Abstract:
Eyewear is provided having hinged dual lens elements that provide a clear magnified wide field of view, while allowing the option of individually moving one or the other of the lenses away from a frontal viewing position of a particular eye that it covers to a raised position above the eye. The eyewear further enabling a single action to raise one lens and simultaneously lower the other lens.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   Not Applicable. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to eyewear. More specifically, the present invention is directed to eyewear having hinged dual lens elements that provide a clear magnified wide field of view, while allowing the option of individually moving one or the other of the lenses away from a frontal viewing position of a particular eye that it covers to a raised position. 
   Eyewear is typically worn for a variety of reasons. As such, there exists a wide variety of eyewear types, each of which are specifically designed and intended for a particular use, environment or function. For example, a number of people use “reading glasses” to provide magnification of a subject such as text on a paper or other objects. There are certain activities in which it would be beneficial to have eyewear that provides a clear, magnified, wide field of view when performing other common activities. For example, a typical individual involved in the activity of applying facial makeup or otherwise interacting with their face, who would ordinarily use reading glasses, may have trouble performing such functions with the bare eye or even with a traditional pair of reading glasses. 
   In particular, when an individual is about to apply makeup to a certain region of the face and especially the area around one eye, it becomes necessary to remove their reading glasses thus recreating the visibility impairment that necessitated the use of the reading glasses in the first place. In another situation, an individual may not be able to view or focus on an image of their face when looking out of the corner of the eye, i.e. the temporal edge of their glasses. In yet another situation, where the individual is attempting to apply makeup to an area around the side burns and/or the ear, the individual would rotate their head in one direction and the eyes in the opposite direction so as to view the area of interest on the face. In this position, the individual also looses the magnification provided by traditional reading glasses and also has to contend with having the glasses/frame obstruct access to regions of the face. Most people who require corrective reading lens are unable to position their face as close as desired to a mirror because they are unable to properly focus on their image from such a position. 
   Thus, eyewear that provides a clear, magnified, wide field of view that would allow a person to view their image from a close range without encountering problems related to their uncorrected sight limitations is desirable. It is also desirable to have improved visibility even when a person has to apply make-up to an area around the eyes. Ordinarily, a complete loss of visual acuity is encountered when one goes to apply makeup around the eyes because it is usually necessary to remove any corrective eyewear in order to access the area of interest. It is therefore desirable to have a device and/or method that would enable one with impaired vision to have access to apply make up around the eyes without any obstruction or loss of visual acuity. The present invention addresses this need and overcomes the limitations of the prior art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   To address these and other concerns, the present invention provides, among other things, eyewear that provides a clear, magnified wide field of view with lenses that are movable between a position in front of the eye to a position away from the eye. The eyewear comprises a frame having rims, temples, and a pair of lenses, wherein the temples position the frame about the face of a wearer. The lenses each have a lug with a cam surface located generally around the nose piece. The lugs provide a pivot mount for each lens to the nose piece and have a pivot axis about which the lens may be selectively moved between the position in front of the eye and the position away from the eye, which exposes a region around the eye. The lug is also an inter-engaging portion that provides cooperation between the individual lenses, such that the selective movement of one lens from a frontal position to a raised position or otherwise, cooperatively engages the other lens to move it back to a frontal position. Thereby, only one lens may be raised at a time and a single effort raises one lens while lowering the other. 
   Even further, the present invention provides for a pivot axis that may be generally normal to the rims and generally parallel to the temples. Alternatively, the pivot axis may be generally parallel to the lens surface and generally perpendicular to the temples. 
   Further still, the pivot axis of the eyewear may be canted upward or downward to cause a compound motion when a lens is moved. The compound motion is exemplified by the motion of the lens outwardly away from the face of a wearer when the lens is moved about the pivot axis. The movement away from the face of the wearer allows the lens to clear the forehead or other facial features of the wearer. 
   Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon review of the following detailed description and drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The present invention is further described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show various constructions and implementations of the present invention. However, it should be noted that the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings is illustrated by way of example only. The various elements and combinations of elements described below and illustrated in the drawings can be arranged and organized differently to result in constructions which are still within the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
       FIG. 1  is an exemplary view of a wearer with an eye wear of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is on illustrative view of an eye wear of the present invention, having one lens in the raised position; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the eye wear of  FIG. 1  shown with the lenses in a normal or frontal position; 
       FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the pivol-mount area of the eye wear of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an embodiment of the eye wear of the present invention; and 
       FIG. 6  is an illustrative view of an eye wear having both lenses inter-engaged during a readjustment in which a lowering of a first raised lens occurs when a second lens is being raised by a wearer. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   The present invention is directed to an eyewear having hinged lenses that provide a magnified wide field of view, while allowing the selective movement of one or another of the lenses between a frontal position and a raised position away from the eye of a wearer. The present invention is described herein with reference to figures that illustrate rotate ably attached lenses having a frame and a bridge. However, the illustrated drawing figures and description herein are provided to describe an embodiment of the present invention and should not be construed to limit or otherwise set forth the scope of the invention. 
