US3738034A - Spectacle for sunglass and information tag combination - Google Patents

Abstract

The combination of spectacle or sunglass frames and a price or information tag which cannot be removed without mutilation or destruction thereof. The tag-frame combination cooperate to allow selective positioning of the tag relative to the frame.

Description

1 Mute States Patent 1191 Seaver 1 June 12, 1973 1 SPECTACLE FOR SUNGLASS AND 3,429,065 2/1969 Long et al 40/21 R INFORMATION TAG COMBINATION 3,561,074 2/1971 Mosher et al. 40/21 R X [75] Inventor: Charles W. Seaver, Needham, Mass. FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS [73] Assigneez American Optical Corporation 444,171 10/1912 France 40/21 R Southbridge, Mass. 1 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell [22] Filed: Sept. 15, 1971 Assistant ExaminerWenceslao J. Contreras [21] AppL NM 180,704 Att0rneyWilliam C. Nealon, Jeremiah J. Duggan,

1 Robert J. Bird et al.

[52] 11.8. Cl. 40/21 51 1111. c1. G09f 3/14 [57] ABSTRACT [58] Field '01 Search 40/21, 2, 20 The combination of p le 0r nglass frames and a price or information tag which cannot be removed [56] References Cited without mutilation or destruction thereof. The tag- UNITED STATES PATENTS frame combination cooperate to allow selective posi- 2,016,059 10/1935 Stevens 40/21 R the tag Blame to the frame 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures PAIEIIED JUN I 2 B73 FIG. I

FIG. 2

FIG.3

INVENTOR.

CHARLES W. SEAVER BY F 2 ATTORNEY SPECTACLE FOR SUNGLASS AND INFORMATION TAG COMBINATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION ticket member. The strap member cannot be removed from the ticket without mutilation or destruction of either the strap or the ticket. The strap, ticket and adjacent parts of the eyeglass front cooperate to allow adlncreasing difficulties are being encounter in 5 justable fixed positioning of the ticket in at least two point-of-sale display of various small items of merchandise such as sunglasses. In the normal display of sunglasses of different styles and prices they are mounted on a single display structure. The price of the various styles is indicated by a tag which may be of the adhesive variety stuck on a lens or by a tag hung on a string from a sunglass temple, for example. Such price tags are easily removed without destruction thereof. This tempting set of circumstances has encouraged those less honest members of our society to substitute low number price tags on high priced models. It is thus desirable that a price tag be made available which will prevent this type of pilferage. The tag must be of such a character that it cannot be removed without mutilation or destruction, yet it must be of such a construction to encourage potential purchasers to try on the sunglasses with as little interference from the price tag as possible.

The prior art has suggested various types of semipermanent tagging arrangements; an example is US. Pat. No. 3,402,435 which I call a filament and socket type tagging system. An extremely flexible, elongated thread-like member has a socket at one end and one or a plurality of proturberances formed at the opposite end. The proturberances are so designed as to allow easy insertion into the socket but resist withdrawal from the socket. The area about the proturberances apthe next proturberance in the string of proturberances through the socket thereby locking the tag on another pair of sunglasses.

Many other prior art types of tagging arrangements are undesirable for such reasons as: difficulty in packaging, tangling between adjacent tags, too expensive or for cosmetic reasons, i.e., the tagging system is of such a type as to detract from the overall appearance of a sunglass thus reducing its saleability.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION vIt is thus among the objects of this invention to provide an improved tagging system for spectacle and sunglass frames or the like whichsystem is economical, deters pilferage and facilitates packaging and, displaying and sale of such frames.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Briefly, according to the present invention, there is provided a tagging system comprised of the combination of spectacle or sunglass frame and a tag. The frame includes the usual front consisting of adjacent eyewires interconnected by a bridge section and having a pair of pivotally attached rearwardly extending temples. The tag is comprised of a resilient, non-flexible strap member, the outwardly extending arms of which encompass the bridge section of the frame and are attached to a positions. In the preferred embodiment, at the point of display, the ticket is in a raised position above the bridge in a plane substantially parallel to the front. The name of the manufacturer is prominently displayed on that side of the ticket thus exposed. The tag is arranged to be moved downwardly to a position below the bridge in a plane parallel to the eyeglass front to expose the other side of the ticket. Preferably, the price will appear on the side of the ticket thus exposed.

Further objects and additional features and advantages will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the attached drawings and the following detailed description of the invention.

DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tag portion according to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the combination of the tag member of FIG. 1 and an eyeglass frame with the ticket positioned in its lower position;

FIG. 3 is the arrangement of FIG. 2 with the ticket in its raised or upper position.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Referring to FIG. 1, the tag portion of my invention is comprised of a ticket member 10, having fixedly secured thereto by metal rivet 11, a resilient band or strap 12 which is generally U-shaped in cross-section. In the preferred embodiment, the ticket 10 is of lightweight cardboard about 0.02 inches in thickness, the rivet 11 is a brass one and the strap is polyvinyl chloride 0.02 inches in thickness and about 1 centimeter in width. The aperture 13 formed between the edge 14 of the ticket 10 and the interconnected rearwardly extending arms of the band 12 is sufficiently larger than the bridge section encompassed thereby to. allow rotation thereabout.

