Screw-less rim lock and hinge eyewear and assembly method therefor |
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申请号 | US14376741 | 申请日 | 2013-03-07 | 公开(公告)号 | US20150029457A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2015-01-29 |
申请人 | Felix Bystritsky; | 发明人 | Felix Bystritsky; | ||||
摘要 | In preferred embodiments, the proposed eyeglass frame includes two glass-holding rims, each attached to an endpiece with upper and lower hinge loops coupled thereto. The endpiece includes split proximal and middle sections, and a solid distal section. The split includes a curvilined slit and a first window. The frame has two clamps with a second window and a groove. The clamp, preferably formed as a tube having a C-like or 0-like cross-section, operatively slides along the endpiece. The frame has two temples each with—an upper prong and—a lower prong furnished with outer protrusions, and—a middle prong therebetween, including—a strip-shaped portion,—a Z-shaped portion, and—a tongue with a tip. The lower and upper prongs diverge, forming a V-shape. The tongue and tip engage with the first and second windows during assembling. The proposed frame is easily assembled without special tools or skills | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | This application is a U.S. national stage application of an international application PCT/US2013/02950 filed on 7 Mar. 2013, which international application claims priority of a US provisional application US61/685,257 filed on 14 Mar. 2012 and a US provisional application US61/772,065 filed on 4 Mar. 2013. The present invention relates to eyeglass (spectacles) frames, particularly to screw-less rim lock and screw-less hinge eyewear frames. There is known European Patent EP 0863424 disclosing “The hinge connecting side-piece (4) to mounting is based on inherent tension in the metal. It has three lengthways slits at the end of the side-piece to form three free-standing springs (1-3) bent to make up a connecting element. This is joined in tension to a strap (8) on the spectacles frame and remains foldable to provide the hinge function. The two outer springs (1,3) are bent into a U-shape at their ends to grasp the mounting (5) parts (6,7) as compared with the centre spring (2) which is bent out of its original plane so as to fit into the strap slot (8) so that the right-hand side of this forms an end-stop for the side-piece when this is folded out for use. In this position, the two ends of the respective springs give rise to a triangle of tension.” There is also known US Pat. Application Publication No. 20080137029 disclosing “Eyeglass frame, which consists of a frontal eyeglass rim and two eyeglass temples, which are linked to the frontal eyeglass rim by means of connecting clips.” The aforementioned devices however have various shortcomings, e.g. being difficult for manufacturing and/or assembling, unreliable, expensive, etc. Therefore, consumers and providers still need an inexpensive screw-less eyewear convenient for assembling, servicing, and using. The aforesaid problem has been solved in the present invention. In a preferred embodiment, the inventive eyeglass frame comprises: (a) a pair of glass-holding rims, characterized with: an inner region and an outer region joined with each other through the inner regions thereof; (b) an endpiece made of a predeterminedly flexible material and coupled to the rim in the outer region thereof; the endpiece includes: (b1) an essentially flat body characterized with:—longitudinal edges,—a proximal section adjacent to the rim,—a distal section remote from the rim, and—a middle section, located between said proximal section and said distal section; the flat body includes a solid part in the distal section, and is longitudinally split—within the proximal section, and—within the middle section, by forming a curvilined slit, a first window, and a hole bordering with said solid part; wherein the curvilined slit, the first window, and the hole are sequentially connected making a common split through the proximal and middle sections; and (b2) an upper hinge loop and a lower hinge loop coupled to the opposite longitudinal edges of the flat body in the proximal section thereof; (c) a joint clamp including: (c1) a flat clamp base having a second window and a groove, and is capable of operatively externally sliding along the longitudinal edges of said endpiece until stopped by the hinge loops; (d) a temple made of a predeterminedly flexible material, and characterized with a proximal portion being proximate to said rim; the proximal portion includes:—an upper prong,—a middle prong, and—a lower prong with a strip-like shape; wherein: the upper prong and the lower prong have an equal length and are furnished with outer protrusions coupled thereto, and the upper prong and the lower prong side-wise diverge in the direction toward said rim, thereby forming a widening V-shape; said outer protrusions are configured