Abstract:
A body jewelry tool to aid in the application and removal of body piercing retaining fasteners comprises a tubular body of non-corroding stainless steel for a long life and ease of cleaning for sanitary use. The outer surface comprises a rubberized grip. An operational end of the device comprises an internal grasping mechanism that readily adapts to all sizes of threaded ball fasteners used as retainers on body piercings. In such a manner, the user or wearer can hold the jewelry in one hand while the tool is used to grasp and hold the retaining ball with the other hand. The device is then easily turned to remove or install the ball as necessary.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present invention was first described in a notarized Official Record of Invention on Apr. 13, 2009, that is on file at the offices of Montgomery Patent and Design, LLC, the entire disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to jewelry tools, and more particularly, to a tool for grasping a spherical retainer used for body jewelry. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The practice of body piercing has evolved from a simple fashion accessory to a means to make a personal statement. No longer are only ears pierced, it is now common place to see noses, tongues, lips, faces, chests, belly buttons, nipples, and even sex organs pierced in a continuing pursuit of individual expression. As body piercing has become more of a fashion statement, a vast variety of specially crafted jewelry has become available. While materials also vary widely, widespread use of surgical steel has become the most common material used to produce body jewelry. 
     Several devices have addressed the difficulties of performing the piercing of various body parts; however users must still remove and attach the body jewelry by hand. Typically body jewelry includes a labret stud, a straight post, or a captive ring which are held in place with a ball-shaped retainer attached to one end. The retainers are usually five-thirty seconds ( 5/32) of an inch in diameter and are extremely difficult to hold while attempting to remove from or apply to the threaded stem of the jewelry. This difficulty increases when the jewelry is at awkward angles, there is poor lighting, or when the retainer becomes wet and slippery. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the current lack in the art and the inherent problems, the inventor has recognized the need for a device to simply and efficiently grip a ball-shaped retainer during application to and removal from body jewelry and thus, the object of the present invention is to solve the aforementioned disadvantages and development of the present invention substantially departs from the conventional solutions and in doing so fulfills this need. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which can easily and effectively adapted to grasp various sizes of spherical body jewelry retainers. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which allows for quick removal and application of body jewelry, particularly in inaccessible locations. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is can be readily sanitized. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device which has an extended useful life. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is simple and intuitive to use with little to no training. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a device which is durable and economical to manufacture. 
     One (1) or more of these and other objects of the invention are achieved by a body jewelry tool adapted to fit comfortably within a hand of a user comprising a base sleeve having a cylindrical interior, a closed bottom end, and an open top end; a grasping mechanism having a substantially cylindrical grasping shaft extending from the base sleeve with a prehensile end and an affixed end attached to the base sleeve closed bottom; a substantially cylindrical outer sleeve slidably disposed over the grasping mechanism having an open top end and an open bottom end; and a helical compression spring disposed within the base sleeve interior and around a lower portion of the grasping shaft affixed between the base sleeve closed bottom end and the outer sleeve open bottom end. The outer sleeve having a first position and a second position having a reciprocating motion provided by the spring. An interior of the outer sleeve open top being sized smaller than an exterior of the prehensile end, such that the outer sleeve open top end applies a radially inward compressive force to the prehensile end when the outer sleeve is in the first position and applied over the prehensile end. The prehensile end is provided in a closed position when the outer sleeve is in the first position and in an open position when the outer sleeve is in the second position. The tool is intended to secure a spherical retainer of a piece of body jewelry within the prehensile end when in the closed position for threadingly attaching to and removing from a threaded stem of the body jewelry. 
     Furthermore, the described features and advantages of the invention may be combined in various manners and embodiments as one skilled in the relevant art will recognize. The invention can be practiced without one (1) or more of the features and advantages described in a particular embodiment. 
     Further objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The advantages and features of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following more detailed description and claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like elements are identified with like symbols, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a body jewelry tool  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is another perspective view of the body jewelry tool  10  depicting an in-use state, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 3  is a cut away view of the body jewelry tool  10 , according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       
         
           
                 
               
                 
                 
               
             
                 
                     
                 
                 
                   DESCRIPTIVE KEY 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
               
                 
                     
                 
               
            
             
                 
                   10 
                   body jewelry tool 
                 
                 
                   12 
                   reciprocating motion 
                 
                 
                   15 
                   body jewelry 
                 
                 
                   16 
                   retainer 
                 
                 
                   20 
                   base sleeve 
                 
                 
                   30 
                   finger engaging means 
                 
                 
                   32 
                   palm engaging means 
                 
                 
                   40 
                   outer sleeve 
                 
                 
                   42 
                   outwardly tapered end 
                 
                 
                   50 
                   grasping mechanism 
                 
                 
                   51 
                   affixed end 
                 
                 
                   52 
                   prehensile end 
                 
                 
                   53 
                   deformable tabs 
                 
                 
                   55 
                   grasping mechanism shaft 
                 
                 
                   56 
                   gripping surface 
                 
                 
                   57 
                   coupling means 
                 
                 
                   60 
                   spring 
                 
                 
                   70 
                   digit 
                 
                 
                     
                 
               
            
           
         
       
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     The best mode for carrying out the invention is presented in terms of its preferred embodiment, herein depicted within  FIGS. 1 through 3 . However, the invention is not limited to the described embodiment, and a person skilled in the art will appreciate that many other embodiments of the invention are possible without deviating from the basic concept of the invention and that any such work around will also fall under scope of this invention. It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. 
     The present invention describes a body jewelry tool (herein described as the “device”)  10 , which provides a means to assist in the donning and removal of conventional body jewelry  15 . The body jewelry  15  comprising at least one (1) spherical retainer  16  utilized to secure the body jewelry  15  to a desired body part on a wearer. The device  10  comprises a base sleeve  20 , a finger engaging means  30 , a palm engaging means  32 , an outer sleeve  40 , and a grasping mechanism  50 . The device  10  comprises dimensions suited to comfortably fit in a user&#39;s hand, preferably approximately four (4) inches in length and a one-half (½) an inch in diameter. The device  10  is preferably fabricated from a noncorrosive stainless steel enabling the device  10  to be sanitary, yet other materials may be used without limiting the scope of the device  10 . The device  10  is adaptable to various gauges of body jewelry  15 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a perspective view of the device  10  and  FIG. 2 , another perspective view of the device  10  depicting an in-use state, according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, are disclosed. The device  10  comprises a generally cylindrical form. The base sleeve  20  is located on a proximal portion of the device  10 , the finger engaging means  30  is located on an intermediate portion, and the grasping mechanism  50  is located on a distal portion. The base sleeve  20  comprises a tubular member having a contoured, generally hourglass-shaped, exterior profile, a cylindrical interior recess, and a closed bottom. The outer sleeve  40  comprises a tubular member and is slidingly attached within the base sleeve  20 ; the base sleeve  20  having an interior recess diameter sized slightly larger than an exterior diameter of the outer sleeve  40 . The finger engagement means  30  comprises a spherical body affixed around an intermediate portion of the outer sleeve  40 . The finger engagement means  40  is preferably made of a rubber material. A helical spring  60  is affixed between the closed bottom end of the base sleeve  20  and a lower end of the outer sleeve  40  to provide a reciprocating motion  12  to the outer sleeve  40  with respect to the base sleeve  20 . The lower end of the outer sleeve  40  is affixed to a top end of the spring  60  via a coupling means  57 . The coupling means  57  is preferably a flat washer having in inner diameter sized to fit around the grasping mechanism shaft  55 . 
     The grasping mechanism  50  comprises a grasping shaft  55  having an affixed end  51  and a prehensile end  52  opposite the affixed end  51 . The affixed end  51  of the grasping shafted  55  is rigidly affixed to the bottom end of base sleeve  20  and is disposed within an open interior of the spring  60 . The prehensile end  52  comprises a plurality of resilient and deformable tabs  53  having an open position and a closed position. The plurality of tabs  53  have arcuate ends and are circumferentially positioned relative to each other. The open position is produced when the outer sleeve  40  is depressed into the base sleeve  20 , thus allowing the plurality of tabs  53  to expand to a natural position. The closed position is produced when the outer sleeve  40  is expanded by the spring  60  back to an original position. An upper open end of the outer sleeve  40  further comprises an outwardly tapered end  42  which exerts a compressive force upon the plurality of tabs  53  in order to contract and close. An inner surface of each of the plurality of tabs  53  further comprises a gripping surface  56 . The gripping surface  56  comprises a texture, a plurality of contours, or a material which provides a high level of friction between the gripping surface  56  and the exterior of the retainer  16 . In a preferred embodiment the prehensile end  52  comprises a split collet type of clamping chuck which forms a collar around the retainer ball  16  of the body jewelry  15 . However, it is understood by those skilled in the art that other forms of clamping mechanisms are suitable for the prehensile end  52 . 
     In use, the device  10  is held in the hand of the user with the palm engaging means  20  making contact with lower portion of the palm of the user, preferably near the base of the thumb, and at least two fingers in contact with the finger engaging means  30 . When the fingers are drawn toward the palm the outer sleeve  40  moves in an upward and downward reciprocating motion  12  as the outer sleeve  40  is depressed which internally compresses the spring  60 . The depressed outer sleeve  40  exposes the prehensile end  52  and places the plurality of tabs  53  in the open position. The retainer  16  is inserted into the center of the expanded plurality of tabs  53  and the outer sleeve  40  is allowed to return to the original position where the upper open end of the outer sleeve  40  contracts the plurality of tabs  53 , thus grasping the retainer  16 . Once the detachable retainer  16  has been secured within the prehensile end  52 , the user preferably grips the device  10  at the finger engaging means  30  and rotates the device  10  clockwise or counterclockwise to remove or attach the retainer  16  from the body jewelry  15 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a cut-away view of the device  10 , according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, is disclosed. The preferred internal layout of the device  10  can be best seen in this view. The helical compression spring  60  is attached to the closed bottom of the base sleeve  20  with fastening means such as, but not limited to: interference fitting, integral molding, adhesive, or the like. The spring  60  engages the outer sleeve  40  via the coupling means  57  enabling the spring  60  to compress against the lower end of the outer sleeve  40 , thus exerting a force against the outer sleeve  40  to return to an expanded position and concurrently contracting the prehensile end  52  inwardly in a radial direction. Such compression enables the prehensile end  52  to grasp the retainer  16  of the piece of body jewelry  15 . 
     It is envisioned that other styles and configurations of the present invention can be easily incorporated into the teachings of the present invention, and only one particular configuration shall be shown and described for purposes of clarity and disclosure and not by way of limitation of scope. 
     The preferred embodiment of the present invention can be utilized by the common user in a simple and effortless manner with little or no training. After initial purchase or acquisition of the device  10 , it would be installed as indicated in  FIGS. 1 through 3 . 
     The method of utilizing the device  10  may be achieved by performing the following steps: acquiring the device  10 ; positioning the device  10  such that the palm engaging means  32  is in contact with the user&#39;s palm and the finger engaging means  30  is in contact with the user&#39;s fingers; engaging the fingers engaging means  30  and depressing the outer sleeve  40 , thereby compressing a spring  60  between the outer sleeve  40  and the bottom of the base sleeve  20 , thus concurrently exposing the prehensile end  52  of the grasping mechanism  50 ; inserting the retainer  16  portion of a desired body jewelry  15  into the expanded plurality of deformable tabs  53  of the prehensile end  52 ; disengaging the finger engaging means  30 , thereby expanding the spring  60  and returning the outer sleeve  40  to an original position, thus concurrently closing the plurality of deformable tabs  53  around the retainer  16  to simultaneously grasp the retainer  16  and retract the grasping mechanism  50 ; rotating the device  10  clockwise or counter clockwise, preferably by holding the finger engaging means  30 , to attach or remove the retainer  16 , respectively; removing or donning the body jewelry  16  from the user; engaging the fingers engaging means  30  and depressing the outer sleeve  40 , thus concurrently exposing the prehensile end  52  of the grasping mechanism  50 ; and, releasing the retainer  16 . 
     The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.