Further referring to the preferred embodiment, the opening must be sufficiently small to maintain the strap member shown in the positions shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 as will be further discussed below. It is also desirable that the ticket member be of sufficient size as to overlap adjacent portions of the front and thus fall or press against the front in the respective open and closed positions under the influence of the resilient band. The drawings are substantially to scale and thus relative dimensions should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a pair of sunglasses comprised of a front 20 having attached thereto at opposite sides, temples 21 and 22. The front itself is comprised of two eyewires 23 and 24 interconnected by a bridge 25 to form adjacent lens apertures 26 and 27. In FIG. 2, the ticket 10 is shown in a lower position thus having an exemplary price exhibited to a potential purchaser. FIG. 3 is identical to FIG. 2 except that the ticket 10 is in a raised position after being rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 2 and in which the name of a company or manufacturer can be seen. Since, FIG. 2 and FIG. 3 are identical except for ticket position, like numerals are used to designate like parts.

The desirable feature of being able to readily fix the tickets in a plane parallel to the plane of the front in fact, in almost the same plane, is most advantageous in packaging. There is no tangling of loosely attached cord supported tickets. Since the aperture or opening formed between edge 14 of the ticket and the encompassing'arms of band 12 is just larger than the bridge 25, the ticket member may not be removed without destroying or damaging it. The adjacent eyewires are of a vertical height sufficient to prevent removal. The strap and ticket are fixed in such a manner that an attempt to remove the rivet will rip or damage the ticket. Attempts to remove the rivet from the plastic will cause deformation or destruction of the strap. Of course, the most expedient and simplest way is to cut the strap or band with scissors or the like. In actual use, the sunglass-tag combination will be mounted on a display, for example on a store counter. A wearer may select from the displayed models, move the tag assembly to its upper position and try on the glasses. When a desired model is found the purchaser takes it to the check-out counter or the like where the clerk examines the tag to assure it has not been tampered with. Upon the completion of the sale, the clerk removes the tag.

In a preferred embodiment the strap is transparent so a wearer is able to see the bridge and its interconnection to adjacent eyewires while he is trying the sunglasses on.

Preferably, the strap or band is wider than it is thick to provide a bearing surface for rotation and assure proper placement of the two message carrying faces of the ticket.

While I prefer polyvinyl chloride, other plastic or comparable resilient materials may be used. Furthermore, instead of a rivet, other fastening arrangements can be used as long as the other design parameters discussed above are retained.

Having thus described the invention in detail and with sufficient particularity as to enable those skilled in the art to practice it, I claim as my invention the following:

1. The combination of a spectacle or sunglass frame and an information tag, said frame including a front with a pivotally attached rearwardly extending temple at each side, the front including a pair of lens receiving apertures formed by adjacent eyewires interconnected by an intermediate bridge section, the bridge section being of smaller cross-section than the vertical height of the eyewires, said tag comprised of a strap member and a ticket member, the strap member being a U- shaped member comprised of an arcuate section interconnecting two elongated arms, means permanently securing the ends of the arms to a ticket member, said strap member comprised of a stiff, non-flexible but temporarily deformable generally U-shaped band the outwardly extending arms of which encompass opposite sides of said bridge section, said strap being substantially wider than it is thick, and the ends of the arms secured by fastener means to the ticket member, the band and secured ticket member arranged to maintain said information tag on the bridge section and prevent removal thereof without deformation or destruction of the tag, said band being sufficiently resilient to allow temporary deformation for rotation thereof about said bridge section, and yet recover its original configuration at upper and lower positions relative to said bridge to thereby maintain said tag in at least two relatively fixed positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said -U- shaped band is transparent plastic.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said ticket is of sufficient size to abutt against adjacent eyewire surfaces when the resilient band is rotated about said bridge section.

Claims (3)

1. The combination of a spectacle or sunglass frame and an information tag, said frame including a front with a pivotally attached rearwardly extending temple at each side, the front including a pair of lens receiving apertures formed by adjacent eyewires interconnected by an intermediate bridge section, the bridge section being of smaller cross-section than the vertical height of the eyewires, said tag comprised of a strap member and a ticket member, the strap member being a U-shaped member comprised of an arcuate section interconnecting two elongated arms, means permanently securing the ends of the arms to a ticket member, said strap member comprised of a stiff, non-flexible but temporarily deformable generally U-shaped band the outwardly extending arms of which encompass opposite sides of said bridge section, said strap being substantially wider than it is thick, and the ends of the arms secured by fastener means to the ticket member, the band and secured ticket member arranged to maintain said information tag on the bridge section and prevent removal thereof without deformation or destruction of the tag, said band being sufficiently resilient to allow temporary deformation for rotation thereof about said bridge section, and yet recover its original configuration at upper and lower positions relative to said bridge to thereby maintain said tag in at least two relatively fixed positions.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said -U-shaped band is transparent plastic.

3. The combination of claim 1 in which said ticket is of sufficient size to abutt against adjacent eyewire surfaces when the resilient band is rotated about said bridge section.

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