Abstract:
This disclosure describes systems, methods, and apparatus for an earring safety device that can be clipped to an ear enveloping an earring so as to protect the ear and the wearer&#39;s head from the earring during fast-paced activities. The earring safety device can enable athletes to participate in contact sports without removing the earring, especially where rules would otherwise preclude the athlete from competing. The earring safety device can also protect the wearer from snagging the earring during high-intensity activities and jobs The protection also protects the athlete from injury due to impacts made to the earring.

Description:
RELATED CASES AND PRIORITY 
     This application claims the benefit of Non-Provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 61/631,850 filed on Jan. 13, 2012, the details of which are incorporated by reference into the present application in their entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     This invention relates to methods and apparatus for protecting ears, and in particular, to methods and apparatus for protecting pierced ears and adjacent tissue from physical injury during sporting or other fast-paced activities. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Participation in youth sports while wearing one or more earrings or ear piercings generates a host of safety issues that are often addressed by rules and policies. Objects that strike the ear when an earring is in place can cause the backing to strike the skull causing discomfort and/or injury. Earrings and piercings of the ear can also snag on clothing or equipment. Such injuries have predominantly been seen in sports such as soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, softball and basketball, to name a few. In most cases rules require a player to remove his/her earring prior to the start of play. This can present a difficult decision for some athletes with newly pierced ears because they have been told that if they remove the earrings from the piercing that the hole will close up. This can lead to players choosing not to play rather than choosing to remove their earring(s). Some leagues allow a player to cover the earring or ear piercing with tape such as athletic tape. However, the athletic tape provides little to no protection and has significant aesthetic drawbacks. 
     Other solutions have considered medical adhesive bandages, which may have a thicker, padded portion that is centrally located on the bandage, however the padded portion typically does not cover all portions of the ear and the earring that need to be protected. For instance if the padded portion covers the earring on the front of the earlobe, then only a thin adhesive layer typically protects the back of the earring (or the earring backing). Adhesive bandages are also designed to be substantially flush with the surface that they are covering. Earrings present sharp protruding edges, and anything but the subtle curves that bandages typically affix to on human flesh. As such, adhesive bandages are awkward to affix to both the earlobe and the earring. Additionally, even this added thickness may not be sufficient to prevent injury to the head or neck if the ball hits the ear shoving the back portion or earring backing into the athletes head or neck. Athletes, especially younger ones, can also be self-conscious of wearing “Band-Aids” on their ears. 
     A variety of solutions propose the use of some sort of adhesive to secure a protecting device or material to the ear. However, these solutions are one-time use solutions. 
     Yet further solutions have considered clip on protective earrings for attachment to a user&#39;s ear including a pair of pivitolly-coupled clamshell protectors. However, the clamshell design allows an earring backing to move in various directions relative to the protector, which can lead to discomfort. Furthermore, a clamshell shape often has a shallow depth making it more likely that an earring backing will be pressured by the clamshell protector into the ear thus further causing discomfort. Additionally, a clamshell design distributes a pressure of the clamping around a narrow outer rim or circumference of the clamshell thus applying focused pressure on the ear. 
     There is therefore a need in the art for a reusable protective device offering greater protection than athletic tape or bandages, offering comfort, and being acceptable by a variety of youth sports organizers. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention that are shown in the drawings are summarized below. These and other embodiments are more fully described in the Detailed Description section. It is to be understood, however, that there is no intention to limit the invention to the forms described in this Summary of the Invention or in the Detailed Description. One skilled in the art can recognize that there are numerous modifications, equivalents and alternative constructions that fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. 
     Some embodiments of the disclosure may be characterized as an earring safety device arranged over an earring of an ear. The device can include a back arced portion, right and left flanges, and a tension mechanism. The front face can be configured for proximal arrangement to a front of the earring so as to protect the earring from external impacts, a top curved portion of the front face arranged so as to hook around an antitragus or helix of the ear and assist in holding the earring safety device onto the ear. The back arced portion can be pivotally coupled to the front portion. The right and left flanges can extend from the back arced portion towards the front face and can be configured to restrict movement of an earring backing from lateral motion. The tension mechanism can be coupled to the front face and the back arced portion so that the front face and the back arced portion are rotatably pressed towards each other, and are configured to press a portion of the ear between the back arced portion and the front face to decrease movement between the earring safety device, the earring, and the ear. 
     Other embodiments of the disclosure may also be characterized as an earring safety device arranged over an earring of an ear so as to prevent external contact with the earring. The earring safety device can comprise a front face, a back arced portion, and a tension mechanism. The front face can be configured to be arranged proximal to a front face of the earring. The back arced portion can be rotatably coupled to the front portion via an axis of rotation that intersects a bottom of the front face and a bottom of the back arced portion, the back arced portion having a concave region facing an inner surface of the front face. The tension mechanism can overlap the axis of rotation and couple to the front face and the back arced portion, the tension mechanism applying a force to the front face and the back arced portion configured to cause the inner surface of the front face to rotate around the axis of rotation towards the back arced portion. 
