Non-pierced earring, and fitting implement for the same

Abstract

A non-pierced earring can be secured to the earlobe with elastic restoring force of itself, and causes no pain. An implement 6 for fitting, on an earlobe, a non-pierced earring that includes a coupling unit made of an elastic wire material and bent so as to maintain a predetermined distance between both ends, and a pair of ear contact units wider than the diameter of the coupling unit and respectively disposed at both ends of the coupling unit with principal surfaces facing each other includes a pair of levers 7 and 8 each having a front end portion and a rear end portion and coupled to each other between the front end portions and the rear end portions via a rotation shaft so as to cause the front end portions to open or close when the rear end portions close or open.

Claims

1. A non-pierced earring fitting implement for fitting a non-pierced earring on an earlobe, wherein the non-pierced earring to be fitted comprises: a coupling unit comprising an elastic wire material and bent so as to maintain a predetermined distance between both ends; and a pair of ear contact units respectively disposed at both ends of the coupling unit with principal surfaces facing each other, each ear contact unit being wider than the coupling unit, the non-pierced earring fitting implement comprising: a pair of levers each comprising a front end portion and a rear end portion, thereby the levers collectively having front end portions and rear end portions, the pair of levers capable of becoming parallel with each other when the front end portions are in a half-open state; and a rotation shaft for coupling the pair of levers together at an intermediate portion between the front end portion and the rear end portion so as to cause the front end portions, to be inserted between the pair of ear contact units, to open or close when the rear end portions close or open, wherein the pair of levers have a maximum distance equal to or less than 10 mm between respective outer faces of the front end portions when the front end portions are open.

2. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the levers comprises a bearing protruding inward between the front end portion and the rear end portion.

3. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein the front end portion of at least one lever of the levers has a shallowly depressed outer face approaching the front end portion of another lever toward a bottom of an outer face.

4. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein the front end portion of at least one lever of the levers has a flat outer face parallel to the rotation shaft.

5. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein the front end portion of at least one lever of the levers has a flat outer face making an acute angle with the rotation shaft.

6. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein a rotation angle of the pair of levers is restricted by collision of a rear end portion of a first lever with a rear end portion of a second lever.

7. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein the front end portion of at least one lever of the levers is thinner than the rear end portion of the same lever when viewed in a rotation shaft direction.

8. The fitting implement according to claim 1, wherein the rear end portion of at least one lever of the levers is wider than the front end portion of the same lever in a rotation shaft direction.

9. The fitting implement according to claim 1, the fitting implement further comprising a spring to perform biasing toward a direction that the rear end portions of the pair of levers open.

10. A method of fitting a non-pierced earring comprising a coupling unit and a pair of ear contact units to an earlobe, the method comprising: providing a fitting implement comprising a pair of levers coupled to each other via a rotation shaft so as to cause front end portions of the pair of levers to open or close when rear end portions of the pair of levers close or open; widening a space between the ear contact units by inserting the front end portions of the pair of levers between inner faces of the pair of ear contact units or between areas adjacent to the pair of ear contact units with the front end portions being in a closed or half-open state and closing the rear end portions with a gripping force; and decreasing the gripping force to pull the fitting implement out, wherein the coupling unit comprises an elastic wire material and bent so as to maintain a predetermined distance between both ends, the ear contact units are respectively disposed at both ends of the coupling unit with principal surfaces facing each other, and each ear contact unit is wider than the coupling unit.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the pair of levers have a maximum distance equal to or less than 10 mm between outer faces of the front end portions when the front end portions are open.

12. A system for applying a non-pierced earring to an earlobe, comprising: the non-pierced earring and a non-pierced earring fitting implement, wherein the non-pierced earring comprises: a coupling unit comprising an elastic wire material and bent so as to maintain a predetermined distance between both ends; and a pair of ear contact units respectively disposed at both ends of the coupling unit with principal surfaces facing each other, each ear contact unit being wider than the coupling unit, wherein the non-pierced earring fitting implement comprises: a pair of levers each comprising a front end portion and a rear end portion, thereby the levers collectively having front end portions and rear end portions, the pair of levers capable of becoming parallel with each other when the front end portions are in a half-open state; and a rotation shaft for coupling the pair of levers together at an intermediate portion between the front end portion and the rear end portion so as to cause the front end portions, to be inserted between the pair of ear contact units, to open or close when the rear end portions close or open, wherein the pair of levers have a maximum distance equal to or less than 10 mm between respective outer faces of the front end portions when the front end portions are open.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) FIG. 1(a) is a front view of a non-pierced earring of Embodiment 1, and FIG. 1(b) is a side view of the same.

