CLOSING DEVICE FOR GLASSES ORBITS

Abstract: Closing and opening device for metal glasses orbits, composed of a key with a T-shaped head inserted in the first bush and held under pressure by a compression spring located between the key base and the first bush lower side; pressing the key base by means of a screwdriver, the T-shaped head is allowed to pass through the second bush through slot, and position itself in the groove present on the surface by means of a subsequent 90 DEG rotation, after removing the pressure exerted by the screwdriver. The two bushes are kept together thanks to the compression exerted by the spring and will allow to close the orbit and therefore fasten the lens, thanks to their position connected with the orbit opening sides.

Description: DESCRIPTION CLOSING DEVICE FOR GLASSES ORBITS Technical Field The present industrial utility model finds application in the eyeglasses industry: it is an opening and closing device for metal glasses orbits. Background Art The current system used to close or open metal glasses orbits avails itself of a slotted-head or star-slotted head screw. This last one first passes through a bush provided with an unthreaded hole and then it is screwed down into the threaded hole of the subsequent bush. This way it is possible to fasten the two bushes, which are positioned in connection with the orbit opening, closing it and housing the lens. The above-mentioned system may involve different troubles such as: •The screw comes out while lenses are being assembled or disassembled with consequent loss of time wasted in the search for it; • Damages to the screw and hole thread due to excessive strength exerted during fastening; • Splintering or breaking of the lens due to a hurried screwing, in case the lens is slightly bigger than the orbit which is going to house it; • Undesired coming-out of the lens from the orbit due to the presence of a distance between the two bushes, caused by the screw loosening; • Breaking of the screw both while assembling the lenses and when the customer already uses the glasses. This compels the optician to drill the obstructed hole and tap it again; •The presence on the market of screws provided with different lengths and pitches making it indispensable to look for a screw with adequate features, in case of replacement. Disclosure of Invention Fundamental purpose of the present industrial utility model is to avoid the undesired opening of the orbit housing the lens and offer the optician a practical system, intentionally developed to make assembly and disassembly operations as easy as possible. This will be to everybody's advantage: on one side the final customer is sure that the lens is safely fastened inside the orbit and he can wear his glasses without any problems. On the other side the frame-manufacturing firm is given an innovative, distinctive system also suitable for metal glasses currently present on the market. To this purpose, the present device has been created to replace the current system with threaded screw and to avoid the employment of glues and thread locking wires. It is equipped with a T-shaped head key and a spring. The device is composed of the following 4 parts: 1. Key The key base reproduces the head of a screw, preferably suitable to house the star-shaped point of the screwdriver; the central body is a circular cross section cylinder which together with the key head has the shape of a T; 2. Spring The spring is the element, which characterises the closing system. It is a compression coil spring provided with circular cross section. 3. First bush This element of the device is so called because the key first passes it during assembly. It is a parallelepiped (but it can also be cylindrical or other) equipped on the key access surface with a hole suitable to house the spring and a through slot created between the hole and the surface from which the key comes out of the bush. On this surface, perpendicularly to the through slot axis, an apposite groove is present to house the key head when the device is in opening position (open orbit). The first bush is tied to the orbit body in connection with the opening of the orbit itself. The following picture shows that it is located integral with the lower side of the orbit opening; 4. Second bush This element of the device is so called because the key secondly passes it during assembly. It is a parallelepiped (but it can also be cylindrical or other) provided with a through slot whose dimensions and form are equal to the ones of the first bush through slot so that is possible to adequately put one bush on the other. At this point the two through slot axis are orthogonal between themselves. On the surface from which the key comes out of the bush, perpendicularly to the through slot axis, an apposite groove is present to house the key head when the device is in closing position (closed orbit). The second bush is tied to the orbit body in connection with the opening of the orbit itself. The following example shows that it is located integral with the upper side of the orbit opening. To assemble the device, put the spring around the key central body, push the base of the key so that the T-shaped head passes through the first bush hole, rotate the key 90° and push again so that the key head also comes out of the second bush. At this point, rotate the key 90° again and remove the exerted pressure to allow the T-shaped head to fit into the groove created on the surface from which the key comes out of the second bush. Thanks to the compression spring, the two bushes are kept together and the orbit closed. Brief description of drawings * Fig. 1 : front view of the key with spring inserted * Fig. 2: side view of the key with spring inserted * Fig. 3: top view of the key with spring inserted * Fig. 4: front view of the second bush * Fig. 5: top view of the second bush * Fig. 6: bottom view of the second bush * Fig. 7: front view of the first bush * Fig. 8: top view of the first bush * Fig. 9: bottom view of the first bush * Fig. 10: front view of the device in opening position (with the T- shaped head firmly housed inside the first bush groove thanks to the pressure exerted by the spring) * Fig. 11 : front view of the device in closing position (with the T-shaped head firmly housed inside the second bush thanks to a higher pressure exerted by the spring) * Fig. 12: two examples of the device in closing position, in two different positions with reference to the glasses orbit. Best mode for carrying out the invention To better show the features of this closing device according to the present innovation, here under an example is reported to show in detail how the device has been realised, with reference to the above mentioned schematic drawings. According to the present innovation, the device is very simple and works as follows: TO OPEN THE ORBIT Operations required beginning from assembled device, that is to say closed orbit: • Push the key base to remove the T-shaped head from the groove present on the second bush surface (a); • Rotate the key 90° with reference to the axis of the housing groove present on the surface (a); • Remove pressure from the key base, making this way the T-shaped head pass through the second bush through slot, with subsequent positioning (without further rotation) of the head itself inside the groove present on the first bush surface (b). Once this operation has been completed the orbit is open and the key head is firmly held by the pressure exerted by the spring, inside the groove present on the first bush surface (b), preventing it from falling. In case a complete disassembly of the device is necessary in addition to the above-mentioned operations, exert a light pressure on the key base to remove the T-shaped head from the groove on the first bush pressure. Then rotate the key 90° to withdraw the key itself out of the first bush. At this point the spring itself could be easily slipped off the key T-shaped head, as its dimensions allow it. It can be noticed that the groove present on the first bush surface (b) and the slot passing through the second bush are in axis, whereas the through slot axes, respectively through the two bushes, are orthogonal. TO CLOSE THE ORBIT Operations required beginning from the device according to the instructions reported in fig. 10, that is to say open orbit: • Push the key base to remove the T-shaped head from the groove present on the first bush surface (b); • Rotate the key 90° with reference to the axis of second bush through slot; • Remove pressure from the key base, making this way the T-shaped head position inside the groove present on the second bush surface (a). Once this operation has been completed the key head is firm and safe thanks to the pressure exerted by the spring. The role of the spring is therefore fundamental as it firmly holds the key in the two positions, respectively opening and closing (that is to say orbit opening and closing) and it is possible to completely dismantle the device itself, and replace pieces in case of necessity. It is clear that possible changes can be made to the present innovation, which go beyond the above-mentioned examples. According to the innovation, the device is to the final customer's and to the optician's advantage for the reasons we have already mentioned and becomes a distinguishing mark on the market for the glass manufacturer, who employs it. Finally, thanks to its remarkable structural easiness, it can be manufactured with low expenses.

