WO2010057883A1

WO2010057883A1 - Device for holding spectacles

Info

Publication number: WO2010057883A1
Application number: PCT/EP2009/065310
Authority: WO
Inventors: Eric Duysens
Original assignee: Eric Duysens
Priority date: 2008-11-18
Filing date: 2009-11-17
Publication date: 2010-05-27
Also published as: BE1018647A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for holding spectacles on a nose, that comprises a mobile nose pad and a bearing arm, said bearing arm including a rod and ball joint, and said arm being adapted for fixation to an end of the spectacles frame and including at the other end the ball joint adapted for interaction with the nose pad.

Description

DEVICE FOR THE SUPPORT OF EYEWEAR

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to a device for supporting glasses on the nose. It relates more particularly to a device allowing a precise adjustment of the spectacle frame according to the nasal morphology of the patient. It also relates to a clamp for mounting and disassembly of the nasal support device.

State of the art [0003] Eyeglass frames can be of different styles to present a pleasing and aesthetic appearance, so that a wide variety of different eyeglass designs are provided for this purpose. However, a spectacle frame manufacturer must also consider the distribution or range of sizes and proportions of the facial and anatomical characteristics of the eyewear market to which it is addressed. Because there is a considerable variety of face structures among even small localities and regions, it is important that the nose pads of the frame can be adjusted to fit the morphology of the nose. of the patient. [0004] Many concepts for nasal platelets exist. Nose platelets which are fixed with respect to the spectacle frame as described are known. in US documents Des. 389,506, US 6,364,480 and US 4,924,245 where at best the adaptation of platelets to the nasal morphology is provided by the flexibility of the material. Nasal platelets are also known which can pivot on a horizontal or vertical axis. Such devices are described in US 6,793,337, FR 2,398,321 B1 and FR 2,812,091 B3. Articulated solutions also exist and are described in US 5,971,538 for an HMD helmet (Head Mounted Display). Methods for adjusting the height of nose pads are also provided in US 4,896,957 and US 6,045,223. Devices are also known with a ball joint, where the ball is fixed to the nose plate thus allowing a displacement in several directions or a limited displacement around two axes of the latter; such devices are respectively described in documents FR 2 730 824 B1 and FR 2 572 194 B3. The nose supports according to the state of the art have the disadvantage of not allowing optimal placement according to the nasal morphology of the patient. In addition, fixation of nose pads by screws or clips

(For example US 5,696,572 and FR 2 812 091 B3) whose movement is only possible in one direction requires the wearer of glasses to go to the optician to adjust his optical equipment so that the nose pads follow as closely as possible. its morphology, this setting to be rectified each time the wearer receives a blow. The devices with ball joints according to the state of the art have the disadvantage that the ball is fixed on the movable plate. The ball is connected to the plate via an axis (or rod) which is a weak point and may fracture during use. In this case, the ball remains nested in the part fixed to the frame and there is then no possibility of repair of the mount.

Apart from the problem of adjusting the platelets, it is also important for the comfort of the patient that the nose pads do not slip and the platelet support force on the nose is reduced. To do this, contact surface modifications have been proposed such as an air cushion in US Pat. No. 4,070,104 or the covering of the wafer by a material such as a flexible thermoplastic as described in documents US 4,904,076, FR 2 812,091 B3 and US 4,390,256. FR 2 326 717 B1 discloses a nasal pad pad having a flexible plastic sheet in contact with the nose and a rigid sheet welded together enclosing a fluid (air, water, etc.) so that the pad fits over the nose by the weight of the glasses. An alternative described in document FR 2 730 824 B1 is to mount on the nasal plate on the side of the nose, a small flexible bag filled with a liquid silicone or an antiallergic gel.

Goals of the invention

The present invention aims to provide a solution that allows to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.

In particular, the invention aims to provide a device that allows movement in all directions of the nose pad without any manipulation; the nose pad automatically adapts to the morphology of the nose.

The present invention further aims to provide a device where the sliding of the nose pads is avoided. The device of the invention thus aims to increase the comfort of the wearer of glasses.

The present invention also aims to reduce manufacturing costs and reduce the time that an optician passes to adjust the glasses of the patient. The present invention also aims to provide an easily removable nasal support device that does not require the replacement of the frame in case of deterioration of said device.

