Eyewear with detachable temples

An eyewear with detachable temples includes a front frame, a detachable hinge, and temples extending rearwardly from opposing sides of the front frame. The detachable hinge includes a receiving mount attached to opposing sides of the front frame, a pin housing attached to the temples, and a pin within the pin housing that can be removably connected to the receiving mounts.

FIELD OF TECHNOLOGY

This disclosure relates generally to the field of eyewear and more specifically to eyewear having detachable temples.

BACKGROUND

Eyeglasses typically comprise a front frame for holding a lens and a hinge connecting temples to both sides of the front frame, the temples extending rearwardly over the ears of a user. The temples (also called side pieces, arms or ear stems) of eyeglasses are commonly attached to the frame by an interlocking hinge piece on the temple and frame. The interlocking hinge pieces are held in place by a screw that is inserted through holes in the hinge and serve as a hinge pin. There are many known problems with the interlocking hinge of conventional eyewear including that the threads in which the screw attaches may become stripped or the hinge screw may loosen and fall out. Furthermore, the temples cannot be easily removed from the front frame because of the conventional hinge.

Today, eyeglasses are worn for a wide range of purposes. They can be worn to correct for deficiencies in eyesight, tinted to reduce eye fatigue from the sun, or worn as a fashion accessory. The many needs a of user result in the need to buy, store, and maintain a number of eyeglasses. The cost, storage, and maintenance requirements to maintain the desired range of eyeglasses may become prohibitive.

What is needed is an eyewear which provides a method of quickly and easily changing the appearance or function of the eyewear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide an eyewear having a detachable hinge that allows the temples to be quickly and easily removed from the front frame of the eyewear.

To this end, the invention proposes an eyewear that comprises a front frame with a temple extending rearwardly from both sides of the frame. The temple is attached to the front frame by a detachable hinge that comprises a pin, a pin housing, and a receiving mount.

In one embodiment, an eyewear includes a front frame having a receiving mount on a left side and a right side of the front frame. A pair of temples are connectable to the receiving mount on the left side and the right side of the front frame and each temple of the pair of temples has a pin housing. A pin within the pin housing that can be removably connected to the receiving mount on the left side and the right side of the front frame.

In another embodiment, an eyewear includes a front frame with a receiving mount on opposing sides of the front frame, the receiving mount having an upper arm with an aperture and a lower arm with an aperture. The eyewear also includes a pair of temples each having a pin housing, the pin housing having a hollow cylindrical member with an open upper end, an open lower end, and an orifice that extends downwardly from the open upper end towards the lower end of the cylindrical member. A pin is removably positioned within the hollow cylindrical member of the pin house and has a hollow cylindrical outer member that is open at a upper end and a lower end and an inner member within the outer member that has an upper head extending from the upper end of the outer member and a lower head extending from the lower end of the outer member, the upper head and lower head of the inner member connected to each other by a coil spring. A knob can be attached to the upper head of the inner member of the pin that extends through an aperture on the outer member of the pin and the orifice of the pin housing. The receiving mount and the pin housing can be pivotably connected by applying pressure to the knob to retract the upper head of the pin and inserting the lower head of the pin within the aperture on the lower arm of the receiving mount and removing the pressure on the knob to spring the upper head of the pin into the aperture on the upper arm of the receiving mount.

In yet another embodiment, a detachable hinge for an eyewear includes a receiving mount having an upper arm with an aperture and a lower arm with an aperture. A pin housing has a hollow cylindrical member with an open upper end and an open lower end and an orifice that extends downwardly from the open upper end towards the lower end of the cylindrical member. A pin is removably positioned within the hollow cylindrical member of the pin housing and has a hollow cylindrical outer member that is open at a upper end and a lower end and an inner member within the outer member having an upper head that extends from the upper end of the outer member and a lower head that extends from the lower end of the outer member, the upper head and lower head of the inner member connected to each other by a coil spring. A knob is attached to the upper head of the inner member of the pin and extends through an aperture on the outer member of the pin and the orifice of the pin housing. The receiving mount and the pin housing can be pivotably connected by applying pressure to the knob to retract the upper head of the pin and inserting the lower head of the pin within the aperture on the lower arm of the receiving mount and removing the pressure on the knob to spring the upper head of the pin into the aperture on the upper arm of the receiving mount.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Disclosed is an apparatus for an eyewear with detachable temples. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.

As shown inFIG. 1, a detachable hinge is comprised of a pin2, a pin housing14, and a receiving mount26. The pin2is comprised of two tubular members, an interior member4and an outer member6. The outer member6is hollow and open at both ends and the interior member4is fitted within the hollow tube of the outer member6and can move within the outer member6. The interior member4has an upper head12, a lower head13, and a coil spring that connects the upper head12and lower head13together, making the pin2spring loaded. The upper head12and the lower head13extend from the open ends of the outer member6and can be retracted into the outer member6of the pin2independently of each other by applying pressure to the heads. A knob8may be attached to the upper head12of the interior member4and extend through an aperture10in the outer member6. When pressure is applied to the knob8the knob can move downwardly and the coil spring of the interior member4is depressed. The coil spring will immediately spring back when pressure is removed from the knob8causing the upper head12of the interior member4to spring back to its original position. The knob8may be moved within the aperture10to retract the upper head12of the interior member4manually by a user. Although not shown, a knob could also be attached to the lower head of the interior member4. Alternatively, the knob8may be moved downward when pressure is applied and then remain in a locked downward position until pressure is applied in the opposite direction. The knob8may be any size or shape that would allow a user to apply the necessary pressure to retract the upper head12of the interior member4. The aperture10is sized appropriately to allow the knob8to be moved the necessary distance to retract the upper head12of the interior member4. Both the upper head12and the lower head13of the interior member4may also be retracted by applying pressure to the upper or lower heads themselves and spring back to an extended position when pressure is removed. Alternatively, the knob may be capable of retracting both the upper head12and lower head13of the interior member4through a singular movement of the knob.

The pin2can slide into and be held in place by a pin housing14. The pin housing14is attached to the interior end52of the eyewear temple, as shown inFIG. 4. The pin housing14may be attached to the temple with adhesive, screws, or any other attachment means known in the art. As shown inFIG. 1, the pin housing has two attachment rods15a,15bthat extend from a main body17of the pin housing14. The attachment rods can be adhered in two correspondingly sized apertures on the interior end of the temple to attach the pin housing14to the temple. Alternatively, the pin housing14may be intrinsic to the temple and be machined directly into the interior end of the temple.

The pin housing14has the main body17and a holding portion16that is generally a hollow cylindrical member shaped and sized to fit the pin2vertically within the holding portion16, as shown inFIG. 2. The holding portion16has a top end18and a bottom end20that are indented from the top and bottom ends of the main body to allow the receiving mount to be approximately flush with the main body of the pin housing14when connected, as shown inFIG. 2. The holding portion16is open at the top end18and the bottom end20to allow the pin2to be slid into the top end of the holding portion16and protrude from both the top end18and the bottom end20of the holding portion16. An upper orifice22extends downwardly from the open top end18of the holding portion16towards the bottom end of the holding portion but ending before the bottom end. The upper orifice22allows the knob8of the pin2to protrude from the upper orifice22and allow an eyewear user to move the knob8as necessary. A lower orifice24may extend upwardly from the bottom end20of the holding portion16towards the upper orifice18but ending before the upper orifice22. The lower orifice24may allow a user to view the pin2and make removal of the temple from the front frame easier.

The receiving mount26is attached to the front frame. It may be attached to the side wall or the posterior side of the front frame40. As shown inFIG. 4, the receiving mount is attached on the posterior side42of the front frame at the position where the temple pieces will extend rearwardly from the front frame. The receiving mount26may be attached to the front frame with adhesive, screws, or any other attachment means known in the art. As shown inFIG. 1, the receiving mount26has two attachment rods28a,28bthat extend from the receiving mount. The attachment rods can be adhered in two correspondingly sized apertures on the front frame to attach the receiving mount26to the front frame. Alternatively, the receiving mount26may be intrinsic to the front frame and be machined directly into the receiving mount26.

