Spectacle frame

Abstract

[Problem] To provide a highly flexible spectacle frame (cell frame) having plastic temple parts. [Solution] The present invention is a spectacle frame 100 including: a front part 1 to which a pair of lenses L can be attached; hinge parts 2 individually provided at either end of the front part 1; temple parts 3 pivotally attached to the hinge parts 2; and ear hook parts 4 contiguous with the temple parts 3. Each of the temple parts 3 is made of plastic, and at least has a thin section 32 having a horizontal width perpendicular to a length direction of the temple part 3 less than that of the other section of the temple part 3. The thin section 32 has attached thereto a temple cover part 5 covering the thin section 32. The rigidity of a flexible section constituted of the thin section 32 and the temple cover part 5 with respect to the horizontal direction is less than that of the other section of the temple part 3.

Description

eyeglass frames

[0001] The present invention relates to an eyeglass frame, and more particularly to an eyeglass frame having plastic temple portions and excellent flexibility.

[0002] An eyeglass frame generally has a front portion on which a pair of lenses can be attached, hinge portions provided on both ends of the front portion, temple portions rotatably attached to the hinge portions, and ear hook portions continuous with the temple portions, and is worn by clamping the head with the temple portions and placing the ear hook portions over the ears.

[0003] In eyeglass frames, the temples are generally given flexibility because they are spread outward when putting on or taking off eyeglasses. However, if the flexibility of the entire temple is too small, the temples on both sides will clamp the head tightly, causing pressure on the head. On the other hand, if the flexibility of the entire temple is too large, the temples on both sides will not clamp the head tightly enough, causing the eyeglass frame to slip off easily. In other words, in either case, the eyeglass frame will be uncomfortable to wear. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the temples must be spread outward every time the eyeglass frame is put on or taken off, which places a load on the temples and may cause fatigue failure.

[0004] In contrast, there is known an eyeglass frame in which the temples are partially flexible. For example, there is known a pair of temple members, each having front ends connected to both ends of a front frame and ear hooks at its rear ends that abut against the wearer's temporal region, in which the temple body is composed of a leaf spring portion formed on the front frame side and a high-rigidity portion formed behind the leaf spring portion and including the ear hooks and having a greater bending rigidity than the leaf spring portion, in which the leaf spring portion is formed so that its vertical width is constant or so that it tapers from the front to the rear at a predetermined rate, and the thickness of the leaf spring portion is formed so that the relationship between the vertical width of the leaf spring portion, its position in the longitudinal direction, and the position where the high-rigidity portion abuts against the temporal region of the wearer satisfies a predetermined formula (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0005] Patent No. 5699248

[0006] In the temple members of the eyeglass frame described in Patent Document 1, the leaf spring portions are responsible for the flexibility, so that portions of the temple members other than the leaf spring portions can be prevented from suffering fatigue failure.

[0007] However, the eyeglass frame described in Patent Document 1 is a metal frame with metal temple members. There are two types of eyeglass frames: plastic cell frames and metal frames, both of which are commercially available. While metal frames can be partially flexible, like the temple members of the eyeglass frame described in Patent Document 1, cell frames are made of plastic and therefore do not have sufficient flexibility.

[0008] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an eyeglass frame (cell frame) having plastic temple portions that has excellent flexibility.

[0009] The inventors discovered that the above problem could be solved by providing a bending portion in the temple portion consisting of a thin-walled portion and a temple cover portion, and by making the bending portion less rigid in the left-right direction than other portions of the temple portion, and thus completed the present invention.

[0010] The present invention relates to an eyeglass frame having a front portion on which a pair of lenses can be attached, hinge portions provided at both ends of the front portion, temple portions rotatably attached to the hinge portions, and ear hook portions continuous with the temple portions, wherein the temple portions are made of plastic and have thin-walled portions whose left-to-right width perpendicular to at least the longitudinal direction of the temple portions is smaller than that of other portions of the temple portions, and a temple cover portion is attached to the thin-walled portions so as to cover the thin-walled portions, and the bending portion consisting of the thin-walled portions and the temple cover portions has less rigidity in the left-to-right direction than the other portions of the temple portions.

[0011] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the thin-walled portion is a portion in which the left-right width perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the temple portion and the up-down width perpendicular to the longitudinal direction are stepped smaller than the other portions of the temple portion, and it is preferable that the outer surface of the temple cover portion is flush with the outer surface of the other portions of the temple portion.

