EP0944854A1

EP0944854A1 - Hingeless eyewear temple

Info

Publication number: EP0944854A1
Application number: EP97952227A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Henri Brune; Richard L. Brhel
Original assignee: Bausch and Lomb Inc
Current assignee: Luxottica Leasing SpA
Priority date: 1996-12-11
Filing date: 1997-12-11
Publication date: 1999-09-29
Also published as: CA2273967A1; WO1998026323A1; JP2001506013A; AU5589198A

Abstract

A hingeless temple for eyewear comprises a unitary length of flexible material such as a shape-memory metal or metal alloy which has a forward section, an elongated section and a flexible pivot section between the forward and elongated sections. The pivot section is characterized by three bends which form a generally serpentine configuration. In the unbiased position, the temple extends in the open position with respect to the eyewear front. Means are provided for selectively and releasably closing the temple in the folded position with respect to the eyewear front. When the closing means are released, the temple automatically pivots to the open position. The front end of the temple may be attached directly to the eyewear front, thereby negating the need for a separate hinge assembly.

Description

Hingeless Eyewear Temple

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to eyewear, and more particularly relates to a temple

for eyewear which includes an integrally formed hinge adjacent to the front end thereof

such that the temple front end may pivot with respect to an eyewear front without

requiring a separate hinge assembly.

Hingeless temples for eyewear have previously been proposed. For example, in

U.S. Patent 2,746,087 issued to Doiezal on May 22, 1956, a plastic temple 3 is attached

to a front having eyewires 1 by a cold worked hinge area 4 (Figs. 1 -5), 5 (Figs. 8 and 9),

and 18 (Figs. 10 and 12) which may be made as an extension of the temple itself. In this

patent, the plastic temple is subjected to cold working by pressing or rolling the plastic,

for example, to change its molecular orientation at the hinge area to thereby provide this

area some degree of flexibility. It is likely, however, that this temple would be extremely

fragile and break upon the repeated opening and closing of the tempie. One of the major

challenges to designing a hingeless temple is thus being able to withstand the high stress

and strain imparted by repeated opening and closing of the temple with respect to the

eyewear front.

SUMMARY OF TFfE INVENTION

The present invemion provides a hingeless temple which achieves a unique

synergy between material and design such that the temple exhibits an extremely strong resistance to stress and strain despite repeated open and closing cycles typical of eyewear

use. More particularly, the present invention provides a tempie which has an elongated

member which is formed from a flexible material, preferably a shape-memory alloy such as

NiTi. The temple is formed at the forward end thereof into a configuration which affords

the pivotal movement capabilities to the temple without the need for a separate hinge

assembly. The specific configuration is characterized by three separate curved bends

formed in the forward end of the temple piece with the middle bend being in the opposite

direction as the outer bends, thereby generating a somewhat seφentine appearance at this

location which is aesthetically as well as operationally superior to prior hingeless designs.

In the preferred embodiment, each pivot bend in the temple is formed as part of a circle of

substantially the same diameter such that each bend is of substantially the same radius of

curvature.

In the unbiased condition of the temple, the temple extends in the open position

with respect to the eyewear front to which it attaches. The temple is easily pivoted

laterally outwardly a small distance to place and fit the eyewear on the head in a snug,

comfortable manner. Upon removing the eyewear, the temple may be folded against the

back of the eyewear front. Means are provided to latch each temple in the folded position

against the eyewear front when not in use. When the latch is released, the temples

automatically pivot to their unbiased, normally open position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the temple of the invention; Figure 2 is a side, elevational view of the temple shown attached to an eyewear front with

an auxiliary temple end piece fitted to the back end of the temple;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of an eyewear having two temples in accordance with the

invention;

Figure 4 is a front, elevational view of the eyewear of Fig. 3;

Figure 5a is a plan view of the front end of the temple attached to a separate lens

attachment piece;

Figure 5b is an exploded, front elevational view of a lens (fragmented) and the attachment

piece and front end of the temple seen in Fig. 5a; and

Figure 6 is a fragmented, perspective view of a temple tip showing one possible method

for releasably retaining the temples of the invention in the folded position when not in use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Referring now to the drawing, there is seen in the various Figures a temple 10

comprising an elongated member having opposite front and back ends 12 and 1 ,

respectively. Temple 10 includes three basic sections; an elongated section 16 having back

end 14, a flexible pivot section 18, and a forward section 20 having front end 12. In the

unbiased condition of temple 10 seen in Fig. 1 , elongated section 16 extends generally

perpendicularly to forward section 20. At least forward section 20 and pivot section 18

are formed from a flexible material, although it is preferred that the entire length of temple

10, including elongated section 16, be formed from a single, unitary length of flexible

material such as plastic or metal which may be formed into an elongated work piece by

any appropriate means (e.g., molded, extruded, or rolled). However, in the preferred embodiment, the entire length of temple 10 is formed from a ribbon of a shape-memory

metal or metal alloy such as pure Titanium or NiTi, for example.

The pivot section 18 is characterized by three bends bi, b , and b₃ which may be

formed by bending a flattened ribbon of the material around three spaced metal pins 21

fixed to a steel plate (not shown). The middle bend b is in the opposite direction than

bends bi and b₃ such that pivot section 18 appears in a generally serpentine configuration.

