MAGNETIC EARRING DEVICE AND SYSTEM

Abstract

An earring system including a needle-shaft member having a proximal end and a distal end; a first plate member optionally slidably along or secured to the proximal end of the needle member; and a second plate member including a through hole and being slidably disposed along a length of the rod, the first plate member and the second plate member being magnetically attracted to one another, the through hole including a frictional lining, whereby said first and said second plate members support a decorative jewelry element in an earring system. Alternatively, an earring system kit includes the first and second plate members each with a through hole and magnetically attracted therebetween, for use with conventionally provided earring elements.

Description

FIGURE SELECTED FOR PUBLICATION

FIG. 1

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a device and a system for securing a body piercing jewelry, and more particularly to earrings, to a pierced body part, and more particularly, a pierced earlobe. Additionally, the present invention provides for a kit assembly providing a magnetic earring securing device and a provided decorative earring element.

Description of the Related Art

Various means have been devised for securing body piercing jewelry such as earrings through a pierced body region, e.g., an earlobe. These include a decorative earring having an extending post (extending through a pierced body element such as an ear) and a securing backing element. However, problems can occur with use such as tearing, sagging, or stretching/ripping of an earring hole. Additionally, an earring hole may be torn, sagging, stretching/ripping in a non-horizontal direction (e.g., off horizontal). These problems are particularly exacerbated with the use of non-balanced decorative earrings (heaving in a front part, and light in the back), or where a decorative item is particularly heavy (multiple ounces).

Additionally, current earring-post securing means are deficient in various respects lacking ease of use and robustness. For example, some securing means use various mechanical locking mechanisms such as spring-loaded clamps that can be difficult to transition to an open state or can be easily broken if proper care is not taken. Additionally, means for securing to an extending post may slide off or fail to maintain a tight securing to an earlobe during a use.

Accordingly, the present invention addresses some of these deficiencies by providing various securing means for body piercing jewelry, and in particular earrings, that are relatively easy to operate and not prone to mechanical failure or breakage. It should be understood that while the present disclosure may describe a use with a particular body part (e.g., an ear or an earlobe), the present disclosure is not limited to any particular body part that has been pierced.

ASPECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided an earring securing system for use with an earring having an extending post. The earring securing system including a first (front) part and a second (rear) part that are both slidably fixable and securable along the length of an extending post and which additionally form a magnetic attraction between the first (front) and second (rear) parts.

Additionally, and alternatively, an earring kit system may include a needle-shaft (the extension member) member including a rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a first plate member having a first through hole and being slidably secured to the proximal end of the needle-shaft member; and a second plate member including a second through hole and being slidably disposed along a length of the rod, the first plate member and the second plate member being magnetically attracted to one another, the first and second through holes including a frictional lining means, memory foam, gel, silicone, rubber, an elastomeric lining, or a friction fit to prevent unintended displacement along a length of the needle (rod) member.

Another alternative and optional invention herein provides a method of using an earring system may include: providing an earring system, comprising: a needle-shaft member including a rod having a proximal end and a distal end; a first plate member secured to the proximal end of the needle member; and a second plate member including a through hole and being slidably disposed along a length of the rod, the first plate member and the second plate member being magnetically attracted to one another, the through hole including a frictional lining; inserting the rod through a pierced body opening; inserting the rod through the through hole of the second plate; and sliding the second plate along a length of the rod until the first and the second plates press against opposing skin surfaces of the pierced body opening.

The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference numerals designate the same elements.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A further understanding of the present invention can be obtained by reference to a preferred embodiment set forth in the illustrations of the accompanying drawings. Although the illustrated preferred embodiment is merely exemplary of methods, structures and compositions for carrying out the present invention, both the organization and method of the invention, in general, together with further objectives and advantages thereof, may be more easily understood by reference to the drawings and the following description. The drawings are not intended to limit the scope of this invention, which is set forth with particularity in the claims as appended or as subsequently amended, but merely to clarify and exemplify the invention.

