WO1998019203A1

WO1998019203A1 - A pair of spectacles

Info

Publication number: WO1998019203A1
Application number: PCT/DK1997/000474
Authority: WO
Inventors: Flemming Bo Hansen; Kim Buck
Original assignee: Pro Design International A/S
Priority date: 1996-10-25
Filing date: 1997-10-27
Publication date: 1998-05-07
Also published as: AU4699597A

Abstract

A pair of spectacles having frame parts made from wire of thread material, such as, e.g., a pair or rim-less spectacles is disclosed. A method of securing the frame parts to the lenses preventing excessive mechanical stresses in the lens material if further disclosed. The pair of spectacles may comprise an anchoring member or nut made from a material substantially softer than the lens material and being received in a cavity or bore defined in the lens. Hinges for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts comprising one or more wire loops formed on the first and/or second frame part and a pivot or rod extending through the wire loop(s) are disclosed. The pivot may have annular grooves for engaging with the loop(s). A hinge comprising a sleeve-like member formed on the first frame part and a hinge pivot formed on the second frame part is further disclosed, the hinge optionally comprising a sleeve or bushing made from a soft material. A pair of spectacles, wherein part of the frame is mounted in a detachable or releasable way so as to allow easy replacement thereof and/or of the spectacle lenses is disclosed. The detachable frame part(s) may be tiltably mounted.

Description

A PAIR OF SPECTACLES

The present invention relates to a pair of spectacles having a special interconnection between metal frame parts and lenses, and a method for interconnecting a spectacle lens and a rod- shaped part of a metal frame member. The invention also relates to an anchoring member used in the interconnection, and to a hinge suitable for spectacle frames.

Low-weight spectacles made from glass or plastic lenses and frames of thin metal wire have become increasingly popular. Examples of such spectacles are described, e.g., in U.S. patents Nos. 5,135,296 and 5,073,020 and in International Patent Application WO 92/08158, as well as in earlier patent literature: U.S. Patents Nos. 718,363 and 2,256,846, British Patents Nos. 720,855 and 760,625, and German Patent No. 343,622.

One of the major problems in connection with this type of spectacles is to obtain an effective and elegant anchoring of the lenses to the frame, without introducing excessive mechanical stresses in the lenses, and without the need for labour-extensive processes.

Another problem is to form, from the wire material, a hinge which clearly defines the pivoting movement of the movable side bar parts relative to the lenses and at the same time has a pleasant appearance and hand feel and can be effectively and economically produced using conventional wire bending equipment as used, e.g. in the spring industry.

A problem of spectacle hinges is to securely retain parts which are pivotally moveable in relation to each other in desired mutual positions in longitudinal, transversal and/or axial directions while allowing for an easy relative pivotable movement of such parts.

The present invention provides novel, simple and elegant solutions to these problems.

In one aspect, the invention relates to a pair of spectacles comprising a pair of lenses and frame parts which are connected to the lenses, at least one first frame part being made from metal and having a first end portion, which is connected to at least one of the lenses by a connecting means, which comprises an anchoring member, which is received in a cavity defined in the lens, and which is made from a material substantially softer than the lens material, and means for interconnecting said end portion of said at least one frame part and the anchoring member. Preferably, the end portion is a rod-shaped part. Preferably, the first frame part is rotationally secured in relation to the lens by engaging with a second frame part which is rotationally secured in relation to the lens, or by engaging with the outer edge of the lens.

Thus, through the use of the anchoring member of a material softer than the lens material and received in a cavity in the lens, the invention permits an effective connection between the rod- shaped frame part, preferably a free rod-shaped end thereof, and the lens, and, as will be appreciated from the following description, at the same time permits a connection which, in spite of its simplicity and elegance, does not introduce excessive mechanical stress in the lens material. Furthermore, the invention permits a very easy and safe establishment of the interconnection.

The frame part or frame parts may include any parts comprised in the spectacle frame, including parts for interconnecting the frame and the lenses. The rod-shaped part may be bent into any form suitable for a pair of spectacles according to the invention.

The means for interconnecting the rod-shaped part of said at least one frame part and the anchoring member is preferably a means for releasably interconnecting said part and said member, so as to allow easy adjustment when assembling the lenses and the frame parts. The releasable interconnecting means preferably comprises a thread connection.

The anchoring member is preferably received in a bore extending through the lens and preferably comprises a first abutting part for abutting a first outer surface part of the lens adjacent to said cavity, the at least one frame part having a second abutting part for abutting a second outer surface part of the lens opposite to the first surface part, when the rod-shaped part and the anchoring member are interconnected. Through these abutting parts, the anchoring force is primarily a tension force transverse to the surface of the lens, which is a type and direction of force which involves little danger of causing damage to the lens material.

The thread connection suitably comprises outer threads defined on the rod-shaped part and corresponding inner threads formed in the anchoring member. The inner thread may simply be formed by interaction between the outer threads and the relatively soft material of the anchoring member during the interconnection operation. The outer threads may be formed on the rod-shaped part by plastic deformation, such as by rolling. However, other methods of forming the threads are possible, such as, e.g., cutting and/or turning.

The anchoring member preferably has a radial extension or flange/abutment surface at one end forming said first abutting part, and a longitudinal passage or bore formed in the anchoring member extending from an open end opposite to the radial extension and into said radial extension, the inner threads being defined in the passage or bore.

The longitudinal passage in the anchoring member is preferably a bore comprising a threaded inner section in said radial extension and an outer section having an increased diameter and extending between the inner section and the open end of the anchoring member.

The frame parts of a pair of spectacles according to the invention are preferably made from metal or plastic wire, where at least one of the frame parts has a free end portion forming said rod-shaped part.

It is often preferred that the rod-shaped part has an outer diameter which is equal to or less than the inner diameter of the outer section of the longitudinal passage in the anchoring members, so that it may extend through the outer section of the anchoring member without exerting any substantial radial force to the said outer section.

Normally, at least one frame part is engaging with the outer edge of the lens, and preferably part of said at least one frame part is received in a cut out or recess formed in the outer edge of the lens so as to prevent the lens from pivoting around the rod-shaped part of a frame part.

The at least one first frame part may further comprise a second end portion being hook-shaped and engaging with a second frame part so as to fasten the second frame part to said one lens.

The second frame part may be made from wire material and extend along at least a substantial part of the peripheral edge of each lens and between the lenses so as to define a nose bridge member. This provides a simple and elegant pair of spectacles, wherein at least a part of the lenses is surrounded by a frame part. The second frame part may extend along or adjacent to the edge of the spectacle lens or it may at least partly be received in a groove formed in the edge.

The second frame part may further engage with a hook-shaped end portion of said first frame part at substantially spaced positions on each lens so as to securely fasten the frame to the lenses.

