Exchangeable eyeglass temple pieces utilizing quick-connect attachment

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to eyeglasses having removable temple pieces. More particularly, but not by way of limitation, the present invention relates to substantially invisible, quick-connect attachment structures for connecting and removing eyeglass temple pieces.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A need presently exists for eyeglasses having temple pieces which are quickly and easily removable and reconnectable. Such eyeglass systems will preferably allow the user to quickly and conveniently (a) interchange temple pieces of different fashion, look, and/or style, (b) exchange fashion wear temple pieces with more durable sports-type or safety-type temple pieces (with secure side shields, if desired), and (c) attach temple pieces of different size and/or shape for growing children or for different users. Moreover, the releasable attachment mechanism will preferably be both very secure but easily releasable by simple finger operation.

Although certain types of removable temple structures have been suggested heretofore, these prior systems have not met the needs mentioned above and have typically had numerous other significant shortcomings. U.S. Pat. No. 5,594,511, for example, discloses a rather complicated, two-part temple piece requiring the installation of a visible intermediate “connector” of significant size. U.S. Pat. No. 5,418,581 discloses temple pieces having visible hook structures on the ends thereof which must be attached to permanent, visible T-shaped hinges molded onto the sides of the lens frame. U.S. Pat. No. 5,652,637 discloses a three-piece attachment system consisting of a visible “female member” molded onto the side of the lens frame, a visible intermediate “male member” which snaps into the female member, and an outer ear piece which is attached by a hinge pin to the outer end of the “male member.” U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,792 discloses a two-piece temple structure consisting of a visible forward segment permanently attached to the side of the lens frame and a rearward ear piece which is hinged to the forward segment by means of a spring arm visibly extending along the top of the ear piece. U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,728 discloses a two-piece temple structure consisting of a visible front piece hinged to the side of the lens frame and an ear piece which locks on to the front piece by means of a visible locking structure.

Thus, the prior systems suggested heretofore typically include visible connecting structures and/or visible intermediate connecting pieces which (a) significantly and undesirably affect the look and operation of the eyeglass system, (b) allow only the rearward ear portion of the temple piece to be truly interchangeable, (c) do not provide both easy installation and secure attachment, and/or (d) do not allow simple finger operation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention satisfies the needs and alleviates the problems discussed hereinabove. In one aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for releasably attaching a one-piece temple directly to a lense frame, the one-piece temple having a forward end and the lense frame having a hinge and hinge pin provided thereon. The apparatus comprises: (a) grasping means, at the forward end of the one-piece temple, for releasably, pivotably, and directly grasping the hinge pin such that the forward end of the one-piece temple is positioned directly adjacent to the lense frame and the grasping means is substantially hidden from outside view and (b) finger-operatable actuating means for actuating the grasping means to selectively release and pivotably grasp the hinge pin.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for releasably attaching a temple to a lense frame comprising: an insert structure pivotably attached to the lense frame; a cavity provided in the forward end of the temple for receiving the insert structure; and holding means for releasably retaining the insert structure in the cavity. When the insert structure is retained in the cavity, the forward end of the temple is positioned directly adjacent the lense frame such that the insert structure is substantially hidden from outside view.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus for releasably attaching a one-piece temple directly to a lense frame comprising: a slot provided in a side of the lense frame and a hinged connector provided at the forward end of the one-piece temple. The hinge connector is releasably snappable into the slot.

Further objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent upon examining the accompanying drawings and upon reading the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1

provides a perspective view of an eyeglass assembly employing embodiments

2

of the inventive connecting device.

FIG. 2

provides a first perspective view of inventive device

2

with the jaw structures

14

thereof in open position.

FIG. 3

provides a second perspective view of inventive device

2

with jaws

14

in closed position.

FIG. 4

provides a first top view of inventive device

2

with jaws

14

in open position.

FIG. 5

provides a second top view of inventive device

2

with jaws

14

closed.

FIG. 6

schematically illustrates the structure and operation of one embodiment of inventive device

2

wherein jaws

14

are open.

FIG. 7

schematically illustrates the structure and operation of this same embodiment of inventive device

2

but with jaws

14

in closed position.

FIG. 8

provides an exploded view of an insert assembly employed in an alternative embodiment

70

of the inventive apparatus.

FIG. 9

provides an elevational side view of inventive apparatus

70

with the temple piece

80

thereof disconnected from insert piece

72

.

FIG. 10

provides a top view of inventive apparatus

70

with temple piece

80

disconnected from insert piece

72

.

FIG. 11

provides an elevational side view of inventive apparatus

70

with temple

80

connected to insert

72

.

FIG. 12

provides a top view of inventive apparatus

70

with temple

80

connected to insert

72

.

FIG. 13

provides an exploded top view of an eyeglass assembly employing another alternative embodiment

100

of the inventive attachment apparatus.

FIG. 14

provides a perspective view of an eyeglass assembly employing another alternative embodiment

60

of the inventive attachment apparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

An embodiment

2

of the inventive apparatus for releasably connecting a pair of one-piece eyeglass temple structures

4

to a lense frame

6

is depicted in

FIGS. 1-7

. Each of the two temples

4

is preferably a mirror image of the other. In embodiment

2

, the lense frame

6

includes a conventional hinge pin structure

8

comprising a bolt, screw, or other pin element

10

threadedly or otherwise secured through two or more hinge knuckle elements

12

. Inventive apparatus

2

preferably comprises: a housing

13

; one or more jaw structures

14

which releasably grasp pin element

10

between hinge knuckles

12

; a finger-operatable actuator

16

for opening the jaws

14

; and a biasing element or assembly

18

which preferably operates to automatically return the jaw structure(s)

14

to their closed position. In embodiment

2

of the inventive apparatus, housing

13

is preferably inset, formed, or otherwise provided in the forward end

20

of temple

4

.

