Jewelry clasp for hearing aid

Abstract

A jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ). The jewelry clasp ( 10 ) comprises a hoop ( 20 ) sized for captively retaining a hearing aid tube ( 8 ), and a retaining ring ( 24 ) being permanently affixed to the hoop ( 20 ). The retaining ring ( 24 ) has an aperture therein which facilitates attachment of a desired jewelry thereto. The hoop ( 22 ) and the attachment ring ( 24 ) together define and lie in a common plane of the jewelry clasp. The hoop is one of a continuous permanently closed hoop and a hoop which comprises a first member ( 12 ) pivotally connected to a second member ( 14 ) via a pivot axis ( 16 ), and a spring generally biases the first and second members ( 12, 14 ) into engagement with one another to captively surround and retain a hearing tube ( 8 ).

1 . A jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ), the jewelry clasp ( 10 ) comprising:
 first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ), each of the first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ) comprising a cylindrical section sized for captively retaining a hearing aid tube ( 8 ),   at least one of the first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ) having a retaining ring ( 24 ) permanently affixed thereto, and the retaining ring ( 24 ) having an aperture therein which facilitates attachment of desired jewelry thereto.   
     
     
         2 . A jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ), the jewelry clasp ( 10 ) comprising:
 a hoop ( 20 ) sized for captively retaining a hearing aid tube ( 8 ),   a retaining ring ( 24 ) being permanently affixed to the hoop ( 20 ), and the retaining ring ( 24 ) having an aperture therein which facilitates attachment of a desired jewelry thereto.   
     
     
         3 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the hoop ( 22 ) and the attachment ring ( 24 ) together define and lie in a common plane of the jewelry clasp. 
     
     
         4 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the hoop ( 22 ) has a maximum internal dimension of between about 0.15 inches and 0.60 inches. 
     
     
         5 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the retaining ring ( 24 ) has a maximum internal dimension of between about 0.05 inches and 0.25 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the hoop is a continuous permanently closed hoop. 
     
     
         7 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the hoop comprises a first member ( 12 ) pivotally connected to a second member ( 14 ) via a pivot axis ( 16 ), and a spring generally biases the first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ) into engagement with one another so that the first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ) the hoop ( 22 ) which is sized to captively surround and retain a hearing tube ( 8 ). 
     
     
         8 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein each of the first and the second members ( 12 ,  14 ) comprises a circular C-shaped section ( 18 ) which is integrally formed with a pivot or lever arm ( 20 ). 
     
     
         9 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein a pivoted end of the first member ( 12 ) supports a first component ( 32 ) of a latch while a mating second component ( 34 ) of a latch is provided adjacent a pivoted end of the second member ( 14 ) to facilitate abutting and a releasably locking engagement of the pivoted ends of each the first and the second members ( 12 ,  14 ) with one another. 
     
     
         10 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 7 , wherein each the first and the second members ( 12 ,  14 ) supports a planar face ( 28 ) adjacent a pivoted ends thereof, and the planar faces ( 28 ) abut with one another when the jewelry clasp ( 10 ) is a closed position. 
     
     
         11 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the desired piece of jewelry is one of an earring, a bead, a pin, a charm or some other ornamental or decorative item. 
     
     
         12 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein the hoop ( 22 ) has a shape which is one of oval, square, rectangular, hexagonal, pentagonal and circular. 
     
     
         13 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 2 , wherein hoop ( 22 ) supports one of a stone, an earring, a bead, a pin, a charm, an ornamental element and a decorative item. 
     
     
         14 . A jewelry clasp for use in connection with a tube ( 8 ) of a hearing aid ( 2 ) in which the tube ( 8 ) assists with transmitting of sound from the hearing aid ( 2 ) into an ear of a user, the jewelry clasp ( 10 ) comprising:
 a hoop ( 20 ) sized for captively retaining a hearing aid tube ( 8 ),   a retaining ring ( 24 ) being permanently affixed to the hoop ( 20 ), and the retaining ring ( 24 ) having an aperture therein which facilitates attachment of a desired jewelry thereto;   the hoop ( 22 ) and the attachment ring ( 24 ) together both defining and lying in a common plane, the hoop ( 22 ) has a maximum internal dimension of between about 0.15 inches and 0.60 inches, and the retaining ring ( 24 ) having a maximum internal dimension of between about 0.05 inches and 0.25 inches; and   the desired piece of jewelry is one of an earring, a bead, a pin, a charm or some other ornamental or decorative item.   
     
     
         15 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the hoop is a continuous permanently closed hoop. 
     
     
         16 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein the hoop comprises a first member ( 12 ) pivotally connected to a second member ( 14 ) via a pivot axis ( 16 ), and a spring generally biases the first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ) into engagement with one another so that the first and second members ( 12 ,  14 ) the hoop ( 22 ) which is sized to captively surround and retain a hearing tube ( 8 ). 
     
     
         17 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 14 , wherein each of the first and the second members ( 12 ,  14 ) comprises a circular C-shaped section ( 18 ) which is integrally formed with a pivot or lever arm ( 20 ). 
     
     
         18 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein a pivoted end of the first member ( 12 ) supports a first component ( 32 ) of a latch while a mating second component ( 34 ) of a latch is provided adjacent a pivoted end of the second member ( 14 ) to facilitate abutting and a releasably locking engagement of the pivoted ends of each the first and the second members ( 12 ,  14 ) with one another. 
     
     
         19 . The jewelry clasp for use in connection with a hearing aid ( 2 ) according to  claim 16 , wherein each the first and the second members ( 12 ,  14 ) supports a planar face ( 28 ) adjacent a pivoted ends thereof, and the planar faces ( 28 ) abut with one another when the jewelry clasp ( 10 ) is a closed position.