U.S. patent application number 10/435363 was filed with the patent office on 2004-11-11 for rimless frame system and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Altair Eyewear. Invention is credited to Park, Young Ho.
Application Number | 20040223114 10/435363 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 33159449 |
Filed Date | 2004-11-11 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040223114 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Park, Young Ho |
November 11, 2004 |
RIMLESS FRAME SYSTEM AND METHOD
Abstract
A rimless frame system and method is provided to address among
other things durability and quality control issues of conventional
rimless eyewear designs involved with connection of temples and
bridges with lenses of the rimless eyewear. The rimless frame
system includes tapered caps that are threaded onto pins located on
the temples and on the bridge. As the tapered caps are tightened
onto the pins they radially expand sleeves that in turn apply
radial forces to inner surfaces of holes properly positioned in the
eyewear lenses. These radial forces between the sleeves and the
inner surfaces of the lenses holes affix the temples and the bridge
to the lenses of the rimless eyewear.
Inventors: |
Park, Young Ho; (Daegu,
KR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DAVIS WRIGHT TREMAINE, LLP
2600 CENTURY SQUARE
1501 FOURTH AVENUE
SEATTLE
WA
98101-1688
US
|
Assignee: |
Altair Eyewear
Rancho Cordova
CA
|
Family ID: |
33159449 |
Appl. No.: |
10/435363 |
Filed: |
May 8, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
351/110 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G02C 1/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
351/110 |
International
Class: |
G02C 001/02 |
Claims
1. Eyewear comprising: a first lens and a second lens, each lens
having a hole with a hole diameter and an inner surface, each lens
having a circumferential surface; and a first temple connected to
the first lens and a second temple connected to the second lens,
each temple including a positioning member, a connection member,
and a hinge, the positioning member coupled to the connection
member by the hinge, the connection member of each temple
including: a threaded pin with a pin diameter and threads, the
threaded pin extending into the lens hole of the one of the first
and second lenses to which the temple is connected; an expandable
sleeve being a longitudinal hollow cylinder having an inner sleeve
diameter, an outer sleeve diameter, an outer sleeve surface and
first and second ends, the first end having an opening with an
inner diameter greater than the pin diameter, the second end having
an opening with a second inner diameter, the threaded pin extending
through the first end opening and within the expandable sleeve; and
a tapered cap having an interior, a first end portion with an
opening providing access to the interior, the interior having a
threaded inner surface, the threaded pin extending into the
interior of the tapered cap through the opening of the tapered cap,
the tapered cap being threaded onto the threaded pin, the first end
portion having a first exterior surface portion with a first outer
diameter smaller than the second inner diameter of the expandable
sleeve, the tapered cap having a second portion having a second
exterior surface portion with a second outer diameter greater than
the first outer diameter, the tapered cap extending at least
partially within the expandable sleeve, the tapered cap having an
exterior surface extending between the first and second exterior
surface portions with an outer diameter increasing from the first
outer diameter of the first end portion to the second outer
diameter of the second portion to increasingly frictionally engage
the tapered cap with the expandable sleeve and radially outward
expand the outer sleeve diameter of the expandable sleeve as the
tapered cap is being threaded onto the threaded pin, the second
outer diameter of the tapered cap being sized to radially expand
the expandable sleeve to increase the outer sleeve diameter
sufficiently to frictionally engage the outer sleeve surface with
the inner surface of the lens hole within which positioned to
securely connect the connection member with the one of the first
and second lenses to which the temple is connected.
2. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein the expandable sleeve is made
from a rigid material and includes a slit extending along the
longitudinal length of the expandable sleeve.
3. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein the expandable sleeve is made
from an expandable material.
4. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein the connection member includes an
orienting pin in contact with the circumferential surface of the
one of the first and second lenses to which the temple is
connected.
5. The eyewear of claim 2 wherein the circumferential surfaces of
the first and second lenses each have a notch, and the orienting
pin contacts the notch of one of the first and second lenses to
which the temple is connected.
