WO2002029475A1

WO2002029475A1 - An improved spectacle frame

Info

Publication number: WO2002029475A1
Application number: PCT/IT2000/000395
Authority: WO
Inventors: Vittorio Tabacchi
Original assignee: Safilo Societa' Azionaria Fabbrica Italiana Lavorazione Occhiali S.P.A
Priority date: 2000-10-04
Filing date: 2000-10-04
Publication date: 2002-04-11
Also published as: AU2000279460A1

Abstract

An improved spectacle frame comprises a pad (4) for bearing on the nose, on which pad are defined a surface (20) for bearing on the nose and an appendage (21) made of resilient material and projecting from the pad (4) on the opposite side to the bearing surface (20) in order to connect the pad (4) to the frame (1) and a pad-carrying hook (3) fixed firmly to the frame (1). The appendage (21) has a through-hole (24) and the pad-carrying hook (3) comprises an engagement portion (9) which can be housed in the hole (24) and shoulders (17, 18) formed at the opposite ends of the engagement portion (9) for abutting opposed abutment surfaces (22a, 22b) of the appendage (21) in order to restrain the pad (4) on the hook (3).

Description

An improved spectacle frame Technical field

The present invention relates to an improved spectacle frame according to the preamble to the main claim. Background art

The invention is for use in spectacle frames in which pads for bearing on the nose are mounted on respective pad- carrying hooks extending from the frame and fixed firmly thereto . According to the prior art, means for engaging the pads, generally comprising a hook-like portion and/or a seat for housing an external screw, are provided at the free ends of the pad-carrying hooks. The pad correspondingly has respective complementary engagement means, generally made of metal and at least partially incorporated in the plastics material of the pad.

In frames of the above-mentioned type, several steps are therefore required in the manufacture of the pad and, moreover, when screws are used, owing to their very small size, the screws may be lost during assembly with the respective pad-carrying hooks.

The problem upon which the present invention is based is that of providing a spectacle frame which is designed structurally and functionally to overcome the disadvantages explained above with reference to the prior art mentioned. Disclosure of. the invention

This problem is solved by the present invention by means of a spectacle frame formed in accordance with the appended claims. Brief description of the drawings

The characteristics and the advantages of the invention will become clearer from the detailed description of a preferred embodiment thereof, described by way of non- limiting example with reference to the appended drawing, in which the single figure is a partial perspective view of a spectacle frame formed in accordance with the present invention, in a partially disassembled condition. Best mode for carrying out the invention

In the drawing, a spectacle frame formed in accordance with the present invention is generally indicated 1. The frame 1 comprises a bridge 2 made from metal wire, extending from the ends 2a of which are pad-carrying hooks 3 which can be coupled with respective pads 4 for bearing on the nose (only one pad is shown in the drawing, the other being arranged reflectively symmetrically at the other end of the bridge) .

The frame 1 also comprises a lens 5 connected to the bridge 2 by means of a conventional fixing device 6. Naturally, the bridge 2 may also be connected to a front frame portion, for example, to lens-holding rims, instead of directly to the lenses. The pad-carrying hooks 3 have circular cross-sections and are formed reflectively symmetrically from the metal wire which forms the bridge 2.

Each pad-carrying hook 3 comprises a connecting arm 7, a joining portion 8, and an engagement portion 9. The connecting arm 7 connects one of the ends 2a of the bridge 2 to the joining portion 8 and to the fixing device 6. The connecting arm 7 comprises a first portion 10 which extends from the end 2a of the bridge 2 so as to be perpendicular both to the bridge 2 and to the plane defined by the lenses 5, and extends along the lateral surface 11 of the lens 5 where it is partially housed in engagement in a notch 12 cut therein, so as to prevent relative rotation between the bridge 2 and the lens 5. The first portion 10 continues beyond the lateral surface 11 of the lens 5 and splits into a second portion 13 and a third portion 14 of the connecting arm 7. The second portion 13, which is perpendicular to the first portion 10, follows the inner surface of the lens 5, defined as the surface facing the wearer's face when the spectacle frame is worn, the free end of the second portion 13 being coupled with the fixing device 6. The third portion 14 forms an extension of the first portion 10 and is bent to form an elbow 15 and then extends away from the lens 5 again.

The joining portion 8 has a larger diameter than the connecting arm 7 and is joined to the third portion 14, as an extension thereof, by means of a frustoconical ramp 16.

The engagement portion 9 forms an extension of the joining portion 8 and is separated therefrom by a first shoulder 17. At the opposite, free end of the engagement portion 9 there is a second shoulder 18 facing the first shoulder 17. The two shoulders 17, 18 define a seat 19 in the engagement portion 9.

