MXPA98008223A - Electric connection configuration for electro-optical device - Google Patents

Abstract

An electric connection configuration for an electro-optical device comprises a brow bar member which houses the electronics of the device, and a pair of flexible conductor tabs which attach to the electronics in the housing and extend therefrom to form electrodes for connection to the lenses. When the brow bar is attached to the frame, the conductor tabs hang over the frame and extend within the space formed by the eye openings of the frame. As the lenses are fitted into a respective eye opening, the flexible conductor tabs are folded back such that they become sandwiched between the edge of the lens and the frame. In a preferred embodiment, the flexible conductor tabs each forms a positive electrode, and a pair of screws, which also serve to attach the brow bar to the frame, each forms a negative electrode for attachment to a respective lens.

Description

CONFIGOBAcrroiT DE R? Owprrp? R ELECTRIC PASSES ELECTRO-OPTICAL POSITION.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to electro-optical devices. More particularly, the present invention relates to an electrical connection configuration of the electronics of an electro-optical device for the lenses of spectacles. Electro-optical devices are known that provide electrical current to a spectacle lens, the sample of which can be seen in the following United States patents: Patent No. 4,756,605 published in the name of Okada et al. on 7/7/88. Patent No. 4,795,248 published in the name of Okada et al., 3/1/89, Patent No. 4,848,890 published in the name of Horn on July 18, 1989. Patent No. 4,968,127 published on behalf of from Russell et al., 11/6/98. Patent No. 4,991,951 published in the name of Nikon Corp. on 2/12/91. Patent No. 5,067,795 published in the name of Senatore on 11/26/91. Patent No. 5,114,218 published on behalf of Black et al., 5/19/92. Kf Patent 5,552,841 published in the name of Gallorini et al., "3/9/96, The above patents show and describe a variety of electro-optical devices that include devices that can alter the transparency of a spectacle lens. (e.g., electrochromic and liquid crystal devices), devices that can prevent fogging of the lens (e.g., transparent thermal resistor) and devices that can automatically change the color of a lens (e.g., as seen in the patent) No. 5,114,218.) In all "electro-optical devices, the power source and the electrical circuit must, of course, be electrically connected to the lenses of the glasses. In the sampling of the electro-optical devices described above, the place and manner in which this is achieved varies considerably. For example, in patents No. 4,848,890 and No. 4,756,605, the power source and certain electronic components are contained within the goggle arms that contain wire ropes that travel through the articulated area to the front mount and finally the lenses of the glasses. The sideburns of the glasses have typically been chosen in the past to accommodate batteries due to the size of the batteries, depending on the type of batteries used. If the power source and / or circuitry is contained within the portions of the pins, an electrical path through the articulated area must be established to reach the lenses contained within the front frame. However, the way in which electrical cables are fed through the hinged area of a pair of glasses is notoriously difficult due to the repeated opening and closing cycles of the pin, and the damaging wear effect that this imparts to electrical cables. . This problem is addressed, in part, by U.S. Patent 4,991,951 in the name of Nikon which uses a split metal spectacle frame to supply the electrical path to the lenses, with the negative conductor extending through the lower half of the lens. the frame and the lens and the positive conductor extending through the upper half of the frame and the lens. Since the upper and lower halves of the frame are electrically isolated from one another, and are used as the electrical path, separate wire cables are not necessary. Although the Nikon patent solves the problem "of passing the electric cables through the articulated area of glasses, the requirement of a divided frame, special- It is an inconvenience that imposes an added cost and significantly restricts the design of the glasses. With the appearance of batteries and miniature electronics (for example, integrated circuit designs), the power source and circuitry can be placed completely inside the front mount,ary. thus eliminating the need for separate electrical cables through the articulated area of the glasses. Examples of this type of arrangement can be seen in the following United States patents: No. 4,279,474 published in the name of Belgorod on July 21, 1981. No. 4,462,661 published in the name of Instrument Flight Research on July 31. of 1984. 11 ° 5,015,086 published in the name of Seiko Epson Corp. on May 14, 1991. No. 5,114,218. { see above). In each of the previous patents, the power source and / or the electronic circuit is permanently integrated in the frame of the glasses, usually requiring special adaptation of the frame to adjust the electrical components. This profit implies added cost to the product of glasses and imposes Significant design restrictions on the appearance and other functionality of the final product of glasses.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention addresses the drawbacks described above of establishing an electrical path from an energy source to the lens in an electro-optical device. More particularly, the invention comprises a unitary front bar member that houses the power source and the circularity that drives the electro-optical device. The unitary front bar member further includes a pair of flexible, spaced-apart conductive tabs, preferably in the form of a "flexible-circuit", which are electrically connected to the circuitry contained in the front bar. The electro-optic device is mounted by attaching the front bar to the front mount of the spectacles in the vicinity, and preferably above the bridging area of the mount (which may itself be formed of any desired material such as plastic or metal ). When the front bar is thus fixed to the frame, the two conductive tabs hang loosely from the front bar extending over the frame in the area of a respective eye opening of frame. The lenses are then inserted into the openings of the eye, the conductive tabs being interleaved backward and interspersed between the edge of the lens and the aperture notch of the eye which secures the lens at the opening of the eye. Each of the conductive tabs carries a cable that is electrically connected to the lens, after inserting the lens into the opening of the eye with the tongue folded back as described above. In the preferred embodiment, each of the conductive tabs bears a positive conductor, and the negative conductors of the circuit are connected to a respective lens by a pair of screws which are also used to secure the front bar to the frame, extending to through holes formed in the frame, in each eye opening, respectively. In this way, the frame of the glasses does not need special adaptation to establish an electrical connection between the power source and the electronics of the electro-optic device and the glasses.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a front part of a pair of spectacles including the front bar of the present invention affixed thereto.

