GB2199155A

GB2199155A - Spectacles with manually replaceable lenses having split rims

Info

Publication number: GB2199155A
Application number: GB8622741A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Morris Goldschmidt
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1986-09-22
Filing date: 1986-09-22
Publication date: 1988-06-29
Also published as: GB8622741D0

Abstract

A spectacles frame has a part of section of each optionally grooved X lens L -, containing rim which can be opened up or removed or wherein the front opening of said rim is enlarged, so as to allow the lens to be inserted into and removed from the groove or recess in said rim. The lens is contained in the groove by closing or replacing above-mentioned section or part of the rim or by a locking ring. One rim section can be attached to the other by a hinge or joint possibly spring-loaded, and / or by snap, clip, slide or screw on and off or in and out or magnetic devices or a combination of these. A locking device can be fitted which will force one rim section towards the other and lock it in that position. Decorative design features can be incorporated or attached to the rim sections by any of the above-mentioned devices or attachment. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECTACLES WITH MANUALLY REPLACEABLE LENSES IMPROVEMENTS IN AND RELATING TO SPECTACLES This invention relates to spectacles with manually replaceable lenses.

It is usual practice to heat spectacle frames or the rims thereof to allow the lenses to be fitted into the grooves of said rims. In some instances the lenses are snapped into the grooves by the use of force or pressure or other means which require effort and / or skill.

The present invention relates to spectacle frames in which the lenses car.

be manually inserted into and removed from the groove a lens-receiving rims of said frames by opening or lifting off or up or removing a part or section of said rims large enough to slide the lens through said opening into or out of the groove in the remaining part or section of said rims or by opening or removing the front part or section of said rims and inserting or removing the lens(es) into or out of the groove or recess in the rear part or section of said rim(s) or by passing the lenses through the enlarge front opening of the rims and inserting them into the groove or recess and locking them in that position with a locking ring or spring clip or circlip.

An embodiment of this invention is here described with reference to the accompanying drawings :- Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5 show spectacle frames in which the grooved lenscontaining rims are devided into two parts or sections, namely a lower rim section A and an upper rim section B. When the upper rim section is opened or lifted up or off or removed the lenses can be inserted into or withdrawn from the lower rim section by sliding them into or out of the groove in said lower rim section.

Figs. 4 and 6 show cross-sections of grooved lens-containing rims which are divided into two parts or sections, namely a front rim section R and a rear rim section S. The lens-containing groove X being situate in the rear rim section in such a way that when the front rim section is opened up or removed, said groove will form a recess in the rear rim section and thus allow the lens to be inserted into and removed fros said recess without the need to use any force or pressure. A washer Fig. 4 Y made of a soft resilient material can be incorporated in recess or groove X to cushion the lens.

Figure 7 shows a cross-section of a spectacle rim U with a lens-containing 1-shaped recess X, in front of which is a groove X2 which is outwardly bevelled on the forward side. This groove contains a resilient split locking ring or spring clip or circlip Z which is similarily bevelled on the forward side of the outer edge, while the inside edge is rounded in conformity with the shape of the rim, and its circumferencial shape is similar to the circumferencial shape of the lens. The circumference of the opening at the front of the rim is slightly larger than the circumference of the lens, thus allowing the lens to be passed through this opening and to be inserted into and removed from recess X.The lens is retained in the recess by locking ring Z, which is circumferencially compressed and inserted into groove X2. Vhen released, said locking ring will circumferencially expand and enter deeper into the groove. This will cause the bevelled side of said locking ring to slide along the bevelled side of groove X2 and force said locking ring to move sideways towards the lens and lock it tightly against the rear shoulder of recess X.

One rim section can be attached to the other rim section by a hinge or hinges or some other kind of joint(s) as at or similar to Fig 1 C at the side of the rim or as at or similar to Fig. 3 C at the bridge or nosepiece, or as at or similar to Fig, 4 C at the bottom of the rim, or at any other suitable position. Said hinge(s) or joint(s) can incorporate or work in conjunction with a spring which either pulls or pushes one rim section towards or away from the other, whichever is required by the method of construction used.

Besides the hinge(s) or Joint(s) or in addition to it / them, alternative methods and devices can be used to attach one rim section to the other in such a way that the two rim sections can be easily opened up or detached, as for instance at or similar to Fig.2and 6, where Frotrusions E in one rim section snap into cavities F in the opposite rim section, or by a clip on and off device as at or similar to Fig. 4, where a small tab or tabs T or the edge of one rim section clip(s) or snap(s) on to or over the edge of the opposite rim section, or by a sliding on and off device as at or similar to Fig. 5, wherein upper rim section 3 slides on to lower rim section A, or by a sliding in and out device wherein one rim section slides into and out of the other rim section, or by a screw on and off device, or by the use of magnets as at or similar to Figs. 1, 2 and 3 wherein magnets V in one rim section are attracted towards magnets or metal i in the opposite rim section and thereby hold the two rim sections together as well as hold the lenses in position in groove or recess X within the rims.

One rim section can be attached to the other rim section by any one or more or by a combination of any of the afore-mentioned or similar methods or devices, which can be situated at any position on either or both rim sections or nosepiece.

