US20060090509A1

US20060090509A1 - Body piercing insertion device

Info

Publication number: US20060090509A1
Application number: US10/977,580
Authority: US
Inventors: Joshua Jones; Joshua Stahl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-10-29
Filing date: 2004-10-29
Publication date: 2006-05-04

Abstract

A device for inserting jewelry into pierced body openings which consists of an elongated cylinder having a closed pointed end for insertion into body openings, and a hollow end which friction fits over the jewelry's end. Once the device is fitted over the jewelry, the pointed end of the device is inserted through the body's opening, which allows for the device with attached jewelry to be inserted and pushed through the body opening without damaging tissue. Since only the smooth plastic surface of the device makes contact with any tissue, contact of the jewelry's threaded or sharp edges with tissue is eliminated. This reduces tissue damage and risk of infection. The device's shape can be straight or curved, and its dimensions vary to accommodate the size of the jewelry and the specific pierced body openings.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This relates to the field of jewelry used in body piercing, in particular to a device and method of inserting jewelry through various layers of the user's skin on different parts of the user's body, such as ears, eyebrows, lips, navels, nipples, and tongues, which minimizes tearing of the user's tissue and reduces the risk of infection.

BACK GROUND OF THE INVENTION

Body piercing various parts of the human body, such as ears, eyebrows, lips, navels, nipples, and tongues, among others, with jewelry is a unique form of body ornamentation and self-expression. Both men and women use this jewelry. Jewelry to adorn pierced body openings is commonly structured out of three pieces, a threaded stem and a pair of caps, wherein at least one of the caps is attached by common thread means to one of the threaded ends of the stem. The other cap may be fixably attached to the other end of the stem, or may be threadedly attached.
If both of the jewelry's caps are threadedly attached to both ends the jewelry's stem, a pair of female (or male) threaded caps mate to a pair of jewelry stem's threaded male (or female) ends, respectively. Each of the jewelry's caps can either have a threaded male or female structure, which mates to the jewelry stem's threaded end (either female or male structure, respectively). The present invention can accommodate either threaded male or female jewelry stem ends, since it fits over the stem ends.
Each jewelry cap's diameter is larger than the diameter of the jewelry's stem, in order for the jewelry to be anchored in the pierced body opening so as not to be dislodged from or slide out of the pierced body opening. The structure assists in anchoring the jewelry inside the pierced body opening, and stops the jewelry from sliding out of the pierced body opening and being lost or swallowed by the user.
The jewelry is commonly made out of titanium or other metal. The preferred embodiment of the present invention is made of plastic.
The tissue of the pierced body opening, can be easily scratched and subject to infection when foreign objects, such as jewelry, are inserted through it. When threaded ends or sharp surfaces of jewelry come into contact with tissue in the pierced body opening, the possibility of damaging tissue and causing infection exists.
Therefore, there is a need for an apparatus which would allow for insertion of jewelry into body pierced openings which reduces the potential for tissue damage and infection. The use of the instant device reduces the potential for infection, since the sharp or threaded edges of the jewelry's stem are fitted inside the device. Thus, tissue is protected from coming into contact with the threaded or sharp ends of the jewelry's stem, while the jewelry is inserted through the pierced body opening. Only the smooth outside surface of the present invention comes into contact with tissue, while the jewelry with attached device is inserted through the pierced body opening.
The jewelry's stem can have various shapes, such as an elongated triangle, rectangle, or cylinder, among others. The present invention can be shaped similarly to these various shapes, in order to accommodate the jewelry's shape, when it is fitted over the jewelry. Also, the present invention can be made of a plastic material that can easily morph the shape of the jewelry when it is fitted over the jewelry.
The present invention also accommodates various shaped pierced body openings, and can be used in various body parts, such as tongues, ears, eyebrows, nipples, etc. The stem portion of the device can be straight or curved to accommodate different shaped pierced body openings.