     Other embodiments of the disclosure can be characterized as a method of protection against bodily harm from an earring fixed to an ear. The method can comprise rotatably separating a back arced portion of an earring safety device from a front face of the earring safety device creating a gap between a top of the back arced portion and an inner surface of the front face. The method can further comprise fitting an edge of the ear through the gap so that the earring safety device envelopes the earring fixed to the ear. The method can also comprise releasing the back arced portion and the front face so that a tension mechanism of the earring safety device rotatably closes the gap and clamps the earring safety device to the edge of the ear. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Various objects, advantages and a more complete understanding of the present invention are apparent and more readily appreciated by referring to the following detailed description and to the appended claims when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a three-quarter view of an earring safety device; 
         FIG. 2A  shows a front of the earring safety device  200 ; 
         FIG. 2B  shows a back of the earring safety device  200 ; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of an embodiment of an earring safety device; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an embodiment of an earring safety device coupled to a pierced ear; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates an earring safety device arranged over an earlobe and antitragus of an ear; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates an earring safety device arranged over an earring in a helix of an ear; 
         FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of two earring safety devices arranged on different portions of the ear; 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a method of protection against bodily harm from an earring fixed to an ear; 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a three-quarter view of another earring safety device; 
         FIG. 10A  shows a front of the earring safety device with an earring release slot as was illustrated in  FIG. 9 ; and 
         FIG. 10B  shows a back of the earring safety device with the earring release slot illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure relates generally to bodily protection and more particularly to apparatus and methods for preventing bodily injury from earrings worn during sports or other activities involving rapid movement. 
     The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. 
     Prior solutions have been held back by lack of comfort, insufficient product strength, and movement of the device relative to the ear and the earring, insufficient protection from all sides, and inability to be used on other than the earlobe of the ear. The herein disclosed earring safety device uses a novel shape and clamping mechanism to distribute pressure across the ear and to greatly improve the comfort of the device. Further, the shape of the device prevents substantial movement of the earring or ear relative to the device thus improving comfort and safety. In contrast, solutions known in the art, such as clamshell devices or adhesive type products allow the earring backing to move side to side up to 180 degrees which could cause discomfort. The device also provides a full six sides of protection and is configured for use on various portions of the ear including the helix. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates a three-quarter view of an earring safety device. The earring safety device  100  includes a front face  102  and a back arced portion  104 . The front face  102  and the back arced portion  104  are coupled via a tension mechanism  110  that overlaps an axis of rotation  120  passing through a bottom  108  of the front face  102  and a bottom  109  of the back arced portion  104 . The tension mechanism  110  causes the front face  102  and the back arced portion  104  to be pivotally forced towards each other around the axis of rotation  120 . The earring safety device  100  can also include flanges  116  protruding from the back arced portion  104  towards the front face  102 . The combination of the curvature of the back arced portion  104  and the flanges  116  creates a concave region  250  (see  FIG. 2B ) suitable for accepting an earring backing. Flanges  116  act as “guard rails” limiting the movement of the earring backing, which ensures the earring backing is covered at all times. The front face  102  has less curvature (or can be flat) than the back arced portion  104 , and is therefore well-suited to press protect a front portion of an earring and a front of the earlobe or helix, where a front portion of an earring typically protrudes less than the earring backing. 
     The front face  102  can be tapered such that the bottom  108  is wider than the top  106 . The back arced portion  104  can also be tapered such that the bottom  109  of the back arced portion  104  is wider than a top  107  portion of the back arced portion  104 . This tapering is more clearly seen in  FIGS. 2A and 2B . 
       FIG. 2A  shows a front of the earring safety device  200 . Only the front face  202  is visible here and the taper is clearly visible with the top  206  being narrower than the bottom  208 . 
       FIG. 2B  shows a back of the earring safety device  200 . Here both the back arced portion  204  and parts of the front face  202  can be seen. The top  206  of the front face  202  is narrower than the bottom  208  of the front face  202  while a top  207  of the back arced portion  204  is narrower than a bottom  209  of the rear arched portion  204 . The illustrated taper is not limiting, and any taper angle can be used. Also, the taper of the front face  202  and the back arced portion  204  can differ, as illustrated. There is also no requirement that the taper be linear. 
     Dashed lines in  FIG. 2B  indicate an outline of the concave region  250  in which the earring backing can rest and thus reduce movement of the earring relative to the earring safety device  200 . Furthermore, the concave region  250  can be large enough to accept an entire earring backing such that the earring safety device is not placing pressure on the earring backing unlike the way that clamshell or adhesive design do. 
