 2, facing the front of the jewelry part 1 and a wide opening 5, cf. FIG. 2, facing the rear side of said jewelry part 1. The narrow opening 4 on the front of the jewelry part 1 is formed as a narrow slot relative to the cross dimensions of the piercing rod in such a manner that the viewer sees the jewelry part 1 as an almost closed part, and further in such a manner that the piercing rod 2 cannot pass said side of the jewelry part 1. The wide opening 5 on the rear side of the jewelry part 1 expands in a direction towards the rear side and is of a width slightly smaller than the diameter of the piercing rod 1 in such a manner that said piercing rod can be forced past the opening 5 and into the recess 6 by way of a slight pressure on the end thereof so as to enter a locking engagement with said recess. During the latter procedure, the spring action of the jewelry part 1 is utilized. The end of the piercing rod is designated the reference numeral 7 and must project slightly beyond said jewelry part in such a manner that it is possible to open and close said jewelry part by means of for instance a finger nail.
FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3 and is an axial sectional view through a piercing [0024] rod 2 a for a second embodiment of the piece of piercing jewelry, said piercing rod 2 a of this embodiment being shaped with a curvature perpendicular to the plane of the jewelry part. The curvature of the piercing rod 2 a can for instance be in form of a circular arc corresponding to an angle between 30° and 60°.
Subsequently, reference is made to FIG. 5, in which the piece of piercing jewelry of FIGS. [0025] 1 to 3 is placed around a pierced body part, such as a nipple 8, said piece of jewelry being mounted in the transition area between the nipple 8 and the breast 9. The piercing rod 2 is inserted in a piercing placed in the transition area between the nipple 8 and the breast 9. Therefore, the piercing rod 2 is hidden inside the piercing in the nipple 8, and nothing but the hinge 3 and the projecting end 7 of said piercing rod 2 are visible.
The jewelry part is made of a material which per se or by virtue of a surface treatment prevents release to the body of detrimental substances. Surgical steel 316L or eighteen-carat gold are preferred, but a lower carat of gold than eighteen can optionally be used for the jewelry part, such as eight and fourteen-carat gold, and other materials, such as metals, are also possible. [0026]
The requirements presented to the material of the piercing rod relative to the material of the jewelry part are that it must be made of surgical steel 316L or eighteen-carat gold because these metals possess the property that they do not release or contain, respectively, substances which might cause allergic reactions by or infections to the user. Other materials possessing corresponding properties, such as metals or other materials, are also possible. Thus the jewelry part and the piercing rod can be made of acrylics, optionally luminous acrylics. [0027]

Claims

1. A piece of piercing jewelry to be placed around a pierced body part (8), such as a nipple, and which includes a jewelry part (1) and a fastening device arranged on the rear side of the jewelry part (1), said jewelry part (1) comprising a bore preferably provided in the middle of said jewelry part and presenting a cross section substantially corresponding to the cross section of the pierced body part (8), and whereby the fastening device includes a piercing rod (2; 2 a) having one end pivotally mounted (3) in one side of the jewelry part (1) and the opposite end capable of engaging a locking means in the opposite side of said jewelry part (1), wherein

the locking means is formed by a transverse recess (6) shaped in the jewelry part (1), where the recess is of a cross section substantially corresponding to the piercing rod (2; 2 a), and where said recess includes a narrow opening (4) facing the front of the jewelry part (1) as well as a wide opening (5) facing the rear side of said jewelry part, said wide opening (5) presenting such a minimum cross dimension that the piercing rod (2) can be pressed by means of a slight pressure through the opening (5) and into the recess (6) so as to enter a locking engagement with said recess,

the free end (7) of the piercing rod projects slightly beyond the outer rim of the jewelry part (1), and

the jewelry part (1) is made of a resilient material.

2. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the piercing rod (2) is shaped as a rectilinear rod of a circular cross section, wherein the jewelry part (1) is a circular ring of a circular cross section, and wherein the recess (6) in the jewelry part (1) is formed by a portion of a cylindrical surface coaxial to said piercing rod (2) and is of the same diameter as said piercing rod (2).

3. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the piercing rod (2 a) is shaped as a rod of a circular cross section and with a curvature perpendicular to the plane of the jewelry part, wherein said jewelry part is a circular ring of a circular cross section, and wherein the recess in the jewelry part is shaped in a manner adapted to the piercing rod (2 a).

4. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the wide opening (5) of the recess facing the rear side of the jewelry part (1) expands in a direction towards the rear side.

5. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 4, wherein the narrow opening (4) of the recess facing the front of the jewelry part (1) is shaped as a narrow slot relative to the cross dimensions of the piercing rod (2).

6. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the material of the jewelry part (1) and the piercing rod (2; 2 a) is surgical steel.

7. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the material of the jewelry part (1) and the piercing rod (2; 2 a) is eighteen-carat gold.

8. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the material of the jewelry part (1) and the piercing rod (2; 2 a) is fourteen-carat and eighteen-carat, respectively, gold.

9. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the material of the jewelry part (1) and the piercing rod (2; 2 a) is eight-carat and eighteen-carat, respectively, gold.

10. A piece of piercing jewelry according to claim 1, wherein the material of the jewelry part (1) and the piercing rod (2; 2 a) is acrylics, optionally luminous acrylics.