Temple 10 has opposite inner and outer surfaces 22 and 24 which face toward and

away from the head, respectively, when the temple 10 is attached to an eyewear front 26

(Figs. 2-4) and the eyewear is worn. Beginning from elongated section 16, bend b_\

extends toward inner surface 22, bend b extends toward outer surface 24, and bend b₃

extends back toward inner surface 22. In the preferred embodiment, each bend b_-b is of

substantially the same radius of curvature. Preferred dimensions for temple 10 are as

follows:

Total length T of temple : 4.65"

Radius R_ at elongated section 16 adjacent back end 14: 15.0"

Radius R₂ at front section 20 adjacent front end 12: 1.0"

Radius of each bend bι-b₃ at pivot section 18: 0.19"

Thickness ti of material at pivot section 18: 0.025"

Thickness of material t₂ at elongated and front sections 16 and 20: 0.040"

Height of material h: 0.125"-0.140"

Temple 10 may be attached to any type of eyewear front, such as a front 26 seen

in Figs. 3 and 4 having separate frame eyes 28 and 30 which capture lenses 32 and 34

therein, respectively, joined by a bridge 36. A brow bar 26' includes slotted lateral end pieces 27 in which temple front end 12 may be secured with one or more rivets or pins 38

passed through holes 40 formed in front portion 20. As seen in Fig. 5, temple 10 may be

attached to a frameless lens 42 via a slotted connecting element 44, with end 12 being

secured in hollow prong 46 by a pin 48, and piece 44 being secured to lens 42 by a second

pin 50 passing through an aperture 52 formed in lens 42. The lens 42 is sandwiched

between prongs 46 and 47, with the edge of a notch 54, previously cut in a lateral end

portion of lens 42, abutting the juncture wall 56 of prongs 46 and 47. Other attachment

means are of course possible (e.g., cementing, soldering, etc.) and the invention is

therefore not limited to the attachment means shown and described herein.

Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, temple 10 is shown in solid lines in its normally open,

unbiased position with respect to eyewear front 26. .Any temple end piece may be

attached to elongated portion 16 as desired, for example an elastomeric temple boot 58.

Temple 10 has been formed such that its unbiased position is close to peφendicular to the

eyewear front. Thus, to put the eyewear on the head, the user need only open the temple

10 to the position seen in dotted lines to the left in Fig. 3. The effort this requires is very

minimal, and as such will bias the temple toward the side of the head to provide a snug yet

comfortable fit when the eyewear is worn.

Upon removing the eyewear, the temples may be easily pivoted to their folded

position seen in dotted lines to the right in Fig. 3. In this regard, it is intended that some

type of means are provided to releasably secure the temples in the folded position. The

temple retention means could simply be an eyewear case (not shown) into which the

eyewear is placed when not in use. In this instance, the walls of the case itself would

retain the temples in the folded state until the eyewear is removed from the case. Alternatively, some type of positive retention means, either separate from or attached to

the eyewear itself, could be provided to maintain the temples in the folded position when

not in use. The retention means could be any type of clasp, catch or detent, for example, located on any part of the eyewear including the temples and/or frame. One type of simple

latching means is shown in Fig. 6 in the form of a notch 60 which is cut or otherwise formed in temple boot 58 and wherein an edge of the other temple end may be inserted

and retained thereby. The other temple may or may not have a notch itself which would

mate with the notch on the temple in Fig. 6. Upon manually releasing the temple from the notch, both temples will automatically pivot to their open, unbiased position. Other types

of temple retention means are of course possible, and the invention is therefore not limited to the means described and shown herein.

Claims

What Is Claimed Is:

1. An eyewear temple comprising an elongated member having opposite front and

back ends and opposite inner and outer surfaces, said temple having a flexible pivot

section formed adjacent said front end, said pivot section including consecutive first,

second and third bends to form a generally seφentine configuration, said first bend being

closest to said back end and said third bend being closest to said front end, said first bend

extending toward said inner surface, said second bend extending back toward said outer

surface, and said third bend extending back toward said inner surface in the direction of

said front end.

2. The temple of claim 1 wherein said first, second and third bends have substantially

the same radius of curvature.

3. The temple of claim 1 wherein said pivot section is formed from a flexible

material.

4. The temple of claim 3 wherein said material is a shape-memory metal

5. The temple of claim 4 wherein said metal is an alloy comprising NiTi.

6. The temple of claim 4 wherein said temple includes a front section and elongated

section including said front and back ends, respectively, with said pivot section extending

between said front section and said elongated section, and wherein said elongated section

and said forward section are made of a shape-memory metal.

7. The temple of claim 4 wherein said first, second and third bends have substantially

the same radius of curvature.

8. The temple of claim 1 wherein said temple includes a front section and elongated

section including said front and back ends, respectively, with said pivot section extending between said front section and said elongated section, and wherein said elongated section

extends generally peφendicular to said forward section in the unbiased condition of said

temple.

9. A hingeless temple for attaching to an eyewear front, said temple comprising a

unitary length of flexible material having an elongated section, a forward section, and a

pivot section extending between said elongated section and said forward section, said

pivot section being characterized by first, second and third bends forming a seφentine

configuration, said temple lying in the open position with respect to said eyewear front

when in an unbiased condition.

10. The temple of claim 9 wherein said first, second and third bends have substantially

the same radius of curvature.

1 1. The temple of claim 9 wherein said temple may be biased into a folded position

with respect to said eyewear front, and further comprising means for selectively and

releasably retaining said temple in said folded position.

12. The temple of claim 9 wherein said temple is formed from a continuous length of

NiTi ribbon.