EYEGLASS POCKET CLIP AND METHOD

Abstract: A clip (2) is integrally formed with or attached to each temple piece (13) of a pair of eyeglasses (1), to hold the eyeglasses to a garment, such as a pocket of a shirt or a belt. The clip may be molded of thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate or polyvinylchloride in a variety of colors to match eyeglass temple pieces such as black or brown. In addition, these clips can also be finished in a metallic tone such as gold or silver through a well known process used in packaging for cosmetics. These latter clips would closely match the temple pieces of gold or silver frames.

Description: EYEGLASS POCKET CLIP AND METHOD FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to eyeglass clip accessories for attaching eyeglass frames to garments, such as shirt pockets or belts and methods of assembling same. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION While some people wear glasses constantly, others wear them only intermittently or change from clear to tinted glasses depending on the ambient light conditions. It is desirable to have a clip attached to a temple bar of the glasses to engage the edge of a garment, such as a shirt pocket or belt, thereby preventing the folded glasses from falling out when bending over. Many attempts at the ideal design and method of this clip have been made over the years. Some involve modification of the temple bar or permanent attachment of the clip to the temple bar at the time of manufacture. Other attachable clips are cumbersome to mount, alter the appearance of the glasses substantially, involve expensive manufacture, provide non rigid attachment, or are conformable to a limited range of temple piece cross sections. Among the prior art patents include U.S. Patent no. 1,779,015 of Schmitt, which teaches temple clips that are either molded as one piece with the temple bar or attached by riveting or by a clamp form fit to the temple bar cross section. U.S. Patent no. 1,898,059 of McDonald discloses a temple clip attached with a split barrel clamp and retained with a set screw. With respect to removable retrofit clips for eyeglass temple bars, U.S. Patent no. 4,903,375 of DiFranco describes an inexpensive plastic clip which simply attaches to a variety of temple pieces through the use of two rubber "o" rings. This retrofit system of DiFranco "375 is not a rigid attachment however. Furthermore, U.S. Patent no. 5,235,727 of McCloskey teaches several embodiments of an attachable pocket clip made of an elastically deformable material, such as a U-shaped spring steel clasp. Like DiFranco "375, McCloskey "727 does not teach a rigid attachment, and its U-shaped embodiment does not provide a secure fit. Different designs are used for different temple piece cross sections. For example, McDonald "059 teaches attaching a retrofit clip to an eyeglass temple bar piece by an artificial, extra attachment member, such as a sleeve attached to the clip which slides over the temple bar piece. In addition, in Schmitt "015 the clip is attached either by rivets, or by an internal wire extending all the way through the temple bar piece and clip. Whenever there is an external piece such as the sleeve of McDonald "059 or the rivet of Schmitt "015, there is usually a protruding element which could scratch the wearer's skin or eyes. In addition, the longitudinally extending wire piece of Schmitt is difficult to manufacture, as the wire has to be imbedded within the temple bar piece. Moreover, U.S. Patent nos. 4,316,654 and 4,496,224, both of Allen, teach eyeglass frames with pocket clips where the frames themselves are manufactured with pocket clips attached to the rims of eyeglass lenses. U.S. Patent no. 5,414,906 of Kren discloses an eyeglass storage clip attached to a temple piece with a dual barrel design. It consists of several parts and uses spring clips to attach to a garment or pocket. The disadvantages of the prior art are either that the temple bar pocket clips are difficult to assemble or assemble when the eye glasses are manufactured, as in Schmitt "075, McDonald "059, Allen "654, Allen "224 or Kren "906, or that the retrofit configurations of DiFranco "375 or McCloskey "727 are flimsy and not designed for long term rigid attachments . OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the objects of the present invention are as follows: It is an object of the present invention to provide an integral pocket clip that is conformable to a wide variety of eyeglass temple pieces. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a liquid adhesive attachment method for retrofit attachment of a pocket clip to a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an attachment pocket clip which blends in with the eyeglasses and adds minimal bulk. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a dry adhesive attachment method for retrofit attachment of a pocket clip for a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses. It is also another object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive pocket clip attachment set for retrofitting a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses with a pocket clip that is easy for the user to attach. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a pocket clip specially designed for very narrow metal temple pieces. It is yet a further object of the present invention to improve over the disadvantages of the prior art. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In keeping with these objects and others which may become apparent, the present invention relates to pocket clips which are of the general shape of molded plastic pocket clips commonly used on inexpensive pens. The clip is intended to be molded of thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate or polyvinylchloride in a variety of colors to match eyeglass temple pieces. In addition, these clips can also be finished in a metallic tone. In the preferred embodiment for plastic eyeglass frames, the clip is manufactured and molded integral with the temple bar piece as a one piece unit, to engage the edge of an article of clothing. The pocket clip includes a base having a cantilevered clothing engaging portion extending therefrom. In a further embodiment, the clip is die cast integral with metal temple bars of metal eyeglass frames. Alternatively, the eyeglass frame can be made of a combination of plastic and metal. The eyeglass frame temple bar pieces with integral clips thereon can be made from a weldable or solderable, metallic material that is sufficiently resilient and flexible to withstand torsional forces that are applied to the eyeglass frame, such as described in US patent no. 5,801,806 of DiChiara. According to DiChiara '806, the temple bar pieces with integral clips thereon can be made from a nickel silver, stainless steel, titanium, or from a Monel alloy, such as a nickel silver known as M215 available from Salero Maddalena & Csrl, Solbiate Arno, Italy. The eyeglass frames can be from non-metallic materials, such as plastic, which is sufficiently resilient and durable. The resilient and durable plastics can include thermoplastics, polypropylene, polyethylene or thermosetting polymers, such as those with silicone or metals therein. The one piece temple bar piece with an integral clip can also be made by such processes for making eyeglass frames as described in U.S. patent no. 5,708,489 of Jannard. Jannard •489 discloses a variety of materials can be utilized to produce a eyewear pieces. A variety of metals and alloys, such as chrome molybdenum, chromium, nickel molybdenum, nickel molybdenum and chrome vanadium steel alloys, can be used. Copper, aluminum and silver based alloys can also be used. Preferably, however, according to Jannard '489 lightweight, high strength materials such as titanium a titanium-based alloy or titanium based metal matrix composite such as TI6AL4V, available from Timet Corp., are utilized in constructing the eyeglass frames. In general, any investment castable metal or metal containing material can be used in making the eyeglass frame and integral clip, such as through routine experimentation by one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the disclosure contained herein. For example, machining techniques, casting and forging methods can be used. With respect to casting techniques, metal framed eyewear can be produced utilizing permanent mold castings, dye castings, sand castings, or investment casting techniques, utilizing a ceramic mold. The mold is formed by pouring a slurry of a material such as a known mold forming refractory material around an orbital or eyeglass pattern, which is maintained in position within a flask as is understood in the investment casting art. Following a preliminary drying, the mold is baked in an oven to melt the pattern, thereby leaving an empty mold cavity. The investment mold is thereafter fired at a temperature which is appropriate for the metal to be used, and, while still hot, molten metal is poured into the mold and allowed to solidify. The mold is thereafter broken away from the casting to produce the cast orbital or eyeglass. The cast component may thereafter be subject to post-casting operations such as sanding, polishing, grinding, or otherwise as desired to produce the finished product. In addition to the conventional metals and metal alloys, the eyeglass frame temple bar piece and integral clip can be also made with metal matrix composites, metal-polymer blends and potentially purely polymeric plastic compositions. The eyeglass clip of the present invention compensates for the fact that the cantilevered clip exerts a significant bending moment upon the temple bar piece to which it is attached, due to the high torsional component of a cantilevered piece being subject to twisting and bending stresses when applied to the shirt pocket over time. In the embodiment for an attached clip, slow drying glues such as rubber cement or paper muscilage are not appropriate, since they take a long time to dry and do not have the adhesive strength of the liquid instant adhesive cyanoacrylate used in one embodiment of the present invention. Cyanoacrylate adhesive for attaching a clip was found to be cured in a matter of less than one minute, and it created a strong bond between the plastic clip and the plastic eyeglass frame. The clip was tested repeatedly under different types of thickness' of clothing, such as thin summer shirts or thicker fall and winter shirts, as well as even thicker jacket pockets under different weather conditions, such as hot or cold weather, as well as sunny or stormy, humid weather. It was found that the clip stayed in place under various challenging conditions and that it did not loosen after repeated applications of the eyeglass and clip to a shirt pocket. It was found that the fast, strong bond counteracted any adverse effects of the cantilevered clip exerting a significant bending moment upon the temple bar piece to which it was attached, from the high torsional component of the cantilevered piece being twisted and stressed when the clip held the eyeglass frame to the shirt pocket in a strong bond. In addition, the present invention is done without a protruding member to scratch the skin or eye of the user, such as the rivets of Schmitt or the sleeve of McDonald. This avoids the need for an external piece such as the sleeve of McDonald or the rivet