Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02C—SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES
  • G02C1/00—Assemblies of lenses with bridges or browbars
  • G02C1/06—Bridge or browbar secured to or integral with closed rigid rims for the lenses

Definitions

• the subject of the present invention is improved spectacles according to the preamble to the main claim.
• a seat is formed within each lens-holding rim and the chamfered edge of the lens is fitted and restrained in the seat .
• the construction material and the thickness of the front frame must be similar to those of the lenses connected thereto.
• the thinness and type of material which is normally plastics material, it is difficult if not impossible to produce seats in the lens- holding rims which house the lenses firmly and in a restrained manner.
• a main object of the invention is to provide spectacles which are designed structurally and functionally for the coupling of the lenses with a frame of a thickness and material which are visually similar to those of the lens.
• a further object of the invention is to produce the required visual effect with the use of lenses manufactured in accordance with the prior art, in particular, corrective lenses having different curvatures.
• a further object is to produce, in the same spectacles, regions with different curvature according to whether the region in question is outside or within the user's field of view, in order to produce regions with different optical properties and hence optimal protection of the face and of the eyes of the user of the spectacles.
• Yet a further object is to achieve a firm coupling between the lenses and the frame, minimizing the risks of loss of the lenses . Disclosure of the invention
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles formed in accordance with the present invention
• FIG. 2 is a partial, exploded, perspective view of the spectacles of Figure 1
• - Figure 3 is a section taken on the line III-III of the spectacles of Figure 1
• FIG. 4 and 5 show a first detail and a second detail of the spectacles of Figure 1, in section and on an enlarged scale
• FIG. 6 and 7 show, in section, details similar to the detail of Figure 4, of two variants of the spectacles according to the present invention. Best mode for carrying out the invention
• a pair of spectacles according to the present invention is generally indicated 1.
• the spectacles 1 comprise a front frame 2 in which seats 3 are defined for housing respective lenses .
• a central bridge region 5 is identified in the front frame between the lenses 4 and, at the ends remote from the bridge, the front frame defines two shoulders 6 to each of which a respective arm 7 is articulated.
• the front frame 2 is made of transparent, coloured or colourless plastics material of limited thickness which could be mistaken for the material used for the manufacture of a lens.
• the cross-section of the front frame taken in a plane perpendicular to the line III-III of Figure 1 has a curved shape in order better to fit the user's face.
• the curvature of the further cross-section taken on the line III-III of the front frame 2 ( Figure 3) is variable according to the type of lenses 4 used.
• the means comprise an adapter 8 in the form of a ring of metal band with two opposed surfaces, that is an "inner” surface 9 and an “outer” surface 10, respectively, having respective "V"- shaped grooves 11, 12 with facing vertices and having an appearance similar to that of a metal lens-holding rim.
• the shape of the adapter is rounded but it may be polygonal or of another, different shape .
• the free ends 8a, 8b of the metal band constituting the adapter 8 are joined together by means of a screw 13.
• two tubular appendages 14, 15 projecting from the free ends 8a, 8b extend beside and parallel to the adapter 8 and are disposed one above the other.
• the appendages have respective coaxial through-holes into which the screw 13 can be screwed and the fastening of the screw 13 clamps the appendages 14, 15, thus clamping the adapter 8 onto the lens .
• An arm 16 of wire also constituting the upper tubular appendage 14, where "upper” defines its position in use, forms an extension of the appendage extending away from the adapter.
• the arm 16 forms a U-shaped bend 16a to which a pad 17 of conventional structure for bearing on the nose is fixed by means of a screw (not visible in the drawings) .
• the appendages 14, 15 are positioned relative to the adapter 8 in a manner such that they interfere neither with the mounting of the lens in the adapter nor with the mounting of the adapter in the front frame (which are described in detail below) .
• the pad 17 for bearing on the nose extends in the vicinity of the central bridge region 5.
• the N-shape of the inner groove 11 is such as to constitute means for the releasable restrained fixing of the lens 4.
• the lens 4 has a chamfered edge 18 which is restrained in the groove 11. The lens is thus coupled firmly with the adapter 11 by virtue of the metallic structure thereof.
• the adapter 8 is formed as a single piece.
• the lens 4 is snap-coupled with the adapter 8.
