Jewelry Adapter
A jewelry adapter to be used as an earring or with a necklace is described herein. The jewelry adapters permit a person with pierced ears to wear large diameter earrings that are typically only capable of being worn by people with stretched ear holes. A jewelry adapter for use as an earring within a pierced hole of an ear includes an adapter body having an aperture, a post extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the adapter body, wherein the post is received within the pierced hole of the ear, a tunnel located within the aperture, and a large diameter earring located within the tunnel. A jewelry adapter for use with a necklace includes an adapter body including an aperture, a loop located behind the adapter body, wherein the loop receives the necklace within the loop, a tunnel located within the aperture, and a large diameter earring located within the tunnel.
The present invention generally relates to a jewelry adapter and, more particularly, to a jewelry adapter for converting large diameter ear gauges for use with typical pierced ears and necklaces.
BACKGROUNDIt is very common for people worldwide to have some part of their bodies pierced. Most common, is for people to have pierced ears. Body jewelry typically includes jewelry specifically intended for use in body piercing. Body jewelry may include ornamental jewelry that may be worn on all parts of the body, such as ears, face, nose, and the like. Body jewelry may include any variety of shapes, including rings, plugs, or various other shapes.
Currently, pierced earrings may be constructed with a pin, post or shaft affixed to a decorative end of the earring. Conventional post earrings or other piercing jewelry typically include a wire or post for penetrating the skin of the ear lobe. A first end of the post may be provided with an ornamental surface or end, and the second end of the post may be provided with a removable clasp or anchor of some sort to maintain the earring on the ear while being worn.
During use, the shaft of the earring may be inserted into a pierced hole 16 in the ear 14, as shown in
For example, in the case of a cylindrical ring worn in a person's ear, the ring may be slid into a piercing, such as a pierced hole 16, formed in the ear 14, such that the outside of the cylindrical ring contacts the inside of the pierced ear hole. The cylindrical ring may be held in place by the contact between the cylindrical ring and the skin on the inside of the pierced hole.
Stretching, in the context of body piercing, is the deliberate expansion of a healed fistula for the purpose of wearing body piercing jewelry. Stretched ear piercings are the most commonly stretched piercings. Stretching is usually done in small increments to minimize the potential for damaging the healed fistula or creating scar tissue. The originally pierced hole may be expanded or stretched such that the stretched hole 18 in the ear 14, as shown in
Ear gauges, spirals, plugs, posts, flesh tubes and other flesh piercing jewelry 20, as shown in
There is a large variety of jewelry available for stretched piercings. Many jewelry materials can be used in the manufacturing of jewelry for stretched piercings, such as materials that would ordinarily be too delicate or brittle to be inserted in smaller-gauge piercings may be used. People with normal pierced ears 16 (i.e., that do not have stretched piercings), however, cannot wear these larger gauge earrings 20.
Therefore, it may be desirable to provide a jewelry adapter that may permit a person with normal pierced ears 16 to be able to wear larger diameter ear spirals 20, posts, and the like in their pierced ears. It may also be desirable to provide a jewelry adapter that may permit a person to be able to wear these larger diameter ear spirals 20, posts and the like as a necklace.
SUMMARYA jewelry adapter that may be used as an earring or with a necklace is described herein. The jewelry adapters may permit a person with pierced ears to wear large diameter earrings that are typically only capable of being worn by people with stretched ear holes. A jewelry adapter for use as an earring within a pierced hole of an ear. The jewelry adapter may include an adapter body having an aperture, a post extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the adapter body, wherein the post is capable of being received within the pierced hole of the ear, a tunnel located within the aperture, and a large diameter earring capable of being located and removably secured within the tunnel.
A jewelry adapter for use with a necklace, including an adapter body including an aperture, a loop located behind the adapter body, wherein the loop is capable of receiving the necklace within the loop, a tunnel located within the aperture, and a large diameter earring capable of being located and removably secured within the tunnel. The jewelry adapters may include a pair of O-rings located at each end of the tunnel. The jewelry adapters may include a plurality of decorative features located on the adapter body.