[0012] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the temple portion comprises a front portion rotatably attached to the hinge portion, a thin portion continuous with the front portion, and a rear portion continuous with the thin portion, and the other portion of the temple portion is the front portion or the rear portion, and it is preferable that the front portion, thin portion, and rear portion are integrally molded from the same material.

[0013] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, it is preferable that the thin portion has a rectangular cross section, and that a plate-shaped reinforcing plate is embedded in the thin portion.

[0014] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, it is preferable that the thin-walled portion is rectangular in cross section, a plate-shaped reinforcing plate is embedded in the thin-walled portion, the front end of the reinforcing plate extends beyond the front end of the thin-walled portion, enters the front side portion and is embedded in the front side portion, and the rear end of the reinforcing plate extends beyond the rear end of the thin-walled portion, enters the rear side portion and is embedded in the rear side portion.

[0015] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, it is preferable that the reinforcing plate has a plate-shaped main body portion, an upper rib portion provided at the upper end of the main body portion and protruding upward from the upper end, and a lower rib portion provided at the lower end of the main body portion and protruding downward from the lower end, and that the main body portion, upper rib portion and lower rib portion are embedded in the thin-walled portion.

[0016] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the reinforcing plate preferably has a plate-shaped main body portion, an inner rib portion provided on the inner side surface of the main body portion and protruding inward from the inner side surface, and an outer rib portion provided on the outer side surface of the main body portion and protruding outward from the outer side surface, and the thin-walled portion preferably has positioning holes on the left and right sides of the reinforcing plate, and the reinforcing plate is positioned by inserting the inner rib portion and the outer rib portion into the corresponding positioning holes.

[0017] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the temple covers are preferably made of an elastomer.

[0018] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, it is preferable that the ear hook portion has a core material and an ear hook cover portion attached to the core material so as to cover the core material, and that the front end of the core material extends into the rear side portion and is embedded in the rear side portion.

[0019] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the plastic temples have a bent portion consisting of a thin-walled portion with a reduced lateral width and a temple cover portion. The bent portion has lower lateral rigidity than the other portions of the temples, thereby improving the lateral flexibility of the temples. As a result, even when the clamping force of the temples on both sides is set to a strength that prevents the eyeglass frame from slipping, the flexibility of the bent portion prevents the head from being compressed. Furthermore, because the temples have a bent portion, even when the temples are spread outward when putting on or taking off the eyeglasses, the bent portion prevents the entire temple from being subjected to stress. Therefore, the eyeglass frame provides excellent wearing comfort and prevents fatigue failure of the temples.

[0020] Furthermore, since the eyeglass frame has temple covers attached to the thin-walled portions, the narrow thin-walled portions can be sufficiently reinforced, preventing fatigue failure of the bending portion itself. Furthermore, coloring the temple covers in a different color from the temples can also add design appeal. Furthermore, by making the temple covers out of elastomer, the surface can be made less slippery and can easily follow the bending of the thin-walled portions.

[0021] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the thin-walled portion is formed so that its left-right and up-down widths are stepped smaller than those of the other portions of the temples, allowing the temple covers to be fitted into the area around the thin-walled portion. This makes it difficult for the temple covers to come off the thin-walled portion. In this case, by making the outer surfaces of the temple covers flush with those of the other portions of the temples, the temples can be easily gripped and the temples can be shaped like a streamlined line.

[0022] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the front portion, thin portion, and rear portion are integrally molded from the same material, thereby reducing the number of manufacturing steps and manufacturing costs. Furthermore, in the eyeglass frame, the thin portion is located between the front and rear portions, thereby reducing the load on the hinge portion when the eyeglass frame is bent. Furthermore, the rear portion is more rigid than the thin portion and is less likely to bend than the thin portion, allowing for a firm grip on the head.

[0023] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, the bent portion can be further reinforced by embedding a plate-shaped reinforcing plate in the thin portion. This further prevents the bent portion itself from causing fatigue failure. In this case, the reinforcing plate is a small piece having a front end and a rear end, unlike a so-called core material, which reduces the weight load on the temple portion and reduces manufacturing costs. Furthermore, by configuring the reinforcing plate so that the front end is embedded in the front portion and the rear end is embedded in the rear portion, the entire thin portion can be reliably reinforced.

