Abstract:
The invention is directed to a magnetic eyeglasses holder that includes a spring clip formed from wire and configured for attaching to an object. A base is attached to the clip in which the base has a least one magnet. The magnet allows for attractive magnetic communication with each temple bar of an eyeglasses such that when folded the eyeglasses are held in place on the holder. The magnet can be partially positioned within at least one recess in the base and the magnet can be fixed in the recess or rotate within the recess.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Nos. 60/592,298; 60/592,299 and 60/592,315, all filed Jul. 29, 2004. 

   TECHNICAL FIELD 
   The present invention is directed to eyeglasses holders and more particularly to magnetic eyeglass holders. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   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. 
   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. 
   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. 
   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. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is directed to a magnetic eyeglasses holder that includes a clip configured for attaching to an object and a base attached to the clip, wherein the base has a least one magnet. The at least one magnet allows for attractive magnetic communication with each temple bar of an eyeglasses such that when folded the eyeglasses are held in place on the holder. The clip may be a spring clip formed from wire and has first and second ends configured for insertion into an end of the base. 
   The base can include at least two spaced apart magnets, wherein the magnets are partially positioned within at least one recess in the base. The magnet can be fixed in the recess or rotate within the recess. 
   The magnet may have a cylindrical shape or it may be a rectangular shaped post extending outwardly from the base. 
   The magnet may also extend through the base providing for attractive magnetic communication on both sides of the base. 
   The base may include a first planar section and a second planar section in which the second section is at an angle in relation to the first section, wherein the angle may be about 90°. A magnet can be positioned on the second planar section such that the magnet is offset from the clip. 
   The base can include a rotator rotationally engaged with the base and the rotator may include the at least one magnet or two magnets. The magnet may be set in the rotator, may be free to rotate within the rotator or may extend through the rotator. 
   The foregoing has outlined rather broadly the features and technical advantages of the present invention in order that the detailed description of the invention that follows may be better understood. Additional features and advantages of the invention will be described hereinafter which form the subject of the claims of the invention. It should be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the conception and specific embodiment disclosed may be readily utilized as a basis for modifying or designing other structures for carrying out the same purposes of the present invention. It should also be realized by those skilled in the art that such equivalent constructions do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims. The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages will be better understood from the following description when considered in connection with the accompanying figures. It is to be expressly understood, however, that each of the figures is provided for the purpose of illustration and description only and is not intended as a definition of the limits of the present invention. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, reference is now made to the following descriptions taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which: 
       FIG. 1  and  FIG. 1A  are side elevation views of a magnetic eyeglasses holder of the present invention holding a set of eyeglasses onto an automobile visor; 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 2A  is a perspective view of an alternative holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the base of the holder of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the base of the holder of  FIG. 5   
       FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of an alternative holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7A  is perspective view of an alternative holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 7B  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 7A ; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of a holder of another embodiment of a magnetic eyeglasses holder; 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a holder of an alternate embodiment of a magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 10 ; 
       FIG. 12  is a perspective view of a holder of a third embodiment of a magnetic eyeglasses holder; 
       FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder in  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 15  is a perspective view of a holder of an alternate embodiment of a magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 12 ; 
       FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder; 
       FIG. 17  is an exploded perspective view of the base of the holder of  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 19  is an alternate perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 16 ; 
       FIG. 20  is an alternate perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 16  in a rotated position; 
       FIG. 21  is an alternate perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 16  in a rotated position; 
       FIG. 22  is a perspective view of a fifth embodiment of the holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of the present invention; 
       FIG. 23  is a perspective view of a sixth embodiment of the holder of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of the present invention; 
       FIG. 24  is a perspective view of the holder and temple bars of the eyeglasses of the magnetic eyeglasses holder of  FIG. 23 ; and 
       FIG. 25  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the holder of  FIG. 23 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   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. 
     FIGS. 1-5  illustrate a magnetic eyeglasses holder of the invention comprising a holder  10  for holding a set of eyeglasses  20  onto a support  30 . As shown in  FIG. 1 , the support may be the visor of an automobile. The support  30  may also be any other support onto which it is desired to hold the eyeglasses  20 . For example, the support  30  may be an article of clothing, a hat, a belt, a waistband, or any other suitable support  30  for holding the eyeglasses  20  when not in use. 
