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US 5,203,183 AGranted
Rotatable earring and method for making the same
OwnerRobert U. Salernoinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An earring of unitary construction having a rotatable element and a method of making the same. The earring includes a first ornamental portion which freely rotates about a ball bearing assembly fixedly attached to the first ornamental portion, a second ornamental portion disposed to the front of the first ornamental portion which remains fixed, and a bearing cap assembly disposed to the rear of the first ornamental portion which is fixedly attached to the second ornamental portion and includes a bearing cap which covers the ball bearing assembly, and an ear clasp for selective attachment of the earring to a wearer's ear.
Claims11
An earring of unitary construction having a rotatable element, said earring comprising:
- (a) a first ornamental portion having rotation means fixedly attached to said first ornamental portion, said rotation means comprising ball bearing rotation means including a central annular bearing retainer having a central opening formed therein, an outer annular bearing retainer, and a plurality of ball bearings disposed between said central bearing retainer and said outer bearing retainer, said outer bearing retainer being fixedly attached to said first ornamental portion, said rotation means axle extending through the central opening of said central bearing retainer, said first ornamental portion including a bearing seat and said outer bearing retainer being formed having an annular shoulder, said annular shoulder being disposed in said bearing seat, said outer bearing retainer being fixedly attached to said bearing seat by cutting and bending displaced portions of said bearing seat over said outer bearing retainer.
An earring of unitary construction having a rotatable element, said earring comprising:
- (a) a first ornamental portion having rotation means fixedly attached to said first ornamental portion, said rotation means comprising ball bearing rotation means including a central annular bearing retainer having a central opening formed therein, an outer annular bearing retainer, and a plurality of ball bearings disposed between said central bearing retainer and said outer bearing retainer, said outer bearing retainer being fixedly attached to said first ornamental portion, said rotation means axle extending through the central opening of said central bearing retainer, said first ornamental portion including a bearing seat and said outer bearing retainer being formed having an annular shoulder, said annular shoulder being disposed in said bearing seat, said bearing seat including a plurality of bearing seat flanges, said outer bearing retainer being fixedly attached to said bearing seat by engagement of said flanges with said outer bearing retainer.
An earring of unitary construction having a rotatable element, said earring comprising:
- a first ornamental portion having a bearing seat and ball bearing rotation means fixedly attached to said bearing seat, said ball bearing rotation means including a central annular bearing retainer having a central opening formed therein, an outer annular bearing retainer, and a plurality of ball bearings disposed between said central bearing retainer and said outer bearing retainer, said outer bearing retainer being fixedly attached to said bearing seat for fixed attachment of said ball bearing rotation means to said bearing seat;
- a bearing cap assembly including a bearing cap, a bearing cap boss, a bearing axle and ear clasping means,
- said bearing cap having a recessed forward wall and a flat rearward wall, said bearing cap being formed with sufficient diameter to cover the ball bearing rotation means of said first ornamental portion and being disposed with the forward wall thereof to a rearward portion of the first ornamental portion,
- said bearing cap boss being disposed on the recessed forward wall of said bearing cap, a forward end of said boss engaging a rearward portion of the central bearing retainer of said ball bearing rotation means,
- said bearing axle extending forwardly from said bearing cap boss through the central opening of said ball bearing rotation means to a second ornamental portion,
- said ear clasping means being fixedly attached to the flat rearward wall of said bearing cap;
- and
- said second ornamental portion having a main body portion and a raised bearing surface extending from a rearward portion of said main body portion, said bearing surface engaging a forward portion of the central bearing retainer of said ball bearing rotation means, said main body portion being fixedly attached to a forward end of the bearing axle of said bearing cap assembly.
5 more elements
A method of making a metal earring of unitary construction having a laterally rotatable element comprising the steps of:
- (a) die casting a first ornamental portion;
- (b) fixedly attaching rotation means to said first ornamental portion;
- (c) die casting a second ornamental portion having an opening formed therein;
- (d) die casting as an integral member a bearing cap of sufficient diameter to cover said rotation means and a bearing axle of sufficient length to extend through said first ornamental portion and said second ornamental portion;
- (e) fixedly attaching ear clasping means to said bearing cap;
- (f) inserting said bearing axle through said rotation means in the first ornamental portion and through said opening in the second ornamental portion;
- (g) pressing said second ornamental portion and said bearing cap tightly against said first ornamental portion;
- and,
- (h) fixedly attaching said bearing axle to said second ornamental portion while holding the second ornamental portion and the bearing cap tightly pressed against said first ornamental portion.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.