Patent Publication Number: US-2009231539-A1

Title: Shelter frame for spectacles

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE OF RELATED APPLICATION 
     This is a Continuation application that claims the benefit of priority under 35U.S.C.§119 to a non-provisional application, application Ser. No. 12/075,712, filed Mar. 12, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     1. Field of Invention 
     The present invention relates to spectacles frame, and more particularly to a shelter frame, wherein a retractable arm of the shelter frame is adapted for applying a retraction force between two shelter lenses to securely engage two lens holders at two outer sides of the lenses of the primary frame respectively so as to stably mount the shelter lenses in front of the lenses respectively. 
     2. Description of Related Arts 
     Nowadays, wearing eyeglasses is not only for people to see clearer, but also has become a symbol of personal style. Except for fashion eyeglasses, the consumer puts more emphasis on their function whether or not the eyeglasses are convenient and comfortable for the consumer to wear. Because of greater diversity and choice, the shelter frames have become more and more popular in our daily lives. People usually can choose different looks, and colors of their individual frames to match their outfits and destinations. Therefore, the wearer does not need to carry a pair of eyeglasses and a pair of sunglasses. However, most of the sunglasses clipping claws are made of metal; it may scratch the lenses of the primary eyeglasses when clipping on. Also, the wearer must use both hands to align and engage the conventional clip-on sunglasses on the primary eyeglasses in correct position. It is troublesome and dangerous for a wearer to use both hands to wear such clip-on sunglasses on the regular glasses while he or she is driving. 
     In order to solve the problem of the above mentioned clip-on sunglasses, the magnetic attachment has been recently introduced to the eyeglasses industry. A primary pair of magnet members is affixed on two side extensions of a primary spectacle frame. However, the users have to align two pairs of magnet members. If the auxiliary magnet members of the sunglasses are misaligned with the primary magnet, the primary spectacle frame will fall down from the primary spectacle frame easily. In the other hand, the major drawback of the eyeglasses equipped with the magnet attachment is that the primary spectacle frame needs to be altered its original structural design in order to affix the magnet members thereon. So, the wearer may have to buy a pair of spectacle frames including a primary eyeglasses and an auxiliary sunglasses, which is much expensive than that the wearer needs to buy the clip-on sunglasses only 
     Moreover, some of the convenient spectacle frame provides the attachment clipped closing by pushing together the center nosepiece. However, the assembling area of the spectacle frame is too small. It is obvious that it is not easy for people to assemble the shelter frame for the spectacle. To sum up, it obviously can not achieve the current needs based on the existing photo album. 
     SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION 
     A main object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, wherein a retractable arm of the shelter frame is adapted for applying a retraction force between two shelter lenses to securely engage two lens holders at two outer sides of the lenses of the primary frame respectively so as to stably mount the shelter lenses in front of the lenses respectively. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, wherein the shelter frame is adapted to be mounted on any kind of the primary spectacle frame without any alternation of the primary spectacle frame. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, which does not require changing of the original structural design of the primary spectacle frame, so as to minimize the purchasing cost for the users. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, wherein the lens holders are engaged with two outer sides of the lenses of the primary frame to maximize a holding length of the shelter frame with respect to the primary frame. In other words, the shelter frame is securely held by using the width of the primary frame to retain the shelter frame in a stably manner. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, wherein each of the lens holders is made of plastic materials adapted for biasing against the outer edges or the rear surfaces of the lenses in such a manner that the lens holders are non-destructive to the lenses. As such, the lenses will be kept intact while the shelter frame is detachably mounted on the primary spectacles frame for shading sunlight. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, wherein the shelter frame is strong in construction so as to prevent up and down movement or sideward movement of the shelter frame with respect to the primary spectacle frame. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a shelter frame for spectacles, wherein the wearer may merely use one hand to attach or detach the shelter frame during exercising or driving. 