   The magnetic eyeglasses holder  10  comprises a clip  12  for engagement with the support  30 . In the example shown in  FIGS. 1-5 , the clip  12  comprises a clip that clips around at least a portion of the support  30 . In a preferred embodiment, the clip is a spring clip formed of wire and is generally U-shaped. The clip  12  may also clip around the entire support  30 . The clip  12  as shown may disengage the support  30  by sliding the clip  12  off the support  30 . The clip  12  may also be any other suitable device for engagement with the support  30 , such as a mechanical clip or other suitable device. The clip  12  need not be capable of sliding disengagement with the support  30 , but may disengage the support  30  by any suitable means. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the holder  10  also comprises a first clip attraction means such as a clip magnet  16  and a second clip attraction means such as a magnet  18  on a base  14  engaged with the clip  12 . Alternatively, the clip magnets  16 ,  18  can be formed from a non-magnetic ferrous material that would attract magnets on the temple bars of eyeglasses. In a preferred embodiment, the magnets  16 ,  18  are generally cylindrical in shape. There may also be more than two magnets  16 ,  18  on the base  14  as shown in  FIG. 2A . The clip  12  attaches to the base  14  by engaging the clip ends  12   a ,  12   b  with the base slots  14   a ,  14   b  as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Alternatively, the holder  10  need not comprise the base  14 . Instead, the magnets  16 ,  18  may engage the clip  12  directly or indirectly without the base  14 . As shown best in  FIG. 3 , the magnets  16 ,  18  may at least partially fit within a first recess  11  and second recess  13 , respectively. The magnets  16 ,  18  may be directly mounted in the recesses  11 , 13  as shown in  FIG. 3  or may be mounted in the recesses  11 ,  13  using the pins  17 ,  19  shown in  FIG. 4 . The magnets  16 ,  18  may also be set in the recesses  11 ,  13  or may be free to rotate within the recesses  11 ,  13 . 
   Alternatively as illustrated in  FIGS. 5-7 , the base  14  can include a first base or planar section  14   c  and a second base or planar section  14   d . The second base section  14   d  is at an angle relative to the first base section  14   c  such that the magnets  16 ,  18  are offset from the clip  12 . The angle of the second base section  14   d  relative to the first base section  14   c  is preferably approximately 90 degrees. However, the angle between the second base section  14   d  and the first base section  14   c  may be any amount. In this embodiment, the magnets  16 ,  18  are positioned in the second section  14   d . Except for the angled base  14  and the placement of the magnets  16 ,  18  the embodiment of  FIGS. 5 and 6  is the same as the embodiment illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3  and the embodiment of  FIG. 7  is the same as the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 4 . 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 1A , the holder  10  holds a set of eyeglasses  20  to the support  30 . The eyeglasses  20  comprise a frame  22  as well as temple bars  24  and  26  shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  attached to the eyeglasses  20 . The temple bars  24 ,  26  comprise temple bar magnets  28  and  29 , respectively. The temple bars  24 ,  26  may also comprise more than one temple bar magnets  24 , 26 . The temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  may engage the temple bars  24 ,  26  by any suitable means. As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  engage the outside to the temple bars  24 ,  26 . The temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  may also attach to only one side of the temple bars  24 ,  26 . The temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  may also be inserted into or through the temple bars  24 ,  26 . The temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  may also be at least part of the temple bars  24 ,  26  and may also be the temple bars  24 ,  26  themselves. Alternately, the temple bars may be made of a non-magnetic ferrous material which is attracted to the magnets  16 ,  18  of the base  14 . 
   In  FIG. 7A , the clip magnets  16 ,  18  are shown extending through the base  14   d . In this embodiment, the clip magnets  16 ,  18  may attract and hold the temple bar magnets  28   b ,  29   b  of the temple bars  24   b ,  26   b  of a second set of eyeglasses  20  on the other side of the base  14   d  ( FIG. 7B ). There may also be more than one set of clip magnets  16 ,  18  that extend through the base  14   d  so that more than two sets of glassed  20  may be held by this holder. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , the clip magnet  16  may attract and hold the temple bar magnet  28  and the clip magnet  18  may attract and hold the temple bar magnet  29 . The clip magnets  16  and  18  may be separated enough such that the temple bar magnet  28 ,  29  are not in contact with each other when engaged with the clip magnet  16 ,  18 . At least one of the clip magnets  16 ,  18  and the temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  should comprise a magnet. Either clip magnets  16 ,  18  may attract either temple bar magnets  28 ,  29 . Through the attraction between the clip magnet  16 ,  18  and the temple bar magnet  28 ,  29 , the holder  10  may hold the eyeglasses and thus the holder  10  may hold the eyeglasses  20  onto the support  30 . 
     FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate a second embodiment of a base  14 A having only the clip magnet  16  and not the second clip magnet  18 . The base  14 A operates as does the base  14  described above. In  FIG. 11 , the base  14 A has a first section  14   c  and a second section  14   d  wherein the one clip magnet  16  is positioned on the base section  14   d.    
     FIGS. 12-14  illustrate a third embodiment of a base  14 B in which there is one clip magnet  16   a . The clip magnet  16   a  is generally a rectangular shaped post extending outwardly from the base  14 B and is positioned generally in the center of base  14 B. The base  14 B has a rounded end  14   e . Alternatively, the clip magnet  16   a  may be formed from a non-magnetic ferrous material. As described above, the clip magnet  16   a  attracts at least one of the temple bar magnet  28 ,  29  of the temple bars  24 ,  26  to hold the eyeglasses  20  onto the support  30 . 
   The clip magnet  16   a  may attract the temple bar magnet  28 ,  29  such that the temple bars  24 ,  26  are located on either side of the clip magnet  16   a  as shown in  FIG. 13 . The clip magnet  16   a  may also attract at least one of the temple bar magnets  28 ,  29  such that the temple bars  24 ,  26  are both on one side of the magnet  16   a  as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
   Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 15 , the base  14 B can be angled in which the base  14 B has a first section  14   c  and a second section  14   d  wherein the one clip magnet  16   a  is positioned on the second section  14   d.    
     FIGS. 16-21  illustrate a fourth embodiment in which base  14 C includes a clip magnet  32   a  extending from a rotator  32 . The rotator  32  is rotationally engaged with the base  14 C. Thus, the rotator  32  and clip magnet  32   a  are free to rotate relative to the base  14 C and the clip  12 . Alternatively, the clip magnet  32   a  may be formed from a non-magnetic ferrous material. There may also be more than one clip magnet  32   a  on the rotator  32 . There may also be more than one rotator  32  and clip magnet  32   a  on the base  14 C. The clip magnet  32   a  and rotator  32  may be an integral unit or may be separate elements. As shown best in  FIG. 17 , the base  14 C may comprise a cavity  14   c  into which the rotator  32  is installed. The rotator  32  may be engaged with the base  14 C by any suitable means that allows the rotator  32  to rotate, such as a snap-fit or crimped lip along the edge of the cavity  14   c . The rotator  32  may be a magnet or a non-magnetic ferrous material. The rotator  32  may also be any other suitable material such as plastic. 
   The eyeglasses  20  can be attached as is illustrated in  FIGS. 18 and 19 . As shown in  FIGS. 20-21 , because the rotator  32  and thus the clip magnet  32   a , are free to rotate, the temple bars  24 ,  26  may be positioned anywhere within the 360 degrees of rotation. The eyeglasses  20  may thus be positioned as best suited depending on the orientation of the holder  10  and the orientation of the support  30 . 
     FIG. 22  illustrates a fifth embodiment of a base  14 D in which a rotator  32   d  extends at a generally right angle to the base  14 D. The clip magnets  16 ,  18  may be set in the rotator  32   d  or may be free to rotate within the rotator  32   d . In addition, the clip magnets  16 ,  18  may extend through the rotator  32   d  and thus be exposed on both sides of the rotator  32   d . The rotator  32   d  is at an angle relative to the base  14 D such that the clip magnets  16 ,  18  are offset from the clip  12 . The angle of the rotator  32   e  relative to the base  14  shown in  FIG. 22  is approximately 90 degrees. However, the angle between the rotator  32   d  and the base  14 D may be any amount. 
     FIGS. 23 and 24  illustrate a sixth embodiment of the base  14 E. The base  14 E includes a first clip magnet  16  and a second clip magnet  18  on a rotator  32   e . There may also be more than two clip magnets  16 ,  18  on the rotator  32   e . The clip magnets  16 ,  18  may be set in the rotator  32   e  or may be free to rotate within the rotator  32   e . The eyeglasses  20  can be attached as is illustrated in  FIG. 24 . Alternatively, there can be only one clip magnet  16  on the rotator  32   e  as illustrated in  FIG. 25 . 
   Although the present invention and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure of the present invention, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present invention. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.