Abstract:
A leaf spring hinge comprising a leaf spring member that is integrally formed with or fixedly connected to a lug or a temple is provided. The leaf spring member is provided at least with a leaf spring suspended and bent from a base. The leaf spring is bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter. The leaf spring hinge has simple structure and reliable resilience, and is solid, durable and easy to manufacture.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims priority from Chinese patent application No. 200910189798.8, entitled LEAF SPRING HINGES FOR EYEGLASSES and filed in the name of Elegance Eyeglasses Factory on Aug. 31, 2009. The entire content of the application is herein incorporated by reference. 
     TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a kind of leaf spring hinges used for eyeglasses. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,959,715 to Jaffelin disclosed a resilient hinge for spectacle frames. The resilient hinge comprises a male or female knuckle fixed to the end of a frame lug which extends in a direction, and an arm substantially in the extension of the lug and abutting against the lug when the arm is in its normal open position, wherein the inner side of the arm is connected to the knuckle by means of a rigid return device (i.e., a leaf spring) which can rotate freely about the knuckle and operate by bending. The resilient hinge comprises the leaf spring as a resilient element, and the leaf spring is connected to the temple of the eyeglasses through a swivel pin such as in the form of rivet pin. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 6,336,250 B1 to Kinji et al. disclosed a spring hinge for eyeglasses. The spring hinge comprises a spring member provided on the inside of the temple of the eyeglasses. The spring member is an independent arc-shaped plate with an insertion hole. An intermediate connecting member constitutes the front end portion of the temple and the spring member is installed in a free groove formed by two protrusions. 
     These hinges employing leaf spring as resilient elements require lots of accessories and have incompact arrangements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a leaf spring hinge for eyeglasses which enables a leaf spring and a temple or a lug to form integrally and has a reliable resilience and simplified structure. 
     To achieve the above object, it is provided a leaf spring hinge comprising a leaf spring member integrally formed with or fixedly connected to a lug or a temple, wherein the leaf spring member itself is provided at least with a leaf spring suspended and bent from a base. 
     In another embodiment, the leaf spring member is provided with a leaf spring that is suspended from a base and bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter, and a female knuckle that is extended upward in a vertical direction from two sides of the leaf spring, bent in the form of a U-letter and provided with an unthreaded hole and a threaded hole. 
     In another embodiment, the leaf spring member of the present invention is consisted of a leaf spring that is suspended from a base and bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter, a first rectangular through hole formed in a front portion of the leaf spring, and a second rectangular through hole formed in a portion of the base corresponding to the front portion of the leaf spring, when the leaf spring is in a bent state, the first and second rectangular through holes being aligned. 
     In another embodiment, the leaf spring member of the present invention is consisted of a leaf spring that is bent from a base and in the form of an R-letter or U-letter. 
     In another embodiment, the leaf spring member of the present invention is consisted of a leaf spring that is bent from a base and in the form of an R-letter or U-letter, and cuts symmetrically formed in a front portion of the base. 
     Compared to the conventional techniques, the present invention has advantages such as simple structure, easy to manufacture, reliable resilience, solid and durable. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a developed representation of a leaf spring member according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the leaf spring member according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded view of a leaf spring hinge according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembly drawing of the leaf spring hinge according to the first embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a schematic view showing the combination between the leaf spring member according to the first embodiment of the present invention and a temple; 
         FIG. 6  is a developed representation of a leaf spring member according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the leaf spring member according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of a leaf spring hinge according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9  is an assembly drawing of the leaf spring hinge according to the second embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a developed representation of a leaf spring member according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 11  is an exploded view of a leaf spring hinge according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 12  is an assembly drawing of the leaf spring hinge according to the third embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 13  is an assembly drawing of a leaf spring hinge according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 14  is an exploded view of the leaf spring hinge according to the fourth embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 15  is an assembly drawing of a leaf spring hinge according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 16  is a partial exploded view of the leaf spring hinge according to the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanied drawings. 
       FIGS. 1 to 5  show the first embodiment of the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIG. 1 , an unfolded leaf spring member  1  is preformed to comprise an elongate leaf spring  11 , a temple  14 , a female knuckle  15  and holes for processing into an unthreaded hole  12  and a threaded hole  13 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the temple  14  of the leaf spring member  1  is formed to be very long. The temple  14  in this example is a complete one and integrally formed with the leaf spring member  1 . 
     Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 5 , the temple  14  may be formed to be very short. In this case, another temple  4  which is an independent member is connected to the temple  14  by, for example, welded connection, rivet connection or bolt connection. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 5 , the spring hinge for eyeglasses in this example comprises a leaf spring member  1 , an actuating device  2  and a pivot element  3 . The leaf spring member  1  is integrally formed with the temple  14  or fixedly connected to the temple  4 . The leaf spring member  1  has a single-arm leaf spring  11  bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter, and a female knuckle  15  extended upward in a vertical direction from two sides of the leaf spring  11  and bent in the form of a U-letter. An unthreaded hole  12  is formed on one protrusion of the knuckle  15 , and a threaded hole  13  is formed on the other protrusion of the knuckle  15 . The actuating device  2  is a male knuckle and integrally formed with a lug  24 . In normal position, surface  21  or  22  of the actuating device  2  abuts against the leaf spring  11 . The pivot element  3  is a screw. 
