Earing

Abstract

To provide an earing to be reliably and easily fitted to a predetermined position of an earlobe while having a simple structure with less number of components.SOLUTION: An earing includes: a first member 11 having at one end, a first holding member 31 to be abutted to one surface of an earlobe; and a second member 12 having at one end, a second holding member 32 to be abutted to the other surface of the earlobe. A support end part 16 of the second member 12 is pivotally supported at a middle part of the first member 11 so as to enable the second holding member 32 to be turnable in an approaching direction and a separating direction with respect to the first holding member 31. The first member 11 and the second member 12 have an engagement part 20 for keeping a holding interval D1 for holding the earlobe when the second holding member 32 is allowed to approach the first holding member 31.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to clip-on earrings that are worn by pinching the earlobe. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, earrings have been known that consist of a pair of arcuate members, each with a clamping portion at one end that holds the earlobe, and the other end of the pair of members is integrally axially fastened so that the clamping portions can be opened and closed at a predetermined distance (Patent Documents 1 and 2). The earrings disclosed in Patent Document 2 are equipped with a gap setting mechanism that can set the opposing distance between the pair of clamping portions to a first open state in which the clamping portions face each other across a fixed gap smaller than the thickness of the earlobe, and a second open state in which the clamping portions face each other across a fixed gap larger than the first open state. This gap setting mechanism prevents the pair of clamping portions from easily opening when worn on the earlobe, even when a small amount of force is applied, but opens when a certain amount of force is applied, preventing deformation. Furthermore, when a strong force is applied unexpectedly, the clamping portions do not open more than necessary, preventing the earrings from falling off. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-187427 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2014-151038 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] The gap setting mechanism described in Patent Document 2 is designed so that the distance between the pair of opposing clamping parts changes as the shaft support parts at the base ends of each of the pair of components move. The mechanism works by providing a shaft support part consisting of two bifurcated grooves at the base end of one of the components, and the base end of the other component fits into these two grooves via small balls biased by a spring. Therefore, by opening and closing the pair of components, the pair of clamping parts can be locked between a first release position and a second release position, preventing excessive clamping around the earlobe or excessive release that could cause the earlobe to fall off.

[0005] However, in a structure in which a pair of components are opened and closed in a direction that moves them toward and away from each other, it is difficult to position them on the earlobe, and it can take a long time to put them on. Furthermore, in a structure in which the fit to the earlobe is adjusted by switching using spring bias, there are problems such as the need for a large force when switching and the shaft support part being easily dislodged. Furthermore, accessories such as small balls and springs are required for the pair of components, and the process of assembling these fine parts is required, which results in problems of high cost and labor.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an earring that has a simple structure with a small number of parts and can be securely and easily attached to a predetermined position on the earlobe. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problem, the earring of the present invention comprises a first member having a first clamping member at one end that abuts one side of the earlobe, and a second member having a second clamping member at one end that abuts the other side of the earlobe, the other end of the second member being axially supported in the middle part of the first member so that the second clamping member can rotate in directions approaching and moving away from the first clamping member, and the first member and the second member are provided with engaging portions that maintain the clamping distance for clamping the earlobe when the second clamping member is brought close to the first clamping member. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] The earrings of the present invention have an engaging portion that maintains the clamping distance that clips the earlobe thicknesswise (front and back) when the second clamping member is brought close to the first clamping member, so that the second clamping member can clamp the back of the earlobe while the first clamping member is positioned on the front of the earlobe. This allows the earrings to be securely and easily attached to the earlobe in the desired position. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 10A and 10B are diagrams showing examples of wearing earrings according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a front view of the earring engaged in the first stop position. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a partial perspective view showing a connection structure between a first member and a second member. [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a front view of the earring engaged in the second stop position. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 is a front view of the earring in a disengaged state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] An embodiment of an earring according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of an earring 10 worn on an earlobe 1, and FIG. 2 is a front view of the earring 10 engaged in the first clamping position (first stopper position) when clamping the earlobe. The earring 10 of this embodiment is made of metal such as silver or stainless steel, and as shown in FIG. 2, is composed of a pair of parts that form a loop-like shape (C-shape) when closed together. One part (hereinafter referred to as the "first part 11") is formed in a large arc shape that is close to a circle. The other part (hereinafter referred to as the "second part 12") is formed in a smaller arc shape than the first part 11 so as to overlap a portion of the first part 11. The first part 11 and the second part 12 are connected to each other via a connecting part 17 provided in the middle of the first part 11 so as to be able to open and close.

[0011] As shown in Figure 1, the first member 11 has one end forming a first clamping end 13 that faces the front surface 1a of the earlobe, and the other end forming a released end 15. As shown in Figure 3, the first member 11 has an arc-shaped groove 18 formed from the connecting portion 17 to the released end 15 to accommodate the second member 12. A first clamping member 31 that abuts against the front surface 1a of the earlobe is attached to the first clamping end 13.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the second member 12 has one end formed as a second clamping end 14 that faces the rear surface 1b of the earlobe, and the other end formed as a support end 16 that is rotatably supported via a shaft 19 in a groove 18 of the first member 11, and the section from the support end 16 to the second clamping end 14 can be accommodated in the groove 18. A second clamping member 32 that abuts against the rear surface 1b of the earlobe is attached to the second clamping end 14.