6. Eyewear comprising: a first lens and a second lens, each lens
having a hole with a hole diameter and an inner surface, each lens
having a circumferential surface; and a bridge having a first
bridge portion connected to the first lens and a second bridge
portion connected to the second lens, each bridge portion
including: a threaded pin with a pin diameter and threads, the
threaded pin extending into the hole of the first and second lenses
to which the bridge portion is connected; an expandable sleeve
being a longitudinal hollow cylinder having an inner sleeve
diameter, an outer sleeve diameter, an outer sleeve surface and
first and second ends, the first end having an opening with an
inner diameter greater than the pin diameter, the second end having
an opening with a second inner diameter, the threaded pin extending
through the first end opening and within the expandable sleeve; and
a tapered cap having an interior, a first end portion with an
opening providing access to the interior, a threaded inner surface,
the threaded pin extending into the interior of the tapered cap
through the opening of the tapered cap, the tapered cap being
threaded onto the threaded pin, the first end portion having a
first exterior surface portion with a first outer diameter smaller
than the second inner diameter of the expandable sleeve, the
tapered cap having a second portion having a second exterior
surface portion with a second outer diameter greater than the first
outer diameter, the tapered cap extending at least partially within
the expandable sleeve, the tapered cap having an exterior surface
extending between the first and second exterior surface portions
with an outer diameter increasing from the first outer diameter of
the first end portion to the second outer diameter of the second
portion to increasingly frictionally engage the tapered cap with
the expandable sleeve and radially outward expand the outer sleeve
diameter of the expandable sleeve as the tapered cap is being
threaded onto the threaded pin, the second outer diameter of the
tapered cap being sized to radially expand the expandable sleeve to
increase the outer sleeve diameter sufficiently to frictionally
engage the outer sleeve surface with the inner surface of the lens
hole within which positioned to securely connect the bridge portion
with the one of the first and second lenses to which the bridge
portion is connected; and an orienting pin in contact with the
circumferential surface of the one of the first and second lenses
to which the bridge portion is connected.
7. For connecting a frame member with an eyewear lens, the eyewear
lens having a hole with a hole diameter and an inner surface, a
system comprising: a threaded pin with a pin diameter and exterior
threads sized to extend into the lens holed; a tubular member with
an interior having an inner surface portion with an inner diameter,
the tubular member having a first outer diameter smaller than the
lens hole diameter without an outward force applied to the inner
surface portion and a second outer diameter substantially equal to
the hole diameter to engage the lens hole inner surface when the
outward force is applied to the inner surface portion; and an
attachment member having a first exterior portion, a second
exterior portion and an interior portion with a threaded inner
surface having interior threads matching the exterior threads of
the threaded pin, the first portion having a first outer diameter
smaller than the inner diameter of the tubular member and, the
second exterior portion having a second outer diameter larger than
the first outer diameter, the second outer diameter of the second
exterior portion sized to apply at least the outward force to the
inner surface portion of the tubular member with the first exterior
portion being within the interior of the tubular member when the
second exterior portion is advanced at least partially into the
interior of the tubular member.
8. The system of claim 7 wherein the threaded pin is affixed to one
of the following as a frame member: a temple and a bridge.
9. The system of claim 7 wherein the tubular member has a slit
extending along its length.
10. The system of claim 7 wherein the tubular member is made from
an expandable material.
11. The system of claim 7 wherein the attachment member is a
tapered cap.
12. The system of claim 7 wherein the attachment member is a
tapered nut.
13. Eyewear comprising: two lenses, each with a plurality of holes;
a plurality of threaded pins; two temples, at least one of the
plurality of threaded pins being affixed to each of the two
temples; a bridge having two portions, at least one of the
plurality of threaded Dins being affixed to each of the two
portions; a plurality of expandable sleeves, each being positioned
in one of the lens holes; and a plurality of tapered cylinder
members being positioned in one of the sleeves, each of the
threaded pins being threadably engaged with one of the plurality of
tapered cylinder members to expand outward one of the sleeves to
engage the lens having the lens hole in which positioned.
14. The eyewear of claim 13 further including a plurality of
orienting pins, one of the orienting pins being affixed to each of
the two portions of the bridge and each of the two temples, each of
the orienting pins being in contact with an edge of one of the
lens.
15. The eyewear of claim 14 wherein each lens includes a plurality
of notches, and each of the orienting pins contacts one of the
notches of the lens edge contacted.
16. A method of assembling eyewear comprising: positioning an
expandable sleeve adjacent to a threaded pin affixed to an eyewear
frame member; positioning a tapered cylinder within the sleeve and
threadably coupling the tapered cylinder to the threaded pin of the
frame member for movement toward the frame member; positioning a
lens with the sleeve and the tapered cylinder within a hole of the
lens; and screwing the tapered cylinder further on the threaded pin
to move the tapered cylinder toward the frame member to expand the
sleeve within the lens hole to frictionally couple the sleeve to
the lens.
