Pair of spectacles with interchangeable lenses

Each lens frame includes a slit at the assembly area of the corresponding temple, delimiting two independent which can be moved apart to widen the lens frame so that a lens can be inserted or removed. Each temple is connected to the corresponding lens frame by a tenon, including a first part connected to the temple, for making a rotating connection between the tenon and temple along the longitudinal axis of the temple, and a second pivotable part engaged between the portions of the lens frame. This second part, has a first dimension that can be in a first angular position of the tenon, in which the two portions, are not separated, and a second dimension in a second angular position of the tenon, in which the two portions are separated sufficiently to widen the lens frame so that the lens can be replaced.

This invention relates to a pair of spectacles with interchangeable lenses.

There are many systems that can be used to replace the lenses in a pair of spectacles, for example to replace prescription lenses with sunglasses, or sunglasses with anti-fog glasses.

However, existing systems are not perfectly satisfactory since they are not very practical to use, not very reliable in their operation, not very aesthetic, and/or expensive to make.

This invention is designed to correct this disadvantage by providing a pair of spectacles with interchangeable lenses that enables fast and easy replacement of the lenses and also reliable support for the lenses in the frame, namely with no risk of the lenses being accidentally released, while maintaining a good visual appearance and being relatively inexpensive to make.

To achieve this, in the pair of spectacles according to the invention,each lens frame includes a slit at the assembly area of the corresponding temple, this slit extending from the inside of the lens frame to the outside and thus delimiting two independent portions of the lens frame, it being possible to move these two portions apart to widen the lens frame so that a lens can be inserted or removed; andeach temple is connected to the corresponding lens frame by means of a tenon, this tenon comprising a first part connected to the temple used to make a rotating connection between the tenon and the temple along the general longitudinal axis of the temple, and a second part engaged between the said portions of the lens frame with the possibility of pivoting, this second part having two dimensions in directions perpendicular to its pivot axis, namely a first dimension that can be in a first angular position of the tenon in which the two portions of the lens frame are not separated, and a second dimension in a second angular position of the tenon in which the two portions of the lens frame are separated sufficiently to widen the lens frame so that the lens can be replaced.

When the pair of spectacles is being worn, each tenon is in said first position and the lens frame supports the lens reliably; when the user wants to replace a lens, he pivots the corresponding temple about the general longitudinal axis of this temple, and pivots the tenon between said first position and said second position; in this second position, said lens portions are separated, so that the lens can be interchanged; once this replacement has been made, the temple is used to bring the tenon back into its normal position, so that the lens frame once again grips the lens and holds it firmly in place.

Advantageously, said second part of the tenon fits into a housing with a shape corresponding to it, defined jointly by said portions of the lens frame, this housing being such that adjacent faces of the two portions of the lens frame are in the immediate vicinity of each other when said second part is in said first position.

The slit delimiting the two lens frame portions is thus hardly visible, such that the visual appearance of the pair of spectacles is pleasing.

Preferably,the tenon comprises at least one projecting portion for example in the form of a collar with in the same direction as the direction of said second dimension of said second part, greater than this second dimension, andsaid portions of the lens frame comprise a housing in which this said projecting portion fits and is retained.

The temple is assembled to the lens frame by separating said portions of the lens frame so that said projecting portion can fit into said housing, and by engaging this projecting portion into this housing. Considering the above mentioned dimensions of this projecting portion and said second part in said second dimension, pivoting of the tenon into said second position does not separate the two lens frame portions sufficiently so that said projecting portion can be extracted from said housing.

It is thus particularly easy and fast to assemble the temple to the lens frame.

Preferably, the tenon and said lens frame portions comprise means of holding the tenon in said first position and/or in said second position.

Advantageously, the tenon and said portions of the lens frame comprise means of limiting pivoting of the tenon between said first and said second positions.

The user can thus easily find these positions.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention to form said support means and/or said limitation means,the tenon comprises a radial pin, andone of the portions of the lens frame comprises two cavities offset from each other at different angles and into which this pin can fit, and a groove portion extending between these cavities inside which the pin can move while the tenon is being pivoted.

The walls of the portion of lens frames delimiting the cavities act as stops that cooperate with the pin to limit pivoting of the tenon between said first and second positions.

FIGS. 1 and 2show a pair of spectacles1, conventionally comprising a frame2and two pivoting temples3.

As shown onFIGS. 1-3, each lens frame4comprises a slit5at the assembly area of the corresponding temple3, this slit5extending from the inside of the lens frame4to the outside, and thus delimiting two independent lens frame portions.

The material from which the frame2is made is slightly deformable elastically, such that the two portions can be separated from each other to widen the lens frame4so that a lens6can be inserted or removed.

The pair of spectacles1also comprises two tenons10used to assemble the temples3to the frame2.

Each tenon10comprises a first part11, a second part12, a collar13and a radial pin14.

The part11has a generally cylindrical shape and is terminated with a portion for assembly to the temple3, through which a hole is drilled through which a hinge pin can be forced about which the temple3pivots between its unfolded and folded positions. The temple3comprises a cavity15into which this assembly portion fits with a rotational connection between the tenon10and the temple3about the general longitudinal axis of this temple3. In the example shown, this rotating connection is made using upper and lower plane faces on said assembly portion and upper and lower plane faces delimiting said cavity15, these corresponding plane faces coming into the immediate proximity of each other when the assembly portion is engaged in the cavity15.

The part12is longitudinally in line with part11and has an oval-shaped cross-section.

The collar13is located between parts11and12. Its diameter is larger than the width of part12and comprises the pin14.

As shown onFIGS. 4 and 6, the two portions of the lens frame4delimit a housing adjusted to the tenon10. However, this housing is such that the tenon10can pivot inside the housing.

FIG. 5shows that the upper portion of the lens frame4at the collar13comprises two cavities20at different angles into which the pin14can fit, and a groove portion21extending between these cavities20, in which the pin14can circulate when the tenon10pivots. As shown inFIG. 5, the cavities20are slightly deeper in the radial direction than the groove21, consequently the two portions of the lens frame4will have to be moved slightly apart, such that there is a “hard point” to be passed to make the pin14pass from a cavity20to the groove21.

Each lens frame4also forms studs25into which an aesthetic finishing ring26fits, at its assembly interface to the corresponding temple3.

A temple3is assembled to the frame2by separating said portions of the lens frame4so that the tenon10will fit into the corresponding housing, and particularly the collar13fits into the housing formed to hold it. The force separating the portions of the lens frame4is then released allowing elastic return so that these portions trap the tenon between them.

During normal use, the pair of spectacles1is as shown onFIG. 2. Each tenon10is then in the position shown inFIGS. 4 and 7, in which the lens frame4reliably holds the lens frame6in position and in which the portions of the lens frame4are immediately adjacent to each other at the slits5, such that these slits5are hardly visible.

When the user wants to replace a lens6, he pivots the corresponding temple3about the general longitudinal axis of this temple, which pivots the tenon10between the position shown onFIGS. 4 and 7and the position shown onFIG. 8; in this second position, said portions of lens frame4are moved apart, so that the lens6can be replaced. This position can be found easily by the pin14fitting into one of the cavities20.

Due to the diameter of the collar13that is larger than width of the part12, pivoting of the tenon10into the position shown onFIG. 8does not move the two portions of the lens frame4far enough apart to enable extraction of the collar13outside the housing into which it fits.

Once the lens6has been replaced, the tenon10returns to its normal position using the temple3, that once again brings the lens frame4into its position to clamp the lens6and hold it firmly in position.

The temple3is stabilised in one of the two possible positions of this temple due to the above-mentioned “hard points” caused by the cavities20being deeper than the groove21.

As is clear from the above, the invention provides a pair of spectacles with interchangeable lenses with important advantages that enable fast and easy replacement of the lenses6on the frame2, in other words with no risk of the lenses being accidentally released, while providing an aesthetic appearance and being relatively inexpensive to make.

Obviously, the invention is not limited to the embodiment described above as an example, but it covers all embodiments covered by the appended claims.