Abstract:
An apparatus includes an eyeglass frame having a lens holder configured to support an eyeglass lens, a temple support having a first end configured to attach to the lens holder and a second end configured to be affixed to a wearers head; and a piercing member positioned on the eyeglass frame.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/041,387, filed on Aug. 25, 2014, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The term “shotgunning” relates to a way to consume a beverage (e.g., beer) very quickly by puncturing a hole in the side of the beverage can. This technique causes the liquid from the can to exit quickly because to release pressure the air entering the can must travel through the same orifice as the liquid leaving. The extra hole created by punching the hole in the side of the can allows air to enter simultaneously as the liquid leaves the punctured hole and into the drinker&#39;s mouth. 
         [0003]    For example, to shotgun a beverage, a small hole is punched in the side of the can, close to the bottom of the can. To prevent the liquid from spilling out while the cut is being made, the can is held horizontally and tilted slightly toward the end of the can with the drinking spout to create an air pocket at the bottom of the can. The hole is then punched in the resulting air pocket. The hole is typically made with a sharp or pointed object (e.g., a key, bottle opener, knife, other sharp instrument). Once the hole has been punched, the drinker places their mouth over the drinking spout. The drinker can draw suction over the punched hole while rotating the can straight up. When the ring-tab of the can is pulled, the liquid will quickly drain through the punched hole into the drinker&#39;s mouth. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In a general aspect of the invention, an apparatus includes an eyeglass frame, having a lens holder configured to support an eyeglass lens; a temple support having a first end configured to attach to the lens holder and a second end configured to be affixed to a wearers head; and a piercing member positioned on the eyeglass frame. 
         [0005]    Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The piercing element is attached to the lens holder at a region proximate to an attachment region between the lens holder and temple support. The piercing element includes a square-based pyramid shape with a point. Alternatively, the piercing element has a triangular shape with a point. The piercing element is attached to the lens holder at the second end of the temple support. The piercing element is integrally formed on the eyeglass frame. 
         [0006]    In another aspect of the invention, a method of making eyeglasses includes providing an eyeglass frame, including a lens holder configured to support an eyeglass lens, a temple support having a first end configured to attach to the lens holder and a second end configured to be affixed to a wearers head; and attaching a piercing member on the eyeglass frame. 
         [0007]    Embodiments of this aspect of the invention may include one or more of the following features. Attaching the piercing element includes attaching the piercing element to the lens holder at a region proximate to an attachment region between the lens holder and temple support. The piercing element includes a square-based pyramid shape or a triangular shape with a point. The piercing element is attached at the second end of the temple support. The piercing element is provided integrally with the eyeglass frame. 
         [0008]    Among other advantages, the eyewear is configured to facilitate the rapid consumption of a canned beverage. This is accomplished by using the piercing element to pierce a hole in the side of a drink container (e.g. aluminum can). Once a hole is made, the user puts his/her mouth up to he/she hole they have just created, holding the can upright, and opening the top regularly, thus allowing the beverage to be consumed in a process referred to as “shotgunning.” 
         [0009]    The shape and size of the piercing element can vary depending on the location of the piercing element on the glasses. While varied, the placement of the piercing element is chosen such that the piercing element does not impede the functionality or comfort of the glasses for the wearer 
         [0010]    Given the process by which the user is to puncture the can, the location of a piercing element will typically be chosen so as to make the puncturing process mechanically easy for the user. For example, a piercing element may be placed at the corner of the glasses frame for this reason. 
         [0011]    In another general aspect, an apparatus includes an eyeglass frame. The eyeglass frame includes a lens holder configured to support an eyeglass lens, a temple support having a first end configured to attach to the lens holder and a second end configured to be affixed to a wearers head, and a lever-type opener. The lever-type opener is disposed at the second end of the temple support on the eyeglass frame and includes a first arm and a second arm, one of the first arm and the second arm establishing, in use, a fulcrum for the lever-type opener. 
         [0012]    Aspects may include one or more of the following features. 
         [0013]    The second may arm include one or more teeth. The second arm may include a plurality of teeth. A portion of the lever-type opener may be embedded in the temple support. The lever-type opener may include an elongated anchoring portion, the elongated anchoring portion being embedded in the temple support and extending along a length of the temple support. The elongated anchoring portion may include a plurality of holes. The lever-type opener may include a metallic material. 
         [0014]    Other features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the following description, and from the claims. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0015]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an eyeglass frame configured for quickly consuming (“shotgunning”) carbonated beverages from a can. 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of a portion of the eyeglass frame of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a side view of the eyeglass frame of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a front view of an alternative embodiment of the eyeglass frame. 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a side view of the eyeglass frame of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  shows the eyeglass frame of  FIG. 1  in use in consuming a carbonated beverage from a can. 
           [0021]      FIG. 7  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of the eyeglass frame. 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an opening element. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a person  10  is shown to be wearing a pair of eyeglasses  12  (here, sunglasses) of the type having a pair of lens holders  14   a,    14   b  each supporting a lens  16   a,    16   b.  The eyeglasses  12  include a pair of temple supports  18   a,    18   b  each of which are connected to a respective lens holder  14   a,    14   b  with a hinge (not shown). 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , a piercing element  22  is secured at an upper corner of lens holder  14   b  and proximal to the temple support  18   b.  Piercing element  22  is formed of metal (e.g., stainless steel, aluminum, titanium and other alloys) and has a flat triangular shape with a pronounced right angle and sharpened tip  24 . The piercing element is commonly secured to the lens holder  14   a,    14   b  with a stainless steel screw backing (not shown) that affixes the piercing element  22  to the front of the frame. This causes the piercing element  22  to be an integral part of the frame, and allows for effective piercing. In this embodiment, piercing element is formed as an integral part of lens holder  14 . In other embodiments, piercing element  22  may be formed as a hardened cap member that is adhesively attached or otherwise secured to the upper corner of the lens holder  14   b.    
