GB2286897A - Spectacle frame with movable section for lens change - Google Patents

Abstract

A spectacle frame 1 has supports 2 for mounting two lenses, the supports being arranged to hold the lenses at the edges thereof, in which each support has a movable section 12 arranged to enable a respective lens to be removed and replaced. Movable section 12 may be hinged at 11 and carry notches 13 to engage spring clip 14. The frame can be used for prescription lenses with different colour tints and sunglasses with different density filters. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECTACLE FRAME This invention relates to a spectacle frame. It relates particularly to a spectacle frame which can be made in a robust construction and which is suitable for various eye care applications such as eyesight-correction spectacles, safety glasses and sunglasses.

With most types of spectacles, it is necessary for the ordinary user to possess more than one pair in order to have the most suitable lenses for wear under different conditions.

Thus, a user might have ordinary eyesight-correction lenses in one pair with a second pair having the same optical correction qualities combined with an optical filter for use as sunglasses. Many users would wish to have sunglasses with a dense sun filter and a second pair with a less dense sun filter effect. Since the materials incorporated in the glass for a sun filter frequently have a colouring effect on the glass, some users might require to have, for example, sunglasses with both brown and pink coloured lenses.

Because of the many possible variations, an average spectacle wearer might possess three or six pairs of spectacles particularly if alternative colours of lenses for ultra-fashionable wear were additionally required. The cost of each spectacle frame is generally high in comparison with the actual cost of the lenses needed. I have now discovered a way in which the effect of possessing several different pairs of spectacles can be achieved without the need to purchase a correspondig number of spectacle frames.

According to the invention, there is provided a spectacle frame having supports for mounting two lenses therein, the supports being arranged to hold the lenses at the edges thereof, in which each support has a movable section such that a respective lens can be removed and replaced by the user without a need for special tools.

Preferably, each lens support includes a generally circular slot portion which is arranged to correspond to the shape of the lens round its periphery. A shape other than circular could of course be arranged to fit a differently shaped lens.

Each lens support additionally includes its movable section which acts to hold the lens in the slot of the slot portion. The movable section may be attached at one of its ends to an end of the slot portion. The attachment may be effected by a hinge pin. A second end of the movable section may be secured by a catch means adjacent an opposite end of the slot portion.

By way of example, a particular embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which: Figure 1 shows a front view of the spectacle frame with lenses removed for the sake of clarity, and, Figure 2 shows a spectacle lens with two of the frame components that act to hold the lens in the frame.

As depicted in Figure 1, the spectacle frame 1 has a lens support portion 2 which includes two eyepieces 3 which are intended to carry lenses. At each side, the frame 1 includes hinge mounts 4 to which the usual side arms (not shown), for location on a wearer's ears, are attached. The eyepieces 3 are joined by a nose piece 6 on which a nose pad (not shown) is normally mounted for forming a comfortable contact with the bridge of the wearer's nose.

The lens support portion 2 is formed of thin metal sheet and in fact it comprises two similar metal shapes which are held apart by a pair of spacers 7 each secured by two rivets 8. The effect of locating the spacer 7 between the two lens support portions is to create a curved channel 9 into which the lower edge of a lens can be placed. The lens support portion 2 additionally carries a hinge pin 11 which provides a pivot for attaching a movable section 12 which is shaped to extend round the upper edge of the lens. The movable section 12 carries two notches 13 at its free end, one of the notches 13 being capable of being engaged by a spring clip 14 secured within the nose piece 6 part of the spectacle frame.

In this way, after a lens has been placed in the channel 9 of the frame, the movable section 12 may be pivoted over to enclose the upper edge of the lens and the movable section can then be secured in place by cooperation of the notch 13 with the spring clip 14. The movable section 12 thus serves to hold the lens securely in the spectacle frame.

Figure 2 shows the lens 16 and its support components with greater clarity. The lens 16, which in this embodiment is circular in shape, is supported with its lower edge in contact with the spacer 7. At its upper edge, the lens 16 is contacted by the movable section 12 so that there will be little tendency for the lens to slip out of the curved channel 9 formed by the spacer 7 which is fixed between the lens support portions. The movable section 12 is secured in place by engagement of the spring clip 14 with one of the notches 13.

In operation of the spectacle frame, the wearer will generally have at least two sets of lenses which are intended to be fitted in the frame. It is a simple action to pull up the movable section 12 at one side of the frame to enable the original lens 16 to be taken from the curved channel 9 and a second lens may then be inserted. The movable section 12 may then be closed on the new lens and the lens will be locked in place by engagement of the spring clip 14 with one of the notches 13. The lens at the other side of the spectacle frame can be replaced in a similar way. The exchange of the lenses can thus be effected in a few moments without the need of special skill or the use of a tool.

The foregoing description of an embodiment of the invention has been given by way of example only and a number of modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. For instance, instead of the locking of the notch 13 being effected by the spring clip 14, the locking may be done by means of a spring loaded pawl which is located within the nose piece 6, the pawl being arranged to engage one of a row of ratchet teeth on the movable section 12. Whilst the use of a circular lens has been described, it is not essential that the lens should be of this shape and an alternative shape such as hexagonal or octagonal might be used with holding components of corresponding shape in the spectacle frame.

Claims (8)

1 A spectacle frame having supports for mounting two lenses therein, the supports being arranged to hold the lenses at the edges thereof, in which each support has a movable section arranged to enable a respective lens to be removed and replaced.

2 A spectacle frame as claimed in Claim 1, in which each support includes a slot portion capable of receiving a lens edge, the slot being shaped so as to correspond to the shape of the lens edge.

3 A spectacle frame as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, in which the said movable section has a shape corresponding to the shape of the lens edge.

4 A spectacle frame as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the said movable section is attached to the frame by a hinge pin located adjacent a respective lens edge.

5 A spectacle frame as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the said movable section includes notch means by which the section may be secured by a catch in order to retain the lens in the frame.

6 A spectacle frame as claimed in Claim 5, in which the said notch means includes a ratchet tooth arrangement.

7 A spectacle frame as claimed in Claim 5, in which the said catch includes a spring loaded pawl.

8 A spectacle frame substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying drawing.