Abstract:
The present invention is directed to a removable magnetic clasp for eyeglasses. The eyeglasses have a right temple bar and a left temple bar pivotally attached to an eyeglasses frame body. The magnetic clasp comprises: a first connector and a second connector; a first magnet being positioned on the first connector and a second magnet being positioned on the second connector. A channel extends through a portion of each connector and the channel is configured to so as to allow a temple bar to slide through the channel. The removable magnetic clasp, when attached to eyeglasses, allows for the first and second magnets to remain in attractive magnetic communication when the temple bars are closed but separated by clothing material, the attractive magnetic communication imparting a gripping force on the clothing material sufficient enough to substantially prevent relative movement between the temple bars and the clothing material.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This application claims priority to U. S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/599,642 filed Aug. 6, 2004. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention relates to an eyeglasses clasp. More particularly, it relates to a removable magnetic eyeglasses clasp for maintaining the eyeglasses in a pocket or on another portion of a clothing material when the eyeglasses are not in use.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Typical eyeglasses consist of a frame body that houses two lenses on either side of a nose piece. Attached to the frame body are two temple bars that extend from two ends of the frame body. The temple bars pivot between an open position perpendicular with the frame body and a closed position parallel with the frame body. Sometimes attached to the temple bars are separate ear pieces, or temple tips. The temple bars and nose piece support the frame on the head of the wearer.  
         [0004]     Individuals often remove their eyeglasses temporarily. They may put them down and not recall where, they may hang them around their neck where they bounce against their chest, or they may put them in a pocket and have them fall out and/or get damaged.  
         [0005]     To solve this problem, the prior art teaches using mechanical clasps to clip eyeglasses to a garment worn by the user. These are cumbersome and, like all mechanical clasps, may come loose. Some mechanical clasps also depend on the availability of a shirt pocket, a cap visor, belt, holder, straps, or the like. In addition, clips may work well initially, but fatigue can cause metal clips to weaken and lose their ability to hold eyeglasses securely. Moreover, clips can break, thereby causing the eyeglasses to come loose, fall and break, or be lost. U.S. Pat. No. 6,017,120 to McCormick teaches a mechanical clip attached to the hinged end of the temple bars. Eyeglasses using such mechanical clips may not be securely held in place when inverted, such as when a person bends over at the waist. Another problem with such clips arises when a person in a sitting position bends forward, and the eyeglasses are pushed upward while clasped inside a shirt pocket. In that situation, the clip may be pushed up from the bottom of the pocket, thereby disengaging the clip and causing the eyeglasses to fall from the pocket.  
         [0006]     The use of magnets on eyeglass frames for various purposes is also well known in the art. For example, a number of eyeglass frames have magnets that magnetize the wearer for health benefits. Other eyeglass frames use magnets to hold eyeglass frame sections together, thereby facilitating disassembly and reassembly in a new configuration, with auxiliary frames, lenses, or the like. U.S. Pat. No. 6,168,273 B11 to Dupraz et al. teaches the use of magnets on eyeglass frames to temporarily affix the eyeglasses on a support article having magnetic means. Because the magnets in Dupraz et al. are attached to the temple bar near the hinges, however, its teaching cannot be used as a magnetic clasp, nor was it intended as such.  
         [0007]     It would be desirable to provide a removable magnetic eyeglasses clasp that could be easily attached to eyeglasses frames that would provide a gripping force on clothing material sufficient enough to substantially prevent relative movement between the temple bars and the clothing material.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0008]     The present invention is directed to a removable magnetic clasp for eyeglasses. The eyeglasses have a right temple bar and a left temple bar pivotally attached to an eyeglasses frame body. The magnetic clasp comprises: a first connector and a second connector; a first magnet being positioned on the first connector and a second magnet being positioned on the second connector. A channel extends through a portion of each connector and the channel is configured to so as to allow a temple bar to slide through the channel. The removable magnetic clasp, when attached to eyeglasses, allows for the first and second magnets to remain in attractive magnetic communication when the temple bars are closed but separated by clothing material, the attractive magnetic communication imparting a gripping force on the clothing material sufficient enough to substantially prevent relative movement between the temple bars and the clothing material.  
         [0009]     The magnets are attached to the connectors by attachment means selected from a group consisting of injection molding, grooved means, adhesive means, shrink-wrap tubing, hinged clips, metal clamps, threaded hardware, and a combination thereof.  
         [0010]     The connectors are formed from a deformable material.  