     Accordingly, in order to accomplish the above objects, the present invention provides a shelter frame for mounting in front of a primary spectacles frame which comprises a frame body mounting two lenses in position, wherein the shelter frame comprises two shelter lenses and two lens holders provided at two outer sides of the shelter lenses respectively. The shelter frame further comprises a retractable arm extended between two inner sides of the shelter for applying a retractable force therebetween to adjust the control distance, wherein when the shelter lenses are pulled away from each other to lengthen the retractable arm for extending the control distance, the lens holders are adapted for engaging with two outer sides of the lenses of the primary frame, such that when the retractable arm is retracted via the retractable force, the shelter lenses are adapted for holding in front of the lenses respectively. 
     These and other objectives, features, and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a shelter frame for a primary frame according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the shelter frame for the primary frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the pulling force applied at the shelter frame. 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the shelter frame for the primary frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the shelter frame being partially mounted in front of the primary frame. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the shelter frame for the primary frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the shelter frame being mounted in front of the primary frame. 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the shelter frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the control distance of the shelter frame being increased. 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the retractable arm of the shelter frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the retractable arm of the shelter frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the control distance of the shelter frame being increased. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded perspective view of the shelter frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of the shelter frame mounted in front of the primary frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the lens holder engaging with the outer edge of the primary frame. 
         FIG. 10  illustrates an alternative mode of the lens holder according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the lens holder engaging with the rear surfaces of the lenses of the primary frame. 
         FIG. 11  illustrates an alternative mode of the retractable arm according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 12  is a perspective view of the alternative retractable arm according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the second member being slid away from the front covering panel. 
         FIG. 13  is a perspective view of the alternative retractable arm according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the second member being slid to hide behind the front covering panel. 
         FIG. 14  is a perspective view of the shelter frame according to the above preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the shelter frame incorporating with any shape of the primary frame. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 1  of the drawing, a shelter frame  20  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated, wherein the shelter frame  20  is adapted for mounting in front of a primary frame  10 . 
     The primary frame  10  comprises a frame body  11  mounting two lenses  12  in position, a bridge  13  extending between two inner sides of the lenses  12 , and two side extensions  14  extending from two outer sides of the lenses  12 . According to the preferred embodiment, the shelter frame  20  comprises two shelter lenses  30 , two lens holders  40  provided at two outer sides of the shelter lenses  30  respectively, and a retractable arm  50  extended between the shelter lenses  30 . 
     The two spaced apart shelter lenses  30  define a control distance between two inner sides of the shelter lenses  30 . The retractable arm  50  is extended between two inner sides of the shelter lenses  30  for applying a retractable force therebetween to adjust the control distance, wherein when the shelter lenses  30  are pulled away from each other to lengthen the retractable arm  50  for extending the control distance, the lens holders  40  are adapted for engaging with two outer sides of the lenses  12  of the primary frame  10 , such that when the retractable arm  50  is retracted via the retractable force, the shelter lenses  30  are adapted for holding in front of the lenses  12  respectively. 
     Practically, the primary frame  10  can be constructed as a conventional spectacles frame to have a pair of lens rims as shown in  FIG. 1  of the drawings, or a rimless frame that the primary bridge  13  and the two side extensions  14  are directly fastened to the edges of the two lenses  12 . In other words, the primary frame  10  does not require modifying its original structure for mounting the shelter frame  20  thereon. So, the shelter frame  20  of the present invention fits for all kinds of conventional primary spectacles frame. In other words, the user does not need to buy a set of expensive primary spectacle frame and corresponding shelter frame. The user can merely additionally purchase the shelter frame  20  of the present invention to fit his or her current spectacle frame that he or she has originally. 
     According to the first preferred embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 4  of the drawings, the retractable arm  50  comprises a first member  51  mounted to the inner side of one of the shelter lenses  30 , a second member  52  mounted to the inner side of another shelter lens  30 , and a retraction unit  53  coupling between the first and second members  51 ,  52  such that the shelter lenses  30  are adapted to be pulled away from each other to extend the control distance. 
