Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Spectacle Frames
The present', invention relates to glasses or respectively a glasses frame, in
which
screws for the joint mechanism are not necessary, as well as its components.
In the prior art, different types of joint mechanisms for glasses frames are
known. The
most commOn type is based on a hinge mechanism in which pins are disposed on
the frame or respectively the rim of the lenses which cooperate with a
respective
hinge which is disposed at the end on the side of the temple which is on the
side of
the rim by interleaving both parts and by connecting them by means of special
screws such that they are pivotable. In most glasses rims, in particular in
those which
are used wih corrective glasses, opening and closing the rims for inserting or
for
changing th~ lenses is carried out by means of a so-called closing block. The
lenses
can also be 'directly attached to a frame by screwing screws directly into the
lens. In
glasses without frame, the temples are directly screwed with the lenses by
means of
a projecting part.
Since the swivel joint is subject to high dynamic loads during lifetime of the
glasses,
in several sgiutions, no traditional swivel joint is used for reasons of
simplification.
Thus, the U$ patent application no. 3,155,982 proposes glasses in which the
temples
directly cooperate with the front part of the rim which contains the lenses.
Therefore,
the end of the temple which is on the side of the rim is divided into three
leaf springs,
wherein the, central leaf spring abuts on the external edge of the rim part,
whereas
the two external leaf springs engage with openings disposed near the external
edge
in the central piece by means of hooks formed at their ends. A disadvantage of
the
joint mechanism described in US 3,155,982 is the fact that the glasses temples
are
only attached to the rim very loosely such that the glasses temples can be
loosened
from the holder very easily, e. g. when the glasses fall on the floor.
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Another sol4tion for a glasses joint which as well uses a glasses temple which
is
provided with three leaf springs is proposed in the European patent no. 0 863
424
B1 of Haffmans and Gottschling. On the rim, respectively one connecting
element is
provided on the left and on the right, which has an upper and a lower recess
which
forms a joint) axis which is perpendicular to the direction of the temple in
its folded-out
state. In the folded-out state of the temples, the two external leaf springs
of the
temples engage with the recesses in the connecting element from the surface of
the
connecting element which is faced to the face of the wearer of the glasses by
means
of curved shapes which are provided on their free ends and then abut on the
surface
of the connecting element which is not faced to the face of the wearer of the
glasses,
whereas thee; central leaf spring abuts with its entire length on the opposite
surface of
the connecting element. The connecting element therein is divided in two
pieces;
thus, it is easily possible to change the lenses. For stabilization, a closing
clip can be
used which can be pushed over the two-piece connecting element. This mechanism
however has the disadvantage that inserting the temples is difficult since the
external
leaf springs nd the central leaf spring have to be guided on opposite surfaces
of the
connecting element, wherein this operation has to be effected by moving
against the
resilience and the curved shapes of the ends are disturbing. Furthermore, in
particular if he dimensions of this joint are very small, the risk that the
temples are
detached from the connecting element even in the case of low mechanical load.
From the French publication FR 2 779 241, a glasses frame having a glasses
joint is
known which is achieved by providing with pins the end of the temple on the
side of
the rim, whijch engage with recesses of a connecting element on the rim,
wherein
clips of the connecting element overlap the end on the side of the rim when
the
temple is swivelled. Such a joint however does not assure a safe holding of
the
temple in the case of excessive mechanical load.
The US 3,48,866 describes protective goggles in which the temple has a slit
which
is substantiIly vertical, in which a lateral connecting element of the frame
is locked
such that it i pivotable. The front end of the temple encloses the connecting
element.
Such desig is destined, as typical for protective goggles, to achieve an easy
and
fast mounti g or respectively dismounting of the temple and therefore is not
appropriate or optical glasses.
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Based on the foregoing, it is the objective of the present invention to
provide a
glasses frame which makes possible an easy mounting of the temples and in
which
an unintended detaching of the glasses temples in case of mechanic load of the
glasses is prevented.