The receiving mount26has an upper arm30and a lower arm32, each arm with an aperture34a,34bsized to receive the upper head12and lower head13of the interior member4, respectively. As shown inFIG. 3, a groove36may extend from a back end38of the upper arm30to the aperture34aand from the back end39of the lower arm32to aperture34b. The groove36may be deeper at the back end38,39and get gradually narrower towards the apertures34a,34b. The groove36allows the pin2to be more easily moved into the apertures34a,34bby pushing the pin2through the groove36starting at the back end of the arm and gradually retracting the upper head12and the lower head13of the interior member4until the upper head12and the lower head12reach apertures34a,34band engage with the apertures, locking the upper head12and lower head13in place. Alternatively, the upper arm30and lower arm32have a uniform width and do not have a groove. In this case, the upper end12and lower end13of the interior member4need to be manually retracted by using pressure or the knob8in order to insert the pin2into the apertures34a,34bof the receiving mount26. The interior member4may be in a fully extended position when within the apertures34a,34bof the receiving mount26. The pin2is able to rotate within the apertures34a,34b, creating the hinge motion of the temples to the front frame.

The pin2, pin housing14, and receiving mount26can be made out of any material that is capable of being molded or machined, including but not limited to plastic, metal, or an alloy.

FIG. 4shows the detachable hinge attached to an eyewear. The eyewear includes a front frame40, a detachable hinge, and a pair of temples44,46. Temple44is attached to the front frame40by the detachable hinge and temple46is disconnected from the front frame40at the detachable hinge. The receiving mount26is attached to a posterior side42of the front frame40. Generally, the side wall48of the front frame40and the side wall50of the receiving mount26are lined up evenly with each other. The pin housing14is attached to the temple46at the interior side52of the temple46. The pin2is within the holding portion of the pin housing14. The temple46can be removably connected to the front frame40by applying pressure to retract the upper head and lower head of the pin2and moving the holding portion16between the upper arm and lower arm of the receiving mount26until the upper head and lower head of the pin2engage with the apertures on the receiving mount26. The pressure to retract the upper head and lower head of the pin2can be applied manually by a user or by the groove36in the receiving mount26. The groove36will gradually retract the upper head and lower head of the pin2until the heads of the pin engage with the apertures on the receiving mount26and the holding portion of the pin housing14is between the upper arm and lower arm of the receiving mount26.

If a user desires to remove or exchange the temple46from the front frame40this can be accomplished using the detachable hinge. The temple46can be removed from the front frame when the temple46is in a generally perpendicular position to the front frame40. A user may apply pressure to the knob of the pin2to release the upper head of the pin2from the aperture in the upper arm of the receiving mount26. The temple46can be moved backwardly and downwardly to pull the upper head from the upper arm of the receiving mount26. The lower head of the pin2can then be released from the aperture in the lower arm of the receiving mount26and the temple46can be further pulled backwardly to release the holding portion of the pin housing14from the receiving mount26. The pin2and the pin housing14will remain connected and attached to the removed temple46. Once removed, the pin2may be removed from the pin housing14for storage or inserted into a pin housing14attached to a different temple for reattachment to the front frame40.

As shown inFIGS. 5 and 6, the pin2creates a pivot axis and is able to rotate or pivot within the apertures of the receiving mount26, creating the eyewear hinge. When the eyewear is worn by a user the temple44extends rearwardly from the front frame40in a generally perpendicular position. For storage the temple44can be rotated to a position adjacent to the front frame40about the pivot axis. In the use configuration, when the temple is generally perpendicular to the front frame, a user has access to the knob8of the pin2, however when in a folded configuration the knob8is not accessible to a user.

In an alternative embodiment the pin2and the pin housing14are combined into a single unit attached to a temple that is capable of being inserted in and removed from the receiving mount26.

Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments.

Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.