The invention further relates to an anchoring member made from plastics material and for use in a pair of spectacles according to the invention. The anchoring member comprises a body part having a circularly cylindrical outer surface and a collar part extending radially outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface at a first end thereof so as to define a radially extending abutment surface. A longitudinal bore defined in the anchoring member and extending from a second end of the body part opposite to said first end into said collar part comprises an inner section defined in the collar part and an outer section which extends from the inner section and opens into said second end, the diameter of the outer bore section exceeding that of the inner bore section.

The anchoring member is preferably made from a material softer than the lens material, so as to minimize the risk of causing damage to the lens by the wire material constituting the frame parts. A preferred material for the anchoring member is polycarbonate.

The spectacles according to the invention may comprise first and second spectacle frame parts, such as a pair of spectacle side bars each of which is connected to a side bar mounting part by means of a hinge. When the side bars and the side bar mounting parts are made from wire material, such hinge is relatively easy to manufacture. Thus, a hinge according to a first aspect of the invention includes a sleeve-like hinge member which is formed on the first frame part by at least two coaxial loops formed by windings of a wire, the wire being wound in opposite peripheral directions so as to form at least one bent portion interconnecting the coaxial loops, a free end of the wire being positioned adjacent to the bent portion, and a hinge pivot formed on the second frame part and being received in the sleeve-like hinge member.

The hinge according to a first aspect of the invention has a pleasant exterior without any protruding wire end which otherwise might afflict or injure skin with which it might come into contact. Although the hinge is not a helical configuration like, e.g., hinges disclosed in WO 96/33438, it defines superimposed layers formed from one single piece of wire material which contribute to the effective definition of the movement of the second frame member in the sleeve thereby formed while having a homogeneous optical appearance.

Preferably, a plastic sleeve is positioned between the outer surface of the hinge pivot and the inner surface of the sleeve-like hinge member so as to avoid scratching or "welding together" of the frame parts and so as to obtain a controlled friction at the hinge.

The present invention further relates to a hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts such as a side bar and a side bar mounting part, the hinge comprising:

- at least one first wire loop formed on the first spectacle frame part, - at least one second wire loop formed on the second spectacle frame part and being positioned coaxially in relation to said first wire loop,

- a hinge pivot extending through the coaxial first and second wire loops and having at least one peripherally extending groove formed therein engaging with at least one of said wire loops so as to retain the first and second wire loops in desired mutual positions.

Preferably the hinge pivot has a cylindrical or conical shape. However, it may have any outer contour. Preferably, the cross sectional shape of the hinge pivot is circular. The hinge pivot may be solid or it may comprise a cavity or a through going bore defined therein. It may be made from plastics material, such as Nylon, Polycarbonate, Teflon, or from any metal. The at least one peripherally extending groove formed in the hinge pivot engaging with at least part of at least one wire loop provides a secure fastening of the wire loops in desired mutual position in a transversal and longitudinal direction while allowing for an easy relative pivoting movement of the first and second spectacle frame parts relative to each other. A spherical hinge pivot as disclosed in and a hinge pivot comprising a screw and a nut as disclosed in EP 0 721 134 A2 and EP 0 661 576 Al may, during use of the spectacle and/or during pivotal movement of hinge parts relative to each other, cause the hinge parts to detach from each other and/or from the hinge pivot. This risk is eliminated or at least reduced by a hinge pivot having peripherally extending grooves formed therein as according to the present invention.

The hinge pivot may be made from a rod-shaped, cylindrical blank having a smooth outer surface, the material from which the blank is made being substantially softer than the material of the material from which the wire loops are made. In such case, the groove or grooves may be formed in the hinge pivot while introducing the hinge pivot into the hinge sleeve formed by the wire loops of the first and second spectacle frame parts, respectively, the wire loops thus cutting the grooves in the blank while assembling the hinge pivot and the sleeve. !!!! The hinge pivot may comprise a plurality of peripherally extending grooves formed therein, such as two, three, four or more.

A further aspect of the invention relates to a hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, said hinge comprising

- a pair of substantially coaxial, axially spaced wire loops formed on the first spectacle frame part,

- at least one wire loop formed on the second spectacle frame part and being coaxially received between the axially spaced loops, and - a hinge pivot extending through the coaxial wire loops.

Preferably, the pair of coaxial, axially spaced wire loops formed on the first spectacle frame part are made by one single piece of wire material, the loops being interconnected by a bent portion of the wire. The two wire loops may be wound in opposite peripheral directions or in the same peripheral direction. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the loops are wound in opposite peripheral directions. The at least one wire loop formed on the second spectacle frame part is preferably formed by one single wire. In case more than one wire loop is formed on the second spectacle frame part, the wire loops may be interconnected by a bent portion of the wire, the wire loops being wound in either opposite peripheral directions or in the same peripheral direction. The hinge may comprise a plurality of wire loops formed on the first and/or the second spectacle frame parts, respectively.

The hinge pivot may have radial abutment surfaces at its opposite ends so as to retain the wire loops in mutual operational relationship. Thus, the hinge pivot may be a tube or rod section, the opposite ends of which may be deformed and extended radially in a rivet-like manner. An annular disc member made from plastic or another friction decreasing material may be arranged between the wire loops.

In other embodiments of the hinge, the hinge pivot may be of the above described type having at least one peripherally extending groove formed therein. Thus, the above description relating to such a hinge and hinge pivot also applies in this case.

According to another aspect of the invention, a hinge may comprise a pair of coaxial wire loops formed at adjacent end portions of one of the side bars and the associated side bar mounting part, respectively. In order to minimize the outer dimensions of the hinge each wire loop may define a single wire winding having a pitch angle being substantially zero. These loops may be retained in mutual operational relationship by means of a hinge pivot extending through the loop and having radial abutment surfaces at its opposite ends, as described above. The wire loops may be wound in opposite peripheral directions or in the same peripheral direction.

The side bar may have a bent part, which may be moved into engagement with the associated side bar mounting wire part so as to define a stop, when the side bar is moved from a storing position into a position of use. In the present context, the storing position is a position, wherein the side bar is turned towards the lenses, and that the position of use is a position, wherein the side bar extends outwardly, so as to, e.g., engage with the ear of a person bearing the spectacles. The hinge pivot may comprise a sleeve extending through the wire loops and defining one of the radial abutment surfaces at one end and a screw, which may be screwed into the sleeve and which has a screw head defining the other radial abutment surface. This allows easy assembling of the hinge as well as easy adjustment of the force required to turn the hinge.

The present invention further relates to a hinge pivot having at least one peripherally extending groove formed therein, as described above.

The invention further relates to a method for interconnecting a spectacle lens made from a relatively stiff transparent material and a rod-shaped part of a metal frame member, said method comprising forming a cavity in the lens, positioning an anchoring member, which is made from a material substantially softer than the lens material in said cavity, and interconnecting the rod-shaped part and the anchoring member so as to securely fasten the lens to the frame member and so as to substantially prevent direct contact between the rod- shaped part and the lens.

This method can be performed very safely and effectively, such as is described in the detailed description which follows.

