NL2013370B1

NL2013370B1 - A combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing the foldable glasses.

Info

Publication number: NL2013370B1
Application number: NL2013370A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Christopher Holmes Brian
Original assignee: Semloh Holdings B V
Priority date: 2014-08-27
Filing date: 2014-08-27
Publication date: 2016-09-26

Abstract

Combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing the foldable glasses, wherein the case is provided with straps for mounting the case on a person's wrist. The case is embodied as a container with a lid which can be opened and closed, wherein the container has a pushbutton for releasing the lid. Preferably the lid comprises a watch face and glass and/or a watch work. Further it is advantageous that the foldable glasses are spring-loaded and are provided with telesco- pic arms.

Description

A combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing the foldable glasses

The invention relates to a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing the foldable glasses.

Numerous variations of combinations of foldable glasses and cases for such foldable glasses are known from the website http://www.sears .com/search=folding%20glasses%20wrist%20case. US 4,720,186 teaches a pair of folding eyeglasses and watch carrying case comprising a pair of frame members hinged together at an intermediate bridge point and slidable within a pair of upper and lower sleeves which contain a lens mounted therebetween.

Quite distant from the teaching of US 4,720,186, US 6,145,986 teaches to apply a case for glasses in the shape of a writing instrument having a hollow barrel portion for receiving a pair of small glasses.

Evidently there is a need amongst persons of in particular midlife and older to use reading glasses, whilst no or other glasses are used for long-distance viewing. This necessitates frequent changing of glasses when long-distance viewing is alternated with reading. The problem then is where to store the glasses when they are not in use. People wear strings around their necks to which the glasses are attached, or temporarily store the reading glasses in their chest pockets. Some people collect several and keep reading glasses for storage at places where they are accustomed to read. The problem is that no solution fits all situations. For instance at the beach or the swimming pool the just mentioned solutions are not satisfactory, not to mention the risk of stepping on and breaking the glasses.

From the above mentioned website it is known that one can apply a case for storing the foldable glasses. This may provide a solution to the risk of breaking the glasses but then the problem remains that one can easily forget where the case was stored so that the glasses are not readily available when there is a need to use them. In part this also applies to the solution of US 6,145,986 which can only be applied when one does wear a suit with a pocket which can receive the writing instrument with the glasses.

With the invention it is intended to provide a solution to the existing problems, and to enhance the availability of the folding glasses, particularly also at situations that give rise to loss or damage of the glasses such as at the beach or at the swimming pool.

According to the invention a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing the foldable glasses is proposed having the features of one or more of the appended claims.

In a first aspect of the invention wherein the case is provided with straps for mounting the case on a person's wrist, suitable storing of the glasses is promoted by arranging that the foldable glasses have telescopic arms. This assists in miniaturizing the foldable glasses to easily fit into the case when not in use.

Preferably the case is embodied as a container with a lid which is openable and closable.

One of the major advantages of the combination of glasses and a case according to the invention is that it can be worn at virtually all times so that the glasses that are storable in the case, are always within reach at a known place and never lost or unfit for immediate use, especially by providing that the case is waterproof.

The ease of storing and retrieving the glasses is supported by arranging that the container has a pushbutton for releasing the lid.

In a further aspect of the invention the lid comprises a watch face and glass and/or a watch work. In this manner it is possible to combine two functions in one case, notably the function of a watch and the function of a storage for glasses. Instead or possibly in addition to the watch function also the functionality of a golf watch can be included.

Preferably the foldable glasses are spring-loaded, so as to enable the glasses to unfold automatically when released from the container.

The invention will hereinafter be further elucidated with reference to the drawing of an exemplary embodiment of a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing such foldable glasses that is not limiting as to the appended claims.

In the drawing: -figure 1 shows a first embodiment of a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing such foldable glasses according to the invention; -figure 2 shows a second embodiment of a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing such foldable glasses according to the invention; -figure 3 shows a third embodiment of a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing such foldable glasses according to the invention; -figure 4A and 4B show a fourth embodiment of a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing such fold-able glasses, wherein the case is part of a wristwatch; and -figure 5 shows a fifth embodiment of a combination of foldable glasses and a case for storing such foldable glasses, wherein the case is part of a golf watch.

Whenever in the figures the same reference numerals are applied, these numerals refer to the same or similar parts.

With reference first to figure 1 and figure 2 a combination of foldable glasses 1 and a case 2 for storing the foldable glasses 1 is shown. According to the invention the case 2 is provided with straps 3, 4 for mounting the case 2 on a person's wrist. The straps 3, 4 can be provided around the wrist in a manner known from how a wristwatch is worn, and the straps 3, 4 of the case 2 can be tied together in a similar way.

Preferably the case 2 is waterproof, which is beneficial for outdoor wearing but also indoors when someone is doing the dishes or otherwise cleaning their hands. A further example of a wristwatch type case 2 is shown in figure 3. Suitably the case 2 is embodied as a container 5 with a lid 6 which is openable and closable. Preferably the container 5 has a pushbutton 7 for releasing the lid 6.

In figure 4A and 4B an embodiment is shown in which the lid 6 has a watch face 6' and glass and/or a watch work.

In figure 5 the lid 6 comprises a golf watch.

Turning back to figure 1 and figure 2 it is preferable that the shown foldable glasses 1 are spring-loaded at their nose part 9 to enable easy and spring-assisted folding out of the glasses 1 and having them ready to use after taking them out of their case 2. It is further shown that the foldable glasses 1 have telescopic arms 8 which assists in miniaturizing the foldable glasses 1 to easily fit into the case 2 when not in use.

Although the invention has been discussed in the foregoing with reference to exemplary embodiments of the combination of a case and glasses of the invention, the invention is not restricted to these particular embodiments which can be varied in many ways without departing from the gist of the invention. The discussed exemplary embodiments shall therefore not be used to construe the appended claims strictly in accordance therewith. On the contrary the embodiments are merely intended to explain the wording of the appended claims without intent to limit the claims to the exemplary embodiments. The scope of protection of the invention shall therefore be construed in accordance with the appended claims only, wherein a possible ambiguity in the wording of the claims shall be resolved using these exemplary embodiments.

Claims

A combination of folding glasses (1) and a holder (2) for storing the folding glasses (1), wherein the holder (2) is provided with straps (3, 4) for placing the holder (2) ) around a wrist of a user, characterized in that the foldable glasses (1) have telescopic arms (8).

Combination according to claim 1, characterized in that the holder (2) is watertight.

Combination according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the container (2) is designed as a container (5) with a lid (6) which can be opened and closed.

Combination according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that container (5) has a button (7) for releasing the lid (6).

Combination according to claim 3 or 42, characterized in that the cover (6) comprises a golf watch and / or a dial (6 ') and glass and / or a watch mechanism.

Combination according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the foldable spectacles (1) are spring-loaded.