The pad 4 for bearing on the nose is made of resilient material, for example, silicone rubber; defined on the pad are a surface 20 for bearing on the nose and an appendage 21 projecting from the pad 4 on the opposite side to the bearing surface 20. The appendage 21, which is advantageously formed integrally with the pad 4, defines two parallel and opposed abutment surfaces 22a, 22b in which there are respective opposed circular openings 23a, 23b of a cylindrical through-hole 24 of the appendage 21 having an axis X substantially parallel to the surface 20 for bearing on the nose. The internal diameter of the cross-section of the cylindrical hole 24 at rest, defined as the diameter in the absence of resilient deformations of the appendage 21, is comparable with the diameter of the engagement portion 9 and its length, defined as the distance between the two abutment surfaces 22a, 22b, is substantially equal to the length of the seat 19, defined as the length of the portion of metal wire between the two shoulders 17, 18. The cylindrical hole 24 can thus house the engagement portion 9. The pad 4 is mounted on the pad-carrying hook 3 by the axial insertion of the engagement portion 9 in the cylindrical hole 24 through one or other of the openings 23a, 23b.

The engagement portion 9 is inserted in the cylindrical hole 24 until the abutment surface 22a is in abutment with the first shoulder 17. It will be noted that, by virtue of the fact that the appendage 21 is made of deformable resilient material, the second shoulder 18 can pass through the hole 24, even though it has a diameter larger than the inside diameter of the hole at rest. Moreover, since the length of the seat 19 is substantially equal to the length of the cylindrical hole 24, as stated above, when the engagement portion 9 is fully inserted in the cylindrical hole 24, both of the abutment surfaces 22a, 22b are in abutment with the respective facing shoulders 17, 18, thus restraining the appendage 21 axially on the pad-carrying hook 3 but, at the same time, not limiting any relative pivoting about the axis X.

In order to disconnect the pad, the engagement portion 9 is withdrawn through the cylindrical hole 24 by force. The present invention thus solves the problem complained of above with reference to the prior art mentioned, at the same time offering many further advantages. A first advantage is that the pad can pivot freely about the common axis of the engagement portion and of the cylindrical hole, thus adapting better to noses of different shapes.

A second advantage is a simple, quick and reversible operation to fit the pad on the pad-carrying hook (and to remove it therefrom) .

A third advantage is that the pads are formed integrally with the appendages, of a single material, with an advantageous impact on costs and production times .

A further advantage is the absence of very small assembly means such as, for example, screws which are additional and external to the frame and to the pad and which complicate operative management and may be lost during the mounting of the pad on the pad-carrying hook.

Claims

1. An improved spectacle frame comprising a pad (4) for bearing on the nose, on which pad are defined a surface (20) for bearing on the nose and an appendage (21) made of resilient material and projecting from the pad (4) on the opposite side to the bearing surface (20) in order to connect the pad (4) to the frame (1) , and a pad-carrying hook (3) fixed firmly to the frame (1) , characterized in that the appendage (21) has a through-hole (24) and the pad- carrying hook (3) comprises an engagement portion (9) which can be housed in the hole (24) and shoulders (17, 18) formed at the opposite ends of the engagement portion (9) for abutting opposed abutment surfaces (22a, 22b) of the appendage (21) in order to restrain the pad (4) on the hook (3) .

2. A frame according to Claim 1 in which the through- hole (24) has an axis (X) substantially parallel to the surface (20) for bearing on the nose and the engagement portion (9) can be inserted axially in the hole (24) owing to resilient deformation of the appendage (21) when one of the shoulders (18) passes through it.

3. A frame according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the appendage (21) is made of resiliently deformable plastics material and is formed integrally with the pad (4) .

4. A frame according to Claim 3 in which the plastics material is an elastomer.

5. A frame according to Claim 3 in which the plastics material is a silicone.

6. A frame according to one or more of the preceding claims in which the hole (24) and the engagement portion (9) have a cylindrical shape so as to allow the pad (4) to pivot about the axis (X) of the through-hole (24) .

7. A frame according to one or more of the preceding claims in which the pad-carrying hook (3) comprises an arm (7) for connection to a bridge (2) of the frame (1) and/or > to a fixing device (6) of a lens (5) of the frame (1) , and a joining portion (8) having a larger diameter than the arm (7) , the engagement portion (9) forming an extension of the joining portion (8) , separated therefrom by one of the shoulders (17) .