In a further aspect, the present invention relates to a pair of spectacles comprising a pair of lenses and a spectacle frame supporting the lenses. The spectacles according to the invention are of the type in which the spectacle frame includes a pair of closed framing parts each surrounding one of the lenses and engaging with the edge of the lens, and a nose bridging part interconnecting the framing parts.

The lenses are preferably made from glass or from a transparent, relatively hard plastic material, while the frame may be made from plastic material, but preferably at least partly from metal.

The cross-sectional shape of the framing parts may be substantially complementary to the cross- sectional shape of the rim portions or edge portions of the lenses. Thus, the framing parts may have a channel-like clause-sectional shape embracing the rim portion of each of the lenses, or an inwardly directed portion or inwardly directed portions of each framing part may be received in one or more recesses or cavities formed in the edge of the associated lens. As an example, the framing parts may be formed by wire-like material which is received in a corresponding groove or recess formed in and extending along the edge of each of the lenses.

In the known spectacles of this type a broken lens may be replaced by a new one provided that the respective framing part of the spectacles is sufficiently resilient to allow such replacement.

One aspect of the present invention provides an improved pair of spectacles of the above type, wherein a length of at least one and preferably of both of the framing parts are detachably mounted on the frame.

The frame may comprise a pair of spectacle side bars each connected to one of the framing parts. In this case each framing part is divided into upper and lower sections by junction points between the framing part and the nose bridging part and the side bar, respectively. The detachably mounted length of the framing part may form part of or constitute such upper or lower section. Preferably, however, the detachably mounted length forms part of or constitutes the upper section.

Because of the detachably mounted length, the lens of the framing part may be more easily replaced or interchanged. Furthermore, the detachably mounted length of each framing part may be replaced by a similar length of another type, for example of another cross-section, another material, and/or another colour. Thereby the character or appearance of the spectacles may easily be changed and adapted to the user's wish or need.

The spectacles disclosed in U.S. 5,098,180 comprise an upper spectacle frame part and a lower spectacle frame assembly which are releasably interconnected by securing means. However, U.S. 5,098,180 does not disclose frame parts made from wire material or interconnection means suitable for interconnecting upper and lower frame parts made from wire material.

In a preferred embodiment of the spectacles according to one aspect of the invention at least the framing parts and preferably the total spectacle frame is made from a wire or a wire-like material. The wire material of the framing part is then preferably received in a channel or groove formed in the outer edge of the lens, whereby the lens may be retained in position in the associated framing part.

The detachable length of each framing part may be mounted so as to be tiltable in relation to the remaining part of the frame about an axis extending through the points of detachment. As mentioned above, these points of the detachment are preferably the junction points between each framing part and the nose bridging part and the associated side bar, respectively. When the detachable length is tiltably mounted in relation to the frame, demounting of a lens from the corresponding frame part and mounting of a lens in such framing part is considerably facilitated.

The tiltability of the detachable length may be obtained by any kind of hinge connection allowing an easy detachment of the detachable length.

When the present specification and claims state that a length of a framing part is "detachably mounted" this should mean that the said length may be detached from and repositioned on the spectacle frame manually and without using special tools.

However, the present invention also relates to a pair of spectacles, wherein the detachable length is detachable from the spectacle lens only, while it is not detachable from other, non- detachably mounted frame part(s). Thus, the detachable length or lenghts is/are tiltably connected to the other, non-detachably mounted frame part(s). Embodiments having this feature easen mounting and/or replacement of spectacle lenses.

As an example, the detachable length may be connected to the frame by hook or link connections. Thus, each hook connection may comprise a loop formation, which may be a closed loop or an open, U-shaped loop formation. The other part of the hook connection may be in the form of a hook shaped part which may engage with the loop formation. Alternatively, the hook connection may further comprise a second free end, which is formed on the detachable length. The width of the open, U-shaped loop formation should then be equal to or exceed the diameter or cross-sectional dimension of the detachable length, but smaller than the maximum cross- sectional dimension or diameter of the second free end. As an example, the detachable length of the framing parts may be made by a string material, such as a monofilament made from plastic material, while the remaining part of the spectacle frame may be made from metal, such as steel, titanium, aluminum or their alloys or gold, silver or platinum.

As mentioned above, the detachable length of each framing part may constitute the section of the framing part extending between the junction of the framing part and the nose bridging part and the junction of the framing part and a side bar, respectively. This means that the hook or link connections are preferably located at these junction positions. In this case the non- detachable framing parts, the nose bridging part, side bar mounting parts, and loop formations located between each side bar mounting part and the adjacent framing part and between the nose bridging part and each adjacent framing part may be bent or formed from a single wire length, whereby a rigid spectacle frame may be produced in a cheap and simple manner. The invention further relates to a bearing for a hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, the bearing comprising a pivot and a sleeve, one of the pivot and the sleeve being capable of collecting light of the colour of adjacent hinge parts and transmitting such light so that the one of said pivot and said sleeve itself will appear as having the colour of adjacent hinge parts. Such a pivot or sleeve which is typically made from a plastic material results in the particular advantage that only one series of hinge pivots or hinge sleeves is to be used in the production of different series of hinges made from hinge parts having varying colours. Thus, the hinge pivot or sleeve which is capable of collecting light of the colour of another part of the bearing and/or of the hinge and transmit such light contributes to a reduction of production costs as well as to more simple logistics in the production in comparison to bearings wherein all parts are pre-coloured in different colours and wherein parts having matching colours are assembled.

The pivot or sleeve which is capable of collecting light of the colour of adjacent hinge parts may be made from a material which appears transparent prior to assembling the hinge. The pivot or sleeve in question is preferably made from a material consisting essentially of a crystalline polymer. Suitable materials for the pivot or sleeve in question are: polycarbonates, poly alkylenes copolymer, polymethacrylates and methacrylate-acrylate-copolymers.

One or more plasticizers and/or other additives may be comprised in the material from which the hinge pivot is made.

The bearing according to the invention may be used with all kinds of hinges for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts. It may in particular be used with all kinds of hinges according to the present invention which comprise parts made from wire material and a pivot, a sleeve and/or a bushing made from a material other than wire material.

It should be understood that any combination of spectacle frames and spectacle hinges according to the invention are possible within the scope of the invention. Further, any combination of spectacle hinge sleeves and spectacle hinge pivots according to the invention are possible within the scope of the invention.

