GB2341694A

GB2341694A - Hinge assembly for spectacles frame

Info

Publication number: GB2341694A
Application number: GB9820309A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jun Kang Song
Original assignee: AMPLE DEV Ltd
Current assignee: AMPLE DEV Ltd
Priority date: 1998-09-17
Filing date: 1998-09-17
Publication date: 2000-03-22
Also published as: GB9820309D0

Abstract

A hinge assembly for pivotally connecting a side arm member (16) to a frame member (10, fig. 1) of a spectacle frame, is characterised by a side arm member (16) which comprises an integral pivot element (26) at its innermost end, which is engageable within a complementary recess (32) in a part of the respective frame member (10). A collar (34) is located around the side arm member (16) adjacent to its pivot element (26), providing an outer end (36) abuttable against a cooperating end surface (28) of the respective frame member (10) when the side member (16) is in an operative position. Spring means (36) are retained within the collar (34) in order to bias the end surface of the collar (36) into abutting engagement with the corresponding surface (28) of the frame member (10), and also to allow the side member (16) to be pivotable relative to the adjacent frame member (10) about its pivot element (26) against the bias of the spring means (36), including outwardly from the operative position. The spring means (36) may be a coil compression spring, and the integral pivot element (26) may be in the form of a cylindrical T-shaped head which may be located within a complementary recess (32) in a lug (20) attached to the respective frame member (10).

Description

1 2341694 SPECTACLE FRAME HINGE ASSEMBLY This invention relates to

spectacle frames and in particular to the hinge connection between the lens-holding frame members and the side members which engage the head of the wearer.

Conventionally such a hinge connection is provided between a lug on the outer side of each lens-holding frame member and an associated elongate side member, or temple as it is known in the art. The lug may typically comprise spaced coaxial bushings one of which is threaded to receive a small diameter screw. The associated end of the temple comprises an unthreaded bushing locatable coaxially between the lug bushings. The screw extends through the three bushings into screw threaded engagement with the threaded bushing of the lug thereby providing a hinge connection between the temple and the lug.

Such a construction has several disadvantages, one of which is that the screw may become loose and fall out with possible consequential loss of the whole spectacle frame. A further disadvantage results from the disposition of the adjacent end surfaces of the temple and lug which are generally arranged to abut when the temples are in their in-use operative "open" position extending approximately perpendicular to the lens-holding frame members. Every time the temples are moved to this position there is a force applied to the temples and lugs as the abutting temple and lug surfaces contact one another with the consequent possibility of bending the temples and/or lugs outwardly beyond their normal position. When this happens the spectacle frame will become loose on the head of the wearer and it may be necessary to use physical force to bend the temple and/or lug back to their normal position.

In order to overcome the above problem it has been proposed to provide a spring-loaded hinge assembly whereby the temple may be pivoted outwardly beyond its operative position against the spring loading. The possibility of bending the temple and/or lug is thereby substantially reduced or prevented.

However, such spring-loaded hinge assemblies have generally relied on the same type of screw threaded connection of the temple to the lug. Thus there remains the possibility of the screw becoming loose with eventual separation of the temple from the lug. Conversely, if the screw is tightened too much, the hinge connection may become too stiff to allow the spring bias to be operative.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a spectacle frame having a spring-loaded hinge connection between its side members, or temples, and its lens-holding frame members.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a spectacle frame comprising a pair of lens- holding frame members and a side member hingedly connected to each said frame member, the side members each being pivotal between an inoperative storage position in which they extend adjacent to one another substantially parallel to a plane containing the frame members and an operative in-use position in which they extend substantially perpendicular to said plane, spring means biasing each side member towards its said operative position and permitting each side member to pivot about its hinge connection against the spring bias and be deflected outwardly from its operative position, characterised in that each side member comprises an integral pivot element at its innermost end engaged within a complementary recess in a part of the adjacent frame member permitting pivoting of said member relative to said frame member; a collar is located about each side member adjacent its pivot element providing an outer end surface abuttable against a cooperating end surface on said part of the adjacent frame member when the side member is in its operative position; spring means are retained within said collar biasing its said end surface into abutting engagement with said end surface of said part of the frame member in the operative position of the side member whereby the side member is pivotable relative to the adjacent frame member about said pivot element against the bias of said spring means.