In one aspect of the present invention there is provided a glasses frame
having
respectively:
one temple (2) on the left and on the right, and
having aj rim (1) which has respectively:
one connecting element (6) on the left and on the right, whose end
which is on the side of the temple points in the direction of the temple (2)
in the folded-out state,
wherein temples (2) respectively have a first external leaf spring (3), a
central leaf spring (5) and a second external leaf spring (4) on their end on
the side of the rim, each leaf spring which is substantially coplanar to the
connecting element (6) when the temple (2) is folded out; and
first joint elements (9) are disposed on the connecting element (6) which
cooperate with second joint elements (10) which are attached to the first
and second external leaf springs (3, 4) such that a swivel joint is formed,
characterized in that the connecting element (6), which is designed as a
flat surface, tapers in direction of the temple (2) behind the first joint
elements (9) to form a tapered section, wherein,
during folding in, the tapered section of the connecting element (6) forms
an abutment (11) for the central leaf spring (5) of the respective temple (2).
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In another spect of the present invention, there is provided a glasses frame
having resp ctively:
one temple (2) on the left and on the right, and
having a rim (1) which has respectively:
one connecting element (6) on the left and on the right, whose end which is
on the side of the temple points in the direction of the temple (2) in the
folded-out state,
wherein the temples (2) consist of a first external leaf spring (3), a central
leaf spring (5) and a second external leaf spring (4) on their end on the
side of the rim, each leaf spring having a leaf surface which is substantially
coplanar to the connecting element (6) when the temple (2) is folded out,
and
first joint elements (9) are disposed on the connecting element (6) which
cooperate with second joint elements (10) which are attached to the first
and second external leaf springs (3, 4), such that a swivel joint is formed,
and
each connecting element (6) is formed such that an abutment (11) for the
central one (5) of the three leaf springs of the respective temple (2) is
provided when the temple (2) is folded in,
characterized in that the second joint elements (10) at the first and second
externau leaf springs (3, 4) are disposed relative to the first joint elements
(9) of the respective connecting element (6) such that when the respective
temple I(2) is folded in, the external leaf springs (3, 4) of the temple (2)
are
being moved over the abutment (11) of the connecting element (6).
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In another spect of the present invention, there is provided glasses frame for
receiving le ses having connecting elements (6) which are disposed on the left
and on the right for attaching a temple (2) such that it is pivotable by means
of
joint elements (9) which are disposed on the connecting element (6),
characterized in that the connecting elements (6) are designed as flat
surfaces
and respectively extend in direction of the temples (2), wherein the
connecting
elements (6) taper behind the joint elements (9) in a section, wherein the
tapered section serves as an abutment (11) for the temple (2) when the temple
(2) is folded in.
Advantageous designs of the invention relate from the dependent claims.
Thus, the spirit of the invention is the fact that the temples of the glasses
frame on
their end on ;the side of the rim have three leaf springs which are
substantially parallel
in their longitudinal direction, wherein the external ones of the three leaf
spring on
their ends hiave joint elements, which are disposed relative to joint elements
of the
connecting element such that when the temple is folded in, said outer leaf
springs are
being swiveled over an abutment of the connecting element or respectively are
being
moved out Of the surface plane of the connecting element. The connecting
element
which is designed as a flat surface therefor is designed according to the
invention
such that it'tapers in direction of the temple behind the joint element,
wherein the
tapering section forms an abutment for the central one of the three leaf
springs of the
respective temple when the temple is folded in.
Such design has the advantage that all three leaf springs abut on the surface
of the
connecting element which is not faced to the face of the glasses wearer, such
that a
common plane end region is formed. Furthermore, the fact that the external
leaf
springs as ,well as the central leaf spring abut on the external surface of
the
connecting element, enables an easy mounting, since the leaf springs do not
have to
be guided on opposite surfaces of the connecting element.
Although these leaf springs abut on a common surface, the design of the
glasses
frame according to the invention with joint elements which are being attached
to the
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external leaf springs enables the formation of a spring mechanism which
supports the
folding-in or espectively folding-up of the temples.
The spring mechanism results form the fact that the central leaf spring is
supported
on the tapering section of the connecting element which extends in direction
of the
temple and thus forms the abutment, whereas the external ones of the three
leaf
springs are provided with the joint elements. Here, the maximum width of the
central
leaf spring corresponds to the width of the abutment.
For forming: the swivel joint, the temples on the external leaf springs have
joint
elements in the form of loops, whereas on the connecting element,
corresponding
pivot pins are provided. When the temple is mounted, the pivot pins of the
connecting
element engage with the loops of the leaf springs.
In another embodiment, the pivot pins of the connecting element are designed
approximate y conically, such that they are received in concave opposite
bearing
shells, whic are disposed on the external leaf springs, such that they can be
pivoted.