• the lens 4 is preferably made of conventional plastics material or glass, coloured with a colour the same as or similar to that used for the construction of the front frame 2 and may be a corrective, sun-protection, or protective lens.
• the N-shaped groove in the outer surface 12, on the other hand, houses the chamfer defined by the inner edge 19 of the seat 3 in the front frame 2; the inner edge 19 of the seat 3 has the same peripheral shape as the adapter 8.
• the adapter 8 with which the lens 4 is coupled, is thus in turn snap-coupled firmly with the front frame 2.
• the arms 7 which are also made of coloured or transparent plastics material, are articulated to the shoulders 6 by fixing means 20.
• the fixing means 20 comprise a metal strip 21 mounted in the outer side of the frame parallel to the line III-III of Figure 1, where "outer side" defines the side facing away from the user's face in use.
• Two screws 22, 23 integral with the strip 21, extend in two through-holes formed in the front frame 2.
• the screws 22, 23 engage two eyes 24, 25 of a bent loop 26 of metal wire.
• the screws 22, 23 are clamped onto the loop by means of two nuts 27, 28.
• the loop 26 is also fixed to the arm 7 by means of a third screw 29.
• the fixing means 20 comprise a further metal strip 30 which is incorporated in the plastics body of the arm 7 and from which project two parallel and spaced-apart eyes 31, 32, between which a further eye 33 fixed to the loop 26 is inserted coaxially.
• the screw 29 is then screwed into the threaded holes of these three superposed eyes 31, 32, 33, restraining the loop on the arm 7.
• the shape of the loop 26 is such that a resilient system is created, allowing the arm 7 to be opened out resiliently beyond the position of maximum opening which can be achieved without the presence of the loop.
• Figure 2 shows three separated components of the front portion of the spectacles, that is, the lens 4, the adapter 8 and the front frame 2.
• the lens is coupled with the adapter 8 which in turn is coupled with the front frame 2, producing the effect of a single lens, as shown by way of example in Figure 1.
• Figures 6 and 7 show a second and a third embodiment of the invention, respectively. Details similar to the previous example are identified by the same reference numerals.
• a partial chamfer 34 is defined in the inner edge 19 of the seat 3 in the front frame 2 and terminates in a shoulder 35 which, during assembly, is abutted by the adapter 8 which is thus coupled with the front frame 2 in a restrained manner.
• the inner surface 9 of the adapter 8 ' has a N-shaped groove for holding the lens 4.
• the outer surface 10 is flat.
• a right-angled housing 36 is defined in the inner edge 19 of the seat 3 in the frame 2 and the lens 4 is housed in abutment therein.
• the adapter 8 is fixed to the front frame 2 by means of at least two screws 37 engaged in respective through-holes 38 formed in the front frame 2 in the region of the right-angled housing 36, and in the adapter 8.
• the adapter 8 and the lens coupled therewith project slightly relative to the front frame 2, either because of the presence of the shoulder 35 and because of the partial nature of the chamfer 34 ( Figure 6) , or because of the right-angled housing 36 ( Figure 7) . In these embodiments, a "three-dimensional effect" is created.
• a first advantage is that it permits the use of lenses of any type and shape produced according to the prior art, given that the adapter renders the curvature of the lens independent of the curvature of the front frame of the spectacles (which is also lens-shaped) so that it is possible to produce spectacles for correcting many types of visual defect, at the same time achieving the desired aesthetic effect of a front frame which looks like a single lens.
• Another advantage is that the lenses are coupled firmly with the frame by means of an adapter which, by virtue of its metal structure, enables very thin frames to be produced.
• Another advantage is that the front frame of the spectacles and the lenses can be produced with different optical characteristics such as, for example, different transmittance, so as to optimize the protection provided by the spectacles .
• a further advantage is that the ratio between the extent of the front frame and the extent of the lenses can be varied during the production of the spectacles with the use of the teaching described herein, in order to personalize it according to different user requirements.
• Yet another advantage is that different colourings of the lens and of the frame can easily be achieved to produce pleasing aesthetic effects .
• a further advantage is that the adapter itself forms a border of pleasing appearance for the lens.

Landscapes

• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Eyeglasses (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11133573

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (3)

Citations (5)

• 2000
  • 2000-10-17 AU AU2001212995A patent/AU2001212995A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2000-10-17 WO PCT/IT2000/000419 patent/WO2002033475A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2000-10-17 EP EP00974789A patent/EP1327174A1/de not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (5)

Also Published As

Similar Documents

Legal Events