Figure lb is a front elevational view thereof showing the manner of attachment of the front bar member to the frame. Figure 1c is a perspective view thereof. Figure 2a is a front elevation view of the second embodiment of the front bar member. Figure 2b is a perspective view thereof showing the manner of attachment of the front bar member to the front mount. Figure 3a is a front elevation view of a third embodiment of the front bar member on the front mount. Figure 3b is a perspective view thereof showing the manner of attachment of the front bar member to the front mount. Figure 4a is a front elevational view of a fourth embodiment of the front bar member attached to the front frame; and Figure 4b is a perspective view thereof showing the manner of attachment of the front bar member to the front mount.

Detailed Description Referring first to FIGS. 1 (ac), a front spectacle frame 10 having frames of the right and left frames 12 and 14 (already used), respectively, interconnected by a bridge 1. The members of the tabs (not shown) are hingedly connected to the end pieces 16, 18 provided at each end of the front saddle 10. The spectacles of the present invention incorporate an electro-optical device that alters a predetermined characteristic of the lenses that are secured inside the frames of the saddle 1214. Examples of electro-optical devices that can be used by the present invention are given in their Background section. Two common electro-optical devices are electrochromic and liquid crystal lenses that alter the transparency of the lenses in correlation with the amount of ambient light that affects the glasses. The present invention facilitates the interconnection of the power source and the electronics "to the lens of the electro-optic device by providing a unitary front bar member 24 that houses both the power source and the electronics of the electro-optic device. conductive tongues 26, 28, which preferably comprise a flexible circuit, they are provided adjacent each end- of the lower edge 2 'of the front bar member 24. The conductive tabs 26, 28 establish electrical connection between the power source and the electronics retained within the front bar member 24 and the lenses retained in the frames of the frame 12, 14 and can thus be made automatically after inserting the lenses into their respective frames of the frame 12, 14. More particularly, it is seen in figure 1 that the conductive tabs 26, 28 hang loosely from the fixed front bar member and extend within the space defined by the frames of the frame 12, 14. As the lenses are inserted within the frames of the frame, the conductive tabs are they fold back and are sandwiched between the edge of the lens and the frame of the respective mount 12, 14, thereby establishing the desired electrical contact between the electronics housed in the front bar member and the lens. The conductive tabs 26, 28 can carry one or all of the different electrical cables that must be connected to the lens (dictated by the requirements of the particular electro-optic device that is used). The conductive tongues are coated, themselves, of an insulated material, so that a part of the material can be removed to "establish an electrode connection between the tongue and the lens in the proper place on the lens, while maintaining the necessary insulation from the mount. the embodiment of FIGS. 1 (ac), each of the conductive tongues 26, 28 carries a positive conductor from the electronics retained in the front bar member 24 to the lens retained in the frames of the frame 12, 14 , while the corresponding negative conductors are established by a pair of screws 30, 32. As seen in Figure 1 (c), the screws 30, 32 pass through aligned holes 34, 36 and 38, 40 formed in the front bar member 24 and frames of the frame 12, 14, respectively, to serve the dual purpose of securing the front bar member 24 to the front mount 10, while establishing an electro ~ connection two negative to the lenses. Each screw 30, 32 contacts a respective negative conductor of the electronics within the front bar member 24. The power source for the electro-optical device is carried by the front bar member 24 as indicated above, and can be of any desired type. In the embodiments shown and described herein, the power source is a series of solar cells 20 exposed on the outer surface of the front bar member, a suitable connection being formed with the electronics held within the front bar member. A second embodiment of the front bar member is shown in Figures 2a and b, where two rows of solar cells 20 'are provided on the front bar member 50 which also includes a U-shaped section 25 that can be slid through above and concealing the bridge 16 of the front saddle 10. Furthermore, it will be noted that the lead tabs 26 ', 28' are provided in a place closer to the bridge 16 than in the embodiment of Figs. 1 (ac). A third embodiment of the front bar member is shown in Figures 3a and b, where two pairs of conductor tabs 62, 64 and 66, 68 are provided, each pair carrying a positive and negative conductor to each lens, respectively. embodiment of the front bar member is shown in Figures 4a and b, where the solar panel 70 housing the electronics is separated from the front bar 72, which is itself welded, crimped, or otherwise affixed at each end 72 ', 72' thereof to the frames of the frame 12, 14, respectively. The conductive tabs 74, 76 are provided at either end of the solar panel 70 and extend into the openings in the frame of the frame, which are folded back after inserting the lens into the frame of the frame, as described obviously. In the embodiment of Figure 4, the conductive tabs 74, 76 connect with the positive conductors of the circuitry in the solar panel 70. The solar panel 70 is fixed to the front bar 72 by a back plate 78 which includes a pair of flanges 78 'which align and extend through a pair of spaced holes 80 formed in the front bar 72. The negative connection to the lenses is provided by the front bar 72 which is electrically connected to the electronics retained in the panel 70 through the back plate 78, and leads the lenses through each end 72 ', 72"of the physical bar.Therefore, an electrical connection configuration is provided for an electro-optic device that it does not require any special adaptation of the mount to establish an electrical path from the power source and electronics to the device's lenses.

