CA2036987C - Locking eyeglass holder - Google Patents

Abstract

A lockable eyeglass frame display device is provided. The device includes a rod or base member, a frame support member rigidly secured to the base member and a socket member rigidly secured to the base member and spaced above the support member. The device has an arm with a first end lockably receivable within the socket member. The arm has a second end pivotally connected to the frame supporting member. The arm is swingable from a closed position in which it is generally parallel to the base and the first end is locked within the socket member, downwardly to an open position in which the arm extends away from the base. The pivotal connection is open ended to allow removal of the arm.

Description

20~6~8~
RBP File No. 2612--003 Tltle: Locking Eyeglas _older FIELD OF q'ElE INVENTION
This invention relates to display devices for 5 eyeglasses and more particularly to lorkAhle eyeglass holders .
RAr~'' ~ OF TEIE IN.ENTION
In stores which sell eyeglasses and eyeglass frames, it is customary to display the eyeglasses or the 10 frames on racks specificA1ly built for this purpose. Some of the prior racks are merely a series of inclined shelves on which the eyeglasses or frames are placed, with the shelves having a raised lip to prevent the eyeglasses from sliding down the incline. Another form of eyeglass 15 display device utilize8 pro~ections or nosPpieces which are contoured to support the eyeglasses or frames at their respective nose portions.
A disadvantage with the simple display devices described above iB that they do not include any means for 20 preventing unauthorized removal of the eyeglasses or frames being displayed on them. This results in an ~nhAnr-~d risk of theft of eyeglasses or eyeglass frames particularly in stores which are minir-lly staffed and in which cu~tomers are encouraged to browse through the 25 eyeglass displays.
A prior eyeglass display device has been devised which secure~ the eyeglass frame to the display device to prevent llnAIlth-7rized removal. This device which iB
further illustrated and described in more detail below 30 generally i n~ a rod from which extends a nose piece which supports the eyeglas8 frame at the nose portion.
This device further includes a ring meml~er which encircles the rod above the nose pLece and from which depends a locking arm. The locking arm is pivotally mounted to the 35 ring portion at one end to permit the locking end to be swung down over the ridge portion of the eyeglr: frame 2~6~7 once the eyeglass frame ha~ been mounted on the nose piece of the device. ~he opposite end of the locking arm includes locking prong5 which may be inserted into a suitable recess in the nose piece and which requires a 5 special key for its removal.
Although the above lockable display device give~
more security than the non-lockable devices, there are problems which arise both in the manufacture and the use of this device. Firstly, the ring portlon of the device 10 which mounts over the rod and to which one end of the locking arm is pivotally connected Ls not rigidly secured to the rod portion o~ the device. Since typical rods from which eyeglass display devices are not manufactured to e..L~ ly close tolerances, the ring portion in many cases 15 will be either a very sloppy fit or an ~I~L ~ -ly tight fit making it difficult to mount over the rod. Furth~ :e, particularly in cases where the ring portion is a sloppy fit, the resilLency of the locking arm in combination with the moveability of the ring portion enables the pivotal 20 coupling between the art and the ring portion to be uncoupled in which case the eyeglass frame may be removed from the display device without unlocking the prongs.
A further disadvantage with the previous lorkAhl~ device is that the arm must be swung upwardly for 25 removal of the eyegla~s frames from the nose portion.
Since the arm has a tendency to swing down under its own weight, the prongs at the free end of the arm tend to catch on the eyeglass frames thereby inhibiting removal of the frames from the display device and possibly damaging 30 the frames or lenses.
It is an ob~ect of thi~ invention to provide a lockable eyeglass holder of generally robust construction which is easy to manufacture, easy to use and which resists ti , - n~ .

