Abstract:
The eyeglasses have a lens frame in which lenses are mounted. Proximal ends of flexible temple members are removably attachable to opposite sides of the lens frame. The temple members are sized to extend over and behind the ears to the vicinity of the ear lobe. A counterweight is attached to the end of the temple members by a releasable fastener. The releasable fastener may be a clasp and a complementary receiving member.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/790,810, filed Apr. 11, 2006. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates to eyewear, and more particularly to eyeglasses having a frame for corrective lenses or for sunglasses that includes interchangeable temple members made from flexible members with interchangeable counterweights at the end of the flexible members to retain the temple members over the ears. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   Many people require eyeglasses with corrective lenses either for reading or for viewing objects at a distance. Conventional eyeglass frames, while quite functional, are often not very attractive. Although the frames may match one outfit, they may not match another, and wearing the same frames day after day may prove monotonous. Unfortunately, conventional eyeglass frames are often rigidly tailored to the particular prescription lenses, so that it becomes difficult or impossible to even wear a different style of temple piece with the same lens frame. Furthermore, as visual acuity changes, a different prescription lens may be required that does not fit into the current lens frames, so that it becomes necessary to replace the entire frame as a unit. 
   Similar problems exist with respect to sunglasses. Many people who wear sunglasses prefer a different style of frame to suit the outfit, the occasion, or their mood. However, conventional sunglass frames do not permit changing only a part of the frames. It&#39;s usually a matter of all or nothing, which can quickly become very expensive. 
   Consequently, there is a need for eyeglasses, whether for corrective lenses or for sunglasses that provide shade and protection from ultraviolet radiation, that have frames with interchangeable parts in order to change one&#39;s appearance while retaining the same lens frames, or for changing the lens frames while retaining the same temple and ear pieces. Thus, eyeglasses solving the aforementioned problems are desired. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The eyeglasses have a lens frame in which lenses are mounted. Proximal ends of flexible temple members are removably attachable to opposite sides of the lens frame. The temple members are sized to extend over and behind the ears to the vicinity of the ear lobe. A counterweight is attached to the end of the temple members by a releasable fastener. The releasable fastener may be a clasp and a complementary receiving member. 
   The removable temple members and counterweight attachments to the temple members allow users to change any one or all of the parts. The part interchangeability of the eyeglasses provides users with the capability to have different combinations of chains and counterweights for any given lens frame, thus allowing diversity in their eyewear without having the added expense of new prescription lenses. 
   The three eyewear components, i.e., lens frames, chains, and counterweights, being in many different styles and colors, allow endless possibilities of mixing and matching. 
   These and other features of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an environmental, perspective view of an embodiment of eyeglasses according to the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the eyeglasses of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of the eyeglasses of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
   

   Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention includes eyeglasses having a lens frame, interchangeable flexible temple members, and interchangeable counterweights attached to the ends of the temple pieces. An exemplary embodiment of the eyeglasses is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , and designated generally as  105 . The eyeglasses  105  comprise a lens frame  215 , a pair of flexible temple members  230 , each temple member  230  being adapted to extend over and behind the wearer&#39;s ear, and counterweights  240  attached to the ends of the temple members  230  just below the ear lobes. 
   Lens frame  215  may be of conventional construction, e.g., made of metal or molded of a suitable plastic material, such as polystyrene, polycarbonate, PVC, ABS, and the like, and designed to frame and support lenses  210 . 
   Lens frame  215  and lenses  210  may be of a wide variety of styles, shapes and colors, so long as the frames  215  provide a safe and secure attachment for the lenses  210 . In addition, the frame  215  may include a comfortable bridge over a wearer&#39;s nose to aid fitting of the frame  215  on the wearer&#39;s face. 
   Laterally opposing sides of the frame  215  have suitable mounts, such as embedded eyelets  220 , each eyelet defining an aperture to which a proximal end of temple members  230  is removably attached. Preferably, eyelets  220  are embedded into frame  215  so that the apertures are vertically disposed. The flexible temple members  230  are attached to eyelets  220  by a spring clasp  225 , which engages and disengages the eyelets  220  for attaching and removing the temple members  230  to and from the lens frame  215 . Alternatively to spring clasp  225 , it is contemplated by the present invention to utilize any type of releasable fastener suitable for attaching temple members  230  to lens frame  215 . 
   A counterweight  240  is attached to a distal end of each temple member  230  by a spring clasp  225 , which is linked to a ring  235  or other link at the end of a pendant chain permanently attached to the counterweight  240 . Alternatively to spring clasp  225 , it is contemplated by the present invention to utilize any type of releasable fastener suitable for attaching counterweight  240  to temple member  230 . 
   The temple members  230  may be formed by any flexible and preferably limp cord or chain-like structure. Metal chain links, multistrand straight or braided cord, a string of beads, a chain or string of genuine or imitation gemstones and the like, are all within the scope of the present invention. 
   Moreover, counterweights  240  may be chosen from a wide variety of articles and materials, such as, geodesic crystalline-appearing spheroids similar to those shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , charms, metal plates having engraved indicia (e.g., a monogram), or other decorative items having sufficient weight to apply tension to the temple pieces to keep the lens frame  215  mounted on the nose and to retain the temple pieces  230  stretched over the ears. Counterweights  240  may be molded in plastic, or other suitable material, having an appearance that matches or complements frame  215 . 
   It should be noted that counterweights  240  may have various shapes and configurations, which may be embossed with designs, figures, metallic medallions or rings, semi-precious stone carved in any design or figure, and the like. 
   The manner in which the eyeglasses  105  are worn and function is now readily apparent. Frame  215  is placed in position on the face and temple members  230  are pulled back over the ears so that counterweights  240  may hang freely behind the ear, thus taking up any slack in the flexible temple members  230  while holding them in a taut condition to secure the frame  215  in place on the wearer&#39;s face. 
   The lens frame  215 , temple members  230 , and counterweights  240  of eyeglasses  105  enable people to change any one or all of the aforementioned components. For example, if a person purchases one style of the lens frame  215 , he or she can purchase many different styles of the flexible temple members  230  and counterweights  240 , allowing the wearer to have diversity in his or her eyewear without having the added expense of new prescription lenses. Furthermore, the lenses need not be prescription lenses, but may be polarized lenses of the type popularly used in sunglasses. 
   For those not concerned about prescription eyewear, the three components, i.e., lens frame  215 , temple members  230 , and counterweights  240  are provided in many different styles and colors to allow virtually endless possibilities of mixing and matching. 
   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but encompasses any and all embodiments within the scope of the following claims.