Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to eyewear and eyeglasses and a method of using said eyewear and eyeglasses, which provide a lens frame removably attached to a primary eyewear, such as an eyewear platform or conventional eyeglasses, with snap connections. 
   2. Background Information 
   Auxiliary eyewear attachments, which connect to primary or conventional eyeglasses with attachment devices, allow the user to convert a pair of conventional eyeglasses to sunglasses and to avoid the need for an additional pair of prescription sunglasses. This auxiliary eyewear can also be used to change the prescription of the lenses on the primary eyewear. 
   Another way to allow the user to maximize the different kinds of eyewear is for the user to attach a removable lens frame to an eyewear platform. By allowing removable attachment of the lens frame to an eyewear platform, the user only needs to wear one set of lenses at a time. By only using one set of lenses in this eyewear, there is reduced weight, no glare or reflection between lenses, and no distraction in the field of vision with the eyewear. In addition, since there is only one set of lenses, it is easier for the user to keep these lenses clean. Further, by using the same eyewear platform as a base to attach different lenses, the user is able to employ one eyewear apparatus that allows for multiple and different types of lenses and that can be changed easily and quickly. Finally, instead of having several different pairs of conventional glasses, the user may substantially save cost by having different sets of lenses for one eyewear platform. 
   A number of different designs are available for auxiliary eyewear using attachment devices such as magnets, clips, snaps, clasps, or hooks. A method of attaching auxiliary eyewear by snaps is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,196,679 B1 issued Mar. 6, 2001 to Edmund Wong. In the Wong patent, each of a pair of projections on the auxiliary frame engages and fits snugly in an opening on a corresponding projection on the primary spectacle frame. In order to allow the auxiliary projections to fit snugly in the openings, Wong uses an incomplete ring clip received and retained in an annular recess of the opening&#39;s inner surface. 
   A problem with the attachment device disclosed and described in Wong is that as a user repeatedly attaches and detaches the auxiliary eyewear, the incomplete ring clip can become loosened or worn out and lose its ability to secure locking engagement between the auxiliary projection and the primary projection. Further, manufacture of the eyeglasses with such incomplete ring clip inserted in the inner surface of the opening is relatively complex and requires separate pieces of material. 
   Moreover, the process of detachment of the auxiliary eyewear from the primary eyeglasses in Wong is inconvenient. In order to release the locking engagement between the auxiliary projection and the primary projection, a user has to forcibly pull the auxiliary projection from the primary projection. If the user tries to detach the auxiliary eyewear while wearing the assembly of the primary glasses and the auxiliary eyewear, pulling the auxiliary eyewear from the primary eyeglasses may cause severe dislocation of the primary eyeglasses, and may result in injury to the user&#39;s face. 
   It is, therefore, one object of the present invention to provide a new and improved snap connection for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to a primary eyewear, which is stable and durable in its structure. 
   Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus of easy release snap connection that allows a user to comfortably and conveniently detach an auxiliary eyewear from a primary eyewear. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The purpose of the present invention is to provide an eyewear apparatus and a method that provides a lens frame removably attached to a primary eyewear, such as conventional eyeglasses or an eyewear platform, by snap connection that effectively prevents the removable lens frame from becoming involuntarily detached from the primary eyewear and that is conveniently and comfortably releasable. 
   In the present invention, an apparatus for attaching a lens frame to a primary eyewear comprises a first snap connector and a second snap connector. The first snap connector has a male portion, and the second snap connector has a female portion. The female portion can be located in proximity to each temple extension of a primary eyewear, and the male portion can be placed in a corresponding location of a lens frame for mating with the female portion. Alternatively, the male portion can be located in proximity to each temple extension of a primary eyewear, and the female portion can be placed in a corresponding location of a lens frame for receiving the male portion. 
   Specifically, the female portion can be located in a temple socket that is attached to each temple extension of the primary eyewear, for receiving the male portion located in an appendage socket of the lens frame. The female portion is defined by an inner wall of the second snap connector, which has a first ridge and a second ridge on its inner surface. The second snap connector further comprises a button for comfortably releasing the male portion from the female portion. The button comprises a cap and a pillar, and the pillar is capable of sliding in and out of the female portion. The button has a button ridge to engage a first ridge located in proximity to an upper area of the inner wall in order to limit further sliding movement of the button. The movement of the button is also limited by the cap, which sits on the top surface of the temple socket. 
