Eyeglass frames with reinforcing tubes

A reinforced eyeglass frame assembly having a frame front and temple members, a pair of hinge members pivotally coupling the temple members to the frame front between open and closed positions, and a pair of reinforcing tubes slidably coupled to the temple members. When the temple members are in their closed positions, the reinforcing tubes are located in their first positions spaced from the hinge members allowing for free pivotal movement of the temple members. When the temple members are pivoted to their open positions, the reinforcing tubes are moved to their second positions surrounding the hinge members and locking them against pivotal movement. The tubes and hinge members are sized so that the tubes frictionally engage a part of the frame front and the hinge members, when in their second positions, to retain the tubes over the hinge members. The reinforcing tubes are preferably formed of a polymeric material, such as polycarbonate, that is stronger and stiffer than the polymeric material forming the frame front and temple members, such as cellulose acetate.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to eyeglass frames with 
reinforcing tubes. More specifically, the invention relates to safety 
glasses made, for example, of cellulose acetate having reinforcing tubes 
made, for example, of polycarbonate, which are slidably coupled to the 
temple members for reinforcing their hinges. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Typically, standard optical frame materials used throughout the world for 
safety glasses are cellulose acetate, propionate, nylon and buterate, 
which are structurally weak and deformable. These safety glasses have a 
tendency to break upon impact when the wearer is engaged in various sports 
activities, such as racquetball or basketball. The weakest part of these 
safety glasses is the hinge area. Prior art devices directed to 
reinforcing optical frames are typically bulky, complicated, and 
expensive. Thus, there is a need to reinforce safety glasses in an 
inexpensive and fashionable way. 
This invention addresses this problem in the art, along with other needs 
which will become apparent to those skilled in the art once given this 
disclosure. 
Examples of various prior art devices relating to eyeglass frames including 
reinforcements therefor are disclosed in United Kingdom patent 2,087,094 
to Baldissarutti et al and U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,021,753 to Vinson; 3,846,017 
to Ferrell; 3,762,805 to Lyons, Sr.; 4,222,640 to Bononi; 4,564,272 to 
Rinnooy Kan; 4,408,843 to Bononi; and 4,662,729 to Dobson. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Accordingly, a primary object of the invention is to provide eyeglass 
frames with reinforcing members at the hinge areas. 
Another object of the invention is to provide a frame reinforcing member 
that is inexpensive to manufacture and easily replaced when broken. 
Another object of the invention is to provide tubes for locking the temple 
members of eyeglass frames in their open positions. 
Yet another object of the invention is to provide a reinforcing member that 
is slidably coupled to the temple members of the frames so that the frames 
may be folded when not in use. 
A further object of the invention is to provide reinforced eyeglass frames 
that are simple to make, aesthetically pleasing, and not bulky. 
The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing a reinforced 
eyeglass frame, the combination comprising: a frame front; first and 
second temple members; a first hinge, coupled to the frame front and the 
first temple member, for pivotally coupling the first temple member to the 
frame front between open and closed positions; a second hinge, coupled to 
the frame front and the second temple member, for pivotally coupling the 
second temple member to the frame front between open and closed positions; 
a first reinforcing member, coupled to the first temple member, for 
reinforcing and locking the first hinge in the open position; and a second 
reinforcing member, coupled to the second temple member, for reinforcing 
and locking the second hinge in the open position. 
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become 
apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in 
conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of 
the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 2, the eyeglass frame assembly 10 in accordance with 
the present invention comprises an eyeglass frame 12 and a pair of 
reinforcing members or tubes 14 and 16 slidably coupled thereto. Eyeglass 
frame 12 is made of polymeric material, preferably cellulose acetate, 
propionate, nylon or buterate; while the reinforcing members 14 and 16 are 
made of stronger and stiffer polymeric material, such as polycarbonate, 
preferably of the type sold under the trademark LEXAN. 
The frame 12 includes a frame front 18 having a pair of rims 19 and 21 
adapted to receive lenses 23 and 25 therein and a pair of rearwardly 
extending end posts 20 and 22 integrally attached thereto. In some 
instances, frame front 18 would have only one rim to receive only one lens 
therein or some other mechanism for coupling one or two lenses to the 
frame. 