Objects and advantages together with the operation of the invention may be better understood by reference to the following detailed description taken in connection with the following illustrations, wherein:
Reference will now be made in detail to exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural and functional changes may be made without departing from the respective scope of the invention. As such, the following description is presented by way of illustration only and should not limit in any way the various alternatives and modifications that may be made to the illustrated embodiments and still be within the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, as used herein, the term “exemplary” is intended to mean serving as an illustration or example of something, and is not intended to indicate a preference.
A jewelry adapter 10, 12 is illustrated in
The jewelry adapter 10 may be utilized with a large diameter earring 20 or large diameter ear gauge to be worn in a normal pierced ear earring hole 16. For example, the earrings 20 shown in
The jewelry adapters 10, 12 may be utilized to permit these large diameter earrings 20 to be worn by someone with a regular pierced ear 16 or as a pendant on a necklace 38. The jewelry adapters 10, 12 may adapt all or most large diameter earrings 20 to be worn in pierced ears 16 or on a necklace 38. The earrings 20 may be of any appropriate shape, size, diameter, type or configuration and should not be limited to what is shown here for illustrative purposes. For example, the earrings 20 may be of various claw-shaped, talon-shaped, and spiral-shaped and other decoratively shaped pieces 20. The earrings 20 may also be fabricated out of any appropriate type of material, such as stone, fossilized materials, wood, bone, metal, horn, amber, bamboo, silicone, glass and the like.
As shown in
The post 22 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type or configuration. For example, the post 22 may be of a generally cylindrical shape of a small diameter, such as those typical for pierced ears. The post 22 may be located at any appropriate position on the jewelry adapter 10, such as being located on one side of the jewelry adapter 10, whereby the post 22 may be out of sight while being worn, as shown in
The aperture 24 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type or configuration, such as of a generally circular or cylindrical shape, as illustrated in
The aperture 24 may be formed by a portion of the jewelry adapter 10 being bent or curved around the back of the jewelry adapter 10 body to form a cylindrical shape, as shown in
The earring back 26 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type or configuration. For example, the earring back 26 may generally be of a shape and size to receive the post 22 therein as well as retain the post 22 therein during use.
The jewelry adapter 10 for earrings may also include at least one decorative feature 28. For example, the jewelry adapter 10 for earrings may include any appropriate number of decorative features 28. The decorative features 28 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type, color or configuration, such as of a geometric shape, stripes, designs, and the like. For example, the decorative feature 28 may be a raised circular shape extending outward from the jewelry adapter 10, as shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the jewelry adapter 10 may include a tunnel 30, as shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the jewelry adapter 10 may include two O-rings 32, as shown in
The jewelry adapter 12 for necklaces may include an aperture 34 and a loop 36 for the necklace 38. The jewelry adapter 12 for necklaces may be of any appropriate shape, size, type or configuration. In an illustrative embodiment, the jewelry adapter 12 may include a generally triangular shaped body located above a generally square or rectangular shape when viewed from the front, as shown in
The aperture 34 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type or configuration, such as of a generally circular or cylindrical shape, as illustrated in
The aperture 34 may be formed by a portion of the jewelry adapter 12 being bent or curved around the back of the jewelry adapter 12 body to form a cylindrical shape, as shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the jewelry adapter 12 may include a tunnel 30, as shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the jewelry adapter 12 may include two O-rings 32, as shown in
Both jewelry adapters 10, 12 may utilize the same shaped and sized large diameter earrings 20, tunnels 30 and O-rings 32, whereby the earrings 20, tunnels 30 and O-rings 32 may be interchangeable for both jewelry adapters 10, 12.
The loop 36 for the necklace 38 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type or configuration. For example, the loop 36 may be of a size that may be small enough to be partially or completely hidden behind the jewelry adapter 12. The loop 36 may be of an appropriate diameter whereby a necklace 38 may be located and freely move within the loop 36.
