Magnet earing and auxiliary member therefor

Abstract

To adjust the level of pressure applied to an earlobe according to the degree of inconvenience experienced by each user who wears a magnetic earring.SOLUTION: A magnet earring comprises an ornamental body 4 with a magnet 40 on its back surface, supporting members 1 and 2 each having a non-magnetic resin molding with permanent magnets 10 and 20 embedded therein, and a sheet-like auxiliary member 3 that is non-magnetic and flexible and malleable. The magnetization direction of the magnets 10 and 20 of the supporting members 1 and 2 is aligned with the thickness direction of the supporting member, and the supporting member 1 is connected to the ornamental body 4, with the connecting body being placed on the front side of earlobe 8 and the supporting member 2 being placed on the back side of the earlobe 8. The auxiliary member 3 is attached to at least one of a main surface 11, which is the back surface of the supporting member 1, and a main surface 21 of the supporting member 2 that can be attracted to the main surface 11, and the supporting members 1 and 2 facing each other with the auxiliary member 3 and earlobe 8 in between are maintained by the mutual attraction of both magnets 10 and 20.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to magnetic earrings in which an ornamental object is held to the surface of the earlobe by utilizing the magnetic force of a permanent magnet, and to an auxiliary member used to facilitate wearing the magnetic earrings for long periods of time. [Background technology]

[0002] Previously known magnetic earrings have an ornamental member containing a magnetic material (a permanent magnet or other ferromagnetic metal) in the rear portion and a support member containing a permanent magnet; by contacting the ornamental member with the front of the wearer's earlobe and the support member with the back of the earlobe, an attractive force is generated between the magnetic material and the permanent magnet, and this force keeps the two members facing each other across the earlobe.

[0003] There are also known magnetic earrings in which the surfaces of the decorative and supporting members facing the earlobe are covered with non-magnetic resin so that the permanent magnets (hereinafter sometimes simply referred to as "magnets") and metals contained in the decorative and supporting members do not come into contact with the user's skin. As configuration examples, the contents disclosed in the following Patent Documents 1 and 2 will be briefly described.

[0004] Patent document 1 discloses magnetic earrings which comprise a front member (corresponding to the decorative member) in which a magnetic metal is connected to the back surface of the decorative body, and a back magnetic body (corresponding to the support member) made of a permanent magnet, with the metal portion of the front member and the back magnetic body being coated with a synthetic resin such as fluororesin or silicone resin.

[0005] Patent Document 2 discloses magnet earrings in which an ornament is connected to one of a pair of metal attachment parts in which a magnet is stored. Each attachment part has an opening on one side, and the magnet is fixed inside the attachment part so that the opening end face and the end face on which the magnetic force of the magnet acts are approximately flush with each other. Furthermore, a silicone resin cover is attached to the opening of the attachment part so as to cover the entire opening face.

[0006] The magnetic earrings described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 above are intended to provide earrings that can be worn by people with metal allergies, but even people who are not allergic to metal may experience discomfort such as pain or itching in the ears due to the effect of the strong magnetic force of the magnet.

[0007] Regarding ear problems caused by reasons other than metal allergies, Patent Document 3 describes that the thickness of the earlobe changes over time after wearing the magnetic earrings, increasing the adhesive force, causing a sense of pain, and that the blood flow is obstructed, causing itching. Furthermore, Patent Document 3 describes the results of an experiment conducted to compare symptoms when worn for a long time for four combinations of a curved earring body, an earring body not subjected to curved treatment, a curved opposing magnet, and a non-curved opposing magnet, under the assumption that discomfort such as pain can be prevented by curving the surface of the earlobe-contacting part of the earring body containing a rare earth cobalt magnet and the opposing magnet placed on the back of the earlobe with an epoxy resin.

[0008] According to the results of this experiment, many subjects experienced pain or itching when wearing earrings in which neither the earring body nor the opposing magnet was curved, whereas the number of subjects who reported problems was significantly reduced when earrings in which either one was curved. In particular, in the experiment in which earrings in which both the earring body and the opposing magnet were curved were worn, the results showed that over 90% of subjects were able to wear all three sizes of earrings without any problems, and none of them experienced any pain. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] JP 2012-55425 A [Patent Document 2] Utility Model Registration No. 3182000 [Patent Document 3] Microfilm of Utility Model Application No. 52-075998 (Utility Model Application No. 54-004793) Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0010] Even in the experiments using the non-curved earring body and opposing magnets described in Patent Document 3, it is possible that some subjects experienced problems due to metal allergies. However, since each experiment was conducted on as many as 100 subjects, there must have been a considerable number of people who experienced pain or itching due to causes other than allergies. Therefore, the experimental results of Patent Document 3 can be interpreted as demonstrating an effect that can be said to have eliminated the problems caused by the latter cause.