A detailed description of the invention, in particular preferred embodiments thereof, now follows in conjunction with the appended drawings in which:

Fig. 1 shows one embodiment of a pair of spectacles according to a first aspect of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 1, showing a frame part mounted on a lens and a hinge connection between two frame parts,

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of a part of the pair of spectacles shown in Fig. 1, the figure showing a lens, a nose bridge, a temple assembly and two nuts, Fig. 4 is an exploded view of a part of a pair of spectacles shown in Fig.l, the figure showing part of a lens, a nut, two temple units and a sleeve,

Fig. 5 is a side view of an anchoring member according to the invention,

Fig. 6 is a cut of the anchoring member shown in Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 is a front view of the anchoring member shown in Fig. 5, Fig. 8 is a top view of one possible embodiment of a temple unit assembly,

Fig. 9 is a side view of the temple unit assembly shown in Fig. 8,

Fig. 10 is a front view of a temple unit assembly,

Fig. 11 is a top view of a nose bridge,

Fig. 12 is a side view of the nose bridge shown in Fig. 11, Fig. 13 is a front view of the nose bridge shown in Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is an exploded view of a hinge for interconnecting two frame parts according to a first aspect of the invention,

Fig. 15 shows another embodiment of a hinge,

Fig. 16 shows a pair of spectacles according to a second aspect of the present invention, Fig. 17 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 16 around a lens, when assembled,

Fig. 18 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 16 with the upper frame part separated from the lens,

Fig. 19 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 16 with the upper frame part partly separated from the lens, Fig. 20 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 16 with an exploded view of a hinge interconnecting two side bars,

Fig. 21 shows a second embodiment of a pair of spectacles according to a first aspect of the present invention,

Fig. 22 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 21, Fig. 23 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 21 around a nose bridge member,

Fig. 24 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 21, with an exploded view of a hinge and of the interconnection between the frame parts and spectacle frame,

Fig. 25 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Fig. 21, with an exploded view of a hinge with a preferred embodiment of a hinge pivot, Fig. 26 shows a detail of the pair of spectacles of Figs. 16-20 with a hinge according to the invention,

Fig. 27 shows the pair of spectacles of Fig. 26, Fig. 28 shows an end portion of a first frame part, the end portion forming part of a hinge sleeve,

Fig. 29 shows an end portion of a second frame part, the end portion forming part of a hinge sleeve, Fig. 30 shows a blank for a hinge pivot, and

Figs. 31-33 show a sequence of pictures illustrating the assembling process of the blank of Fig. 30 and the frame parts of Figs. 28 and 29.

Referring to the Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, a pair of spectacles according to a first aspect of the invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 1, comprises two lenses 2, two temple unit assemblies 3 and a nose bridge 4. The temple unit 3 comprises a first and a second wire, 5 and 6, the two wires being interconnected at a hinge connection 12.

In a preferred embodiment, the units constituting the frame parts are formed from wire, the diameter of the wire being approximately 0.8-1.3 mm. However, the diameter of the wire constituting the frame parts may vary beyond this range. The cross section of the frame parts may have other geometrical shapes, including edged and curved shapes.

The connection between the lens 2 and the nose bridge 4, and the connection between the lens 2 and the first wire 6 of the temple unit 3 is established through a cavity in the lens 8 and an anchoring member 7. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cavity 8 in the lens 2 is a circular bore, though many different geometries of the cavity are possible, e.g. an edged cavity or any curved geometry. Preferably, the sectional area of the bore 8 does not vary. The nose bridge 4 and the first wire 6 each have a rod-shaped end part 10 with a threaded surface 11 extending along at least part of the rod-shaped part 10 and extending to the free end of the rod- shaped part 10.

The anchoring of the frame parts to the lens 2 is obtained by means of an anchoring member 7 shown in detail in Figs. 5, 6 and 7. The rod-shaped part 10 of the frame parts, 4 and 6 extends through a bore 19 through the anchoring member 7, the bore having a first part 20 with an inner diameter larger than the diameter of the wire constituting the rod-shaped part 10 and larger than the diameter of the threaded part 11, a second part 21 with a decreasing diameter, and a third threaded part 22, the thread of the threaded part 22 fitting the threaded part 11 of the rod-shaped part 10 of the frame parts 4 and 6.

The anchoring member 7 further comprises a collar part 23 with an abutment surface 18. When the frame parts are assembled to the lenses 2, the surface 18 of the collar part 23 abuts the surface of the lens 2. The surface 18 may be formed in a shape substantially identical to the shape of the surface of the lens 2, though in the case of the material of the anchoring member 7 being substantially softer than the material of the lens, the surface 18 will automatically follow the surface of the surface of the lens 2 when assembling the parts by screwing the thread 11 into the narrow inner part 22 of the anchoring member 7.

The anchoring member 7 is made of a material substantially softer than the material of the lenses in order to protect the brittle lens material from direct contact with the hardened metal wire constituting the frame parts in the fragile area around the bore 8 in the lens 2. In the preferred embodiment, the anchoring member 7 is made of polycarbonate, but any other plastics material being relatively soft compared to the material of the lenses 2 may be used for the anchoring member.

In the case of the diameter of the cylindrical outer surface 24 of the anchoring member 7 being equal to or less than the inner diameter of the bore 8 in the lens 2, mechanical stresses in the lens around the bore are avoided, and the risk of breaking the lens is thus reduced. On the other hand, the diameter of the cylindrical outer surface 24 of the anchoring member 7 might be chosen to slightly exceed the diameter of the bore 8 in order to avoid depositing of fat and dirt in-between the cylindrical surface 24 of the anchoring member 7 and the inner surface of the bore 8. However, when screwing the threaded part 11 of the rod-shaped part 10 of the frame parts 4 and 6 into the threaded inner part 22 of the anchoring member 7, a slight extension of diameter of the cylindrical outer surface 24 of the anchoring member 7 is likely over at least part of the length of the outer surface 24. As the anchoring member 7 is made of a material substantially softer than the material of the lens 2, the mechanical stresses in the lens introduced as a consequence of the radial extension of the cylindrical outer surface 24 of the anchoring member 7 are small.

A pivoting movement of the lenses 2 relative to the frame parts is avoided by guiding the straight parts 4a and 6a of the wires constituting the nose bridge 4 and the first wire 6 of the temple unit 3, respectively, through grooves 9 in the lenses 2. At the corners 4b and 6b direct contact between the frame parts and the lenses will exist in order to securely anchoring the frame parts to the lenses in the longitudinal direction.

The interconnection between the first and the second wire parts 5 and 6 is established by a hinge 12, shown in detail in exploded views in Figs. 4 and 14. The sleeve 15 of the hinge 12 is formed by windings of the wire constituting the first frame part 6, the windings forming one single cylindrical layer. The wires are wound in opposite peripheral directions so as to form at least one bent portion 13, thus enabling the free end 14 of the wire 6 to be positioned immediately opposite to the bent portion 13. Obviously, a number of windings and loops may be performed on the wire 6 in order to constitute a sleeve for the hinge. The hinge pivot 17 is formed by the free end of the second wire 5. In the embodiment shown in the Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, 10 and 14 the free end of the wire 5 is bent at an angle of approximately 90° at three positions so as to form a turn of approximately 270°. Other angles and a different number of bendings may be performed, e.g. one single bend of approximately 90°. In order to protect the metal wires 5 and 6 from scratching each other or "welding together" at the hinge 12 and in order to obtain a controlled amount of friction at the hinge connection, a plastic sleeve 16 is mounted between the outer surface of the hinge pivot 17 and the inner surface of the sleeve 15 formed by windings of the wire 6. Preferably, the outer diameter of the plastic sleeve 16 is equal to or larger than the inner diameter of the sleeve 15, while the inner diameter of the bore through the plastic sleeve 16 preferably is approximately equal to the diameter of the wire 6.