of Schmitt, which could scratch the wearer's skin or eyes. In addition, the present invention does not need a longitudinally extending wire piece such as in Schmitt, which is difficult to manufacture, as the wire has to be imbedded within the temple bar piece. The clip becomes an integral part of the eyeglass frame and will not slip, detach or loosen as the non-fixed McDonald design will. The clip of the present invention obviates the need to drill holes or otherwise modify the temple bar of the eyeglass frame. Therefore, according to the present invention, a pair of eyeglasses includes a pocket clip which is integral with a temple bar piece, or is strongly attached to one of its temple pieces, by adhesive or the like. An alternate embodiment includes a clip including a slot for insertion of an adhesive band therethrough. Furthermore, in another embodiment, instead of a cantilevered clip, the clip may be a gripper clip, such as a spring loaded alligator clip. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present invention can best be understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of eyeglasses with a retrofit pocket clip attached thereto; Figure 2A is a side elevational view of a pocket clip for liquid adhesive attachment to a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses; Figure 2B is a bottom view thereof; Figure 3A is a side elevational view of a pocket clip for dry adhesive attachment, to a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses; Figure 3B is a bottom view thereof; Figure 4 is a top plan view of die-cut double sided high bond tape, used with a dry adhesive attachment embodiment for a pocket clip for a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses; Figure 5 is a top plan view of a transparent high bond tape member with a release liner, used with the dry adhesive attachment embodiment as in Figure 4 ; Figure 6 is an isometric exploded view showing a dry adhesive attachment method for the pocket clip as in Figures 3A and 3B herein; Figure 7 is an end view of a retrofit pocket clip with the temple piece shown in cross section; Figure 8 is an end view, a first alternate embodiment of a retrofit pocket clip, with the temple piece in cross section of clip for narrow metal temple pieces shown mounted with a dry adhesive; Figure 9 is a side elevational view of a second alternate embodiment for a retrofit pocket clip for eyeglasses, with narrow metal temple pieces, wherein a user uses a dry adhesive mounting method; Figure 10 is a side view of a third alternate embodiment for a retrofit pocket clip for eyeglasses with narrow metal temple pieces shown using a liquid adhesive mounting method; Figure 11 is a cross sectional view of the embodiment shown in Figure 10. Figure 12 shows a perspective view of another embodiment for an alligator type attachment clip according to the present invention; Figure 13 shows a cross-sectional view of the attachment system according to the present invention along the line 13 - 13 of Figure 12; and, Figure 14 shows a closeup perspective detail view of the clip as in Figure 12, shown in an open position according to the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS As shown in Figure 1, pocket clip 2 of the present invention is of the general shape of the type of molded plastic pocket clips commonly used on inexpensive writing pens. Pocket clip 2 is intended to be molded of thermoplastic resins such as polycarbonate or polyvinylchloride in a variety of colors to match the color of eyeglass temple piece 3, such as black or brown. In addition, clip 2 can also be finished in a metallic tone such as gold or silver through a well known process used in packaging for cosmetics. Such latter clip 2 can closely match color of temple piece 3 of frame 1 of gold or silver. Structurally, pocket clip 2 includes base portion 2a having shirt pocket engaging portion 2b cantilevered from base portion 2a. In the preferred embodiment for plastic eyeglass frames, the clip 2 is manufactured and molded integral with the temple bar piece 3 as a one piece unit. As shown in Figure 1, clip 2 is manufactured and molded integral with temple bar piece 3 as a one piece unit, to engage the edge of an article of clothing. Clip 2 includes a base 2a attached to temple bar piece 3 and has a cantilevered clothing engaging portion 2b extending therefrom. As noted previously in the Summary of the Invention herein, eyeglass frame 1 with temple bar 2 having clip 2 integral thereto may be molded from plastic for plastic eyeglass frames or may be die cast integral with a metal temple bar 3 for metal eyeglass frames. Alternatively in another embodiment, frame 1 of a pair of eyeglasses may have pocket clip 2 which has been attached to one temple piece 3 of the pair of temple pieces of frame 1. For example pocket clip 2 may be alternatively attached to temple piece 3 using a small drop of liquid instant adhesive, such as cyanoacrylate, at mounting surface 5 thereof. Clip 2 is conformable to a wide variety of temple pieces, even quite narrow metallic ones. This alternate attachment method involves the use of a liquid adhesive that the buyer may not have. In addition, the adhesive has limited shelf life, and the user must be familiar with its tendency to "glue fingers together". Another embodiment shown in Figure 3 uses a combination of dry adhesives (i.e.