Patent Publication Number: US-2017357104-A1

Title: Glasses with replaceable lenses

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a pair of glasses with lenses replaceable conveniently and, more particularly, to a pair of glasses with a full-rim frame on which lenses are securely installed. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In the era of material life promoted, people with novelty aspiration are fastidious about portable decorative objects. For example, sunglasses or leisure eyeglasses are popularized among persons who value the glasses aesthetically matching costumes. In this regard, a user who prefers versatile fancy sunglasses or leisure eyeglasses may change lenses in a pair of glasses frequently to match his/her mood or costumes but finally buy a new pair of glasses without cost effectiveness because lenses of the glasses are difficultly replaced. 
     In practice, a pair of conventional glasses includes a spectacle frame, two lenses, and two temples pivotally fitted at both sides of the spectacle frame. The two lenses should be held in two corresponding lens grooves opened in an inner edge of the spectacle frame. During installation of each lens, the lens should be forcibly embedded into one of the lens grooves according to elasticity of the spectacle frame in general. However, either a lens which is fragile usually or a spectacle frame could be damaged in an assembly/disassembly process. 
     There have been multiple conventional techniques for a pair of glasses which feature lenses replaceable conveniently and neither lenses nor a spectacle frame damaged. However, a semi-rim frame (or an upper spectacle frame) rather than a full-rim frame is available to the conventional glasses with removable lenses. Thus, the overall shape of the conventional glasses with removable lenses is limited to a semi-rim frame which has a negative effect on lenses to be installed securely. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Thus, an objective of the present invention is to provide a pair of glasses which is characteristic of lenses replaced by a user conveniently and available to design of a full-rim frame on which lenses are securely installed. 
     To achieve this and other objectives, a pair of glasses of the present invention includes an upper spectacle frame, a lower spectacle frame, two temples, and two snap-fit components. The upper spectacle frame includes two lateral ends spaced in a longitudinal direction and a mounting adapter between the two lateral ends. A slot is formed in a bottom of the mounting adapter. Each of the two lateral ends of the upper spectacle frame includes a connecting portion, and each of the connecting portions includes an internal end facing the mounting adapter and an external end spaced from the internal end in the longitudinal direction. Each of the connecting portions further includes an outside surface with a notch therein. The at least one lens includes a lower end and an upper end which is held in the upper spectacle frame. The at least one lens includes two spaced fastening hole in the upper end thereof and each adjacent to the internal end of one of the connecting portions. The lower spectacle frame includes two lateral ends spaced in the longitudinal direction and detachably integrated with the two lateral ends of the upper spectacle frame. A first joint portion upward extends from each of the lateral ends of the lower spectacle frame and is engaged in the notch in a corresponding connecting portion of the upper spectacle frame. The lower spectacle frame further includes a central portion between the two lateral ends of the lower spectacle frame, and a second joint portion upward extends from the central portion and is engaged in the slot in the mounting adapter of the upper spectacle frame. Each temple includes a front end pivotally connected to the external end of a corresponding connecting portion of the upper spectacle frame. Each snap-fit component includes spaced first and second ends, and a snap-fit portion is provided at the first end of each snap-fit component. The second end of each snap-fit component is engaged with a corresponding temple, and each snap-fit component is movable relative to the upper spectacle frame between a fixed position and a separate position. When each of the two snap-fit components is in the fixed position, the snap-fit portion of each of the two snap-fit components is engaged in one of the fastening holes of the at least one lens, and the snap-fit component covers a corresponding first joint portion of the lower spectacle frame. When each of the two snap-fit components is in the separate position, the snap-fit portion of each of the two snap-fit components is separated from one of the fastening holes of the at least one lens. 
     The pair of glasses of the present invention is characteristic of lenses, which are removed and replaced conveniently and fixed securely, and available to design of a full-rim frame particularly. 
     In a preferred form, a concave portion is formed in a top end of the notch of each connecting portion, and a first hook portion is formed at a top end of the first joint portion and engaged in the concave portion of a corresponding connecting portion. A mounting hole is provided in the mounting adapter and in communication with the slot in the mounting adapter. A second hook portion is formed at a top end of the second joint portion and engaged in the mounting hole in the mounting adapter. 
     The present invention will become clearer in light of the following detailed description of illustrative embodiments of this invention described in connection with the drawings. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The illustrative embodiments may best be described by reference to the accompanying drawings where: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a pair of glasses in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  shows another exploded view of the pair of glasses of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the pair of glasses of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is sectional view taken along line  4 - 4  of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is sectional view taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4  and illustrates a temple and a snap-fit component in operation. 
