Abstract:
An eyeglass assembly has a pair of temples, each of which passes through an aperture in a lens. The temples are bent, and the holes oriented, such that the temples can pivot about the portion passing through the hole, allowing the temple to rotate between a wearing position and a storage position.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This relates to eyeglasses, and more particularly to a method of constructing eyeglasses that fold for storage without the use of hinges. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The fundamental problem of eyeglass design is the attachment of the optically important parts, the lenses, to the mechanical support structure, the frame, in such a way that the lenses are positioned correctly near the eyes, and in such a way that the frames are comfortable to wear. A vast number of cosmetically different frame types exist, but they embody only a few methods of joining frame to lens: 
     Full-frame: The frame surrounds the lens cosmetically and structurally with a rigid structure. The lens is either geometrically trapped in the frame, or is adhesively bonded inside. 
     Semi-rimless: The frame, incorporating the temples and nose bridge, wraps approximately halfway around the circumference of the lens, and is typically held into this structure by a length of flexible line running through a circumferential groove in the lens. 
     Rimless: The temples and nose bridge are separate, and each attached to the lens by brackets that touch the edge of the lens, held in place by small screws through the lens. 
     The rimless design is cosmetically pleasing, but all forces on the frame members are transmitted directly to the lens, so eyeglasses of this design are comparatively fragile. A pair of eyeglasses incorporating the presently disclosed invention could have rimless construction and appearance, great durability, and ease of fabrication. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to a pair of eyeglasses in which the nose bridge and temples are pivotally attached through the lenses or lens holding means, with the axis of rotation collinear and coincident with the portion of the nose bridge or temple actually passing through the lens or lens holding means. 
     In one aspect of the present invention, the holes are oriented, and the temples bent near the portion passing through the lens or lens holding means, such that the temples can fold close enough to the lenses for storage, and far enough out to wear on the head 
     In another aspect of the present invention, the temples pass through resilient bushings mounted in the holes in the lenses; the exposed portion of the temple immediately adjacent to the bushing on both sides is threaded, and nuts that engage with these threads compress the bushing from both ends, forcing it against the walls of the hole in the lens and against the portion of the temple that passes through the bushing. By varying the compression of the bushing, the rotational friction on the temple is varied. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the nose bridge is attached to the lenses in the same manner as the temples. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the nose bridge and temples are fitted with secondary lens retention means. 
     In another aspect, the lenses are held in a lens holder, and the temples pass through holes in the lens holder, with the holes oriented and the temples bent near the portion passing through the lens holder such that the temples can fold close enough to the lens holder for storage, and far enough out to wear on the head. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the holes in the lens holder are fitted with resilient bushings. 
     In another aspect of the invention, the lens holder is fitted with secondary lens retention means. 
     To the accomplishment of the above and related objects, this invention may be embodied in the forms illustrated in the accompanying drawings, attention being called to the fact, however, that the drawings are illustrative only and that changes may be made in the specific construction illustrated and described, within the scope of the claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 shows a plan view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 shows, in a partial enlarged sectional view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention, the portion of a temple that enters through the rear of a lens; 
     FIG. 4 shows, in a partial enlarged sectional view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention, the portion of a temple that enters through the rear of a lens and the portion of a nose bridge that enters through the rear of a lens; 
     FIG. 5 shows, in a partial perspective view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention, a secondary lens and secondary lens retention means; 
     FIG. 6 shows a perspective view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 7 shows, in a partial enlarged sectional view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention, the portion of a temple that enters through the front of a lens in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 shows, in a partial perspective view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention, a secondary lens and secondary lens retention means; 
     FIG. 9 shows a partial perspective view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 10 shows a partial perspective view of an eyeglass assembly in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     According to an important feature of the invention, the temple rotates about a portion of itself to effect folding between wearing and storage positions. 
     According to another important feature of the invention, resilient bushings isolate the temples and nose bridge from the lens, while engaging all elements firmly. 
     According to another important feature of the invention, the temples and nose bridge serve as means for the retention of secondary lenses. 