(2) FIG. 2(a) is a front view of a fitting implement of Embodiment 1, FIG. 2(b) is a plan view of the same, and FIG. 2(c) is a cross-sectional view along the line D-D in FIG. 2(a).

(3) FIG. 3(a) is a front view of a first lever of the fitting implement. FIG. 3(b) is a plan view of the same, and FIG. 3(c) is a bottom view of a second lever.

(4) FIG. 4(a) is a cross-sectional view along the line A-A in FIG. 3(a), FIG. 4(b) is a cross-sectional view along the B-B in the same, and FIG. 4(c) is a cross-sectional view along the line C-C in the same.

(5) FIG. 5(a), FIG. 5(b), and FIG. 5(c) are front views respectively illustrating a closed state, a half-open state, and an open state of front end portions among motions of the fitting implement.

(6) FIG. 6 is as perspective view illustrating a method for widening the space between ear contact units of the non-pierced earring using the fitting implement.

(7) FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating the maximum distance between outer faces of the front end portions when the front end portions of the fitting implement are open.

(8) FIG. 8 is a view of the non-pierced earring being attached to the earlobe with the fitting implement taken from the front of the non-pierced earring.

(9) FIG. 9 is a front view of a fitting implement of Embodiment 2.

(10) FIG. 10 is a front view of a fitting implement of Embodiment 3.

(11) FIG. 11 is a plan view of a fitting implement of Embodiment 4.

(12) FIG. 12(a) is a front view of a non-pierced earring of Embodiment 5, and FIG. 12(b) is a side view of the same.

(13) FIG. 13(a) is a front view of an intermediate product of a non-pierced earring of Embodiment 6, and FIG. 13(b) is a side view of the same.

(14) FIG. 14(a) is as front view of the non-pierced earring of Embodiment 6, 14(b) is a left-side view of the same, and FIG. 14(c) is a right-side view of the same.

(15) FIG. 15 is a view of the non-pierced earring of Embodiment 1 being attached to the earlobe with a fitting implement of Embodiment 7 taken from the front of the non-pierced earring.

(16) FIG. 16(a) is a front view of a non-pierced earring of Embodiment 8, and FIG. 16(b) is a side view of the same.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Embodiment 1

(17) A non-pierced earring 1 of this embodiment includes a coupling unit 2 that is U-shaped in a front view as illustrated in FIG. 1, disk-shaped ear contact units 3 and 4 respectively secured to both ends of the coupling unit, and an ornament 5.

(18) The coupling unit 2 is formed by bending a wire material made of a TiNi shape-memory alloy having a diameter of 0.7 mm into a U shape at equal to or lower than the transformation point so that the space between both ends will be about as large as the thickness of the earlobe, for example, 4 mm to 5 mm, and further bending the material so that the portions adjacent to both ends will be rings in planes orthogonal to the U shape and parallel to the center line of the U shape. The distance from both ends to the bottom of the U shape may be a distance with which the bottom of the U shape does not push the earlobe up and both ends of the U shape touch a thin portion of the earlobe, for example, about 10 mm.

(19) The ear contact units 3 and 4 are both made of metal such as brass, iron, and stainless steel having a thickness of 0.5 mm and are respectively bonded with an adhesive or welded to the outer faces of the rings at both ends of the coupling unit 2. On the inner faces of the ear contact units 3 and 4, a silicone rubber is applied to the extent that the ring portions at both ends of the coupling unit 2 are buried to constitute buffers 3a and 4a. The diameter of the ear contact unit 3 is 5 mm, and the diameter of the ear contact unit 4 is 7 mm. The ornament 5 is attached to the outer face of the ear contact unit 4. The space between the buffers 3a and 4a is commonly 0.7 to 1.3 mm, depending on the thickness of the earlobe of a person who wears the non-pierced caning 1.

(20) When the non-pierced earring 1 is to be worn, the non-pierced earring 1 is cooled by being held in a refrigerator, and the space between the ear contact units 3 and 4 is adjusted appropriately while the non-pierced earring 1 is still cool after being taken out of the refrigerator. This operation is not required afterward if the space has reached the extent that the wearer is satisfied, as long as the wearer is the same. Next, the space between the ear contact units 3 and 4 of the non-pierced caning 1 that has reached an ordinary temperature is widened with the fingers, the earlobe is inserted between the ear contact units 3 and 4, the earlobe is pinched by the ear contact units 3 and 4 by relaxing the fingers, and the non-pierced earring 1 is secured to the ear. The buffers 3a and 4a softly touch the earlobe, and thus the non-pierced earring 1 does not injure the earlobe when inserting the earlobe. In addition, the buffers 3a and 4a absorb part of accidental impact on the non-pierced earring 1 during the fitting, and injury rarely occur.