to operatively engage with the upper hinge loop and the lower hinge loop during the assembling; the upper prong and the lower prong are spaced from the middle prong by recessions (gaps); the middle prong is longer than the upper prong and the lower prong; the middle prong includes:—a strip-shaped portion, being most remote from said rim, is situated between the upper prong and the lower prong;—a Z-shaped bent portion connected to said strip-shaped portion;—a tongue portion having a first end connected to the Z-shaped bent portion and a second end; and—a tip connected to the second end of said tongue portion; and wherein: said joint clamp is capable of operatively sliding between the recessions; and the tongue portion and the tip are configured to operatively engage with the second window, the first window, and the groove is capable of receiving a fraction of the middle prong. The inventive eyeglass frame has at least the following advantageous features:
While the invention may be susceptible to embodiment in different forms, there are shown in the drawings, and will be described in detail herein, specific exemplary embodiments of the present invention, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention. The eyeglass frame of the First Embodiment, shown in (a) a pair of glass-holding rims (1), each said rim (1) is characterized with: an inner region and an outer region; said rims (1) are joined with each other through the inner regions thereof; each said rim (1) has a rim slit (5) in the outer region thereof; (b) an endpiece (2) made of a predeterminedly flexible material and angularly coupled to each said rim (1) in the outer region thereof; said endpiece (2) includes:
(c) a joint clamp (3) having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end being proximate to said rim (1), and a distal end being remote from said rim (1); said joint clamp (3) includes:
(d) a temple (4) made of a predeterminedly flexible material, and characterized with a proximal portion being proximate to said rim (1); the proximal portion of said temple (4) includes:—an upper prong (13.1) with a strip-like shape,—a middle prong (13.2), and—a lower prong (13.3) with a strip-like shape; wherein: the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) have an equal length and are furnished with outer protrusions (14) coupled thereto close to the ends thereof; the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) side-wise diverge from the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) in the direction toward said rim (1), thereby forming a widening V-shape with a predetermined diverging angle; said outer protrusions (14) are configured to operatively engage with the upper hinge loop (6) and the lower hinge loop (6) during the assembling of said eyeglass frame; the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) are spaced from the middle prong (13.2) by recessions (18); the middle prong (13.2) is longer than the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3); the middle prong (13.2) includes:—a strip-shaped portion most remote from said rim (1), the strip-shaped portion is situated between the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3);—a Z-shaped bent portion (17) connected to said strip-shaped portion, said Z-shaped bent portion (17) provides for a step-up forward bend;—a tongue portion (16) having a first end connected to the Z-shaped bent portion (17) and a second end configured with a skewed cutout; and—a tip (15) connected to the second end of said tongue portion (16); and wherein: said joint clamp (3) is capable of operatively sliding between the recessions (18); the tongue portion (16) and the tip (15) are configured to operatively engage with the window (11), the window (8); and the groove (19) is configured to receive a fraction of the middle prong (13.2). The inventive eyeglass frame shown in (A) separating said endpiece (2) along the common split through the proximal and middle sections of the endpiece; (B) inserting optical lenses into said rim (1) and joining said endpiece (2) along the common split through the proximal and middle sections; (C) sliding said joint clamp (3) until it fits over said endpiece (2), wherein said joint clamp (3) reaches the hinge loops (6) and is stopped by them, then the window (11) essentially coincides with the window (8); (D) folding the temple (4) down to said rim (1), sliding said middle prong (13.2) through the window (11) and the window (8); (E) inwardly depressing the upper prong (13.1) against the lower prong (13.3), thereby narrowing the predetermined diverging angle therebetween, aligning the protrusions (14) of said upper prong (13.1) and said lower prong (13.3) with the corresponding hinge loops (6); and (F) inserting said outer protrusions (14) into the corresponding hinge loops (6), and releasing said upper prong (13.1) and said lower prong (13.3), thereby completing the assembling of said eyeglass