Abstract:
A spectacle frame assembly is disclosed as including a pair of arm members, a spectacle frame for holding two pieces of optical lenses, and two nose pads engaged with the spectacle frame each via a ball and socket joint.

Description:
[0001]    This invention relates to a spectacle frame assembly, and a pair of eyeglasses incorporating such a spectacle frame assembly. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Spectacle frames of various construction have been available to which lenses may be mounted for forming pairs of eyeglasses for wearing. It is found that when a user wears a pair of eyeglasses by placing the eyeglasses onto his/her nose, it is usually necessary to adjust the position of the nose pads (and thus of the spectacles) to achieve comfort in wearing. In most cases only very minor adjustment to the position of the nose pads may be made. In some cases, it may even be necessary to forcibly bend the links joining the nose pads and the spectacle frame to suit individual needs. This may damage or even break the links and, thus, the spectacles. 
         [0003]    It is thus an object of the present invention to provide a spectacle frame assembly and a pair of eyeglasses in which the aforesaid shortcomings are mitigated, or at least to provide a useful alternative to the trade and public. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a spectacle frame assembly including a pair of arm members, a link member adapted to hold two pieces of optical lenses, and two nose pads engaged with said link member each via a ball and socket joint. 
         [0005]    According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a pair of eyeglasses including a spectacle frame assembly with a pair of arm members, a link member holding two pieces of optical lenses, and two nose pads engaged with said link member each via a ball and socket joint. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]    A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0007]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of a pair of eyeglasses incorporating a spectacle frame assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the pair of eyeglasses shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged view of the part marked “A” in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an enlarged sectional view through the ball and socket joint between the nose pad and the spectacle frame of the pair of eyeglasses shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0011]      FIG. 5  is another enlarged sectional view of the ball and socket joint shown in  FIG. 4 , taken through a plane perpendicular to that through which the view in  FIG. 4  is taken; 
           [0012]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged view showing the possible relative movement between the nose pad and the spectacle frame. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0013]    A pair of eyeglasses incorporating a spectacle frame assembly according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , and generally designated as  10 . The pair of eyeglasses  10  includes a spectacle frame  12  with two mounting frames  14   a ,  14   b  to each of which a respective piece of optical lens  16   a ,  16   b  is releasably mounted. To the outer side of each mounting frame  14   a ,  14   b  is an arm  18   a ,  18   b  which is pivotable relative to the spectacle frame  12 . The two mounting frames  14   a ,  14   b  are connected with each other via a bridge  20 . To the inner side of each mounting frame  14   a ,  14   b  is engaged a nose pad  22   a ,  22   b , in a manner to be further discussed below. 
         [0014]      FIG. 3  shows that the nose pad  22   b  is engaged with the mounting frame  14   b  via a ball and socket joint. As can be seen more clearly in  FIGS. 4 to 6 , and taking the nose pad  22   b  as an example, the nose pad  22   b  is fixedly engaged with a rod  24  with a rounded ball-like end  26  received within a cavity  28  of a generally cubic bracket  30 , which is fixedly engaged with the mounting frame  14   b  via a rod  32 . The walls of the bracket  30  are slightly deformed inwardly to bear on the outer surface of the ball-like end  26 , so that the end  26  of the rod  24  cannot be retrieved from, but is rotatable relative to and within, the bracket  30 , about the centre of the end  26 .  FIGS. 4 to 6  clearly show that, because of the ball and socket joint between the nose pad  22   b  and the mounting frame  14   b , the nose pad  22   b  is rotatably movable relative to the bracket  30  (and thus the mounting frame  14   b  and the spectacle frame  12 ) about a large number of axes with a common centre. Some of these axes are perpendicular to each other. Such an arrangement allows easy adjustment of the positions of the nose pads  22   a ,  22   b  on and relative to the nose of a user when in use. 
         [0015]    It should be understood that the above only illustrates an example whereby the present invention may be carried out, and that various modifications and/or alterations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention. In particular, it should be noted that although the present invention has thus far been described in the context of a spectacle frame in which the nose pad  22   b  is fixedly engaged with the rod  24  with the rounded end  26  received within the cavity  28  of the bracket  30  fixed to the mounting frame  14   b  via the rod  32 , it is envisaged that the invention also encompasses the arrangement in which the mounting frame is fixedly engaged with a rod with a rounded ball-like end received within a cavity of a bracket fixedly engaged with the nose pad. Similarly, it is also envisaged that the nose pads  22   a ,  22   b  may be engaged with the spectacle frame  12 , not via the mounting frames  14   a ,  14   b , but via the bridge  20 . 
         [0016]    It should also be understood that various features of the invention which are, for brevity, here described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any appropriate sub-combinations.