GB2123976A

GB2123976A - Adjustable spectacle frame

Info

Publication number: GB2123976A
Application number: GB08309792A
Authority: GB
Inventors: David Ross Engelhardt
Original assignee: R Engelhardt Nominees Pty Ltd
Current assignee: R Engelhardt Nominees Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1982-07-16
Filing date: 1983-04-11
Publication date: 1984-02-08
Also published as: DE3325425A1; IT8322112A0; GB8309792D0; IT1163799B; JPS5929223A; IT8322387V0; FR2530348A1

Abstract

A spectacle frame having a lens frame assembly 11 and a nose piece assembly 12, the nose piece assembly comprising a slide 21 which engages guides 16 on the lens frame assembly with sufficient friction to retain relative positions of the slides and guides, and rearwardly directed nose pad supports 25 extending upwardly from the lower ends of the slides 21, the nose pads 27 being carried on the supports. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Adjustable spectacle frame This invention relates to a spectacle frame which is provided with adjustment means so that the requirements of a user can be relatively easily met.

Background of the invention Spectacle frames are usually adjusted by optometrists so as to ensure that the axis of the lens is in alignment with the pupils of the user for average use purposes, that the distance of the lens from the pupil is suitable to suit the facial features of the user, and that the nose piece is comfortable.

Much of this adjustment is achieved by bending the wings, but there is a danger that excessive bending will cause damage to the spectacle frames at the locality of the wing hinges. Another problem encountered is that frequently a user may wish to vary the height of the axes of the lenses with respect to the pupils so that the user can, for example, work with his face upwardly (as in a vocation such as a motor mechanic) and it is known that adjustable nose bridge supports have been provided for such purposes. The closest art in this respect which is in the possession of the applicant is the U.S. Patent 2,446,725 Seguin, which illustrated an adjustable nose piece which could be raised or lowered with respect to the spectacle frame with consequential lowering or raising of the axes of the lenses.With the arrangement of Seguin however it is difficult to achieve adjustment of the back vertex distance (distance from lens to eye) and an object of this invention is to provide means whereby such adjustment can be readily achieved.

The reader may also refer to U.S. Patent Re 20322 Page and U.S. Patent 2,184,417 Ellestad, each of which also shows a nose bridge support which is vertically adjustable. Neither of these however indicated means whereby the back vertex distance could be adjusted, nor means whereby the spacing between the nose pads could be adjusted for users with narrow or wide bridges of the nose.

Brief summary of the invention With the object of providing a spectacle frame wherein the distance between the nose pads can be adjusted, the back vertex distance can be adjusted, and the vertical position of the axes of the lenses can be varied at anytime, in one embodiment there is provided a spectacle frame having a lens frame assembly and a nose piece assembly, the nose piece assembly comprising a slide which engages guides on the lens frame assembly with sufficient friction to retain relative positions of the slides and guides, and rearwardly directed nose pad supports extending upwardly from the lower ends of the slides, the nose pads being carried on the supports.

Provided the lower ends of the slides and the nose pads supports are of soft or annealed material which can be bent, it becomes an easy matter to adjust the spaces between the nose pads to suit a user's nose and also to adjust the back vertex distance so as to take the lens closer towards or further away from the eyes of the user. By having sufficient friction between the slides and guides, the vertical positions of the axes of the lenses can be readily adjusted.

More specifically, in an embodiment of the invention, an adjustable spectacle frame comprises a lens frame assembly and a nose piece assembly, said lens frame assembly comprising a pair of lens frames, a frame bridge connecting the lens frames and a pair of parallel guides depending from the frame bridge, each said guide being of general "U" shape in cross-section, said nose piece assembly comprising a slide having a pair of parallel slide legs joined at their upper ends by a slide bridge, said slide legs being in slidable engagement with the concave surfaces of respective said guides with sufficient friction to retain relative positions of the slides and guides, a pair of rearwardly directed nose pad supports extending upwardly from the lower ends of respective said slides, and nose pads releasably retained by said supports.

Brief description of the drawings An embodiment of the invention is described hereunder in some detaii with reference to and is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a front elevation of a spectacle frame with the nose pads in an upper position, Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the spectacle frame, Figure 4 is a front elevation corresponding to Figure 1 but with the nose pads in a lowered position, Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5 of Figure 2 but drawn to a much enlarged scale, Figure 6 is a side elevation of the nose piece assembly, and Figure 7 is a front elevation of same.

An adjustable spectacle frame 10 comprises a lens frame assembly 11 and a nose piece assembly 12.

The lens frame assembly 11 is provided with a frame bridge 14 which connects the lens frames 15, and a pair of parallel guides 16 which, as shown in Figure 5, are of "U" section. Each guide 16 is provided with a rub strip 17, the rub strip having a spigot 18 which extends through an aperture (not shown) in the base of the "U" channel of the guide 16 to retain the rub strip in position.