[0024] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, if the reinforcing plate has an upper rib portion and a lower rib portion in addition to the main body portion, these are embedded in the thin-walled portion, thereby preventing the reinforcing plate from shifting position due to bending. In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, if the reinforcing plate has an inner rib portion and an outer rib portion in addition to the main body portion, the inner rib portion and the outer rib portion can be inserted into the corresponding positioning holes, thereby allowing the reinforcing plate to be positioned in the front-to-back and up-to-down directions. Also, as described above, this prevents the reinforcing plate from shifting position due to bending.

[0025] In the eyeglass frame of the present invention, it is possible to add design features by coloring the ear hook cover portions in a color different from that of the temple cover portions and temple portions.

[0026] Fig. 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of an eyeglass frame according to the present invention. Fig. 2 is a front view of the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a top view of the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of a thin portion and a temple cover portion of the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the temple portion of Fig. 1 cut along a horizontal plane including line A-A. Fig. 6(a) is a side view showing a reinforcing plate used in the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 6(b) is a top view showing a reinforcing plate used in the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1.

[0027] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings as necessary. In the drawings, the same elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and duplicate explanations will be omitted. Furthermore, the dimensional ratios of the drawings are not limited to those shown in the drawings.

[0028] In this specification, the horizontal direction perpendicular to the length of the temple portion is referred to as the left-right direction, and the width of the temple portion (thin portion) in the left-right direction is referred to as the left-right width. The vertical direction perpendicular to the length of the temple portion is referred to as the up-down direction, and the width of the temple portion (thin portion) in the up-down direction is referred to as the up-down width. When wearing the eyeglass frame, the head side of the temple portion is referred to as the inside, and the opposite side is referred to as the outside. "Fatigue fracture" refers to fracture caused by repeated plastic deformation, and "brittle fracture" refers to fracture caused by stress exceeding elastic deformation. "High rigidity" compared to a comparison object means inferior flexibility, and "low rigidity" compared to a comparison object means superior flexibility.

[0029] 1 is a side view showing one embodiment of an eyeglass frame according to the present invention. The eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment comprises a front portion 1 on which a pair of lenses L can be attached, hinge portions 2 provided at both ends of the front portion 1, temple portions 3 rotatably attached to the hinge portions 2, ear hook portions 4 continuous with the temple portions 3, and temple cover portions 5 attached to thin portions 32 of the temple portions 3. In the eyeglass frame 100, the portion consisting of the thin portions 32 and the temple cover portions 5 is also referred to as a bending portion. Therefore, the eyeglass frame 10 is composed of the front portion 1, hinge portions 2, temple portions 3, ear hook portions 4, and temple cover portions 5, and has a lightweight and simple configuration.

[0030] In the eyeglass frame 100, a pair of lenses L can be attached to the front part 1. This allows the eyeglass frame 100 to be used as eyeglasses with various functions depending on the lenses L attached. It can also be used as a fashion eyeglass frame without lenses L. Examples of lenses L include corrective lenses for myopia, hyperopia, astigmatism, presbyopia, and both, lenses for color vision correction, lenses for UV protection, blue light protection, light blocking (color lenses), lenses for eye protection such as dust protection, and lenses for fashion glasses. The lenses L may be made of plastic or glass.

[0031] FIG. 2 is a front view of the eyeglass frame shown in FIG. 1 . The temples and ear hooks on one side are omitted, while the temples and ear hooks on the other side are shown folded. As shown in FIG. 2 , in the eyeglass frame 100, the front part 1 has a pair of rim parts 10 (left and right) for holding lenses L, a bridge part 11 bridging the rim parts 10, and nose pad parts 12 attached to each of the rim parts 10. The structure of the front part 1 is well known, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted. Incidentally, as will be described later, the temple parts 2 are primarily made of plastic, but the rim parts 10 and bridge part 11 may be made of either plastic or metal.

[0032] The hinge portions 2 are provided on both sides of the front portion 1. The hinge portions 2 are located at the portion connecting the front portion 1 and the temple portions 3, and are components that allow the temple portions 3 to rotate relative to the front portion 1 around the hinge portions 2 as an axis. This makes it possible to fold the temple portions 3 extending rearward from the front portion 1 so that they are positioned on the back side of the front portion 1. Note that the structure of the hinge portions 2 is well known, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0033] Fig. 3 is a top view of the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1. The temple portions 3 on both sides attached to the front portion 1 are plane-symmetrical to each other and therefore have the same shape, dimensions, etc. As shown in Fig. 3, the temple portions 3 are curved so as to bulge outward in a top view so as to conform as closely to the shape of the head when the eyeglass frame 100 is worn. The temple portions 3 are composed of a front portion 31 rotatably attached to the hinge portion 2, a thin portion 32 continuous with the front portion 31, and a rear portion 33 continuous with the thin portion 32.