[0011] The above effects are thought to be due to the fact that the magnets contained in the decorative and supporting members are covered with non-magnetic resin, which increases the distance between the magnets by the thickness of the covering resin, thereby weakening the force (attraction) that attracts the magnets together, and also due to the cushioning function of the covering resin, which reduces the pressure on the earlobe.

[0012] It is believed that the earrings according to the inventions described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have the same effect as the earrings described in Patent Document 3, and can prevent pain and itching caused by factors other than allergies.

[0013] However, the effect of magnetic force on the human body varies from person to person, and even if a certain thickness of resin is placed between the earlobe and the magnet, some people still experience pain or itching and find it difficult to wear the earphones for long periods of time. Although it is not painful, some people may experience discomfort such as a feeling of pressure or discomfort when wearing the earphones.

[0014] The present invention focuses on the above problems and aims to make it possible to adjust the level of pressure applied to the earlobe by magnetic force depending on the degree of inconvenience experienced by each individual user wearing magnetic earrings. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] The first form of the magnetic earring of the present invention comprises a decorative member containing a magnetic material in its rear portion and a support member containing a permanent magnet magnetized in the thickness direction, the back surface of the magnetic material of the decorative member and the magnetized surface of the permanent magnet that can be attracted to the back surface are each coated with a non-magnetic resin, and these coating resins form a surface that faces the user's earlobe, and a non-magnetic, flexible and malleable sheet-like auxiliary member is removably attached to the surface of at least one of the coating resins.

[0016] In the above-mentioned magnetic earrings, the magnetic force of the permanent magnet, the thickness of the coating resin to which the auxiliary member is attached, the thickness of the auxiliary member, etc. are determined so that the decorative member and the support member can be maintained facing each other across the auxiliary member and the user's earlobe by the attractive force between the magnetic material and the permanent magnet.

[0017] According to the above configuration, by attaching an auxiliary member to either or both of the decorative member and the supporting member depending on the degree of discomfort such as pain or itchiness felt by the user, it is possible to weaken the force of attraction between the magnetic body and the permanent magnet and to increase the cushioning effect on the earlobe, thereby easing the pressure on the earlobe, thereby eliminating or mitigating the discomfort.

[0018] If problems still occur even when auxiliary members are attached to both the decorative member and the supporting member, the pressing force can be weakened by attaching a stack of multiple auxiliary members to the decorative member or supporting member, provided that sufficient magnetic force can be secured to prevent each member from falling off the earlobe.

[0019] Conversely, people who do not experience pain, itching, or other discomfort without the auxiliary member may directly contact the earlobe with the decorative member or supporting member without using the auxiliary member. Because the surfaces of the decorative member or supporting member to which the auxiliary member is attached are made of non-magnetic resin, there is no risk of the magnet or metal surface touching the earlobe even if these surfaces are directly contacted with the earlobe, and even people with metal allergies can wear the earrings safely.

[0020] The auxiliary member does not necessarily have to cover the entire surface of the object to which it is attached, but if at least the external shape and size of the auxiliary member are close to the surface of the object to which it is attached, it can stabilize the attached state, provide a cushioning function, and improve the aesthetic appearance.

[0021] The magnetic earring according to the second embodiment of the present invention comprises an ornamental body containing a magnetic material in the rear portion, and a pair of support members containing permanent magnets magnetized in the thickness direction. Each support member is configured by embedding the permanent magnet in a non-magnetic resin molding of a predetermined thickness with its thickness direction aligned with the thickness direction of the resin molding, and the support member and the ornamental body are detachably connected by adhering the N-pole or S-pole side of one of the support members to the back side of the ornamental body. This connecting body is placed on the front side of the earlobe as an ornamental member.

[0022] In the second type of magnetic earring, a non-magnetic, flexible, and soft sheet-like auxiliary member is detachably attached to at least one of the rear surface of the support member connected to the jewelry and the front surface of the other support member placed behind the ear. The support members face each other, sandwiched between the auxiliary member and the wearer's earlobe, and are maintained in a state where they are attracted to each other by the force of attraction between the permanent magnets of both support members.

[0023] It is desirable for the auxiliary member to be thin enough to be inconspicuous, but thick enough to eliminate with a high degree of certainty any problems caused by magnetic force on the earlobe. With this in mind, if the thickness of the auxiliary member is thinner than the overall thickness of the support member, but is greater than the thickness of the range from the surface of the support member where the auxiliary member is attached to the magnet inside, the distance between the magnet and the earlobe will be more than twice as large as when the auxiliary member is not attached, and the force of attraction between the magnets will be weakened by that amount, allowing the highly flexible auxiliary member to fully exert its cushioning effect.

[0024] Furthermore, by wearing a stack of multiple auxiliary parts, the distance between the magnet and the earlobe can be increased by length units equal to or greater than the thickness of the resin covering the front of the magnet of the support member, thereby improving the effect of reducing and cushioning the attractive force between the magnets.