The spring means preferably comprises a coil compression spring disposed about the side member within said collar, said spring bearing at its one end on that end of the collar providing its said outer end surface and at its other end on an abutment on the said member. Said abutment conveniently comprises a bushing through which the side member extends.

The pivot element preferably comprises a T-shaped head of cylindrical form integral with the inner end of the side member.

The said complementary recess is conveniently provided in a fug attached to an associated frame member.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the following description given herein solely by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spectacle frame constructed in accordance with the invention showing one of the side members pivoted towards its inoperative position and the other side member deflected outwardly from its operative position against the spring bias; Figure 2 is a partial cross-sectional view through a side member and the lug to which it is hinged showing the side member in its operative and inoperative positions; Figure 3 is a partial cross-sectional view through a side member and the lug to which it is attached showing the side member deflected outwardly from its operative position against the bias of the spring means; Figures 4, 5 and 6 are perspective views of a side member and the lug to which it is hinged showing respectively the side member in its operative, inoperative and outwardly deflected positions; and Figures 7-12 are part cut-way perspective views of a side member and the lug to which it is hinged showing steps in the assembly of the hinge and spring biasing means.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings there is shown a spectacle frame comprising two lens-holding frame members 10 and 12 interconnected by a bridge piece 14, and two side members 16 and 18 each connected to a respective lug 20, 22 at the outer side of an associated frame member 10, 12. Each side member is hingedly connected to its associated lug so as to be pivotal between an inoperative storage position in which the two side members extend adjacent to one another substantially parallel to the frame members, and an operative in-use position in which the side members extend substantially perpendicular to the frame members.

A spring biasing means 24 in accordance with the invention is provided on each side member 10 and 12 permitting outward deflection from its operative position.

The following description is with reference to the side member 16 and lug 20 although it will be appreciated that it applies also to the other side member 18 and lug 22.

Figure 2 of the drawings shows the spring-biased hinge connection between the inner end of a side member 16 and its associated lug 20 in more detail. The side member 16 at its inner end is conveniently formed of circular cross section metal and is provided with an integral T-shaped head 26 at its inner extremity. The Thead 26 is of part-cylindrical crosssectional form and extends perpendicularly across the inner extremity of the side member 16.

The outer end of the lug 20 is of part-cylindrical configuration providing an axially outer planar surface 28 and an inner planar surface 30. Both the surfaces 28 and 30 are relieved to permit entry therein of the inner end of the side member 16. The outer surface of the lug 20 opposite the surface 30 is provided with a cutaway recess 32 providing a bearing surface for the integral T-head 26 at the inner extremity of the side member 16.

The spring biasing mechanism comprises a collar 34 located around the inner end of the side member 16 and having an axially outer planar surface 36 abuttable against the axially outer planar surface 28 or the inner planar surface 30 of the lug 20. Within the collar 34 there is a provided a coil compression spring 36 located about the side member and abutting at its outer end on the inner surface 38 of the outer end of the collar, and at its inner end against an annular surface 40 provided on a bushing 42 secured around the side member 16 and extending into the adjacent end of the collar.

As shown in Figure 2, the side member 16 is movable between its operative position shown in full line and its inoperative position shown in chaindot outline as the T-head 26 at the inner end of the side member pivots on its bearing surface in recess32. During such movement the outer abutment surface 36 of the collar 34 moves from abutting the axially outer surface 28 of the lug 20 to the inner surface 30 thereof. During such movement the collar 34 is caused to move axially inwardly of the side member 16 and of the bushing 42 to a small extent thereby compressing the spring 36 and allowing it to expand again at the said inoperative and operative positions of the side member 16.