An eyeglass fr_me display device comprising:
a base member;

2Q3~

a ~rame ~upport member rigidly secured to said base member;
a socket member rigidly secured to said base member, and spaced above saLd support member;
an arm having a first end lockably receivable within said socket member and a second end pivotally coupled to said frame 8upport member to allow said arm to be swung downwardly from a closed position wherein said a~m is generally parallel to said base and said first end is locked within 5aid socket member to an open position wherein said arm extends away from said base;
in use, in said locked position said frame support member supporting a pair of eyeglass frames at a nose portion thereof, a bridge portion of said frames being located between said support member and said socket member and said arm extending across said bridge member and between said support member and said socket member.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OP T~IE DRAlirINGS
A preferred ' ~ --t of the present invention is described below with reference to the A~ nying drawings in which:
Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of a prior art device in a locked position;
Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of a prior art device in a locked position;
Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of a prior art device in an unlocked position;
Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a ring member and locking arm of a prior art device;
Fig. 5 shows a perspective view of an eyeglass frame display device according to the present lnvention;
Fig.SA is a peL~e~:Live view of a frame support member of Fig . 5;
Fig. 6 shows a ~ide elevation of an eyeglass frame display device according to the present invention in the locked position;

203~8~

Fig. 7 shows a side elevation of an eyeglass frame display devicQ according to the present invention in the unlocked position;
Fig. 8 shows a partial section on line 8-8 of 5 Fig. 5 of the socket member of the eyeglass frame display device with the device in the locked position;
Fig. 9 shows a partial sectional view coLL~Oponding to Fig. 8 with the display device in the process of being unlocked; and Fig. lO shows a perspective view taken on the line lO-lO of Fig. 5 of a pivotal coupling of an eyeglass display device according to the present invention.
ur~ r 1 OF A ~rrKK~u RMRrlnTMl~l' Figs. l, 2 and 3 show a prior eyeglass display 15 device which i'o' generally identified at 20. The device generally comprises a cylindrical rod member 22 from which extends a nose piece 24 which has a generally inverted V
shape when viewed from the front as in Fig. 2. The nose piece is contoured so as to co~ ,ad to the nose portion 2 0 of a typical pair of glaOse8 80 that the glasses may be supported by the nose piece at their nose portion. Such a typical pair of glasses iOs illustrated at 26 in Figs. l, 2 and 3 with the nose portion being identif ied at 2 8 . The prior art display device further includes a ring member 30 25 which encircle8 the rod member 22 above the nose piece 24 as viewed in the drawings. A locking arm 32 extends between the ring member 30 and the nose piece 24 over a bridge portion 34 of the glasses 26.
The locking arm 32 is pivotally connected to the 30 ring member 30 at a pivotal connection 36. This enables the locking arm 32 to be swung from a locked position as shown in Fig. 1 to an unlocked position as 5hown in Figs.
1 and 2 to an ~nl of~k~d position as shown in Fig. 3 .
Re~erence is now made to Fig. 4 which shows the 35 connection between the locking arm 32 and the ring member 30 in more detail. The ring member 30 is provided with a _ 5 _ 2~3~
pair of opposed generally rectangular recesses 38 and 40 ~Yt~n~l1n~ into it on opposite sides of a slot 42 which receives an end 44 of the locking arm 32. The recess 38 opens upwardly as viewed in Fig. 4 while the reces5 40 S opens downwardly.
The end 44 of the locking arm 32 is provided with a hinge pin 46 extendlng from opposite sLdes of it and into the recesses 38 and 40. It will therefore be appreciated that if the locking arm 32 is twisted 80 as to 10 cause the ends of the hinge pin 46 to move in the direction shown by arrows 48, the locking arm 32 may be connected from the ring member 30.
The locking arm 32 has a locking Qnd 50 opposite the pivotally coupled end 44. The locking end 50 is 15 provided with a pair of prongs or barbs 52 which are lockably insertable into a recess 54 in the nose piece 24.
Typical eyeglass display devices are manufactured from a clear plastic like material which has a considerable amount of inherent resiliency. Because of 20 this resiliency and al80 because the rLng member 30 is not rigidly connected to the rod 22, it is possible to apply pressure to the locking arm 32 in the direction shown by the arrow 56 in Fig. 4 and to twist the ring member 30 in the dLrection shown by the arrows 58 to an extent great 25 enough to cause uncoupling of the hinge pin 46 from the recesses 38 and 40 as described above. In this manner it is therefore possible to open thQ prior display device 20 and remove the glasse8 26 from it without removing the barbs 52 from the socket 54 which would otherwise require 30 a special tool or key for removal.
A further disadvantage with the prior art device is illustrated in Fig. 3. The locking arm 32 is pivoted at its end 44 which i5 at the top of the locking arm as viewed in thQ drawings. Accordingly, when the locking arm 35 is in the released position as shown in Fig. 3, it has a tendency to fall toward the closed position under its own weight. This results in the barbs 52 at the end 50 of the `~ :
- 6 - 203~8~
locking arm 32 3nagging on the bridge portLon 34 of the glasses 26 when an attempt is made to remove the glasses.
This snagging is a rn7 i ~Anre not only in that it interferes with the removal of a selected pair of glasses 26 but it 5 may also ~ostle further pairs of glasses stored ad~acent to the selected pair of glasses causing the display to become disorganized. It may also cause the person trying to remove the glasses to drop them, possibly breaking them .
Reference i9 now made to Fig. ~ 5 in which an eyeglass frame display device according to the present invention is generally indicated at 100. The device 100 includes a generally cylindrical base member or rod 102.
A generally rectangular socket member 104 extends from the side of the rod 102 near the top of Fig. 5. The socket member 104 is rigidly attached to the rod 102 by suitable means such as an adhesive bond or fusion. This rigLd att~ of the socket member 104 to the rod 102 prevents relative ~~ v, ~ between these members.
The device further includes an eyeglass frame supporting member 106 which extends from the rod 102 below the socket member 104 and which is spaced apart from the socket member 104. The frame supporting member 106 has a contoured surface 108 which generally COLleo~UULId8 in shape to the nose portion of a typical pair of glasses 80 that it can engage the nose portion of the pair of glasses and support the pair of glasses on the device. The frame supporting member 106 is rigidly attached to the rod 102 by suitable means such as fusion or adhesion.
A gt~nt~rAl ly rect~ng~ r arm 110 extends upwardly from the frame supporting member 106. The arm 110 has a first end 112 which is lockably receivable within the socket 104 in the manner described in more detail below.
The arm has a second end 114 opposite the first end 112 which is pivotally connected to the frame supporting member 106 in a manner which is also described in more detail below. The pivotal connection at the end 114 -2~36~87 enables the arm to be swung from a closed positLon shown in Fig. 6 wherein the arm 110 is generally parallel to the rod 102, to an open position as shown in Fig. 7 where the arm 110 extends away from the rod 102.
In use, in the locked position, the supporting member 106 :~U~ JLl~S a pair of eyeglass frames 116 at a nose portion 118 of the eyeglass frames with a bridge portion 120 of the frames 116 being located between the socket 104 and the support member 106. In the locked position, the arm 110 extends across the bridge member 120 with the end 112 locked in the socket 104 and the end 114 secured by the pivotal coupling between the end 114 and the frame support member 106. In this position, the eyeglasses are not removable from the display device 100.
The arm may be unlocked and swung clockwise about the pivotal co~lrling at the end 114 to the position shown in Fig. 7. In this unlocked position shown in Fig.
7 the glasses may be removed from the device 100. Since the weight of the arm in the device 100 tends to cause the arm to rotate toward the unlocked position shown in Fig.
7, it will be appreciated that unlike the locking arm 32 in the prior device described above, the arm 110 falls away rather than toward the frames 116. The arm 110 in the device 100 therefore does not interfere with removal of the frames 116 in the manner of the prior device 20 described above.
~eference is now made to Figs. 8 and 9 which show in detail how the end 112 of arm 110 locks into the socket 104. The end 112 of the arm 110 has a pair of prongs 122 which extend toward an opening 124 in the socket 104. The prongs 122 have ridges or barbs 126 extending outwardly from the sides of the prongs 122 toward their ree ends 128. The socket 104 has ridges 130 PytPnrlin~ inwardly from oppo5ite sides of the socket 104.
When the ends 128 of the prongs 122 are inserted into the socket 104 through the opening 124, the ridges 126 extending from the prongs 122 engage the ridges 130 ~6~87 ~?5rtQn.i~n,J inwardly from the sides of the ~ocket 104 to prevent removal of the ends 128 of the prongs 122 from the socket 104.
The ends 128 of the prongs 122 and the sides of 5 the socket 104 adjacent the ridges 130 have respective corresponding inclined surfaCes 132 and 134 which urge the ends 128 of the prongs toward each other to assist insertion of the ends 128 of the prongs 122 into the socket 104.
Reference is now made to Fig. 9 which shows removal of the prongs 122 from the socket 104 with the aid of a key 136 having a handle 137. The key 136 inr~ ;Q~3 a pair of thin, elongate, generally parallel strips 138 QYtQn-iin~ from the handle 137. The strips 138 have a 15 thi~knQ~s corresponding to at least the height of the ridges 126 of the prongs 122. When the free ends 140 of the strips 138 are inserted into the opening 124 in the socket 104, they are pressed inwardly by the in~l inQd surfaces 134 ad~acent the ridges 130 of the socket 104.
20 The strips 138 are of a resilient material which enables them to flex inwardly and to press against the prongs 122 to urge the ends 128 of the prongs 122 toward each other.
With continued pressure of the key 136 toward the socket 104, eventually the free ends 140 of the strips 138 of the 25 key 136 will cause the ridges 126 of the prongs 122 to ~ i ~Qn~7e from the ridgeg 130 of the socket 104 . At this point the key 136 and prongs 122 may be removed from the 30cket 104.
Reference is now made to Fig. 10 which 30 illustrates the pivotal connection between the end 114 of the rod 110 and the eyeglass frame support member 106 in more detail. The pivotal connection is generally indicated at 150. As shown in Fig. 10, the second end 114 of the arm 110 curves toward the frame support member 106 35 and has hinge pins 152 extending from opposite sides of end 114. The frame support member 106 has an opening 154 through which the end 114 of the arm 110 extends. Opening 154 extends through the bottom of frame support member 6g 8 7 108, as best shown in Fig.5A. The opening 154 has a generally box shaped member 156 on either side of it. The generally box shaped members 156 define a pair of recesses 158 which open rearwardly toward the rod 102 (which is not 5 shown in Figs. 5A or 10). The recesses 158 receive the hinge pins 152. The end walls 160 of recesses 158 have retaining ridges 162 (Fig.10) which hinder removal of the pins 152 from the recess 158 by interfering with opposite ends 164 of the hinge pins 152 as the end 114 is removed.
Since the pivot21 connection of the arm 110 is now in the frame support member 106, which is relatively broad and solidly anchored to the rod 102, the pivotal connection is solid and not easily broken.
To ~ n~a~e the arm 110 from frame support 15 member 106, the arm 110 is unlocked and swung downwardly to the position shown in Fig. 7 . The arm 110 can then be fbrced in the direction of arrow 166 (Fig.7), forcing pins 152 rearwardly out of recesses 158. To re-install arm 110, the arm is placed with hinge pins 152 immediately 20 behind and aligned with recesses 158. The arm 110 can then be pulled forwardly, forcing the ends of pins 152 past ridges 162. Alternatively and more conveniently, the arm 110 can simply be swung upwardly. Since ridges 162 are near but not at the rear of recesses 158, the recesses 25 partly receive pins 152 at this time, guiding the swingLng -- ~/G - t. As the arm 110 swings upwardly, its rear surface 168 engages the front surface 170 of frame support 106, at the top front edge 172 (Figs. 5, 5A, 7) of opening 154. As the arm 110 continues to swing upwardly, the 30 engagement between its rear surface 165 and edge 172 cams the hinge pins 152 into recesses 158, snapping the pins 152 past ridges 162. This greatly facilitates and speeds up installation of arm 110.
In the locked position shown in Fig. 6, the 35 amount of clearance between the arm 110 and the frame support member 106 as shown at 166 is considerably less than the depth of the recesses 158. Accordingly, any ' ~Q~ 7 _ 10 -~ opeL attempt to remove the hLnge pin 152 from the recess 158 would be thwarted by interference between the arm 110 and the frame supporting member 106. It is therefore impo3sible to llnrollrlF- the arm 110 without the 5 key or without breaking arm 110.
Since the socket portion 104 of the eyeglass frame supporting device 100 is attached to the base member 102 by means such as fusion or adhesion, any slight or even relatively signif icant variations in the dimensions 10 of the base member will not si~nifirAntly affect attAr~ of the socket 104 during manufacture.
Since socket 104 has straight side edges 180 (Fig.6) and support member 106 has straight side edges 182, these members can be mounted on a flat surface or 15 square or rectAn~l Ar rod as well as on a round rod 102 .
It will be seen that the system d~3rri hed can readily be used even when it is desired not to lock the frames to the bars. Normally only expensive frames will be so locked since the lock does reduce the ease with 20 which a customer can try on the frames. When displays are changed, display areas which formerly needed locking may no longer require this, and vice versa. The system rri hed can be converted to a non-locking system simply by removing the arm 110. The socket portion 104, and the 25 opening 154 on the support member 106, are both small and unobtrusive and will not adversely affect the appeareance of the display.
The above detailed description is intended to illustrate rather than restrict the scope of the present 30 invention which is set out in the following claims.
Accordingly, although variations to the illustrative example8 may be apparent to those having relevant skill, it is intended that such variations be deemed to form part of the present invention insofar as they are within the 35 scope of the claims below.

