Abstract:
A method of making eyewear includes molding procedures using different molding materials to produce the lenses and support structures in a sequence to permanently attach the lenses to the support structure. The lenses are formed with retaining elements to engage with the support structure.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    The application relates generally to eyewear, and more particularly to a method of making eyewear in which one or more lenses are permanently secured by the frame structure of the eyewear. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE ART 
       [0002]    Eyewear including eyeglasses and goggles for various purposes, conventionally include a frame structure made of a substantially rigid material such as rigid plastic material and one or more lenses attached thereto. The frame structure is used to support the lens or lenses thereon and is configured in accordance with and abuts the eyewear user&#39;s face around or near the eyes. The frame structure is retained on the user&#39;s head by a side piece or pieces, for example, temples or an elastic strap. In some types of eyewear, the lens or lenses are permanently secured to the frame structure. Such a lens attachment may be achieved in combination with the frame structure in a plastic molding process. Nevertheless, such a conventional plastic molding process of a frame structure may not be able to produce a variety of molded eyewear in order to satisfy consumers&#39; various needs for improved eyewear designs in fashion and for functionality. 
         [0003]    Therefore, there is a need for a new method of making eyewear in which one or more lenses are permanently secured in a support structure in order to form a central part or front section of the eyewear. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In one aspect, there is provided a method of making eyewear, comprising the steps of: a) in a first molding procedure molding at least one lens having at least one retaining element protruding rearwardly from and being integrated with the at least one lens; b) in a second molding procedure with the presence of the at least one lens, molding a front support structure having an upper part of the front support structure, the upper part securing an upper peripheral region of the at least one lens; and c) in a third molding procedure molding a rear support structure with the presence of the front support structure with the at least one lens secured thereto to produce an integral front section of the eyewear in which a nose support configuration of the rear support structure engages with the at least one retaining element, the at least one lens thereby being permanently attached to the front and rear support structures. 
         [0005]    In another aspect, there is provided a method of making eyewear, comprising steps of: a) in a first molding procedure, molding a pair of lenses, each of the pair of lenses having at least one retaining element integrated with and protruding rearwardly from a peripheral region of the said each lens; and b) in a second molding procedure with the presence of the pair of lenses, molding a support structure including a nose support configuration which engages with the at least one retaining element of the respective lenses, thereby producing an integral front section of the eyewear. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    Reference is now made to the accompanying figures in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front elevational view of an eyewear according to one embodiment; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a partial top plan view of the eyewear of  FIG. 1  with a portion of the top of the eyewear cut off to show the engagement between the front support structure and a rear support structure; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a pair of lenses integrated with retaining elements for retaining a nose support configuration used in the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a front support structure of the embodiment of  FIG. 2 , in which hinge elements for connecting the respective temples are not shown; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is a partial cross-sectional view of the front support structure with one of the lenses in which the lens attachment to the front support structure is achieved in a molding procedure; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of the rear support structure of the embodiment of  FIGS. 1 and 2 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a pair of lenses according to another embodiment; 
           [0014]      FIG. 8  is a support structure for securing and supporting the pair of lenses of  FIG. 7 ; and 
           [0015]      FIG. 9  is a partial cross-sectional view of the eyewear in which the respective lenses of  FIG. 7  are attached to the support structure of  FIG. 8  during a molding procedure. 
       
    
    
       [0016]    It will be noted that throughout the appended drawings that like features are identified by like reference numerals. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]      FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  illustrate an eyewear such as eyeglasses  10  according to one embodiment, including a front section (not numbered) and a pair of temples (not numbered) pivotally attached thereto for holding the eyeglasses  10  on a user&#39;s head. The front section is integrally formed with at least one lens (a pair of lenses  12  are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  according to this embodiment), a front support structure  14  and a rear support structure  16 . 
         [0018]    It should be noted that the word “integral” or “integrate” used throughout this application including the appended claims, is intended to mean that all integrally formed parts are permanently joined together and cannot be disassembled without destroying the integrally formed parts, or cannot be reassembled without a repairing process once being taken apart. 