[0034] In the temple portion 3, the thin portion 32 is located between the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33, which allows only the rear portion 33 and the ear hook portion 4 to be easily bent left and right relative to the front portion 1 and the front portion 31. In addition, the front portion 31, which has greater rigidity than the thin portion 32, is located in front of the thin portion 32, which reduces the load on the hinge portion 2 when bending. In addition, the rear portion 33, which has greater rigidity than the thin portion 32, is located behind the thin portion 32, which allows for a firm grip on the head.

[0035] The temple portion 3 is made of plastic, with the front portion 31, thin portion 32, and rear portion 33 arranged in this order and integrally molded from the same material. This reduces the number of manufacturing steps and reduces manufacturing costs. The temple portion 3 is made of plastic. This makes the temple portion 3 less susceptible to scratches and improves durability. It is also easy to add design features. Examples of suitable plastic materials include celluloid, acetate, Ultem, polyamide, and polyphenylsulfone. Of these, Ultem, polyamide, and polyphenylsulfone are preferred.

[0036] Returning to Figure 1, in the temple portion 3, the front portion 31 is a rod-like shape that extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a generally rectangular cross section. The front portion 31 is attached to the hinge portion 2 via an attachment portion provided at its front end, and a thin portion 32 is provided at its rear end. The surfaces of the front and rear ends of the front portion 31 are flat surfaces that are inclined downwards, becoming more rearward, and are generally parallel to the overall inclination of the front portion in a side view. This provides a symmetrical effect and excellent design.

[0037] The rear portion 33 is a rod-like shape that extends in the front-to-rear direction and has a generally rectangular cross section. The rear portion 33 has a thin-walled portion 32 at its front end and an ear hook portion 4 at its rear end. The surfaces of the front and rear ends of the rear portion 33 are inclined planes that slope downwards toward the rear, and are generally parallel to the overall slope of the front portion in a side view. This creates a symmetrical effect and provides excellent design.

[0038] In the temple portion 3, the thin portion 32 is positioned further forward than the middle portion of the entire temple portion 3. This makes it easier to grip the bent portion consisting of the thin portion 32 and the temple cover portion 5 that covers it when putting on or taking off the eyeglass frame, which has the advantage of making it easier to put on and take off by utilizing the flexibility of the bent portion.

[0039] Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the thin-walled portion and temple cover portion of the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1. Note that Fig. 4 omits the illustration of the reinforcing plate, as well as the depressions on the surface of the thin-walled portion caused by the rim portion of the reinforcing plate. As shown in Fig. 4 , in the temple portion 3, the thin-walled portion 32 is a portion in which the left-right width of the temple portion 3 is stepped smaller than the left-right widths of the other portions of the temple portion 3, the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33. Furthermore, the thin-walled portion 32 is a portion in which the up-down width of the temple portion 3 is stepped smaller than the up-down widths of the other portions of the temple portion main body 3, the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33. In other words, the thin-walled portion 32 has a generally rectangular cross-sectional shape whose periphery is narrower overall than the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33.

[0040] Returning to Figure 3, the left-right width H1 of the thin-walled portion 32 is substantially constant in the longitudinal direction and is at least within the range of the left-right width H1 described below. Here, the range of the left-right width H1 of the thin-walled portion 32 (see Figure 3) is preferably 1.0 to 3.0 mm. If the left-right width H1 of the thin-walled portion 32 is less than 1.0 mm, the strength will be insufficient compared to when the left-right width H1 is within the above range, which is disadvantageous in that it will be more susceptible to brittle fracture. If the left-right width H1 of the thin-walled portion 32 exceeds 3.0 mm, the flexibility will be insufficient compared to when the left-right width H1 is within the above range, which is disadvantageous in that it will be more susceptible to brittle fracture. Furthermore, the ratio of the left-right width HX1 at the rear end of the front portion 31 to the left-right width H1 of the thin portion 32 is preferably 1:0.2 to 0.7 at any point of the thin portion 32, and the ratio of the left-right width HX2 at the front end of the rear portion 33 to the left-right width H1 of the thin portion 32 is preferably 1:0.3 to 0.8 at any point of the thin portion 32. When the left-right width ratio is within the above range, sufficient flexibility can be exhibited and durability is also excellent. Furthermore, the left-right width HX1 at the rear end of the front portion 31 is preferably larger than the left-right width HX2 at the front end of the rear portion 33.

