Patent Abstract:
A novel pierced earring for pierced ears which includes a rear plate attached to the pin, the rear plate forming the nut and having a peripheral shape approximating that of the rear portion of the lobe of the ear to provide substantial bearing surface against the rear of the lobe.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority of provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/452,344, filed Mar. 14, 2011, the contents of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to earrings for pierced ears in which an earring is attached to a post, the post passing through a pierced ear and being secured on the ear with a nut slid onto the post bearing against the rear of the earlobe holding the earring in place. 
     Prior art nuts are round and larger round nuts are provided for larger pierced earrings. Such round structure is conventionally utilized for pierced earrings. 
     Pierced ears holding earrings provide structural support for the earrings. When earrings are larger, the conventional pin or post sliding through the pierced ear and being held by prior art small nuts places structural pressure at the intersection of the pin as it passes through the pierced ear. This is undesirable since it may place too much pressure on the ear and otherwise distort the wearing of the earring because the earring placing such pressure on the pierced ear with the prior art conventional nut may not hang as cleanly and be as properly supported as desirable. Additionally for larger earrings with larger round nuts, the nuts may not be hidden behind the ears. 
     An object of this invention is to provide an improved nut as part of a pierced earring post assembly. 
     Another object of this invention is to provide such an improved pierced ear post nut which provides improved support for the earring worn in a pierced ear. 
     Yet another object of this invention is to provide an improved pierced earring post nut which enables large size earrings to be worn in a most attractive and comfortable fashion. 
     Other objects, advantages and features of this invention will become more apparent from the following description. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In accordance with the features of this invention and to satisfy the above objects and others, this invention provides an inverted egg shaped elongated rounded shape planar surface for the earring nut, which planar surface will bear against the rear of the lobe of the pierced ear. The planar surface takes the general shape of the lobe of the ear. The larger surface bearing on and conforming to the shape of the rear surface of the lobe of the pierced ear provides improved structural support for the earring as worn. 
     The size and round shape of the plate in prior art nuts serves little purpose other than to capture the pin and hold the earring. This invention provides the nut with a plate surface which substantially conforms to the shape of the ear lobe and bears on the rear surface thereof. The plate may be solid or have an opening or aperture therein, but the peripheral edge of the plate will substantially have a surface structure which conforms to the ear lobe shape. Ear lobe shapes are unique to each person but have a substantially standard silhouette. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a rear plan view of the prior art nut. 
         FIG. 2  is a side perspective view of the prior art nut of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a front plan view of the plate forming the nut of the invention herein. 
         FIG. 4  is a rear plan view of the nut of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a rear plan view similar to  FIG. 4  with the wings forming the catch shown flat before being bent to form the catch. 
         FIG. 6  is an edge plan view of the nut of  FIG. 4  showing the wings bent to form the catch. 
         FIG. 7  is an edge plan view showing the pin attached to an earring passing through the plate of the invention with the ear lobe between the nut and earring structure. 
         FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are perspective views showing the nut of this invention in place behind the lobe of the ear. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  shows the prior art nut  10  in which there are butterfly wings  12  shown folded towards nut plate  14  for forming a catch  15  to capture a pin which is attached to an earring (not shown in this figure but shown in  FIGS. 7 and 7   a ). The pin passes through aperture  16 . The pin is fixedly attached to an earring in a standard manner (see  FIG. 7 ). As can be seen in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the surface of plate  14  of the prior art nut is relatively small and substantially circular. 
       FIGS. 3-7 ,  7   a  and  7   b  show the present invention in which the plate  30  for the nut  32  has a shape or silhouette approximating that of the lobe  72  of an ear. Plate  30  is substantially flat but need not be. 
     Plate  30  is elongated and longer from top to bottom than the prior art round plates  14 . The plate  30  is rounded at its periphery and substantially is an inverted egg shape providing greater support for the ear lobe  72 . Such shape approximates standard ear lobe shapes. 
     In order to save metal material, plate  30  for the nut  32  may have an aperture or opening  34  formed within the boundary or silhouette of plate  30 . Aperture  34  may be eliminated if desired. 
     The nut  32  of this invention is formed similar to that of the prior art with arms  36  folded over to nearly touch to form catch  38  on the rear side of the plate  30 , so that a pin  70  (see  FIG. 7   a ) is captured at catch  38  formed between folded or bent arms  36 . The larger rounded elongated substantially inverted egg shaped surface for the plate  30  of nut  32  generally conforms to the contour of the ear lobe to provide improved support for the rear of the lobe. The entirety of the plate  30  bears against the rear of the lobe to provide broader structural support for the earring, allowing less pressure on the ear and providing better performance when the earring is worn. 
     The size of the lower portion of plate  30  may be approximately the size of the ear lobe below the pierced hole in the ear. 
     As another feature of this invention, the nut  32  is formed of a one piece stamped metal piece having arms  36  extending outwardly. This manufacturing process stamps the metal as shown in  FIG. 5  and then folds the arms  36  into facing position to form catch  38  to capture pin  70 . 
       FIGS. 7 ,  7   a  and  7   b  shows the nut  32  of this invention capturing pin  70  with pin  70  attached to the rear surface  74  of earring  76  in the conventional manner with the ear lobe  72  captured between the rear  74  of earring  76  and plate  30 . 
     It should be understood that the preferred embodiment was described to provide the best illustration of the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable one of ordinary skill in the art to utilize the invention in various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the invention as determined by the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly legally and equitably entitled.

Technology Classification (CPC): 0