Claims (8)

1. An eyeglass frame display device comprising:
a base member;
a frame support member rigidly secured to said base member;
a socket member rigidly secured to said base member, and spaced above said support member;
an arm having a first end lockably receivable within said socket member and a second end pivotally coupled to said frame support member to allow said arm to be swung downwardly from a closed position wherein said arm is generally parallel to said base and said first end is locked within said socket member to an open position wherein said arm extends away from said base;
in use, in said locked position said frame support member supporting a pair of eyeglass frames at a nose portion thereof, a bridge portion of said frames being located between said support member and said socket member and said arm extending across said bridge member and between said support member and said socket member.

2. An eyeglass frame display device as claimed in Claim 1 wherein:
said second end of said arm curves toward said support member and includes a pair of hinge pins extending from opposite sides thereof and generally transverse thereto;
said support member includes an opening for receiving said second end of said arm and a pair of recesses adjacent said opening for receiving said hinge pin, said recesses opening toward said base and said arm and said recess being dimensioned to hinder removal of said hinge pin from said recesses in said locked position by interference between said arm and a front surface of said frame support member.

3. An eyeglass frame display device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein opposite ends of said recesses have inwardly projecting retaining ridges which co-operate with opposite ends of said hinge pins to normally hold said hinge pins in said recesses.

4. An eyeglass frame display device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein:
said first end of said arm has a pair of generally parallel prongs extending therefrom; each said prong having an outwardly extending ridge adjacent an end thereof;
said socket having an opening and a pair of ridges extending inwardly along opposite sides of said opening, said ridges of said socket co-operating with said ridges of said prongs normally to prevent removal of said ends of said prongs from said socket.

5. An eyeglass frame display device as claimed in Claim 4 wherein said ridges of said socket and said ridges of said prongs have co-operating incline surfaces which urge said ends of said prongs toward each other during insertion of said ends of said prongs into said socket.

6. An eyeglass frame display device as claimed in Claim 2 wherein:
said opening extends through said support member and opens downwardly, in a direction facing away from said socket member, said support member having a rear surface defining the rear of said opening and said rear surface being spaced forwardly of said base to allow removal of said arm from said support member when said arm has been swung to a substantially horizontal position, by moving said hinge pins rearwardly and out of said recesses.

7. An eyeglass frame display system as claimed in claim 6, wherein:
said support member includes ridges projecting into said recesses ro hinder movement of said hinge pins into and out of said recesses.

8. An eyeglass frame display system as claimed in claim 7, wherein:
said opening has an upper front edge, said opening, recesses and arm being dimensioned so that when said hinge pins are partly inserted into said recesses and said arm is swung upwardly, the rear surface of said arm will engage said upper front edge of said opening and will cam said hinge pins into said recesses.