17. A method of assembling eyewear comprising: positioning an
expandable sleeve with respect to a threaded pin affixed to the
frame member; positioning a tapered cylinder to threadably engage
the threaded pin a first distance into the expandable sleeve;
positioning the expandable sleeve and tapered cylinder into a hole
in a lens; and screwing the tapered cylinder further onto the
threaded pin a second distance into the sleeve greater than the
first distance to expand the sleeve to frictionally couple the
sleeve to the lens.
18. A method of assembling eyewear comprising: inserting a tapered
member a first distance into a sleeve; threadably coupling the
tapered member while in the sleeve to a threaded pin affixed to a
frame member; positioning the sleeve and tapered member within a
hole in a lens; and screwing the tapered member further onto the
threaded pin to a second distance into the sleeve greater than the
first distance to expand the sleeve to frictionally couple the
sleeve to the lens.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] 1. Field of the Invention
[0002] This invention relates generally to eyewear, and more
particularly, to systems and methods for rimless eyewear.
[0003] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0004] In general, eyewear includes two lenses, a bridge to support
the eyewear from a user's nose and two temples to further position
the eyewear by contacting either side of the user's head. Most
temple designs are supported by the user's ears. Much eyewear
includes a frame for each of the two lenses and incorporates the
bridge and temples into a general frame design. In this general
frame design each of the temples is hinged from one of the lens
frames and the bridge connects the two lens frames together.
[0005] Some eyewear does away with the two lens frames and instead
attaches the temples and bridge directly to the lenses to form a
rimless frame design. These rimless designs are desirable, but
unfortunately experience quality control and durability problems
due in part to the requirement of affixing the temple and bridge
hardware directly to the lenses.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention resides in a rimless frame system and
method. Embodiments include a first lens and a second lens, each
lens having a hole with a hole diameter and an inner surface, each
lens having a circumferential surface; and a first temple connected
to the first lens and a second temple connected to the second lens.
Each temple includes a positioning member, a connection member, and
a hinge. The positioning member is coupled to the connection member
by the hinge. The connection member of each temple includes a
threaded pin with a pin diameter and threads. The threaded pin
extending into the lens hole of the one of the first and second
lenses to which the temple is connected.
[0007] The connection member further includes an expandable sleeve
being a longitudinal hollow cylinder having an inner sleeve
diameter, an outer sleeve diameter, an outer sleeve surface and
first and second ends. The first end has an opening with an inner
diameter greater than the pin diameter. The second end has an
opening with a second inner diameter. The threaded pin extends
through the the first end opening and within the expandable
sleeve.
[0008] The connection member further includes a tapered cap having
an interior and a first end portion with an opening providing
access to the interior. The interior has a threaded inner surface.
The threaded pin extends into the interior of the tapered cap
through the opening of the tapered cap. The tapered cap is threaded
onto the threaded pin. The first end portion has a first exterior
surface portion with a first outer diameter smaller than the second
inner diameter of the expandable sleeve. The tapered cap has a
second portion having a second exterior surface portion with a
second outer diameter greater than the first outer diameter. The
tapered cap extends at least partially within the expandable
sleeve.
[0009] The tapered cap has an exterior surface extending between
the first and second exterior surface portions with an outer
diameter increasing from the first outer diameter of the first end
portion to the second outer diameter of the second portion to
increasingly frictionally engage the tapered cap with the
expandable sleeve and radially outward expand the outer sleeve
diameter of the expandable sleeve as the tapered cap is being
threaded onto the threaded pin. The second outer diameter of the
tapered cap is sized to radially expand the expandable sleeve to
increase the outer sleeve diameter sufficiently to frictionally
engage the outer sleeve surface with the inner surface of the lens
hole within which positioned to securely connect the connection
member with the one of the first and second lenses to which the
temple is connected.
[0010] Other features and advantages of the invention will become
apparent from the following detailed description, taken in
conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] FIG. 1 is an isometric view of an exemplary implementation
of a rimless frame system embodying the present invention.
[0012] FIG. 2 is an exploded, enlarged top plan view of a portion
of one of the temples of the implementation shown in FIG. 1.
[0013] FIG. 3 is an enlarged isometric view of the temple portion
shown in FIG. 2.
[0014] FIG. 4 shows the temple portion of FIG. 2 with a tapered cap
secured onto a treaded pin and a lens positioned to be secured to
the temple.
[0015] FIG. 5 is an enlarged isometric view of the temple portion
and lens shown in FIG. 4.
[0016] FIG. 6 shows the temple portion of FIG. 2 with the lens
placed over the tapered cap and a positioning peg prior to final
tightening of the tapered cap.
[0017] FIG. 7 is an enlarged isometric view of the temple portion
and lens shown in FIG. 6.