- tapes) to accomplish the attachment of pocket clip 10 to temper bar 3. This also facilitates the packaging of the clip with the attachment materials as an inexpensive complete retrofit kit, since it would be more expensive to package clip 2 of Figure 2 with liquid adhesive. Clip 10 of Figure 3 is also a molded clip of a similar shape to that of clip 2, but clip 10 it has larger base area 11 for mounting clip 10 upon temple bar 3. Clip 10 also includes slot 12 to accept some high bond transparent tape strip 16. Clip 10 also includes cantilevered shirt pocket engaging portion 10a By using a combination of dry adhesive types, the best features of each is used to accomplish a rigid permanent bond. Figure 4 shows a top view of double sided tape strip 15, which is a die cut piece of double sided high-bond tape with release liners on both top and bottom surfaces. Double sided tape strip 15 is cut to the exact size of mounting surface 11 of clip 10. As shown in Figure 5, also included in the kit is a short piece of high bond single-sided transparent strip tape 16, having a release liner. Both types of dry adhesive tape strips 15,16 are made by 3-M Company, and single-sided transparent tape strip 16 is marketed as "3-M Super Bond" tape. This further alternate attachment method for attaching pocket clip 10 to temple bar 3 involves the following simple steps: 1. One release liner is detached from die cut double sided tape strip 15. 2. Double sided strip 15 is attached to mounting surface 11 of clip 10. 3. The other release liner is removed from double sided tape strip 15 and pocket clip 10 is attached to temple bar 3. 4. The release liner is removed from single sided transparent tape strip 16. 5. Single sided transparent tape strip 16 is placed in slot 12 of clip 10 with the adhesive face down. 6. Single sided transparent tape strip 16 is then tightly wound around temple bar 3 and trimmed appropriately. Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the relative position of the various components during the process just described. Figure 7 shows an end view in partial cross section of pocket clip 10 attached to temple bar 3, with double sided tape strip 15 located between pocket clip 10 and temple bar 3. Single sided transparent tape strip 16 ends up wound around temple bar 3 but is shown away from temple bar 3 for clarity. By using double sided tape strip 15, pocket clip 10 is resistant to shear forces, but the peel strength is not very high. To compensate for this disadvantage of double sided tape strip 15, transparent tape strip 16 has very good tensile strength, which prevents pocket clip 10 from being peeled off temple bar 3. However, single sided tape strip 16 does not resist shear forces or twisting very well. Therefore, the combination of both tape strips 15,16 provides a rigid permanent attachment. Furthermore, the use of slot 12 for insertion of single sided tape 16 insures a neat appearance with an unbroken top surface on pocket clip 10. While pocket clip 10 of the last embodiment shown in Figures 3-7, will attach well to very narrow metal temple pieces, a special further embodiment for these types which attach even more aggressively is shown in Figures 8 and 9. Therefore, Figures 8 and 9 show two different views of such further embodiment of pocket clip 20. Pocket clip 20 is slightly narrower than pocket clip 10 and pocket clip 20 has two downwardly extending skirts 24, which skirts 24 form a groove that accepts narrow metal temple bar 22. In this embodiment shown in Figures 8 and 9, the die cut double sided tape strip 21 is now much narrower and fits inside groove 24a between respective side skirts 24. Thereafter, single sided transparent tape strip 16 is placed in slot 12 as in the previous embodiment shown in Figures 3- 7. The attachment method of Figures 8 and 9 is similar to that of the last embodiment shown in Figure 3-7, using clip pocket 10. Another embodiment for pocket clip 27 is shown in Figure 10. In this embodiment, pocket clip 27 is similar in configuration to pocket clip 20 but pocket clip 27 does not have a slot similar to slot 12. This embodiment of Figure 10 is for liquid adhesive attachment to very narrow metal temple bars. As shown in Figure 11, it should be appreciated that a drop of instant liquid adhesive in groove 29a formed between respective skirts 29 of pocket clip 27 strongly attaches pocket clip 27 to temple bar 22, since the adhesive bonds on three sides to inside surfaces of respective skirts 29 and pocket clip 27. Another further embodiment according to the present invention can be illustrated by Figures 12-14, which depict an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Eyeglass frame 101 includes temple bar piece 103 with alligator clip 102 attached thereto. Alligator clip 102 includes base section 102a and attachment section 102b, which is spring loaded and pivotable about fulcrum 102c by spring 102d. Alligator clip 102 engages with a garment, such as a shirt pocket or belt, so that the garment is tightly gripped by the clip, thereby holding the eyeglasses in place. Figures 13-14 further detail this embodiment. Bottom base section 102a is attached to attachment section 102b, which comprises a top piece. As shown, top piece 102b and bottom piece 102a are interlocked in a enclosed position, by spring 102d, which exerts pressure upon top attachment section 102b when handle lever 102e is depressed. Clip 102 is either attached by an instant liquid adhesive, such as cyanacrylate, or is molded integral with the temple bar piece 103 as a one piece unit. Attachment top piece 102b and bottom base piece 102a become interlocked about fulcrum 102c when they are joined together in the closed position. Interlocking can be achieved via movement of handle 102b may have a flat fabric engaging portion, or to enhance gripping, may include a texturized surface, such as with serrations, ribs, etc. It is further noted that other modifications may be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the present invention, as noted in the appended claims.