       FIGS. 6 to 9  show the second embodiment of the present invention. 
     In this example, the spring hinge for eyeglasses comprises a leaf spring member  1 , an actuating device  2  and a pivot element  3 . The leaf spring member  1  is integrally formed with a lug  16 . The leaf spring member  1  has a single-arm leaf spring  11  bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter, and a female knuckle  15  extended upward in a vertical direction from two sides of the leaf spring  11  and bent in the form of a U-letter. Two unthreaded holes  12  are each formed on respective protrusion of the knuckle  15 . The actuating device  2  is a male knuckle in the shape of a wedge and having a through hole  23 . The device  2  is integrally formed with or fixedly connected to a temple  4 . In normal position, surface  21  or  22  of the actuating device  2  abuts against the top surface of the leaf spring  11 . The pivot element  3  is a rivet. 
       FIGS. 10 to 12  show the third embodiment of the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIG. 10 , an unfolded leaf spring member  1  is integrally formed with a temple  14 . The member  1  is preformed to include an elongate leaf spring  11  which is connected to a base at one edge and separated from the base by a gap  17  at other edges. The leaf spring  11  has a relatively wider portion  111  with a rectangular hole  1111  formed thereon. Another rectangular hole  12  is formed in the front portion of the base. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the spring hinge for eyeglasses comprises a leaf spring member  1 , an actuating device  2 , a male knuckle  5  and a pivot element  3 . The member  1  is integrally formed with a temple  14 . The member  1  has a single-arm leaf spring  11  bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter. The front portion of the leaf spring  11  is relatively wider and has a rectangular hole  1111  formed thereon. When the leaf spring  11  is bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter, the rectangular hole  1111  is aligned with the rectangular hole  12  formed in the front portion of the base. The male knuckle  5  comprises a flat insertion end  51  and a base portion  52 , with a through hole  511  formed in the flat insertion end  51 . The flat insertion end  51  insert through the rectangular hole  12  formed in the front portion of the base into the rectangular hole  1111  formed in the front portion of the leaf spring  11 . The actuating device  2  is in the form of a female knuckle that is integrally formed with a lug  24 . The head portion of the female knuckle  2  is provided with a groove with two flat protrusions  21  serving as walls of the groove. The protrusions  21  have side surfaces  211  and  212 , a through hole (not shown) and a threaded hole  213 . The pivot element  3  is a screw. When assembled, the side surface  211  abuts against the top surface of the portion  111  of the leaf spring. When the actuating device  2  is actuated, the contact surface between the device  2  and the leaf spring  11  can be switched from surface  211  to surface  212 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  show the fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 13 and 14 , in this example, a leaf spring hinge for eyeglasses comprises a leaf spring member  1 , an actuating device  2 , a female knuckle  6  and a pivot element  3 . The leaf spring member  1  is integrally formed with a temple  14  and provided with a leaf spring bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter. The actuating device  2  is in the form of a male knuckle and integrally formed with a lug  24 . The female knuckle  6  has a flat bottom surface  64  and a groove with two protrusions  61  being the walls of the groove. The protrusions  61  are formed with an unthreaded hole  62  and a threaded hole  63 . The bottom surface  64  is fixedly connected to the leaf spring member  1  by soldering. In normal position, a surface  21  or  22  of the actuating device  2  alternatively abuts against the leaf spring  11  of the leaf spring member  1 . The pivot element  3  is a screw. 
       FIGS. 15 and 16  show the fifth embodiment of the present invention. 
     In this example, a leaf spring hinge for eyeglasses comprises a leaf spring member  1 , an actuating device  2 , a female knuckle  6  and a pivot element  3 . The leaf spring member  1  is integrally formed with or fixedly connected to a temple  14  and provided with a leaf spring bent in the form of an R-letter or U-letter. The actuating device  2  is in the form of a male knuckle and integrally formed with a lug  24 . The female knuckle  6  has a groove with two protrusions  61  being the walls of the groove. The protrusions  61  are formed with an unthreaded hole  62  and a threaded hole  63 . Two cuts  12  are symmetrically formed in a front portion of the leaf spring member  1 . The female knuckle  6  can be engaged with the leaf spring member  1  by inserting the respective protrusion  61  of the female knuckle  6  into the respective cut  12  of the leaf spring member  1 . The pivot element  3  is a screw. 
     The present invention is described only in reference to preferable embodiments. It should be noticed that, however, changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.