Main features of the invention [0014] The present invention relates to a device for supporting glasses on the nose, said device comprising a movable nasal plate and a support arm, said support arm comprising a rod and a patella said arm being adapted to be attached at one end to an eyeglass frame and having at the other end the swivel configured to cooperate with the nose pad. According to particular embodiments of the invention, the device comprises at least one or a suitable combination of the following characteristics:

- The nasal plate has an integral endpiece of a circular part and said tip comprises a recess, also called spherical cell, in the form of a sphere portion, allowing the interlocking of the ball of the support arm;

the patella has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the spherical cell of the tip of the nose pad;

the sphere part is larger than a half-sphere but smaller than an entire sphere; - The hollow tip has at its free end rounded edges to facilitate the insertion of the ball in the spherical cavity;

the diameter of the circular periphery of the cell at the rounded edges is sufficiently smaller than that of the ball to hold the ball in the spherical cell;

the nose pad is made of rigid plastic material;

the circular piece of the nasal plate is massive; the circular part of the nasal plate is convex;

the circular piece comprises a rigid ring fixed by radial arms to the end piece;

- The side edges of the circular piece are rounded to avoid hurting the nose; - The circular piece is covered with a non-slip material and anti-irritant for the skin such as cellulose acetate, polyurethane or silicone;

the solid circular piece or the coating of said piece is slightly sanded and / or has grooves on its face intended to be brought into contact with the nose, that is to say on the face opposite to that integral with the mouthpiece;

the support arm is made of metal or celluloid;

the ball joint is integral with a rigid piece; said rigid piece comprises at one end the ball and at the other end an orifice configured to receive the rod;

said rigid part comprises at one end the ball and at the other end a cylindrical bore intended to receive a fixing screw and the rod comprises at one end a hollow head, said hollow head being configured to receive respectively the rigid piece and the screw ; the rod is metallic and the rigid piece is made of plastic material;

- The rod or the rigid piece further comprises a shoulder located near, and preferably at a distance of about 4 mm, the ball.

The present invention also relates to the spectacle frame comprising a device for supporting glasses on the nose as described above, said frame being characterized in that the support arm is fixed at one end to the spectacle frames by welding, gluing, crimping or by screws. The present invention also relates to a clamp for mounting or disassembling the nose plate of the support arm of the device as described above, said clamp comprising a first and a second flat nose each having a notch at their end, the notch of the first flat nose having a width greater than the diameter of the rod or the rigid part of the support arm of 0.1 to 1 mm and a depth greater than 1 to 5 mm to the diameter of the rod or the rigid part of the support arm and the notch of the second flat nose having a width greater than the outer diameter of the tip of the nose pad 0.1 to 2 mm and a depth greater than 1 to 5 mm to the outer diameter of the tip. The present invention also relates to a method for mounting or dismounting the nasal plate of the support arm of the device as described above, by means of the clip described above, characterized in that the method consists of the following steps:

- Before mounting, position the ball of the support arm in front of the socket of the tip of the nasal plate or, before disassembly, the ball joint of the support arm is positioned in the alveolus of the tip of the nose pad;

- During assembly, place the second flat nose with its notch against the nasal plate on the nose and place the first beak with its notch behind the shoulder on the opposite side of the patella or, during disassembly, place the second beak with its notch on the tip of the nasal plate and place the first beak with its notch between the patella and the shoulder; - During assembly, the clamp is then closed or, during disassembly, the clamp is then opened.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES [0019] The present invention will be clarified in the light of the following description of a preferred embodiment of an embodiment, given by way of non-limiting example, with reference to the following figures. Figure 1 shows an overall view of a spectacle frame comprising the spectacle holder device according to the invention.

Figure 2 shows a side view of the arm of the wafer according to the invention. The wafer arm comprises a ball joint, a shoulder and a rod (partially shown). FIG. 3 represents a profile view and a section view on the left and on the right, respectively.

(X-Y) of the nasal plate according to a first embodiment of the invention. The nose pad has a solid circular piece and a hollow tip for attachment to the arm of the wafer.

FIG. 4 represents a profile view and a sectional view (XY) of the nose plate, respectively, on the left and on the right, according to a second embodiment of the invention. The nose pad has a circular piece in the form of a ring coated with a non-slip material and a hollow tip for attachment to the arm of the wafer.