         [0025]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , in some embodiments, a second piercing element  26  is formed at a distal upper surface of temple support  18   b,  more particularly where the distal end of temple support  18   b  earpiece  17 ′s begins to have a nonzero radius of curvature. Piercing element  26  has a sharpened tip  28  that points upward and along an axis perpendicular to that of a longitudinal axis of temple support  18   b.  Piercing member  26  serves as an alternative can-puncturing mechanism for eyeglasses  12 . 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIG. 4 , an alternative embodiment of a pair of eyeglasses  12  include a pyramid-shaped piercing element  30  placed near the upper corner of lens holder  14   a.  Piercing element  30  has a sharpened tip  32  that points in a direction that is transverse to the plane of lens  16   a  and substantially in the direction of the person&#39;s eyesight. 
         [0027]    Referring to  FIG. 5 , in certain embodiments of the eyeglasses of  FIG. 4 , a piercing element  34  is located at the distal tip of temple support  18   a  and has a sharpened point  36  that points in a direction substantially along the longitudinal axis of temple support  18   a.    
         [0028]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , person  10  is shown holding a beverage can  40  in one hand  42   a  while holding eyeglasses  12  in the other hand  42   b.  The person  10  directs piercing element  24  at an angle (e.g., 45-degree) towards the bottom of can  40 . When the person  10  applies pressure to eyeglasses  12  with piercing element  24 , can  40  is pierced by element  24 . Once a hole has been punched or punctured, the person  10  places his/her mouth over the drinking spout at the top of the can  40 , the person  10  then draws suction over the punched hole while rotating the can straight up. When the ring-tab of the can is pulled or when a second opening is made at the top of the can, the liquid will quickly drain through the punched hole into the drinker&#39;s mouth. 
         [0029]    It is to be understood that the foregoing description is intended to illustrate and not to limit the scope of the invention, which is defined by the scope of the appended claims. Other embodiments are within the scope of the following claims. 
         [0030]    For example, the various embodiments described above in conjunction with  FIGS. 1-5  illustrate piercing elements disposed at various positions along the eyeglass frame including on the lens holder and the end of a temple support. Certain embodiments may include only one piercing element while other embodiments can include more than one piercing element. 
         [0031]    Furthermore, although  FIGS. 1-5  show a piercing element fixed to a pair of eyeglasses, the piercing element can also be placed on any type of eyeglasses including sunglasses, magnifying glasses (e.g., reading glasses) etc. 
         [0032]    Referring to  FIG. 7 , in another example, a pair of eyeglasses  62  includes a lever-type opener  52  at a distal end  50  of one of the temple supports  18   b.  The lever-type opener  52  includes an opening element  60  that is partially embedded in a plastic end portion  54  of the temple support  18   b.    
         [0033]    Referring to  FIG. 8 , the opening element  60  includes an elongated arm  58 , a curved arm  62  that is shorter than the elongated arm  58 , and an elongated anchoring portion  70 . Together, the elongated arm  58  and the curved arm  62  form a lever-type opener shape (e.g., a lever-type bottle opener shape). In some examples, the curved arm  62  includes one or more teeth  64  for gripping or piercing a surface. In some examples, the elongated anchoring portion  70  includes a number of through holes  72  through which the plastic material of the temple support  18   b  flows during manufacture of the eyeglasses  62 . The presence of plastic material in the through holes  72  ensures that the opening element  60  is securely anchored in the plastic end portion  54  of the temple support  18   b.  In some examples, the opening element  60  is fabricated from a metallic material. 
         [0034]    Referring again to  FIG. 7 , as is noted above, the opening element  60  is partially embedded in the plastic end portion  54  such that an edge of the elongated arm  58  and an edge of the curved arm  62  protrude from the plastic end portion  54 . The elongated anchoring portion  70  extends through the temple support  18   b  in a direction away from the distal end  50  of the temple support  18   b  and prevents the opening element  60  from being pulled out of the distal end  50  of the temple support  18   b.    
         [0035]    In some examples the plastic end portion  54  of the temple support  18   b  has an elongated plastic arm  66  and a curved plastic arm  68  that is shorter than the elongated plastic arm  68  such that the plastic end portion  54  substantially conforms to the shape of the opening element  60 . 
         [0036]    Referring to both  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , to remove a cap from a bottle, the lever-type opener  52  is positioned on the cap with the protruding edge of the elongated arm  58  of the opening element  60  placed on a top surface of the cap and the protruding edge of the curved arm  62  of the opening element  60  engaged under a side of the cap. A user then actuates the lever-type opener  52  such that the elongated arm  58  engages a point on the top of the cap to establish a fulcrum, about which the opener  52  pivots. As the opener  52  pivots, the curved arm  62  moves in an upward direction and pries the cap from the bottle. 
         [0037]    In some examples, the lever-type opener  52  can also be used to puncture a hole in a side of a beverage can. For example, the elongated arm  58  and the curved arm  62  of the opening element  60  can be arranged such that they engage a lip on a bottom surface of the beverage can and, by the same levering action described above, pierce the beverage can with either the elongated arm  58  or the curved arm  62 . In some examples, the elongated arm  58  is configured to pierce the beverage can, resulting in a uniform piercing in the beverage can with a length of approximately 1.5 inches and a width of approximately 0.25 inches. In some examples, the length and width of the elongated arm  58  are specified to achieve a desired uniform piercing. 
         [0038]    In some examples, the teeth  62  on the curved arm  62  are used to ensure that the opener  52  does not slip on the surface of the beverage can during the levering action. In some examples, the teeth  62  on the curved arm  62  are used to puncture the surface of the beverage can.