Each nose piece assembly 12 comprises a slide 21, the slide 21 having a pair of parallel slide legs 22 joined at their upper ends by a slide bridge 23, the slide bridge 23 being located forwardly of the slide legs 22 so as to overlie the frame bridge 14. This facilitates the positioning of the nose piece assembly with respect to the lens frame assembly for raising or lowering the axes of the lenses. It also improves the product aesthetically as can be best seen in Figures 1 and 4. There is sufficient frictional engagement between the rub strip 17 and the legs 22 that the frame will retain its position of adjustment once set under normal usage conditions, but this adjustment can be very easily varied.

The lower ends of the slide legs 22 terminate in nose pad supports 25 (shown in elevation in Figure 6) and these nose pad supports 25 stand upwardly of the lower ends of the legs 22 and are directed rearwardly. Each terminates in a receptacle 26 which receives a spigot of a nose pad 27 (or alternatively of a nose saddle 28 as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7).

However the nose pad support also retains a downwardly directed return end so that from the bends 29 in the legs 22, to the receptacle 26 on the return ends of the nose pad supports, there is a considerable length of rod type material. In this embodiment the material used is phosphor bronze (a copper alloy containing from 10 to 14 percent tin, 0.1 to 0.3 percent phosphorus, and optionally lead or nickel).

Phosphor bronze normally has a high Brineli hardness, but all that length of rod from the bends 29 to the receptacle 26 is annealed to have a low hardness so that it can be easily bent. If for example the lower ends of the legs 22 are bent to be closer together, the nose pads 27 will be brought closer together to suit say a user with a narrow nose bridge. If either the lower ends of the legs 22 or the nose pad supports 25 are bent to the left as shown in Figure 6, the lenses will be moved forwardly from the user's eyes thereby increasing the back vertex distance. This is useful for example if the user has an overhanging brow or bushy eyebrows.

Materials other than phosphor bronze are found to be equally as effective, for example Monel metal (29 percent copper, 68 percent metal), or nickel silver (25 percent to 50 percent copper, 10 percent to 35 percent zinc and 5 percent to 35 percent nickel) can be used with equal effectiveness. Metal sold under the Trade Mark ACUTAN KN4 is also suitable.

The upper parts of the legs 22 which engage the rub strip 17, together with the bridge 23 constitute a spring which is easily removed from the guides 16.

Accordingly, for some sporting activities, the nose pad supports 26 and the lower ends of the legs 22 can be bent to move the nose pads transversely such that the axes of the lenses are inclined to the pupils of the user's eyes and this is useful for some sporting activities, for example target shooting.

However in some instances it will not be necessary to have a replaceable nose piece assembly, and this may be retained by means of the tabs 31 (Figures 2 and 3) which can, if required, be folded around the legs 22.

Claims

1. An adjustable spectacle frame having a lens frame assembly and a nose piece assembly, said lens frame assembly comprising a pair of lens frames, a frame bridge connecting the lens frames, and a pair of parallel guides depending from the frame bridge, each said guide being of general "U" shape in cross-section, said nose piece assembly comprising a slide having a pair of parallel slide legs joined at their upper ends by a slide bridge, said slide legs being in slidable engagement with the concave surfaces of respective said guides with sufficient friction to retain relative positions of the slides and guides, a pair of rearwardly directed nose pad supports ex tending upwardly from the lower ends of respective said slides, and nose pads releasably retained by said supports.

2. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 1 wherein the slide legs and slide bridge comprise a single length of rod of such shape that the slide bridge is located forwardly of the slide legs and above the frame bridge and overlies the frame bridge for all positions of the nose piece assembly.

3. An adjustable frame according to claim 1 further comprising a pair of rub strips, one in the base of each respective said "U" section guide, said slide legs frictionally engaging respective said rub strips.

4. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 1 each said slide leg comprises an annealed end selectively bendable with respect to those portions of the slide legs which engage respective said guides.

5. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 4 wherein each said nose pad support extends upwardly from its respective said slide leg and returns in a downwardly directed end, and terminates in a nose pad receptacle.

6. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 5 wherein each said nose pad comprises a nose engaging portion, and a mounting block which engages the walls of a said receptacle for limited relative hinging movement.

7. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 5 wherein said nose pads are comprised in a nose saddle, the ends of the nose saddle being supported by respective mounting blocks which engage the walls of respective said receptacles for limited relative hinging movement.

8. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 4wherein each said slide leg and slide bridge comprise a single length of rod, the material comprising said rod being an alloy containing at least 25 percent copper.

9. An adjustable spectacle frame according to claim 1 wherein each said guide comprises an outstanding tab which engages over a respective said slide leg to retain that leg captive in said guide.

10. An adjustable spectacle frame substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.