Patent Publication Number: US-2012026454-A1

Title: Eyeglass Auxiliary Device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims priority of Taiwanese application no. 099214753, filed on Aug. 2, 2010. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an eyeglass auxiliary device, more particularly to an eyeglass auxiliary device for detachably connecting an earplug to an eyeglass device. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     When working in a harsh environment where noise, strong light, splashed residues, etc., exist, it is necessary for workers to wear personal protective accessories such as eyeglasses and earplugs so as to ensure working safety. Generally, the protective accessories are separate from each other so that workers have to wear, take off, or store them individually. It is troublesome and time-consuming for workers to cope with the separate protective accessories. Moreover, the separate protective accessories are easily misplaced. 
     Taiwanese Patent no. M259174 discloses a glasses auxiliary outfit that is mounted on a temple of a pair of glasses and that may hold a cord of earplugs so as to connect the earplugs to the glasses. The applicant of the present invention desires to provide an eyeglass auxiliary device for easily detachably connecting an earplug to an eyeglass device. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to the present invention, an eyeglass auxiliary device is suitable for detachably connecting an earplug to an eyeglass device, and comprises: a clamp unit including a base plate having first and second opposite sides, and a pressing plate that has a hinged end portion hinged to the base plate at the first side, an engaging end portion disposed opposite to the hinged end portion and detachably engaging the base plate at the first side, and a clamp portion disposed between the hinged end portion and the engaging end portion and adapted for clamping the earplug; and a temple-connecting unit connected to the base plate at the second side and adapted for mounting on a temple of the eyeglass device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent in the following detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment of an eyeglass auxiliary device according to this invention viewed from a temple-connecting unit thereof; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the first preferred embodiment viewed from a clamp unit thereof; 
         FIG. 3  is a fragmentary perspective view showing a pair of the first preferred embodiment of the eyeglass auxiliary devices which connects a pair of earplugs to an eyeglass device; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the second preferred embodiment of an eyeglass auxiliary device according to this invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of the second preferred embodiment; 
         FIG. 6  is a fragmentary perspective view showing connection among the second preferred embodiment of the eyeglass auxiliary device, an earplug, and a temple of an eyeglass device; and 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the second preferred embodiment shown in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Before the present invention is described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying preferred embodiments, it should be noted herein that like elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout the disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the first preferred embodiment of an eyeglass auxiliary device according to this invention comprises a clamp unit  2  and a temple-connecting unit  3 . The clamp unit  2  includes: a base plate  21  having first and second opposite sides  211 ,  212  and front and rear ends  213 ,  214 ; and a pressing plate  22  that has a hinged end portion  23  hinged to the base plate  21  at the first side  211  and the rear end  214 , an engaging end portion  24  disposed opposite to the hinged end portion  23  and detachably engaging the base plate  21  at the first side  211  and the front end  213 , and a clamp portion  25  disposed between the hinged end portion  23  and the engaging end portion  24  and adapted for clamping an earplug against the base plate  21 . 
     In this embodiment, the clamp unit  2  further comprises interlocking elements which include an engaging hook  26  and an engaging groove  27 . The engaging groove  27  is disposed on the first side  211  at the front end  213  of the base plate  21 , and the engaging hook  26  is formed on the engaging end portion  24  of the pressing plate  22 . The locations of the engaging hook  26  and the engaging groove  27  are interchangeable. 
     It should be noted that the hinged end portion  23  of the pressing plate  22  may be alternatively hinged to the base plate  21  at the front end  213 , and the engaging end portion  24  may detachably engage the base plate  21  at the rear end  214 . Accordingly, one of the interlocking elements  26 ,  27  of the clamping unit  2  may be disposed at the rear end  214  of the base plate  21 . 
     Preferably, the pressing plate  22  and the base plate  21  of the clamp unit  2  are integrally formed and connected to each other through the hinged end portion  23  of the pressing plate  22 . 
     The temple-connecting unit  3  is connected to the base plate  21  of the clamp unit  2  at the second side  212  and adapted for mounting on a temple of an eyeglass device. Particularly, in this preferred embodiment, the temple-connecting unit  3  includes a hook  31  for anchoring on a temple of an eyeglass device. 
       FIG. 3  shows a pair of the first preferred embodiment of the eyeglass auxiliary devices which detachably connect a pair of earplugs  11 ,  12  to temples  13 ,  14  of an eyeglass device. The eyeglass device can be nearsighted eyeglasses, sunglasses, safety eyeglasses, or any other optical eyeglasses. The earplugs  11 ,  12  are connected to each other using a cord  15 . 
