Eyeglasses With Interchangeable Parts

This invention pertains to eyeglasses having a quick disconnect unit to interchange temples and earpieces, and also having a flexible tube hinge connecting the temples to the frame.

In the eyeglass art various means for affixing temple to frame have been utilized. Conventional eyeglasses commonly use a small screw to fasten the temple to the frame and to operate as a hinge. This method provides a rigid hinge, allows temple rotation about the hinge, and allows removal of the temple from the frame, by the user, with the aid of an appropriate screwdriver.

Rivet type pins have also been used to affix eyeglass temples to frames. The rivet pins also operate as rigid hinges and generally are not removable by the user. A chain link temple fastened to the frame by the coupling of a closed link in the chain to a closed loop on the frame has also been used, e.g. U.S. Pat. No. 4,153,346. Traditionally temple to frame affixing means have been of the permanent or semi-permanent type.

Permanently affixed and screw attached temples to frames are not suited to interchangeability of temples and earpieces. Screw attachments require an appropriate tool and a requisite amount of care disconnecting the temple from the frame. Temples are generally fitted to a particular frame and not suited for interchangeability due, among other things, to the precision fit of the screw hinge. Additionally the above described eyeglasses are not adaptable to different clothing styles or to allow the addition of ornamental pieces. When a broken temple occurs in using eyeglasses having permanently or semi-permanently attached temples, purchase of a new frame with temples attached is often the only means of replacement available to the wearer.

A conventional rigid hinge is an inherently high stress area in conventional eyeglasswear and, as such, many breaks in eyeglass frames occur at the hinge. Additionally the wearer of eyeglasses having rigidly hinged temples may experience discomfort during physical activity due to the temples' limited movement capacity.

As can be seen, the above described eyeglasswear is not conducive to interchangeability of parts and generally utilizes a rigid temple to frame hinge.

This invention involves eyeglasses having a quick disconnect unit wherein a temple may be disconnected from the frame manually and subsequently reattached manually.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide eyeglasses having parts that are quickly and easily interchangeable by the wearer.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unique pair of eyeglasses adaptable to various clothing styles with the capability of hanging pendants and ornaments therefrom.

A further object of the present invention is to provide the means for satisfying all of an eyeglass wearer's fashion needs in an economic and convenient manner whether or not for prescription purposes.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a unique flexible hinge, allowing three dimensional movement of the temple, which flexes and provides comfort to the wearer especially during physical activity.

Another object of the present invention is to reduce eyeglass breaks at the hinge and to reduce replacement costs in the event of a broken temple.

Still another object is to provide an eyeglass construction that permits the parts to be supplied and marketed in a disassembled form for subsequent and relatively easy consumer assembly thereby minimizing production time, labor and cost and, at the same time, avoiding the necessity of expensive packaging for protection of an otherwise fragile assembled product.

In accordance with a disclosed embodiment the temples include a rod which is removably inserted through an aperture in the frame and which extends beyond the plane of the frame, and a sleeve which is demountably attached to the portion of the rod that extends beyond the plane of the frame so that the sleeve detachably maintains the temple to the frame.

Alternately the quick disconnect unit may include a substantially cylindrical bar having at least one stud which is connected to the stem and shaped to be matingly inserted through the aperture in the frame so that upon rotation of the bar the stud(s) of the studded bar may be aligned to abut the frame and to inhibit movement of the bar with respect to the frame along the axis of the temple.

An earpiece disconnect unit is also provided wherein the interchangeable earpieces may be disconnected from the stem manually and subsequently reattached manually. This may be accomplished by the earpiece with a sleeve on one end into which the end of the stem is matingly inserted.

A flexible connector operating as a temple to frame hinge is also provided.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description which is to be taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the eyeglasses incorporating the teaching of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a side view of the present invention taken along line 3--3 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a partial side view illustrating the quick disconnect unit of the present invention wherein the temple is connected to the frame.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the eyeglasses having one temple disconnected from the frame and a substitute therefor.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the present invention having an alternate temple with different earpiece.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a stem end and an earpiece disconnected therefrom, illustrating the earpiece quick disconnect unit.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an alternate temple to frame quick disconnect unit.

