GB2149305A - Improvements in or relating to ear piercing - Google Patents

Abstract

An ear piercing stud (40) and shield (41), the stud (40) having a stud head (42) and a pointed shaft (43) extending from the stud head (42) are adapted for use with an ear piercing instrument (10) of the type having a plunger (12) for urging the pointed shaft (43) on the stud (40) through an ear lobe, in use. The shield (41), having a hole in which the stud head (42) is engaged, provides no gap between the stud head (42) and the shield (41), whereby the plunger (12) is prevented from contacting an ear lobe during an ear piercing operation. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to ear piercing The invention relates to ear piercing instruments and, more particularly but not exclusively ear piercing instruments of the type in which an ear piercing stud having a stud head and a pointed shaft extending from the stud head is forced through an ear lobe by a spring loaded plunger released by a trigger. Commonly, in such instruments, the stud engages a back clasp when it has passed through an ear lobe to hold the stud in position.

A problem in the past with ear piercing instruments which are used over and over again to pierce ears of different poeple is that, while each stud and back clasp is sterile when loaded onto the instrument, parts of the instrument itself in the region of the piercing point, notably the front face of the barrel plunger,will contact an ear lobe being pierced and may as a result transmit infection or disease.

According to the invention there is provided an ear piercing stud and shield therefor, the stud having a stud head and a pointed shaft extending from the stud head and being adapted for use with an ear piercing instrument of the type having a plunger for urging the pointed shaft on the stud through an ear lobe, in use, the shield having a hole in which the stud head is engaged to provide no gap between the stud head and the shield, whereby the plunger is prevented from contacting an ear lobe during an ear piercing operation.

The shield is preferably engaged by the stud head with a friction fit.

The shield preferably comprises engagement means for engaging the plunger for at least partly locating the stud in alignment with the plunger.

The engagement means may comprise an annular skirt adapted to surround completely an end portion of an instrument plunger in use.

The invention further provides an ear piercing instrument comprising a plunger, a stud and shield according to the invention located at the end of the plunger and means for moving the plunger to urge the stud through an ear lobe, in use.

The plunger preferably has a recessed end engaged by the stud head.

The recessed end preferably comprises a recess portion which is engaged by the stud head with a close fit over a part of the stud head insufficient to ensure alignment of the stud with the plunger, alignment being ensured by the engagement means on the shield engaging the plunger.

The close fitting recess portion preferably engages an end portion of the stud head remote from the shaft, the recessed end of the plunger having an outer recess portion adjacent the end of the plunger of internal dimensions greater than the external dimensions of the stud head such that the stud head fits only loosely in the outer recess portion.

The instrument preferably comprises biasing means for urging the plunger towards an ear lobe, in use, means for holding the plunger against the biasing means and means for releasing the plunger. The releasing means may be a trigger mechanism.

The instrument proferably comprises means for supporting a back clasp for engagement by the stud shaft in use.

By way of example, one embodiment of an ear piercing stud and shield therefor and an ear piercing instrument according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a cut away side view of an ear piercing instrument according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of Fig.

1 illustrating a stud and shield therefor according to the invention; Figure 3 is a front view of a shield for an ear piercing stud; and Figure 4 is a side view of the shield of Fig.

3.

Fig. 1 shows an ear piercing instrument generally indicated at 10. The instrument 10 has a main body 11 including a handle, the body carrying a plunger 12, usually of steel, biased towards the left in Fig. 1 by a coil spring 13.

The body 11 also carries a trigger assembly 14 slidable relative to the body 11. The trigger assembly 14 includes a trigger 1 5 and a back clasp holder 1 6 for supporting a back clasp carrier 1 7 which carries a pair of back clasps 1 8 and 1 9. The back clasp carrier 1 7 is removably mounted on the back clasp holder 16.

The trigger assembly 14 is biased to the left as shown in Fig. 1 by a coil spring 20.

The body 11 includes a cocking and release mechanism for the plunger 1 2. The mechanism includes a locking pin 25 slidable up and down in the body 11 and biased towards the plunger 12 by a coil spring 26. The plunger 12 is slidable in a bore 27 in the body 11 and includes spaced portions 28 and 29 which are a close fit in the bore 27.

An upper end portion of the locking pin 25 is engageable between the portions 28 and 29 of the plunger 1 2 to hold the plunger 1 2 in a cocked position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The pin 25 has a central portion of reduced diameter 30 below which extends a bevelled surface 31. The trigger assembly 1 4 includes a chamfered bearing element 32, the arangement being such that when the trigger 1 5 is slid towards the rear of the instrument, the bearing element 32 bears on the bevelled surface 31 to urge the pin 25 downwardly to release the plunger 12.

It will be appreciate that many alternative mechanisms for cocking and releasing a plunger may be used.

At the end of the plunger 1 2 nearest the back clasps is supported an ear piercing stud 40 and an associated shield 41. The mounting of the stud 40 and shield 41 is illustrated in more detail in Fig. 2. The stud 40 has a stud head 42 which in this embodiment has a cylindrical outer surface, and a pointed shaft 43 extending from the head 42. The shaft 43 has stepped portions adjacent the free end thereof for gripping by one of the back clasps 18 or 19 in a known way.

The shield 41 which is conveniently of piastics material, for example injection moulded, has a hole formed therein surrounded by a chamfered surface 44. The stud head 42 engages the hole in the shield 41 with a friction fit.

The end of the plunger 1 2 is formed with a recess 45 having an outer recess portion 46 of internal dimensions larger than the external dimensions of the stud head 42 and an inner recess portion 47 in which the stud head 42 is a close fit. The inner recess portion 47 has a shoulder to limit the distance which the stud head 42 can be inserted into the recess, and as a result engagement of the stud head 42 into the recess 45 will not ensure alignment of the stud 40 with the plunger 1 2.

Correct alignment of the stud 40 with the plunger 12 is ensured, however, by the presence of engagement means in the form of an annular skirt 48 on the shield 41, the skirt 48 surrounding the end of the plunger 1 2 with a snug fit. The skirt 48 has a chamfered rim 49 to assist location.

This embodiment of the invention has the advantage that it is not possible to use a stud 40 without a shield 41 as alignment of the stud 40 with the plunger 12 depends on the presence of the shield 41. Prior attempts to reduce the chance of transference of infection using instruments of this general type, for example by placing a disposable cover on a portion 60 against which an ear lobe rests in use are prone to abuse because the disposable cover which should be changed each time an ear piercing operation takes place can simply be glued in place. With the stud and shield of this embodiment in combination with the recess arrangement at the end of the plunger 12, the stud and shield assembly must be replaced each time a stud is used to pierce an ear. Both the stud and protective disposable shield are loaded into the barrel plunger in one simple operation.

Figs. 3 and 4 show in more detail the shape of the shield 41; it would be appreciated that other shapes of shield could be used. The portion 60 of the instrument against which an ear lobe bears is substantially U-shaped, to provide sufficient space for the shield to pass beyond it. It will be appreciated that the ear lobe will not contact the portion 60 anywhere near the point of piercing by the shaft 43.

Claims (12)

1. An ear piercing stud and shield therefor, the stud having a stud head and a pointed shaft extending from the stud head and being adapted for use with an ear piercing instrument of the type having a plunger for urging the pointed shaft on the stud through an ear lobe. In use, the shield having a hole in which the stud is engaged to provide no gap between the stud head and the shield, whereby the plunger is prevented from contacting an ear lobe during an ear piercing operation.

2. A stud and shield therefore according to Claim 1, wherein the shield is engaged by the stud head with a friction fit.

3. A stud and shield therefore according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 comprising engagement means for engaging the plunger for at least partly locating the stud in alignment with the plunger.

4. A stud and shield therefor according to Claim 3, wherein the engagement means comprise an annular skirt adapted to surround completely an end portion of an instrument plunger in use.

5. An ear piercing instrument comprising a plunger, and a stud and shield as claimed in any preceding Claim, located at the end of the plunger, and means for moving the plunger to urge the stud through an ear lobe, in use.

6. An instrument according to Claim 5, wherein the plunger has a recessed end engaged by the stud head.

7. An instrument according to Claim 6, wherein the recessed end comprises a recess portion which is engaged by the stud head with a close fit over a part of the stud head with the plunger alignment being ensured by the engagement means on the shield engaging the plunger.

8. An instrument according to Claim 7, wherein the close fitting recess portion engages an end portion of the stud head remote from the shaft, the fecessed end of the plunger having an outer recess portion adjacent the end of the plunger of internal dimensions greater than the external dimensions of the stud head such that the stud head fits only loosely in the outer recess portion.

9. An instrument according to any of Claims 5 to 8 comprising biasing means for urging the plunger towards an ear lobe, in use, means for holding the plunger against the biasing means, and means for releasing the plunger.

10. An instrument according to Claim 9, wherein the releasing means is a trigger mechanism.

11. An instrument according to any one of Claims 5 to 10 comprising means for supporting a back clasp for engagement by the stud shaft in use.

12. An ear piercing stud and shield therefor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

1 3. An ear piercing instrument therefor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and a shown in the accompanying drawings.