[0013] The second member 12 rotates around the connecting portion 17 in a direction approaching or moving away from the first member 11, causing the first clamping end portion 13 and the second clamping end portion 14 to approach or move away from each other at a predetermined distance. This approach and movement away from each other allows the distance at which the first clamping member 31 and the second clamping end portion 14 pinch the earlobe to be set or released.

[0014] 3, the first member 11 and the second member 12 are provided with an engagement portion 20 that allows the second member 12 to engage with the first member 11 at a predetermined position. The engagement portion 20 is composed of a first engagement portion 21 provided on the first member 11 and a second engagement portion 22 provided on the second member 12.

[0015] One of the first engagement portion 21 and the second engagement portion 22 is a concave portion formed as a hole or a recess, and the other is a convex portion that fits into the concave portion and engages with each other. In this embodiment, the first engagement portion 21 is a circular hole formed in the first member 11, and the second engagement portion 22 is a gently dome-shaped convex portion formed in the second member 12. Conversely, the first engagement portion 21 may be a convex portion, and the second engagement portion 22 may be a hole or a recess. The first engagement portion (hole) 21 is provided on a side surface within the groove portion 18 of the first member 11. The second engagement portion 22 is composed of a first engagement site (first convex portion) 22a provided on a protruding surface 23 that protrudes from the curved inner circumferential surface of the second member 12, and a second engagement site (second convex portion) 22b provided on the side surface 12a of the second member 12. The first protrusion 22a and the second protrusion 22b are formed along the direction in which the second member 12 rotates relative to the hole 21. In this embodiment, the hole 21, the first protrusion 22a, and the second protrusion 22b are provided on both opposing sides, but they may be provided on either one of the sides. Note that the protruding surface 23 may be formed from the outer circumferential surface of the second member 12 toward the outside.

[0016] In this embodiment, the first clamping member 31 is a spherical gemstone made of a pearl, turquoise, or the like, attached to the first clamping end 13, and the second clamping member 32 is a pad made of an elastic material such as silicone that can be attached to the second clamping end 14 via an attachment ring 25. As shown in FIG. 1 , the first clamping member 31 is attached to the front surface 1a of the earlobe 1, and the second clamping member 32 is attached to the back surface 1b of the earlobe 1. To stabilize the attachment to the earlobe 1 and reduce pressure, it is preferable that at least one of the first clamping member 31 and the second clamping member 32 is made of an elastic material such as silicone. Note that the first clamping member 31 is not limited to a spherical gemstone, and the portion other than the portion that contacts the earlobe 1 may be an ornament of various designs.

[0017] 2 shows the first clamping member 31 engaged with the second clamping member 32 at a first stopper position maintained by a first clamping distance D1, while FIG. 4 shows the first clamping member 31 engaged with the second clamping member 32 at a second stopper position maintained by a second clamping distance D2 narrower than the first clamping distance D1. The first stopper position shown in FIG. 2 is determined by engaging the first protrusion 22a of the second member 12 with the hole 21 of the first member 11. The second stopper position shown in FIG. 4 is determined by engaging the second protrusion 22b of the second member 12 with the hole 21 of the first member 11. Engagement at the first stopper position and the second stopper position forms a double structure in which the first member 11 and the second member 12 partially or completely overlap in the thickness direction, thereby stabilizing the engagement state against vibrations during installation and external shocks. Furthermore, at the second stopper position, the entire second member 12 is substantially housed in the groove 18 of the first member 11, so that when worn, the first member 11 and the second member 12 overlap one another to form a single ring. The first clamping distance D1 and the second clamping distance D2 both define the standard wearing positions of the earring 10. The first clamping distance D1 is suitable for earlobes that are relatively thick, and the second clamping distance D2 is suitable for earlobes that are relatively thin, allowing the choice to be made based on the feel of the person wearing the earring.

[0018] When wearing the earring 10 on the earlobe 1, as shown in FIG. 1, first, the first clamping member 31 is positioned at a predetermined position on the front surface 1a of the earlobe 1. Then, the second member 12 is rotated closer to the first member 11. This rotation of the second member 12 causes the first protrusion 22a of the second member 12 to fit into the hole 21 of the first member 11, thereby engaging at the first stopper position shown in FIG. 2, and the second clamping member 32 abuts against the back surface 1b of the earlobe. If the earring 10 is not worn tightly at this first stopper position, the second member 12 is further rotated closer to the first member 11, and the second protrusion 22b of the second member is fitted into the hole 21 of the first member 11, thereby engaging at the second stopper position shown in FIG. 4. At this time, if the earphones are too tight to wear, the second member 12 is rotated away from the first member 11 to return the earphones from the second stopper position to the first stopper position. In this way, either the first stopper position or the second stopper position can be selected appropriately depending on the thickness of the wearer's earlobe and the feel when worn.