   The male portion located in the appendage socket of the lens frame comprises a compressible head and a body. The male portion has at least one cut formed substantially along the length of the male portion so that the head is split into multiple segments. The segments are spaced apart each other when the male portion does not mate with the female portion. Because of the space formed between the segments, the head is compressible. Preferably, the male portion further comprises a recess located between the body and the head. Upon insertion of the male portion into the female portion, the head is temporarily compressed to pass through the second ridge of the inner wall. Upon passing the second ridge, the head returns to its approximate original width. The recess fictionally engages the second ridge and, consequently, the male portion is securely locked within the female portion. In order to release the snap connection, a user presses the button, which then pushes out the male portion. 
   In another embodiment, the inner wall of the second snap connector has a protruding area, which is located in a substantially upper portion of the inner wall. Upon insertion of the male portion into the female portion, the head of the male portion frictionally engages the protruding area of the inner wall for locking the male portion in the female portion. 
   The present invention introduces such refinement. In its preferred embodiments, the present invention has several aspects or facets that can be used independently, although they are preferably employed together to optimize their benefits. All of the foregoing operational principles and advantages of the present invention will be more fully appreciated upon consideration of the following detailed description, with reference to the appended drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is an exploded view of the first embodiment of a removable lens frame and conventional eyeglasses with easy release snap connections. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates the lens frame attached to the conventional eyeglasses by easy release snap connections. 
       FIG. 3  is a partial cross-sectional view taken at  3 - 3  of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 4  is a partial cross-sectional side view illustrating the lens frame detached from the conventional eyeglasses. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional side view of another embodiment of easy release snap connection. 
       FIG. 6  shows a male portion located in an appendage socket of the lens frame. 
       FIG. 7  is a top view of the lens frame with a male portion. 
       FIG. 8  is an exploded view of another embodiment of a removable lens frame and an eyewear platform with easy release snap connections. 
       FIG. 9  is an exploded view of another embodiment of a removable lens frame and an eyewear platform with easy release snap connections, where the lenses of the lens frame are connected by a lens connector. 
       FIG. 10  is an exploded view of another embodiment of a removable lens frame and an eyewear platform with easy release snap connections, where the lens frame is mounted rearwardly from the front. 
       FIG. 11  is an exploded view of another embodiment of a removable lens frame and an eyewear platform with easy release snap connections, where the lens frame is mounted outwardly from the side of each appendage of the lens frame. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     FIGS. 1 through 11  show embodiments of easy release snap connection for attaching a lens frame to a primary eyewear, such as conventional eyeglasses or an eyewear platform. 
   As shown in  FIGS. 1 through 11 , the present invention for attaching a lens frame to a primary eyewear comprises a first snap connector  900  and a second snap connector  910 . The first snap connector  900  has a male portion  640 , and the second snap connector has a female portion  630  that is an opening for receiving the male portion  640 . The male portion  640  can be located in proximity to each temple extension  40  of a primary eyewear  12  or  15 , and the female portion  630  can be placed in a corresponding location of a lens frame  10  for receiving the male portion  640 . Alternatively, the female portion  630  can be located in proximity to each temple extension  40  of a primary eyewear  12  or  15 , and the male portion  640  can be placed in a corresponding location of a lens frame  10  for mating with the female portion  630 . 
   For example, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 4 , the female portion  630  can be located in a temple socket  500  that is attached to each temple extension  40  of a primary eyewear  12 , for receiving the male portion  640  located in an appendage socket  502  of the lens frame  10 . The female portion  630  is defined by an inner wall  540  that is surrounded by an outer wall  550 . The inner wall  540  has a first ridge  610  and a second ridge  620  protruding from its inner surface  545 . The first ridge  610  is located in proximity to an upper area of the inner wall  540 , and the second ridge  620  is located in proximity to a mid area of the inner wall  540 . The height of the inner wall  540  is greater than that of the outer wall  550  so that a first bottom surface  600  of the inner wall  540  is located lower than a second bottom surface  602  of the outer wall  550 . 
   The second snap connector  910  further comprises a button  505  for comfortably releasing the engagement between the first snap connector  900  and the second snap connector  910 . The button  505  comprises a cap  510  and a pillar  520 , and is seated in the temple socket  500 . The width of the pillar  520  is slightly smaller than that of an opening defined by the first ridge  610  so that the pillar  520  of the button  505  can slide in and out of the female portion  630 . The movement of the button  505  is limited by a button ridge  530 , which engages the first ridge  610  of the inner wall  540  so that the button  505  is not separated from the temple socket  500 . The movement of the button  505  is also limited by the cap  510 , which has a width greater than that of the opening defined by the first ridge  610  so that the cap  510  can sit on the top surface of the temple socket  500 . 