The present invention can also fit over and attach to the jewelry stem's threaded male end by common thread means. When attached by common thread means, the threads of the present invention mate to the threads of the jewelry stem's threaded male end, in order to easily attach to the jewelry stem's threaded male end before and during insertion. The present device can also be easily detached from the jewelry after its insertion through the pierced body opening by either unthreading the device from the jewelry stem's threaded male end, or by slipping the device off the jewlery stem's end, if attached by friction fit.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A device, as recited in the Claims, is provided which is useful in inserting jewelry through a user's (wearer's) pierced body opening, while minimizing damage to the user's tissue and reducing the chance for infection. The present device consists of a hollow female end, a solid stem portion, and a solid pointed end.
The present invention's hollow female end can be either threaded or unthreaded. When the present invention's hollow female end is threaded, the threads are comprised of common thread means which mate to the common thread means of the jewelry stem's threaded male end. The threaded hollow female end of the device threadedly mates to the jewelry stem's threaded male end, which creates a tight fit. This fit creates a smooth outer surface which protects tissue from any threaded and sharp edges of jewelry.
When the present invention's hollow female end is unthreaded, the present invention's hollow female end is friction fitted over the jewelry's threaded stem end (either male or female), so that the invention completely covers and tightly fits against the jewelry stem's end. This protects the user's tissue from contact with any threaded or sharp edges of the jewelry's stem.
Whether the hollow female end of the device is threaded or unthreaded, when attached to the jewelry, the device's solid pointed end and its smooth surface allows for the device to be easily pushed through the pierced body opening without tearing the user's tissue, which minimizes damage to the tissue and risk of infection.
Once the device is pushed through the pierced body opening, the device can be easily detached from the jewelry, and the jewelry's threaded cap can be attached to the jewelry stem's threaded end. An ornamental cap is generally fixably attached to the jewelry stem's opposite end. The diameter of the jewelry's caps are larger than diameter of the jewelry's stem, in order to securely anchor the jewelry to the pierced body opening, so that the jewelry does not become loose and cause harm to the wearer.
The device is preferably made of plastic, which is inexpensive to manufacture, easily cleaned and easily disposable. Using a new device each time the jewelry is attached further reduces the potential for infection. Also, since the device is preferably made of plastic, it is easily pliable and can be friction fit over various shaped jewelry, such as elongated rectangles, cylinders, or triangles.
The device's range of various sized widths, lengths, and shapes, ranging from straight to curved, accommodate various sized pierced body openings. The diameter, circumference and depth of the hollow female end of the present invention accommodate various sized jewelry. If threaded, the device's thread means mate to the thread means of the jewelry's stem ends.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1. is a perspective view of the present invention, with jewelry being anchored to wearer's pierced eyebrow and device pushed through wearer's pierced tongue (jewelry's stem portion in the tongue shown in phantom).
FIG. 2. is a perspective side view of the invention's pointed end, and stem portions, and a cross sectional view of present invention's hollow female end portion, fitted over the jewelry's threaded male stem end (shown in phantom).
FIG. 3. is a perspective view of the present invention; jewelry (shown in phantom), with a clover shaped ornamental cap, with the jewelry's stem's threaded male end being aligned with the present invention's hollow female end portion in order to be fitted over the jewelry stem's threaded male end, showing dimensions of the hollow female end portion, and the jewelry's stem portion.
FIG. 4. is a perspective view of bent shaped jewelry (shown in phantom), with a butterfly shaped ornamental cap, and attached ball shaped cap; cap diameters being larger than the stem's diameter in order to anchor the jewelry inside the pierced body opening
FIG. 5. is a perspective side view of the present invention's pointed and stem end portions, and a cross sectional side view showing the dimensions of the present invention's hollow female end portion's concave opening.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART

Over recent years, there have been many prior art devices which disclose inventions related to body piercing. However, none of these prior art inventions is similar to the present invention which is an apparatus to assist in the insertion of jewelry through the opening created by piercing. Rather, these prior art devices have been utility and design patents for different types of jewelry for body piercing, devices to pierce the body, and for maintaining the structure of the pierced body openings (or skin tunnels). The present invention can be differentiated from the prior art since the prior art does not assist in the insertion of the jewelry once the pierced body opening is made, which minimizes damage to tissue and reduces risk of infection.