For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following drawings in which:

FIG. 1 A is a front view of an optional earring system in accordance with the present disclosure shown in a closed condition.

FIG. 1B is an alternative earring kit system in accordance with the present invention in combination with a conventional earring post now provided with a front plate and a rear plate.

FIG. 2 is cross sectional side view of an earlobe shown with the earring system of FIG. 1 secured thereto.

FIG. 3 is perspective view of the earring system of Fig. I shown in an open condition.

FIG. 4 is a further embodiment of an earring system shown in a closed condition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

As required, a detailed illustrative embodiment of the present invention is disclosed herein. However, techniques, systems, compositions and operating structures in accordance with the present invention may be embodied in a wide variety of sizes, shapes, forms and modes, some of which may be quite different from those in the disclosed embodiment. Consequently, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are merely representative, yet in that regard, they are deemed to afford the best embodiment for purposes of disclosure and to provide a basis for the claims herein which define the scope of the present invention.

Reference will now be made in detail to several embodiments of the invention that are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps. The drawings are in simplified form and are not to precise scale. For purposes of convenience and clarity only, directional terms, such as top, bottom, up, down, over, above, below, etc., or motional terms, such as forward, back, sideways, transverse, etc. may be used with respect to the drawings. These and similar directional terms should not be construed to limit the scope of the invention in any manner.

As shown in FIGS. 1A-3, an earring system 100A, may include a needle-shaft member 102A that is configured to pass through a body opening, e.g., a piercing formed in an earlobe (see FIG. 2). In particular, the needle member 102A may include a needle or rod 102R that is slender and elongated so that a distal end D thereof can be inserted through an already formed opening O in an earlobe L (FIG. 2). A proximal end P thereof may be include a first magnetic plate 102M that may have a decorative design or may be configured to support a decorative item, e.g., a stone or a gem. For example, the magnetic plate 102M may include a ledge 102L that may include one or more protrusions or prongs, clasps, or other arrangements for securing such decorative item. Alternatively or additionally, a stone or a gem may be directly fixed to or adhered or otherwise fastened to the magnetic plate 102M.

A second magnetic plate 104 may be slidably couplable to and along the rod 102R so that when worn the first and second magnetic plates 102M may be positioned on opposing sides of the body member, e.g., earlobe, such that the earring system 100A is secured to the body member. In particular, the distal end 102E of the rod 102R may be inserted through an opening 104C formed in the second magnetic plate 104. The first and the second magnetic plates 102M and 104 are magnetically attracted to one another. The first and the second magnetic plates 102M and 104 may each be formed from a magnetic material or one may be formed from a magnetic material while the other is formed from a material (e.g., a ferrous or nonferrous material) that is attracted to the magnetic material of the other.

The second magnetic plate 104 may include a housing 104A configured to secure a magnetic element 104B therein which in turn is configured to secure a silicone or rubber-like member 104C which includes an opening 104F that is biased toward a closed state such that when the rod 102R is inserted therethrough the silicone or rubber-like member 104C resists relative sliding of the rod 102R through the opening 104F, thereby further securing the rod 102R within the opening 104F, which may be 2 mm wide, for example, when in an open condition. The member 104C may be an inner lining that aligns the opening formed within the magnetic member 104B. However, in some embodiments, the second magnetic plate 104 need not include the silicone or rubber-like member 104C and in some embodiments, the second magnetic plate 104 may not include a magnetic material provided that the other magnetic plate 102 has material properties that would nonetheless magnetically attract the first and second plates 102, 104 to one another. Where no magnetic member 104B is present, the silicone or rubber-like member 104C may be a lining that lines an opening formed in the outer housing 104A. It should be noted that in such instances, the openings would remain appropriately sized to snuggly receive the rod 102R.

The magnetic materials that are used may include, but are not limited to, rare earth materials such as neodymium. The magnetic materials may have a magnetic strength N42. Each of the plates 102M, 102N, 104 may be relatively thin having a thickness of 1 mm or less and may have width or diameter of 7 mm.

A second related embodiment of an earring system 100B is shown in FIG. 4. The earring system 100B is substantially similar to that of the earring system 100A except that the needle member 102B is shown with a magnetic plate 102N instead of the magnetic plate 102M. The magnetic plate 102N includes a circumferential lip 102X configured to secure a decorative item, e.g., stone 102S thereto.

The earring system 100A and 100B may be plated or adorned with various materials. For example, one or more parts of the earring system 100A and 100B may be plated with a metal, e.g., gold or silver plated.

A method of using an earring systems 100A and 100B and 500 may include inserting the rod through a pierced body opening; inserting the rod through the through hole of the second plate; and sliding the second plate along a length of the rod until the first and the second plates press against opposing skin surfaces of the pierced body opening as shown in FIG. 2.

Additionally, now specifically referring to FIG. 1B, an alternative adaptive kit arrangement assembly 500 is provided for use with a conventional earring element 501 having a decorative element 502 attached to an extending needle or rod 503. The conventional earring element 501, decoration 502 and needle-shaft or rod 503 being non-magnetic. In the kit assembly, separately provided are a first securing element 504 and a second securing element 505, each of which includes a through hole respectively 506, 506. Needle-shaft or rod 503 is shaped to be removably fixably and slidably secured relative to conventional needle or rod 503. As noted above, optionally, first securing element 504 includes a supporting ledge element 504L as discussed herein and above. The materials of first and second securing elements 504, 505 are magnetically attracted together (see magnetic field lines X in FIG. 1B), and one or both is magnetic and or paramagnetic (e.g., ferrous) such that a magnetic field is established between 504, 505 when in position about an ear (for relative example as shown in FIG. 2). In this manner, it will be recognized that the present invention may be provided in kit form, with first and second members 504, 505 provided separately for use on a consumer-supplied earring member, or optionally in combination with an earring member provided with a kit.

Having described at least one of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, it is to be understood that such embodiments are merely exemplary and that the invention is not limited to those precise embodiments, and that various changes, modifications, and adaptations may be effected therein by one skilled in the art without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims. The scope of the invention, therefore, shall be defined solely by the following claims. Further, it will be apparent to those of skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in such details without departing from the spirit and the principles of the invention. It should be appreciated that the present invention is capable of being embodied in other forms without departing from its essential characteristics.

Claims

1. An earring system, comprising: a needle-shaft member including an extending rod having a proximal end and a distal end;a first plate member including a first through hole and being slidably secured to the proximal end of the needle-shaft member;a second plate member including a second through hole and being slidably disposed along a length of the rod;the first plate member and the second plate member being magnetically attracted to one another; andat least one of said first through hole and said second through hole including a frictional means for slidingly securing respective said first plate or said second plate to said extending rod.

2. The earring system of claim 1, wherein: said frictional means is selected from a group consisting of: an elastomeric member, a silicone member, a memory foam, a rubber member, and a mechanical friction element,

3. The earring system of claim 1, wherein: at least one of the first plate and the second plate includes a rare earth magnetic material and said other of said first plate and said second plate includes optionally a magnetic material and a paramagnetic material attracted to said magnetic material.

4. A method of using an earring system, comprising the steps of: providing an earring system, comprising: a needle-shaft member including a rod having a proximal end and a distal end;a first plate member secured to the proximal end of the needle-shaft member;a second plate member including a through hole and being slidably disposed along a length of the rod;the first plate member and the second plate member being magnetically attracted to one another; andthe through hole including a frictional lining;inserting the rod through a pierced body opening on a user thereof;inserting the rod through the through hole of the second plate; andsliding the second plate along a length of the rod until the first and the second plates press against opposing skin surfaces of the pierced body opening, whereby said magnetic attraction is created between said first plate and said second plate.