         FIG. 6  is sectional view taken along line  6 - 6  of  FIG. 3  and illustrates the snap-fit component in a fixed position. 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective view similar to  FIG. 3  with a temple of the pair of glasses folded and illustrates the snap-fit component in a separate position. 
         FIG. 8  is a sectional view similar to  FIG. 4  and illustrates a lower spectacle frame is separated from an upper spectacle frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     A pair of glasses  10  according to the preferred teachings of the present invention is shown in  FIGS. 1 through 8  of the drawings and includes an upper spectacle frame  12 , at least one lens  14 , a lower spectacle frame  16 , two temples  18 , and two snap-fit components (first and second snap-fit components)  20 . The glasses  10  may be a pair of sunglasses, leisure eyeglasses, sports eyeglasses, protective goggles, nearsighted eyeglasses, farsighted spectacles, presbyopic glasses, etc. The snap-fit components  20  which are respectively identical to each other in structure are explained according to one of the snap-fit components  20 . In this embodiment, the pair of glasses  10  includes two lenses  14 , but the pair of glasses  10  may include one lens  14 . 
     The upper spectacle frame  12  includes two lateral ends  22  spaced in a longitudinal direction. A mounting adapter  24  is formed between the lateral ends  22 , and a nose pad  25  is provided at an inner side of the mounting adapter  24 . A mounting hole  26  is provided in the mounting adapter  24  (see  FIG. 8 ), and a slot  27  is formed in a bottom of the mounting adapter  24  and in communication with the mounting hole  26 . Each of the lateral ends  22  of the upper spectacle frame  12  includes a connecting portion  28 . In this embodiment, the connecting portions  28  are formed on bottoms of the lateral ends  22 , respectively. Each of the connecting portions  28  includes an internal end  30  facing the mounting adapter  24  and an external end  32  spaced from the internal end  30  in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, the upper spectacle frame  12  further includes two upper lens grooves  34  in which the two lenses  14  are respectively installed. Each of the upper lens grooves  34  along an undersurface of the upper spectacle frame  12  extends to the internal end  30  of one of the connecting portions  28  from one side of the mounting adapter  24 . Each temple  18  is pivotally fitted at the external end  32  of one of the connecting portions  28 . In this embodiment, the external end  32  of each of the connecting portions  28  is provided with a pin-joint groove  36  and a pinhole  38  being in communication with the pin-joint groove  36  and penetrated by a pivot  40 . Each of the connecting portions  28  further includes an outside surface  42  with a notch  44  therein, and a concave portion  46  is formed in a top end of the notch  44  and recessed inward (see  FIG. 6 ). 
     Each of the lenses  14  includes a lower end  50  and an upper end  48  which is held in one of the upper lens grooves  34  of the upper spectacle frame  12 . Moreover, each of the lenses  14  includes a fastening hole  52  in an outside of the upper end  48 . The fastening hole  52  in each lens  14  which has been installed on the upper spectacle frame  12  is adjacent to the internal end  30  of a corresponding connecting portion  28  ( FIG. 7 ). 
     The lower spectacle frame  16  includes two lateral ends  54  spaced in the longitudinal direction and a central portion  56  between the lateral ends  54 . Each of the lateral ends  54  is detachably integrated with one of the lateral ends  22  of the upper spectacle frame  12  for combination of the lower and upper spectacle frames  16  and  12  and development of a full-rim frame ( FIG. 3 ). In this embodiment, the lower spectacle frame  16  further includes a first joint portion  58  upward extending from each of the lateral ends  54 , and a first hook portion  60  is formed at a top end of the first joint portion  58 . Each of the first joint portions  58  is inserted into and coupled with the notch  44  in a corresponding connecting portion  28  of the upper spectacle frame  12 , and the first hook portion  60  is engaged in and fastened to the concave portion  46  of the corresponding connecting portion  28  ( FIG. 6 ). The lower spectacle frame  16  further includes a second joint portion  62  upward extending from the central portion  56 , and a second hook portion  64  is formed at a top end of the second joint portion  62  ( FIG. 8 ). The second joint portion  62  is inserted into and integrated with the slot  27  in the mounting adapter  24  of the upper spectacle frame  12 , and the second hook portion  64  is engaged in and fastened to the mounting hole  26  of the mounting adapter  24  ( FIG. 4 ). The lower spectacle frame  16  further includes two lower lens grooves  66  in which the lower ends  50  of the two lenses  14  are respectively held. Each of the lower lens grooves  66  is extended to one of the lateral ends  54  from one side of the central portion  56  along the top of the lower spectacle frame  16 . 