Claims: CLAIMS 1)Device to open and close metal glasses orbits (housing the lens) suitable also for frames already present on the market, characterised by the presence of a spring firmly holding the device itself in the two working positions (open and closed orbit). 2)Device as per 1 , characterised by the presence of a T-shaped head key. 3)Device as per 1 and 2 characterised by the fact that such T-shaped head key is provided with a base suitable to house the screwdriver point (star- shaped, slot-shaped, etc.) 4)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the presence of a coil compression spring, around the key central cylinder body, working in both operating positions of the device itself (closed and open orbit). 5)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the presence of a bush, which the key first passes through during assembly (first bush). 6)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the bush is provided with a hole to house the spring while closing the device (closed orbit). 7)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the above-mentioned first bush is equipped with a through slot whose dimensions and shape are suitable to allow the key head to pass. 8)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the first bush is provided with a groove on the surface from which the key head comes out, whose axis is orthogonal to the through slot one. 9)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the presence of a bush, which the key head secondly passes through during assembly (second bush). 10)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that this second bush is provided with a through slot whose dimensions and shape are suitable to allow the key head to pass. 11)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that the second bush is provided with a groove on the surface from which the key head comes out, whose axis is orthogonal to the through slot one. 12)Device according to the preceding claims, characterised by the fact that it can be completely dismantled, allowing this way the replacement of components.

Inventors: PRESTINARI FABRIZIO, PRESTINARI, FABRIZIO
Applicants: PRESTINARI FABRIZIO, PRESTINARI, FABRIZIO
Application year: 1998
Main classification: G02C1
IPC codes: G02C1