The connecting element can be divided on its entire length into an upper bar
and in a
lower bar. The connecting element is thus divided through the frame to the
lenses.
Thus, an easy change of the lenses is possible, since in the case of
dismounted
temples the, sides of the rim are easily pulled apart and thus, the glasses
can be
removed or changed.
These bars can possibly be fixed in a flexural resistant connection for
achieving an
additional stability by means of a sleeve which can be pushed over the
connecting
element of the respective temple before the temple is attached.
In another embodiment of the glasses frame according to the invention, the
external
leaf springs are designed such that a spring resilience which is substantially
applied
in direction ~f the joint axis for holding the joint elements of the external
leaf springs
and of the connecting element in a pivotable connection in a captivated
manner.
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Additionally, the resilience which is applied by the external leaf springs
results in the
fact that the bars are fastened relative to each other and the lenses are
fixed in the
respective sections of the frame without risk of loss. The leaf springs can
easily be
pulled apart; against their resilience for detaching the temples from the
connecting
element andjfor making the rim accessible for changing the lenses.
According to the invention, it is provided that the length of the leaf springs
and the
length of the abutment are such that on the one hand, the spring resilience is
sufficient for achieving a connection of the joint elements of the temple and
of the
connecting element such that it cannot be detached and on the other hand the
leaf
spring resilience is sufficient for holding the temple in its folded-out
state.
Furthermore, in the embodiment in which the connecting element has two bars,
the
lengths of the respective components are selected such that additionally the
resilience is sufficient for holding together the two bars of the connecting
element.
All components of the glasses frame according to the invention can be
fabricated in a
preferred embodiment as stampings or blanks made of sheet metal, which
subsequently are bent into the desired finished form. The use of titanium as
material
of the individual elements is also possible.
The invention will now be described in further detail with regard to the
exemplary
embodiments represented in the enclosed drawings. In the drawings,
Fig. 1
shows a perspective view of a temple and a rim of the glasses frame according
to the
invention in the folded-out state of the temple;
Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the temple and of the rim of the glasses
frame
according to the invention in the folded-in state of the temple; and
Fig. 3 shows a perspective exploded view of one part of the glasses frame
according
to the invention.
Fig. 1 shows an example of one part of the glasses frame according to the
invention.
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The glasses frame substantially consists of a rim 1 and a temple 2. The temple
2 has
three leaf sp ings 3, 4, and 5 on its end on the side of the rim which are
parallel, that
is, two external leaf springs 3 and 4 and a central leaf spring 5.
The rim 1 has a connecting element 6 on both sides, which extends in direction
of the
temple 2. The connecting element 6 is divided into an upper bar 7 and a lower
bar 8.
As it can be: seen in fig. 3, the division of the rim 1 extends to the lenses
which are
not represented herein. When the temple 2 is dismounted, the rim 1 can be
slightly
opened laterally by pulling apart the bars 7 and 8 for inserting or
respectively
changing the lenses.
The upper par 7 and the lower bar 8 respectively have a pivot pin 9 which are
respectively! situated one above the other and thus form a pivot axis. In the
mounted
state, these pivot pins 9 engage with loops 10 which are respectively provided
on the
external leaf springs 3 and 4.
As it can be seen from fig. 3, the temple 2 is easily attached to the
connecting
element 6 by pulling apart the external leaf springs 3 and 4 and by inserting
the pivot
pins 9 in them. Due to the resilience of the external leaf springs 3 and 4 in
direction of
each other, it is achieved that the loops 10 provide a safe and pivotable
locking over
the pivot pin 9, whereby additionally the upper bar 7 and the lower bar 8 are
fixed
with each other in a flexural resistant connection.
The connecting element 6 has a section behind the pivot pin 9 which tapers in
direction of the temple 2 which forms a leaf-shaped abutment 11.
As it can be, seen in fig. 1, the central leaf spring 5 in the folded-out
state abuts on the
surface of the abutment 11 which is not faced to the wearer of the glasses.
When the
glasses are folded in, as it is shown in the fig. 2, the central leaf spring 5
is supported
by the abutment 11 for forming a resilience mechanism.
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The abutmerlht 11 has the same width as the central leaf spring 5 and is
formed such
that the external leaf springs 3 and 4 can be guided over the abutment 11 when
the
temple 2 is folded in.
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