Sharon Eve Loeff

US Patent:

20060207288, Sep 21, 2006

Filed:

Mar 16, 2005

Appl. No.:

11/080498

Inventors:

Sharon Loeff - Scottsdale AZ, US
Thomas Loeff - Scottsdale AZ, US

International Classification:

A44C 17/02

US Classification:

063026000

Abstract:

A jewelry mounting includes a base having front and rear surfaces. The front surface is provided with means permitting the mounting of an article of jewelry or other ornament usable on an earring or pendant. The rear surface includes a pivotable mounting for an ear post. The base also includes side walls to which are pivotably mounted two hoops. When the device is being used as an earring, the hoops lie in opposite directions to one another coplanar with the base. When the device is being used as a jewelry pendant, the hoops are pivoted orthogonal to the base and, in that orientation, comprise bails through which a jewelry chain may be threaded. The piece of jewelry or ornament may include a rear surface including a slot that receives the ear post when the ear post is pivoted down. The slot frictionally retains an end of the ear post to retain the ear post and hoops in the position at which the device may be used as a pendant. In one embodiment of the present invention, the hoops are manually moved from one orientation to another. In another embodiment, torsion springs are provided to bias the hoops from a position at which they lie in a common plane toward a position at which they lie in parallel planes. A latching mechanism is provided for each hoop to lock them in the position at which they lie in a common plane and the inventive device is used as an earring.