         [0011]     The shape of the magnets can be circular, square, rectangular, cylindrical and triangular shapes.  
         [0012]     The removable clap further comprises an eyeglass necklace having a first necklace magnet attached to a first end and a second necklace magnet attached to a second end. The first necklace magnet attaches to the first magnet on the first connector by attractive magnetic communication and the second necklace magnet attaches to the second magnet on the second connector by attractive magnetic communication.  
         [0013]     The necklace can be formed from material such as metal plastic, rubber and neoprene.  
         [0014]     The first and second necklace magnets are attached to the first and second necklace ends by adhesive or injection molding.  
         [0015]     The present invention is also directed to a removable magnetic clasp eyeglasses kit. The kit comprises a first connector and a second connector, a first magnet being positioned on the first connector and a second magnet being positioned on the second connector, and a channel extending through a portion of each connector. The channel is configured to so as to allow a temple bar to slide through the channel. The removable magnetic clasp, when attached to eyeglasses, allows for the first and second magnets to remain in attractive magnetic communication when temple bars of the eyeglasses are closed but separated by clothing material, the attractive magnetic communication imparting a gripping force on the clothing material sufficient enough to substantially prevent relative movement between the temple bars and the clothing material.  
         [0016]     The kit further includes an eyeglass necklace having a first necklace magnet attached to a first end and a second necklace magnet attached to a second end; wherein the first necklace magnet attaches to the first magnet on the first connector by attractive magnetic communication and the second necklace magnet attaches to the second magnet on the second connector by attractive magnetic communication.  
         [0017]     The present invention further is directed to a method of installing a removable magnetic eyeglasses clasp on eyeglasses. The method comprises the steps of: (1) providing eyeglasses having a right temple bar and a left temple bar pivotally attached to an eyeglasses frame; (2) providing a removable magnetic eyeglass clasp comprising a first connector and a second connector, a first magnet being positioned on the first connector and a second magnet being positioned on the second connector, and a channel extending through a portion of each connector, the channel being configured to so as to allow a temple bar to slide through the channel; (3) sliding a connector on each of the temple bars such that the polarity of the magnets directed outside the temple bars is the same; and (4) positioning the connectors on the temple bars so that the connectors align with each other when the temple bars are in the closed position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0018]     For a more details description of the embodiments, reference will now be made to the following accompanying drawings:  
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of eyeglasses incorporating a removable eyeglasses clasp with temple bars pivoted in the open position as when the eyeglasses are worn;  
         [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of eyeglasses incorporating a removable eyeglasses clasp with one of the temple bars pivoted into the closed position;  
         [0021]      FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the eyeglasses incorporating a removable eyeglasses clasp with the temple bars pivoted into the closed position;  
         [0022]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the eyeglasses incorporating a removable eyeglasses clasp with the temple bars pivoted in the closed position depicting use of the clasp with clothing material;  
         [0023]      FIG. 5  is an elevation view of a connector of the removable eyeglasses clasp;  
         [0024]      FIG. 5A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 A- 5 A of  FIG. 5 ;  
         [0025]      FIG. 6  is an elevation view of an alternative connector of the removable eyeglasses clasp;  
         [0026]      FIG. 6A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  6 A- 6 A of  FIG. 6  illustrating a magnet on one side;  
         [0027]      FIG. 6B  is an alternate cross-sectional of  FIG. 6A  illustrating a magnet on each side;  
         [0028]      FIG. 7  is elevation view of an alternative connector of the removable eyeglasses clasp;  
         [0029]      FIG. 7A  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  7 A- 7 A of  FIG. 7 ; and  
         [0030]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the removable eyeglasses clasp with an optional eyeglasses necklace. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS  
       [0031]     In the drawings and description that follows, like parts are marked throughout the specification and drawings with the same reference numerals, respectively. The drawing figures are not necessarily to scale. Certain features of the invention may be shown exaggerated in scale or in somewhat schematic form and some details of conventional elements may not be shown in the interest of clarity and conciseness. The present invention is susceptible to embodiments of different forms. Specific embodiments are described in detail and are shown in the drawings, with the understanding that the present disclosure is to be considered an exemplification of the principles of the invention, and is not intended to limit the invention to that illustrated and described herein. It is to be fully recognized that the different teachings of the embodiments discussed below may be employed separately or in any suitable combination to produce desired results. Any use of any form of the terms “connect,” “engage,” “couple,” “attach,” or any other term describing an interaction between elements is not meant to limit the interaction to direct interaction between the elements and may also include indirect interaction between the elements described. The various characteristics mentioned above, as well as other features and characteristics described in more detail below, will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the following detailed description of the embodiments, and by referring to the accompanying drawings.  
         [0032]     The removable eyeglasses clasp comprises magnets engaged with the temple bars of eyeglasses. The magnets are located approximately the same distance away from the eyeglass frame body on each temple bar such that they align with the frame body midpoint when in the closed position. The magnets are in attractive magnetic communication at least when the temple bars are in the closed position. The clasp include a channel extending through it that is large enough to slide the claps onto the temple bars of the eyeglasses.  
         [0033]     The clasp is typically used by pivoting one of the temple bars into the closed position. The frame body and closed temple bar are then positioned on one side of a clothing material, such as, by way non-limiting example only, a shirt pocket or sleeve. The second temple bar is then pivoted into the closed position such that it is on the other side of the clothing material. The magnets are then in attractive magnetic communication and impart a gripping force on the clothing material. The gripping force substantially prevents relative movement between the temple bars and the clothing material. The magnetic clasp thereby eliminates the disadvantages of a mechanical clip while introducing the advantage of a strong, versatile clasp that can be easily opened and closed anywhere the magnets are capable of being in strong enough attractive magnetic communication through the clothing material.  
         [0034]      FIGS. 1-8  illustrate an embodiment of the removable eyeglasses clasp  104 . An eyeglasses frame body  114  comprises a right temple bar  100  and a left temple bar  102 , typically pivotally attached by any suitable means. The temple bars  100 ,  102  may be pivotally attached with spring action hinges well known in the art. The temple bars  100 ,  102  pivot between an open position shown in  FIG. 1  and a closed position shown in  FIG. 3 . In addition, the temple bars  100 ,  102  may comprise earpieces, or temple tips. The frame body  114  may also comprise a nose piece  112 .  
         [0035]     The removable eyeglasses clasp  104  further comprises a first connector  120  and a second connector  124 . The connectors  120 ,  124  engage the temple bars by sliding each temple bar  100 ,  102  through a channel  122  in each of the connectors  120 ,  124 .  FIGS. 5 and 5 A illustrate the channel  122  in connector  120 .  
         [0036]     The first connector  120  further includes a first magnet  106  and the second connector  124  includes a second magnet  108 . The means for engaging the magnets  106 ,  108  to the connectors  120 ,  124  may depend on the material from which the magnets  106 ,  108  and the connectors  120 ,  124  are made. It should be appreciated that any suitable materials and method of attaching the magnets  106 ,  108  to the respective connectors  120 ,  124  may be used. Such attachment means for various materials may include grooved means, adhesive means, shrink-wrap tubing, hinged clips, metal clamps, threaded hardware, and the like, and/or a combination thereof. The magnets  106 ,  108  may also be injection molded into the connectors  120 ,  124 . The magnets can be any shape, such as circular, square, rectangular, cylindrical or triangular in shape.  
         [0037]     When engaged with the temple bars  100 ,  102 , the polarity of the magnets  106 ,  108  directed outside the temple bars  100 ,  102  shown in  FIG. 1  is the same. The connectors  120 ,  124  engage the temple bars  100 ,  102  such that the magnets  106 ,  108  align with each other when the temple bars  100 ,  102  are in the closed position. Thus, as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , when temple bars  100 ,  102  are pivoted closed, the magnets  106 ,  108  are in attractive magnetic communication created by the opposite poles of the magnets  106 ,  108 .  FIG. 3  illustrates left temple bar  102  folded on the inside of right temple bar  100 . The south pole side  116  of the magnet  106  thus faces and aligns with the north pole side  118  of the magnet  108 , thereby holding the temple bars  100 ,  102  securely in the closed position. The magnets need not be offset as illustrated in  FIGS. 1-5A , but may also be located more in-line with the temple bars  100 ,  102  as illustrated in  FIGS. 6, 6A  and  6 B.  FIG. 6A  illustrates the connector  120  with a magnet  106  on one side of the connector and  FIG. 6B  illustrates the connector  120  with a magnet  106  on each side of the connector.  
