Earpiece cushion apparatus for eyeglasses

A cushion apparatus (10) for the ear hook portions (101) of the temple pieces (100) of a pair of eyeglasses wherein the cushion apparatus (10) comprises an elongated hollow body member (11) having an enlarged head portion (12) and a downwardly depending reduced dimension wedge element (13), wherein the wedge element (13) is dimensioned to rest on the bridge (21) of the users ears (20) to provide vertical support to the eyeglass temple pieces (100).

TECHNICAL FIELD 
This invention relates generally to cushioning apparatus for eyeglasses and 
more specifically to an eyeglass earpiece cushioning device. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
This invention was the subject matter of Document Disclosure Program 
Registration No. 176265 which was filed in the U.S. Patent and Trademark 
Office on Aug. 26, 1987. 
As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,502,734; 
2,294,840; 3,684,356; and, 3,953,114 the prior art is replete with myriad 
and diverse temple cushioning apparatus. While most of the prior art 
constructions comprise an elongated hollow tubular cushioning element 
having a generally uniform cross-sectional configuration, at least one of 
the prior art constructions involves a cushion element that either 
frictionally grasps the sides and bottom of the eyeglass temple piece 
proximate the hooked end, or has a portion that is received within a 
contoured recess formed in the hooked end of the temple piece. 
While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are considered to 
be adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they were 
developed, these prior art constructions are also uniformly deficient in 
one very important respect in that: they employ extensive surface area 
contact between the bridge of the ear and the sides of the users skull and 
ears; in order to provide the frictional engagement deemed necessary to 
retain the eyeglasses at the desired location on the user's face. 
In addition, when the user is engaged in strenuous activity such as running 
or playing competitive sports the large surface area contact between the 
user's skin and the cushion elements results in abrasions and tenderness 
developing around the user's ears. Furthermore, since most of the prior 
art constructions rely primarily and simply on the coefficient of friction 
that exists between the cushioning material and the users skin to maintain 
the eyeglasses in place, the lubricating presence of perspiration and/or 
other body oils can reduce that coefficient of friction to the point where 
slippage and/or loss of the eyeglasses may take place during vigorous 
activity. 
Obviously there has existed a long standing need among eyeglass users, and 
others who were concerned with this problem, for an improved eyeglass 
temple cushion construction which would possess superior friction, 
cushioning and retention characteristics over what had formerly been 
available with the previously patented constructions. 
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
The earpiece cushion apparatus that forms the basis of the present 
invention comprises in general: an elongated hollow tubular body member 
having an enlarged head element with a downwardly depending wedge portion. 
The apparatus is fabricated from a soft resilient material having a high 
coefficient of friction such as neoprene or the like; wherein the 
dimensioning and resilience of the body member, head element, and wedge 
portion produce a limited surface area contact on the bridge of the ear, 
while at the same time producing a large surface area contact between the 
sides of the users skull and ears directly above the point of contact with 
the bridge of the ears. 
As will be explained in greater detail further on in the specification the 
material, contour and configuration employed in the development of this 
ear piece cushioning apparatus produce a secure wedging effect which will 
support and immobilize a pair of eyeglasses on a user's head even during 
prolonged durations of strenuous activity.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
As can be seen by reference to the drawings and in particular to FIG. 1, 
the earpiece cushion apparatus for eyeglasses that forms the basis of the 
present invention is designated generally by the reference numeral (10). 
The cushion apparatus (10) comprises in general: a pair of cushion units 
including an elongated hollow body member (11), an enlarged hollow head 
element (12), and a wedge portion (13). The aforementioned structural 
components of each of the cushion units will presently be described in 
seriatim fashion. 
As mentioned earlier on in the specification and depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, 
the cushion apparatus (10) of this invention was specifically developed 
for use on the ear hook portion (101) of the temple pieces (100) of a pair 
of conventional eyeglasses (not shown). 