[0025] In the second form of magnet earrings, at least one hole is provided on the N-pole side of one of the pair of support members and the S-pole side of the other support member, and the side without the hole of either of the two support members is the surface to be attached to the back of the ornament, and the side with the hole of the other support member is the surface to which the auxiliary member is attached. In this case, if the surface of the auxiliary member to be attached to the support member is made large enough to cover the entire surface including the hole and has a protrusion that can be inserted into the hole, the surface including the protrusion can be aligned with the surface including the hole of the support member so that the protrusion can be inserted into the hole, and the auxiliary member can be securely attached to the entire surface of the support member that is placed behind the earlobe and faces the earlobe. The above-mentioned attached state can be stably maintained even when the earrings are worn.

[0026] It is preferable to use silicone resin as the non-magnetic resin used in the auxiliary members, decorative members, and supporting members of the present invention, but this is not limited to this and it may be replaced with other non-magnetic materials (such as fluororesin) that are less likely to affect the human body. Effect of the Invention

[0027] According to the magnetic earring of the present invention, by attaching a non-magnetic sheet-like auxiliary member to the back surface of the decorative member facing the earlobe or the front surface of the support member attached to the back side of the earlobe, or to both of these surfaces, the level of pressure exerted on the earlobe by the magnetic force can be adjusted according to the degree of discomfort felt by each individual user.

[0028] If the auxiliary parts and the parts to which they are attached are made of resin materials such as silicone resin that have little effect on the human body, people with allergies to metals, etc. can wear magnetic earrings without worrying about developing allergic symptoms.

[0029] Furthermore, according to the present invention, by providing the auxiliary members of the first and second forms in the number required for each user, the user can freely adjust the level of pressure applied to the earlobe. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0030] [Figure 1] This is an oblique view showing the respective components that make up the magnetic earring to which the present invention is applied, separated, along with their relationship to the earlobe. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the side shapes of the above-mentioned members. [Diagram 3] 13 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of the back surface of a decorative object. FIG. [Figure 4] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating an example of the configuration of two main surfaces of a support member and a cross-sectional view of a central portion of the support member. [Diagram 5] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing the shapes of the front, back, plan, and left side of the auxiliary member, with the main surface having the protrusion as the front. [Figure 6] 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which an auxiliary member is attached to a first main surface of a support member. FIG. [Figure 7] This is a diagram showing the connection between the decorative body and the first support member, and the second support member with an auxiliary member attached, attached separately to the front and back of the earlobe. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing the shape and front-to-back relationship of four kinds of members 1-4 that make up a magnetic earring ER to which the present invention is applied (hereinafter simply referred to as "earring ER"), and Fig. 2 is a side view of the members 1-4 arranged in the same manner as in Fig. 1. These figures also show the front-to-back relationship between the earlobe 8 (shown by a two-dot chain line) of a user to which the earring ER is attached and the members 1-4.

[0032] The earring ER of this embodiment comprises an ornamental body 4 of a size that can be placed on the wearer's earlobe 8, a first support member 1 that is placed on the front side of the earlobe 8 together with the ornamental body 4, a second support member 2 that is placed on the back side of the earlobe 8, and an auxiliary member 3 that is attached to the second support member 2. The support members 1 and 2 have the same shape, and disk-shaped magnets 10 and 20 are housed inside each with their thickness direction aligned with the thickness direction of the support members 1 and 2. A disk-shaped magnet 40 is also housed in the rear part of the ornamental body 4 with its thickness direction aligned with the thickness direction of the ornamental body 4.

[0033] The magnets 10, 20, 40 in this embodiment are neodymium magnets magnetized in the thickness direction. In Figures 1 and 2 and the subsequent Figures 3, 4, 6, and 7, the magnets 10, 20, 40 are given halftone dot patterns.

[0034] Fig. 3 shows the back of the decorative body 4. Fig. 4 includes diagrams (a) and (b) showing the configuration of the two main surfaces of the support members 1 and 2 (the surfaces facing the magnetized surfaces of the internal magnets 10 and 20) and diagram (c) showing the cross-sectional shape of the central portion (the surface along line AA in Fig. 4(a)). Fig. 5 includes four diagrams (a), (b), (c), and (d) showing the external shape of the auxiliary member 3 as viewed from different directions. Below, the configuration of each of the components 1 to 4 will be explained with reference to these drawings.

[0035] The ornament 4 is formed by a base 41 made of a non-magnetic metal such as brass, gold, or silver, a decorative ball 42 fitted in the front part of the base 41, and a magnet 40 housed in the rear part of the base 41. As shown in FIG. 3, the back surface 41a of the base 41 is a circular surface, and a storage section 43 for the magnet 40 is provided in the center. The storage section 43 has the same thickness as the magnet 40 and is formed by a circular frame (reference number omitted) integrally provided on the back surface 41a with its thickness direction aligned with the front-rear direction. The magnet 40 is supported inside the storage section 43 with its main surface (reference number omitted) on the N pole side fixed in the range surrounded by the circular frame of the back surface 41a of the base 41, so that its main surface (reference number omitted) on the S pole side is aligned with the open end surface of the storage section 43.