   Turning initially to  FIG. 1 , an illustration of an individual wearer  12  with a pair of the eyewear  10  is shown. The eyewear  10  has a frame  18 , which includes a left temple  14   a  and right temple  14   b  each of which have an ear piece, and support and/or position the eyewear  10  about the face of the wearer  12 . Half rims  16  connect the pair of temples  14 . In an embodiment of the present invention and as illustrated in the figures, the rims  16  also provide a ledger for a left lens  20   a  and a right lens  20   b , collectively referenced as lens  20 . The terms left and right, forward and backward, or other positional descriptions, as used herein are from the perspective of a wearer, and with the eye wear  10  located or positioned as it would ordinarily be worn. Lens  20  has a nasal edge  66 , a temporal edge  68 , a top cam surface  64 , and a rim edge  70 . Lens  20  further has a lug  22  with a cam surface, which protrudes from the nasal edge  66  of the lens  20 . It would be understood by those skilled in the art that eyewear  10  may not have rims  16 , such as when the temples  14  are attached directly to the lens  20 . The rims  16  may also be located above the lens  20 . Eyewear  10  may also have lenses that are completely surrounded by a metal, plastic or other frame material. 
   In operation, the lens  20  of the present invention may be selectively moved by the wearer. Specifically, lens  20  may be moved from a frontal position  48  to a raised position  50 . The frontal position  48  locates the lens  20  in front of the eye of the wearer  12 . The raised position  50  moves the lens away from the eye to expose a region around the eye. In one embodiment, of the present invention the raised position  50  is achieved by pivoting the lens  20  in a direction that is approximately perpendicular to the plane of lens  20 . In another embodiment, lens  20  is pivoted in a direction that is proximately in the plane of the lens  20 , about an axis that is normal to the plane of lens  20 . It would be understood by one skilled in the art that other positions of the lens  20  that will expose a region around the eye are possible and that such positions are attainable by different movements of the lens  20 . Such other positions and movement of the lens  20  are contemplated and within the scope of the present invention. The discussion herein is primarily directed to the embodiment of the invention having a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the place of the lens  20 . 
   A lug  22  of each lens  20  is generally located on the nasal edge  66  of the lens  20  and around the nosepiece  24 . Lug  22  may be of varying shapes, sizes, or thickness. Lug  22  provides a means to mount or attach the lens  20 , such as to nose piece  24  or other pivot mount about which the lens  20 , may be pivoted. In an embodiment of the present invention and as illustrated in  FIG. 2 , the nose piece  24 , is adapted to allow a rotational movement of each lens  20 . Other adaptations of the nose piece  24  are also contemplated and are within the scope of the present invention. 
   As shown in  FIG. 2 , the right lens  20   b  can be raised by a rotation of the lens  20   b  about the nose piece  24 . The lens  20   b  remains in the raised position and provides access to the region around the right eye, until lowered by the action of the wearer. The lowering of the lens  20   b  moves the lens  20   b  to a frontal position  48  as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . 
     FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of eye wear  10  of the present invention, with lens  20   a  and  20   b  in a frontal position  48  as normally worn by a wearer  12 . The coupling of the lens  20  to the nose piece  24 , along with the relative location and position of a pivot axis, enable and dictate the movement of the lens  20  and resting position of the lens  20 . To better describe this aspect of the invention, a cross-sectional view of the eye wear  10  of  FIG. 3  is illustrated in  FIG. 4  and discussed below. 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 4  each lens  20   a  and  20   b  is hingedly coupled by lugs  22   a  and  22   b , to the nose piece  24  by a pivot screw  44  and a truss  42 . More specifically, the lug  22  of each lens  20  has an ear opening  52  through which the truss  42  and screw  44  are inserted and attached. The ear opening  52  of each lens  20  is aligned with an opening in the nose piece  24  and the lens  20  are arranged such that the nose piece  24  is located between the lugs  22   a  and  22   b  of the respective lenses. The truss  42  and pivot screw  44  are then introduced through the aligned opening are securely fastened to align and hold the lens  20  and nose piece  24  in place. To facilitate motion and reduce friction, a pair of washers  58  are located between each lens  20  and the nose piece  24 . 
   The movement of lens  20 , relative to the nose piece  24 , occurs about a pivot axis  26 . Each lens  20  may be selectively moved about the pivot axis  26  into a range of positions. Preferably, then lens  20  are moved to and from a frontal position  48  and a raised position  50 . Since the lens  20  of the preferred embodiment is rotateably hinged to the nose piece  24 , each lens  20  may be rotatably moved to a desired position. Such rotation is in an upward direction when the lens  20  is moved from the frontal position  48  to the raised position  50 . 