         [0038]     In an alternative embodiment as illustrated in  FIGS. 7, 7A , a removable eyeglasses clasp  104   a  comprises a first  120   a  and second connector  124   a  (second connector  124   a  not shown as it is identical to connector  120   a ) generally square in shape. The connectors  120   a ,  124   a  engage the temple bars  100 ,  102  by sliding the temple bars into a channel  122   a  in each of the connectors. The connectors  120   a ,  124   a  have a first end  146  and a second end  148  in which a cylindrical magnet  106   a ,  108   a  (magnet  108   a  is not shown) is attached to the second end of each connector  120   a ,  124   a . In a preferred embodiment, the magnets  106   a ,  108   a  are the same length as the second ends  148  of the connectors  120   a ,  124   a . The means  150  for engaging the magnets  106   a ,  108   a  to the connectors  120   a ,  124   a  may depend on the material from which the magnets  106   a ,  108   a  and the connectors  120   a ,  124   a  are made. It should be appreciated that any suitable materials and method of attaching the magnets  106   a ,  108   a  to the respective connectors  120   a ,  124   a  may be used. Such attachment means for various materials may include grooved means, adhesive means, shrink-wrap tubing, hinged clips, metal clamps, threaded hardware, and the like, and/or a combination thereof. The magnets  106   a ,  108   a  may also be injection molded into the connectors  120   a ,  124   a.    
         [0039]     The connectors  120 ,  124 ,  120   a ,  124   a  may be made out of any suitable material for connection to the temple bars  100 ,  102 . By way of non-limiting example, the connectors may be made out of rubber or another deformable substance such that the connectors may stretch, if needed, with engaged with the temple bars  100 ,  102 . The connectors need not stretch, however. The connectors  120 ,  124 ,  120   a ,  124   a  may be sized such as to remain in place on the temple bars  100 ,  102  by friction once in place. The connectors may also be allowed to slide along the length of the temple bars  100 ,  102 . The connectors need not be any particular shape. For example, the connectors may be formed in the shape illustrated in  FIG. 6  or the connectors can be square or rectangular in shape.  
         [0040]     Referring to  FIG. 4 , which applies to all embodiments, the wearer pivots one of the temple bars  100 ,  102  into the closed position during use. The wearer then positions the eyeglasses frame body  114  and the closed temple bar on one side of a material  110 . The wearer then pivots the other temple bar into the closed position such that it is on the other side of the material  110 . When the temple bars  100 ,  102  are closed, the magnet  106  aligns with the magnet  108 . Although on either side of the material  110 , the magnets  106 ,  108  are in attractive magnetic communication with each other. The attractive magnetic communication is strong enough to impart a gripping force on the material  110 , thereby holding the eyeglasses  114  securely clasped to the material  110 . The gripping force is at least substantial enough to keep the eyeglasses  114  in place on the material  110  during most normal activity. The magnets  106 ,  108  are also able to maintain this strength because the magnetic flux is not diminished by repeated use. It should be appreciated that either temple bar  100  or  102  may be pivoted into the closed position before the other and still be within the scope of the invention.  
         [0041]     Referring to  FIG. 8 , the eyeglasses clasp  104  may also alternatively comprise an eyeglasses necklace  140  having a first and second end  141 ,  143  and a first magnet  142  attached to first end  141  and a second magnet  144  attached to second end  143 . The necklace may also be a strap or other suitable configuration. The magnets  142 ,  144  magnetically attract to and are held in place by the magnets  106 ,  108  in the connectors  120 ,  122 . The user may then remove the eyeglasses  114  and wear them around the neck or place them on another device for storage. In this way, the user has the option of attaching the removable necklace  140  should they have occasion to do so. The magnets  142 ,  144  may be attached to the necklace  140  by any suitable means. By way of non-limiting example, the magnets  142 ,  144  may be attached to the necklace  140  by adhesive or injection molding. The necklace  140  may also be made out of any suitable material. By way of non-limiting example, the necklace  140  may be made of metal, plastic, rubber, or neoprene.  
         [0042]     The eyeglasses clasp  104  may also comprise a “kit” form that includes the connectors  120 ,  124 ,  120   a ,  124   a  with the magnets  106 ,  108 ,  106   a ,  108   a  respectively. Optionally, the kit may also include the necklace  140 . The connectors  120 ,  124 ,  120   a ,  124   a  may then be attached to any suitable eyeglasses frame temple bars.  
         [0043]     While specific embodiments have been shown and described, modifications can be made by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or teaching of this invention. The embodiments as described are exemplary only and are not limiting. Many variations and modifications are possible and are within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited to the embodiments described, but is only limited by the claims that follow, the scope of which shall include all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims.