Eyeglass holder and associated use thereof

An eyeglass holder is removably affixed to vertical and horizontal support surfaces. Such an eyeglass holder includes a rigid container suitably sized and shaped for removably receiving an existing eyeglass therein. The container has an exterior surface provided with a curvilinear outer region and a linear outer region contiguously mated with the curvilinear outer region. Notably, a portable fastener is removably affixed to the linear outer region of the exterior surface of the container.

Not Applicable.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

Not Applicable.

BACKGROUND

Technical Field

Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure relate to eyeglass holders and, more particularly, to a mountable, secure eyeglass holder that is easily applied to—and removed from—vertical or horizontal surfaces, such as a wall, a table, a desk, a vehicle dashboard, etc.

Prior Art

Every day, an astonishing number of Americans depend on corrective lenses to help them see well enough to complete their daily tasks. To improve their vision, these consumers are prescribed corrective eyewear, from practically invisible contact lenses to the more common external eyeglasses. In addition, many sight challenged individuals are very sensitive to bright sunlight, and don darkened, light-filtering sunglasses as a protective measure. Not limited to those with vision problems, sunglasses are quite ubiquitous. Whether as a means of blocking the sun or to express a fashion statement, sunglasses serve both a practical and aesthetic purpose for both the visually impaired and those with perfect sight.

While prescription glasses are necessary and sunglasses are convenient, use of these protective lenses is not without a drawback. Particularly, keeping up with a pair of eyeglasses or shades can be quite a challenge on hectic and busy days. Most bespectacled consumers remove their eyewear several times during the day, whether it is because they only need them for reading or they simply desire to rest their eyes. Setting the glasses aside, it is very easy for these lens wearers to be distracted by sudden demands of the job and home, and thus forget where they have set their glasses. As a result, a frustrating and time-consuming search can ensue to locate their needed vision enhancers.

In addition, placing glasses on a table top, desk, or similar surface puts them in a precarious position, as these expensive units could be inadvertently knocked to the floor and the lenses scratched, or worse, broken. Sunglasses aficionados face similar obstacles with keeping up with their eyewear. As repeated trips in and out of doors necessitate the frequent removal and replacing of shades, sunglass wearers often find they have misplaced, or left behind, these costly units.

Accordingly, a need remains for versatile eyeglass holder in order to overcome at least one aforementioned shortcoming. The exemplary embodiment(s) satisfy such a need by providing a mountable, secure eyeglass holder that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, versatile in its applications, and designed for being easily applied to—and removed from—vertical or horizontal surfaces, such as a wall, a table, a desk, a vehicle dashboard, etc.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF NON-LIMITING EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

In view of the foregoing background, it is therefore an object of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) to provide an eyeglass holder for being removably affixed to vertical and horizontal support surfaces. These and other objects, features, and advantages of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) are provided by an eyeglass holder including a rigid container suitably sized and shaped for removably receiving an existing eyeglass therein. The container has an exterior surface provided with a curvilinear outer region and a linear outer region contiguously mated with the curvilinear outer region. Notably, a portable fastener is removably affixed to the linear outer region of the exterior surface of the container.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the container includes an open proximal end and a closed distal end axially opposed therefrom. Each of the curvilinear outer region and the linear outer region extends from the open proximal end to the closed distal end.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the curvilinear outer region is disposed along a major circumferential surface area of the exterior surface. Such a curvilinear outer region has a starting edge and a terminating edge spaced therefrom along the exterior surface.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the linear outer region includes a centrally registered longitudinal axis, and first and second linear lateral edges equidistantly spaced from the centrally registered longitudinal axis.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the first and second linear lateral edges are monolithically coupled directly to each of the starting edge and the terminating edge of the curvilinear outer region.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the closed distal end includes an outermost circumferential edge, and an inner planar wall offset from the outermost circumferential edge.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the open proximal end has a first annular shape provided with a first diameter. The closed distal end has a second annular shape provided with a second diameter. Notably, the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the curvilinear outer region is entirely smooth and tapers inwardly from the open proximal end to the closed distal end.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the fastener includes an elongated planar strip having a longitudinal length shorter than a longitudinal length of the linear outer region. Notably, the fastener further has a latitudinal width greater than a latitudinal width of the linear outer region near the closed distal end of the container.

The present disclosure further includes a method of employing an eyeglass holder for being removably affixed to vertical and horizontal support surfaces. Such a method includes the steps of: obtaining an existing eyeglass; and obtaining a rigid container suitably sized and shaped for removably receiving the existing eyeglass therein. Notably, the container has an exterior surface provided with a curvilinear outer region and a linear outer region contiguously mated with the curvilinear outer region.

The method further includes the steps of: providing and removably affixing a portable fastener to the linear outer region of the exterior surface of the container; positioning the existing eyeglasses in the container; and removably affixing the fastener to a support surface.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure so that the following detailed description may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the relevant art(s) may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the figures are not intended to be drawn to any particular scale; nor are the figures intended to illustrate every non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure. The present disclosure is not limited to any particular non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) depicted in the figures nor the shapes, relative sizes or proportions shown in the figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF NON-LIMITING EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT(S) OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) of the present disclosure is shown. The present disclosure may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) set forth herein. Rather, such non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) are provided so that this application will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure to those skilled in the relevant art(s). Like numbers refer to like elements throughout the figures.

The illustrations of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) described herein are intended to provide a general understanding of the structure of the present disclosure. The illustrations are not intended to serve as a complete description of all of the elements and features of the structures, systems and/or methods described herein. Other non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) may be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the relevant art(s) upon reviewing the disclosure. Other non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) may be utilized and derived from the disclosure such that structural, logical substitutions and changes may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. Additionally, the illustrations are merely representational are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.

References in the specification to “one embodiment(s)”, “an embodiment(s)”, “a preferred embodiment(s)”, “an alternative embodiment(s)” and similar phrases mean that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment(s) is included in at least an embodiment(s) of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s). The appearances of the phrase “non-limiting exemplary embodiment” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all meant to refer to the same embodiment(s).

If used herein, “about” means approximately or nearly and in the context of a numerical value or range set forth means±15% of the numerical.

If used herein, “substantially” means largely if not wholly that which is specified but so close that the difference is insignificant.

A non-limiting exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is referred to generally inFIGS. 1-6and is intended to provide a mountable, secure eyeglass holder10that is easily applied to—and removed from—vertical or horizontal surfaces, such as a wall, a table, a desk, a vehicle dashboard, etc. It should be understood that the exemplary embodiment may be used to hold a variety of eyeglasses40, and should not be limited to any particular eyeglass described herein.

The non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) is/are referred to generally inFIGS. 1-6and is/are intended to provide an eyeglass holder10for being removably affixed to vertical and horizontal support surfaces. Such an eyeglass holder10includes a rigid container11suitably sized and shaped for removably receiving an existing eyeglass therein. The container11has an exterior surface12provided with a curvilinear outer region13and a linear outer region14contiguously mated with the curvilinear outer region13. Notably, a portable fastener15is removably affixed to the linear outer region14of the exterior surface12of the container11. Such a portable fastener15advantageously secures container11to a variety of support surfaces and maintains container11at a substantially stable position so that eyeglasses40do not fall out.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the container11includes an open proximal end16and a closed distal end17axially opposed therefrom. Each of the curvilinear outer region13and the linear outer region14extends from the open proximal end16to the closed distal end17. Such a structural configuration ensures the fastener15remains securely affixed to exterior surface12.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the curvilinear outer region13is disposed along a major circumferential surface area of the exterior surface12. Such a curvilinear outer region13has a starting edge18and a terminating edge19spaced therefrom along the exterior surface12. Such edges18,19are linear to ensure a suitable transition is made to linear outer region14.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the linear outer region14includes a centrally registered longitudinal axis20, and first and second linear lateral edges21,22equidistantly spaced from the centrally registered longitudinal axis20. Such lateral edges21,22are linear to ensure a suitable transition is made to edges18,19.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the first and second linear lateral edges21,22are monolithically coupled directly to each of the starting edge18and the terminating edge19of the curvilinear outer region13. The linear configuration of such components ensures the fastener15is supported on a continuous flat and planar surface of linear outer region14.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the closed distal end17includes an outermost circumferential edge24, and an inner planar wall25offset from the outermost circumferential edge24. Such an inner planar wall25is raised and thereby provided a circumferential shoulder41extending along an entire inner diameter of container11.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the open proximal end16has a first annular shape provided with a first diameter27. The closed distal end17has a second annular shape provided with a second diameter29. Notably, the first diameter27is greater than the second diameter29. This tapered shaped provided a suitable configuration for maintaining the eyeglasses40at a substantially stable position inside container11.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the curvilinear outer region13is entirely smooth and tapers inwardly from the open proximal end16to the closed distal end17. Thus, the width of linear outer region14is less than the width thereof near the open proximal end16.

In a non-limiting exemplary embodiment, the fastener15includes an elongated planar strip30having a longitudinal length33shorter than a longitudinal length34of the linear outer region14. Notably, the fastener15further has a uniform latitudinal width37greater than a tapered latitudinal width38of the linear outer region14, near closed distal end17of container11.

The present disclosure further includes a method of employing an eyeglass holder10for being removably affixed to vertical and horizontal support surfaces. Such a method includes the steps of: obtaining an existing eyeglass; and obtaining a rigid container11suitably sized and shaped for removably receiving the existing eyeglass therein. Notably, the container11has an exterior surface12provided with a curvilinear outer region13and a linear outer region14contiguously mated with the curvilinear outer region13.

The method further includes the steps of: providing and removably affixing a portable fastener15to the linear outer region14of the exterior surface12of the container11; positioning the existing eyeglasses40in the container11; and removably affixing the fastener15to a support surface.

Referring toFIGS. 1-6in general, in a non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s), this product is a receptacle for eyewear that is easily adhered to a variety of surfaces, providing a secure focal point that ensures the glasses are always within sight and reach. The eyeglass holder10is presented as a cylindrical container11fashioned from a durable plastic or acrylic material. Measuring approximately four and one-half inches (4.5″) in length and one and one half inches (1½″) in diameter (e.g., an oval shape), the eyeglass holder10may be sized appropriately for virtually any type of lens wear. One end of the receptacle may be enclosed, while the opposite may be open to accept a pair of glasses within the container11.

The holder10may be provided with strong adhesive strips, akin to 3M® COMMAND STRIPS™, which advantageously allows the holder10to be secured to any vertical or horizontal surface, such as a wall, a table, a desk, or a vehicle dashboard, to name just a few of the many possibilities. As such, one need only keep the compact and lightweight eyeglass holder10on the person, whether in a packet, purse, or backpack. Should the user remove the eyeglasses40, he or she may adhere the receptacle to the closest flat surface, and slip the lenses inside. Should the user momentarily forget about the lenses, one glance at where they were sitting may reveal the eyeglass holder10. For personalization as well as improved visibility, this holder10may be made available in an array of striking colors and designs.

A highly versatile product, the eyeglass holder10provides prescription lens, reading, and sunglasses wearers with a convenient and effective means of keeping track of their eyewear. Eliminating the need to fruitlessly search for a pair of glasses or shades during busy days, this handy device allows users to keep their glasses near the person. In this manner, consumers also avoid leaving behind expensive sunglasses or scratching and breaking costly prescription lenses. The clever adhesive configuration allows the lenses to be secured and retrieved in seconds when needed. In addition, the sleek, lightweight construction is conveniently portable.

While non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) has/have been described with respect to certain specific embodiment(s), it will be appreciated that many modifications and changes may be made by those of ordinary skill in the relevant art(s) without departing from the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. It is intended, therefore, by the appended claims to cover all such modifications and changes that fall within the true spirit and scope of the present disclosure. In particular, with respect to the above description, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the non-limiting exemplary embodiment(s) may include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation.