EYEWEAR

Abstract: Eyewear (1) comprising a pair of lenses (2) which are conjoined at a bridge member (4), each lens (2) extending from the bridge member (4) to a lateral head contact portion (6), wherein the lenses (2) are conjoined by biassing means (8) which urges the lateral contact portions (6) of the lenses (2) together.

Description: EYEWEAR The present invention relates to eyewear. Traditional eyewear comprises lenses held in or by a frame. The frame is mounted on the head of the wearer by temple bars, which are supported by the ears of the wearer, and a bridge support which rests upon the bridge of the wearer's nose. However, this traditional eyewear design has certain drawbacks. Firstly, the temple bars impede vision at the point of contact with the lens frames. Also, persistent contact of the temple bars with a wearer' s ears can lead to soreness and irritation. Further, the temple bars need to be maintained in substantially undamaged condition for the eyewear to be correctly positioned and securely worn by the wearer. In this respect, the temple bars are usually required to be foldable to be substantially planar with the lenses to facilitate storage of the eyewear, and prevent damage to the temple bars when the eyewear is not being worn. To be foldable, temple bars are normally hinged to the lens frames, which hinges can snag clothing or painfully catch the skin of the wearer. The present invention seeks to overcome such drawbacks of traditional eyewear design. According to the present invention there is provided eyewear which comprises a pair of lenses which are conjoined at a bridge member, each lens extending from the bridge member to a lateral head contact portion, wherein the lenses are conjoined by biassing means which urges the lateral contact portions of the lenses together. In use, when the bridge member rests upon the bridge of the wearer's nose, the biassing means causes the lateral head contact portions to apply lateral pressure to the head of the wearer. The present invention thus provides eyewear which can be securely worn by the wearer without requiring ear contacting temple bars, and which is self-folding when not being worn, thus facilitating reduction of lens damage. The self-folding mechanism can also provide a means for clipping the eyewear of the present invention to a shirt or trouser pocket, belt, or the like for temporary storage and carriage. The lenses used in the eyewear of the present invention are preferably symmetrical, arcuate and substantially elongate, and preferably narrow from the bridge member towards the lateral head contact portions. The lenses may be formed from any material which is suitable for the fabrication of eyewear lenses, for example polycarbonate or other plastics materials. The lenses may be coated by materials which are conventional in the art, for example by anti-scratch, anti-fog, or UV filter materials. The biassing means preferably comprises a spring which urges the lateral contact portions together. However, any suitable biassing means may be employed, for example biassing means which comprises shape memory material or other resilient material. The biassing force of the biassing means and weight of the lenses are chosen to allow the eyewear to be comfortably and securely worn by the wearer, and to ensure that the eyewear will revert to a folded position iri the absence of external forces . The bridge member preferably comprises a bridge engaging grip which in use rests upon the bridge of a wearer for improved comfort. The bridge member more preferably comprises two bridge engaging grips, for example with one grip attached to the lower part each lens. The bridge engaging grips are preferably preformed to conform with the surface of a bridge, and may be integral with the lenses, for example formed by a moulded profile on the lower part of each lens, or may be detachable from the eyewear to allow replacement thereof. For example, the bridge engaging grips may be releasably attached to the lenses through holes therein. The bridge engaging grips preferably comprise a non-slip bridge engaging surface to facilitate engagement of the grips with the bridge of a wearer. For example, the bridge engaging surface may be ribbed or grooved, or may comprise high friction material, such as a rubber or elastomer, for example neoprene or a silicone elastomer. The lateral head contact portions preferably comprise grips for laterally engaging the head of a wearer of the eyewear of the present invention. As described for the bridge engaging grips hereinabove, the lateral head contact portion grips are preferably preformed to conform with the lateral surfaces of the head of a wearer, and may be integral with the lenses, or may be detachable from the eyewear to allow replacement thereof. For example, the lateral head contact portion grips may be releasably attached to the lenses through holes therein. The lateral head contact portion grips preferably comprise non-slip head engaging surfaces to facilitate engagement of the grips with the head of a wearer. For example, the head engaging surfaces may be ribbed or grooved, may comprise suckers, or may comprise high friction material, such as a rubber or elastomer, for example neoprene or a silicone elastomer. The eyewear of the present invention may be usable in a variety of different applications, for example corrective eyewear or safety eyewear, but is particularly suitable for sun protection eyewear, i.e. as sunglasses. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation view of eyewear according to the present invention, shown unfolded and as seen from the near side to the wearer in use. Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the eyewear of Figure 1, as seen from the far side to the wearer in use. Figure 3 is a plan view of the eyewear of Figures 1 and 2 when folded. Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the biassing means of the eyewear of Figures 1 and 2. Figure 5 is a plan view of the eyewear of Figures 1 and 2 in use. Figure 6 is a side elevation view of the eyewear of Figures 1 and 2 in use. Figure 7 is an enlarged view of Figure 6 showing the bridge member in use. Referring to Figures 1 and 2, eyewear 1 of the present invention comprises two lenses 2, a bridge member 4, and two lateral contact portion grips 6, one at the extreme of each lens 2 opposite the bridge member 4. The lenses are pivotally conjoined at the bridge member 4 by ' biassing means in the form of a spring 8. The lenses 2 ^are elongate, narrowing from the bridge member 4 towards the grips 6, and are formed from a polycarbonate material. The grips 6 comprise ribbed elastomeric pads. The bridge member 4 comprises pads 10 of elastomeric material attached to the lower part of each lens 2. Referring to Figure 3, the spring 8 acts upon the lenses 2 so as to urge the grips 6 together. Figure 3 thus shows the configuration of the eyewear 1 when left in the absence of external forces . Figure 4 shows in more detail how the lenses 2 are conjoined by the spring 8. Referring to Figures 5 to 7, the eyewear 1 is worn by the wearer by unfolding the eyewear 1 from the folded configuration shown in Figure 3, resting the bridge member 4 on the bridge, and applying the grips β laterally to the head. The bias of the spring 8 urges the grips 6 together, which thus causes the grips 6 to apply lateral pressure to the head of the wearer, which thus keeps the eyewear 1 in place. The lateral head contact portions are shown in Figure 6 as being in contact with the temple area of the wearer. However, variations of this are possible, for example they may contact the cheek or eye socket bones in preference. The present invention thus provides eyewear which can be securely worn by the wearer without requiring a lens frame, and which is self-folding when not being worn, thus facilitating reduction of lens damage.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Eyewear which comprises a pair of lenses which are conjoined at a bridge member, each lens extending from the bridge member to a lateral head contact portion, wherein the lenses are conjoined by biassing means which urges the lateral contact portions of the lenses together. 2. Eyewear according to claim 1 wherein the lenses are pivotally joined. 3. Eyewear according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the lenses are arcuate. 4. Eyewear according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the bridge member comprises a bridge engaging grip on each lens. 5. Eyewear according to any preceding claim wherein the biassing means comprises a spring. 6. Eyewear according to any preceding claim wherein the lateral head contact portions comprise grips for laterally engaging the head of a wearer. 7. Eyewear according to claim 6 wherein the lateral head contact portion grips are preformed to conform with the lateral surfaces of the head of a wearer. 8. Eyewear according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the lateral head contact portion grips are integral with the lenses. 9. Eyewear according to claim 6 or 7 wherein the lateral head contact portion grips are detachable from the eyewear to allow replacement thereof. 10. Eyewear according to any one of claims 6 to 9 wherein the lateral head contact portion grips comprise non-slip head 5 engaging surfaces. 11. Eyewear according to claim 10 wherein the head engaging surfaces comprise neoprene or a silicone elastomer. 10 12. Eyewear according to any preceding claim for sun protection.

Inventors: NOEL LAUDIS, NOEL, LAUDIS
Applicants: NOEL LAUDIS, NOEL, LAUDIS
Application year: 2001
Main classification: G02C5
IPC codes: G02C5