In FIG. 1, temples 12 and 14 are shown detachably connected to frame 10. Any suitable frame having at least one aperture 28 (FIG. 4) may be used. In a contemplated embodiment both left and right sides of frame 10 will contain apertures 28. The temples are comprised of integral earpieces 16 and 18. Alternately removable and interchangeable earpieces are also contemplated as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, and in detail in FIG. 6, the eyeglasses of the present invention include a removable earpiece 34 which has a sleeve part 35 into which stem end 36 is matingly inserted, thereby detachably securing earpiece 34 to stem end 36. The friction force between stem end 36 and sleeve part 35 must be sufficient to resist withdrawal of stem end 36 from sleeve part 35 during normal use and, at the same time, allow for easy detachability if desired. A sleeve part 35 composed of a material having elastic properties providing for appropriate friction, as for example, a flexible plastic such as polyvinyl or rubber tubing, is readily adapted to such use. The portion of earpiece 34 not acting as a sleeve may be composed of any material of suitable cosmetic and decorative appearance and comfort to the wearer. Affixed to the earpieces are stems 12 and 14 which are preferably rigid and may be composed of any suitable rigid material, preferably a plastic (e.g. polymeric tubing) or plexiglass.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, flexible connector 24 comprises stem attachment 21, flexible hinge 32 and seat 22. Stem connecting part 21 of flexible connector 24 matingly overlaps stem 12 and is permanently attached thereto. This may be accomplished by any conventional means e.g. glueing or heat treatment. Flexible connector 24 may be composed of any suitable plastic or rubber, e.g. polyvinyl tubing. As illustrated in FIG. 3, in a preferred embodiment, flexible hinge 32 will contain a hollow portion 25 to facilitate the operation of flexible hinge 32. A seat portion 22 of flexible connector 24 matingly overlaps rod 26 and may be permanently affixed thereto. This may be accomplished by any conventional means e.g. glueing or heat treatment. The seat portion 22 abuts the frame 10 and prevents frame displacement axially along the temple. Rod 26 is composed of a rigid material such as a rigid transparent plastic. It is formed to be closely fitted to aperture 28. Rod 26 is matingly inserted through aperture 28 (FIG. 4) so that a portion of rod 26 extends beyond the plane of frame 10, preferably approximately 1/10 inch (2.54 mm) beyond the plane of frame 10. Sleeve 20 is detachably mounted on rod 26 preventing withdrawal of rod 26 from aperture 28 during normal eyeglass use. Sleeve 20 should be sized so as to be capable, firstly, of being slidably mounted onto rod 26, and, secondly, so as to apply frictional force to rod 26 so that the sleeve to rod friction is sufficient to enable sleeve 20 to remain removably attached and to prevent movement of the frame axially with respect to the temple during normal eyeglass use. Sleeve 20 may be composed of any suitable material having sufficient elastic properties to apply a gripping force or pressure the rod 26 when somewhat radially stretched and slidably mounted thereon. A section of elastic plastic tubing is particularly adaptable to such use.

In FIG. 7 an alternate embodiment of the quick disconnect unit is shown. Aperture 40 is shaped to matingly receive studded bar 42. Studded bar 42 must have at least one stud attached thereto, and as shown bar 42 may include studs 44 and 46. Tubing 48 providing a flexible hinge may be connected to temple 50 which may or may not have a detachable earpiece. When studded bar 42 is matingly inserted through aperture 40 it is then rotated so that the studs 44 and 46 of studded bar 42 are aligned to abut the frame and to inhibit movement of the bar with respect to the frame along the axis of the temple. Studded bar 42 and studs 44 and 46 may be comprised of any material of sufficient rigidity to supply support to the temple during use.

Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been disclosed and described in detail herein it should be noted that the invention is in no sense limited thereby and its scope is to be determined by that of the appended claims. In this connection, and alternately, a rod or stud may extend from the frame 10 and a sleeve or other member on the end of the temple or the temple itself having a mating aperture may receive and couple or grip the stud for providing the quick disconnect. Obviously, frame 10 can readily to replaced by another frane of different configuration or design or prescription at the selection and option of the wearer.