There are several patents which disclose devices related to body piercing, which can be differentiated from the present invention:



Inventor	Patent Number	Date

Sierkierski	6,470,709	Oct. 29, 2002
Kaping, Jr.	6,244,073	Jun. 12, 2001
Sierkierski	6,167,725B1	Jan. 2, 2001
Biagi	6,105,392	Aug. 22, 2000

The instant invention is different from Siekierski's patent registration U.S. Pat. No. 6,470,709 dated Oct. 29, 2002 for a threadless jewelry connector assembly, since the Siekierski invention eliminated the need for two male threaded ends to body jewelry. Siekierski helped with keeping the cap or ball onto the end of the piece of body piercing jewelry. The present invention differs from Sierkierski because the present invention friction fits over or threadedly attaches to the jewelry for use during insertion of a piece of jewelry. This also differs from Sierkierski, since Siekieski is used after the body jewelry is pierced through the skin. During insertion, use of the present invention will prevent tears of the skin around the opening and in the pierced body opening.
The instant invention is different from Kaping's patent registration U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,73 dated Jun. 12, 2001 for a body jewelry cap, since the Kaping invention secures the jewelry after the jewelry is already inserted through the piercing tunnel. Kaping's cap is screwed onto the male end of the body jewelry to help prevent the body jewelry from falling out. The present invention differs from Kaping since the present invention is used during the insertion of the body jewelry, and is either friction fitted or threaded onto jewelry stem's end (either male or female stem's end). When the present invention is attached to the jewelry stem's end, the jewelry is inserted through the pierced body opening. When the jewelry is through the pierced body opening, the present invention is removed from the jewelry. The jewelry's cap or ball is then attached to the jewelry's stem to secure (or anchor) the jewelry in the piercing tunnel.
The instant invention is different from Siekierski's U.S. Pat. No. 6,167,725B1 dated Jan. 2, 2001 for a threadless jewelry connector assembly, since the Siekierski invention eliminated the need for two male threaded ends to body jewelry. It also helped with keeping the cap or ball onto the end of the piece of jewelry. The present invention differs from Siekierski because the present invention uses the common female or male threaded end of a piece of jewelry to fit over or thread onto. The present invention is used only during insertion of a piece of jewelry through the pierced body opening. Sierkierski is used after the body jewelry is through the pierced skin. During insertion, use of the present invention will prevent tears of the skin around the opening and throughout the pierced body opening (or skin tunnel).
The instant invention is different from Biagi's U.S. Pat. No. 6,105,392 dated Aug. 22, 2000 for a earring piercing and fastening system and method, since the Biagi invention is used primarily on the piercing of earlobes. Biagi's piercing system and fastening system is used to pierce the earlobe, unscrew the pointed end, and secure the earring by screwing on a stud or a ball. The present invention differs from Biagi because the present invention is used only for insertion of body jewelry. It is not used to pierce unpierced skin. The present invention is used in conjunction with a piece of jewelry and can be used on any body part that is pierced.