The loop 36 may be located at any appropriate position on the jewelry adapter 12, such as located on a rear portion of the jewelry adapter 12, whereby the loop 36 may be partially or completely out of sight while wearing the necklace 38, as shown in
The jewelry adapter 12 for necklaces may also include at least one decorative feature 40. For example, the jewelry adapter 12 for necklaces may include any appropriate number of decorative features 40. The decorative features 40 may be of any appropriate shape, size, type, color or configuration, such as of a geometric shape, stripes, designs, and the like. For example, the decorative feature 40 may be a raised circular shape extending outward from the jewelry adapter 12, as shown in
In the foregoing description certain terms have been described as exemplary embodiments for purposes of brevity, clarity and understanding. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover the descriptions and illustrations herein are by way of examples and the invention is not limited to the features shown or described.
Further, in the following claims any feature described as a means for performing a function shall be construed as encompassing any means known to those skilled in the art as being capable of carrying out the recited function, and shall not be deemed limited to the particular means shown or described for performing the recited function in the foregoing description, or mere equivalents thereof.
Having described the features, discoveries and principles of the invention, the manner in which it is constructed and operated, any of the advantages and useful results attained; the new and useful structures, devices, elements, arrangements, parts, combinations, systems, equipment, operations, methods, processes and relationships are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated in the accompanying drawings and described in the foregoing detailed description, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments disclosed, but that the invention described herein is capable of numerous rearrangements, modifications and substitutions without departing from the scope of the claims hereafter.
Claims
1. A jewelry adapter for use as an earring within a pierced hole of an ear, the jewelry adapter comprising:
- an adapter body including an aperture;
- a post extending substantially perpendicularly outward from the adapter body, wherein the post is capable of being received within the pierced hole of the ear; and
- a large diameter earring capable of being located and removably secured within the aperture.
2. The jewelry adapter according to claim 1, wherein the adapter body is a substantially rectangular shape.
3. The jewelry adapter according to claim 1, wherein the jewelry adapter further includes an earring back capable of being secured onto the post.
4. The jewelry adapter according to claim 1 further comprising a tunnel located within the aperture, wherein the earring is located within the tunnel.
5. The jewelry adapter according to claim 4, wherein the tunnel is fabricated out of rubber silicone.
6. The jewelry adapter according to claim 4, wherein the jewelry adapter further includes a pair of O-rings.
7. The jewelry adapter according to claim 6, wherein the pair of O-rings are located at each end of the tunnel.
8. The jewelry adapter according to claim 1, wherein aperture is integral with the adapter body.
9. The jewelry adapter according to claim 1, wherein the post is located at an end of the adapter body opposite that of the aperture.
10. The jewelry adapter according to claim 1, wherein the jewelry adapter further includes a plurality of decorative features located on the adapter body.
11. A jewelry adapter for use with a necklace, the jewelry adapter comprising:
- an adapter body including an aperture;
- a loop located behind the adapter body, wherein the loop is capable of receiving the necklace within the loop; and
- a large diameter earring capable of being located and removably secured within the aperture.
12. The jewelry adapter of claim 11, wherein the jewelry adapter further includes a plurality of decorative features located on the adapter body.
13. The jewelry adapter according to claim 11, wherein the adapter body is a substantially triangular shape.
14. The jewelry adapter according to claim 11 further comprising a tunnel located within the aperture, wherein the earring is located within the tunnel.
15. The jewelry adapter according to claim 14, wherein the tunnel is fabricated out of rubber silicone.
16. The jewelry adapter according to claim 14, wherein the jewelry adapter further includes a pair of O-rings.
17. The jewelry adapter according to claim 16, wherein the pair of O-rings are located at each end of the tunnel.
18. The jewelry adapter according to claim 11, wherein the loop is located at an end of the adapter body opposite that of the aperture.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 1, 2012
Publication Date: Dec 5, 2013
Applicant: THOMAS FAMILY LLC (Chicago, IL)
Inventor: Mark L. Thomas (Chicago, IL)
Application Number: 13/486,699
International Classification: A44C 7/00 (20060101); A44C 5/00 (20060101);