(21) The non-pierced caning 1 looks like a pierced earring because the ear contact units 3 and 4 pinch and hold the earlobe with elastic force of the coupling unit 2 while being worn. The pinching force does not decrease because the coupling unit 2 is made of a shape-memory alloy. In addition, since both ends of the coupling unit 2 maintain a distance about as large as the thickness of the earlobe, about the same distance is maintained also between the ear contact units 3 and 4, and no excessive pressure is applied on the earlobe. Furthermore, since the ear contact units 3 and 4 are made of plates having larger widths than the diameter of the wire material, pressure on the earlobe due to the wire material is distributed. Thus, no pain is experienced even after being worn for a long time.

(22) It is good to use a fitting implement 6 illustrated in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4 to wear the non-pierced earring 1 when it is difficult to widen the space between the ear contact units 3 and 4 with only the fingers and when the coupling unit 2 may deform plastically due to over-widening.

(23) The fitting implement 6 includes a pair of levers 7 and 8 coupled to each other at the middle portion in the length direction so that front end portions and rear end portions will open and close in the directions opposite to each other, and a cylindrical rotation shaft 9 that rotatably couples the levers 7 and 8.

(24) The lever 7 is made of a stainless steel plate or an anticorrosion-treated metal plate. As illustrated in FIGS. 3(a) and 3(b), the lever 7 has such an outer shape as the shape of a track for track and field events, which is defined by two parallel long sides and semicircular short sides coupling the long sides in a plan view, and includes tabs 7a for reinforcement extending from both long sides in the direction perpendicular to the plane. The tabs 7a for reinforcement have uniform widths except that bearings 7b further extending in the perpendicular direction are formed at points somewhat apart from the middle point toward the front end in the length direction, that the tabs 7a for reinforcement end before reaching the front end of the lever 7, and that the widths gradually decrease toward the rear end in the portion adjacent to the rear end of the lever 7. The bearings 7b have holes 7c through which the rotation shaft 9 is passed. The upper face adjacent to the front end of the lever 7 has a shallow circular depression 7d having a depth of about 0.2 mm in a plan view. The area of the depression 7d is about as large as the application area of the buffer 3a or 4a.

(25) The lever 8 has the same shape as the shape of the lever 7 except that the space between the bearings 8b and 8b is smaller by the plate thickness of the lever 7. The fitting implement 6 is completed by passing the rotation shaft 9 through the holes with the bearings 7b and 7b being aligned with the bearings 8b and 8b, and then bending both ends of the rotation shaft 9. In the fitting implement 6, as illustrated in FIG. 5, the levers 7 and 8 move so that the front end portions will close when the rear end portions open, and the front end portions will open when the rear end portions close. The rotation angle is restricted by collision of the front end portions with each other or the rear end portions with each other in either rotation direction. The rotation shaft 9 may be prevented from dropping off the bearings by riveting instead of bending both ends.

(26) When the fitting implement 6 is used, the front end portions are inserted between the inner faces of the ear contact units 3 and 4 with the front end portions being in a half-open state as illustrated in FIG. 6, and then the rear end portions are closed. This operation fully opens the front end portions and causes the buffers 3a and 4a to fit in the depressions 7d and 8d to prevent the non-pierced earring 1 from dropping off the fitting implement 6, and the space between the ear contact units 3 and 4 can be easily widened by the action of levers. In addition, the risk that the space may be unable to return to the original size due to over-opening of the ear contact units 3 and 4 can be prevented because the state in which the rear end portions contact each other is the maximum of the degree of opening of the front end portions.

(27) In other words, as long as the non-pierced earring 1 is attached using the fitting implement 6, the space between the ear contact units 3 and 4 does not become wider than a distance D between the front end portions of when the rear end portions are closed as illustrated in FIG. 7, and plastic deformation of the coupling unit 2 is prevented. The distance D is, for example, 5.5 mm. An earlobe L is inserted between the front end portions with the front end portions being opened as illustrated by the imaginary lines in FIG. 8, and the front end portions are closed as illustrated by the solid lines. After that, the fitting implement 6 is slowly pulled out while the non-pierced earring 1 is pinched by the hand from both sides of the earlobe L, and thus the non-pierced earring 1 is secured to the earlobe L.

(28) When the non-pierced earring 1 does not include the buffers 3a and 4a, the depressions 7d and 8d may not be disposed.

