Patent Document

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to the field of eyeglasses, and particularly rimless eyeglasses, where connection is made between the hinged portion of the temple and the eyeglass lenses, preferably plastic lenses, and also a connection is made between the bridge and the eyeglass lenses. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Eyeglasses have been available for many centuries. Over time, the design of eyeglasses have varied considerably according to fashion and taste. 
     Modern day eyeglass lenses are available in a rimless variety; without an eyeglass lens enclosing frame or rim. In these designs, eyeglass lenses are secured directly to the hinge portion of the temple and to the bridge by various arrangements. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An advantageous arrangement for securing eyeglass lenses to the hinge portions of the temples and to the bridge of the frame will be described. By the present invention, each eyeglass lens includes two holes located adjacent to the peripheral edge where the hinge portion of the temple and the bridge will be secured to the eyeglass lens. At each of these holes, a threaded bolt secured at one end respectively to the hinge portion of the temple and the bridge passes through the hole and through an elastomer cushioning ring for engagement with a nut assembly on an opposite side of the eyeglass lens. Each of the hinge portions of the temples and the bridge portions include two projecting teeth in the shape of pyramids for engaging with, penetrating into and rigidly holding the eyeglass lens which is preferably made of plastic when the nut assembly is tightened on the threaded bolt. 
     The hinge portions of the temples and the portions of the bridge which engage the eyeglass lenses may be aligned at any angle with respect to the lenses as long as the two projecting teeth engage the lenses and the threaded bolt is able to pass through the pre-drilled hole located on opposite edges on each eyeglass lens. Accordingly, the crossbar on which the two projecting teeth are located may be aligned vertically or horizontally or at any angle in between. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a rimless eyeglass frame with the lenses secured to hinge portions of the temples and to the bridge by a threaded bolt and nut assembly. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a rimless eyeglass frame with the lenses secured to hinge portions of the temples and to the bridge by a threaded bolt and nut assembly with the hinge portions and bridge including two projecting teeth at each connection to the eyeglass lenses. 
     It is still yet another object of the present invention to provide a rimless eyeglass frame with the lenses secured to hinge portions of the temples and to the bridge by a threaded bolt and nut assembly with the hinge portions and bridge including two projecting teeth at each connection to the eyeglass lenses and with the projecting teeth gripping the eyeglass lenses and helping to secure them in place. 
     These and other objects of the invention, as well as many of the intended advantages thereof, will become more readily apparent when reference is made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the eyeglass frame of the present invention with one of the lenses shown in an exploded view and certain areas encircled and labeled as two and three, respectively. 
     FIG. 2 is an enlargement of part of the area encircled and labeled as two in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is an enlarged exploded view of the area encircled and labeled as three in FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the interconnection of a hinge portion and eyeglass lens illustrative of the four interconnections used to form the rimless frame of the present invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an alternative embodiment of the present invention illustrating with one of the lenses shown in an exploded view and certain areas encircled and labeled as six and seven, respectively. 
     FIG. 6 is an enlargement of part of the area encircled and labeled as six in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged exploded view of the area encircled and labeled as seven in FIG.  5 . 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view illustrating the interconnection of a hinge portion and eyeglass lens illustrative of the four interconnections used to form the rimless frame of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     In describing a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. However, the invention is not intended to be limited to the specific terms so selected, and it is to be understood that each specific term includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose. 
     With reference to the drawings, in general, and FIGS. 1 through 4 in particular, a rimless eyeglass frame embodying the teachings of the present invention is generally designated as  10 . With reference to its orientation in FIG. 1, the rimless eyeglass frame includes two temples  37  which terminate in end pieces  38 . At the opposite end from the end pieces  38  of the temple  37  are hinge portions  36 . One end of each hinge portion  36  is pivotally mounted by a screw interconnection to the temple  37 . In an alternate embodiment, the temple  37  and end pieces  38  may be of unitary construction. 
     The opposite end of the hinge portion terminates in a cross-bar  34  having two teeth projections  35  which are pyramid shaped. Each projection  35  is approximately 1 mm wide. 
     Centrally located between two eyeglass lenses  20  is a bridge  23  terminating in two crossbars  29  at opposite ends of the bridge  23 . Also mounted on the bridge  23  are tabs or nose pads  25 . 
     On opposite sides of each of the eyeglass lenses  20  are only two holes  24  for cooperation with the crossbars  34  of the hinge portions  36  and the crossbars  29  of the bridge  23 . The two holes  24  of each lens cooperate with threaded bolts  26 , elastomer O-ring  27  and nut assembly  28  for securing the lenses  20  to the bridge and temple portions. The threaded bolts have a diameter of approximately 1 mm which fits snugly into holes  24 . 
     As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, the bridge  23  terminates in crossbar  29  having teeth  35  for engaging with and penetrating into a surface of an eyeglass lens  20 . In FIG. 3, hinge portion  36  terminating in crossbar  34  also includes teeth  35 . Also shown is the threaded bolt  26 , elastomer O-ring  27 , lens  20 , having aperture  24 , and nut assembly  28 . 
     In FIG. 4, the assembled hinge portion secured to lens  20  is shown. It is understood that a similar arrangement for interconnection of the crossbars  29  of bridge  23  with the lenses  20  is similarly accomplished. In FIG. 4, only upon rotation of nut assembly  28  engaging with threaded bolt  26  which extends from and is secured to crossbar  34  of hinge portion  36 , do the teeth  35  engage with and penetrate into the lens  20 , preferably made of plastic. The nut assembly includes a rotatable sleeve having an internal nut  22  which engages threaded bolt  26 . The elastomer O-ring  27  is compressed by the rotation of the nut assembly around the threaded bolt so as to cushion the tightening and engagement of the points of the teeth  35  with the lenses  20 . 
     It is understood as being within the scope of the present invention that the nut assembly  28  may consist of an end cap which covers the free end of the threaded bolt and threadingly engages the threaded bolt for securing the lenses to the crossbars  29  and  34 . Also, the nut assembly may constitute two separate threaded components, for example a nut and an end cap which are successively threaded onto the free end of the threaded bolt  26  so as to compress the O-ring  27  and force engagement of the lenses  20  with the crossbars  29  and  34 . 
     In FIGS. 5 through 8, an alternate arrangement is shown. In these Figures, all parts of the assembly shown in FIGS. 1 and 4 which are shown in FIGS. 5 through 8 are similarly numbered with the prime designation. 
     In FIG. 6, the eyeglass frame  15  is similarly structured as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4. However, as noted in FIGS. 5,  6  and  7 , the crossbars  29 ′ and  34 ′ are at a steeper angle compared to the vertically extending crossbars  29  and  34  shown in FIGS. 1 through 3. The angle of inclination of the crossbars  29 ′ and  34 ′ may be varied to any angular extent and be able to perform a similar anchoring of eyeglass lenses to a hinge portion and bridge of a rimless eyeglass frame assembly while experiencing the benefits of the present invention. 
     The foregoing description should be considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and, accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.

Technology Category: 3