[0018] FIG. 8 shows the temple portion and lens of FIG. 6 with the
tapered cap tightened to secure the lens to the temple portion.
[0019] FIG. 9 is an enlarged isometric view of the tapered cap show
in FIG. 2.
[0020] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the tapered cap taken
along the line 10-1 of FIG. 9.
[0021] FIG. 11 is an enlarged isometric view of an expandable
sleeve shown in FIG. 2.
[0022] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of the expandable sleeve
taken along the line 12-12 of FIG. 11.
[0023] FIG. 13 is an exploded, enlarged top plan view of the bridge
of the implementation shown in FIG. 1.
[0024] FIG. 14 shows the bridge of FIG. 13 with tapered caps
secured onto thread pins and lenses positioned to be secured by the
bridge.
[0025] FIG. 15 shows the bridge of FIG. 14 with the lenses placed
over the tapered caps and positioning pegs prior to final
tightening of the tapered caps.
[0026] FIG. 16 shows the bridge and lenses of FIG. 15 with the
tapered caps tightened to secure the lenses to the bridge.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0027] A rimless frame system and method is provided to address
among other things durability and quality control issues of
conventional rimless eyewear designs involved with connection of
temples and bridges with lenses of the rimless eyewear.
Implementations of the rimless frame system include tapered caps
that are threaded onto pins located on the temples and on the
bridge. As the tapered caps are tightened onto the pins they
radially expand sleeves or tubes that in turn apply radial forces
to inner surfaces of holes properly positioned in the eyewear
lenses. These radial forces between the sleeves and the inner
surfaces of the lenses holes affix the temples and the bridge to
the lenses of the rimless eyewear. The materials used for the
rimless frame system include conventional materials such as metals,
plastics, and, composites.
[0028] An implementation of the rimless frame system is shown in
FIG. 1 as applied to a rimless eyewear 100 including two lenses 102
connected together by a bridge 104 and two temples 106, one
connected to each lens. Each of the temples 106 includes a
positioning member 108, a portion of which is shown. in FIG. 2, for
contacting a side of a user's head and/or ear for positioning the
rimless eyewear on the user's head. Each temple 106 further
includes a connection member 110 for connecting the temple 106 to
the lens 102.
[0029] The connection member 110 is coupled to the positioning
member 108 with a hinge 112. The connection member includes an
orienting pin 114 used in achieving and maintaining proper position
of the lens 102 relative to the temple 106 as further explained
below. The connection member 110 also includes a threaded pin 116
to receive an interiorly threaded tapered cap 118 having a driver
slot 119, and an expandable sleeve 120. The expandable sleeve 120
has a slit area 120' absent sleeve material extending the length of
the expandable sleeve . The expandable sleeve 120 is placed onto
the threaded pin 116 and has an interior diameter sufficient to
allow the tapered cap 118 to be positioned on the threaded pin
inward of the expandable sleeve. In other implementations the
tapered cap 118 is open at both ends, and forms a tapered nut.
[0030] In the depicted implementation, the slit area 120' of the
expandable sleeve 120 allows for radially outward expansion of the
expandable sleeve Under the urging of the tapered cap 118 as it is
threaded onto the threaded pin 116. Other geometries and
configurations to allow for expansion of the expandable sleeve 120
can be used with other implementations.
[0031] During assembly of the rimless eyewear 100, the expandable
sleeve 120 is first placed over the threaded pin 116. The tapered
cap 118 is then inserted into a first opening 121 of the expandable
sleeve 120, shown in FIG. 3, having an inner diameter sized to
allow for initial threading of the tapered caps onto the threaded
pin 116 with significant expansion of the expandable sleeve, as
shown in FIGS. 4-6. The portion of the lens 102 to which the
connection member 110 of the temple 106 is to be attached as an
attachment hole 122. Once the tapered cap 118 has been initially
inserted into the expandable sleeve 120 and threaded onto the
threaded pin 116, the attachment hole 122 of the lens 102 is
brought into an aligning position over the tapered cap and the
expandable sleeve as shown in FIG. 4. The lens 102 further has a
circumferential surface 123 with an orienting notch 124. The lens
102 is brought into an aligning position with notch 124 over the
orienting pin 114. Also shown in FIG. 5 is a surface wall 106 of
the attachment hole 122, which will be further discussed below is
relation to securing the lens 102 to the temple 106.
