Abstract:
An earring ( 10 ) for a pierced ear ( 16 ) having an ear engaging member ( 24 ) securely engaging a lobe ( 14 ) of the ear ( 16 ), an ornament ( 12 ) and a coupling member ( 42 ) connecting the ear engaging member ( 24 ) to the ornament ( 12 ). When the ear engaging member ( 24 ) engages the ear ( 16 ) the coupling member ( 24 ) holds the ornament ( 12 ) subjacent to the ear lobe ( 14 ) and is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward from the user.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    I. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to a secure ornamenting earring. In particular, the invention is an earring that is intended for use with a pierced ear, and provides an item of ornamentation, such as a stone or a charm, which is positioned subjacent to a bottom portion of a user&#39;s earlobe without showing the support of the ornament. 
         [0003]    II. Discussion of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    For years earrings have been a popular accessory worn by people of all ages. Earrings come in a variety of design choices including hoops, studs, buttons and dangles covering a portion of the lower ear lobe. In the construction of a typical earring, a post passes through an aperture in the lobe and engages an ear nut behind the lobe, and an ornament hangs down from a front portion of the post below the lobe. 
         [0005]    While prior known earrings have proven to be commercially successful, the prior art designs tend to all look the same as far as the manner in which a gemstone or other object is suspended from a post or wire hook that is made to penetrate through the earlobe. Other designs visibly display how the ornament hangs down from the ear. Still other designs are difficult to secure to the earlobe. 
         [0006]    Thus, there remains a need in the art of an earring which can securely engage the ear and allow the ornament to hang subjacent to the lobe wherein the hanging member is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward the wearer. 
         [0007]    It is the principal object of this invention to provide an earring having a first portion securely engaging a lobe of the user&#39;s ear, an ornament and a coupling member coupling the first portion to the ornament, wherein the coupling member is substantially hidden from sight and the ornament appears as floating immediately below the ear lobe. 
         [0008]    It is a further object to provide an earring with an earring engaging member having a post member passing through the front side of the lobe to cooperate with the coupling member to secure the coupling member to a backside of the lobe, the arrangement being such that it appears as if the suspended gemstone or ornament is floating relative to the wearer&#39;s earlobe. 
         [0009]    It is a further object of the invention to provide an earring with a decorative post and a hanging ornament. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0010]    This invention is directed to an earring that overcomes the aforementioned disadvantages inherent in the prior art. In one preferred form, the earring for a pierced ear comprises an ear engaging member adapted to securely engage a lobe of the pierced ear, an ornament and a coupling member coupling the ear engaging member to the ornament, wherein the coupling member is substantially hidden from sight from the vantage point forward from the wearer. The ear engaging member comprises a plate placed behind the lobe, a post and an ear nut, wherein said post enters a piercing in the lobe, passes through an aperture in the plate and is releasably attached to the ear nut. The device suspends the ornament subjacent to the lobe of the ear by the coupling member while the lobe covers the coupling member from the vantage point forward the wearer. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]    Further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from analysis of the following written specification and accompanying drawings and the appended claims in which: 
           [0012]      FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an earring constructed in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention operatively engaged with a user&#39;s ear; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2  is a front view of the earring of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of the earring of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the earring in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a different ornament; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of a second embodiment of the present invention illustrating a different ornament; 
           [0018]      FIG. 7  is a front view of a third embodiment of the present invention illustrating a third ornament; 
           [0019]      FIG. 8  is a rear view of a third embodiment of the present invention showing a third ornament; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a front view of a fourth embodiment of the present invention showing a fourth ornament. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates the preferred embodiment of the invention, showing an earring  10  having a hanging ornament  12  suspended subjacent to the lobe  14  of a pierced ear  16 . As is readily apparent, a variety of ornaments can be suspended subjacent to the lobe  14 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the ornament  12  includes an ornament holding member  18  and a jewel  20 . The ornament holding member  18  comprises three corner brackets  22   a ,  22   b , and  22   c  which are adapted to cradle the jewel  20 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 2  shows how the earring  10  is adapted to be held to the ear  16 .  FIG. 2  shows an ear engaging member  24  comprising flat plate member  26  having a first and second plate aperture  28  and  30 . In order to engage the earring  10  to the user&#39;s lobe  14 , a post  32  passes through a piercing (not shown) through the ear lobe  14  and through one of plate apertures  28  and  30 , and is engaged by a conventional ear nut  34 . The post  32  includes a first end  36  and a second end  38 . Disposed on the first end  36  of the post  32  is a second item of ornamentation  40 . The second item of ornamentation  40  may be a jewel such as a gem, a pearl or a gold sphere. When the post  32  is passed through the piercing the second item of ornamentation  40  functions as a stud holding the post in the ear and preventing the post from passing entirely through the piercing in the lobe  14 . It is the second end  38  of the post  32  which cooperates with the ear nut  34  to releasably attach the ear engaging member  24  to the backside of the ear  16 . 
         [0023]    As best seen in  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the ear engaging member  24  is coupled to the ornament  12  by a suitably shaped coupling member  42  having a first end  44  and a second end  46 . The first end  44  of the coupling member  42  is attached to the ear engaging member  24 , and the second end  46  is attached to the ornament  12 . The coupling member  42  is bent at an angle to curve under the lobe  14  so that the ornament  12  is hung subjacent to the lobe  14 . Because the plate member  26  is disposed behind the lobe  14  of the ear  16 , the coupling member  42  is substantially obscured by the lobe  14  and the body of the ornament  12 . Thus, from the vantage point forward of the wearer, the coupling member  42  is hidden from sight. This creates the illusion that the ornament  12  is suspended beneath the lobe  14  without visible means of support typically found in prior art earrings. 
         [0024]      FIG. 5  shows another embodiment of the earring  10  with a differently configured ornament  12 . In the embodiment of  FIG. 5  the ornament holding the member  22  comprises a top bracket  48  and a bottom bracket  50 . The top bracket  48  is disposed above the jewel  20  and the bottom bracket  50  cradles the bottom to the jewel  20 . In the rear view of  FIG. 6  shown are two integrally formed side brackets  52 ,  54  that couple the top bracket  48  to the bottom bracket. The second end  46  of the coupling member  42  is coupled to the top bracket  48  of the ornament holding member  22 . The top bracket  48  extends substantially the length of the top of the jewel  20 . 
         [0025]    Similarly, a the third embodiment shown in  FIG. 7 , the ornament holding member comprises a top bracket  56  and a bottom bracket  58 , but the top bracket extends less than a major portion of the length of the top of the jewel  20 .  FIG. 8  shows that an integral backing bracket  60  couples the coupling member  42  to the ornament holding member  22 . 
         [0026]    In a fourth embodiment shown in  FIG. 9 , the ornament holding member  22  is a unitary bracket  62  which substantially surrounds the entire perimeter of the jewel  20 . 
         [0027]    The invention has been described herein in considerable detail in order to comply with the patent statutes and to provide those skilled in the art with the information needed to apply the novel principles and to construct and use such specialized components as are required. However, it is to be understood that the invention can be carried out by specifically different ornament shapes and coupling devices, and that various modifications, as to ornamentation, can be accomplished without departing from the scope to the invention itself.