The stop of the pivoting movement of the side bar 5 is obtained at the position where a side bar part 5a engages with a side bar part 6a.

An alternative embodiment of the hinge connection 12 is shown in Fig. 15. In this embodiment, the sleeve formed by windings of wire is positioned on the second frame part 26, corresponding to the frame part 5 in the other figures, whereas the hinge pivot is positioned on the first frame part 27, corresponding to the frame part 6 in the Figs. 1-14. Analogous to the preferred embodiment described above, the number of loops may exceed one, and the number and the angles of the bindings of the end of the first frame part 27 forming the hinge pivot may vary.

The wires constituting the frame parts 4, 5, 6, 26 and 27 are made of metal or plastic. The wire material should meet the criteria of strength and optical appearance. Examples of metals suitable for the type of spectacles according to the invention are alloys steel, titanium, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum or other metals, or any of these metals coated with a coating material, such as a plastics material, e.g. nylon or teflon, or another metal, e.g. gold, silver, platinum or chromium.

The lenses 2 may be made of glass or any kind of transparent plastics material suitable for spectacle lenses.

A method of manufacturing and assembling a pair of spectacles according to the invention is now described.

Fig. 14 shows an exploded view of the hinge connection 12. The hinge connection is assembled by twisting the hinge pivot 17 sideways out of its position and by forcing the plastic sleeve 16 into the sleeve 15, and, while keeping the hinge pivot in the twisted position, forcing the hinge pivot 17 into the plastic sleeve 16. The hinge pivot 17 is finally twisted back its first position as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 8, 9 and 10. The alternative embodiment of the hinge connection 12 shown in Fig. 15 is assembled in an analogous way.

The thread 11 on the wire parts 10 may be manufactured by rolling, turning, casting or by anchoring a thread member to the frame parts by welding, by soldering or by gluing. A possible method of manufacturing the thread 11 is rolling or cutting and/or welding, which methods allow to keep manufacturing costs low. Rolling has the particular advantage that no material is lost by the process and no risk exists that the thread is weakened. The thread is formed before bending the wires.

When assembling the rod-shaped parts 10 of the frame parts 4 and 6 with the lenses 2 through the bore 8 in the lenses by use of the anchoring member 7, the inner thread in the narrow part 22 of the bore 19 in the anchoring member 7 is being cut by the outer thread 11 on the rod- shaped parts 10 of the frame parts 4 and 6, when the thread 11 is introduced into the nut for the first time.

The thickness of the lenses 2 depends upon the optical properties of the lenses themselves.

Therefore, the varying thickness of the lenses is taken into account by performing the following steps of assembling the frame parts to the lenses.

After formation of the lenses into the desired form, the bores 8 are manufactured, preferably by boring, in case the bores 8 are circularly cylindrical. The grooves 9 are preferably formed by filing or milling. The bores and/or grooves may, however, be manufactured by other processes, such as milling, sawing or water or laser cutting. Alternatively, the cavities may be casted when casting the lenses.

The next step of the assembling process is to introduce a dummy anchoring member identical to the anchoring member 7, except for the geometry of the inner bore in the anchoring member, in the bore 8 so that the abutment surface 18 abuts the surface of the lens 2. The dummy anchoring member introduced at this stage is longer than the thickness of the glass, and has a through going inner bore with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the bore of the anchoring member 7, i.e. an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the threaded part 11. While pressing the abutment surface of the dummy nut against the surface of the lens, the anchoring member material exceeding the lens at the opposite side of the lens is cut off, so as to adjust the length of the surface 24 of the dummy anchoring member to the thickness of the glass. When initially manufactured, the length of the threaded part 11 is longer than the thickness of the glass. While still pressing the abutment surface 18 of the dummy anchoring member against the surface of the lens, the threaded part 11 is introduced into the dummy nut so that the corner 4b or 6b abuts the lens, while the wire part 4a or 6a is placed in the groove 9. At this stage, the part of the threaded wire part 11 exceeding the dummy nut is cut off, so as to adjust the length of the rod-shaped part 10 of the frame parts 4 and 6 to the length of the dummy nut, taking also into account a relatively small clearance between the lens surface 2 and the part of the wire 4 and 6 extending along the lens surface. anchoring member 7 is introduced into the bore 8. As illustrated in Figs. 3 and 4, the length of the surface 24 of the anchoring member 7 is initially longer than the thickness of the lens. While pressing the abutment surface 18 of the anchoring member 7 against the surface of the lens 2, the nut is cut off so as to adjust the length of the surface 24 to the thickness of the lens.

Finally, the thread 11 is introduced into the narrow part 22 of the bore 19 in the anchoring member 7 by turning the anchoring member 7, whereby the inner thread in the nut is being cut by the outer thread 11 when introducing the thread 11 into the narrow part 22 of the bore 19 in the anchoring member 7 for the first time. Thereby direct contact in the bore 8 between the rod- shaped part 10 and the lens 2 is prevented while the frame parts are securely clamped to the lens.

A pair of spectacles according to another aspect of the invention, generally indicated by the reference numeral 31, comprises two lenses 32 and a spectacle frame 33 supporting the lenses, cf. Figs. 16-20. The spectacle frame 33 includes a pair of closed framing parts 34 each surrounding one of the lenses 32 and engaging with the edge of the respective lens, a nose bridge part 35 interconnecting the framing parts 34 and including loops 40 adapted for mounting of nose pads (not shown), and a pair of side bars 43 and 44 interconnected by hinges 42. In accordance with the invention, a length 36 of at least one of the framing parts and preferably of each framing part is detachably mounted on the frame.

The parts of the frame 33 are normally made from wire or from a wire-like material. The wires constituting the frame parts are made of metal or plastic. The wire material should meet the criteria of strength and optical appearance. Examples of metals suitable for the type of spectacles according to the invention are alloys steel, titanium, aluminum, gold, silver, platinum or other metals, or any of these metals coated with a coating material, such as a plastics material, e.g. nylon or teflon, or another metal, e.g. gold, silver, platinum or chromium.