[0036] The support members 1 and 2 are disk-shaped members formed by molding so that the magnets 10 and 20 are embedded inside the silicone rubber. The two magnetized main surfaces (reference numbers omitted) of the magnets 10 and 20 in this embodiment are circular surfaces with the same diameter as the outer periphery of the frame of the storage section 43 of the decorative body 4. The main surfaces 11, 12, 21, and 22 of the support members 1 and 2 are circular surfaces with the same size as the back surface 41a of the base 41 of the decorative body 4.

[0037] As shown in Figures 4(a), (b), and (c), the outer periphery of the magnets 10 and 20 of the support members 1 and 2 is covered with silicone rubber of a uniform thickness. The main surfaces 11, 12, 21, and 22 of the magnets 10 and 20 are also covered with silicone rubber of a uniform thickness, although it is thinner than the outer periphery. However, a circular hole 13, 23 is provided in the center of the covering layer between one of the main surfaces 11, 21 and the magnets 10 and 20, penetrating the thickness (reaching the surface of the magnets 10 and 20) (see Figures 4(a) and (c)). This circular hole 13, 23 is provided in the part covering the magnetized surface on the S pole side of the magnet 10 in the support member 1, and in the part covering the magnetized surface on the N pole side of the magnet 20 in the support member 2.

[0038] Hereinafter, the main surfaces 11, 21 of the support members 1, 2 on which the circular holes 13, 23 are provided will be referred to as the "first main surfaces 11, 21", and the flat main surfaces 12, 22 on which the circular holes 13, 23 are not provided will be referred to as the "second main surfaces 12, 22".

[0039] The auxiliary member 3 is a sheet-like member having two circular surfaces 31, 32 as its main surfaces, each having the same size as the first main surfaces 11, 21 and the second main surfaces 12, 22 of the supporting members 1, 2. These surfaces will also be referred to as the "first main surface 31" and the "second main surface 32", respectively.

[0040] 5(a) and (b) respectively show the first main surface 31 and the second main surface 32 of the auxiliary member 3 as viewed from the front. Fig. 5(c) is a diagram (plan view) showing the shape of the auxiliary member 3 when viewed from directly above with the first main surface 31 facing forward, and Fig. 5(d) is a diagram (left side view) showing the shape of the auxiliary member 3 when viewed from the left. Note that the shape of the bottom surface is symmetrical to the plan view, and the shape of the right side surface is symmetrical to the left side surface.

[0041] The thickness of the auxiliary member 3 is thinner than the overall thickness of the decorative body 4 and the supporting members 1, 2, but is thicker than the thickness of the resin covering the magnetized surfaces of the magnets 10, 20 of the supporting members 1, 2 (the distance from each main surface of the supporting members 1, 2 to the internal magnets 10, 20). A protrusion 33 of a size that can be accommodated in the circular holes 13, 23 of the supporting members 1, 2 is provided in the center of the first main surface 31 of the auxiliary member 3. The tip surface and cross section of the protrusion 33 are circular surfaces that are smaller than the circle defined by the outline of the circular holes 13, 23, and the length of the protrusion 33 is shorter than the depth of the circular holes 13, 23.

[0042] The auxiliary member 3 is also produced by molding silicone rubber, but by making it a thin molded body that does not contain any material other than silicone rubber, the main part of the auxiliary member 3 excluding the protrusions has high flexibility and pliability, and a light adhesive force is generated on each of the main surfaces 31 and 32. Similarly, each of the main surfaces of the support members 1 and 2 has a light adhesive force.

[0043] Therefore, by inserting the protrusion 33 into the circular hole 23 in the first main surface 21 of the support member 2, which is positioned behind the earlobe 8, and aligning the first main surface 31 of the support member 3 with the first main surface 21 of the support member 2, the auxiliary member 3 can be attached to the support member 2 so that the entire first main surface 21 of the support member 2 is covered.

[0044] Fig. 6 shows the relationship between the support member 2 and the auxiliary member 3 attached thereto in a cross-sectional view (enlarged from Figs. 4 and 5) along the thickness direction of the center of both. The entire projection 33 of the auxiliary member 3 fits into the circular hole 23 of the support member 2, and the first main surface 31 is tightly attached to the first main surface 21 of the support member 2 by the adhesive force described above, so that the auxiliary member 3 will not come off even if it is tilted slightly while attached to the support member 2, and will be stably attached to the support member 2. However, the adhesive force of the first main surface 31 is weak, and there is a slight gap between the projection 33 and the inner surface of the circular hole 23 of the support member 2, so that the auxiliary member 3 can be easily peeled off from the first main surface 21 of the support member 2 to release it from its attachment.

[0045] As shown by the reference characters in parentheses in FIG. 6, the auxiliary member 3 can be attached to the first main surface 11 of the support member 1 in the same relationship as that to the first main surface 21 of the support member 2.

[0046] In this embodiment, the silicone rubber that forms the covering layers of the support members 1 and 2 and the auxiliary member 3 is colored almost transparent. By imparting translucency to the silicone rubber molding in this way, by making the auxiliary member 3 thinner than the support members 1 and 2, and by matching the diameters of the main surfaces of the members 1, 2, and 3, it is possible to reduce the possibility that others will notice that the auxiliary member 3 is superimposed on the support members 1 and 2, and to ensure the aesthetic appearance of the accessory.

[0047] Fig. 7 shows the earring ER configured as described above attached to an earlobe 8. As shown in Fig. 7, the support member 1 is connected to the ornamental body 4 by aligning its second main surface 12 (the resin surface covering the magnetized surface on the N pole side of the magnet 10) with the back surface (the magnetized surface on the S pole side) of the magnet 40 of the ornamental body 4. The first main surface 11 (the resin surface covering the magnetized surface on the S pole side of the magnet 10) of the support member 1, which has become the back surface of this connecting body (corresponding to the ornamental member), is placed against the front side of the earlobe 8. The auxiliary member 3 is attached to the first main surface 21 (the surface on the N-pole side) of the support member 2 on the side of the first main surface 31, and the second main surface 32 is placed against the back side of the earlobe 8 while maintaining this attached state.

[0048] When the members 1-4 are divided into two groups as described above and brought into contact with the front and back of the earlobe 8, a magnetic field is generated between the magnet 10 of the support member 1 and the magnet 20 of the support member 2, causing the two magnets 10, 20 to attract each other. The attractive force of the magnets 10, 20 maintains the support members 1, 2 facing each other across the auxiliary member 3 and the earlobe 8. The magnets 10, 40 of the support member 1 and the ornament 4 are also attracted to each other in the same way, maintaining the connection between the support member 1 and the ornament 4. These actions allow the ornament 4 to remain positioned on the front side of the earlobe 8.

[0049] When worn as described above, the force of the magnets 10, 20 of the support members 1, 2 attracting each other and trying to move towards each other presses both the front and back surfaces of the earlobe 3. However, by moving the magnets 10, 20 away from the earlobe 8 by the thickness of the silicone rubber in contact with the earlobe 8, the attractive force between the magnets 10, 20 can be weakened, so the pressure on the earlobe 8 can be reduced compared to when the magnets 10, 20 are in direct contact with the earlobe 8. Furthermore, the cushioning function of the flexible silicone rubber can further soften the pressure.

[0050] In particular, behind the earlobe 8, the auxiliary member 2, which is thicker than the thickness of the area from the main surface 21 of the support member 2 to the magnet 20, can widen the distance between the magnet 20 and the earlobe 8, further weakening the attractive force between the magnets 10, 20. The high flexibility of the auxiliary member 2 also significantly improves the cushioning effect.

[0051] The first main surface 11 of the support member 1 having the circular hole 13 comes into contact with the front side of the earlobe 8, but the surface of the magnet 10 exposed at the bottom of the circular hole 13 does not come into direct contact with the earlobe 8, so that even if a user has a metal allergy, there is no risk of allergic symptoms occurring due to contact with the first main surface 11.

[0052] The form of the base 41 and the ornamental ball 42 of the ornamental body 4 is not limited to the form shown in the figure, and can be changed into various shapes. Also, it is not limited to the configuration in which the ornamental ball 42 is embedded in the base 41, but the ornamental ball can be made to hang down, or the entire ornamental body can be made of a non-magnetic metal, and the front surface can be made larger than the main surface of the support members 1, 2 and the auxiliary member 3. Even with such ornamental bodies, the support member 1 of the same configuration as this embodiment can be connected by configuring the rear side storage section 43 and the magnet 40 according to FIG. 3. Therefore, it is possible to combine multiple types of ornamental bodies with the common support members 1, 2 and auxiliary member 3 to enrich the variety of decorations.

[0053] The auxiliary member 3 configured as described above can also be attached to the first main surface 11 of the supporting member 1 which is connected to the decorative body 4 on the front side of the earlobe 8. Therefore, the earring ER can be worn by attaching the auxiliary member 3 to the supporting member 1 as shown in Figure 6, placing its second main surface 32 against the front side of the earlobe 8, and placing the first main surface 21 of the supporting member 2 to which the auxiliary member 3 is not attached against the back side of the earlobe 8.

[0054] Also, two auxiliary members 3 may be inserted into the earring ER, one attached to the first main surface 11 of the support member 1 and the other attached to the first main surface 21 of the support member 2, and the second main surfaces 32 of each auxiliary member 3 may be placed against the front and back of the earlobe 8 while maintaining the attached state and the connection state between the support member 1 and the jewelry 4. In this way, the pressure on the earlobe 8 can be weakened on both the front and back of the earlobe 8, allowing the user to experience a better wearing comfort.

[0055] Although the auxiliary member 3 has small protrusions 33 on the first main surface 31, the portion other than the protrusions 33 has high flexibility and adhesive strength, so that by overlapping and pressing multiple auxiliary members 3, the auxiliary members 3 can be adhered to each other. Using this property, multiple auxiliary members 3 can be overlapped with the protrusions 33 oriented in the same direction, and the first main surface 31 of the auxiliary member 3 at the top of the overlap can be attached to the first main surface 11, 21 of the support member 1 or 2, and each auxiliary member 3 can be sandwiched between the earlobe 8 and the support member 1 or 2 while maintaining the attached or overlapped state. Alternatively, a silicone rubber sheet having the same outer shape as auxiliary member 3 but no protrusions 33 can be overlapped on the second main surface 32 of auxiliary member 3 as a second auxiliary member, and while maintaining this overlapped state, the first main surface 31 of auxiliary member 3 is attached to the first main surface 11, 21 of supporting member 1 or 2, and the second auxiliary member on the opposite side is attached to earlobe 8, thereby allowing multiple auxiliary members to be sandwiched between the first main surface 11, 21 and the earlobe 8.

[0056] Therefore, by increasing the number of auxiliary members sandwiched between the support members 1 or 2 and the earlobe 8, to the extent that a magnetic force strong enough to prevent various components from falling off the earlobe 8 can be generated between the support members 1, 2, the pressure applied to the earlobe 8 can be further reduced.

[0057] The effect of magnetic force on the human body varies from person to person, and if the distance from magnets 10, 20 to earlobe 8 remains constant, it may not be effective enough to prevent discomfort such as pain or itching. However, according to this embodiment, the user can adjust the number of auxiliary members 3 and adjust the pressure on earlobe 8 to a level suitable for the user depending on the level of discomfort. By making such adjustments, it is possible to prevent discomfort such as pain or itching from occurring, and even if a discomfort does occur, the symptoms can be alleviated or the timing of its occurrence can be delayed.

[0058] The earrings ER of the above embodiment can be provided to the user with one set of the above four types of members 1 to 4 for each ear, or each of the members 1 to 4 can be provided individually in the required number. Therefore, the user can decide the number of auxiliary members 3 to purchase depending on the presence or absence and the degree of inconvenience caused to the user's ears when wearing the earrings ER, and can purchase as many auxiliary members 3 as necessary. As for the ornaments 4, multiple items with different designs can be purchased, and the other three members 1, 2, and 3 can be combined with these ornaments in common.

[0059] Here, an experiment conducted by the inventor for the purpose of confirming the effect of the auxiliary member 3 of the earring ER to which the above-mentioned configuration is applied will be described.

[0060] <Configuration of earrings used in the experiment> Two types of earrings (hereinafter referred to as "S type" and "M type") were used, as shown in Table 1 below.

[0061] [Table 1]

[0062] <Experiment 1> Five subjects (hereafter referred to as X1, X2, X3, X4, and X5) were instructed to wear the above-mentioned S-type and M-type earrings on both the left and right ears in two ways: one with no auxiliary member 3 attached to either support member 1 or 2, and the other with auxiliary member 3 attached to support member 2 behind the earlobe, with the goal of wearing them continuously for five hours. However, they were instructed to stop wearing them if they experienced any severe pain during the test.

[0063] After each hour of wearing the device, answers to the following questions were collected by filling out a questionnaire in a set format. (1) Did you achieve your goal of wearing the device continuously for 5 hours? (2) Did you experience any pain while wearing the product? (3) Did you experience any discomfort other than pain (itching, pressure, heaviness, etc.)? (4) Have the earrings ever come off (fall off) while you were wearing them?

[0064] In addition, we asked participants to fill out a questionnaire freely about their experiences when wearing the earrings, and also asked them, separately for S and M types, whether using auxiliary part 3 had had any effect, such as improving the wearing comfort.

[0065] The results of the above questions are summarized in Table 2 below.

[0066] [Table 2]

[0067] As described above, subjects X1, X2, and X5 experienced problems such as pain when wearing the earrings without using the auxiliary member 3, but the results showed that the problems could be eliminated or reduced by wearing the earrings with the auxiliary member 3 attached to the support member 2. Subjects X3 and X4, who did not experience any particular problems even without using the auxiliary member 3, also reported that using the auxiliary member 3 allowed them to experience a better wearing comfort.

[0068] Subject X4 reported that in an experiment in which she wore the S-type earrings without using the auxiliary member 3, the earrings fell off, but after she changed the position of the earrings on the earlobe, they did not fall off again. No other subjects reported falling off the earrings.

[0069] <Experiment 2> Subject X5, who answered that he still experienced pain, itching, etc. even when he attached auxiliary member 3 to support member 2 and wore it in experiment 1, was instructed to try wearing M-type earrings by attaching one auxiliary member 3 each to the first main surfaces 11, 21 of both support members 1, 2, and by attaching two overlapping auxiliary members 3 to the first main surface 11 of the rear support member 1. In both methods, the goal was to wear the device continuously for 5 hours, as in Experiment 1. In order to compare the wearing comfort, the device was also worn for a short period of time using the two methods similar to Experiment 1.

[0070] After the experiment, subject X5 reported that when the earrings were worn with auxiliary member 3 attached to both support members 1 and 2, or when two auxiliary members 3 were attached to support member 2 in a layered manner, the earrings felt significantly lighter than when worn in the same manner as in experiment 1, and that up until about four hours had passed, there were almost no problems such as pain or itching, and the earrings were able to be worn for the target time.

[0071] The results of Experiment 2 revealed that even for people for whom the basic specification, in which one auxiliary member 3 is attached only to the support member 2 behind the earlobe 8, is not sufficient to resolve the problem, the problem can be significantly alleviated by increasing the number of auxiliary members 3 placed between the support members 1 and 2.

[0072] This concludes the explanation of the earring ER having the configuration shown in Figs. 1 to 7. Below, modifications of this embodiment and other embodiments falling within the scope of the present invention will be explained.

[0073] In the above embodiment, the thickness of the auxiliary member 3 is made greater than the thickness of the silicone rubber on the first main surface 11, 21 side of the support members 1, 2, but even if the thicknesses of both are approximately the same, by attaching the auxiliary member 3 to the first main surface 11, 21, the distance between the earlobe 8 and the magnets 10, 20 can be approximately doubled compared to when the auxiliary member 3 is not attached. Even when a plurality of auxiliary members 3 are stacked and attached to the first main surface 11 or 21, the distance between the earlobe 8 and the magnets 10, 20 can be increased by a length unit equivalent to the original thickness of the resin that covers the magnets 10, 20, thereby correspondingly increasing the effect of weakening the attractive force between the magnets 10, 20 and the cushioning effect.

[0074] In the above embodiment, the thickness of the resin covering each main surface of the magnets 10, 20 of each support member 1, 2 is made uniform, but the thickness of the resin on the side of the first main surface 11, 21 where the circular hole 13 is provided may be made greater than the thickness of the resin on the side of the second main surface 12, 22.

[0075] It is not essential that the circular holes 13, 23 provided in the main surfaces 11, 21 of the support members 1, 2 penetrate the entire area up to the magnets 10, 20, but they may be bottomed holes that reach up to a position just before the magnets 10, 20.

[0076] A plurality of holes may be provided on the main surfaces 11, 21 of the support members 1, 2, and a plurality of protrusions corresponding to the respective holes may be provided on the auxiliary member 3. In this case as well, the auxiliary member 3 can be stably attached to the support members 1, 2 by properly aligning the corresponding protrusions and holes.

[0077] The main surface 31 of the auxiliary member 3 may be a flat surface without protrusions 33, and the auxiliary member 3 may be attached to the supporting members 1 and 2 only by the adhesive force of the auxiliary member 3. In this way, it becomes unnecessary to distinguish between the main surfaces 31 and 32 of the auxiliary member 3, and either surface can be attached to the supporting members 1 and 2.

[0078] If the protrusion 33 on the main surface 31 of the auxiliary member 3 is eliminated, there is no need to drill holes in the main surfaces 11, 21 of the support members 1, 2. If the holes in the support members 1, 2 are eliminated, the earring ER can be worn without distinguishing between the support members by connecting the main surface on the south pole side of one of the pair of support members to the ornament 4, placing the connected body against the front side of the earlobe 8, attaching the auxiliary member 3 to the main surface on the north pole side of the other support member, and then maintaining this attached state while placing the auxiliary member 3 against the back side of the earlobe 8.

[0079] It is not necessarily required that the main surfaces of the auxiliary member 3 are large enough to cover the entire main surfaces of the supporting members 1 and 2, and they may be in a form that overlaps with a portion of the main surfaces of the supporting members 1 and 2, such as a doughnut shape with a through hole in the center. However, in order to stabilize the mounting state and ensure the cushioning effect and aesthetics, it is desirable that the shape and size of the outer periphery of the auxiliary member 3 be approximately the same as those of the main surfaces of the supporting members 1 and 2.

