Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Spectacles and eyeglasses – With antiglare or shading
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-26
2001-12-18
Dang, Hung Xuan (Department: 2873)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Spectacles and eyeglasses
With antiglare or shading
C351S057000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06331057
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to eyewear. More specifically, the invention relates to clip-on attachment lenses for eyeglasses. Such clip-ons are typically shades that convert regular eyeglasses to sunglasses.
2. Description of the Related Art
Clip-on lenses are currently very popular. The prior art knows such clip-ons that are held mechanically on the conventional eyeglasses with clip brackets, for example. Newer clip-on designs allow the attachment to be held on the regular eyeglass frame by way of magnets.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,269 to Madison, for example, discloses an assembly wherein a magnet is incorporated in a lateral end piece of an eyeglass frame. The lateral end piece is the structure at which a temple piece is attached, typically in articulating fashion. Madison discloses a variety of attachment mechanisms, each present in a variety of combinations. In one embodiment, for instance, the magnetic holding force provided by the magnets in the end pieces of the eyeglass frame and the clip-on frame respectively, is augmented by a mechanical locking force provided by a bracket which retains the clip-ons on the eyeglass frame. The bracket is attached to the clip-on above the magnetic lateral extension and, when the clip-on is placed on the eyeglasses, the bracket reaches behind the end piece of the eyeglass frame.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,132,040 to Xiao discloses a similar system in which a magnet is incorporated in each lateral end piece on the frame of the eyeglasses and of the clip-ons. The end pieces of the two frames are configured such that, upon being placed in position, the end pieces of the clip-ons reach behind the respective end pieces of the eyeglass frame to hold the clip-on in place with the magnetic force provided by the magnets and with a mechanical force provided by the end pieces.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,139,142 to Zelman discloses a similar structure. In one embodiment, the patent discloses an assembly in which the magnets are incorporated in the bridges of the eyeglass frame and the clip-on frame, respectively. In addition, the clip-on is provided with top brackets which hold the clip-on frames in place on the eyeglasses.
These foregoing disclosures are representative of the state of the art in which the eyeglasses and the clip-on attachments have a full frame. Some modern designs of eyeglasses, however, do not have a full frame. In frameless eyeglasses, the lenses are held in place only by the bridge. The lateral end pieces, and the articulated temple pieces, are laterally attached to the eyeglass lenses without a direct attachment to the bridge, i.e., the bridge and the end pieces are connected only via the lenses themselves. In so-called half-frames, the bridge is connected to the lateral end pieces via an upper frame. Clip-ons for frameless eyewear require only the bridge to hold the two lenses to one another. In this context, it has not been possible to provide magnetic clip-ons for frameless eyeglasses, that is for clip-ons which do not have a frame.
Also, the prior art systems are quite bulky and they require proper alignment of the mechanical and magnetic attachment members. In other words, when the clip-ons or the eyeglass frames are only slightly bent, their easy and secure attachment is no longer assured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide a magnetic auxiliary clip-on lens assembly, which overcomes the above-mentioned disadvantages of the heretofore-known devices and methods of this general type and which provides for rimless magnetic clip-ons and which renders clip-ons that can still be securely attached even if they are bent and distorted to some degree.
With the foregoing and other objects in view there is provided, in accordance with the invention, a magnetic clip-on attachment, comprising:
first and second lenses;
a clip-on bridge connecting and rigidly holding the first and second lenses in a spaced-apart relationship substantially without a frame; and
a magnet disposed to magnetically attach the clip-on bridge to the bridge assembly of the pair of eyeglasses.
The expression “substantially without a frame” here should be understood that there is not provided a rim that encases the lenses. It is not to exclude a partial frame which encases the lenses along, say, up to 20% of the circumference of the lenses.
In accordance with an added feature of the invention, the clip-on bridge is formed with two U-shaped lateral brackets. The brackets each receive and hold a respective one of the first and second lenses.
In accordance with an additional feature of the invention, there are provided two magnets disposed and magnetically aligned in the clip-on bridge to be aligned with and magnetically attracted to two magnets disposed in the bridge assembly of the pair of eyeglasses.
In accordance with another feature of the invention, the clip-on bridge is formed with two cylindrical bores (blind bores or through-holes) and the magnets are cylindrical magnets disposed in the bores. In a preferred embodiment, the blind bores have mutually non-parallel axes.
In accordance with a further feature of the invention, the clip-on bridge is generally aligned horizontally upon being placed on the bridge assembly of the pair of eyeglasses, and the bores have axes offset from vertical by an angle of between 1° and 30°. Preferably, the offset of the axes is between 10° and 15° and the two axes point towards one another, i.e., the axes intersect vertically below the clip-on bridge.
With the above and other objects in view there is also provide, in accordance with the invention, an eyewear article, comprising:
a pair of eyeglasses having first and second lenses, a bridge assembly between the optical lenses, and temple pieces laterally attached to the lenses respectively opposite from the bridge assembly;
a magnetic clip-on attachment having first and second clip-on lenses, a clip-on bridge connecting the first and second clip-on lenses in a spaced-apart relationship substantially without a frame; and
magnet devices respectively disposed to magnetically attach the clip-on bridge to the bridge assembly of the pair of eyeglasses and to thereby hold the first and second clip-on lenses in a congruent covering relationship with the first and second lenses, respectively, of the pair of eyeglasses.
In accordance with again a further feature of the invention, the clip-on bridge and the bridge assembly are substantially parallel to one another when the clip-on attachment is mounted on the pair of eyeglasses, and the bores have axes offset from orthogonal to the parallel bridges by an angle of between 1° and 30°. The axes of the bores are adapted and they are inclined towards one another, preferably at angles in the neighborhood of 10° or 15°.
In accordance with a concomitant feature of the invention, the invention is advantageously provided with a pair of eyeglasses that are rimless, i.e., substantially without a frame between the lateral end pieces and the bridge assembly. Placing the substantially rimless clip-ons on these rimless spectacles leads to a particularly pleasing appearance.
The invention is equally applicable to half-frame eyeglasses, i.e., glasses with a frame rim extending between the lateral end pieces and the bridge assembly only along a top of the first and second lenses. In the alternative, the half-frame embodiment may also have the rim connector on the bottom of the lenses.
Finally, the pair of eyeglasses may be full-frame eyeglasses having a frame substantially completely enclosing the first and second lenses.
Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.
Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in a magnetic auxiliary eyewear clip-on assembly, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims
Dang Hung Xuan
Greenberg Laurence A.
Lerner Herbert L.
Stemer Werner H.
LandOfFree
Magnetic auxiliary eyewear clip-on lenses does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Magnetic auxiliary eyewear clip-on lenses, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Magnetic auxiliary eyewear clip-on lenses will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2577094