[0032] The lens 102 and the connection member 110 of the temple 106
are then moved together with the orienting pin 114 being fitted
within the orienting notch 124 and the tapered cap 118 extending
through the attachment hole 122 with the expandable sleeve 120
residing in the attachment hole, as shown in FIG. 6. A screwdriver
128 is then brought into aligned contact with the driver slot 119
of the tapered cap 118 to tighten the tapered cap onto the threaded
pin 116 as shown in FIG. 7.
[0033] As the tapered cap 118 is tightened on the threaded pin 116
it forcibly contacts the interior wall of the expandable sleeve 120
causing the expandable sleeve to progressively expand radially
outward. The expandable sleeve 120 consequently forcibly contacts
the surface wall 126 of the attachment hole 122 of the lens 102
with a force F (shown in FIG. 8) to frictionally engage the
expandable sleeve with the lens 102 thereby fixedly securing the
connection member 110 of the temple 106 to the lens.
[0034] A cross-sectional view of the tapered cap 118 of the
depicted implementation is illustrated in FIG. 10 and reveals an
elongated threaded interior 130 having an open end 131 to receive
the threaded pin 116. The threaded interior 130 has an inner
diameter N1, a longitudinal length of N2 and threads 132 with pitch
and thread count to match the pitch and thread count of the
threaded pin 116 for threadable engagement of the threaded pin with
the tapered cap 118.
[0035] Furthermore, the tapered cap 118 has an outer diameter of N3
toward the open end 131 that gradually increases to outer diameter
N4 at a longitudinal distance of N5 from the open end. The tapered
cap 118 has an longitudinal length of N6 over which the outer
diameter remains at the outer diameter N4 resulting in a total
longitudinal length for the tapered cap of N7. Although the
depicted implementation of the tapered cap 118 has been described
to have specific geometries, other geometries are used with other
implementations such as being adapted to be tightened onto the
threaded pin 116 by hex or alien wrenches or with other ratios of
tapered to straight portions and other gradations of taper. Other
objects having other geometries and incorporating a tapered
cylinder portion as taught by the depicted implementation of the
tapered cap 118 are found in other implementations.
[0036] The expandable sleeve 120 has a second opening 134, shown in
FIGS. 11 and 12 at an end thereof opposite the first opening 121,
and with an inner diameter W1 sized to fit over the threaded pin
116 and smaller than the first opening. A cross-sectional view of
the expandable sleeve 120 is shown in FIG. 12 and illustrates that
the first opening 121 has an inner diameter of W2 being greater
than the outer diameter N3 of the tapered cap 118 that allows the
expandable sleeve to receive the tapered cap 118 through the second
opening as previously discussed. The inner diameter W2 of the first
opening 121 is smaller than the outer diameter N4 of the tapered
cap 118.
[0037] As shown in FIG. 13, the bridge 104 includes two sets of the
orienting pin 114, the threaded pin 116, the tapered cap 118, and
the expandable sleeve 120 to connect the bridge 104 to each of the
two lenses 102 generally in the same manner as described above for
connection of the connection member 110 of the temple 106 to the
lens. To connect the bridge 104 to the lenses 102, one expandable
sleeve 120 is first positioned on each of the two treaded pins 116
of the bridge as shown in FIG. 14. One tapered cap 118 is
subsequently threaded onto each of the threaded pins 116. An
additional attachment hole 122 is provided in the portion of each
lens 102 to which the bridge 104 is to be attached. The lenses 102
and the bridge 104 are placed in aligning positions and then moved
together with the tapered caps 118 extending through the attachment
hole 122 and the orienting pins 114 in second orienting notches 123
of the lens, as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. The tapered caps 118 are
subsequently tightened with the screwdriver 128 shown in FIG. 15
with the tapered caps thereby causing the expandable sleeves 120 to
expand radially outward. The results in the radial force F shown in
FIG. 16 on the surface walls 126 of the attachment holes 122,
thereby frictionally engaging the expandable sleeves 120 with the
lenses 102 to secure the bridge 104 to the lenses.
[0038] From the foregoing it will be appreciated that, although
specific embodiments of the invention have been described herein
for purposes of illustration, various modifications may be made
without deviating from the spirit and scope of the invention. For
instance, the expandable sleeve in the depicted implementation is
rigid with a longitudinal slit, however, in other implementations,
the expandable sleeve could be made of an elastic or other
deformable material not requiring a slit for expansion. As another
example, the tapered cap 118 is threadably attached in the depicted
implementation, however, other implementations can use other means
of attachment of tapered objects to expand sleeves or tubes to
frictionally engage with the lenses 102. Accordingly, the invention
is not limited except as by the appended claims.
* * * * *