WO2001011416A1

WO2001011416A1 - Spectacles destitute of welded joints

Info

Publication number: WO2001011416A1
Application number: PCT/IT2000/000327
Authority: WO
Inventors: Livio Bof; Pierino Savaris; Michele De Biasi
Original assignee: Livio Bof; Pierino Savaris; Michele De Biasi
Priority date: 1999-08-04
Filing date: 2000-08-02
Publication date: 2001-02-15
Also published as: ITVR990065A1; IT1309452B1

Abstract

A frame (10) for spectacles comprises a pair of temples (2) having a predetermined section, each temple being connected, with a partial rotation liberty, to a front part (4) having a predetermined section. The end portions (20, 40) of each temple and of said front part (4) are bent by twisting so as to lay on two planes parallel to each other, whereby they are provided of a respective through hole (6, 6') allowing the passage of a connecting pivot (8).

Description

"SPECTACLES DESTITUTE OF WELDED JOINTS"

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TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to the field of the optical manufacturing industry, in particular to an improved spectacles' frame destitute of welded joints, the production of which is speedy and cheap, said frame having an enhanced strength, to the benefit of both the manufacturer, whose profits increase, and the purchaser, who does not run the risk of replacing the spectacles and to incur further expenses which are either due to the replacement of the frame or to possible breakings or damages thereof during its normal use.

BACKGROUND ART It is known that in order to manufacture a spectacles' frame it is necessary to carry out a series of weldings at locations the dimensions of which are extremely small, this in order to not jeopardize the general aesthetical appearance of the spectacles, said appearance being of the utmost importance since the spectacles are worn on the face, thus on an extremely conspicuous part of the body at a first glance. The operation of welding on spectacles' frames requires the use of suitable and expensing devices, specialized staff and specific materials.

This affects the costs, as well as the manufacturing time and the overall quality of the finished product, relative to its resistance, wear and aesthetical pleasantness . Actually a specialized worker has to be paid, a welding machine is remarkably expensive and, although a welding can be automated, it also can be carried out in an erroneous way, whereby this has a cost in terms of labour and money, since a frame with an erroneous welding has often to be scrapped.

Furthermore, it has to be considered that the specific material that is used for carrying out the welding is expensive too, and that the forces which the frame has to withstand during its use are concentrated in the structurally weakest locations, i.e. in the weldings, since in the weldings there is a structural discontinuity.

This is often the cause of a yielding of the welding, whereby the user has to replace the spectacles, and the manufacturer has to replace the frame.

In the second mentioned case there is a risk of remarkable losses since the incident can occur again, while in the first case the final purchaser has to incur a large expense for replacing the frame. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention aims to set aside the inconveniences of the known art, and to provide for a spectacles' frame destitute of welded joints.

Furthermore, the present invention aims to provide a spectacles' frame that is destitute of structurally weak points since it comprises a series of pieces which are integral to each other but not welded, each piece being produced by means of molding or through other advanced techniques . This is achieved by means of a spectacles' frame having the features disclosed in the main claim. The dependent claims outline some preferred forms of embodiment of the present invention.

According to the present invention, said aims are achieved thanks to a frame that is destitute of welded joints and that comprises a pair of temples, whereby each temple is connected through a suitable pivot (e.g. a screw) to the front portion of the spectacles, the end parts thereof being bent so as to lay on planes which are at right angles in respect to the plane defined by the spectacles' frame, in such a way to enable the opening and closing movements of the temples of said spectacles.

ILLUSTRATION OF DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from reading the following description of a preferred form of embodiment, given as a non-limiting example, with the help of the figures illustrated in the attached sheets, in which: figure 1 shows a plan view of the end portions of a temple and of the corresponding front part of the frame in a disassembled configuration; figure 2 shows a side view of the middle and end portions of a temple and of the end part of the corresponding front part of the frame according to another form of embodiment of the invention. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Having a particular reference to fig. 1, a front part

4 of spectacles 10 and a temple 2 suitable for being connected to said front part 4 are both constituted by generally metallic elements having a substantially flat shape, therefore having a notably rectangular section. In the figure it can be observed that, in this case, both the end part 40 of front part 4, and end part 20 of the corresponding temple 2 are provided of a respective hole 6, 6' allowing the passage of a pivot 8 (see fig. 2), and they are bent by approximately 90° about their respective longitudinal axis, relative to the plane that is parallel to the larger sides of the rectangle forming the cross section of both the temple and the front part of the spectacles . The result thereof is that said end parts 20, 40 are more or less horizontal when the spectacles are worn, and that they generally lay on planes which are perpendicular to the plane defined by the frame of the spectacles 10.