The nosepiece or bridge can be part of any one of the rin sections or both rim sections, where ever required by the design or method of construction used.

The earpieces P can be attached to the upper rim section E as at Figs.

1 and 2, or to the lower rim section A as at Figs. 3 and 5, or to the front or rear rim section P and S Fig. 4 and 6, or where ever required by the design and methods of construction used.

A locking device can be fitted into the nosepiece or bridge or into a rim section as at or similar to Fig. 1-, wherein a spring-loaded locking bolt or catoh Jlin one rim section snaps into a notch K in the other rim section when the two rim sections are brought togethertand forces one rim section tight towards the other and locks it in that position. Pulling button or knob G will disengage the locking bolt from the notch and release one rim section from the other.

The inside of each lens-receiving rim is provided as in usual spectacle frames with a groove X to receive lens L, and by lifting off or up or opening up or removing a section of the rim, the lens can be inserted and removed simply by sliding it into and out of the groove in the other rim section, or simply by inserting it into and removing it from the groove in the rear rim section, said groove being transformed into an 1shape recess Fig. 4 and 6 X when the front rim section is opened up or removed.

The lenses can have square or bevelled edges, and the lens-receiving groove will be slightly wider than the thickness of the lens at its edge so as to allow said lens to be inserted into and removed from said groove easily.

The size, shape, colour ar,d style of the spectacle frame, rims, lenses and locking ring can vary and need not be as shown in the accompanying drawings, and said frames and rim sections can have fashion or decorative design features incorporated with them or added on to them to enable the wearer to change the style and appearance of the spectacles simply by snapping, clipping, sliding or screwing on or by magnetically attaching said decorative or design features on to said frames or rims.

Claims

1 Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses comprising a frame consisting of two lens-receiving rims, a bridge or nosepiece and two earpieces, in which each lens-receiving rim is devised or split into to parts or sections namely a lower and an upper rim section or alternatively a front and a rear rim section, of which the upper or front rim section can be opened up or removed so as to alloy the lens to be inserted into or removed iro the lower rim section by sliding said lens into or out of the groove in said lower rim section or alternatively by inserting said lens into or removing said lens from the groove or recess in the rear r-::l section.

2 Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the- upper rA. section can be attached to the lower rim section or the front rim. section can be attached to the rear rim section by a hinge or hinges or some other kind of joint or joints at the side, bottom or bridge or top, and at the opposite side to said joint(s) or hinge(s) there can be 2 snan-on device such as wherein P protrusion in one rim section snaps into a cavity in the other rio section or there can be a clip-on or slide-on or slide-in or scre::-on or magnetic device to close one rim-section to the other rim section, or alternatively one rim section can be made to snap, sore clir- or slide on or off or into and out of the other rim section or be attached magnetically to the other rim section.

3 Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claim 1 and 2 wherein the hinge(s) or joint(s) connecting the upper rim section to the loer rim section or the front rim section to the rear rim section can Incorporate a sprIng or work in conjunction with a spring. or the hinge(s) or joint(s) can be made of a springy material to force one rim section either towards the other or away from the other rim section, whichever is appropriate to the particular method of construction used.

4 Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claim1.

2 and 3 wherein a locking device can be fitted to one rim section or inside the bridge or nosepiece whereby a small locking bolt or catch enters into a notch or cavity- in the adjacent or opposite rim section thereby forcing the to rim sections together an locking them, with an optional addition of a push button or plunger or lever device which when pressed or pushed or pulled will disengage the locking bolt or catch from the notch or cavity and thereby release one rim section from the other.

5 Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claims

1 to 4 wherein the upper rim section can be attached to the lother m section or alternatively the front rim section can be attached to the rear rim section by any one or more or a combination of any of the devices mentioned in Claims 2, 3 and 4 or any other device which would enable said rim sections to be opened up and closed or attached an de tached fro each other.

6. Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in claims

1 to 5, wherein in some aspects of this invention the circumference of the opening at the front of the lens-receiving rim is slightly larder than te circumference of the lens to allow the lens to pass through said omening and be inserted into and removed fro the lens-receiving recess in te rim, and wherein a locking ring or spring cli is insertec into te lens-receiving groove or recess after the lens rias one inserted so as to lock said lens into said groove or recess and wherein saic locking ring or spring clip can be bevel-shaped on its outside perimeter while the groove in the ri is bevel-shaped on its outer wedge in such a way that as the spring olin or locking ring enters into tne groove it is forced towards the lens ano. thereby forces the lens towards the inner edge of the groove or recess and holds it tight in tat position.

7. SpectPcles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claims

1 to 6, wherein the two upper rim sections and / or the two lower r.

sections or alternatively the to front rim sections and / or the two rear rim sections can be connected or joined together by the no or bridge so as to form one piece and wherein the two earpleces can be attached either to the upper or lower or front or rear rim section(s).

spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claims 1 to 7, wherein the size, shape, colour and style of the spectacles and rim sections can vary and decorative design features can be incorporated or added or attached to said rim sections and spectacles by snap-on, clip-on, slide-on, screw-on or similar devices or attached magnetically.

9. Spectacles having manually replaceable lenses as claimed in Claims 1 to 8, with reference to Figures 1-7 of the accompanying drawing.