     According to the preferred embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 6 to 8  of the drawings, the retraction unit  53  comprises an elongated control arm  531  having an affixing end portion  5311  affixed to the second member  52  and a sliding end portion  5312  slidably coupled with the first member  51 , and a resilient element  532  coupling with the sliding end portion  5312  of the control arm  531  for applying the retractable force against the first member  51  to pull the first member  51  towards the second member  52 . 
     Accordingly, the first member  51  comprises a tubular sleeve  511  having a closed end mounting to the inner side of the respective shelter lens  30  and an opened end extended towards the inner side of another shelter lens  30 , wherein the sliding end portion  5312  of the control arm  531  is slidably received in the tubular sleeve  511  to slidably engage the second member  52  with the first member  51 . 
     According to the preferred embodiment, the resilient element  532  comprises a compression spring coaxially mounted at the sliding end portion  5312  of the control arm  531  for applying the retractable force against the second member  52  when the second member  52  is pulled away from the first member  51 . In the other hand, the retraction unit  53  further comprises a retaining stopper  533  disposed at the opened end of the tubular sleeve  511  to slidably engage with the sliding end portion  5312  of the control arm  531 , wherein the resilient element  532  is disposed in the tubular sleeve  2311  at a position that two ends of the resilient element  532  are biased against the retaining stopper  533  and a stopper end  5313  of the control arm  531  such that when the first and second members  51 ,  52  are pulled away from each other to lengthen the control distance, the resilient element  532  is compressed between the retaining stopper  533  and the stopper end  5313  of the control arm  531 . 
     It is worth to mention that the control arm  531  has a non-circular cross section to prevent the unwanted twisting movement between the shelter lenses  30 . Accordingly, a plurality of guiding ridges are spacedly and radially protruded along the sliding end portion  5312  of the control arm  531  to slidably engage with guiding slots at an inner side of the retaining stopper  53 . Therefore, the sliding end portion  5312  of the control arm  531  cannot be rotated within the retaining stopper  533  but can only slide through the retaining stopper  533 . 
     The retractable arm  50  is extended between the shelter lenses  30  for aligning with the bridge  13  of the primary frame  10  when the shelter lenses  30  are held in front of the lenses  12  respectively. Therefore, when the shelter frame  20  is mounted in front of the primary frame  10 , the bridge  13  is hidden behind the retractable arm  50  to enhance the aesthetic appearance of the shelter frame  20  with the primary frame  10 . 
     Therefore, the retractable arms  50  of the shelter frame  20  of the present invention not only firmly attaches the shelter frame  20  in front of the primary frame  10  by the resilient element  532  compressing between the retaining stopper  533  and the stopper end  5313  of the control arm  531 . It is important to point out that for the conventional spectacle, the attachment clipped closed by pushing together the center nosepiece such that the assembling area of the spectacle is very limited and hard to operate. Compared to all kinds of conventional primary spectacles frame, the shelter frame  20  of the present invention, the engaging force of the present embodiment can be applied to two lens holders  40  as opposed to the nosepiece itself, making it much easier to assemble and more secure. 
     According to the preferred embodiment, each of the lens holders  40  comprises two spaced apart engaging hooks  41  rearwardly extended from the outer side of the respective shelter lens  30  for engaging with the outer side of the respective lens  12  of the primary frame  10 . As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  4  and  5 , there are four engaging hooks  41  provided at the outer sides of the shelter lenses  30  respectively. In other words, the outer side of each of the shelter lenses  30  has two spaced apart engaging hooks  41 . In particularly, the two corresponding engaging hooks  41  are provided at the upper and lower edges of the respective shelter lens  30  at the outer side thereof. Therefore, when shelter frame  20  is mounted in front of the primary frame  10 , the engaging hooks  41  are engaged with the four corner portions of the lenses  12  of the primary frame  10 , such that the shelter frame  20  can be stably retained in position. 
