WO2004090610A1

WO2004090610A1 - Improved spectacles

Info

Publication number: WO2004090610A1
Application number: PCT/IT2003/000232
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittorio Tabacchi
Original assignee: Safilo Societa' Azionaria Fabbrica Italiana Lavorazione Occhiali S.P.A.
Priority date: 2003-04-14
Filing date: 2003-04-14
Publication date: 2004-10-21
Also published as: AU2003228095A1

Abstract

The invention relates to improved spectacles comprising at least one lens (2) provided with at least one through hole (6) and bounded by a first and a second surface (2a, 2b) opposed to each other, at least one mounting member (4, 5), connection means between the lens (2) and the mounting member (4; 5), the connection means comprising a screw (7) inserted into the through hole (6), and the screw comprising a head (8) including a locating surface (12) for locating the head (8) on the first surface (2a) of the lens (2). In addition, a first layer of resin (13) is applied to the locating surface (12).

Description

Improved spectacles

Technical field

The present invention relates to improved spectacles of the type including the characteristics specified in the preamble of main claim No. 1. Technological background

The invention is placed particularly in the field of so-called "rimless" spectacles, that is those devoid of lens-holding frames, wherein the lenses are directly fixed to the lugs for articulation of the arms and to the bridge (which are designated hereinafter as a whole as "mounting members"). According to a known solution, in order to fix the mounting members to the lenses, the latter are drilled and a screw is inserted into the hole and into a corresponding threaded hole produced in the mounting member for screw fastening thereof. However, the contact between the head of the screw, normally made of steel or some other metallic material, and the lens, may cause scratching and splintering of the latter.

To remedy this drawback, it is known to insert washers of plastics material between the head of the screw and the lens in order to avoid direct contact between metal and glass. However, the addition of a further element, which is furthermore of small dimensions, complicates and lengthens the operations of assembly of the spectacles. In the event that the mounting member should become uncoupled from the spectacles, the small dimensions of the washer further cause it to be easily lost.

In addition, the radial extent of the washer must be precisely selected in so far as it should not protrude from the surface of the head of the screw so as not to be unaesthetic in appearance.

Moreover, in view of the requirement to produce ever slimmer and lighter mountings for spectacles in order to conform to the dictates of fashion, the presence of a washer even of limited thickness increases the dimensions in the area of coupling between lens and mounting member, rendering it less aesthetically pleasing.

Description of the invention The technical problem underlying the present invention is that of providing spectacles designed so as to remedy all the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the prior art cited.

Moreover, an aim of the spectacles according to the invention is that of producing a solid coupling between the mounting members and the lenses. This problem is solved by the invention with spectacles produced in accordance with the claims which follow.

Brief description of the drawings

The characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of one of its preferred exemplary embodiments, illustrated, by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the appended drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a partial perspective view of a pair of spectacles produced according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an exploded side view, in section, of a detail of the spectacles of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side view, in section and on an enlarged scale, of a detail of the spectacles of Figure 2.

Preferred way of carrying out the invention

With initial reference to Figure 1, the reference 1 indicates as a whole a pair of spectacles produced according to the present invention, comprising two lenses, both indicated by 2, and a mounting including two arms 3 hinged to the lenses 2 by means of two lugs 5 and a connecting bridge 4 between the two lenses. The spectacles 1 are of the "rimless" type, that is they do not have lens-holding frames, but the lugs and the bridge are directly fixed to the lenses.

The lugs 5 and the bridge 4 will be indicated as a whole hereinafter as "mounting members" and the system for coupling the mounting members to a lens 2 of the spectacles 1 will be described. However, besides the bridge and the lug, the term "mounting members" is to be understood as comprising any portion of a mounting which must be coupled directly to a lens, without the assistance of lens-holding frames, such as, for example, a member extending along the eyebrow arches and to which a lens is fixed.

A description is given in particular of the coupling system between a lens 2 and a lug 5 of the spectacles, it being understood that an identical coupling system is used for coupling to one another each end 4a, 4b of the bridge 4 to the lenses 2. The spectacles 1 comprise connection means for connecting a mounting member (in the specific case the lug 5) to the lens 2. The connection means comprise a screw 7 made of steel or some other suitable metal, in which can be identified a head 8 and a shank 9 provided with a thread 16. In proximity to the periphery of the lens 2, made of glass or of plastics material and bounded by two surfaces 2a, 2b opposed to each other, a through hole 6 is provided, of dimensions such as to allow the insertion of the screw 7. In the lug 5, on the portion intended to butt against the surface 2b of the lens 2, there is in turn provided a hole 10, of similar dimensions to the through hole 6, and inside which there is a female screw 11. According to a principal characteristic of the invention, to the head 8 of the screw 7, in particular to a surface 12 of the head 8, designated hereinafter as locating surface, which butts against the surface 2a of the lens 2 when the screw 7 is inserted into the hole 6, a first layer of resin 13 is applied. The resin producing the first layer 13 is selected in particular from perfluoridated polymers and more preferably is based on polytetrafluoroethylene, commercially known under the name of Teflon™. The layer of resin 13 is produced by adhering deposition of the resin on the locating surface 12 of the screw 7, and its thickness is between 5 and 10 μm, more preferably between 7 and 8 μm, an optimum dimension for the purpose of obtaining a good "cushioning" effect and of being practically invisible. To the thread 16 of the screw 7 there is applied a second layer of resin 17, produced in the same material as the first layer 13, and obtained by means of two consecutive superposed deposits of layers of resin, each having a thickness of between 5 and 10 μm, and more specifically between 7 and 8 μm. In the phase of assembly of the spectacles 1, the screw 7 is inserted into the through hole 6 such that the head 8 butts against the surface 2a. Butting against the surface 2b, opposed to 2a, of the lens 2, the lug 5 is placed in such a way that the hole 10 produced in the latter is aligned with the through hole 6 produced in the lens 2. The screw 7 is then screwed into the female screw 11 until fully tightened, so that the head 8 of the screw 7, and in particular the locating surface 12 on which the first layer of resin 13 is deposited, butts against the surface 2a of the lens 2.

In a similar manner, the second lug and the bridge 4 are fixed to the lenses 2. In a further preferred example, not illustrated, the hole 10 is not threaded and a nut is screwed onto the portion of the shank 9 of the screw 7 emerging from the hole 10. Owing to the provision of the first layer of resin 13, which functions as an anti- shock and anti-stress "cushion" between the lens 2 and the head of the screw 8, the risks of scratching or damaging the surface 2a of the lens 2 are minimized. Furthermore, the provision of the second layer 17 ensures improved locking between the screw 7 and the female screw 11, preventing possible loosening of the screw 7 during use.

The invention therefore solves the problem posed, providing numerous advantages with respect to the prior art of reference.

In addition to what is stated above, a further advantage lies in the elimination of members additional to the mounting, increasing the productivity in the phase of assembly of the spectacles.

Claims

C l a i m s

1. Improved spectacles comprising: at least one lens (2) provided with at least one through hole (6) and bounded by a first and a second surface (2a, 2b) opposed to each other, - at least one mounting member (4; 5), connection means between said lens (2) and said mounting member (4; 5), said connection means comprising a screw (7) inserted into said through hole (6), said screw comprising a head (8) including a locating surface (12) for locating said head (8) on said first surface (2a) of said lens (2), characterized in that a first layer of resin (13) is applied to said locating surface (12).

2. Spectacles according to claim 1, wherein said first layer of resin (13) is a perfluoridated polymer.

3. Spectacles according to claim 2, wherein said resin is based on polytetrafluoroethylene (Teflon™).

4. Spectacles according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the thickness of said first layer of resin (13) is between 5 and 10 μm.

5. Spectacles according to claim 4, wherein the thickness of said first layer of resin (13) is between 7 and 8 μm.

6. Spectacles according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said first layer of resin (13) is produced by means of adhering deposition of said resin on said locating surface (12).

7. Spectacles according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said screw (7) comprises a threaded shank (9) and to said thread (16) there is applied a second layer of resin (17), said second layer (17) being produced in accordance with claim 2 or claim 3.

8. Spectacles according to claim 7, wherein said second layer of resin (17) has a thickness of between 10 and 20 μm.

9. Spectacles according to claim 7 or 8, wherein said second layer of resin (17) is produced by deposition of two superposed layers of resin, each having the characteristics according to one or more of claims 2 to 6.

10. Spectacles according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said mounting member is a bridge (4) connected by one of its ends (4a, 4b) to said lens (2).

11. Spectacles according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising an arm (3) and wherein said mounting member is a lug (5) by means of which said arm (3) is articulated on said lens (2).