As can be seen by reference to FIGS. 1, 4, and 5, each of the elongated 
hollow body members (11) is provided with an elongated contoured tapered 
stem aperture (15) which extends completely through both the body member 
(11) and enlarged head element (10) of the apparatus (10). In addition, 
the entire apparatus (10) is fabricated from a soft pliable resilient 
material (50) having a high coefficient of friction, such as neoprene, or 
the like; wherein, the stem apertures (15) are dimensioned and adapted to 
expand to receive and snugly engage the ear hook portion (101) of each of 
the temple pieces (100), in a well recognized manner. 
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 6, the enlarged head portion (12) of each of the 
cushion units are disposed on the inboard ends of the hollow body members 
(11); wherein, the thickness of the enlarged head portion (12) is 
approximately 50% greater than the thickness of the body member (11); 
while the length of the body member (11) is approximately twice as long as 
the length of the enlarged head portion (12). 
Turning now to FIGS. 1 thru 4, it can be appreciated that the wedge element 
(13) of each of the cushion units depends downwardly and constitutes a 
reduced dimension extension of the enlarged head portion (12). As can be 
seen particularly by reference to FIG. 2, the arcuate bottom edge (14) of 
the wedge element (13) provides a limited surface area contact between the 
cushion apparatus (10) and the bridge (21) of the user's ear (20), which 
is depicted in dashed lines; wherein, the curved bottom (14) of the wedge 
element provides the sole source of vertical support for the ear hook 
portion (101) of the temple pieces (100) relative to the bridge (21) of 
the user's ears (20). 
At this juncture it should be appreciated that as shown in FIG. 7, the 
major point of contact between the cushion apparatus (10) and the user's 
ear (20) and skull (22) occurs in the immediate vicinity of the enlarged 
head element (12) and wedge portion (13) of the apparatus (10); wherein, 
the wedge portion (13) is essentially wedged into the narrow crevice on 
the bridge (21) of the ear at the juncture of the bridge (21) and the 
skull (22), and wherein the enlarged head element (12) is resiliently 
compressed between the side of the user's ear (20) and the skull (22). The 
remaining frictional contact between the cushion apparatus (10) and the 
user occurs along the inside surface of the body member (11) which covers 
the trailing end of the ear hook portion (101) of the temple piece (100). 
In addition, as can be seen by reference to FIG. 2 the overall length of 
the cushion apparatus (10) is chosen such that for all practical intents 
and purposes; the presence of the apparatus (10) will not be noticeable 
when viewed from most angles due to the relative size of the apparatus as 
compared to the size of the user's ears (20). 
It should also be appreciated at this juncture that by virtue of the 
dimensioning and configuration of the apparatus (10), only limited surface 
area contact is maintained and required between the user's head and the 
apparatus (10), in order to retain the user's eyeglasses in place on the 
user's head, due to both the compression and the frictional engagement of 
the resilient material (50) of the apparatus (10) and the user's head. 
As can further be appreciated by reference to FIGS. 3 thru 6, the elongated 
tapered stem aperture (15) comprises an enlarged aperture opening (15') in 
the enlarged head portion (12); wherein, the dimension of the stem 
aperture (15) diminishes along the length of the apparatus (10) to a 
relatively small aperture opening (15") at the outboard end of the body 
member (11). 
The reason for the relative difference in the size of the stem aperture 
openings (15')(15") on the opposite ends of the apparatus (10) is not a 
mere matter of choice, but has been specifically chosen to make the 
apparatus foolproof regarding the orientation of the apparatus (10) 
relative to temple piece (100). 
Given the disparity of the relative sizes of the aperture openings 
(15')(15") it will be a relatively simple matter to insert the trailing 
end of the ear hook portion (101) of the temple piece (100) into the 
aperture opening (15') of the enlarged head portion (12) of the apparatus 
(10); while it will be virtually impossible to reverse the insertion of 
the ear hook portion (101) of the temple piece (100) into the aperture 
opening (15") of the body member (11) of the apparatus. 
As a consequence of the foregoing arrangement the apparatus (10) will 
always be oriented with respect to the temple piece (100) as depicted in 
FIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings. 
Having thereby described the subject matter of this invention it should be 
obvious that many substitutions, modifications, and variations of the 
invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore to 
be understood that the invention as taught and described herein, is only 
to be limited to the extent of the breadth and scope of the appended 
claims.