Referring to Figure 3, it will be seen that the side member 16 may also be deflected outwardly of the lug 20 against the spring bias. There is a limited degree of outward pivotal movement of the side member 16 relative to the lug 20 determined by the amount of clearance between the outer surface of the side member 16 and the inner surface of the relieved portion of the lug 20, this clearance being clearly visible in both Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. As will be seen in Figure 3, this clearance is taken up during outward deflection of the side member 16 and during such deflection, the outer abutment surface 36 of the collar 34 rocks relative to the axially outer surface 28 of the lug from the operative position shown in full line in Figure 2 to the outwardly deflected position shown in Figure 3. During such outward deflection the collar 34 is caused to move axially inwardly of the side member 16 and of the bushing 42 thereby compressing the spring 36. The side member 16 is thus always spring biased from an outwardly deflected position to the operative position shown in Figure 2 where the outer abutment surface 36 of the collar 34 is in planar contact with the cooperating axially outer abutment surface 28 of the lug 20.

Figures 4-6 of the drawings comprise perspective views of the side member 16 and the lug 20 to which it is hinged illustrating the operative, inoperative and outwardly deflected position respectively.

Figures 7-12 illustrate assembly steps of the spring biased hinged connection between the side member 16 and the lug 20. In Figure 7 there is clearly shown the T-shaped head 26 at the inner end of the side member 16 both prior to and after its insertion through the relieved portions at the outer end of the lug 20 to position the T-head on the bearing surface of the recess 32 in the lug. In Figure 8 the collar 34 is shown slid along the side member 16 from its outer end to abut the axially outer surface 28 of the lug 20 and in Figure 9 the coil compression spring 36 is shown slid along the side member from its outer end into the collar 34. In Figure 10 the bushing 42 is shown slid along the side member 16 from its outer end into the end of the collar 34 to abut the adjacent end of the compression spring 36. As shown in Figure 11 the bushing 42 is urged into the collar 34 to compress the spring 36 substantially and whilst in this position, a radially- outwardly extending deformation 44 is formed on the side member 16 adjacent the outer end of the head 46 of the bushing. The head 46 is provided with an axially extending recess 48 of slightly greater diameter than that of the side member 16 and the deformation 44 so that when the bushing 42 is released from the position shown in Figure 11, it will be pressed outwardly of the collar 34 by the spring 36. The deformation 44 on the side member will then enter the recess 46 in the bushing head 48 to retain the bushing in position on the side member. The bushing will then be in the position shown in Figure 12 which is the operative position of the side member 16 relative to the lug 20 with the spring 36 compressed to a small extent.

The invention thus provides a substantial advantage over prior art spring loaded hinge assemblies because the pivot element is provided by an integral T-shaped head at the inner end of the side member and not by screws. The integral T-head pivot enables a compact co-axial spring assembly to be provided at the inner end of the side member thereby to provide a light weight, aesthetically attractive slim profile to the assembly.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A spectacle frame comprising a pair of lens-holding frame members and a side member hingedly connected to each said frame member, the side members each being pivotal between an inoperative storage position in which they extend adjacent to one another substantially parallel to a plane containing the frame members and an operative in-use position in which they extend substantially perpendicular to said plane, spring means biasing each side member towards its said operative position and permitting each side member to pivot about its hinge connection against the spring bias and be deflected outwardly from its operative position, characterised in that each side member comprises an integral pivot element at its innermost end engaged within a complementary recess in a part of the adjacent frame member permitting pivoting of said member relative to said frame member; a collar is located about each side member adjacent its pivot element providing an outer end surface abuttable against a cooperating end surface on said part of the adjacent frame member when the side member is in its operative position; spring means are retained within said collar biasing its said end surface into abutting engagement with said end surface of said part of the frame member in the operative position of the side member whereby the side member is pivotable relative to the adjacent frame member about said pivot element against the bias of said spring means.

2. A spectacle frame as claimed in claim 1 wherein the spring means comprises a coil compression spring disposed about the side member within said collar, said spring bearing at its one end on that end of the collar providing its said outer end surface and at its other end on an abutment on the side member.

3. A spectacle frame as claimed in claim 2 wherein said abutment comprises a bushing through which the side member extends.

4. A spectacle frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 3 wherein the pivot element comprises a T-shaped head integral with the inner end of the said member.

5. A spectacle frame as claimed in claim 4 wherein said head is of cylindrical f orm.

6. A spectacle frame as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 5 wherein said complementary recess is provided in a lug attached to an associated frame member.

7. A spectacle frame having side members and lugs constructed and arranged substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

8. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.