frame. When the frame is assembled, and the temple (4) is folded down (closed) to said rim (1), said skewed cutout of the tongue (16) prevents the middle prong (13.2) from snapping out from the windows (8) and (11). When the frame is assembled, and the temple (4) is folded up (open) from said rim (1), a predetermined fraction of the middle prong (13.2) is placed into the groove (19) maintaining a required configuration of the frame. The eyeglass frame of the Second Embodiment, shown in (a) a pair of glass-holding rims (1), each said rim (1) is characterized with: an inner region and an outer region; said rims (1) are joined with each other through the inner regions thereof; each said rim (1) has a rim slit (5) in the outer region thereof; (b) an endpiece (2) made of a predeterminedly flexible material and angularly coupled to each said rim (1) in the outer region thereof; said endpiece (2) includes:
(c) a joint clamp (3) having a longitudinal axis, a proximal end being proximate to said rim (1), and a distal end being remote from said rim (1); said joint clamp (3) including a clamp base (12) having a window (11) transversely oriented in relation to the longitudinal axis of said joint clamp (3) and located closer to the distal end of said joint clamp (3) than to the proximal end of said joint clamp (3), the clamp base (12) includes a groove (19); and said joint clamp (3) is capable of operatively externally sliding along the longitudinal edges of said endpiece (2) until the sliding is stopped by the hinge loops (6) and the window (11) essentially coincides with the window (8). (d) a temple (4) made of a predeterminedly flexible material, and characterized with a proximal portion being proximate to said rim (1); the proximal portion of said temple (4) includes:—an upper prong (13.1) with a strip-like shape,—a middle prong (13.2), and—a lower prong (13.3) with a strip-like shape; wherein: the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) have an equal length and are furnished with outer protrusions (14) coupled thereto close to the ends thereof; the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) side-wise diverge from the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) in the direction toward said rim (1), thereby forming a widening V-shape with a predetermined diverging angle; said outer protrusions (14) are configured to operatively engage with the upper hinge loop (6) and the lower hinge loop (6) during the assembling of said eyeglass frame; the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) are spaced from the middle prong (13.2) by gaps or recessions (18); the middle prong (13.2) is longer than the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3); the middle prong (13.2) includes:—a strip-shaped portion most remote from said rim (1), the strip-shaped portion is situated between to the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3);—a Z-shaped bent portion (17) connected to said strip-shaped portion, said Z-shaped bent portion (17) provides for a step-up forward bend;—a tongue portion (16) having a first end connected to the Z-shaped bent portion (17) and a second end; and—a tip (15) connected to the second end of said tongue portion (16); and wherein: said joint clamp (3) is capable of operatively sliding between the recessions (18); and the tongue portion (16) and the tip (15) are configured to operatively engage with the window (11), the window (8), and the groove (19) receiving a fraction of the middle prong (13.2). Some of the above described elements can be implemented in specific shapes (see (i) the curvilined slit (7) may have a waveform with one of the following shapes: a jigsaw shape; one semicircle; at least two alternatively bulging semicircles; a broken line. (ii) the window (11) and the window (8) may have a rectangular shape, a combination of two rectangles (a narrower and a wider one), a ‘sombrero’-like shape, or a shape including at least a portion of sphere or ellipsoid. (iii) the hole (8.1) may have an oval or round shape. (iv) the upper prong (13.1) and the lower prong (13.3) may have curvilined ends (21) situated behind the outer protrusions (14). (v) the tip (15) may have a shape of at least a portion of a sphere or an ellipsoid; or a ‘mushroom’-like shape; or an arrow shape; or a polygon. (vi) the clamp 3 can be formed as a tube having a C-like cross-section (mostly used for sheet materials capable of bending), or, optionally, a 0-like cross-section (mostly used for materials capable of casting) as shown in The inventive frame can be adapted for eyewear glass frames having solid rims without any split, or for semi-rimless frames without a split, or rimless frames without a split (shown in The inventive frame may be used by an average consumer without specific professional skills, who could replace the temples of another style, or color, or material (such as metal, plastic, carbon fiber, titanium, wood, rubber etc.). |