[0041] The thin-walled portion 32 has a generally constant vertical width H2 in the longitudinal direction and is at least within the following vertical width H2 range. The vertical width H2 (see FIG. 1) of the thin-walled portion 32 is preferably 2.0 to 8.0 mm. A vertical width H2 of the thin-walled portion 32 less than 2.0 mm has the disadvantage of being less strong and more susceptible to brittle fracture than a vertical width H2 within the above range. A vertical width H2 of the thin-walled portion 32 exceeding 8.0 mm has the disadvantage of being too heavy compared to a vertical width H2 within the above range. Furthermore, the ratio of the vertical width HY1 at the rear end of the front portion 31 to the vertical width H2 of the thin-walled portion 32 is preferably 1:0.2 to 0.9 at any point on the thin-walled portion 32, and the ratio of the vertical width HY2 at the front end of the rear portion 33 to the vertical width H2 of the thin-walled portion 32 is preferably 1:0.2 to 0.9 at any point on the thin-walled portion 32. When the ratio of the vertical widths is within the above range, there is an advantage that the temple cover parts 5 attached around the thin-walled parts 32 are less likely to slip off the thin-walled parts 32. In addition, it is preferable that the vertical width HY1 at the rear end of the front side part 31 is larger than the vertical width HY2 at the front end of the rear side part 33.

[0042] The length H3 (see FIG. 1) of the thin-walled portion 32 in the front-to-rear direction is preferably 30 mm or more, and more preferably 30 to 50 mm. If the length H3 of the thin-walled portion 32 in the front-to-rear direction is less than 30 mm, the flexible region of the temple portion 3 that undergoes plastic deformation becomes smaller compared to when the length H3 is within the above range, which is disadvantageous in that it makes the eyeglass frame more difficult to handle. If the length H3 of the thin-walled portion 32 in the front-to-rear direction exceeds 50 mm, the flexible region of the temple portion 3 that is too long compared to when the length H3 is within the above range, which is disadvantageous in that the eyeglass frame becomes more likely to slip off.

[0043] Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the temple portion of Figure 1 taken along a horizontal plane including line A-A. As shown in Figure 5, a plate-shaped reinforcing plate 6 is embedded vertically in the thin-walled portion 32 along the length of the thin-walled portion 32. That is, the reinforcing plate 6 is embedded with its surface facing horizontally (see Figure 1). This allows the bending portion (reinforcing portion 35 and temple cover portion 5) to be reinforced without impeding lateral flexibility, making it possible to prevent the bending portion itself from causing fatigue failure.

[0044] The reinforcing plate 6 can be made of metal materials such as stainless steel, iron, copper, titanium (including β-titanium), nickel, or alloys containing these, or resin materials such as reinforced plastic resins containing carbon fiber or glass fiber, or hard rubber. Among these, from the viewpoints of weight, elasticity, and strength, it is preferable to use stainless steel or titanium (including β-titanium) as the reinforcing plate 6, and it is more preferable to use β-titanium.

[0045] The reinforcing plate 6 is a small piece having a front end and a rear end. This reduces the weight load on the temple portion 3 and reduces manufacturing costs. The front end of the reinforcing plate 6 extends beyond the front end of the thin portion 32, enters the front portion 31, and is embedded therein. The rear end of the reinforcing plate 6 extends beyond the rear end of the thin portion 32, enters the rear portion 33, and is embedded therein. In other words, the length of the reinforcing plate 6 in the front-to-rear direction is longer than the length of the thin portion 32 in the front-to-rear direction. This ensures that the entire thin portion 32 is reinforced. In this case, the length H4 of the reinforcing plate 6 in the front-to-rear direction is preferably 5 mm or more.