   The male portion  640  located in the appendage socket  502  of the lens frame  10  comprises a body  650  and a head  670 . Preferably, the male portion further comprises a recess  680  located between the body  650  and the head  670 . As shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , the male portion  640  has at least one cut formed substantially along the length of the male portion  640  so that the head  670  is split into multiple segments. There is a space  665  between the segments, and the segments do not contact each other when the male portion  640  is not inserted into the female portion  630 . The first surface  580  and the second surface  570  of the appendage socket  502  are proportioned to receive and fully engage the first bottom surface  600  and the second bottom surface  602  respectively of the temple socket  500 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 4 , when the male portion  640  of the lens frame  10  is not inserted into the female portion  630  of the temple socket  500 , the pillar  520  of the button  505  can be located substantially within the female portion  630 , and the bottom surface of the cap  510  is substantially in contact with the top surface  590  of the temple socket  500 . 
   Depending on the specific design or need of the user, the head of the male portion and corresponding female portion can be in any shape, including but not limited to, round, cylinder, rectangle, oval, and flat. The head and the body of the male portion can each have a different shape, or can have the same shape. For example, the head can be in a substantially round shape, and the body can be in a substantially cylinder shape. In another example, the head can be in a rectangular shape, and the body can be in a cylinder shape. In still another example, the head and the body together can comprise one piece of a cylinder shape. 
   Referring to  FIG. 3 , in order to attach the lens frame  10  to a primary eyewear  12 , the male portion  640  of the lens frame  10  is inserted into the female portion  630  of the primary eyewear  12 . The width of the head  670  is slightly larger than that of an opening portion defined by the second ridge  620  so that a user has to exercise slight force in order to allow the head  670  to be compressed by and pass the second ridge  620 . The head  670  is compressible due to the space  665  made from the cut  660 . Upon passing the second ridge  620 , the head  670  returns to its approximate original width. In a preferred embodiment, the recess  680  of the male portion  640  is proportioned to engage the second ridge  620 , thereby locking the male portion  640  in the female portion  630 . In another embodiment, the male portion  640  does not have the recess, and the second ridge  620  can frictionally engage a part of the head  670  for locking the male portion  640  in the female portion  630 . 
   Upon insertion of the male portion  640  into the female portion  630 , a top surface area of the head  670  engages a bottom surface area of the button  505 . Also, the first bottom surface  600  and the second bottom surface  602  of the temple socket  500  engage the first surface  580  and the second surface  570  respectively of the appendage socket  502 . Such engagement and the structure of the depressed first surface  580  allow for greater resistance from horizontal or side-to-side displacement. 
   In order to release the snap connection, a user presses the button  505 , which then pushes out the male portion  640 . Except the opening portions defined by the first ridge  610  and the second ridge  620 , the female portion  630  has a width slightly greater than that of the head  670 , so that once the head  670  passes the second ridge  620  the male portion  640  can freely come out of the female portion  630 . 
   In another embodiment as shown in  FIG. 5 , the inner wall of the temple socket has a protruding area  700 , which is located in a substantially upper portion of the inner wall. Upon insertion of the male portion into the female portion, the head  670  of the male portion frictionally engages the protruding area  700  due to the pressure caused by the resilient property of the compressed head  670  on the surface of the protruding area  700 , thereby securely locking the male portion in the female portion. 
   The easy release snap connection can be used for attaching various eyewear frames. For example, a lens frame  10  can be attached by the easy release snap connection to conventional eyeglasses, as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , or to an eyewear platform  15  as shown in  FIGS. 8 through 11 . Also, lenses  20  connected by a lens connector  190  can be attached to the eyewear platform  15  by the easy release snap connection as illustrated in  FIG. 9 . 
   The appendage socket  502  can be aligned and mounted in various positions on the lens frame  10 , including being mounted horizontally (e.g.,  FIGS. 1-9 ) or vertically (e.g.,  FIGS. 10-11 ). Alternatively, the male portion  640  can be directly connected to the appendage  35  without the appendage socket. 
   Similarly, the temple socket  500  can be aligned and mounted in various positions on the temple extension  40 , including being mounted horizontally (e.g.,  FIGS. 1-5 ,  8 - 9 ) or vertically (e.g.,  FIGS. 10-11 ). In an alternative, the female portion and the button can be directly constructed in the temple extension  40  without using the temple socket. 
   Finally, the primary eyewear and the lens frame including the first snap connector and the second snap connector can be made of a variety of materials including but not limited to metals, alloys, carbon fibers, plastics and other lightweight and strong composite materials. In addition, the primary eyewear and the lens frame can also be made of materials that allow a certain amount of resilience, elasticity, or “give” to enable the eyewear to be able to take the rigors of use. Both the primary eyewear and the lens frame can assume a variety of shapes and sizes depending on the specific design or need of the user. Also, both the primary eyewear and the lens frame can be each made of one piece. 
   While the invention as described in connection with its preferred embodiments, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to those embodiments. On the contrary, it is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Technology Category: 3