[0080] The magnets 10, 20, 40 housed in the support member 1, 2 and the decorative body 4 are not limited to being disk-shaped, but can be rectangular, triangular, or have other shapes than circular main surfaces. The outer shapes of the support members 1, 2 and the auxiliary member 3 can also be changed to match the magnets. The outer shape of the main part of the decorative body 4 can be changed in various ways without being limited to the magnet 40. In addition, in the above embodiment, when the earring ER is worn on the earlobe 8, the magnetized surface of the magnets 10, 20, 40 on the N pole side faces forward and the magnetized surface of the S pole side faces backward, but the orientation of these magnetized surfaces may be reversed.

[0081] By forming the main part of the decorative body 4 from a magnetic metal such as ferritic stainless steel, it is possible to connect the decorative body 4 and the support member 1 by the attractive force between the magnet 10 of the support member 1 and the metal part of the decorative body 4, without providing a magnet 40 at the rear of the decorative body 4.

[0082] Instead of using a method in which the decorative body 4 and the support member 1 are connected by magnetic force to form a decorative member, a decorative body with a magnet housed in the rear portion or a decorative body whose main portion is made of a magnetic metal and whose back surface is covered with non-magnetic resin (including a form in which the resin part is covered as a removable cover on the decorative body) may function as a decorative member by itself. In this case, too, a support member having a magnet embedded inside a non-magnetic resin molding similar to the above embodiment, or a support member made of a permanent magnet whose magnetic pole side surface that can be attracted to the back surface of the decorative body is covered with non-magnetic resin (including a form in which the resin part is covered as a removable cover on the permanent magnet) is placed on the back side of the earlobe 8, and the decorative body can be held on the front side of the earlobe by the force of attraction between this support member and the decorative body.

[0083] Even with the above configuration, by attaching an auxiliary member similar to that described in the above embodiments and variations to the surface of at least one of the decorative body and supporting member that faces the earlobe, and maintaining the decorative body and supporting member facing each other with the auxiliary member sandwiched between the earlobe, it is possible to weaken the force attracting the decorative body and supporting member and increase the cushioning effect on the earlobe 8, thereby reducing the pressure on the earlobe. [Explanation of symbols]

[0084] ER Magnetic Earrings 1,2 Support member 3 Auxiliary materials 4 Decoration 8. Earlobe 10,20,40 Permanent magnet 11, 21 First main surface of support member 12, 22 Second main surface of support member 31 First main surface of auxiliary member 32 Second main surface of auxiliary member

Claims

1. a decorative member including a magnetic body in a rear portion and a support member including a permanent magnet magnetized in a thickness direction, the rear surface of the magnetic body of the decorative member and the magnetized surface of the permanent magnet that can be attracted to the rear surface are each coated with a non-magnetic resin, and the coating resin forms a surface that faces the earlobe of a user; A non-magnetic, flexible and soft sheet-like auxiliary member is detachably attached to at least one of the surfaces of the resin covering the magnetic body and the resin covering the permanent magnet, and the decorative member and the supporting member are held facing each other with the auxiliary member sandwiched between the user's earlobe by the attractive force between the magnetic body and the permanent magnet. Magnetic earrings.

2. The ornament includes a magnetic body in the rear portion, and a pair of support members including permanent magnets magnetized in the thickness direction. The pair of support members are configured by embedding the permanent magnet inside a non-magnetic resin molding of a predetermined thickness with its thickness direction aligned with the thickness direction of the resin molding, and the support member and the decorative body are detachably connected by adhering the N-pole or S-pole side of one of the support members to the back surface of the decorative body, A non-magnetic, flexible and soft sheet-like auxiliary member is removably attached to at least one of the rear surface of the support member connected to the ornament and the surface of the other support member that can be attracted to the rear surface, and the state in which the support member connected to the ornament and the support member to which the auxiliary member is attached face each other with the auxiliary member sandwiched between the user's earlobe is maintained by the mutual attraction force of the permanent magnets of both support members. Magnetic earrings.

3. The magnetic earring of claim 2, wherein the thickness of the auxiliary member is thinner than the overall thickness of the support member to which the auxiliary member is attached, but is greater than or equal to the thickness of the range from the surface of the support member to which the auxiliary member is attached to the permanent magnet.

4. An auxiliary member to be inserted into a magnetic earring, the auxiliary member comprising a decorative member including a magnetic body in a rear portion thereof and a support member including a permanent magnet magnetized in a thickness direction thereof, the back surface of the magnetic body of the decorative member and the magnetized surface of the permanent magnet that can be attracted to the back surface are each coated with a non-magnetic resin, and the coating resin forms a surface that faces the earlobe of a user, A sheet-like member that is non-magnetic and has flexibility and softness, one of two main surfaces of which is detachably attached to the surface of the resin that covers the magnetic material of the decorative member or the surface of the resin that covers the permanent magnet, and the other main surface of which is to be brought into contact with a user's earlobe. Auxiliary part for magnetic earrings.

Images