         [0019]    The integral front section of the eyeglasses  10  is formed with different molding materials in a number of molding procedures. For example, the pair of lenses  12  may be molded in a first molding procedure using a first molding material which may be injected into a lens mold (not shown). Each of the lenses  12  is rigid and transparent without colours (may be tinted for sunglasses) when the first molding material is cured. Each lens  12  may be integrated with at least one retaining element  18  (see  FIG. 3 ), protruding rearwardly therefrom. 
         [0020]    The lens mold according to one embodiment may be configured such that each molded lens  12  may have the at least one retaining element  18  located in a peripheral region of the lens  12  such that the retaining element  18  is adjacent to the user&#39;s nose when the lenses  12  are attached to the eyeglasses  10  and the eyeglasses are worn by the user. The peripheral region of each lens  12  may be formed to be thicker than a central area of the lens  12  (not numbered), or thicker than the average thickness of the lens  12  in order to provide a base  20  for the retaining element  18 . The retaining element  18  according to one embodiment may be formed with a tongue member (not numbered) having one or more openings (not numbered) extending therethrough. The tongue member may protrude rearwardly from the base  20 . 
         [0021]    The front support structure  14  as more clearly shown in  FIG. 4 , may have an upper part  22  extending between opposed side ends  24 . The upper part  22  may include right and left sections (not numbered) corresponding to the pair of lenses  12 , respectively. The opposed side ends  24  may be formed as an enlarged base (not numbered) to provide a suitable configuration (not shown) for pivotally connecting a corresponding one of the temples. A plurality of optional members  26  may be integrated with and protrude rearwardly from the respective right and left sections of the upper part  22 . 
         [0022]    The front support structure  14  may be molded in a second molding procedure with the presence of the pair of lenses using a second molding material to inject into a front support structure mold (not shown) such that the right and left sections of the upper part  22  secure an upper peripheral region of the respective lens  12 , when the second molding material is cured. When cured the front support structure  14  may be substantially rigid. The pair of lenses  12  are thereby permanently attached to the respective right and left sections of the upper part  22  of the front support structure  14  and are joined together by the same. 
         [0023]    The rear support structure  16  which is more clearly shown in  FIG. 6  may have a nose support configuration  28 , and may be integrated with an upper member  30  including right and left sections corresponding to the pair of lenses  12 , respectively. 
         [0024]    The rear support structure  16  may be molded in a third molding procedure using a third molding material to be injected into a rear support structure mold (not shown) with the presence of the front support structure  14  with the pair of lenses  12  secured thereto, in order to produce the integral front section of the eyeglasses  10  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         [0025]    During the third molding procedure, the third molding material for the rear support structure  16  may flow around the optional members  26  of the front support structure  14  to form a plurality of corresponding openings  27  such that the members  26  fill and engage in the respective openings  27  in the upper member  30  of the rear support structure  16 . 
         [0026]    During the third molding procedure, the nose support configuration  28  may be formed as a pair of nose pads  31 , each engaging with the tongue member (retaining element  18 ). The molding material which forms the nose pads  31  may fill in the one or more openings in the tongue members to thereby provide a firm and permanent engagement between the nose pads  31  and the tongue members. The third molding material may be flexible and soft compared to the second molding material, when the materials are cured. Therefore, the rear support structure  16  and the nose pads  31  in particular, may provide a comfortable contact with a user&#39;s face when the eyeglasses  10  are worn by the user. 
         [0027]    Optionally, the front and/or rear support structures  14 ,  16  may further include low parts/members (not shown) in combination with the upper part  14 /upper member  16  to form endless rim structures surrounding the respective lenses  12 . 
         [0028]    Alternatively, the right and left sections of the upper part  14  may be separated one from another and thus the front support structure  14  may be formed with separate right and left sections. The lenses  12  secured to the separate right and left sections of the upper part  14  in the second molding procedure, may be joined together by the rear support structure  16  and the nose support configuration  28  in particular formed in the third molding procedure. Therefore, the front section of the eyewear may have relative flexibility in the middle thereof provided by the relatively flexible and softer material of the rear support structure  16 . 
