Buckles – buttons – clasps – etc. – Pierced earring fastener
Patent
1998-06-17
2000-05-09
Sakran, Victor N.
Buckles, buttons, clasps, etc.
Pierced earring fastener
24580, 24701, 24667, 63 12, A44B 900, F16B 200, A44C 700
Patent
active
060585811
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to an elongated, plate-like semi-product which has a certain degree of springless and from which there is produced a jewelry clasp for securing a piece of jewelry comprising an ornamental object and a stem, such as an earring, an eardrop or a broach for instance, wherein the stem or tang is intended to coact lockingly with the clasp. The elongated semi-product includes at least one through-penetrating opening at each end thereof, or in the proximity of each end thereof, and is intended to be bent in a manner to define mutually overlapping legs such that the holes at the ends of said legs will be in register with one another in one position of said legs and therewith enable the stem to be inserted easily through said openings, and such that the surfaces defining said holes will be pressed against a stem portion of smaller cross-section in another position of the legs and therewith lock the clasp to the stem.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Ear-carried ornaments or jewelry, for instance earrings, or eardrops, can be secured in several different ways. For instance, the jewelry can be secured to the wearer's earlobe with the aid of a clip which clamps the jewelry to the earlobe. When the jewelry or ornament concerned includes a stem or tang of round cross-section, the earlobes will be pierced and the stem inserted through the hole and appropriately secured. The clasp, or like locking device, is then located behind the earlobe, with the ornament or jewel seated against or hanging from the front part of the earlobe.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
With regard to this latter category of ear-carried ornaments, part of the stem of the ornament is screw-threaded for coaction with a locking nut which, when fitted, lies against the rear side of the earlobe and prevents the stem from sliding unintentionally from the pierced hole in the earlobe. Another and more frequently used clasp design is illustrated in FIG. 1 of the accompanying drawings. An initially elongated, plate-like piece of material includes a center hole 10 and its two mutually opposite ends have been bent to form mutually opposite curved legs 11, 12. After having formed the legs of the clasp, the hole 10 will be located centrally therebetween. The ornament, or jewel, is referenced 13' in the Figure and includes a stem 13 which is inserted through a hole pierced in the earlobe of the wearer. The stem 13 includes a part of smaller cross-section, i.e. a reduced part 14 against which the extremities of the legs 11, 12 are pressed into frictional engagement. It will be understood that the legs 11, 12 have a given springiness. This known clasp design, has obvious drawbacks. As the material from which the clasp is made becomes fatigued, the frictional engagement between the stem and the rounded abutment surfaces of the clasp will decrease. This fatigue of the material caused by repeated use of the clasp cannot be controlled by the user, and when the strength of said frictional engagement is reduced, the stem is liable to slide out of the clasp. Another drawback with the clasp illustrated in FIG. 1 resides in the compromise that is made with regard to the fact that the locking friction between the legs must not be excessively large, while enabling the ornament to be fastened in and released from the ear by gripping the ornamental part of the earring with the fingers of one hand and moving the stem into and out of the pierced hole while manipulating the clasp with the other hand. The clasp is also small and is thus able to slip from the hand of the wearer when releasing the clasp, with the risk of being lost.
A similar clasp is disclosed in DE-C-30 09 607. FIGS. 4, 5 of this earlier publication illustrate an elongated, plate-like semi-product having a circular opening at or in the proximity of each end-part thereof. The semi-product is bent to form two legs which overlap one another in the longitudinal direction of the semi-product, wherein the holes and the ends of the legs can be brought into alignment with one another by exerting a
REFERENCES:
patent: 402071 (1889-04-01), Doran
patent: 2627637 (1953-02-01), Downing
patent: 3040406 (1962-06-01), Artzt
patent: 3808647 (1974-05-01), Febrer
patent: 5044176 (1991-09-01), King
patent: 5628096 (1997-05-01), Watters et al.
Dippert William H.
Sakran Victor N.
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