WO2003073154A1

WO2003073154A1 - A male-female coupling system for coupling between two elements, particularly for spectacles, and spectacles including the coupling system

Info

Publication number: WO2003073154A1
Application number: PCT/IT2002/000125
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittorio Tabacchi
Original assignee: Safilo Societa Azionaria Fabbrica Italiana
Priority date: 2002-02-28
Filing date: 2002-02-28
Publication date: 2003-09-04
Also published as: AU2002241258A1

Abstract

A male-female coupling system, particularly for spectacles, for coupling between two elements (6, 7) along a predetermined axis (X) of insertion of one element into the other is described; at least one pair of respective facing surfaces (6a, 7a) of the coupling have corresponding profiles (6b, 7b) capable of substantial form coupling and the form coupling takes place between a first profile (6b) of one of the surfaces and a second profile (7b) of the other surface which is reflectively symmetrical to the first profile with respect to a plane intersecting the profiles at right angles to the insertion axis (X).

Description

A MALE-FEMALE COUPLING SYSTEM FOR COUPLING BETWEEN TWO ELEMENTS, PARTICULARLY F OR SPECTACLES, AND SPECTACLES INCLUDING THE COUPLING SYSTEM

A male-female coupling system for coupling between two elements, particularly for spectacles, and spectacles including the coupling system. Technical field

The present invention relates to a male-female coupling system for coupling between two elements, particularly for spectacles, according to the preamble to the main claim. Technological background

The invention is directed, particularly but not exclusively, towards the coupling of two elements of a pair of spectacles, or the coupling of an accessory of the spectacles to the respective frame, the term "accessory" being intended to include herein, for example, the shoulders for the articulation of the arms, or the nasal support bridge which is interposed between the spectacle lenses. It may, however, advantageously be used in all applications in which a firm connection is to be achieved between two elements by means of a male-female coupling. In the above-mentioned coupling systems, the facing surfaces of the coupling typically have profiles which can be coupled with one another with a form fit. In known applications, the stability of the connection is also ensured either by the interposition of adhesives between the coupled surfaces or by the provision of an interference fit between them, possibly with the use of auxiliary undercut surfaces.

A coupling system having the characteristics indicated above is known from published international PCT application No. WO 00/12905. The system described therein provides for the male coupling element to have, in longitudinal section, an undulating profile of a shape corresponding to the profile of the female coupling seat so as to achieve coupling with a substantial form fit between the elements after resilient deformation of the seat as a result of the insertion of the male element. The undulating profile of the form fit acts so as to oppose removal of the male element. Description of the invention A principal object of the present invention is to provide a male-female coupling system which is designed structurally and functionally to improve the retention between the coupled elements, increasing the retaining load between the elements in comparison with known solutions and at the same time ensuring such retention, even after disengagement and subsequent coupling of the elements.

Another object is to simplify the production of the male-female coupling elements, particularly within the scope of processes for the injection-moulding of plastics materials.

These objects and others which will be made clearer below are achieved by a male-female coupling system, particularly for components of spectacles, having the characteristics defined in the appended claims. Brief description of the drawings The characteristics and the advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, described by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

- Figure 1 is a partial plan view of two elements of a pair of spectacles coupled in accordance with the system of the invention,

- Figure 2 is a view of a detail of Figure 1 , on an enlarged scale and in axial section,

- Figures 3 and 4 are partial axial sections through the two respective elements of the male-female coupling of the system according to the invention, and - Figures 5 and 6 are partial axial sections through the male-female elements of the preceding drawings, in the mutual coupling stage. Preferred embodiment of the invention

With reference initially to Figure 1 , a pair of spectacles, shown only partially, is generally indicated 1 and comprises a lens-holder rim 2 and an arm 3; naturally, the spectacles comprise a further lens-holder rim and a further arm which are identical but arranged in reflectively symmetrical positions with respect to a central nasal-support bridge, also not shown.

Figure 1 shows the end portion 4 of the arm 3 at which it is articulated to the lens by means of a hinge element 5, also known in the art by the term "shoulder", a hinge pin, and an eye element (not shown), formed at the free end of the arm.