Figure 5 shows a sectional view of the assembly of the wafer arm and the nose pad according to the invention. We can see the spacing between the ball and the spherical cell (recess) in the tip. It can also be seen that the inside diameter at the end of the tip is smaller than the diameter of the patella. Figure 6 shows a side view of the assembly of the wafer arm and the nose plate according to a variant of the invention, with dotted parts hidden. Figure 7 shows a side view of the assembly of the wafer arm and the nose plate according to another embodiment of the invention, with dotted parts hidden and on the right side, the fixing screw. Figure 8 shows respectively on the left and right a front view of the clamp for mounting and dismounting the spectacle holder according to the invention and an enlargement of the flat nose of the clamp. The clip has two flat spouts, each with a notch of different width and depth. Figure 9 shows a side view of the placement of the nose of the clamp to insert the ball in the tip of the nose pad, that is to say, during assembly of the spectacle holder. The movement is a pinch. Figure 10 shows a side view of the placement of the jaws of the clamp to extract the patella from the tip of the nose pad, that is to say during the removal of the spectacle holder. The movement is an opening movement of the forceps. Legend

(1) Pad arm also called support arm

(2) Nasal plate (3) Mount

(4) Stem

(5) Ball joint

(6) Shoulder

(7) Solid circular piece (8) End piece

(9) Spherical cell of the tip, also called spherical cavity of the tip

(10) Rounded tip

(11) Circular piece having a rigid ring (12) Fixing arm

(13) Coating

(14) Spacing between the ball and the spherical cell

(15) Diameter of the cavity at the rounded height of the end piece (16) Pliers

(17) Notch on a first flat nose of the clip

(18) Notch on a second flat nose of the pliers

(19) Rigid part comprising the ball joint and an orifice

(20) Rigid part comprising the ball joint and a cylindrical bore

(21) Fixing screws

(22) Hollow head of the stem

(23) Hole of rigid part 19

(24) Cylindrical drilling of the rigid part 20

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION [0030] The present invention relates to a nasal support device mounted on a ball joint, movable in a all directions, which allows to place a mount optimally on the nose without any adjustment. Figure 1 shows an eyeglass frame with the nasal support device according to the invention. The device has two parts (fig.l). A first part, called a wafer arm 1 or support arm, comprises a rod fixed at one end to the frame 3 and terminated at the other end by a ball joint intended to be fitted in a second part, called the nose pad 2. The Wafer arm further comprises a shoulder (not shown in Fig.l) placed shortly before the ball which assists in mounting and dismounting the second part as will be described later. The second part, or nose pad 2, comprises a circular piece with a hollow tip and disposed in the center of the face facing the mount 3, the recess being intended to receive the ball of the wafer arm during assembly. The arm of the wafer 1 according to a first embodiment is shown in more detail in Figure 2. It comprises the rod 4 previously mentioned, the latter may be, for example, metal or celluloid. It is folded for proper attachment to the mount. Different methods of fixing (gluing, welding, etc.) can be conceived but the preference goes to welding. In the case where the rod is celluloid, it is then fixed to the mount by crimping or by means of screws.

At the free end of the arm of the wafer is a ball 5, preferably in the same material as the rod 4. The arm of the wafer also has the shoulder 6 located on the rod 4 and placed shortly before the ball 5. Preferably, the shoulder is at a distance of about 4 mm from the patella. The shoulder 6 and the ball 5 can be made by turning, the rod is then folded. An alternative is to weld or stick on the rod 4 a ring whose hole has a diameter adapted for fixing on the rod 4 and then to weld or stick to the end of the rod a ball with a hole whose diameter and the depth are adapted for attachment to the rod 4. The ball constitutes the patella 5 of the adaptation mechanism and the ring constitutes the shoulder 6. The whole forms the arm of the nose pad. In the case where the rod 4 is celluloid, the ball 5 is also celluloid. The rod, shoulder and ball joint assembly is then molded in one piece. According to a second embodiment, the support arm 1 comprises a rod 4 and a rigid piece

19 having at one end the ball 5 and at the other end an orifice 23 allowing the insertion of the rod

(Fig.6). The rigid part 19 may optionally include a shoulder assisting the assembly and disassembly of the nose pad (not shown). According to this embodiment, the rod is preferably metallic and the rigid piece is preferably made of plastic material. According to a third embodiment, the support arm 1 also comprises a rod 4 and a ball joint 5 integral with a rigid part 20, but the means for fixing the rod to the rigid part is different.

(fig.7). In this variant, the rigid part 20 comprises at one end the ball 5 and near the other end a cylindrical bore 24 arranged perpendicularly to the axis of the rigid part and intended to receive a fastening screw 21 after the piece rigid

20 is engaged in a hollow head 22 disposed at one end of the rod 4. The rigid piece can also optionally include a shoulder assisting the assembly and disassembly of the nose pad (not shown). In this embodiment, the rod is preferably metallic and the rigid piece is preferably made of plastic material.