Embodiment 2

(29) The fitting implement 6 may include a spring that biases the rear end portions of the levers 7 and 8 toward the opening direction. Examples of the spring include such a torsion spring 2a as illustrated in FIG. 9. With this constitution, a closed state of the front end portions of the levers 7 and 8 can be easily maintained, and the front end portions can be easily inserted between the ear contact units of the non-pierced earring.

Embodiment 3

(30) A coil spring 2b may be attached so as to straddle the rear end portions of the levers 7 and 8 as illustrated in FIG. 10, in place of the torsion spring 2a in Embodiment 2.

Embodiment 4

(31) In a fitting implement 16 of this embodiment, the rear end portion of a lever 17 is wider in the rotation shaft 19 direction than the front end portion of the same lever as illustrated in FIG. 11, and the widened areas have semicircular shapes. The tabs for reinforcement are not disposed because the entire lever 17 is formed of a metal plate or a plastic thicker than the lever 7 of Embodiment 1. The other lever 18 that is not illustrated has a similar shape. This constitution makes it easy to hold the rear end portions. Both ends of a rotation shaft 19 are riveted.

Embodiment 5

(32) A non-pierced earring 11 of this embodiment shares, with the non-pierced earring of Embodiment 1, the features that a coupling unit 12 is U-shaped in a front view, that ear contact units 13 and 14 are disposed on both ends of the coupling unit 12 and are disk-shaped, and that the non-pierced earring 11 includes the ornament 5, as illustrated in FIG. 12.

(33) The difference from Embodiment 1 is that the coupling unit 12 and the ear contact units 13 and 14 are made of the same TiNi shape-memory alloy and are integrally worked continuously with each other. Thus, there is no risk of dropping of the ear contact units 13 and 14 off the coupling unit 12 even after use for a long time.

Embodiment 6

(34) A non-pierced earring 21 of this embodiment includes a coupling unit 22 and ear contact units 23 and 24 that are separately worked as in Embodiment 1. The coupling unit 22 is formed by bending a wire material of high-strength piano wire having a diameter of 0.5 mm into a U shape. The ear contact unit 23 is made of an approximately disk-shaped metal plate and has a slit 23b about as wide as the diameter of the wire material from the center toward the radial direction. The ear contact unit 24 also has a similar slit 24b. An end (the other end) of the coupling unit 22 is fit in the slit 23b (24b) and, in this state, is welded to the ear contact unit 23 (24).

(35) A urethane rubber is applied to each inner face of the ear contact units 23 and 24 to constitute buffers 23a and 24a. An ornament 15 is attached to the outer face of the ear contact unit 23. The ornament 15 is also attached to the coupling unit which is different from Embodiment 1.

Embodiment 7

(36) In a fitting implement of this embodiment, the front end portions of levers 27 and 28 have inverted trapezoidal shapes in a cross-sectional view in the thickness direction. In other words, the inner faces of the front end portions facing each other are parallel to the rotation shaft, and the outer faces make acute angles with the rotation shaft. This constitution causes the entire outer faces of the from end portions of the levers 27 and 28 to be pressed against the elastic wire material of the coupling unit 2 as illustrated in FIG. 15 when the space between the ear contact units is widened, and thus the constitution makes it easy to widen the space between the ear contact units 3 and 4 and also to pull the fitting implement out.

Embodiment 8

(37) In a non-pierced earring 31 of this embodiment, buffers 33a and 34a secured to the inner faces of ear contact units 33 and 34 facing each other are made of cylindrical or drum-shaped urethane rubbers. The buffers 33a and 34a are disposed by, for example, die-cutting a rubber sheet with a die into a cylindrical shape, leaving the products as they are or chamfering the ridge lines, and then respectively bonding the products to the inner faces of the ear contact units 33 and 34 with an adhesive. Pressure on the earlobe is further distributed because the faces of the buffers 33a and 34a to contact the earlobe are flat. Other elements may be the same as the elements of Embodiment 5 in both shape and quality.

Embodiment 9

(38) In a fitting implement of this embodiment, to the inner face of the rear end portion of one lever 7 (8) in the fitting implement 6 of Embodiment 1, a spacer protruding toward the rear end portion of the other lever 8 (7) is attached by known means such as welding and screws, which is not illustrated. This constitution prevents the rear end portions of the levers 7 and 8 from being closed excessively narrowly beyond the height of the spacer and further prevents over-opening of the front end portions.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

(39) 1, 11, 21, 31 Non-pierced earrings 2, 12, 22, 32 Coupling Units 3, 4, 13, 14, 23, 24, 33, 34 Ear Contact Units 5, 15, 35 Ornaments 6 Fitting Implement 7, 8, 17, 27, 28 Levers 9, 19 Pins