Furthermore, it can easily be noticed that end part 40 of the front part 4 is provided with a cavity 12 suitable for receiving a respective substantially vertical protuberance 14 that is obtained by further bending the end part of temple 2.

These cavity 12 and protuberance 14 are suitable for conferring a right steadiness to the assembly "front part - temple" .

In this way the two pieces can be assembled and made integral to each other by a simple superposition, in such a way that holes 6, 6' perfectly coincide and that a pivot 8, e.g. a screw, can be introduced therein, the end part of said screw cooperating with a respective nut 16.

Said pivot 8 allows the rotation of temple 2 and its opening in order to use the temples.

The bendings of the respective end parts 20 and 40 of temple 2 and front part 4 can be obtained by a single twisting operation that is carried out by a suitable device .

As previously mentioned, when necessary screw 8 can be fastened by means of a nut 16 that is screwed onto its lower part; according to another form of embodiment of the invention, screw 8 can directly be fastened to the parts to be joined, without any further blocking elements.

Figure 3 shows a form of embodiment of this kind, in which end part 20 of temple 2 is bent on itself and, in the space comprised between the two bent portions, is inserted the end part 40 of the front part, as well as a suitable washer 18, e.g. a washer made of a self-lubricating material such as polytetrafluorethylene od polyammide.

A screw 8 is introduced into the aligned holes managed in the two portions of end parts 20 and 40, as well as in the washer 18.

The latter can be threaded in order to improve the fastening of screw 8.

According to the present invention, frame 10 destitute of welded joints can be obbtained through advanced procedures and machines, and it can be made of any suitable material, that is not exclusively of metal, rather metal provided with a celluloid layer, plastic materials, titanium, etc. It is clear that the present invention encompasses a series of variants and equivalents which are deprived of any inventive level, said equivalents having to be considered as falling within the terms of the present invention, as defined in the appended claims. It is worthwhile to notice that the process for manufacturing the frames according to the present invention is extremely simple, since it comprises manufacturing by hot-pressing the different elements of the spectacles, i.e. the two temples and the front part, followed by twisting and bending (what can lead to different aesthetical effects) of the ends of front part and temple.

Furthermore, it is specified that although according to the previously disclosed form of embodiment both the temple and the front part have a flat shape, the invention comprises other forms of embodiment according to which the temple and/or the front part have a different section, e.g. a circular, elliptical or other.

Claims

1. Frame (10) for spectacles, comprising a pair of temples (2) having a predetermined section, each temple being connected, with a partial rotation liberty, to a front part (4) having a predetermined section, characterised in that the end portions (20, 40) of each temple and of said front part (4) are bent by twisting so as to lay on two planes parallel to each other, whereby they are provided of a respective through hole (6, 6') allowing the passage of a connecting pivot (8) .

2. Frame (10) according to claim 1, characterised in that said pivot (8) is constituted by a screw, that is possibly coupled to a blocking nut (16) .

3. Frame (10) according to anyone of the preceding claims, characterised in that the end portions (40) of the front parts (4) comprise a cavity (12) suitable for housing a corresponding protuberance (14) located at the end of a respective temple (2) .

4. Frame (10) according to claim 3, characterised in that said temples (27 and the front parts (4) are either made of metal, advantageously of a titanium alloy, or of a synthetic material.

5. Frame according to claim 2, characterised in that the end (20) of the temple is bent on itself in order to form a space into which are inserted both the end (40) of a front frame and a washer (18) , advantageously a washer of the self-lubricating kind, and in that the bent temple is provided with a pair of holes which are aligned to the hole provided on the end portion (40) of said front part and to the central hole of said washer (18) .