The nose pad according to the invention is preferably made of rigid plastic material and may be covered with a flexible material. The nasal plate 2 according to a first embodiment is shown in Figure 3. It comprises a solid circular part 7, preferably 6 to 10 in diameter, with rounded side edges to avoid hurting the nose. A tip 8 is molded in the center of one of the two faces of the circular piece. The tip 8 has a recess in the form of a sphere portion, which is open at the free end of the tip and intended to receive the ball 5 of the wafer arm. The sphere part is larger than a half sphere but smaller than a whole sphere. It will be called spherical cell 9 or spherical cavity. The edges of the tip at its free end are in the form of rounded 10 to facilitate the insertion of the ball in the spherical cell. The latter has a diameter slightly greater than that of the patella arm of the wafer, to allow the movement of one relative to the other. The diameter of the circular periphery (see mark 15 in FIG. 5) of the cell at the rounded edges 10 is sufficiently smaller than the diameter of the ball to hold the ball in the spherical cell of the tip. The circular piece of the nasal plate may be rigid and smooth material. It can also be sanded to make it slightly rough, to increase the adhesion to the nose. Alternatively (not shown), the surface of the circular piece of rigid material has concentric circular grooves. These circular grooves are part of the nasal wafer molding process by adequate provision in the mold. According to another variant (not shown), the circular piece of rigid material is molded in a semi-rigid material such as cellulose acetate, polyurethane or silicone then forming a coating around the rigid material. The surface of the coating may also be sandblasted or have circular grooves.

According to yet another variant (not shown), the circular piece may be slightly convex. In this case, molding with a semi-rigid material such as silicone or polyurethane is preferable. The opposite face to the attachment end of the arm of the wafer, that is to say the face in contact with the nose, can also be treated according to the descriptions mentioned above: sandblasted, grooved circularly. Convexity and surface treatment will increase the contact area between the nose pad and the nose.

The nose pad 2 according to a second embodiment is shown in Figure 4. In this embodiment, the circular piece is not massive but has a rigid ring 11 fixed by several arms 12, as a example four in number, a tip 8 similar to that of the massive circular wafer described above. The circular piece also has lateral edges to avoid hurting the nose and can also be covered with a soft silicone-type anti-slip material 13.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show the assembled assembly of the nasal plate 2 and its support arm 1 for different embodiments of the support arm. As mentioned above, there is a slight spacing 14 between the walls of the cavity 9 of the nozzle 8 and the ball 5 allowing a flexible movement of the ball in the cavity.

The assembly or disassembly of the nasal plate is done with a flat nose pliers 16 having a notch at the end of each nose (Fig.8). The width of a notch 17 is slightly greater than the diameter of the rod 4 or the rigid piece 19,20 and, preferably wider than 0.1 to 1 mm. Similarly, the height (or depth) of the notch 17 is 1 to 5 mm greater than the diameter of the rod or the rigid part of the support arm. The notch 18 on the other nose of the clamp has a width greater and slightly greater than the outer diameter of the tip 8 of the nose pad, and preferably wider than 0.1 to 2 mm. It is also deeper because the diameter of the tip 8 of the nose pad is greater than that of the rod 4 or the rigid piece 19,20 of the arm. The height (or depth) of the latter notch is such that, when the clamp is positioned for assembly or disassembly, the clamp is perpendicular to the axis of the rod or the rigid part between the ball and the shoulder 6 (figs.9-10). Preferably, its height is 1 to 5 mm greater than the outer diameter of the tip.

The mounting operation (fig.9) and disassembly

(Fig.10) is illustrated here for the support arm according to the variant of Figures 2 and 5 but this also applies to the variants of Figures 6 and 7, the rigid part then being provided with a shoulder. During assembly, the ball 5 of the arm of the wafer is positioned in front of the socket of the tip 8 of the nose pad. The beak with the largest notch 18 of the clamp is placed on the nose side of the nasal plate and the other spout 17 behind the shoulder 6 on the opposite side of the ball 5. When pinching, the ball 5 slides in the cavity of the nose pad. During disassembly, place the nose of the clamp with the large notch 18 on the tip 8 of the nasal plate and the other nozzle 17 on the rod 4 or the rigid part 19,20 between the ball 5 and Shoulder 6. Opening the clamp, the patella out of the cavity of the nose pad.

Advantages

The nasal support of the invention does not require intervention of the optician for adjustment, the latter being done automatically. The assembly and disassembly operations have moreover, except in case of rupture or deterioration of the device, not necessary to be. In case of rupture of the nasal plate, the recess can always be detached from the patella during a disassembly operation. Only the plate must be changed and not the entire frame, as is the case for devices with patches according to the state of the art. In this regard, the devices according to the invention where the ball joint can also be detached from the rod as illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 provide even more flexibility in terms of assembly and disassembly.