     The tension mechanism  110  of  FIG. 1  is illustrated in  FIGS. 2A and 2B  as a coiled spring  212  around a post, where the spring  212  creates a rotational force around the axis of rotation  220 . This rotational force presses the front face  202  and the back arced portion  204  together at a top  207  of the back arced portion  204  and at a location in the upper half of the front face  202 . In other embodiments, other tension mechanisms can be used—for instance, other types of springs or materials with elastic qualities can be used. In one embodiment, a stiff rubber or rubber-like material can wrap around the axis  220  or be a part of the axis  220  and twisting of this material can create the tension. In one embodiment, the tension mechanism  110  can be partially or wholly covered or enveloped. For instance, given a coiled spring as the tension mechanism, a plastic enclosure may envelope the coiled spring to help prevent an earring from snagging on any exposed portions of the coiled spring. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of an embodiment of an earring safety device. The front face  206  can be seen to be coupled to the back arced portion  204  via a tension mechanism  210  which causes a top  207  of the back arced portion  204  to rotatably press against an inner face  212  of the front face  206 . In this fashion, the front face  202  and the back arced portion  204  can rotatably press against each other clamp a portion of an earlobe between them. One of the flanges  216  can be seen to extend from the back arced portion  204  so as to form one side of the concave region  250 . Although only one of the two flanges  216  is visible in  FIG. 3 , the following will refer to both flanges  216  as these features are equally applicable to both flanges  216 . 
     An inside face  212  of the front face  206  is illustrated as being substantially flat. However, in other embodiments, greater curvature than that shown is possible. Both a front of the earring and portions of the earlobe, helix, or other parts of the ear can be pressed against this inner face  212  when in use. 
     A top curved portion  214  of the front face  206  has curvature or an angle enabling the top curved portion  214  to hook around an antitragus or helix of an ear. The angle and length of the top curved portion  214  can be tailored for different parts of the ear or can be generalized so as to fit various portions of the ear. The illustrated shape, angle, and dimensions of the top curved portion  214  are thus not limiting. 
     The flanges  216  can be shaped so as to fit a back of the earlobe, helix of the ear, or some other part of the ear. Alternatively, the flanges  216  can be shaped so as to reduce or distribute a pressure on the back of the earlobe, helix of the ear, or some other part of the ear. The illustrated flanges  216  extend partway to an inner surface  212  of the front face  202  so that there is room for the earlobe, helix, or other portion of the ear between the back arced portion  204  and the front face  202 . An angle of the flanges  216  relative to the back arced portion  204  as well as a thickness of the flanges  216  can vary as long as the concave region  250  maintains sufficient volume to accept a earring backing. 
     If the earring safety device  202  were to be pulled from an ear, there is the possibility of injury and the device  202  might pull the earring out of the ear via tearing through skin. One solution is the addition of an earring release slot  911  as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . The earring release slot  911  can be cut completely through the back arced portion  904  so that an earring can pass through the earring release slot  911  if the earring safety device  900  is pulled and the back arced portion  904  does not open relative to the front face  906 . 
       FIG. 10A  shows a front of the earring safety device  900 , while  FIG. 10B  shows a back of the earring safety device  900 . A concave region  1050  is seen in a back arced portion  1004  where the earring backing can rest and thus reduce movement of the earring relative to the earring safety device. In the event that the earring safety device  1000  is pulled from the ear, an earring release slot  1011  is arranged through the back arced portion  1004  to allow the earring to slide through the earring safety device  1000 . 
     The earring release slot  1011  is illustrated as abutting a top of the concave portion  1050 , however in other embodiments, the earring release slot  1011  can be cut into the concave portion  1050  or can be short enough that it does not abut a top of the concave portion  1050 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of an embodiment of an earring safety device coupled to a pierced ear. An earlobe  430  can be seen to have an earring passing through it, the earring having a front portion  420 , a rod  424 , and an earring backing  422 . Typically the rod  424  is permanently attached to the front portion  420  and these two pieces can be affixed to and removed from the earring backing  422 . 
     A front face  402  of the earring safety device is coupled to a back arced portion  404  via a tension mechanism  410 . The tension mechanism  410  can overlap an axis of rotation about which the back arced portion  404  and the front face  402  rotate. The tension mechanism  410  generates a force tending to force the back arced portion  404  to rotate towards the front face  402  until the two meet or until they clamp the earlobe  430  between them. The back arced portion  404  can be forcibly separated from the front face  402  forming a gap through which the earlobe  430  or some other edge portion of the ear can be passed through. The back arced portion  404  and the front face  402  can then be released, and the force generated by the tension mechanism  410  will cause the back arced portion  404  and the front face  402  to close on the earlobe  430  or other edge portion of the ear so as to clamp the earring safety device to the ear. 
