GB2267358A

GB2267358A - Support for spectacles

Info

Publication number: GB2267358A
Application number: GB9305247A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark James Lazarus; Terrence George Nibbs
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-05-22
Filing date: 1993-03-15
Publication date: 1993-12-01
Also published as: GB9211088D0; GB9305247D0

Abstract

A support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes, comprises 8 lower portion with legs 2 engageable on the bridge of the wearer's nose, and an upper portion having a saddle 3 to receive therein a cross-member of the spectacles. The support may be shaped such that the weight of the spectacles acting thereon holds the support in position. Adjustment may be provided by threaded peg 8 or pivot joint 9. <IMAGE>

Description

SUPPORT FOR SPECTACLES Field of the Invention This invention relates to a support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes.

Backaround to the Invention Spectacles designed for normal everyday wear are generally unsuitable for activities where the wearer has to lean forward while still looking in a horizontal direction.

Examples of such activities are the games of snooker or pool, and bowls. In the playing of these games, the spectacle-wearing player tends to find his or her field of vision partially obscured by the frame of the spectacle or, with frameless spectacles, partially above, and therefore without the benefit of, the lenses. This is not conducive to accurate play, and professional players and keen amateurs may resort to the purchase of special spectacles which have lenses whose lens area is enlarged vertically. This is a very costly solution which is not within the means of most players. The present invention provides a device which can serve to adapt the position of the player's everyday spectacles to overcome these problems.

Summarv of the Invention According to the invention there is provided a support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes, comprising a lower portion engageable on the bridge of the wearer's nose, and an upper portion adapted to receive therein a cross-member of the spectacles.

Preferably, the lower portion has a spaced pair of downwardly-depending members adapted to engage the sides of the wearer's nose. The downwardly-depending members are preferably relatively adjustable. For example, they may be formed of a plastics material having a glass transition temperature below, but preferably close to, 100"C, whereby they may be adjusted to a new configuration after heating in boiling water.

The upper portion preferably comprises a transverse recess into which the cross-member of the spectacles locates.

The support is suitably integrally formed from a plastics material.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the upper portion is separable from the lower portion. For example, the upper portion may be connectable to the lower portion by a screw-thread, whereby the height of the support may be adjusted.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, the upper portion is pivotally mounted on the lower portion to permit a limited degree of adjustment of the position of the upper portion relative to the lower portion forwardly or rearwardly, thus permitting the best combination of comfort in wearing with most suitable lens position relative to the eyes when leaning forward.

Another aspect of the invention provides a support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes, in the form of a body positionable between the spectacles and the wearer's nose and shaped such that the weight of the spectacles acting thereon holds the support in position.

While the players of the games of snooker, pool and bowls have been mentioned as making use of the support of the invention, spectacle wearers taking part in many other activities, for example cycling, decorating, astronomy, archery, and clay pigeon shooting, may find the use of the support of the invention beneficial, as may television viewers, and cinema and theatre goers.

Brief Description of the Drawings In the drawings, which illustrate various embodiments of the invention by way of example: Figure 1 is a perspective view from the front and to one side of a support according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 is a corresponding top plan view; Figure 3 is a corresponding underneath plan view; Figure 4 is a partial view of a person wearing spectacles with the support of Figures 1 to 3 in place; and Figures 5 to 8 are perspective views, corresponding to that in Figure 1, of second to fifth embodiments.

Detailed Description of the Illustrated Embodiments Referring first to Figures 1 to 3, the support comprises a plastics moulding 1, broadly in the shape of a wishbone, having two downwardly-depending legs 2 which curve outwardly and rearwardly to fit on to the bridge of the wearer's nose. The plastics material is suitably a S.A.N.

plastics, for example that sold under the trade mark "KIBBISAN", which is typically used for manufacturing the frames of spectacles and the like. It has a glass transition temperature below 100"C, although not so low as to be too readily softenable, and this permits the relative positions of the legs 2 to be adjusted by first placing the support in boiling water. Cooling to room temperature fixes any changes made. At 'the upper end of the device a transverse saddle 3 is provided to receive the cross-member of the spectacles, and this may be adjusted to suit different configurations of spectacle frames by the same heating process.

Referring to Figure 4, in use, the support is first placed on the bridge of the wearer's nose in the position normally engaged by the spectacles themselves, and then the spectacles are lowered on to the saddle 3, which is sufficiently deep to ensure that the weight of the spectacles is sufficient to hold the saddle in place on the wearer's nose without discomfort, even when the wearer is leaning forward during such activities as snooker, pool or bowls.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the support shown in the previous Figures, in which a socket 4 is formed in the saddle 3, and an extension saddle 5 is fitted on to the support to permit the spectacles to be raised even further. The extension saddle 5 has a lower part shaped to fit into the saddle 3 and a peg 6 extending therefrom to engage in the socket 4 to secure the extension saddle in place. The upper part of the extension saddle repeats the shape of the saddle 3 of the support.

In the embodiment of Figure 6, the lower part of the support, comprising the legs 2, is formed separately from the upper part 7 carrying the saddle 3, and the two parts are connected together by providing a screw-threaded socket in the lower part and a threaded peg 8 engageable therewith on the upper part. Figure 7 shows an alternative to this arrangement, in which the socket in the lower part is slightly ribbed circumferentially and the peg 8 is similarly ribbed so that the peg is a friction push fit into the socket, the ribs being just sufficient to hold the two parts at the desired relative positions.

The embodiment shown in Figure 8 provides a pivot joint 9 between the lower part of the support comprising the legs 2 and an extended upper part 10 having a saddle 3 at its upper end. The joint provides limited forward and rearward adjustment.

Claims

1. A support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes, comprising a lower portion engageable on the bridge of the wearer's nose, and an upper portion adapted to receive therein a cross-member of the spectacles.

2. A support according to Claims 1, wherein the lower portion has a spaced pair of downwardly-depending members adapted to engage the sides of the wearer's nose.

3. A support according to Claim 2, wherein the downwardly-depending members are relatively adjustable.

4. A support according to Claim 3, where at least the downwardly-depending members are formed of a plastics material having a glass transition temperature below 100"C whereby they may be adjusted to a new configuration after heating in boiling water.

5. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper portion comprises a transverse recess.

6. A support according to any preceding claim, wherein the upper portion is separable from the lower portion.

7. A support according to Claim 6, wherein the upper portion is connectable to the lower portion by a screw-thread, whereby the height of the support may be adjusted.

8. A support according to any of Claims 1 to 5, wherein the upper portion is pivotally mounted on the lower portion to permit a limited degree of adjustment of the position of the upper portion relative to the lower portion forwardly or rearwardly.

9. A support according to any of Claims 1 to 5, integrally formed from a plastics material.

10. A support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes, in the form of a body positionable between the spectacles and the wearer's nose and shaped such that the weight of the spectacles acting thereon holds the support in position.

11. A support for adjusting the position of spectacles relative to a wearer's eyes, substantially as described with reference to, or as shown in, the drawings.