   The pivot axis  26  may be generally horizontal and approximately parallel to the temples  14 . In one embodiment of the present invention, the pivot axis  26  is approximately perpendicular to horizontal plane of the temples  14 . In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the nose piece  24  is canted in a forward direction. This results in a pivot axis  26  that is approximately 13° to the horizontal. The movement and ultimate position of lens  20  relative to the face of the wearer  12  or is a function of the cant of the nose piece  24 , and the pivot axis  26 . The cant of the nose piece  24  facilitates a forward motion of the lens  20 . The hinged connection of the lens  20  to the nose piece  24  facilitates rotational movement of the lens  20 . The resultant effect of both movements is a compound upward and forward motion of the lens  20  away from the eye and face of the wearer  12  or a downward and backward motion toward the face. This compound motion allows the lens  20  to clear the forehead of a wearer  12  when the lens  20  is moved to the raised position  50 . 
   The components of one embodiment of eye wear  10  are further illustrated in an exploded view  62 , shown in  FIG. 5 . Temples  14 , the left and right elastomers, the temple hinges, temple screw and nose pad shown in  FIG. 5 , are not a significant part of the invention and thus will not be discussed at length herein. The exploded view of  FIG. 5  illustrates the pieces of one embodiment of the eye wear  10  of the present invention. In particular, the details of lug  22  are also further illustrated. 
   Each lug  22  has a mount contact surface  54  and an opposed surface  56 . The mount contact surface  54  is recessed from the lens  26  surface and is essentially flat when assembled. The contact surface  54  contacts a first washer  24  located on one side of the nose piece  24 . The opposed surface  56  is uniform with and continuous with the surface of lens  20 . The opposed surface  56  contacts a second washer  58  located on the opposite side of the nose piece  24 . As shown, one side of lug  22  is beveled to compensate for the cant of the nose piece  24 , and to create a substantially uniform contact surface between the mount contact surface  54  of the lug  22  and the washer  58 , and ultimately the nose piece  24 . The bevel of the lug  22  provides a tapered lug  22 . The tapering of the lug  22  orients the lens  20  and places the lens  20  in an approximately vertical viewing plane of a wearer  12 . As previously described, the combined geometry of the lug  22  and cant of the nose piece  24  facilitate a compound upward and outward motion, or a downward and inward motion of the lens  20  about the pivot axis  26 . 
   During a raising motion adjustment of left lens  20   a  when the right lens  20   b  is already in a raised position  50 , the lenses  20   a ,  20   b  engage each other as shown in  FIG. 6 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , in one embodiment, a notched region  60  proximate to the lug  22  and lens  20 , provides an inter-engagement that enables cooperation between the individual lenses  20 . For example, the shape and relative position of the lug  22  along with the notched region  60  cause the motion of one lens or both to be arrested when the angle between the cam surfaces  64  of both lenses is less than approximately 90°. Even further, the movement of a first lens  20   a  to the raised position  50  will move a second lens  20   b  to the frontal position  48  and vice-versa. In other words, a wearer may move one lens  20  away from the front of the eye, while lowering the other lens  20  in front of the eye in a single action. 
   When a first lens  20   a  is raised, the notched region  60  of the first lens  20   a  contacts and rests upon the notched region  60  of the second lens  20   b , whereby lens  20   a  is supported in the raised position  50 . When lens  20   a  is in the raised position  50  the angle between the cam surfaces  64  of both lenses  20  is such that the center of gravity of the raised lens  20   a  is shifted from one side of the pivot axis to the opposite side. Specifically, as lens  20   a  is moved from the frontal position  48  to the raised position  50 , the center of gravity of lens  20  shifts along an arc toward and past a position that is perpendicular to the pivot axis. Once the center of gravity of lens  20   a  is beyond the perpendicular position, the lens  20   a  naturally falls toward the normally resting frontal positioned lens  20   b . The motion of lens  20   a  is arrested when the notch region  60  of each of the lenses  20  engages the other. At this point, the cornice angle of the lenses is preferably less than 90°. Furthermore, the combination of the mount and the inter-engaging notch regions keep the lens  20   a  in raised position until moved by the wearer. 
   As would be understood by one skilled in the art, a variety of geometric relationships between combinations of the lens  20 , the nose piece  24 , and the pivot axis  26  would also enable such single movement action of the present invention. Even further, the use of a mount manufactured from a material having memory, such as a flexible polymer product, would allow a first lens  20   a  to be essentially folded in a forward direction. Consistent with the present invention, a subsequent forward movement of a second lens  20   b  would simultaneously cause the first lens  20   a  to return to a frontal position. 
   The constructions described above and illustrated in the drawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended to limit the concepts and principles of the present invention. As such, it will be appreciated by one having ordinary skill in the art that various changes in the elements and their configuration and arrangement are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as set forth in the claims.