GLASSES FRAME AND MOULD FOR MAKING A FRONT FOR SAID FRAME

Abstract

The present invention relates to a frame for eyeglasses, including parts made from a composite material comprising fibres (2) in a polymer matrix (3). In accordance with the invention, the fibres (2) are arranged mostly or entirely in a continuous manner along the longest dimension of the shape of the part.

Description

[0001] EYEGLASS FRAME AND MOULD FOR OBTAINING THE FRONT FOR SAID FRAME

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0004] The present invention relates to an eyeglass frame comprising parts made of improved non-metallic material, which achieve greater lightness and thinness in these parts, thereby improving structural strength. It also relates to a mold for producing a front for said frame. The invention is applicable to the technical optics sector.

[0005] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0006] Currently, eyeglass frames can have parts of two main types: metal parts, where some or all of these parts (rings, bridges and temples) are configured by wire forming, welding additional parts, such as the flanges of the rings and those holding the temples and blades, and parts of non-metallic material (plastic, acetate, cellulose blocks), which are either machined (those made of cellulose / acetate) with numerical control machines from an initial solid block, and then curved, if necessary, with a heated die, or injected into molds (plastic); in the case of molds for fronts, they comprise a front sub-mold and a rear sub-mold, where the shape of the front is pierced in the front sub-mold and the rear shape of the front is highlighted in the rear sub-mold, with sufficient setback to create the space in the mold to be filled with plastic and materialize the front.One part is fitted onto the other and the material is injected, allowing it to cure.

[0007] To provide adequate mechanical strength to the non-metallic parts of today's frames, they are often made thicker than metal parts. This makes non-metallic parts large and bulky, and reducing their size weakens their strength. They are also often reinforced with a metal core, which is often visible and compromises aesthetics.

[0008] There are also known parts for frames made of composite material based on carbon fibers in a polymer matrix, which for their manufacture, position a multitude of sheets of woven carbon fibers, which are cut, and which increase the cost of both the material and the manufacturing process.

[0009] DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The eyeglass frame of the invention is of the type comprising pieces (partial or the entire frame being a single piece) materialized in a composite material based on fibers in a polymeric matrix (binder, thermoset or thermoplastic); and where according to the invention, the fibers are arranged, in whole or in part, (greater than 70%) in a continuous manner in the major direction of the geometry of the piece (in the rings that hold the lens, surrounding them; or in the bridge and in the temples, along those elements, etc.).

[0011] With this configuration the following advantages are obtained:

[0012] -Mechanical improvements in the structure, offering greater fatigue resistance compared to the polymers used to produce frames traditionally (plastic injection or machining from cellulose blocks), by having continuous reinforcing fibers in the direction from which the forces come, and where such fatigue—in traditional frames—causes breakage due to the tension from the lens and other stresses the frame must withstand during use. This also allows the parts to be made with less material to achieve adequate strength, thus being lighter and more economical.

[0013] -Greater temperature resistance, being able to withstand very high temperatures without deformation.

[0014] -Greater impact resistance, due to its optimized construction.

[0015] -Greater lightness, thanks to the density of the entire compound.

[0016] -Improvements in manufacturing processes: positioning the fibers precisely in the direction of the frame design geometry, optimizing the material and reinforcing critical areas of the structure, which allows for material savings of up to 70%-80% compared to other manufacturing processes (composites with woven carbon fiber).

[0017] -Considerable savings in production costs.

[0018] -It allows for the creation of three-dimensional designs that overcome the design limitations of other processes, while reducing waste and avoiding the high environmental impact associated with other processes.

[0019] -It allows the use of recycled fibers, obtained from the decomposition of other components that are discarded.

[0020] It should be noted that the frame can incorporate both metal and composite parts; for example, the front can be made of composite material and the temples metal, or even within the front itself, the frames can be made of composite material and the nose bridge metal to facilitate adaptation; or only parts of the temples can be made of metal, so they can be molded. Furthermore, the frame can hold one or more lenses, with the corresponding housings or holders for each one.