     As shown in  FIG. 9 , each of the engaging hooks  41  has an elongated supporting arm  411  rearwardly extended from the outer side of the respective shelter lens  30  and an edge holder  412  integrally extended from a rear end of the supporting arm  411  for engaging with a peripheral edge of the respective lens  12  at the outer side thereof. It is worth to mention that each of the engaging hooks  41  is made of plastic materials and is made of non-scratching material so as to prevent the lens  12  from being scratched when the shelter frame  20  is mounted in front of the primary spectacles frame  10 . 
     Alternatively, each of the engaging hooks  41  A has an elongated supporting arm  411  A rearwardly extended from the outer side of the respective shelter lens  30  and a lens holder  412 A integrally extended from a rear end of the supporting arm  411 A for engaging with a rear surface of the respective lens  12  at the outer side thereof, as shown in  FIG. 10 . It is worth to mention that the engaging hook  41  and its alternative  41 A can hold the shelter lenses  30  in front of the lenses  12  in a stably manner by maximizing the distance between two engaging hooks  41 ,  41 A to match with the width of the primary frame  10 . In addition, the primary frame  10  is embodied as a rimless spectacle frame. 
     In order to mount the shelter frame  20  in front of the primary frame  10 , the user is able to apply a pulling force at one of the shelter lenses  30  to lengthen the control distance between the inner sides of the shelter lenses  30 , which also lengthen the retractable arm  50 , as shown in  FIG. 2 . Once the control distance is increased, the distance between the lens holders  40  are correspondingly increased. In other words, the distance between the lens holders  40  is larger than the distance between the two outer sides of the lenses  12  of the primary frame  10 . Therefore, the user is able to engage one of the lens holders  40  to the corresponding outer side of the lens  12  of the primary frame  10  as shown in  FIG. 3 . Then, when the pulling force is released, the compressed resilient element  532  is returned back to its original form to reduce the control distance, as shown in  FIG. 6 . Therefore, another lens holder  40  is engaged with the corresponding outer side of another lens  12  of the primary frame  10  to hold the shelter lenses  30  in front of the lenses  12  of the primary frame  10  respectively, as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIGS. 11 to 13  illustrate an alternative mode of the retractable arm  50 B which has the same structure of the above preferred embodiment. Accordingly, the retractable arm  50 B has a one-piece frontal side extended between the inner sides of the shelter lenses  30  to enhance an appearance of the shelter frame  20 . As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , the first member  51  further comprises a front covering panel  501 B sidewardly extended from the opened end of the tubular sleeve  511  to cover a front side of the second member  52  when the first and second members  51 ,  52  are coupled end-to-end. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , when the shelter lenses  30  are pulled away from each other to lengthen the control distance, the front covering panel  501 B is slid along the front side of the second member  52 . Once the pulling force is released, the front covering panel  501 B is slid back to cover the front side of the second member  52 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . Therefore, the second member  52  is hidden behind the front covering panel  501 B to form the frontal side of the retractable arm  50 B. Preferably, the front covering panel  501 B has a U-shaped cross section to receive the second member  52  within the front covering panel  501 B to enhance the appearance of the shelter frame  20 . 
       FIG. 14  illustrates the shelter frame  20  of the present invention is adapted to incorporate with any shape of the primary frame  10 A. According to the preferred embodiment, the configuration of each of the shelter lens  30  matches with the configuration of the corresponding lens  12  such that the shelter lenses  30  are fittingly cover at the front side of the lenses  12  respectively. However, the retractable arm  50  provides the retractable force between the shelter lenses  30  to securely retain the shelter frame  20  in front of the primary frame  10 A even through the width of the shelter frame  20  is different from the width of primary frame  10 A as shown in  FIG. 14 . 
     One skilled in the art will understand that the embodiment of the present invention as shown in the drawings and described above is exemplary only and not intended to be limiting. 
     It will thus be seen that the objects of the present invention have been fully and effectively accomplished. The embodiments have been shown and described for the purposes of illustrating the functional and structural principles of the present invention and is subject to change without departure from such principles. Therefore, this invention includes all modifications encompassed within the spirit and scope of the following claims.