GB2123574A - Eyeglass - Google Patents

Abstract

An eyeglass, e.g. a pair of spectacles, comprises a frame 1 into which lenses 6, 7 are inserted by a ion sliding movement perpendicular to the optical axis of each lens to abut lens retaining means 9, 10, 11 in the form of small hooks disposed about the frame which engage edge portions of the lens. The lens is then retained in place upon the attachment to the frame of a spring clip 13 which abuts each lens and prevents removal of the lens by a reversal of the said sliding movement. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Eyeglass The present invention relates to an eyeglass which term is used herein to include spectacles, pince-nez, and clip on auxilliary lenses in a frame for attachment to an existing spectacle frame, e.g.

clip on sunglasses.

In assemblying the lens or lenses of an eyeglass into the frame, it is generally necessary at present to screw together parts of the frame to hold the lens or lenses. The screws used are generally very small and difficult to insert.

The present invention provides an eyeglass comprising a frame, a lens inserted in the frame by sliding movement of the lens perpendicular to the optical axes of the length, and a clip applied to the frame for restraining the lens from removal from the frame.

Preferably, the eyeglass comprises two lenses inserted in the frame and each restrained from removal by the clip. For instance, the eyeglass may be a pair of spectacles.

Preferably, the frame comprises a lens support portion for the or each lens, the or each lens support portion extending around the edge of its respective length.

Preferably, over a part of its length, the or each lens support portion defines a channel for receiving a portion of the edge of a respective lens.

In an alternative preferred embodiment, the lens support portion comprises a plurality of spaced lens retaining means for engaging edge portions of a respective lens.

Preferably, each lens support portion of the frame comprises a closed loop lying against the front or the back face of the lens and having over a first portion of its length means for engaging the edge of its respective lens, a second portion of its length being free of said means, whereby there is a path over said second portion through which the lens may, when the clip is removed, be inserted and removed from the frame by said sliding movement of the lens perpendicular to the optical axes of a lens.

Preferably, the clip abuts a portion of the edge of the or each lens to restrain each said lens from sliding movement that would remove the lens from the frame.

The frame may comprise a bridge portion dividing two lens support portions and the clip may be applied to said bridge portion to contact and restrain removal of both lenses.

Preferably, such a bridge comprises an upper and a lower bridge bar and the clip is a U-shaped member, the legs of which are passed either side of the lower bridge bar and the top of which is wholely or partly snuggly located against the upper bridge bar.

In preferred embodiments, the or each lens is inserted in the frame by a combination of a rotational movement and said sliding movement perpendicular to the optical axes of the lens.

The lenses may be optically neutral or may be eye-sight correcting. The lenses may be tinted and for instance may be tinted in a manner which varies over the lens. The lenses may for instance be darker at the top than at the bottom. The lenses may be photochromic.

Preferably, the eyeglass of the invention is a pair of sunglasses which may be spectacles or clip on sunglasses.

The invention will now be illustrated by the following description of a preferred embodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows the lenses, frame and retaining clip making up a pair of spectacles according to the invention, viewed from the front and in separated condition; Figure 2 shows the spectacles of Figures 1 in assembled condition, again viewed from the front; Figure 3 shows in perspective view, the bridge region of the right hand half of the spectacles of Figure 1 as if cut through the bridge parallel to the optical axes of the lenses; Figure 3a shows a side view of the retaining clip of the spectacles of Figure 1; Figure 4 shows the retaining clip of the spectacles of Figure 1 viewed from the front with the back part of the clip indicated in ghost lines; Figure 5 shows the clip of Figure 4 viewed from the top; and Figure 6 is a view from the top of the bridge region of the frame of the spectacles of Figure 1 with the retaining clip removed.

Figure 1 shows a spectacle frame 1 comprising right and left lens support frame portions 2, 3, of metal joined by a double bridge consisting of upper (4) and lower (5) bridge bars. Each lens support frame portion is formed of rectangular cross-section metal which prevents a flat surface to the front and back and is formed as a closed loop of a shape and size exactly corresponding to a pair of lenses 6, 7. Each lens may thus fit against the front surface of its respective lens support frame portion so that the edges of the lens lies substantially flush with the outer edges of the lens support frame portion.

Upper bridge bar 4 is attached, eg. by soldering, welding or strong adhesive to the back surface of the top run of each lens support frame portion 2, 3 and forms a smooth continuation of each such top run. Consequently, upper bridge bar 4 lies immediately to the rear of the plane which contains the upper run of each lens support frame portion.

Lower bridge bar 5 extends between descending portions of the two lens support frame portions and is joined to them by its ends. It lies in the same plane as the parts of the lens support frame portions to which it is joined and hence is slightiy forward of upper bridge bar 4.

Lens retaining hooks, 8, 9, 10 are provided on each of the left and right lens support frame portions 2, 3. Each is a small generally L-shaped member joined at the end of one arm to the outer edge of the lens support frame portion so that its otherarm extends parallel to but spaced from the front face of the lens support frame portion. The spacing is just adequate to receive the thickness of a lens.

A side arm or temple bar 11 is provided on each side of the spectacle mounted for folding movement in the conventional way. Nose rests 1 8 of a conventional nature are provided. As illustrated they are small plastics pads mounted for limited movement with respect to the frame.

Each lens and hence also each lens support frame portion has a generally teardrop shape.