Claims: I CLAIM : 1. An eyeglass frame having a lens rim, a pair of lenses, a pair of temple bars for attaching to an article of clothing comprising: a pocket clip member being provided integral with one of said temple bars of said eyeglass frame to engage the edge of the article of clothing, said pocket clip including a base having a cantilevered clothing engaging portion extending therefrom. 2. The eyeglass frame as in Claim 1, wherein said clip and said temple bar comprise plastic. 3. The eyeglass frame as in Claim 1, wherein said clip and said temple bar comprise metal. 4. The eyeglass frame as in Claim 1, wherein said clip and said temple bar comprise metal and plastic. 5. A attachment system for attaching an eyeglass frame having a rim with a pair of glasses and two temple bar pieces, wherein the frame is attached to a piece of fabric, comprising: a closable clip attached to one said temple bar pieces, said clip having a bottom base section and as upper fabric engaging portion pivotable about a fulcrum, said upper fabric engaging portion being urged to a closed position by a spring, wherein said base section is coupled to said fabric engaging attachment section. 6. The attachment system of Claim 5, wherein at least one of said base section and said attachment section is constructed of molded plastic. 7. The attachment system of Claim 5, wherein at least one of said base section and said attachment section is constructed of die-cast metal. 8. The attachment system of Claim 5, wherein said bottom base section and said upper fabric engaging portion interlock in a closed position. 9. The attachment system of Claim 5, wherein said clip comprises an alligator clip. 10. An eyeglass pocket clip accessory, wherein said pocket clip engages the edges of a shirt pocket, said pocket clip accessory comprising: a pocket clip member attachable to a temple bar of the eyeglasses to engage the edge of the shirt pocket, said pocket clip including a base having a cantilevered shirt engaging portion extending therefrom, wherein said pocket clip is attached to one of the temple pieces, by using at least one drop of liquid instant adhesive at a mounting surface thereof. 11. The eyeglass pocket clip accessory as in Claim 10 wherein said adhesive is cyanoacrylate. 12. An eyeglass pocket clip accessory, wherein said pocket clip engages the edges of a shirt pocket, said pocket clip accessory comprising: a pocket clip member attachable to a temple bar of the eyeglasses to engage the edge of the shirt pocket, said pocket clip including a base having a cantilevered shirt engaging portion extending therefrom, wherein said base of said pocket clip includes a slot accepting a strip of single sided adhesive tape, said pocket clip further having a strip of double sided adhesive tape attachable on one side to said base of said pocket clip and in another side to said temple bar. 13. A method of assembling a pocket clip to a temple bar of a pair of eyeglasses comprising the steps of: detaching a one release liner from said strip of double sided tape, attaching said double sided tape to a base surface of said pocket clip, removing another release liner from said strip of double sided tape and, attaching said clip to said temple bar, removing a release liner from said single sided tape strip, placing said single sided tape inside slot of said clip with the adhesive face down, winding distal ends of said double sided tape around temple piece and trimmed appropriately. 14. An eyeglass pocket accessory, wherein said pocket clip engages the edges of a skirt pocket, said pocket clip comprising: a pocket clip member attachable to a temple bar of the eyeglasses to engage the edge of the shirt pocket, said pocket clip including a cantilevered shirt engaging portion extending from a base portion, said base portion having a slot for inserting of a single side adhesive tape strip therethrough, said base attached able to the temple bar by a double sided adhesive tape strip, said base portion of said clip further having two downwardly extending side skirts which said downwardly extending side skirts form a groove that accepts the temple bar therein, said double sided adhesive tape strip also fitting inside said groove between said downwardly extending side skirts, said single sided adhesive tape strip having distal portions engagable around an outside of said temple bar.

Inventors: MCCORMICK WILLIAM, MCCORMICK, WILLIAM
Applicants: OPTI GRIP INC, OPTI-GRIP, INC.
Application year: 1999
Main classification: G02C5
IPC codes: G02C3, G02C11