GB2087094A - A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts - Google Patents

Abstract

A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts comprises a tension spring (2) supported between a hinge portion (1) attached to the glasses mount (5) and the temple (3), and a guiding portion (4) accommodating the hinge portions and being fastened to the temple (3) by means of a screw. The guide (4) has one side (4a) abutting a shoulder (7) of the mount (5) when the glasses are being used, and a portion (4c) in engagement with an abutment side (1b) of the hinge portion (1) to turn the same (1) outwards when subjected to a powerful spreading force. The hinge portion (1) is also provided with a shoulder (9) cooperating with a shoulder (7) formed on the mount (5) to define the position of maximum spreading of the temples (3). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts This invention relates to a spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts.

Known are eyeglasses mounts which are implemented in either of two substantially different ways, and specifically 1) mounts having temples or hinges which are essentially rigid, and 2) mounts with flexible temples or hinges. In the former case, glasses are liable to fit less closely to the wearer's head and rely for this on a minimum of flexibility from the glasses temples as well as on the nosepiece finding support from the Wearer's nose. In time, however, this flexibility, and the holding action, deteriorate progressively.

The eyeglasses mount industry has, therefore, resorted to expedients tending to reaffirm and retain in time this close fit or clamping action by utilizing either flexing temples, or hinges equipped with coil springs, or leaf springs, which springs are all relied upon to exert the necessary pressure on the glasses temples.

However, conventional flexing temples, for both metal and plastics mounts, can only provide a limited amount of flexibility, while having an unappealing appearance in addition to requiring rather complex and bulky devices, so that they attract increasingly less interest.

Widespread acceptance has been gained instead by temples equipped with flexible hinges. This type of hinges, which is suitable for both metal and plastic material mounts, includes a small spring of either coal-like or leaf configuration, which is tensioned by the temple spreading movement and tends to bias the temples inwards.

However, these hinges are relatively complicated to make and assemble, and of some bulk, in that they have to be welded or otherwise attached to the mount structure.

This invention is directed to eliminate the drawbacks mentioned above through an improvement in the design and construction of flexible hinge eyeglasses mounts.

It is a further object ofthis invention to provide a hinge comprising a limited number of component parts which can be readily manufactured and assembled.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a spring mounted hinge, which affords the possibility of spreading glasses mount temples beyond their normal limits, and is extremely compact The foregoing objects are achieved by a spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts, characterized in that it comprises a tension spring supported between one hinge portion, conventionally fastened to an eyeglasses mount, and the temples thereof, and a hinge enclosing guide, said guide being provided with an abutment side cooperating with a shoulder on said mount, an abutment means being also provided to define limit spread positions for said temples, as well as a means of engaging the guiding portion and hinge portion.

According to a further aspect of the invention, said abutment means defining the limit spread positions for the temples comprise a guide spreading portion and a shoulder on the hinge portion, which shoulder, in the limit spread position, is adapted to abut against a shoulder formed on the eyeglasses mount.

According to yet another aspect of this invention, said shoulder and the shoulder which cooperates with the abutment side of the guide are carried on a common shoulder portion of the eyeglasses mount.

A preferred embodiment of the inventive hinge will be next described with reference to the accompanying drawing, where: Figure 1 shows diagrammatically the main parts of the hinge according to this invention, in exploded view; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic top plan view of the hinge according to the invention, shown in its normal open position, some parts being cut away for clarity of illustration; and Figure 3 is a top plan view similar two Figure 2 but with the temple in its limit spread position.

As shown in Figure 1 of the drawing, the novel hinge according to the invention comprises essentially a hinge portion 1, a coil tension spring 2, and one end 3a, on the mount side of the glasses, of the temples 3, as well as a tubular guide portion 4. The guide 4 is configured to contain and cover the hinge portion 1, spring 2, and end 3a of the temple 3.

The way of assembling the inventive hinge and the functions of its individual parts may be observed in Figure 2. The hinge portion 1 is fastened to the glasses mount by means of a screw 6, while at its other end the hinge portion 1 has a slot la in which is hooked one end of a coil tension spring 2. After slipping the guiding portion 4 onto the end 3a of the temple 3, as diagrammatically illustrated by Figure 1, the free end of the tension spring 2 is hooked to the slot 3b provided at said end 3a of the temple 3. After hooking up the spring, the guide 4 is caused to slide toward the glasses mount 5 until the abutment side 4a of the shoulder 4 contacts the shoulder 7 on the mount 5.In this position, the guide 4 is secured to the temple 3 by means of a screw 8, or the like fastener, which is inserted through a hole 4b in the guide 4 and the threaded hole 3c in the temple 3, thereby said temple 3 is prevented from performing any free translation movements. In this condition, the guide 4 fully encloses the hinge, without bringing about any additional bulk, while making the temple 3 rigid and appear as a single piece construction, the temple being still capable of performing spreading movements, as shown in Figure 3.

In Figure 3, a spreading effort by the user has been assumed, such as may be exerted as a result of shocks or a fall. In this case, the temple 3 according to this invention, as comprising the few components just described, being fastened to the mount through the screw 6 and abutted against the shoulder 7 of said mount 5 through the end 4a of the guide 4, would function as a lever pivoted to said end 4a of the guide 4, which lever, in the event of an excessive spreading force, produces a slight rotational movement of the hinge portion 1 in an outward direction as indicated by the arrow f, thereby the hinge portion 1 is placed under tension relatively to the spring 2 and the end 3a of the temple 4, which is held in its original position with respect to the guide 4 by a pin 8.

In Figure 3, there is indicated at 4c that portion of the guide 4 which contacts the spreading side 1b of the hinge portion 1. The movement of the hinge portion 1 in the direction of the arrow f applies a tension load to the spring 2, as shown in Figure 3. It may be seen that the hinge portion 1 has a shoulder 9 intended for abutting the shoulder 7 of the mount 5, thus limiting the extent of the temple 4 spreading movement. In actual practice, it will be sufficient that the shoulders 7 and 9 be adjusted to suit a particular desired spreading movement extent, thus providing in all cases and in a most reliable manner accurate limits to the maximum amount of temple opening or spreading apart.

Of course, upon application of a spreading force to the temple 3 causing the latter two open beyond its normal position shown in Figure 2, the tension exerted by the spring 2 on the hinge portion 1 and temple 3 will tend to urge said temple 3 inwardly in the direction of the arrow F, thus applying to the wearer the right amount of pressure as required to unfailingly hold the eyeglasses steadily in position.

The invention as described and illustrated, while being extremely simple construction-wise, fully achieves its objects. However, the invention may be variously modified and corrected to suit individual requirements, without departing from the instant inventive concept based upon the use of a tension spring. Thus, by way of example, the tension spring may be a double spring, or the geometry of the hinge portion may be differently implemented, or the spring hooking slots may be replaced with a slit and pin type of engagement, and so forth.

While the foregoing description has been referred to the application of this invention to an eyeglasses mount made of metal, this hinge may be equally well applied to plastic material mounts. In the latter case, the hinge, instead of being hooked and secured to the temple end, would be hooked and secured to the end of the metal core of the plastic temple, which core is incorporated during the plastic temple moulding step. In aither cases, the operation of the inventive hinge remains the same.

Claims (6)

1. A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts, characterized in that it comprises a tension spring supported between one hinge portion, con ventionallyfastenedto an eyeglasses mount, and the temples thereof, and a hinge enclosing guide, said guide being provided with an abutment side cooperating with a shoulder on said mount, an abutment means being also provided to define limit spread positions for said temples, as well as a means of engaging the guiding portion and hinge portion.

2. A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts according to Claim 1, characterized in that said abutment means defining limit spread positions for said temples comprises a shoulder formed on said hinge portion and a shoulder formed on the eyeglasses mount.

3. A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts according to Claim 1, characterized in that said shoulder on said mount cooperating with said end of said guide portion and said shoulder cooperating with said hinge portion shoulder are formed on a common portion of said shoulder.

4. A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts according to Claim 1, characterized in that said means of engaging the guiding portion and hinge portion comprises an end portion of said guide and an abutment side of said hinge portion, respectively.

5. Aspring mounted hinge for eyeglasses mounts according to Claim 1, characterized in that said guiding portion is rigidly fastened to said tem ple by means of a screw.

6. A spring mounted hinge for eyeglasses substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.