EARRING SYSTEM HAVING A DECORATIVE SECURING ELEMENT
An earring system including a substantially curved wire member having a front end and a rear end is provided. A decorative element is attached to the front end of the wire member. The earring system further includes a securing element for releasable engagement with the rear end of the wire member.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/841,271, filed on Aug. 31, 2006, which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth.
BACKGROUNDConventional French wire or shepherd's hook style pierced earrings typically hang from a wearer's earlobes without closure. To prevent the earring from slipping out of the pierced hole in the earlobe, a small plastic or rubber retainer or clutch may be placed on the wire end of each hook. Typically, such retainers are sold separately from the earrings. Thus, retainers do not always fit properly on the wire hooks.
More specifically, too much friction between the retainer and the wire makes it difficult, if not impossible, for the wearer to install the retainer. Conversely, not enough friction between the retainer and the wire results in a loose retainer that may fall off from the end of the hook and thereby jeopardize the security of the earring.
Accordingly, there remains a need for an improved French wire earring system including a securing device that is convenient to obtain, easy to install, and effective.
SUMMARYThe present invention relates to an earring system including a substantially curved wire member having a front end and a rear end. A decorative element is attached to the front end of the wire member. The earring system further includes a securing element for releasable engagement with the rear end of the wire member.
Referring generally to
In the embodiment of the earring system 10 shown in
In a further embodiment of the earring system 50, as shown in
The present invention is not limited to the dangle lengths illustrated and described herein, and the decorative element 18 may dangle at various lengths, as desired.
Although
Referring to
Referring to
In use, the wearer removes the securing element 20 from the rear end 16 of the wire member 12 and inserts the rear end 16 through an earlobe piercing (from front to back) placing the earring 10, 40, and 50 into position on the earlobe E. The wearer then reattaches the securing element 20 on the rear end 16 of the wire member 12. Thus, the wearer enjoys an earring system 10, 40, and 50 with a securing element 20 that is both functional (i.e., it prevents the wire member 12 from sliding completely out of the earlobe piercing) and attractive (i.e., it complements the decorative element 18).
Having thus described in detail several embodiments of the present invention, it is to be appreciated and will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many physical changes, only a few of which are exemplified in the detailed description of the invention, could be made without altering the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. It is also to be appreciated that numerous embodiments incorporating only part of the preferred embodiment are possible which do not alter, with respect to those parts, the inventive concepts and principles embodied therein. The present embodiments and optional configurations are therefore to be considered in all respects as exemplary and/or illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all alternate embodiments and changes to this embodiment which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of said claims are therefore to be embraced therein.
Claims
1. An earring system comprising:
- a substantially curved wire member comprising a front end and a rear end;
- a decorative element attached to said front end of said wire member; and
- a securing element for releasable engagement with said rear end of said wire member.
2. The earring system of claim 1, wherein said rear end of said wire member comprises an external portion of a fastening system, and said securing element defines an aperture comprising an internal portion of said fastening system for complimentary engagement with said external portion of said fastening system.
3. The earring system of claim 2, wherein said external portion of said fastening system comprises external threads.
4. The earring system of claim 2, wherein said internal portion of said fastening system comprises internal threads.
5. The earring system of claim 2, wherein said external portion of said fastening system comprises an external notch portion.
6. The earring system of claim 2, wherein said internal portion of said fastening system comprises an internal notch portion.
7. The earring system of claim 2, wherein said securing element is substantially spherical and comprises a diameter.
8. The earring system of claim 7, wherein said aperture of said securing element defines a bore comprising a depth less than the diameter of said securing element.
9. The earring system of claim 1, wherein said decorative element is in substantial vertical alignment with said securing element.
10. The earring system of claim 1 further comprising an overall length, said decorative element in a plane at a top end of said length and said securing element in a plane at a bottom end of said length.
11. The earring system of claim 1 further comprising an overall length, said decorative element in a plane at a mid-portion of said length and said securing element in a plane at a bottom end of said length.
12. The earring system of claim 1 further comprising an overall length, said decorative element in a plane adjacent a bottom end of said length and said securing element in a plane at said bottom end of said length.
13. The earring system of claim 1, wherein said decorative element comprises a gemstone.
14. The earring system of claim 1, wherein said securing element is decorative.
15. The earring system of claim 1, wherein said securing element comprises a pearl.
16. A substantially spherical securing element for an earring system having a wire member, said securing element defining:
- a bore comprising a depth less than a diameter of said securing element, said bore comprising,
- an internal portion for complimentary engagement with an external portion of an end of the wire member.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 29, 2007
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2008
Inventor: Samantha J. FREEMAN (Philadelphia, PA)
Application Number: 11/846,726
International Classification: A44C 7/00 (20060101); A44C 15/00 (20060101);