As illustrated in

FIGS. 2-7

, jaw structures

14

preferably extend from the forward end portion

20

of temple

4

and actuator

16

is preferably positioned on the inner side

22

of temple

4

such that, when jaw(s)

14

are attached to pin element

10

, the inventive attaching apparatus

2

is substantially hidden from outside view. As used herein and in the claims, the phrase “substantially hidden from outside view” means that, when each of the two temples

4

are attached to lense frame

6

and the assembled eyeglass structure is placed in normal position on the user's head, the inventive attachment apparatus will, when viewed laterally from the direction of arrow

24

shown in

FIG. 5

, either (a) be essentially invisible or (b) appear to be only a conventional temple hinge. When desired, the hinge temple can be completely concealed from outside view using, for example, an outer covering structure

26

which either extends rearwardly from the outside end of the lense frame

4

or forwardly from the forward end of temple

4

.

As just one example of the possible structure and operation of jaw(s)

14

,

FIGS. 6 and 7

schematically illustrate a symmetrical pair of jaws

14

, each of which comprises (a) an elongate flexible arm

30

adapted to slide forwardly and rearwardly in housing

13

and (b) a C-shaped structure

32

or other structure provided on the distal end of arm

30

. Structure

32

can be generally any structure adapted for securely and pivotably grasping the hinge pin

10

of lense frame

6

.

As just one example of the possible structure and operation of actuator

16

,

FIGS. 2-7

show: a finger-operatable push pad

46

or other slide bar structure installed on housing

13

in one or more slide tracks

48

; a structure

50

, projecting laterally inward from pad

46

through track

48

, to which the proximal ends

36

of jaw arms

30

are molded or otherwise flexibly and/or pivotably attached; outwardly curved or angled interior walls

36

provided in housing

13

; and a stationary wedge

54

or other structure provided in housing

13

between jaws

14

for operating with curved interior walls

36

to urge jaws

14

to open (i.e., flex outwardly) as jaws

14

are pushed forward and to force jaws

14

to close as they are pulled rearward.

Although a finger operated sliding actuator

16

has been described for purposes of this disclosure, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that generally any switch-type, button-type, or other type of actuating mechanism (preferably finger-operatable) could alternatively be used in the inventive apparatus.

As illustrated in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, the biasing element/assembly

18

can, as one example, be comprised of a tension spring

58

connected between the interior structure

50

of actuator

16

and a pin

38

or other structure provided in housing

13

. In this arrangement, spring

58

operates to continuously urge actuator

16

and jaw structures

14

rearwardly toward their closed positions. It will be understood by those skilled in the art, however, that any type of coiled spring, leaf spring, or other known biasing structure can be employed in the inventive apparatus to pull, push or switch the actuator and jaw(s) toward their closed positions.

A second embodiment

60

of the inventive apparatus is depicted in FIG.

14

. As will be apparent, embodiment

60

is substantially identical to embodiment

20

of the inventive apparatus except that, in embodiment

60

, the housing

61

of the inventive apparatus is attached to the inner side

62

of temple

63

rather than being inset, formed, or otherwise provided in the interior of the temple itself. As with embodiment

2

, the housing

61

of embodiment

60

is preferably positioned at the forward end portion of temple

63

. As also with embodiment

2

, embodiment

60

of the inventive apparatus is preferably structured and positioned to be substantially hidden from outside view when the user is wearing the inventive eyeglass assembly.

Another alternative embodiment

70

of the inventive apparatus is depicted in

FIGS. 8-12

. Embodiment

70

comprises: an insert piece

72

having one or more hinge elements

74

adapted for pivotable attachment to the frame hinge structure

8

; a cavity

76

provided in the forward end

78

of temple

80

and preferably sized for fully receiving insert

72

; a lip structure

82

provided on the inner side of insert piece

72

adjacent the rearward end thereof; a slot

84

positioned in cavity

76

for receiving lip

82

; and a spring element

88

or other biasing structure provided in cavity

76

for urging lip

82

to snap securely into slot

84

. Slot

84

preferably extends from cavity

76

through the inside wall

86

of temple

80

, thereby allowing the eyeglass wearer to use her finger to depress lip

82

from slot

84

so that temple

80

can be quickly and easily pulled off of insert piece

72

. Insert piece

72

is preferably fully receivable in cavity

76

so that the forward end

78

of temple

80

is positioned immediately adjacent the lense frame

6

and the inventive attachment apparatus

70

is thus substantially hidden from outside view. In the same manner as discussed above, an extension

90

can, if desired, be provided on frame

6

or the forward end of temple

80

in order to completely conceal the hinge structure

8

.

Another alternative embodiment

100

of the inventive apparatus is depicted in FIG.

13

. Embodiment

100

comprises: a hinged ball-type insert connector

102

pivotably secured at the forward end

104

of a one-piece temple

106

and a corresponding ball connector insert cavity

108

extending laterally into the side of lense frame

110

. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the ball-type insert connector

102

provides a secure connection but can be readily snapped into and out of insert cavity

108

. The one-piece temple

106

preferably extends all the way to lense frame

110

such that the inventive attachment apparatus

100

is substantially hidden from outside view. If desired, an extension

90

can be provided on temple

106

or lense frame

110

to conceal the hinge connection.

Thus, the present invention is well adapted to carry out the objects and attain the ends and advantages mentioned above as well as those inherent therein. While presently preferred embodiments have been described for purposes of this disclosure, numerous changes and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Such changes and modifications are encompassed within the spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.