The shoulder 5 and the corresponding lens-holder rim 2 constitute, respectively, two elements of the spectacles which are connected to one another by means of a male-female coupling system formed in accordance with the present invention. Although this coupling system relates, in the present description, to the coupling of the shoulder to the lens-holder rim of the spectacles, it should be understood as being usable between any two elements of the spectacles, or between an accessory and the spectacles themselves, the invention relating to the common system for the coupling of these elements. In this connection, the coupling system of the invention may also be considered usable, for example, in the connection of the nasal support bridge to the respective lens-holder rims, between the hinge and the shoulder, or between the hinge and the arm, as well as between the arm and the rim.

The coupling system provides for the male element to comprise an appendage 6 which can engage, along an insertion axis defined by the axis X of Figure 2, a blind housing 7 which constitutes the female element of the coupling and is formed in the lens-holder rim 2. The appendage 6 and the housing 7 comprise respective facing surfaces of the coupling, generally indicated 6a, 7a, which can be coupled with a substantial form fit and have respective profiles 6b, 7b, shown in the axial sections of Figures 2 to 6.

According to a principal characteristic of the coupling system of the invention, the profiles 6b and 7b of the surfaces 6a, 7a which are coupled with one another are arranged to be reflectively symmetrical with respect to a plane of symmetry defined by the axis Y of Figure 5, intersecting the profiles at right angles to the axis X. In Figures 2 and 5, the profile 7b of the coupling surface relating to the housing 7 is shown by a broken line, and the corresponding coupling profile 6b of the appendage 6 is shown by a solid line. These coupling profiles relate to an undeformed condition, in the absence of relative coupling between the elements.

The coupling profile 6b of the male element comprises a first section 8 which is inclined at a preselected angle A to a perpendicular to the axis X and a second section 9 extending from the first section and inclined at a respective angle B, also measured relative to a perpendicular to the axis X, as shown in Figure 5. The sections 8, 9 may be suitably rediused to one another. More particularly, it should be noted that the section 8 is inclined so as to converge in the direction of insertion in the housing 7, which direction is indicated by the arrow F of Figure 5, whereas the section 9 is inclined so as to diverge in the direction of the arrow F. The housing 7 of the coupling also has sections 10, 11 corresponding and reflectively symmetrical to the respective sections 8, 9. It should be noted that, by virtue of the reflective symmetry, the sections 10, 11 have opposite inclinations to the sections 8, 9, relative to the direction of insertion F.

In Figure 6, the male-female elements of the coupling are shown in the coupled condition in which, owing to resilient deformation of the housing 7, a substantial form fit is achieved between the facing pairs of respective profiles 8, 11 and 9, 10. More particularly, between the coupled profiles, there are defined a region I of interference (shown by a crossed hatching in Figure 5) and a vacant region L which is intended to house at least some of the material which is deformed in the interference region I as a result of the coupling. The vacant region L thus constitutes a region for the outlet of the deformed material, which helps to reduce the pressures generated during the insertion of the appendage 6 in the housing 7 and at the same time to oppose the extraction movement of the appendage (in the opposite direction to the arrow F), giving rise to a type of undercut in the region of the coupled sections 9, 10, as clearly shown in Figure 6.

The angles of inclination A and B of the coupling surfaces are also advantageously selected so as to favour, on the one hand, the removal of a die (not shown) suitable for producing the housing 7 in the female element and, on the other hand, the insertion of the appendage in the housing at the coupling stage. Advantageously, the angle A is selected so as to have a value greater than the angle B. Moreover, the angle A selected is between 5° and 15° and preferably 11 °, whereas the angle B selected is between 20° and 40° and preferably 28°.

The coupling surfaces of the appendage and of the housing may also have a plurality of portions aligned with one another along the axis X and each comprising a respective pair of sections 8, 9 (in the appendage) and 10, 11 (in the housing), adjacent portions being spaced apart by further portions 12 with straight, non-inclined profiles, as shown in Figures 3 to 6. The provision of a plurality of interference regions I and vacant regions L between the coupling surfaces permits improved distribution of the stresses generated in the coupling and consequently improved retention of the coupled elements. Moreover, the appendage 6 of the male element may have a prismatic shape, with the profile in at least one of the sides, or a cylindrical shape. In this latter case, the coupling surfaces are surfaces of rotation with axial symmetry with respect to the axis X and the sections of the profiles 6b, 7b define conical coupling surfaces having different and opposed tapers.