Claims (10)

1. CLAIMS 1. An electrical connection configuration for an electro-optical device having a frame formed at least in part by the first and second frames of the frame, said frames being adapted to ensure a pair of lenses inside , said configuration comprising: a) a front bar member forming a housing, wherein the electronics for operating said electro-optical device are contained; b) first and second flexible connecting tongues fixed to said front bar and electrically connected in first ends thereof to said electronics held within said housing, said first and second conductive tongues extending from said front bar, on said mount and folded backwards and secured between a respective frame of the frame and the lens, each of the first and second connector tabs forming at least one electrode connection between said electronics in said housing and said respective lens.
2. 2. The electrical connection configuration of claim 1, and further comprising a pair of screws securing said "front bar member" to said mount and establishing a second electrode connection between said electronics in said housing and said respective lens
3. 3. The electrical connection configuration of claim -2, wherein each of said flexible connector tabs form a positive electrode and each of said screws forms a negative electrode for said respective lens
4. 4. The electrical connection configuration of claim 1, further comprising third and fourth flexible connector tabs affixed to said front bar and spaced apart from said first and second connecting tongues, respectively, said third and fourth connector tongues being electrically connected to said electronics in said housing and extending from said front bar, on said mount and folding back and securing between said mount frame respective and the lens, forming each of said third and fourth connector tongues a second electrode connection between said electronics in said housing and said respective lens.
5. 5. The electrical connection configuration of claim 4, wherein said first and third tabs flexible conductors form the positive and negative electrodes for one of said lenses, and said second and fourth flexible conductive tabs form the positive and negative electrodes for the other of said lenses, respectively.
6. 6. The electrical connection configuration of claim 4, wherein said mount includes a bridge area and said front bar member includes a portion "U-shaped" that fits over and conceals said bridge area of said frame.
7. The electrical connection configuration of claim 1, wherein said front bar member includes a solar panel power source electrically connected to said electronics in said housing 8.
8. The electrical connection configuration of claim 7, wherein said housing , which includes said solar panel and the electronics, can be separated from said front bar member, said front bar member being elongated and having first and second opposite ends fixed to said first and second frames of the frame, forming said first and second frames first and second electrode conductive tabs for said respective lens, and forming said first and second ends of dic It has third and fourth electrode bar for - said respective lens.
9. The electrical connection configuration of claim 8, and further comprising a rear plate having first and second flanges extending through a respective pair of holes formed in said front bar member for fixing said housing to said front bar member.
10. 10. A method for electrically connecting an electro-optical device to a frame of the glasses having first and second frame frames, said method comprising: a) providing a shell in the form of a front bar member; b) placing the electronics in said housing; c) electrically connecting first ends of the first and second flexible conductive tabs to said electronics in said housing, said flexible conductive tabs having second ends extending from said housing; d) attaching said front bar member to said mount, said first and second flexible conductive tabs extending over one of said first and second respective frames of the mount; and e) inserting a pair of lenses in said first and second frames of the frame at the same time as said first and second flexible conductive tabs are folded back, so that said first and second flexible tabs are interspersed between said edge of one of said respective lenses and the frame of the frame, each of said first and second flexible conductive tabs forming at least one electrode connection to said respective lens. The method of claim 10, and further comprising the step of: attaching said front bar member to said mount with first and second screws, said first and second screws also forming a third and fourth electrode connections of opposite polarity to that of said electrode connection of said flexible conductive tabs, for electrical connection to said respective lens. The method of claim 10, and further comprising the steps of: f) providing third and fourth flexible conductive tabs, each having first ends connected to said electronics in said housing, said third and fourth conductive tabs having flexible second ends extending from said housing, on said mount and extending within the space formed by said first and second frames of the mount, respectively; and g) folding said third and fourth flexible conductive tabs backwards when said lenses are inserted in said first and second frames of the frame, respectively, in such a way that said third and fourth flexible conductive tabs are interspersed between said respective lens and the frame of said frame. the mount, said third and fourth flexible conductor tabs forming third and fourth electrodes of opposite polarity to said first and second flexible conductive tabs that are electrically connected to said lenses, respectively.