     Each of the temples  18  includes front and rear ends  68  and  70  spaced in a length direction thereof The front end  68  of each temple  18  is pivotally connected to the external end  32  of a corresponding connecting portion  28  of the upper spectacle frame  12 , and the rear end  70  of each temple  18  is adapted to be worn on a user&#39;s ear. In this embodiment, two spaced engaging lugs  72  are provided on the front end  68  of each of the temples  18 , and each engaging lug  72  has a pinhole  74 . The engaging lugs  72  of each temple  18  are held in the pin-joint groove  36  of a corresponding connecting portion  28  of the upper spectacle frame  12 . When both the pinhole  38  of the corresponding connecting portion  36  and the pinholes  74  in the engaging lugs  72  are penetrated by one of the pivots  40 , each of the temples  18  is integrated with the upper spectacle frame  12  and rotatable relative to the upper spectacle frame  12  between an unfolded position and a folded position about an axis defined by the pivot  40  ( FIG. 5 ). Furthermore, each of the temples  18  has a recess  76  in the front end  68 . 
     The snap-fit components  20  are used to fix the lenses  14 . Each of the snap-fit components  20  includes spaced first and second ends  78  and  80 . In this embodiment, each of the snap-fit components  20  is provided with a pin-joint lug  82 , which is located at an inner side beside the second end  80 , held between the engaging lugs  72  of one of the temples  18 , and penetrated by the pivot  40  ( FIG. 5 ). As such, a rotational movement based on an axis defined by the pivot  40  and relative to the upper spectacle frame  12  is completed by the snap-fit component  20  and the conjoint temple  18  between a fixed position and a separate position. Because the second end  80  of each snap-fit component  20  is held in the recess  76  of a corresponding temple  18  ( FIG. 5 ), both the temple  18  and the snap-fit component  20  are rotated together. Each of the snap-fit components  20  includes a snap-fit portion  84  located at an inner side of the first end  78 . In the case of the snap-fit component  20  stopped at the fixed position, the snap-fit portion  84  of the snap-fit component  20  is inserted into the fastening hole  52  of a corresponding lens  14  to fix the lens  14  ( FIG. 5 ), and the snap-fit component  20  covers a corresponding first joint portion  58  of the lower spectacle frame  16  ( FIG. 6 ). In the case of the snap-fit component  20  stopped at the separate position, the snap-fit portion  84  of the snap-fit component  20  is separated from the fastening hole  52  of the corresponding lens  14 , and the first joint portion  58  of the lower spectacle frame  16  is not covered by the snap-fit component  20  ( FIG. 7 ). 
     According to the glasses  10  of the present invention, the lenses  14  removed conveniently and fixed securely is available to design of a full-rim frame. Specifically, when the first end  78  of each snap-fit component  20  is lifted for disassembly of one of the lenses  14 , the snap-fit component  20  at the fixed position in  FIG. 5  is shifted to the separate position (both the temple  18  and the snap-fit component  20  are rotated, as shown in an arrow  86  in  FIG. 5 ), and the snap-fit portion  84  of the snap-fit component  20  is separated from the fastening hole  52  in the lens  14 . Next, the lower spectacle frame  16  is disassembled from the upper spectacle frame  12  for removal and replacement of the lenses  14  from the upper spectacle frame  12  when the first hook portions  60  of the first joint portions  58  and the second hook portion  64  of the second joint portion  62  of the lower spectacle frame  16  are separated from the concave portion  46  and the mounting hole  26  of the upper spectacle frame  12 , respectively. On the other hand, the upper end  48  of each of the lenses  14  to be assembled should be first held in one of the upper lens groove  34  in the upper spectacle frame  12 . Then, the lenses  14  are securely fixed between the lower spectacle frame  16  and the upper spectacle frame  12  when the lower ends  50  of the lenses  14  are embedded into the lower lens groove  66  in the lower spectacle frame  16  for combination of the lower and upper spectacle frames  16  and  12 , and the snap-fit portions  84  of the snap-fit components  20  are engaged in the fastening holes  52  in the lenses  14 . 
     The scope of the invention is to be indicated by the appended claims, rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.