OPTICAL ACCESSORY FOR USE WITH EYE GLASS FRAME

Abstract: There is disclosed an improved optical accessory (10) of the sun shade type for use with a pair of prescription spectacles (12). The accessory (10) includes a bridging assembly (38) having a resiliently flexible wire-like member (46) which cooperates releasably with a brow bar (30) on the spectacles, and allows a finger (42) to releasably cooperate with the bot­ tom of a nose bridge (32) of the spectacles.

Description: The invention relates to an optical accessory for use with an eye glass frame. Optical accessories for use in combination with spectacles exist for a wide variety of reasons. Sunglass accessories, for instance, generally permit optimum use of the spectacles under varying lighting conditions. Other optical accessories provide, for example, eye shielding and vision correcting functions. A number of factors are considered important in constructing such accessories. In this regard, it is desirable to have the optical elements of the accessory positioned in correct superposed relationship to the optical members of the spectacles for proper usage and convenience. In many instances, it is highly desireable to avoid unnecessary movement of the accessory relative to the spectacle frame. Moreover, facilitating quick, easy and reliable mounting and demounting of the accessory are of practical importance. Significantly, it is desirable to have these mounting arrangements as aesthetic as possible. Unaesthetic mounting arrangments, of course, detract appreciably from the commercial appeal of such accessories. Furthermore, in the highly competitive spectacle accessory field need exists to provide the foregoing features as simply, economically and efficiently as possible. Mounting arrangements for releaseably attaching optical accessories to spectacle frames are significant structural features of these accessories. The following are exemplary of prior art optical accessories and their associated releasable mounting arrangements: US Specifications Nos. 1,348,713; 2,580,859; 2,607,919; 2,696,141; 2,949,609; 2,981,956; 3,092,838; 3,238,005; 3,345,121; 3,453,042; 3,555,563; 3,604,013; 3,741,634; 3,890,037; 3,944,346; 3,981,569; 4,012,129; 4,176,921; 4,253,745; 4,322,138; 4,338,004;4,402,577; 4,402,578; and 4,405,214. Known optical accessories exhibit a number of deficiencies in connection with the foregoing enumerated design factors. Moreover, most of such accessories have specially constructed frames to be attached to in order to work effectively. Accordingly, they are not compatable with many kinds of existing frames commercially sold. Furthermore, these specially constructed spectacles often appear unattractive when the accessories are removed therefrom. US-A-4247178 discloses snap-on sunglasses with a pair of posts having slots which extend around a bar of the glasses to which the sunglasses are to be fitted and then engage a separate locking bar. This suffers from the problem of having to provide a separate locking bar with the risk that this will be lost and also with the disadvantage that the sunglasses are difficult to fix to the spectacles. In accordance with the present invention, an optical accessory for use with an eye glass frame having a nose bridge and abutments positioned above and at a distance from the nose bridge, comprises a pair of spaced optical members configured to be positioned in front of the lenses of the eye glass frame and being connected by connection means; abutment engaging means forming a part of said connection means and extending rearwardly from the optical members for firmly engaging the abutments of the eye glass frame and is characterized in that the connection means comprises a rearwardly extending projection positioned below and at a distance from said abutment engaging means and adapted to extend under and rest against said nose bridge of the eye glass, said rearwardly extending projection and said abutment engaging means cooperating to mount securely the accessory to the eye glass frame. The present invention provides an improved optical accessory for use in combination with for example a pair of spectacles. Suitable spectacles may be of the prescription glass type including a pair of optical elements; and an eye glass frame having a pair of lens frames, each mounting one of the optical elements, a nose bridge serving to space the optical elements apart and means for providing an abutment extending above each of the frames. Preferably, the abutment engaging means is adapted to exert downwardly directed force against both frames of the glasses and to urge the projection against the nose bridge of the glasses when the optical members are operably positioned with respect to the optical elements. Some advantages of the present invention and some of the subsidiary features of the invention are, the provision of an improved optical accessory for use in combination with prescription spectacles wherein the accessory is easily attached and detached therefrom; the provision of an improved accessory of the foregoing type having easily releasable securing means which are accurately and securely mounted with respect to the spectacles; and, the provision of an optical accessory of the sun shade type having an improved mounting arrangement which is simple in construction and economical to manufacture. An example of an eye glass frame and an optical accessory according to the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of an example of an optical accessory in combination with a pair of spectacles; Figure 2 is an elevational view showing the optical accessory and the spectacles joined together; Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmented plan view showing the releasable connection between the accessory and the spectacles; and, Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along section lines 4-4 appearing in Figure 3. Reference is now made to the drawings for showing an example of an improved optical accessory 10 of the present invention for use in combination with an eye glass or pair of spectacles 12 such as of the type shown in FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the optical accessory 10 is a sun shade device. As illustrated, the spectacles 12 can be of the prescription glasses type and include prescription lenses 14 which are secured to a frame assembly 16. In this embodiment, the frame assembly 16 is a conventional metallic type including a pair of lens rims or frames 18. The frames 18 are spaced apart from each other and are connected by a central bridging assembly 20. Attached as by temple hinges and lugs, generally indicated at 22, to the outward lateral sides of the frames 18 are conventional temple pieces 24 which have ear tips 25 engageable with the ears of a wearer. Attached to inward lateral sides of the lens frames 18 is a pair of conventional opposing nose pads 26. Reference is again made to the central bridging assembly 20. In this embodiment, it includes a generally horizontally extending brow bar 30 and spaced therefrom in generally parallel relationship a nose bridge 32. As more clearly shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the brow bar 30 is forwardly extending of and upwardly protruding from the frames 18. Opposite ends of the brow bar define abutments 34 which as best shown in FIG. 3 cooperate with the accessory in a manner to be more fully described. Reference is made to again to the sun shade device 10. Included in the sun-shade device 10 is a pair of sun shades 36 which is adapted to protect the eyes from the sun. For connecting the sun shades 36 in spaced apart orientation there is provided a sun shade bridging assembly 38. The bridging assembly 38 is comprised of an integral connecting member 40 having its opposite rim ends riveted to the upper marginal edges of each of the sun shades 36. Central of the connecting member 40 is a downwardly projecting finger 42 having a rearwardly extending projection 44, which as will be described, cooperates with the nose bridge 32 for assisting in attaching the sun shade accessory 10. Rearwardly extending from the frames 18 is a yieldable and resilient wire-like retaining member 46 arranged to resiliently exert the downwardly directed forces against the frames 18 when the sun shades 36 are operatively positioned with respect to the lenses 14. Also, the resilient retaining wire 46 serves to upwardly bias projection 44 on the finger 42 against the bottom of the nose bridge 32. During attachment of the sun shade accessory 10 the retaining member 46 has its distal ends cooperate with the spaced apart abutments 34, such as shown in FIG. 3. This cooperation limits lateral displacement of the accessory 10. In the unstressed condition, the retaining wire 46 and the projection 44 have a dimension less than that existing between the top of the brow bar 30 and the bottom surface of the nose bridge 32. During attachment the resilient retaining wire 46 is flexed downwardly to allow the latching projection 44 to slide over and bear against the nose bridge. In this stressed condition the retaining wire 46 bears down on the frames 18. The projection 44 has a depression arranged to cooperate with the nose bridge 32 so as to facilitate securing of the sun shade accessory 10. The bottom of the finger 42 which extends below the projection 44 serves as a finger gripping portion that allows a user's finger to grasp and remove the accessory 10 by pulling the projection from the nose bridge 32. During this removal the resilient retaining wire 46 flexes to allow such action. Thereafter, the sun shade accessory 10 is lifted so that retaining corners formed by the retaining wire 46 can be lifted from the abutments 34. As more clearly shown in FIG. 3, the retaining wire 46 also bears against the central portion of the back of the brow bar 30. This is a resilient type of engagement that further ensures a snug and firm cooperation between the accessory 10 and the spectacle 12. Although not shown in the drawings, the present invention envisions that the retaining wire can be relatively rigid and the finger resiliently flexible so that it can resiliently engage, in a snap-fit manner, the bottom of the nose bridge. Also, the wire 46 need not contact the central part of the brow bar.