OBJECTS AND ADVANTAGES

Accordingly, besides the objects and advantages stated above, several objects and advantages of the present invention are:
To provide for a device which reduces damage and risk of infection to body tissue during insertion of body piercing jewelry into the pierced body opening.
To provide for a device which easily inserts body piercing jewelry through the user's pierced body opening.
To provide for various sized and shaped devices to accommodate various sizes and shapes of body piercing jewelry, as well as pierced body openings.
To provide for a device which is manufactured out of plastic, which is inexpensive, disposable, and easily cleaned, which also reduces the risk of infection.
To provide for a device which assists in reopening partially closed skin tunnels, because of the solid pointed end.
To provide for a device which uses less force pushing the jewelry through the pierced body opening, because of the solid pointed end of device.
To provide for a device which is useable on any body part that is pierced.
To provide for a device that is adaptable to any piece of body jewelry since it uses a morphs the shape of the jewelry stem's end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referencing FIGS. 1-5, the following detailed description of the invention describes its structure and method of use. The device 1 is an invention for insertion of jewelry 9 into the pierced body opening 10 in the user's (wearer's) body, such as lips, eyebrows, nipples, tongue, navel, etc. As shown in FIG. 1, and in detail in FIG. 2, the device 1 with jewelry 9 attached, can be inserted through a pierced body opening 10 in the wearer's tongue 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the jewelry 9 stem's body portion 16 inserted through the pierced body opening 10 of the wearer's tongue 4 in phantom.
Shown in detail in FIGS. 1 and 2, using the following method of the invention reduces the risk of infection since jewelry 9 stem's threaded male end portion 11 does not contact the tissue of the pierced body opening 10, since the present invention 1 covers the jewelry 9 stem's end portion 11, thus avoiding scratching, tearing or other damage to tissue.
As shown in further detail in FIGS. 2, 3 and 5, the device's elongated body portion 19, consists of a solid stem portion 6, a solid pointed end portion 2, and an hollow female end portion 3. The hollow female end portion 3, further consists of a concave opening 12, with diameter 13, depth 14, and circumference 5, which measurements accommodate a tight friction fit with jewelry 9 stem's threaded end portion 11, with diameter 7, circumference 8, and length 18. As shown in FIG. 3, the hollow female end portion 3 of the device 1 can also be threaded, whereby it attaches to the jewelry 9 stem's threaded end 11 by common thread means.
As shown in detail in FIG. 4, the jewelry 9 consists of a pair of two caps 15 a, and 15 b. Cap 15 b is threadedly attached to the jewelry 9 stem's threaded end portion 11, and cap 15 a is preferably fixably attached to the stem portion 16 of the jewelry 9, although it can also be threadedly attached. Caps 15 a and 15 b can be ball shaped, or shaped in an ornamental design (cap 15 a is shown in a butterfly design in FIG. 4, and a clover design in FIG. 3).
As shown in FIGS. 1, and 2, once the device 1, is friction fitted over the jewelry 9 stem's threaded male end portion 11, the device 1 with the attached jewelry 9, are inserted through the pierced body opening 10. When the jewelry's 9 stem's male threaded end portion 11 is covered by and attached to the concave opening 12 of the hollow female end portion 3, only the device's 1 smooth surface contacts the tissue of the body pierced opening 10. Therefore, there are no exposed uneven or sharp surfaces that could tear, or scratch the tissue of the pierced body opening 10. Therefore, the risk of infection to the wearer is reduced by use of the invention.
As shown in FIG. 1, once the device 1 is pushed through the pierced body opening 10, the device 1 is detached from the jewelry 9, and the threaded female cap portion 15 b is attached to the jewelry 9 stem's threaded male end portion 11, in order to anchor the jewelry 9 to the pierced body opening 10. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the diameters 17 a and 17 b, of pair of cap portions 15 a and 15 b, respectively, are larger than the jewelry's body's diameter 7, so that the jewelry 9 does not slip out of the pierced body opening 10 and harm the wearer.
After use, since the device 1 consists of inexpensive plastic, it can either be discarded, or it can be washed and reused. Either way, the device 1 assists the user in safely and hygienically inserting jewelry 9 into pierced body openings 10.

REFERENCE NUMBERS IN THE DRAWINGS

1. device
2. solid pointed end portion
3. hollow female end portion
4. pierced tongue
5. circumference of hollow female end portion
6. solid stem portion
7. diameter of jewelry stem end portion
8. circumference of jewelry stem end portion
9. jewelry
10. pierced body opening
11. jewelry stem end portion
12. concave opening of hollow female end portion
13. diameter of hollow female end portion
14. depth of the hollow female end portion
15 a. jewelry cap portion
15 b. jewelry cap portion
16. body portion of jewelry stem
17 a. diameter of jewelry cap portion
17 b. diameter of jewelry cap portion
18. length of jewelry stem end portion
19. elongated body portion