The wires constituting the surrounding framing parts 34 are received in a groove 41 formed in the outer edge of the lens 32. In the figures, the detachable length 36 of the framing part 34 is shown as provided with hooks 37 engaging with loops 38 formed on the remaining part of the frame and is mounted so as to be tiltable in relation to the remaining part of the frame through an axis extending through the points of detachment, that is the points where the hooks 37 engage with the loops 38. In this case, the detachable length 36 is made of a substantially non-collapsible material such as metal wire as described above. According to another embodiment, the detachable length 36 of the framing part 34 can be made of a collapsible material such as, e.g., a plastic thread or wire such as a nylon thread or wire, and, instead of hooks 37, will have their free ends protruding from the loops 38 thickened, so that they lock the wire to the remaining framing parts 34'. The thickened free ends can, e.g., be constituted by knots, or they can be constituted by thickened parts made by melting and solidifying the wire material, or by a combination thereof.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, non-detachable framing parts 34' are interconnected through the nose bridge 35 and, together with the side bar parts 44 and hinge parts 42', are made from a single wire length.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the detachable part 36 is an upper part of each framing part 34. This is normally the preferred embodiment, as the easy exchangeability and variability of the upper framing part can be utilized to obtain desired facial/cosmetic effects by variation of the shape and colour of the upper framing part (which is normally the most important part for the overall visual impression of the face of the spectacle bearer). Thus, the effect conferred by the detachable upper framing part can vaiy from heavy designs and strong colours to elegant and delicate appearances or an almost "invisible frame" appearance where the upper frame part is constituted by a thin metal wire or a thin plastic wire of the same colour as the lens 32. It will, of course, be understood that the detachable framing parts 36 could also be lower parts of the framing 34, and that, for special effects, one detachable part could be an upper part and the other a lower part of its respective framing part 34.

The hinge 42 pivotally interconnecting the side bar parts 43 and 44 is shown as a simple and effective and visually veiy elegant design comprising one upper and one lower outer sleeve part each constituted by a wire loop 42' and 42", respectively, and a rivet part 46 made, e.g., from a suitable metal such as steel or titanium or a suitable plastics material such as nylon or teflon. Suitably, the two wire loops are separated from each other by means of a ring or collar 47 of a low friction material such as nylon or teflon. As indicated in Fig. 20, the rivet 46 may be made from a hollow circular-cylindrical member which, after assembly of the hinge, is expanded at its upper and lower ends by means of a suitable tool such as a hammer, an awner, or a pair of pliers. The side bars 43 and 44 may extend in two different horisontal planes corresponding to the respective planes of the loops 42' and 42", or they may, as shown in Figs. 16-19, extend in substantially the same horisontal plane in that the wire part proceeds slightly downward from loop 42' to side bar 44 and slightly upward from loop 42" to side bar 43, or in that only one wire part from one of the loops has a more pronounced slope, while the other one proceeds in the plane of its connected loop. The stop for the pivoting movement of the hinge is obtained at the position where the corners 43' and 44' engage.

It will be understood that while the hinge 42 is shown with its upper loop 42' connected to the side bar 44, the opposite design is also possible, where the side bar 44 continues into the lower loop. Also, while the hinge 42 is shown arranged horisontally, it could also be arranged vertically or at any desired inclination. Furthermore, while the hinge 42 is shown as arranged behind the plane of the lens 32, it could also be arranged substantially in the plane of the lens 32 in that the side bar 44 could extend substantially parallel to the lens, or the hinge 42 could be arranged in front of the lens or at any other position by appropriate bending of the wire material forming the side bar 44.

It will be understood that although the hinge design 42 shown in the figures is a preferred hinge design which constitutes an aspect of the present invention, the frame 33 can be provided with any other suitable type of hinge which can be made in wire material.

The possibility of easy exchange of the detachable framing part 36 is a great advantage in the adaptation of a set of spectacles to the individual needs or taste of a spectacle bearer. Thus, the bearer can own several different sets of detachable framing parts for a set of spectacles and can, thereby, change the visual appearance of the spectacles.

Furthermore, the optician can use the easy exchangeability of the framing part in the adaptation of the spectacles to the facial appearance of a customer, which is a unique advantage of the present invention. Indeed, in a special embodiment of the invention, the detachable framing part may be fixed, such as by welding, soldering or gluing, once the desired framing part has been decided upon by the customer.

The lenses 32 may be made of glass or any kind of transparent plastics material suitable for spectacle lenses.

Figs. 21-25 show a further embodiment of a pair of spectacles according to a first aspect of the invention, the pair of spectacles being indicated by reference numeral 51, and a further embodiment of a hinge according to the invention. The pair of spectacles comprise lenses 52, side bars 53, first frame parts 57, second frame parts 56, hinges 66 and a nose bridge member 60. Preferably, the side bar 53 and frame parts 56 and 57 are made from wire material.

The side bar 53 is connected to the frame part 56 at a hinge 66, preferably formed from end portions of the respective wire parts. This is illustrated clearly in Figs. 22 and 24.

Preferably, the frame part 56 extends along the outer peripheral edge of each lens 52 and defines a nose bridge member 60 between the lenses. The frame part 56 further forms a wire loop 46' at each end. The frame part 56 engages with frame part 57 at opposite positions on each lens 52 so as to secure the frame part 56 to the lens 52. In a preferred embodiment, the frame part 56 engages with the frame part 57 at a position close to the hinge 66 and at a position close to the nose bridge member 60 on each lens 52.

The frame part 57 is preferably rod-shaped and is preferably made from wire material. It comprises a first end portion 57', which is preferably at least partly threaded, and a second end portion 57", which is hook-shaped. The hook-shaped end portion engages with an engaging portion 56' of the frame part 56. The threaded end portion 57' extends through the bore 8 defined in the spectacle lens 52 and is received in the anchoring member 7. Thereby the frame part 56 may be fastened to each lens 52.

The anchoring member 7 is described in detail above and is shown in detail in Figs. 5-7.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 21-25, the frame part 56 follows the upper peripheral edge of each lens 52. However, the frame part 56 may follow the lower peripheral edge, or it may follow both the upper and the lower peripheral edge. The frame part 56 may extend over the lens 52 along a curve and/or line not coinciding with the outer peripheral edge of the lens 52.

The hinge 66, which is a possible embodiment of a hinge according to one aspect of the invention, comprises two wire loops formed from end portions 46' and 46" of the frame part 56 and of the side bar 53, respectively.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 22, 24 and 25, the stop for the pivoting movement of the hinge is defined at the position, where a stopping portion 53" of the side bar 53 engages with a side bar connecting portion 56" of the frame part 56.

The hinge pivot may comprise a sleeve 69, which may abut the outer surface of each wire loop 46', 46", e.g., by deforming the end portions of the sleeve 69 after having inserted the sleeve 69 into the wire loops. In a more preferred embodiment of the invention, the hinge pivot comprises a sleeve 68, which extends through the wire loops 46' and 46" and defines a radial abutment surface 68' at one end. The hinge pivot further comprises a screw 67, which may be screwed into the sleeve 68, and which has a screw head 67' defining another radial abutment surface.

Optionally, an annular ring 47 may be positioned inbetween the two wire loops 46' and 46", as shown in Fig. 20.

Preferably, the frame part 56 is received in a recess or cut out in the outer edge of the lens 52, equivalent to the embodiment shown in Figs. 2-4, so as prevent the frame part to pivot relative to the lens 52.

Figs. 26 and 27 show perspective views of a pair of spectacles of the type shown in Figs. 16-20. The pair of spectacles shown in Figs. 26 and 27 comprises a hinge 72 according to the invention. The hinge 72 interconnects first and second spectacle frame parts 73 and 74 being formed from metal wire. A pair of coaxial wire loops 85 and 86 are formed on the first spectacle frame part, as can be seen more clearly from Fig. 28. The wire loops 85 and 86 are wound in opposite peripheral directions and are connected by a bent portion 83. The bent portion 83 provides an axial distance between the wire loops 85 and 86, the distance being approximately equal to the diameter of the metal wire forming the second spectacle frame part 74 and the associated wire loop 84. When assembled, the wire loop 84 is positioned between the wire loops 85 and 86 while the wire loops 84, 85 and 84, 86, respectively, are retained in desired mutual positions by a hinge pivot 76.

A stop for the pivoting movement of the hinge 72 is defined at the location where the inner surface 83' of the bent portion 83 abuts the second spectacle frame part 74.

Fig. 30 shows a blank 90 for the hinge pivot 76. The blank 90 comprises a hinge pivot portion 91 and a prolongation portion 93. The hinge pivot portion 91 is provided with grooves 92, the width and the depth of each groove 92 being so that it may receive at least parts of the wire loops 84, 85, 86. The blank 90 may be made from metal or from plastics material, such as polycarbonate or teflon. It may be casted into the desired form or it may be made from rod material by cutting processes, such as turning or it may be precasted and finished by one or more cutting processes.

Figs. 31-33 illustrate a method of assembling the hinge 72 from the first and second spectacle frame parts and from the hinge pivot blank 90. The wire loop 84 of the second spectacle frame part 74 is positioned between the wire loops 85 and 86 of the first spectacle frame part 73 and the hinge pivot blank 90 is inserted into the hole defined by the wire loops 84, 85, 86, as illustrated in Fig. 31. The blank 90 is pressed downwardly (in the direction of Figs. 31 and 32) until each of the wire loops 84, 85 and 86 engages a groove 92 formed in the hinge pivot part 91 of the blank 90, as illustrated in Fig. 32. Finally, the prolongation portion 93 is cut away so that the end surfaces of the hinge pivot flushes the hinge end surfaces defined by the wire loops 85 and 86, respectively.

The hinge of Figs. 26-33 may alternatively be designed so that the pair of wire loops 85, 86 and the bent portion 83 are formed on the second spectacle frame part 74, the wire loop 84 thus being formed on the first spectacle frame part 73. This configuration which is possible within the scope of the invention is not shown in the figures.

General remarks set forth in connection with particular embodiments of the invention in the above description applies to all described embodiments of the invention as well as to other possible embodiments. In particular, the remarks concerning materials for the frame parts and for the anchoring member apply to all possible embodiments.

It should be understood that any combination of described embodiments of spectacle frames/spectacle frame parts and hinges is possible within the scope of the invention. Further, it should be understood that any combination of spectacle hinge pivots and hinge sleeves is possible within the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, said hinge comprising a sleeve-like hinge member which is formed on said first frame part by at least two coaxial loops formed by windings of a wire, the wire being wound in opposite peripheral directions so as to form at least one bent portion interconnecting the coaxial loops, a free end of the wire being positioned adjacent to the bent portion, and a hinge pivot formed on the second frame part and being received in the sleeve-like hinge member.

2. A hinge according to claim 1, further comprising a plastic sleeve positioned between the outer surface of the hinge pivot and the inner surface of the sleeve-like hinge member.

3. A hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, said hinge comprising

- at least one first wire loop formed on said first spectacle frame part,

- at least one second wire loop formed on said second spectacle frame part and being positioned coaxially in relation to said first wire loop,

4. A hinge according to claim 3, wherein the first spectacle frame part comprises a pair of substantially coaxial, axially spaced wire loops formed thereon, the at least one second wire loop formed on the second spectacle frame part being coaxially received between said axially spaced loops.

5. A hinge according to claim 4, wherein the hinge pivot has a plurality of peripherally extending grooves formed therein, each groove engaging with at least one of said wire loops.

6. A hinge according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the hinge pivot has radial abutment surfaces at its opposite ends so as to retain the loops in desired mutual positions.

7. A hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, said hinge comprising, a pair of coaxial wire loops formed by windings of a respective wire at adjacent end portions of the first and second spectacle frame part, respectively, each wire loop defining a single wire winding having a pitch angle of substantially zero, and a hinge pivot extending through the coaxial wire loops.

8. A hinge according to claim 7, wherein the hinge pivot has radial abutment surfaces at its opposite ends so as to retain the loops in desired mutual positions.

9. A hinge according to claim 8, wherein the hinge pivot comprises a sleeve extending through the wire loops and defining one of the radial abutment surfaces at one end and a screw, which may be screwed into the sleeve and which has a screw head defining the other radial abutment surface.

10. A hinge according to any of claims 7-9, wherein the hinge pivot has at least one peripherally extending groove formed therein engaging with at least one of said wire loops so as to retain the wire loops in desired mutual positions.

11. A hinge according to claim 10 wherein the hinge pivot has a plurality of peripherally extending grooves formed therein, each groove being suited for engaging with at least one of the wire loops.

12. A hinge according to any of claims 7-11, further comprising an annular disc, which is arranged between the loops, and which is made from a friction reducing material.

13. A hinge according to any of claims 7-12, wherein the wire loops are wound in opposite peripheral directions.

14. A hinge according to any of claims 7-13, wherein the first spectacle frame part has a bent part, which may be moved into engagement with the associated side bar mounting wire part so as to define a stop, when the side bar is moved from a storing position into a position of use.

15. A hinge pivot for a hinge according to any of claims 3-14, the hinge pivot having at least one peripherally extending groove formed therein for engaging with at least one of the wire loops.

16. A hinge pivot according to claim 15 having a plurality of peripherally extending grooves formed therein, each groove being suited for engaging with at least one of the wire loops.

17. A pair of spectacles comprising a pair of lenses and frame parts which are connected to the lenses, at least one first frame part being made from metal and having a first and a second end portion, the first end portion being connected to at least one of the lenses by a connecting means which comprises: an anchoring member which is received in a cavity defined in the lens, and which is made from a material substantially softer than the lens material, and means for interconnecting said first end portion of said at least one frame part and the anchoring member, wherein said first frame part is rotationally secured in relation to the lens by engaging with a second frame part which is rotationally secured in relation to the lens, or by engaging with the outer edge of the lens.

18. A pair of spectacles according to claim 17, wherein the end portion is a rod-shaped part.

19. A pair of spectacles according to claim 18, wherein the means for interconnecting the rod- shaped part of said at least one frame part and the anchoring member is a means for releasably interconnecting said part and said member.

20. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-19, wherein the anchoring member is received in a bore extending through the lens.

21. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 18-20, wherein the anchoring member comprises a first abutting part for abutting a first outer surface part of the lens adjacent to said cavity, the at least one frame part having a second abutting part for abutting a second outer surface part of the lens opposite to the first surface part, when the rod-shaped part and the anchoring member are interconnected.

22. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-20, wherein the releasable interconnecting means comprises a thread connection.

23. A pair of spectacles according to claim 22, wherein the thread connection comprises outer threads defined on the rod-shaped part and corresponding inner threads formed in the anchoring member.

24. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-23, wherein the anchoring member has a radial extension or abutment surface at one end forming said first abutting part, a longitudinal passage or bore formed in the anchoring member extending from an open end opposite to the radial extension and into said radial extension, the inner threads being defined in the passage or bore.

25. A pair of spectacles according to claim 24, wherein the longitudinal passage is a bore comprising a threaded inner section in said radial extension and an outer section having an increased diameter and extending between the inner section and said open end.

26. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-25, wherein the frame part is made from a wire having a free end portion forming said rod-shaped part.

27. A pair of spectacles according to claim 25 or 26, wherein the rod-shaped part has an outer diameter which is equal to or less than the inner diameter of the outer section of the longitudinal passage.

28. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-27, wherein said at least one frame part is engaging with the outer edge of the lens.

29. A pair of spectacles according to claim 28, wherein part of said at least one frame part is received in a cut out or recess formed in the outer edge of the lens.

30. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-29, further comprising at least one hinge according to any of claims 1-14.

31. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-30, wherein the second end portion of the at least one first frame part is hook-shaped and engages with a second frame part so as to fasten the second frame part to said one lens.

32. A pair of spectacles according to claim 31, wherein said second frame part is made from wire material and extends along at least a substantial part of the peripheral edge of each lens and between the lenses so as to define a nose bridge member, the second frame part further engaging with a hook-shaped end portion of said first frame part at substantially spaced positions on each lens.

33. An anchoring member made from plastics material and for use in a pair of spectacles according to any of claims 17-32, said anchoring member comprising a body part having a circularly cylindrical outer surface and a collar part extending radially outwardly from the cylindrical outer surface at a first end thereof so as to define a radially extending abutment surface, a longitudinal bore defined in the anchoring member and extending from a second end of the body part opposite to said first end into said collar part, said bore comprising an inner section defined in the collar part and an outer section, which extends from the inner section and opens into said second end, the diameter of the outer bore section exceeding that of the inner bore section.

34. An anchoring member according to claim 33 made from polycarbonate.

35. A method for interconnecting a spectacle lens made from a relatively stiff transparent material and a rod-shaped part of a metal frame member, said method comprising forming a cavity in the lens, positioning an anchoring member, which is made from a material substantially softer than the lens material in said cavity, and interconnecting the rod-shaped part and the anchoring member so as to securely fasten the lens to the frame member and so as to substantially prevent direct contact between the rod- shaped part and the lens.

36. A method according to claim 35, wherein the rod-shaped part and the anchoring member are releasably interconnected.

37. A method according to claim 35 or 36, wherein the lens is clamped between first and second abutting surfaces defined on the anchoring member and the frame member, respectively, when the anchoring member and the rod-shaped part are interconnected.

38. A method according to any of claims 35-37, wherein the rod-shaped part and the anchoring member are releasably interconnected by means of interengaging inner threads formed in the anchoring member and outer threads formed on the rod-shaped part of the frame member.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein the outer threads are formed on the rod-shaped part by plastic deformation, such as by rolling.

40. A method according to claim 38 or 39, wherein a longitudinal bore is formed in the anchoring member, the inner threads being cut in a section of this bore by the outer threads when the threaded rod-shaped part is screwed into the bore section for the first time.

41. A method according to any of claims 35-40, wherein the metal frame member is made from wire, the rod-shaped part being a free end portion of the wire.

42. A pair of spectacles comprising a pair of lenses and a spectacle frame supporting the lenses, said spectacle frame including a pair of closed framing parts each surrounding one of the lenses and engaging with the edge of the lens, and a nose bridging part interconnecting the framing parts, a length of at least one and preferably of both of the framing parts being detachably mounted on the frame, wherein at least the framing parts of the spectacle frame are made from a wire or wire-like material.

43. A pair of spectacles according to claim 42, wherein the wire material of the framing parts is received in a channel or groove formed in the outer edge of the lens.

44. A pair of spectacles according to claim 42 or 43, wherein the detachable length of the framing part is arranged above the connection between the nose bridging part and the framing.

45. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 42-44, wherein the detachable length of the framing part is mounted so as to be tiltable in relation to the remaining part of the frame about an axis extending through the points of detachment.

46. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 42-45, wherein the detachable length is connected to the frame by hook or link connections.

47. A pair of spectacles according to claim 46, wherein each hook connection comprises a loop formation.

48. A pair of spectacles according to claim 47, wherein the loop formation is an open, U-shaped loop formation.

49. A pair of spectacles according to claim 48 or 49, wherein each hook connection further comprises a hook shaped part for engaging with the loop formation.

50. A pair of spectacles according to claim 49, wherein each hook shaped part further comprises a thickened free end formed on the detachable length.

51. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 47-50, wherein the hook or link connections are located at the junction of the framing part and the nose bridging part and at the junction of the framing part and a side bar of the spectacles, respectively.

52. A pair of spectacles according to claim 51, wherein the framing parts - excluding the detachable lengths thereof - the nose bridging part, side bar mounting parts, and loop formations located between each side bar mounting part and the adjacent framing part and between the nose bridging part and each adjacent framing part are formed from a single wire length.

53. A pair of spectacles according to claim 52, further comprising at least one hinge according to any of claims 1-14.

54. A pair of spectacles according to any of claims 42-53, with the modification that at least one originally detachable length of at least one framing part has been fixed to the frame.

55. A bearing for a hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, said bearing comprising a pivot and a sleeve, one of said pivot and said sleeve being capable of collecting light of the colour of adjacent hinge parts and transmitting such light so that said one of said pivot and said sleeve itself will appear as having the colour of adjacent hinge parts.

56. A bearing according to claim 55, wherein said one of said pivot and said sleeve is made from a material consisting essentially of a crystalline polymer.

57. A bearing according to claim 55 or 58, wherein said one of said pivot and said sleeve is made from a material consisting essentially of a polymer selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonates, poly alkylenes copolymer, polymethacrylates and methacrylate-acrylate- copolymers.

58. A bearing according to claim 57, wherein said one of said pivot and said sleeve is made from a material consisting essentially of a material selected from the group consisting of: polycarbonate, polymethylmetacrylate and methylpentene copolymer.

59. A hinge for interconnecting first and second spectacle frame parts, said hinge comprising a bearing according to any of claims 55-58.