Each has a top edge portion 13 which extends in a substantially straight line from adjacent the bridge. The edge of each lens then descends and rises again in a continuous curve to again come adjacent the bridge. Each lens edge has a short straight portion 12 which extends from just below the bottom bridge bar upwards and outwards to the join the straight top edge portion.

The lenses are so shaped and the lens retaining hooks so spaced on each lens support frame portion that the lenses may be slid into the frame as follows. Each lens is held with its short straight edge portion 12 elevated as shown in ghost lines in Figure 1 and the lens is slid downwards in a direction perpendicular to its optical axis to be engaged between the edge retaining hooks and the frame. Each lens is then rotated to its proper fitted position.

The lenses are retained in the frame upon insertion of a retaining clip 13.

The structure of the clip 1 3 is best seen in Figures 3, 3a and Figure 4.

Clip 1 3 is made of a springy plastics material but could equally well be of metal. The clip comprises a front wall portion 14 and a rear wall portion 1 5 which lies behind, parallel to and spaced from the front wall portion 14 so that the clip member is in sideways view U-shaped.

Portions 14 and 1 5 are joined across the top but are free at the bottom. Two decorative bars 1 6 are raised on the front wall portion 14. Wall portion 1 4 extends above the join with wall portion 1 5 producing a ledge 1 7. To retain the lenses, the rear wall portion 15 of the clip is passed from the front through the gap between top and bottom bridge bars 4, 5 and the clip is pressed down so that the join between portions 14 and 1 5 becomes located between the top and bottom bridge bars. Top bridge bar 4 lies snuggly on ledge 1 7 which it fills neatly. Bottom bar 5 is a snug fit between the front and rear wall portions 14, 1 5.

Front wall portion 14 is trapezium shaped having the longer of its parallel sides between and contiguous with the short straight portions 1 2 of the lens edges and thereby inhibits the rotational movement of the lenses which would be needed for their removal from the frames by a reversal of the assembly procedure.

It can be seen that the lenses may be assembled with the frame and retained in the frame quickly and with the use of screws. Also, by removal of the clip, the lenses may be easily removed for repair, cleaning or replacement.

The lenses may be optically corrective or neutral. They may be tinted, variably tinted, eg.

darker at the top, or may be photochromic. They may be of plastics or of glass.

Many variants of the spectacles described above are possible within the scope of the invention. For instance instead of being spectacles, the eyeglass provided may be designed to clip on over an existing pair of spectacles. Instead of three lens retaining hooks on each lens support frame portion there may be more, or else instead of separate hooks a continuous channel may be provided around part of the frame periphery to receive and hold the edge of the lenses. Instead of the frame periphery lying behind the lens with the hooks extending forward, the lens may lie behind the frame and hooks may extend backward.

The invention also includes a method of assembling an eyeglass as described above.

Claims (18)

1. An eyeglass comprising a frame, a lens inserted in the frame by sliding movement of the lens perpendicular to its optical axis, and a clip applied to the frame restraining the lens from removal from the frame.

2. An eyeglass as claimed in Claim 1 comprising two lenses inserted in the frame and each restrained from removal by the clip.

3. An eyeglass as claimed in Claim 2 which is a pair of spectacles.

4. An eyeglass as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the frame comprises a lens support for the or each lens, the or each lens support portion extending around the edge of its respective lens.

5. An eyeglass as claimed in Claim 4 wherein over a part of its length, the or each lens support portion defines a channel for receiving a portion of the edge of a respective lens.

6. An eyeglass as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the said lens support portion comprises a plurality of space lens retaining means for engaging edge portions of a respective lens.

7. An eyeglass as claimed in any one of Claims 4 to 6 wherein the or each lens support portion of the frame comprises a closed loop lying against the front or the back face of said lens and having over a first portion of its length means for engaging the edge of its respective lens, a second portion of its length being free of said means, whereby there is a path over said second portion through which the lens may, when the clip is removed, be inserted and removed from the frame by said sliding movement of the lens perpendicular to the optical axis of the lens.

8. An eyeglass as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the clip abuts a portion of the edge of the or each lens to restrain each such lens from sliding movement that would remove it from the frame.

9. An eyeglass as claimed in any one of Claims 3 to 8 and directly or indirectly appended to Claim 2 wherein the eyeglass comprises a bridge portion joining two lens support portions and the clip is applied to said bridge portion and contacts and restrains removal of both lenses.

10. An eyeglass as claimed in Claim 9 wherein the bridge comprises an upper and a lower bridge bar and the clip is a U-shaped member the legs of which are pressed either side of the lower bridge and the top of which is wholely or partly snuggly located against the upper bridge bar.

11. An eyeglass as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the or each lens is inserted in the frame by a combination of a rotational movement and said sliding movement perpendicular to said optical axis.

12. An eyeglass as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the lenses are optically neutral.

13. An eyeglass as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 12 wherein the or a lens is eye sight correcting.

14. An eyeglass as claimed in any preceding Claim wherein the or each lens is tinted.

1 5. An eyeglass as claimed in Claim 14 wherein the or each lens is photochromic.

1 6. An eyeglass substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

1 7. A method of assemblying an eyeglass comprising inserting a lens into an eyeglass frame by a sliding movement of the lens perpendicular to its optical axis and applying a clip to the said frame to restrain the removal of the lens from the frame.

18. A method of assemblying an eyeglass substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.