     Referring to FIG. 1, a preferred embodiment of an eyeglass assembly 10 according to this invention comprises a nose bridge 4, and on each side of nose bridge 4, a temple I which is adapted to pass through a lens 2 and has a portion 3 with bent configuration, which allows for rotation of the temple between wearing position and storage position 5. Each of the lenses 2 are connected together by nose bridge 4, which penetrates from the rear surfaces of the lenses 2. 
     Referring to FIG. 2, a preferred embodiment of an eyeglass assembly 10 according to this invention comprises on each side of a nose bridge 4, a temple I which is adapted to pass through a lens 2, is prevented from moving into the lens 2 by retainer 9, is prevented from falling out of the lens 2 by retainer 6 and has a portion 3 with bent configuration, which allows for rotation of the temple between wearing position and storage position 5. Each of the lenses 2 are connected together by nose bridge 4, which penetrates from the rear surfaces of the lenses, is prevented from moving into the lens 2 by retainer 12, and is prevented from falling out of the lens 2 by retainer 7. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, the angle e between the main portions of temple I in its wearing and its storage positions is shown in relation to the angle θ/2 between the surface of the lens 2 and the axis of the aperture 8 in lens 2. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, the invention may be further refined by fitting apertures 8 in lens 2 with resilient bushings 11, compressed on each side by front temple retainer 6 and rear temple retainer 9 to bear against the portion 13 of temple 1 which passes through bushing 11, and by front nose bridge retainer 7 and rear nose bridge retainer 12 to bear against the portion 14 of nose bridge 4 which passes through bushing 11. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, the first preferred embodiment of the invention may be further refined by the fitting of means for the retention of secondary lenses 17, which have notches 18 that are very slightly wider than the diameter of spacers 16. Spacers 16 are very slightly thicker than the secondary lenses 17. Secondary lens 17 is further confined by disks 15, which are larger than the width of notches 18. The secondary lenses 17 may be tinted or polarized. 
     Referring to FIG. 6, the temples and nose bridge of the invention can instead penetrate the lenses 2 from the front to form another preferred embodiment of the invention. The temple 101 has a portion 103 with bent configuration which allows the temple 101 to rotate into storage position 105 in front of the lens 2, and the nose bridge 104 penetrates apertures 8 from the front as well. 
     Referring to FIG. 7, the angle e between the main portions of temple 101 in its wearing and its storage position 105 is shown in relation to the angle θ/2 between the surface of the lens 2 and the axis of the aperture 8 in lens 2. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 6 and 7, the invention may be further refined by the fitting of apertures 8 with resilient bushings 11, compressed on each side by front temple retainer 6 and rear temple retainer 9 to bear against the portion 13 of temple 101 which passes through bushing 11, and by front nose bridge retainer 7 and rear nose bridge retainer 12 to bear against the portion 14 of nose bridge 104 which passes through bushing 11. 
     Referring again to FIGS. 4 and 7, the resilient bushings 11 may be of length shorter than, equal to, or longer than the depth of apertures 8. The resilient bushings 11 may also have an outer diameter smaller than, equal to, or larger than the diameter of apertures 8. The bushing retainers 6, 7, 9, and 12 may also have any size relative to the sizes of apertures 8 and bushings I1, except that the bushing retainers 6, 7, 9, and 12 must be of smaller diameter than apertures 8 when bushings 11 do not protrude from apertures 8, so that bushing retainers 6, 7, 9, and 12 do not make contact with lenses 2. 
     Referring to FIG. 8, the invention may be further refined by the fitting of means for the retention of secondary lenses 17, which have notches 18 that are very slightly wider than the diameter of spacers 16. Spacers 16 are very slightly thicker than the secondary lenses 17. Secondary lens 17 is further confined by disks 15, which are larger than the width of notches 18. The secondary lenses 17 may be tinted or polarized. 
     Referring to FIG. 9, temple 1 is pivotably attached to a lens holder 20 to form another preferred embodiment of the present invention. The embodiment may in addition further comprise secondary lens retaining disks 15. 
     Referring to FIG. 10, an eyeglass assembly in accordance with the present invention is further fitted with an external frame member 19, which is attached to temple I and nose bridge 4. The embodiment may in addition further comprise secondary lens retaining disks 15. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation and equivalent arrangements.