[0019] In this way, by simply rotating the second member 12 slightly so that it approaches the first member 11, the earlobe can be easily clamped between the first clamping portion 31 and the second clamping portion 32. At either stopper position, the hole 21 of the first member 11 engages with the first protrusion 22a or the second protrusion 22b of the second member 12, ensuring secure attachment to the earlobe and preventing the earring 10 from coming off when worn. In addition, a clicking sensation is felt when the first protrusion 22a or the second protrusion 22b is fitted into the hole 21, allowing the user to confirm that the engagement is secure.

[0020] As shown in Fig. 3, the free end 15 of the first member 11 forms an edge 24 connecting both side walls that form the groove 18, and this edge 24 can be used as a starting point to provide springiness in the width direction of the groove 18. Therefore, when the hole 21 formed in the first member 11 and the first convex portion 22a and the second convex portion 22b formed in the second member 12 slide and fit together, elastic forces from both side walls of the groove 18 act to stabilize the engagement at the first stopper position and the second stopper position. The first member 11 and the second member 12 can be entirely finished by heat treatment (hardening treatment) to improve their rigidity and impact resistance.

[0021] 5 shows the earring 10 in a state where the clamping of the earlobe by the first clamping member 31 and the second clamping member 32 is released and the earlobe is left open when the earring 10 is removed from the earlobe. A restricting portion 33 for restricting the release distance D3 between the first clamping member 31 and the second clamping member 32 is provided near the connecting portion 17 of the first member 11 and the second member 12. The restricting portion 33 is composed of a restricting surface 34 formed in a flat plate shape on the support end portion 16 of the second member 12, and a flat abutting surface 35 formed on the inner surface of the first member 11, against which the restricting surface 34 abuts when the second member 12 rotates clockwise by a predetermined rotation angle. 5, when the second member 12 rotates in a direction away from the first member 11, the restricting surface 34 of the second member 12 abuts against the abutting surface 35 of the first member 11 when the distance between the first clamping member 31 and the second clamping member 32 becomes a predetermined release distance D3. This restricts the rotation angle of the second member 12 with respect to the first member 11, so that the release distance D3 does not open wider than necessary, and the second member 12 does not open too much, damaging the connecting portion 17 with the first member 11. The rotation angle of the second member 12 at the restricting portion 33 can be set by the inclination angle of the restricting surface 34 formed on the support end portion 16 of the second member 12. [Explanation of symbols]

[0022] 1. Earlobe 1a Front (one side) 1b Rear surface (other surface) 10 earrings 11 First member 12 Second member 12a side 13 First clamping end 14 Second clamping end 15 Open end 16 Support end 17 Connecting part 18 Groove 19 Shaft 20 Engagement portion 21 hole portion (first engagement portion) 22 second engagement portion 22a First protrusion (first engagement portion) 22b Second protrusion (second engagement portion) 23 Protruding surface 24 Edge 25 Mounting ring 31 First clamping member 32 second clamping member 33 Regulatory Department 34 Regulatory aspects 35 Contact surface

Claims

1. The earphone comprises a first member having a first clamping member at one end that contacts one side of the earlobe, and a second member having a second clamping member at one end that contacts the other side of the earlobe, the other end of the second member is axially supported by an intermediate portion of the first member so that the second clamping member can rotate in a direction approaching and a direction moving away from the first clamping member; The earrings have an engaging portion on the first member and the second member that maintains a clamping distance that clamps the earlobe when the second clamping member is brought close to the first clamping member.

2. The earring as described in claim 1, wherein the engagement portion has a first stop position where the second clamping member engages with the first clamping member at a first clamping distance, and a second stop position where the second clamping member engages with the first clamping member at a second clamping distance that is narrower than the first clamping distance.

3. The earring described in claim 2, wherein the engagement portion is composed of a first engagement portion provided on the first member and a second engagement portion provided on the second member, and the second engagement portion has a first engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion at the first stopper position and a second engagement portion that engages with the first engagement portion at the second stopper position.

4. The earring as described in claim 3, wherein the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion are arranged along the rotation direction of the second member, and at least one of the engagement portions is arranged to protrude from either the inner or outer side of the second member.

5. The earring according to claim 1 , wherein one of the first and second engagement portions is a concave portion and the other is a convex portion that fits into the concave portion.

6. The earring of claim 1 , wherein the first member has a groove formed therein that receives the second member when the second member engages with the first member.

7. The earring described in claim 1, wherein a regulating portion is provided near where the other end of the second member is axially supported on the middle portion of the first member, which regulates the rotation angle of the second member when the second member is rotated in a direction away from the first member.

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