     In use, the hook  31  of the temple-connecting unit  3  of the eyeglass auxiliary device is anchored on one of the temples  13 ,  14  of the eyeglass device. The cord  15  that interconnects the earplugs  11 ,  12  is disposed between the clamp portion  25  of the clamp unit  2  and the base plate  21 , followed by engaging the interlocking elements  26 ,  27 , thereby firmly clamping the cord  15  and connecting the eyeglass device and the earplugs  11 ,  12 . As a result, when a user wears the eyeglass device, the earplugs  11 ,  12  are disposed near the user&#39;s ears so that it is convenient for the user to use the earplugs  11 ,  12 . Moreover, if the cord  15  is disposed behind the user&#39;s neck, the eyeglass device and the earplugs  11 ,  12  could be hung on the neck when the eyeglass device and the earplugs  11 ,  12  are taken off. The problem of misplacing the earplugs  11 ,  12  can be alleviated. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 to 7 , the second preferred embodiment of an eye-glass auxiliary device according to this invention differs from the first preferred embodiment in that the clamp unit  2  further includes a coupling plate  41  and an engaging pin  42 , and the temple-connecting unit  3  includes a connecting body that replaces the hook  31  of the first preferred embodiment and that is connected to the coupling plate  41  of the clamp unit  2 . 
     In this embodiment, the coupling plate  41  of the clamp unit  2  has a first end  411  hinged to the base plate  21  at the second side  212  and the rear end  214 , and a second end  412  opposite to the first end  411  and formed with a pin-extension hole  413 . Preferably, the first end  411  of the coupling plate  41  is pivotally connected to the base plate  21  such that the coupling plate  41  may be swung relative to the base plate  21  as shown in  FIG. 5 . The engaging pin  42  of the clamp unit  2  projects from the second side  212  at the front end  213  of the base plate  21  to interlock with the pin-extension hole  413  of the coupling plate  41 , and includes a leg portion  421  connected to the base plate  21  and a barbed end  422  connected to the leg portion  421  oppositely of the base plate  21 . It should be noted that the barbed end  422  has a dimension larger than the pin-extension hole  413  such that, when the engaging pin  42  passes through the pin-extension hole  413  so as to expose the barbed end  422  from the pin-extension hole  413 , the engaging pin  42  can firmly interlock with the pin-extension hole  413 . Preferably, the leg portion  421  includes a shoulder part  423  proximate to the base plate  21  for abutting against the coupling plate  41  near the pin-extension hole  413  when the engaging pin  42  interlocks with the pin-extension hole  413 . 
     The connecting body of the temple-connecting unit  3  is formed with a first through hole  32  adapted to receive a temple of an eyeglass device, and a second through hole  33 . The coupling plate  41  of the clamp unit  2  detachably extends into the second through hole  33  such that the pin-extension hole  413  of the coupling plate  41  is exposed from the connecting body. The temple-connecting unit  3  may be produced to have the first through hole  32  with different dimensions depending on requirements. The coupling plate  41  of the clamp unit  2  can be coupled to the different temple-connecting units  3  for use with temples of different eyeglass devices. Preferably, the temple-connecting unit  3  is made from silica gel or any other flexible material. 
     It should be noted that, in this preferred embodiment, the clamp portion  25  of the pressing plate  22  cooperates with the base plate  21  to define a clamp space  28  that includes a wide space portion  281  adjacent to the engaging end portion  24  and a narrow space portion  282  adjacent to the wide space portion  281 . 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  show the connections among the second preferred embodiment of the eyeglass auxiliary device of the present invention, an earplug, and a temple  13  of an eyeglass device. Likewise, the earplug is attached to a cord  15  so as to connect to another earplug (not shown). The cord  15  is disposed in the wide space portion  281  of the clamp space  28 . By engaging the interlocking elements  26 ,  27 , the cord  15  is firmly clamped between the base plate  21  and the pressing plate  22  such that the earplug is connected to the eyeglass device and is convenient to use. 
     Through the eyeglass auxiliary device of the present invention, an earplug is detachably connected to an eyeglass device easily and conveniently such that the eyeglass device and the earplug become user-friendly. The eyeglass auxiliary device maybe designed to conform to the temples of various eyeglass devices. 
     While the present invention has been described in connection with what are considered the most practical and preferred embodiments, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments but is intended to cover various arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the broadest interpretations and equivalent arrangements.