     The flat angle of the front face  402  helps distribute the pressure that the back arced portion  404  places on the earlobe  430  (or other edge portion of the ear) thus improving the comfort and wearability of the earring safety device. For instance, were a clamshell shaped earring safety device used, the clamshell edges on both the back and the front halves would put great pressure on the earlobe and lead to discomfort. 
     The concave shape of the back arced portion  404  helps to accept the earring backing  422  of the earring. The flanges  416  help keep the earring from moving side to side and thereby create a concave region (e.g., concave region  25 ) around the earring backing  422  that help prevent it from moving. This enhances the stability of the entire earring and earlobe  430  within the earring safety device, thus improving comfort and decreasing the risk of injury. 
     The substantially flat shape of the front face  402  distributes pressure from impacts on the front of the earring  420  and on the front of the earlobe  430  or other edge portion of the ear. The back arced portion  404  protects the wearer&#39;s head and neck from the earring backing  422 , where an unprotected earring backing  422  could be driven into the wearer&#39;s head and neck via impact on the front  420  of the earring from a ball, body, or other object. The back arced portion  404  provides not only a protective layer between the earring backing  422  and the wearer&#39;s skin, but also helps to distribute the force of such an impact via its curved shape. In some embodiments, padding or a softer material can be used where the back arced portion  404  and the front face  402  clamp the earlobe  430  via clamping pressure. For instance, a silicone layer could be applied to portions of the back arced portion  404  and portions of the front face  402  that often contact the earlobe  402 . 
     Without protection, an earring has a risk of snagging which could cause extreme pain if not injury via tearing of the skin where the rod  424  passes through the earlobe  430  or other edge portion of the ear. However, the earring protection device envelopes the earring from all six directions of approach, thus reducing the risk of snagging. In the event that the earring safety device snags, the clamping method used is such that the earring safety device can be pulled from the ear without causing injury. In other words, the back arced portion  404  and the front face  402  may be forced apart as the earring safety device is pulled from the earlobe  430  or other edge portion of the ear. However, such release is easily accomplished without injury to the wearer or damage to the earring safety device. 
     The illustrated configuration and shape of the earring in  FIG. 4  is illustrative only, and the earring safety device is equally capable of operation with various other forms and shapes of earrings. 
       FIG. 5  illustrates an earring safety device arranged over an earlobe and antitragus of an ear. The earring safety device  502  can latch onto the antitragus  532  of the ear with the back arced portion and the front face pinching the ear between them. The earring safety device  502  can be arranged to surround an earring  504 , illustrated as a stud-type earring piercing the earlobe  512 , although other earring types can also be enveloped in this way. A top curved portion  506  of the front face can be arranged so as to curve around a top of the antitragus  532  to help hold the earring safety device  502  in place. The earring safety device  502  has a great enough length that it can span from below the earlobe  512  to above a top edge of the antitragus  532 . The taper from bottom to top helps the top curved portion  506  of the front face to curve around a top edge of the antitragus  532  while leaving a greater surface area lower down on the earlobe  512  to distribute the clasping pressure thus increasing comfort. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates an earring safety device arranged over an earring in a helix of an ear. In this illustration the earring safety device  602  is arranged so that the wider portion of the earring safety device  602  rests above the helix  608  while the narrower portion rests below the helix  608  thus enveloping an earring  604  that is fixed through the helix  608 . In this case, a top curved portion  606  of the earring safety device is arranged so that it curves under the helix  608  to help hold the device  602  in place. 
     Because of the shape of the earring safety device  602 , the earring  604  can be located on any part of the helix  608 . The earring safety device  602  is thus not limited to the location or angular arrangement illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates an embodiment of two earring safety devices arranged on different portions of the ear. Here, a first, and larger, earring safety device  702  envelopes two earrings  708  and  710  that are fixed in the earlobe  712 . This earring safety device  702  may be wider than other embodiments so as to accommodate the two earrings  708  and  710 . A second earring safety device  706  envelopes a third earring  704  fixed to the helix  708  of the ear. Because the second earring safety device  706  only has to accommodate a single earring  704 , it can have smaller dimensions than the first earring safety device  702 . 
       FIG. 8  illustrates a method of protection against bodily harm from an earring fixed to an ear. The method includes rotatably separating a back arced portion of an earring safety device from a front face of the earring safety device creating a gap between a top of the back arced portion and an inner surface of the front face—otherwise referred to as a separating operation  802 . The method further includes fitting an edge of the ear through the gap so that the earring safety device envelopes the earring fixed to the, which can be referred to as a fitting operation  804 . The method still further includes releasing the back arced portion and the front face so that a tension mechanism of the earring safety device rotatably closes the gap and clamps the earring safety device to the edge of the ear. This final operation can be referred to as a releasing operation  806 . 
     The previous description of the disclosed embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Thus, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.