Claims: An optical accessory (10) for use with an eye glass frame (12) having a nose bridge (32) and abutments positioned above and at a distance from the nose bridge, the accessory comprising a pair of spaced optical members (36) configured to be positioned in front of the lenses of the eye glass frame and being connected by connection means (38); abutment engaging means (46) forming a part of said connection means and extending rearwardly from the optical members for firmly engaging the abutments of the eye glass frame, characterized in that the connection means comprises a rearwardly extending projection (44) positioned below and at a distance from said abutment engaging means and adapted to extend under and rest against said nose bridge of the eye glass, said rearwardly extending projection and said abutment engaging means cooperating to mount securely the accessory to the eye glass frame. An optical accessory (10) according to claim 1, wherein the abutment engagement means (46) comprises a wire-like member arranged resiliently to exert a downwardly directed force against the eye glass frame in use. An accessory according to claim 2, wherein the wire-like member is further arranged yieldably to engage a rearwardly facing surface of a brow bar of the eye glass frame in use. An accessory according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the abutment engaging means (46) is adapted to engage oppositely facing edges of the eye glass frame abutments. In combination: an eye glass frame (12) comprising a pair of lens frames (18) for mounting lenses, a nose bridge (32) serving to connect the lens frames in spaced apart relationship, and an abutment (34) on an upper portion of each lens frame; and an accessory according to any of the preceding claims for mounting to the eye glass frame with the rearwardly extending projection (44) extending under and resting against the nose bridge (32) of the eye glass in use, and the abutment engaging means (46) firmly engaging the abutments of the eye glass frame and cooperating with the projection (44) to mount securely the accessory to the eye glass frame. A combination according to claim 5, wherein the abutment engaging means (46) rests against the lens frames immediately adjacent each abutment thereof to exert a downwardly directed force thereagainst. A combination according to claim 5 or claim 6, wherein the eye glass frame (12) comprises a brow bar (30) which defines the abutments (34) and wherein the rearwardly extending projection (44) of the accessory (10) is configured firmly to engage the rearwardly facing surface of the brow bar (30) in use.

Inventors: GAZELEY, ALBERT E.
Applicants: POLAROID CORPORATION
Application year: 1986
Main classification: G02C9
IPC codes: G02C9, G02C7