Ear ornament clips

• US 4,187,696 A
• Filed: 11/25/1977
• Issued: 02/12/1980
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1975
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Johannes A. W. P. Van Bergen
• Original Assignee: Johannes A. W. P. Van Bergen
• Inventors: van Bergen, Johannes A. W. P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shay, F. Barry
• Application Number:
  US05/854,635
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• Field of Search: 24/252, 63/14 R, 63/14 A, 63/14 B, 63/14 C, 63/14 D, 63/14 E, 63/14 F
• US Class Current: 63/14.4
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 7/006 with a pivotable back clamping arm

Abstract

A two-part ear ornament clip including front and back parts which are pivotally connected together. The front and back parts are so dimensioned and connected together that, in the open condition of the clip, handling and application of the clip by the wearer to her ear lobe is greatly facilitated. The front and back parts, when disposed in their ear lobe gripping positions relative to each other, are such that the portion of the front part to which an ornament would be secured is directly opposite the portion of the back part which is in contact with the inside face of the ear lobe.

Claims

1. An ear ornament clip comprising:

a front part and back part, said front and back parts being so connected to one another as to permit angular movement of said parts relative to each other in order to grip or release a wearer'"'"'s ear lobe;

said front part having a first portion of which a first face is adapted to carry the ornament and of which a second face is adapted to be placed in contact with that first surface of the wearer'"'"'s ear lobe against which said ornament is to be displayed;

said front part having a second portion integral with said first portion and including elements which are so joined to one another at corresponding one ends thereof as to form resilient elements substantially in the form of a V, the corresponding other and free ends of said elements extending substantially parallel to said first portion of said front part;

said back part having a first portion which includes a third face of which at least a portion thereof is adapted to be placed in contact with that second surface of the wearer'"'"'s ear lobe which is remote from said surface thereof against which said ornament is to be displayed;

said third face and said second face forming an acute angle with each other when placed in contact with said first and second surfaces;

said back part having a second portion which is integral with said first portion thereof and which comprises substantially parallel legs;

said front part having first means disposed near said resilient elements and said back part having second means disposed near the free ends of said legs, said first and second means cooperating to form a pivotal connection between said front and back parts;

relative angular movement of said front and back parts to a condition in which an ear lobe becomes gripped between said first portion of said front part and said first portion of said back part causing the lobe-gripping portions of said front and back parts of said clip to become disposed substantially directly opposite to each other, and also causing the inside surface of said legs to frictionally slide along the outside surfaces of said resilient elements towards said free ends of said resilient elements and to force said resilient elements together to establish and maintain the desired lobe-gripping condition of said front and back parts;

said first portion of said back part being substantially U-shaped with diverging legs;

said U-shaped first portion of said back part including a first diverging leg having a free end and a second diverging leg which is integral with said second portion of said back part; and

said free end of said first diverging leg comprising said lobe contacting portion of said first portion of said back part, the remainder of said first diverging leg being configured such that, when in place against the ear lobe, said third face will diverge sufficiently from the lobe to be accessible to the wearer for manual application of a pulling force thereagainst to remove the ear ornament clip.

2. An ear ornament clip according to claim 1, wherein:

said ear ornament clip, including said front part and said back part, is fabricated of stainless steel.

3. An ear ornament clip according to claim 1, wherein:

in the fully open condition of said ear ornament clip, that end or end portion of said back part which is remote from said free ends of said legs is substantially spaced from said free ends of said resilient elements of said second portion of said front part.

4. An ear ornament clip according to claim 1, wherein:

said first portion of said front part includes an enlarged free end having said ornament-carrying face and said ear lobe contacting face, said enlarged free end having provided therein an aperture; and

said aperture is adapted to receive means for securing an ornament to said ornament-carrying face.

5. An ear ornament clip according to claim 1, wherein:

when said front and back parts are disposed in said lobe-gripping conditions, said front and back parts define a substantially box-shaped peripheral configuration of said ear ornament clip.