Abstract:
A pair of glasses includes a paper frame having at least one aperture and a substrate arranged with each of said at least one aperture to magnify objects for a user when viewing through each of said at least one aperture.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is based upon, and claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60/953,424, filed on Aug. 1, 2007, entitled “Apparatus and Method of Manufacture for Paper Framed Reading Glasses” the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field 
         [0003]    The present disclosure relates generally to reading eyeglasses, and more particularly, to the manufacture and use of paper framed reading glasses configured to be an inexpensive alternative to traditional reading glasses. 
         [0004]    2. Background 
         [0005]    Traditionally, reading eyeglass frames have been commonly made from metal or plastic. Reading lenses, originally made from glass, are now made from various types of plastic, including polycarbonate—reducing the danger of breakage and weighing less than glass lenses. Some currently used plastics also have more advantageous optical properties than glass, such as better transmission of visible light and greater absorption of ultraviolet light. Conventional plastic or glass reading lenses, however, are relatively thick due to their convex shape—thereby creating the lenses with magnification properties. As an inexpensive alternative to the structural material previously mentioned, a user may wish to obtain paper framed glasses with polymer sheet magnifiers as lenses. Thus, there is a need in the art for the latter mentioned glasses, which, although inexpensive, may magnify viewing material as effectively as a conventional pair of glasses. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    One aspect of paper framed reading glasses is disclosed. A pair of glasses includes a paper frame having at least one aperture and a substrate arranged with each of said at least one aperture to magnify objects for a user when viewing through each of said at least one aperture. 
         [0007]    Another aspect of paper framed reading glasses is disclosed. A pair of glasses includes a paper frame having at least one aperture and a magnification substrate traversing each of said at least one aperture. 
         [0008]    Yet another aspect of paper framed reading glasses is disclosed. A pair of glasses includes a paper frame having at least one aperture and means for magnifying objects positioned over each of said at least one aperture. 
         [0009]    One aspect of a method for manufacturing a pair of glasses is also disclosed. A method for manufacturing a pair of glasses includes forming a first one of the paper frame layers on one half of a sheet of paperboard and a second one of the paper frame layers on another half of the sheet of paperboard, each of the first and second paper frame layers having two apertures, placing a first magnification substrate over one of the apertures in the first one of the paper frame layers and a second magnification substrate over the other one of the apertures on the first one of the paper frame layers, folding said sheet of paperboard so that the apertures in the first one of the paper frame layers align with the apertures in the second one of the paper frame layers, and cutting said paper framed eyeglasses from said folded sheet of paperboard. 
         [0010]    Another aspect of paper framed reading glasses is disclosed. A pair of glasses includes a two layer paper frame having at least one aperture and a magnification substrate extending across each of said at least one aperture and bound between the two layers of said paper frame. 
         [0011]    These, as well as other objects, features and benefits will now become clear from a review of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments and the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0012]    Aspects of the present invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the accompanying drawings wherein: 
           [0013]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a paper framed pair of eyeglasses with magnification substrate; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top elevational view of a paper framed pair of eyeglasses with magnification substrate; 
           [0015]      FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  illustrate a perspective view of: (a) a substrate before embossing; (b) a substrate after embossing; and (c) a traditional convex magnification lens; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a top elevational view of a paperboard sheet prior to manufacturing the paper framed pair of eyeglasses with magnification substrate. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings are intended as a description of various embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention may be practiced without these specific details. 
         [0018]      FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective view of a paper framed pair of eyeglasses with magnification substrate. Although eyeglasses are described herein in their traditional sense, the term eyeglass and eyeglasses are used interchangeably to refer to binocular and monocular configurations with paper frames with or without temple arms or ear pieces  102 . For example, one of ordinary skill in the art may appreciate that the configuration disclosed may apply equally to: (1) reading eyeglasses with two lenses, one for each eye for binocular vision; (2) a reading magnifier that may be used over one eye, i.e., a monocle for monocular vision; or (3) a single magnifying lens mounted in a paper frame large enough for two eyes. The paper framed eyeglasses  100  may have a pair of ear pieces  102  and a pair of apertures  106 . The apertures  106  may be any opening, i.e., any shape or size, that would allow a user to see, observe, inspect, examine, or otherwise perceive an object through the opening. The pair of ear pieces  102  may facilitate a user&#39;s ability to affix the paper framed eyeglasses  100  temporarily to one&#39;s face. Alternatively, the paper framed eyeglasses  100  may forgo the presence of any ear pieces  102  and may simply be held in the user&#39;s hand. Once in the user&#39;s hand, the paper framed glasses may be manually placed over one&#39;s eyes for viewing objects through the apertures  106 . The use of the paper framed eyeglasses  100  without ear pieces  102  is referred to as a hand held or a lorgnette. 
         [0019]    The paper framed eyeglasses  100  also may have a thin magnification substrate  104  that may be mounted, or otherwise connected or attached, into each of the apertures  106  by adhesive, glue, or any other bonding agent, as well as a friction fit. The substrate  104  provides the means for magnification by implementing concentric annular sections about the entire substrate  104 . As will be explained in greater detail later, this arrangement may provide the user with the ability to use the paper framed eyeglasses  100  for reading and/or magnifying miscellaneous objects. Due to the paper framed eyeglass construction, the paper board may be printed with advertisements, notices, or other commercial indicia that may indicate the manufacturing or distribution information. 
         [0020]      FIG. 2  illustrates a top elevational view of a paper framed pair of eyeglasses with a magnification substrate.  FIG. 2  illustrates the relative thin construction of the paper framed eyeglasses  100 . The paper frame  100  may be produced in different sizes, one to fit adults and one for children. The magnification substrate  104 , or flat lenses, are carefully designed in conjunction with the frame&#39;s  100  shape and size in order to create a flat structure that is easily portable, bendable, and convenient. The substrate  104  may be a sheet magnifier that comprises many very narrow concentric ring-shaped lenses, such that the combination acts as a single lens but is much thinner than conventional convex lenses. This arrangement is known as a Fresnel lens. Since the substrate  104  is thin, it may be incorporated into the paper framed eyeglasses  100  by inserting between the top layer  200  and the bottom layer  202  during the manufacturing process whereby the substrate  104  traverses the apertures  106 . Alternatively, the substrate  104  may be incorporated into the paper framed eyeglasses  100  by attaching to a single layer  200  or  202 . 
         [0021]      FIGS. 3   a ,  3   b , and  3   c  illustrate a perspective view of: (a) a substrate before embossing; (b) a substrate after embossing; and (c) a traditional convex magnification lens. A substrate  104  may be any clear polymer, polyester, vinyl, or suitable polyurethane material that is capable of being embossed or otherwise molded into concentric annular sections.  FIG. 3   a  is a depiction of what the substrate  300  may resemble before undergoing the embossing process. The embossing process may be performed by using a copper diamond bit lathe to create a master impression. The master impression may then be used to stamp, emboss, or imprint its pattern onto the receiving substrate  104 . The master, and thus, the receiving substrate  104 , may be produced of various magnifying powers, shapes, and sizes. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3   b  is a depiction of what the substrate  104  may resemble after undergoing the embossing process. The embossing process creates a flat lens with 3D information that reproduces the magnification properties of a conventional convex lens. Convex lenses have positive dioptric value and are generally used to correct hyperopia (farsightedness) or to allow people with presbyopia (the limited accommodation of advancing age) to read at close range. Typical glasses for moderate presbyopia will have a power of +1.00 to +5.00 diopters. Thus, by incorporating the 3D information inherent to a conventional convex lens onto a flat lens, a user is able to avail itself of the magnification properties of a flat substrate  104  without the unnecessary thickness and weigh associated with conventional glass lenses (See  FIG. 3   c ). 
         [0023]      FIG. 4  illustrates a top elevational view of a paperboard sheet prior to manufacturing the paper framed pair of eyeglasses with a magnification substrate. The manufacturing process may be broken down into three distinct phases: (1) paper frame forming; (2) lens creation (discussed above); and (3) decoration and packaging (optional). The frame  102  is made from cardboard, or paperboard, and is typically formed by using a machine that is able to cut multiple patterns onto a sheet of paperboard  400 . In the first step of this process, a sheet of paperboard  400  is prepared so that the exact size and shape of the desired frame  102  is cut on both halves of the sheet of paperboard  400 . Next, pre-fabricated embossed substrates  104  are placed over the apertures of half of the frames  102 . The embossed substrate  104  may be fused to the underlying paperboard by any adhesive, glue, or other bonding agent. Once the substrate  104  has been attached to the underlying sheet of paperboard  400 , the sheet of paperboard is folded in half about a score  402 . The folding process must align the two layers of paperboard so that the apertures are concentric with the embossed substrate  104  positioned between both layers, thus, manufacturing a three layer construction paper frame. Once the sheet of paperboard  400  has been folded and further adhesive has been applied to keep both halves together, the plurality of two layered paper frames may be manually or automatically removed from the mold. Alternatively, in lieu of the three layer construction previously described wherein the substrate  104  is trapped between two layers of paperboard, one of ordinary skill in the art could similarly forgo the second layer of paperboard  400  and merely attach the embossed substrate  104  to a single sheet of paperboard  400 . This latter described construction is referred to as open-back construction. 
         [0024]    While the specification describes particular embodiments of the present invention, those of ordinary skill can devise variations of the present invention without departing from the inventive concept. Also, the previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments described herein. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language of the claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the claims. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. § 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for” or, in the case of a method claim, the element is recited using the phrase “step for.”