Claims

1. Apparatus for supporting glasses on the nose, said device comprising a movable nasal plate (2) and a support arm (1), said support arm (1) comprising a rod (4) and a ball (5) , said arm being adapted to be fixed at one end to a spectacle frame (3) and having at the other end the ball (5) configured to cooperate with the nose pad (2).

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the nose plate (2) comprises a tip (8) integral with a circular piece (7,11) and in that said tip comprises a recess, also called spherical cell ( 9), in the form of a sphere part, allowing the socket (5) of the support arm (1) to fit together.

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the ball (5) has a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the spherical cell (9) of the tip (8) of the nose pad.

4. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the sphere portion is larger than a half-sphere but smaller than a whole sphere.

5. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the tip (8) recessed has at its free end rounded edges (10) to facilitate the insertion of the ball (5) in the spherical cell (9).

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the diameter of the circular periphery (15) of the cell (9) at the rounded edges (10) is sufficiently lower than that of the ball (5) to maintain the patella in the spherical cell (9).

7. Device according to claim 1 characterized in that the nose pad (2) is of rigid plastic material.

8. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the circular part (7) of the nose plate (2) is massive.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the circular piece (7) of the nose plate (2) is convex.

10. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the circular piece (11) comprises a rigid ring fixed by radial arms (12) to the tip (8).

11. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 10, characterized in that the lateral edges of the circular piece (7,11) are rounded to avoid hurting the nose.

12. Device according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the circular piece (7,11) is covered by a non-slip material and anti-irritant for the skin (13) such as cellulose acetate, the polyurethane or silicone.

13. Device according to claim 8 or 12, characterized in that the solid circular piece (7) or the coating of said piece is slightly sanded and / or has grooves on its face intended to be brought into contact with the nose, c that is to say on the opposite side to that integral with the end piece (8).

14. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support arm (1) is metal or celluloid.

15. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the ball (5) is integral with a rigid piece (19,20).

16. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that said rigid piece (19) comprises at one end the ball (5) and at the other end an orifice (23) configured to receive the rod (4).

17. Device according to claim 15, characterized in that said rigid part (20) comprises at one end the ball (5) and at the other end a cylindrical bore (24) for receiving a fixing screw (21) and in that the rod (4) has at one end a hollow head (22), said hollow head (22) being configured to receive respectively the rigid piece (20) and the fixing screw (21).

18. Device according to claim 16 or 17, characterized in that the rod (4) is metallic and the rigid piece (19,20) is made of plastic material.

19. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the rod

(4) or the rigid piece (19,20) further comprises a shoulder (6) located nearby, and preferably at a distance of about 4 mm, the ball (5).

20. Eyeglass frame (3) comprising a device for supporting glasses on the nose, according to any one of the preceding claims.

21. Mount according to claim 20, characterized in that the support arm (1) is fixed at one end to the spectacle frame (3) by welding, gluing, crimping or by means of screws.

22. Pliers (16) for mounting or removing the nasal plate (2) of the support arm (1) of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, said clamp comprising a first and a second flat nose each having a notch (17,18) at their end, the notch (17) of the first flat nose having a width greater than the diameter of the rod (4) or the rigid piece

(19,20) of the support arm (1) from 0.1 to 1 mm and a depth greater than 1 to 5 mm to the diameter of the rod (4) or the rigid piece (19,20) of the support arm (1) and the notch (18) of the second flat nose having a width greater than the outside diameter of the tip (8) of the nose pad ( 2) 0.1 to 2 mm and a depth greater than 1 to 5 mm to the outer diameter of the nozzle

(8).

23. Method for mounting or dismounting the nasal plate (2) of the support arm (1) of the device according to any one of claims 1 to 19, by means of the clamp according to claim 22, characterized in that the method comprises the following steps:

- Before assembly, the ball (5) of the support arm (1) is positioned in front of the socket (9) of the nosepiece (8) of the nose plate (2) or, before dismounting, the ball (5) of the support arm (1) is positioned in the cell (9) of the tip (8) of the nose plate (2);

- During assembly, place the second flat nose with its notch (18) against the nose plate (2) on the nose side and place the first nose with its notch (17) behind the shoulder (6) on the opposite side of the patella or, during disassembly, place the second beak with its notch (18) on the tip (8) of the nose pad (2) and place the first beak with its notch (17) between the patella (5) ) and the shoulder (6); - During assembly, then closes the clamp (16) or, during disassembly, is then opened the clamp (16).