         [0029]    Optionally, the third molding procedure may be conducted to include two injection steps. In one injection step, the rear support structure  16  (but not the pair of nose pads  31 ) may be molded by injection of the third molding material which is flexible and soft compared to the second molding material of the front support structure  14 , and in the other injection step the pair of nose pads  31  may be molded by injection of a fourth molding material more flexible and softer than the third molding material. The two injection steps may be conducted in a double injection process using one rear support structure mold having cavities to accommodate both respective third and fourth molding materials. Alternatively, the two injection steps may be conducted using two rear support structure molds for molding the nose pads  31  and the remaining part of the rear support structure  16  respectively. The nose pads  31  which may be molded using more flexible and softer material such as rubber will therefore be more comfortable when being supported on the user&#39;s nose. 
         [0030]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-2 and 6-9 , the front section of the eyeglasses  10  according to another embodiment, may be formed with a pair of lenses  12 ′ permanently attached to a support structure  16 ′ similar to the rear support structure  16  of  FIG. 6 . 
         [0031]    The features of the lenses  12 ′ and the support structure  16 ′ which are similar to those of the lenses  12  and rear support structure  16 , are indicated by similar reference numerals followed by a mark “′” and will not be redundantly described. 
         [0032]    In contrast to the lenses  12 , each of the lenses  12 ′ may optionally include a plurality of members  26 ′ which are similar to the optional members  26 , protruding rearwardly from and being integrated with an upper peripheral area (not numbered) of the respective lenses  12 ′. The molding procedure of the pair of lenses  12 ′ and the molding material used therein are similar to the first molding procedure for producing the pair of lenses  12  and will not be repeated herein. 
         [0033]    The upper member  30 ′ of the support structure  16 ′ may extend between opposed ends  24 ′ of the support structure  16 ′. Similar to the opposed ends  24  of the front support structure  14  of  FIG. 4 , the opposed side ends  24 ′ may have a respective enlarged portion (not numbered) to provide a base for a hinge apparatus (not shown) to pivotally connect the respective temples. 
         [0034]    The molding procedure of the support structure  16 ′ may be conducted with the presence of the pair of lenses  12 ′ separated one from the other using a molding material similar to the third molding material of the rear support structure  16 . Therefore, the right and left sections of the upper member  30 ′ of the support structure  16 ′ may engage with an edge of the upper peripheral area of the respective lenses  12 ′ (see  FIG. 9 ). During the molding process of the support structure  16 ′, the molding material of the support structure  16 ′ may flow around respective members  26 ′, protruding rearwardly from the upper peripheral area of the respective lenses  12 ′ to form a plurality of corresponding openings  27 ′ in the respective right and left sections of the upper member  30 ′ of the support structure  16 ′. After the support structure  16 ′ has been cured in the molding procedure, the members  26 ′ protruding rearwardly from the lenses  12 ′ may fill and engage in the respective openings  27 ′ of the support structure  16 ′, thereby further enhancing the permanent attachment of the respective lenses  12 ′ to the support structure  16 ′. 
         [0035]    Optionally, the lenses  12 ′ may be formed without the protruding members  26 ′ and thus no corresponding openings  27 ′ would be formed in the support structure  16 ′. 
         [0036]    Also optionally, the support structure  16 ′ may be formed in various configurations, or formed with only a nose support configuration to engage with retaining elements  18 ′ such as tongue members integrated with and protruding from the lenses  12 ′, thereby joining the lenses  12 ′ one with the other. As such, a front section of the eyeglasses  10  may be configured to provide side ends integrated with the respective lenses for connecting the respective temples. 
         [0037]    Further optionally, during the molding procedure of the support structure  16 ′, the lenses  12 ′ may be presented as joined one with the other for example by a flexible metal bar (not shown). The metal bar may be embedded in the molding material of the support structure  16 ′. 
         [0038]    The molding material of the support structure  16 ′ may be flexible and soft compared to the molding material of the lenses  12 ′ to provide not only a soft contact feeling for the user, but also a flexible mid part of the front section of the eyeglasses. 
         [0039]    Similar to the previously described embodiment, two injection steps may also be applicable in the molding procedure of the support structure  16 ′ in order to use two different molding materials for the nose pads  31 ′ and the remaining part of the support structure  16 ′, in order to provide more flexible and softer nose pads  31 ′. The above description is meant to be exemplary only, and one skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made to the embodiments described without departing from the scope of the described subject matter. Modifications which fall within the scope of the described subject matter will be apparent to those skilled in the art, in light of a review of this disclosure, and such modifications are intended to fall within the appended claims.