The appendage 6 and the housing 7 of the male-female coupling are advantageously made of plastics material and, in particular, the female element is preferably produced by injection moulding or casting of a suitable plastics material. In order to ensure resilient deformation of the housing relative to the appendage and to ensure an interference fit between the elements, the male- female elements may be made of plastics materials having the same or different characteristics of resilience and mechanical strength. Alternatively, solely the appendage 6 may be made of metal.

If the housing 7 is formed by a die, the particular geometrical shape of the coupling surfaces permits easy extraction of the die after the injection stage with the moulded piece completely or only partially cooled.

The invention thus achieves the objects proposed, achieving many advantages over known solutions.

A first and principal advantage is that the male-female coupling system according to the invention ensures locking by the combined effect of the interference stress between the coupled elements and of the undercut surfaces opposing the extraction of the male element. By virtue of this combined effect, the retaining load which can be achieved is advantageously greater than in known solutions, for a given geometry of the coupling. A second advantage is that, by virtue of the geometrical shapes of the mutually coupled surfaces, tight locking between the elements is ensured even after the male element has been removed and subsequently reinserted in the female element.

A further advantage is that the coupling system of the invention is of simplified construction and low cost, in addition to the fact that it does-not require the use of any adhesives between the coupled surfaces.

Yet another advantage is that, by virtue of the provision of outlet regions for the deformation of the material, the coupling system according to the invention does not damage the elements during coupling.

Claims

1. A male-female coupling system, particularly for spectacles, for coupling between two elements (6,7) along a predetermined axis (X) of insertion of one element into the other, in which at least one pair of respective facing surfaces (6a, 7a) of the coupling have corresponding profiles (6b, 7b) capable of substantial form coupling, characterized in that the form coupling takes place between a first profile (6b) of one of the surfaces and a second profile (7b) of the other surface, which is reflectively symmetrical to the first profile with respect to a plane intersecting the profiles at right angles to the insertion axis (X).

2. A coupling system according to Claim 1 in which the profile (7b) of the surface of the female element is inclined to the insertion axis (X) at a preselected angle such as to favour the removal of a respective die for producing the female element, and the profile (6b) of the surface of the male portion is inclined to the axis (X) in the opposite direction in order to favour insertion in the female element.

3. A coupling system according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the coupling surfaces (6a, 7a) are surfaces of rotation with axial symmetry with respect to the insertion axis (X).

4. A coupling system according to Claim 3 in which the coupling surfaces (6a, 7a) of the male-female elements of the coupling have opposed tapers.

5. A coupling system according to any one of the preceding claims in which the coupling surface (6a) of the male element comprises a first section (8) converging in the direction of insertion in the female element along the axis (X) and a second section (9) extending from the first section (8) and diverging in the direction of insertion, the female element of the coupling- comprising respective sections (10, 11 ) corresponding to the first section (8) and to the second section (9), with opposed tapers relative to the insertion axis (X).

6. A coupling system according to one or more of the preceding claims in which the male element (6) of the coupling is made of metal.

7. A coupling system according to one or more of Claims 1 to 6 in which both of the elements (6, 7) of the male-female coupling are made of plastics material and the female element is produced by injection moulding or casting of the plastics material.

8. A coupling system according to Claim 5 in which the coupling surfaces (6a, 7a) comprise a plurality of portions defined in the male-female elements, each portion comprising the first section (8; 10) and the second section (9; 11 ), the portions being aligned along the insertion axis and adjacent portions being spaced apart by a further portion (12) with a non-inclined profile.

9. A coupling system according to Claim 5 in which the first section (8; 10) and the second section (9; 11 ) are connected to one another.

10. A coupling system according to Claim 8 in which the portions are connected to one another.

11. Spectacles comprising at least two elements (6, 7) coupled with one another by a male-female coupling system according to one or more of Claims 1 to 10.