Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Spectacles and eyeglasses – Split rim mounting
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-24
2001-07-24
Manuel, George (Department: 3737)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Spectacles and eyeglasses
Split rim mounting
Reexamination Certificate
active
06264326
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a wire-and-thread rimmed frame for eyeglasses, which frame uses lengths of high-tension thread fixed to its upper wire half-rims to hold two lens in a pair of glasses.
2. Related Arts
A wire-and-thread rimmed frame has two lengths of high-tension thread fixed to its upper wire half-frames for holding the opposite lenses. Use of upper wire half-rims permits reduction of the eyeglass frame in weight and expansion of visual field.
FIG. 9
shows a conventional wire-and-thread rimed frame structure. As shown, each semi-circular wire rim “a” has a length of high-tension thread “b” fixed to its opposite ends, thus enabling the lens “c” to be fixedly held within the wire-and-thread loop. The opposite upper half-rims “a” are jointed by the bridge “d”, and each half-rim “a” has a joint piece “e” fixed to its outer edge. Each temple is hinged to one or the other half-rim “a” via the joint piece “e” so that the temple may be folded or unfolded relative to the front of the frame.
In order to expand the visual field a length of six millimeter-thick wire is used to form the upper half-rims “a”. Each upper half-rim “a” is fitted in the groove made in the circumference of the lens “c”. A length of high-tension thread such as nylon thread is fitted in the circumferential groove of the lens “c”, too. That is to say the thickness of the wire is adjusted to the external diameter of the thread. Such wire which is thin enough to fit in the circumferential groove of the lens “c”, however, can be hardly strong enough to provide an eyeglass frame for practical use. As the rim wire is fitted in the circumferential groove of the lens “c”, some parts such as a bridge “d” connecting the opposite half-rims “a”, joint pieces “e” for connecting temples to the half-rims and butterfly-wing pieces for connecting nose pads cannot be soldered to the rim wire, which is in the circumferential grooves of the opposite lenses.
In practice, each upper wire half-rim “a” has proximal and distal reinforcement pieces “f” soldered to its opposite sides. Then, the bridge “d” is soldered to the proximal reinforcement pieces “f ” appearing on the circumferences of the opposite half-rims “a”. Likewise, the joint pieces “e” are soldered to the distal reinforcement pieces “f” of the opposite wire half-rims. The proximal or distal reinforcement piece “f”, however, has an increased strength, compared with the thin rim wire. Consequently the inner stress is likely to converge to the boundary “g” between the half-rim “a” and the proximal or distal reinforcement piece “f”, resulting in the breaking of the eyeglass frame at these restricted places. As a matter of fact the rim wire was locally heated and softened when the proximal or distal reinforcement piece was soldered to the rim wire, thus reducing the strength of the rim wire at these restricted places. Sometimes, the lens “c” is unduly loaded there to cause cracks in the lens “c”.
A length of high-tension thread “b” is inserted in two holes made in each of the proximal and distal reinforcement pieces “f” to be fixed thereto. Then, the length of high-tension thread “b” is stretched so that it may be caught and somewhat deformed by the circumferential edge “h” of each hole to be positively fixed to the reinforcement piece, as seen from
FIG. 10
which shows Part “B” in
FIG. 9
at an enlarged scale. As a result the length of high-tension thread “b” is liable to be broken there.
The same applicant as the present application filed a patent application on Aug. 25, 1997 in Japan (Japanese Patent 11-2752(A)), proposing that a length of high-tension thread has two loops formed at its opposite ends, thereby permitting the length of high-tension thread to be caught by the hook ends of the upper half-rim. There is no fear for causing any breaking in the length of high-tension thread. The length of high-tension thread is guaranteed to be free of loosing, and therefore, there is no fear of allowing the lens to slip off from the front of the eyeglass frame.
In the so proposed eyeglass frame, however, it is still necessary to solder a joint piece to the outer edge of each half-rim. Also, a nose pad attachment piece needs to be soldered to the inner edge of the half-rim. The soldering will cause the half-rim wire to be locally softened. Each temple is hinged to the joint piece, which is soldered to the half-rim. The temple is liable to be loosely fixed when the screws are loosened in the hinge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One object of the present invention is to provide an improved wire-and-thread rimmed frame for eyeglasses, which eyeglass frame is free of the above described defects.
To attain this object a wire-and-thread rimmed frame according to the present invention is so designed that temples and other parts may be positively held in their assembling condition by making use of the stretching force which is originated from the stretched lengths of high-tension thread.
A wire-and-thread rimmed frame having a single wire so bent as to configure two opposite upper half-rims integrally connected by an intervening bridge and two lengths of high-tension thread each stretched round the lower circumference of one or the other lens to hold the lens in cooperation with the upper half rim, is improved according to the present invention in that; the single wire has a reentrant formed at each of the bridge-to-rim transitions of the single wire, and that it further comprises an arch-like bridge reinforcement, which is fixed to the bridge by hanging its opposite corners from the reentrants of the wire, each length of high-tension thread being fixed at one end to one or the other support of the arch-like bridge reinforcement, and at the other end to one or the other half-frame, thereby allowing the length of high-tension thread to apply a stretch to one or the other support of the arch-like bridge as a counter action to the length of high-tension thread being stretched around the lower half-circumference of the lens.
With this arrangement the arch-like bridge reinforcement, which gives a supplementary strength to the weakest portion of the single rim wire, is pulled down by the stretched lengths of high-tension thread, thus assuring that the reinforcement be prevented from coming off from the reentrants of the rim wire.
The curved top of the arch-like bridge reinforcement may be of an increased width to be applied to the nose.
The bridge reinforcement may have an extra leg integrally connected to each support, the extra leg having a nose pad attached to its end.
The bridge reinforcement may have its supports elongated and bent to form reentrants at their intermediate sections for fixing the lengths of thread, the elongated supports having nose pads attached to their ends.
A wire-and-thread rimmed frame having a single wire so bent as to configure two opposite upper half-rims integrally connected by an intervening bridge and two lengths of high-tension thread each stretched round the lower circumference of one or the other lens to hold the lens in cooperation with the upper half-rim, is improved according to the present invention in that; it further comprises two temples each foldably attached to one or the other half-rim and means for permitting the stretched lengths of high-tension thread to energize the temples at their pivot ends with the stretching force of the length of high-tension thread in direct or indirect way.
The temples are guaranteed to be free of coming off from the opposite half-rims by making use of the stretching force of the stretched lengths of high-tension of threads.
The means may comprise an inclined surface formed on the lateral extension of each half-rim or the end of each temple, thereby increasing or decreasing the stretching force applied to the length of high-tension thread in response to the unfolding or folding of the temple.
The means may comprise inclined counter surfaces formed both on the lateral extension of each half rim and on the end of each temple, thereby increasing or decreasing
Arent Fox Kintner & Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC
Manuel George
LandOfFree
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