GB2204143A - Spectacle structure - Google Patents

Abstract

A spectacle structure comprises a front member (11) to which is mounted a pair of spectacle lenses (16), e.g. by means of a hinge (15). A pair of temple members (12, 13) extend rearwardly from the front member (11) to engage the rear of the head of a wearer below the occipital prominences. A curved brow member (14) is rigidly connected to the front member (11) at a forward point (19). When the temple members (12, 13) are wrapped around the head, the brow member (14) engages the forehead above the eyebrows. The structure thus provides a comfortable support for the spectacle lenses without resting on the ears and nose. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECTACLE STRUCTURE.

The present invention relates to spectacle structures, more particularly, spectacle structures which engage the brow and the rear of head of the wearer.

Previously, spectacle structures have been supported by the bridge of the nose and the temples of the spectacle structure have rested on the ears of the wearer and have engaged the side of head behind the ears. In such structures, a major portion of the weight is concentrated forward on the face of the wearer and therefore, they tend to bear on and slide down the nose. Springs have been added to the hinges between the lens support members and the temples in some structures and in others, the temples have been arranged to be resilient in order to urge the temples into engagement with the head of the wearer. In some versions, the rear ends of the temples are forced into engagement with the side of head behind the ears.The structures all suffer the disadvantage of that they are uncomfortable to wear due to pressure on sensitive parts of the head, particularly the nose, tops of the ears and those regions of the head behind the ears.

Furthermore, some wearers have face and nose shapes to which it is difficult, if not impossible, to fit conventional eye glass frames, to remain in position thereon.

Some structures, such as industrial glasses, have been supported on the head, in order to avoid the strain of support on the nose, but such structures tend to be large and have tight head bands extending over the top of the head and are therefore not suitable nor desirable to wear as spectacles. It has been proposed by the present applicant to provide a structure for supporting spectacle lenses, in which the structure engages the brow of the wearer while the temple members engage the back portion of the wearers head, thereby avoiding engagement of the bridge of the nose and the ears. The lenses are then suspended from the structure.

Although the temples of the structure, or indeed the structure as a whole can be made sufficiently resilient to be self adjusting to attempt to accommodate different head shapes, the results may not be entirely satisfactory. One of the problems tends to be that an adjustment in one part of the the structure to produce a comfortable fit results in a consequential effect in another part of the structure which might cause discomfort. Any adjustments tend also to affect the positioning of the lenses which might therefore be moved out of the optimum position.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a spectacle structure which can be made to fit differently shaped heads without affecting the position of the spectacle lenses.

According to the present invention there is provided a spectacle structure comprising a front member having means for mounting spectacle lenses, temple members extending rearwards from the front member, and a curved brow member attached to the front member; the temple members being arranged to engage the rear of the head of the wearer in use and the brow member being arranged to engage the brow of the wearer in use, the structure being held in position in use by these engagements, the brow member being adjustable in its curvature to accommodate different brow sizes and shapes, the adjustment being independent of the dispositions of the temple members and the lens support means.

Thus the structure is supported by engagement of the forehead by the brow member above the eyebrows and by engagement of the rear of the head by the temple members, resulting in a gentle gripping effect without discomfort and without any support on the ears and nose of the wearer.

Preferably, there are two temple members which are attached to the front member by means of hinges. The front member, temple members and brow member may be made of metal and/or a plastics material. Preferably the material of the temple members is sufficiently resilient to be self adjusting to fit to the head profile of the wearer.

Preferably, the rear parts of the temple members are so shaped that engagement of the temple members is below the occipital prominence at the side of the head of the wearer. The structure may include a weighted structure associated with these rear portions to balance the weight of the lenses.

The lenses may be supported in any convenient way from the front member, for example, by means of a hinge support.

The invention may be carried into practice in various ways and some embodiments will now be described by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a spectacle structure in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a plan view of the structure shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing an alternative embodiment.

Referring firstly to Figure 1 and 2, the spectacle structure comprises a front member 11, two temple members 12, 13, a brow member 14 and a hinge support 15 for the spectacle lenses indicated generally at 16.

The temple members 12, 13 are hingedly connected to the front member 11 by hinges 17, 18 to allow the temple members to be folded for storage. The brow member 14 is rigidly connected to the front member 11 at 19, by any suitable means such as welding, adhesive or by means of screws.

The hinge support 15 allows the lenses to be brought into an operative position in front of the eyes or an inoperative position in which they are folded upwards out of the line of sight.

The brow member 14 is generally curved and is of such a material that it can be adjusted in its curvature to fit the head of the wearer. The position shown in broken lines in Figure 2 under reference numeral 21 indicates the position that the brow member might be made to take up in order to fit a wearer having a smaller head. The brow member may therefore be made of a plastics material that can be bent.

The temple members 12, 13 have a sufficient resilience to engage the side and rear of the head of the wearer. In the present embodiment they are of a resilient plastics material, though any suitable material may be used. The temple members may also include pads or cushions (not shown) in order to fit the user more comfortably and more accurately.

The structure is placed in a position for use by moving it downwardly over the head of the wearer until the rear parts of the temple members 12, 13 engage the rear of the head of the wearer below the occipital prominence and the brow member engages the brow of the wearer above the eyebrows. The structure then exerts inwardly directed and generally opposed forces or pressures on the brow and on the rear of the head to maintain the structure in position during normal movement of the head without discomfort.

The embodiment shown in Figure 3 is similar to that shown in Figures 1 and 2, though in this case, the temple members 22, 23 are each in two parts which are hingedly connected together. Furthermore, the rear portions of the temple members extend somewhat further round the rear of the head of the wearer.

It should be noted that, in Figures 2 and 3, the disposition of the temple members as shown corresponds to their dispositions in use. The resilience in use of the temple members may well be such that, in a relaxed condition, the ends cross over generally in the position indicated in broken lines and by the reference numeral 24 in Figure 2. In the same way, the temple members 12, 13, 22, 23 have sufficient flexibility that they may be spread to a width greater than the width of the head of the wearer to accommodate the necessary adjustments in position for comfortable location. The inherent flexibility should be sufficient to allow a single size structure to fit most adults and, perhaps, a second smaller size to fit small adults or children.

Claims (9)

1. A spectacle structure comprising a front member having means for mounting spectacle lenses, temple members extending rearwards from the front member, and a curved brow member attached to the front member; the temple members being arranged to engage the rear of the head of a wearer in use and the brow member being arranged td engage the brow of the wearer in use, the structure being held in position in use by these engagements.

2. A structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the brow member is adjustable in its curvature to accommodate different brow sizes and shapes, the adjustment being independent of the dispositions of the temple members and the lens support means.

3. A structure as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein there are two temple members which are each attached to the front member by means of a hinge.

4. A structure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the temple members are resiliently deformable to be self-adjusting to fit to the circumferential head profile of the wearer.

5. A structure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the front member, temple members and brow member are made of metal and/or plastics material.

6. A structure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein a rear part of each temple member is arranged, in use, to be below the occipital prominence at the corresponding side of the head of the wearer.

7. A structure as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein a weighted structure associated with each of the rear portions counterbalances the weight of the lenses.

8. A structure as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the lenses are supported from the front member by a hinge support.

9. A spectacle structure substantially as specifically described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.