Since end posts 20 and 22 are mirror images, only end post 20 will be 
discussed in detail. End post 20 as seen in FIG. 4 includes a first 
portion 24 having a rectangular cross section and a second portion 28 
having a rectangular cross section and extending rearwardly from the first 
portion 24 for about 0.475 inch. The first portion 24 is slightly tapered 
rearwardly from the frame front 18 to a transverse width of about 0.29 
inch and a transverse height of about 0.36 inch. The second portion 28 is 
reduced in transverse width and height to about 0.20 inch and 0.30 inch, 
respectively, thereby forming a rearwardly facing, rectangular abutment 
surface 32 between the first and second portions 24 and 28. The abutment 
surface 32 limits the forward movement of reinforcing member 14 along 
temple member 50 and second portion 28. The abutment surface 32 extends 
outwardly about 0.06 inch on the interior side of second portion 28, about 
0.03 inch on the exterior side of second portion 28, and about 0.03 inch 
on both the top and bottom sides of second portion 28. End post 22 as seen 
in FIGS. 1 and 2 includes similar structure comprising a first portion 26, 
a second portion 30 and an abutment surface 34. Abutment surfaces 32 and 
34 are angled inwardly about 15.degree. toward the lenses 23 and 25 in the 
frame front 18 as seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 4 and 6. 
As seen in FIGS. 1 and 4, first and second hinge members 36 and 38 
pivotally couple first and second temple members 50 and 52 to the frame 
front 18. First hinge member 36 is rigidly coupled at one end to end post 
second portion 28 by a set of rivets 40 and 42 and at its other end to 
temple member 50 by rivets 54 and 56. Similarly, second hinge member 38 is 
rigidly coupled at one end to the second portion of end post 22 by rivets 
44 and 46 and at its other end to temple member 52 by rivets 58 and 60. 
The temple members 50 and 52 each include a protruding stop member 62 and 
64 for retaining the reinforcing members 14 and 16 thereon and preventing 
them from inadvertently falling off. 
The reinforcing members 14 and 16 are mirror images, so only reinforcing 
member 14 will be discussed in detail as seen in FIGS. 3 and 5. The 
reinforcing member 14 is a tube having a rectangular cross section with 
four planar walls 80, 82, 84 and 86, a front rectangular face 88 and a 
rear rectangular face 90. Wall 84 is thicker than the other walls 80, 82 
and 86 for additional strength. The front face 88 is angled at about 
15.degree. with respect to the longitudinal axis of the reinforcing member 
14 to flushly abut abutment surface 34 and to limit the forward movement 
of reinforcing member 14 along temple member 50 and second portion 28. A 
bore 92 extends longitudinally through reinforcing member 14 from the 
front face 88 to the rear face 90, and formed by the planar interior 
surfaces 94, 96, 98 and 100 oriented in a rectangular configuration. The 
interior surface of bore 92 slopes inwardly from front face 88 to rear 
face 90 at about 2.degree. to facilitate its removal from its forming 
mold. 
Referring now to FIGS. 4-7, the reinforcing member 14 is shown slidably 
received on temple member 50 to selectively engage second portion 28 on 
end post 20 and hinge member 38. In FIG. 4, reinforcing member 14 is shown 
in its first, or unlocked, position with its rear face 90 abutting against 
stop member 62. In this position, the hinge member 36 can pivot to fold up 
the temple members into a storage or closed position as shown. In this 
first position, the reinforcing member 14 is loosely slidably retained 
about the temple member 50, as seen in FIG. 5. 
As seen in FIGS. 6 and 7, temple member 50 has been pivoted to an open 
position and reinforcing member 14 has been slid along temple member 50 to 
a second, or locking, position to overlie and surround a part of temple 
member 50, hinge member 36 and second portion 28. In this second position, 
the hinge member 36 is locked into its open position with reinforcing 
member 14 frictionally engaged with and retained about second portion 28 
and hinge member 36. The bore 92 of reinforcing member 14 is sized and 
shaped to frictionally engage second portion 28 on end post 20 as seen in 
FIG. 7, and the outwardly protruding portion of hinge member 36 as seen in 
FIG. 6 to retain reinforcing member 14 in its second position. 
The reinforcing member 14 is further retained in its second position 
because of the slight curvature formed by the second portion 28 of end 
post 20 and the temple member 50 across hinge member 36 as seen in FIG. 6. 
This curvature causes temple member 50 to press against interior surface 
100 of reinforcing member 14, thus increasing the frictional forces 
between temple member 50 and reinforcing member 14. 
Reinforcing member 16 is slidably coupled to engage temple member 52 and 
selectively engage second portion 30 on end post 22 and hinge member 38, 
in the same manner as reinforcing member 14, discussed above. 
To replace a broken or damaged reinforcing member 14 or 16, the threaded 
fastener 110 of hinge member 36 or 38 is unthreaded for detaching temple 
member 50 or 52 from frame front 18. A new reinforcing member then can be 
slid over the temple member 50 or 52 and reattached to frame front 18 by 
threaded fastener 110. 
While only one embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it 
will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and 
modifications can be made herein without departing from the scope of the 
invention as defined in the appended claims.