The disclosed embodiments relate generally to a system and method for supporting an earring in a gauged ear, and, in particular, to an ear gauge provided with a pierced earring retainer to allow a user to wear a pierced earring in the gauge.
Ear piercing dates back thousands of years. More recently, earrings designed to secure to pierced ears have become somewhat standardized. Modern pierced earrings typically include an ornamental piece secured to a rigid post that fits through a small (typically 18-20 gauge) hole in the user's ear. The post is received by a clutch provided on the opposite side of the ear. To prevent the earring from becoming inadvertently dislodged from the ear, the post is provided with a detent that is received and retained by the clutch. The detent may be a circular groove cut into the post, threading provided in the post, or any type of detent.
While pierced earrings remain popular, newer types of ear ornamentation have been increasing in popularity. One of these types of ornamentation is “gauges.” Gauges are a type of ear ornamentation that fits into a larger (typically 14 gauge or larger) hole, in the user's ear. A gauge may be solid “plug,” a hollow “tunnel,” or any type of ornamentation designed to fit through, and be retained within, the larger hole.
One drawback associated with gauges is that the holes they require are often too large to retain standard pierced earrings. Users who have converted to gauges often have a significant investment in pierced earrings and/or sentimental attachment to pierced earrings gifted to them or handed down from relatives. It would therefore be desirable to provide a way for a user to wear earrings with smaller diameter posts in ears with holes designed for gauges.
The deficiencies described above are overcome by the disclosed implementation of an earring support system. The earring support system secures an earring with a small diameter post in a larger gauge hole of a gauged ear. The system has an outer sleeve for securement within a gauge hole of a gauged ear and has a resilient interior keeper that fits into engagement with a catch provided on the post of a pierced earring. The earring support system may be worn with or without earrings and accommodates various sizes and types of pierced earrings.
Other implementations of the earring support system are disclosed, including implementations directed to systems for use with prior art gauges.
The present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
The earring support system of the present invention retains a pierced earring in a gauge hole in the ear of a user. The earring support system described below is distinguished over earlier systems in that the present system securely retains an earring with a small diameter post in a much larger hole. The combination of an outer race engaging the ear of the user with a retention hole allows the system to retain both the ear of a user and the post of the earring. One embodiment of the present system uses a resilient cylindrical body secured within a rigid outer cylinder. The rigid outer cylinder can be flanged or provided with O-rings or similar securement system to prevent inadvertent dislodgement from the ear of a user.
An earring support system of the present invention is shown generally as 10 in
The inner surface 16 of the outer sleeve 12 defines an interior 18 of the outer sleeve 12. Provided in the interior 18 of the outer sleeve 12 is an inner sleeve 20. The inner sleeve 20 is cylindrical and constructed of a resilient material 22, such as silicone or rubber. In a preferred embodiment, the inner sleeve 20 is constructed by injecting liquid silicone into the interior 18 of the outer sleeve 12 and allowing an exterior surface 24 of the inner sleeve 20 to cure into engagement with the interior surface 16 of the outer sleeve 12. Alternately, the inner sleeve 20 may be formed from rubber and then secured into engagement with the interior surface 16 of the outer sleeve 12 with an adhesive such as those known in the art or simply by friction fit. If desired, the inner sleeve 20 may be colored and/or mixed with a material 26, such as glitter, prior to curing to provide additional aesthetics to the system 10.
As shown in
A pierced earring 36, such as those known in the art, is provided with an ornamental end 38 coupled to the post 34. The post 34 is provided with a catch, such as a detent 40, in a manner known in the art. The pierced earring 36 is also provided with a standard clutch 42 configured with a hole 44 to slide over the post 34 and keepers 46 engage the detent 40 in a known manner. When it is desired to use the system 10, the outer sleeve 12 is provided through an existing gauge hole 48 in an ear 50 of a user 52. (
The post 34 of the earring 36 is pushed through the interior 32 of the passageway 28 until the ornamental end 38 contacts the inner sleeve 16. The post 34 is then pushed through the hole in the clutch 42 until the keepers 46 engage the detent 40. If it is desired to replace the earring 36, the process is reversed to remove the earring 36 and a new earring is inserted as described above. If it is desired to remove the system 10 from the ear 50, the O-ring 56 is rolled off of the outer sleeve 12 and the system 10 is removed from the ear 50 of the user 52. The system 10 may be removed from the ear 50 of the user 52 before or after removing the earring 36 from the passageway 28.
Alternatively, the inner sleeve 20 may be constructed thicker, with no passageway, requiring a pierced earring post 34 to be forced through the resilient material 22 to create a passageway 28 of a custom diameter, thereby allowing and so that the inner sleeve 20 to act as the keeper, pressing into direct engagement with the detent 40 of the earring 36 and securing the earring in place without the need for a separate clutch 42.
An alternative embodiment of the system is shown generally as 58 in
The inner surface 72 of the hub 70 defines an interior 74 of the hub 70. Provided on the interior 74 of the hub 70 is an inner sleeve 76. The inner sleeve 76 is cylindrical and constructed of a resilient material 78, such as silicone or rubber in a manner such as that described above. As shown in
A pierced earring 86, such as those known in the art, is provided with an ornamental end 88 coupled to a post 90. The post 90 is provided with a catch, such as a screw flight 92. The pierced earring 86 is also provided with a clutch 94 having a keeper, such as a threaded hole 96 configured to screw into threaded engagement with the with screw flight 92. When it is desired to use the system 58, the outer sleeve 60 is provided through an existing gauge hole 48 in the ear 50 of the user 52. Once inserted, the concave outer surface 62 of the outer sleeve 60 and the flanges 64 and 66 prevent the system 58 from becoming inadvertently dislodged from the gauge hole 48.
The post 90 of the earring 86 is pushed through the interior 84 of the passageway 80 until the ornamental end 88 contacts the inner sleeve 76. The threaded hole 96 of the clutch 94 is then screwed into engagement with the screw flight 92 of the post 90. If it is desired to replace the earring 86, the process is reversed to remove the earring 86 and a new earring is inserted as described above. If it is desired to remove the system 58 from the ear 50, the system 58 is simply removed from the ear 50 of the user 52.
Another alternative embodiment of the system is shown generally as 98 in
Another alternative embodiment of the system is shown generally as 114 in
The inner surface 126 of the outer sleeve 122 defines an interior 132 of the outer sleeve 122. Provided in the interior 132 of the outer sleeve 122 is an inner sleeve 134. The inner sleeve 134 is cylindrical and constructed of a resilient material 22, such as silicone or rubber. The ends 136 and 138 of the inner sleeve 134 are preferably concave, but may be flat or convex if desired. As shown in
When it is desired to use the system 114, the rubber band 128 is provided around the outer surface 124 of the outer sleeve 122, and the system 114 is inserted into the ear gauge 116 whereafter the rubber band 128 frictionally secures the system 114 to the inner surface 120 of the ear gauge 116. Thereafter, the ear gauge 116 is inserted into the gauge hole 48 of the ear 50 of the user 52, and the pierced earring 86 is secured within the passageway 140 of the inner sleeve 134 in a manner such as that described above. (
Although the invention has been described with respect to a preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that it is not to be so limited since changes and modifications can be made therein which are within the full, intended scope of this invention as defined by the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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5018365 | Luceno | May 1991 | A |
20150201719 | Seely | Jul 2015 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20190045889 A1 | Feb 2019 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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62605433 | Aug 2017 | US |