[0021] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] Figure 1 shows a view of a front of a frame of the invention, where the position of the fibers is schematized.

[0023] Figure 2 shows a section of a front of a frame of the invention.

[0024] Figure 3 shows an exploded view of the mold of the invention.

[0025] Figure 4 shows a section of the mold of the invention.

[0026] DESCRIPTION OF A PRACTICAL EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The frame for glasses of the invention is of the type comprising pieces materialized in a composite material based on fibers (2) in a polymeric matrix (3), and where according to the invention, the fibers (2) are arranged, in their entirety or in their majority, in a continuous manner in the major direction of the geometry of the piece, as can be seen in figs. 1 and 2.

[0028] The fibers can be natural or synthetic, such as carbon fibers, glass fibers, linen fibers or others, improving the resistance and adhesion with the matrix depending on their nature, while the parts materialized in composite material can be for example the complete front (1) as seen in figs. 1 and 2, or the temples, hoops, bridge, etc., and can also have pieces of metallic material, or other plastic materials without reinforcement, such as aesthetic applications. Both in the front (1) and in the temples, threads can be incorporated, not shown, which allow housing pieces such as hinges, nose bridges or other parts with various functionalities.

[0029] To produce the complete front of the frame with the configuration of the invention, the fibers are placed in the appropriate direction in a specific mold (10), together with the binder, under certain pressure and temperature conditions. Said mold (10) comprises (see figs. 3 and 4):

[0030] -a base (11) (front or back, and in this example it is back), with a negative relief (12) with the front or back face of the front of the frame,

[0031] -a piston (14), comprising a positive relief (15) with the face opposite the front of the mount to that of the base (11),

[0032] -an outer sleeve (19) and inner sleeves (16) for guiding the positive relief (15) of the piston (14), which facilitate the placement of the fibers by allowing work in the negative relief (12) with sufficient space, and which also retain the content during said placement and during molding, and

[0033] - molding plates (17) for seating each lens, which are placed between the base (11) and the inner sleeves (16).

[0034] It is preferred that each molding plate (17) for seating the lens comprises upper and lower centering projections (18), with the inner sleeves (16) and the base (11) comprising hollows (20) for entering and centering the centering projections (18) of each molding plate (17), achieving the perfect geometry of the lens, especially in this critical area of ​​seating of the lens, which must coincide with the geometry of the lens itself.

[0035] Having sufficiently described the nature of the invention, as well as the manner of its implementation in practice, it should be noted that the provisions indicated above and represented in the attached drawings are susceptible to modifications in detail as long as they do not alter the fundamental principle.

Claims

CLAIMS 1.-Eyeglass frame; of the type comprising parts materialized in a composite material based on fibers (2) in a polymer matrix (3); characterized in that the fibers (2) are arranged, in whole or in part, continuously in the major direction of the geometry of the part. 2.- Frame for glasses according to claim 1, where the fibers are selected from: -carbon fibers, -glass fibers, -flax fibers. 3.-Eyeglass frame according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the parts made of composite material are selected from: -front (1) complete, -sideburns, -hoops, -bridge. 4.-Eyeglass frame according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the parts incorporate threads. 5.-Mold (10) for making pieces of frames for glasses, characterized in that it comprises: -a base (11), with a negative relief (12) with the front or rear face of the front of the frame, -a piston (14), comprising a positive relief (15) with the face opposite the front of the mount to that of the base (11), -an outer sleeve (19), and inner sleeves (16) for guiding the positive relief (15) of the piston (14), and -a molding plate (17) for seating the lens, which is placed between the base (11) and the inner sleeves (16). 6.-Mold (10) for making the front of glasses frames according to claim 5, where The lens seating molding plate (17) comprises upper and lower centering projections (18), the inner sleeves (16) and the base (11) comprising holes (20) for entering and centering the centering projections (18) of each molding plate (17).