Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Spectacles and eyeglasses – With antiglare or shading
Reexamination Certificate
2003-01-17
2004-03-09
Dang, Hung X. (Department: 2873)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Spectacles and eyeglasses
With antiglare or shading
C351S048000, C351S057000, C351S058000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06702439
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention disclosed broadly relates to eyeglasses, and more particularly relates to an improved arrangement for attachment of an auxiliary or “clip-on” pair of lenses to a primary pair of eyeglasses.
2. Description of the Related Art
To alleviate the need to carry multiple pairs of eyeglasses, various types of “clip-on” auxiliary lenses have been introduced. Primarily, this allows clip-on sunglasses to be attached to a pair of primary prescription eyeglasses. The market success of the inventions within this art is often measured by such factors as security of attachment, aesthetic appearance, and comfort to the user.
One type of invention found in the prior art is shown in
FIGS. 1-4B
. The configuration consists of a set of primary eyeglasses
100
and a separate set of auxiliary lenses
200
containing a number of claws
210
. The claws
210
are used to attach or clip the auxiliary lenses
200
to the frame
102
of the primary eyeglasses
100
.
FIG. 8
illustrates the arrangement of the primary
100
and auxiliary lenses
200
in a decoupled state (
FIG. 4A
) and a coupled state (FIG.
4
B). This arrangement has a number of shortcomings. For one thing, the arrangement is cumbersome and unattractive. Furthermore, the attachment members can often cause scratching of the primary lenses
100
as the auxiliary lenses
200
are taken on and off. This is, especially problematic where the primary lenses
100
and/or the auxiliary lenses
200
are made of plastic which is more prone to scratching as opposed to harder surfaces such as those made from glass.
Yet another class of-clip-on inventions (shown in
FIGS. 5-9B
) uses magnets as the primary means of attaching the auxiliary lenses
600
to the primary eyeglasses
500
. Magnets
610
on the auxiliary lenses
600
line up with corresponding magnets
510
on the frames
502
of the primary eyeglasses
500
to form a surface area that is designed to hold the auxiliary lenses
600
in place.
FIG. 4
illustrates the arrangement of the primary
500
and auxiliary lenses
600
in a decoupled state (
FIG. 8A
) and a coupled state (FIG.
8
B).
FIG. 9
contains a view of the cross-sectional area of intersection of the magnets
610
on the auxiliary lenses
600
with the magnets
510
on the primary eyeglass frames
502
.
However, there are several drawbacks associated with the various attachment implementations that use magnets. One drawback is that since magnets are heavy, the magnets required on both the auxiliary lenses
600
and the primary eyeglasses
500
tend to add a substantial amount of weight to the overall assembly. The additional weight results in discomfort to the user. Another drawback is that magnets often cause drawbacks when placed near electronic equipment such as computers or floppy disks. In other words, inadvertently placing either the auxiliary or primary spectacles near such equipment can result in property damage as a result of the magnetic fields that are generated.
A more fundamental drawback with magnetic clip-on lenses
600
concerns the integrity of the attachment to the primary eyeglasses
500
. Since most magnetic attachment implementation do not account for dynamic loads in all directions, jarring movements that occur during, for example, exercise will cause the auxiliary lenses
600
to become suddenly detached from the primary spectacles
500
. Furthermore, regardless of how secure the attachment mechanism is at the time of manufacture, a number of factors can and often will cause the effectiveness of the magnets to degrade over time.
Additionally, both previous styles of clip-on lenses are separate, detachable pieces that must be attached or detached when going from indoors to outdoors, or vice versa. The person wearing the glasses must scramble to find the auxiliary lenses and reattach them. This process is clumsy and time consuming. Also, the chances of misplacing or losing the auxiliary lenses are increased.
Previous styles of clip-on lenses utilize clip-on frame extensions, such as the clip-on frame extensions
612
illustrated in
FIGS. 6 through 9B
. These clip-on frame extensions protrude from the clip-on frame device and can tear or scratch materials or surfaces with which they come into contact. In addition, these clip-on frame extensions are often light and fragile in order to reduce the weight and bulk of the clip-on lens device. The often fragile construction of the clip-on frame extensions make them subject to breakage or damage from contact with surfaces or material. For example, clip-on frame extensions often catch on the material of a shirt pocket when the clip-on frame extension is placed into or removed from that pocket, possibly resulting in a tear of the pocket material or the bending or breakage of the clip-on frame extension.
Therefore a need exists to overcome the drawbacks and problems with the prior art as discussed above, and particularly for an improved arrangement for attachment of an auxiliary or “clip-on” pair of lenses to a primary pair of eyeglasses.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Briefly, in accordance with the present invention, an eyeglass frame assembly for coupling clip-on auxiliary spectacles to primary spectacles, the clip on auxiliary spectacles having a pair of hinged extension arms with a pair of pins mounted to outside surface of each hinged extension arm. The pins on the hinged extension arms positively engage a pair of cavities formed on the inside of frame extensions connected to a primary lens frame on the primary spectacles. The hinged extension arms include a hinge that allows the auxiliary lens frame to be positioned in and out of the vision path of the user while the auxiliary spectacles are attached to the primary spectacles.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5335025 (1994-08-01), Wang
patent: 5376977 (1994-12-01), Liu
patent: 5614963 (1997-03-01), Parker
patent: 5894335 (1999-04-01), Hoffman
patent: 6113234 (2000-09-01), Huang
patent: 6113235 (2000-09-01), Yamamoto
patent: 6116732 (2000-09-01), Xiao
patent: 6164774 (2000-12-01), Cate
patent: 6170949 (2001-01-01), Mauch
patent: 6196679 (2001-03-01), Wong
patent: 6231179 (2001-05-01), Lee
patent: 6260964 (2001-07-01), Kroman
patent: 6474811 (2002-11-01), Liu
patent: 6488372 (2002-12-01), Park
patent: 6550913 (2003-04-01), Zelman
patent: 6601953 (2003-08-01), Xiao
http://www.eyedocs.cc/prod_easyclip.htm“New Products”, Easyclip Glasses, EASYCLIP, Newedge Technologies, c2000 Drs. Mandelman, Dobson & Cox.
Flip It, Newport Eyes, Opti-Courier, Dec. 2002.
Flip It, Hinge Technology, “The next generation of sun clip”, http://www.newport-eyes.com/pages/879590/index.htm.
Dang Hung X.
Fleit Kain Gibbons Gutman Bongini & Bianco P.L.
Gibbons Jon A.
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