Claims

1. A device for inserting jewelry through pierced body openings, said jewelry comprising a stem portion with a pair of end portions, having a pair of caps attached to said pair of end portions, whereby at least one cap of said pair of caps attaches to one end of said pair of end portions by common thread means, said device further comprising:

An elongated body portion having a solid pointed end portion, a solid stem portion, and an hollow female end portion having a concave opening,

wherein said one end of said pair of end portions of said jewelry is attached to said concave opening of said hollow female end portion, and said solid pointed end portion is inserted through said pierced body opening, in order to push said device with said jewelry attached through said pierced body opening, and, after insertion is complete, removing said device from said jewelry, without damaging the tissue in said pierced body opening and causing infection.

2. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device is comprised of plastic.

3. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device is comprised of a Titanium alloy material having a high modulus of elasticity.

4. A device as in claim 1, wherein said concave opening of said hollow female end portion is of sufficient depth to cover so as not to expose said one of said pair of end portions of said jewelry.

5. A device as in claim 1, wherein the diameter and circumference of said concave opening of said hollow female end portion is of sufficient dimensions in order to fit against said one of said pair of end portions of said jewelry, so that that said jewelry does not detach from said device during insertion.

6. A device as in claim 1, wherein the surface texture of said device is smooth, in order to insert said device through said body pierced opening without damaging said tissue.

7. A device as in claim 1, wherein said device attached to said jewelry by friction fit means.

8. A device as in claim 1, wherein the surface of said concave opening of said hollow female end portion is threaded, in order to attach said device to said jewelry by common thread means.

9. A device as in claim 1, wherein the shape of said stem portion of said device accommodates the shape of said pierced body opening.

10. A device as in claim 1, wherein, after insertion of said device through said body pierced opening is complete, and said device is detached from said jewelry, one of said pair of caps of said jewelry is attached to one of said pair of stem portions of said jewelry by common thread means, in order for said jewelry to anchor to said body pierced opening in order not to dislodge and injure a wearer.

11. A method for inserting jewelry through pierced body openings, said jewelry comprising a stem portion with pair of end portions, having a pair of caps attached to said pair of end portions, whereby at least one cap of said pair of caps attaches to one end of said pair of end portions by common thread means, utilizing a device comprising an elongated body portion, having a solid pointed end portion, a solid stem portion, and an hollow female end portion having a concave opening, as follows:

i. Friction fitting said concave opening of said hollow female end portion of said device over said one end of said pair of end portions of said jewelry,

ii. Inserting said solid pointed end portion of said device through said pierced body opening, in order to push said device with said jewelry attached through said pierced body opening, without damaging tissue and causing infection, and

iii. Once said device has been inserted through the said pierced body opening, removing said device from said jewelry,

iv. While retaining said jewelry in said pierced body opening after insertion is complete, attaching said one of said pair of cap portions to said one of said pair of end portions of said jewelry, in order for said jewelry to be anchored to said pierced body opening so as not to become dislodged and injure a wearer.

12. A method as in claim 11, wherein said device is comprised of plastic.

13. A method as in claim 11, wherein said device is comprised of a Titanium alloy material having a high modulus of elasticity.

14. A method as in claim 11, wherein said concave opening of said hollow female end portion is of sufficient depth to cover so as not to expose the length of one of said pair of end portions of said jewelry.

15. A method as in claim 11, wherein the diameter and circumference of said concave opening of said hollow female end portion is of sufficient dimensions in order to fit against said one of said pair of end portions of said jewelry, so that said jewelry does not detach from said device during insertion.

16. A method as in claim 11, wherein the surface texture of said device is smooth, in order to insert said device through said body pierced opening without damaging said tissue.

17. A method as in claim 11, wherein said device attached to said jewelry by friction fit means.

18. A method as in claim 11, wherein the surface of said concave opening of said hollow female end portion is threaded, in order to attach said device to said jewelry by common thread means.

19. A method as in claim 11, wherein the shape of said stem portion of said device accommodates the shape of said pierced body opening.