Miscellaneous hardware (e.g. – bushing – carpet fastener – caster – Hinge – Eyeglass hinge
Patent
1996-05-22
1998-05-26
Mah, Chuck
Miscellaneous hardware (e.g., bushing, carpet fastener, caster,
Hinge
Eyeglass hinge
351113, 351153, G02C 522
Patent
active
057550107
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
The present invention relates to a spring hinge for eyeglasses and having a housing which receives a spring member and at least a portion of a hinge member.
Spring hinges of this type are known. They generally include a housing in which a spring member is received. The spring member provides for pivoting of an ear-piece connected with the spring hinge into a wear position and applies to the ear-piece a preload with which the ear-piece is pressed against the head of a glasses wearer. However, in certain cases, the manufacturing of the spring hinge proved to be rather expensive, which is a disadvantage.
Namely, machining of the inner space of the housing, in which the spring member was received, was necessary, which particularly in view of the small dimensions of the housing, required high precision and is, therefore, expensive.
It also turned out that guiding characteristics of such housing are not always satisfactory. It could also happen that the hinge member, which is connected with the ear-piece, was not reliably secured and, therefore, became loose. Relatively very extensive constructional costs are involved in the elimination of this drawback.
In addition, in spring hinges with a snap action, displacement of cams, which are present in the middle portion of the hinge, along an end surface of the housing presents a problem. In particular, the material characteristics of this run-on surface are adversely affected by heating required for soldering of the housing on the ear-piece. This results in that the run-on surface cannot sustain the cam pressure, applied to it for a certain time, and wears off, becoming damaged. Therefore, a reliable run-on cannot be insured any more.
Accordingly an object of the invention is a spring hinge which can be, on one hand, inexpensively produced and, on the other hand, is characterized by good guiding characteristics. In addition, the run-on surface should not lose its run-on characteristic upon being subjected to an extended pressure action.
This object is achieved in a spring hinge having the features recited in claim 1. Because the housing serves for receiving a closing member, which guides the hinge member and forms a run-on surface independent from the housing, the construction of the housing is simpler, on one hand, and on the other hand, a reliable guide for the hinge member and a run-on surface, the material of which is selected independent of the housing material, can be formed in accordance with specific requirements.
In addition, the object of the invention is achieved by a manufacturing process having features recited in claim 11. Because the housing, the closing member and/or the hinge member are stamped and/or formed from a simple and very inexpensive material, the manufacturing is very simple and cost-effective. In particular, expensive profiles and machining steps, such as milling or drilling, can be completely eliminated.
A further advantage results from using a material having a uniform thickness for manufacturing the housing. Then, in effect, the housing walls have a substantially the same thickness whereby, e.g., softening of the thinner regions during inductive heating of the housing is prevented.
Especially advantageous is an embodiment of a spring hinge in which the closing member, together with spring and hinge members received in the housing, is formed as a pre-assembled unit that can be easily inserted into the housing, already mounted on the ear-pierce of eyeglasses. The final assembly of a so formed spring hinge is, thus, simple and, therefore, can be economically effected.
Further embodiments of the spring hinge are set forth in further subclaims.
The invention will be explained below on the basis of the drawings. In the drawings:
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a first embodiment of a spring hinge;
FIG. 2 is a plan view of the spring hinge shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a closing element arranged in a housing of the spring hinge shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 4 is a front view of the closing member shown in FIG. 3
REFERENCES:
patent: 4351086 (1982-09-01), Drlik
patent: 4991258 (1991-02-01), Drlik
patent: 5018242 (1991-05-01), Guy et al.
patent: 5400090 (1995-03-01), Chen
Mah Chuck
O B E--Werk Ohnmacht & Baumgartner GmbH & Co., KG
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