[0046] Fig. 6(a) is a side view of a reinforcing plate used in the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1, and Fig. 6(b) is a top view of the reinforcing plate used in the eyeglass frame shown in Fig. 1. As shown in Figs. 6(a) and 6(b), the reinforcing plate 6 has a plate-shaped main body portion 6a, upper ribs 6b1 provided at two locations at the upper end of the main body portion 6a and protruding upward from the upper end, lower ribs 6b2 provided at two locations at the lower end of the main body portion 6a and protruding downward from the lower end, inner ribs 6c1 provided at three locations on the inner side surface of the main body portion 6a and protruding inward from the inner side surface, and outer ribs 6c2 provided at three locations on the outer side surface of the main body portion 6a and protruding outward from the outer side surface. The two upper ribs 6b1 and the two lower ribs 6b2 are provided symmetrically with respect to the main body portion 6a. The three inner rib portions 6c1 and the three outer rib portions 6c2 are arranged at equal intervals with respect to the main body portion 6a, and are provided at positions symmetrical with respect to the main body portion 6a.

[0047] In the temple portion 3, when the reinforcing plate 6 is embedded, the upper rib portion 6b1 and the lower rib portion 6b2 are provided on the reinforcing plate 6, so that misalignment of the reinforcing plate due to bending of the bent portion can be prevented. Furthermore, the thin-walled portion 32 has positioning holes on the left and right sides of the reinforcing plate 6, and the inner rib portion 6c1 and the outer rib portion 6c2 can be inserted into the corresponding positioning holes to position the reinforcing plate 6. As described above, this also has the advantage of preventing misalignment of the reinforcing plate due to bending of the bent portion. The method for embedding the reinforcing plate 6 in the thin-walled portion 32 is not particularly limited, and examples include placement molding and laminate molding.

[0048] Returning to Figure 4, in the temple portion 3, the temple cover portion 5 is attached to the thin portion 32 so as to cover the thin portion 32. In other words, the temple portion 3 has a hollow portion, and the temple cover portion 5 is attached to the thin portion 32 so that the thin portion 32 is located in the hollow portion. Specifically, the thin portion 32 has a stepped diameter that is narrower than the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33, so that the temple cover portion 5 can be fitted into the stepped area around the thin portion 32. This makes it difficult for the temple cover portion 5 to come off the thin portion 32.

[0049] In the eyeglass frame 100, the temple cover parts 5 are provided to sufficiently reinforce the thin-walled parts 32, and fatigue failure of the bent parts themselves can be prevented. In addition, by coloring the temple cover parts 5 in a different color from the temple parts 3, it is possible to add design features.

[0050] The outer surface of the temple cover portion 5 is flush with the outer surfaces of the other portions of the temple portion 3, that is, the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33. This makes it easier to grip the temple portion 3 and allows the shape of the temple portion 3 to be a sleek, linear shape.

[0051] The temple cover portions 5 may be made of any suitable material, including, but not limited to, fabrics such as woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and nonwoven fabrics, as well as elastomer-molded bodies. This makes the surfaces of the temple cover portions 5 less slippery and allows them to easily conform to the bending of the thin-walled portions 32. Among these, it is preferable that the temple cover portions 5 be molded from an elastomer. That is, the temple cover portions 5 are preferably made of an elastomer. This facilitates designing and manufacturing the temple cover portions 5 so that their outer surfaces are flush with the outer surfaces of the front and rear portions 31 and 33. Examples of suitable elastomers include thermosetting elastomers such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, urethane rubber, silicone rubber, and fluororubber, as well as thermoplastic elastomers such as polystyrene, olefin, polyvinyl chloride, polyurethane, polyester, and polyamide. Among these, it is preferable to use silicone rubber as the material for the temple cover portions 5.

[0052] The eyeglass frame 100 has a bending portion consisting of the thin portion 32 and the temple cover portion 5, and the bending portion has less rigidity in the left-right direction than the front portion 31, the rear portion 33, and the ear hook portion 4. As a result, the eyeglass frame 100 can improve the left-right flexibility of the temple portion 3 by bending the bending portion.

[0053] 1, in the eyeglass frame 100, the ear hooks 4 curve inward and downward as they go further rearward, and have a core-sheath structure with a core 41 and an ear hook cover 42 attached to the core 41 so as to cover the core 41. Note that the material of the core 41 and the core-sheath structure of the ear hooks 4 are well known, so a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0054] In the ear hook portion 4, the front end of the core material 41 enters the rear side portion 33 and is embedded in the rear side portion 33. In other words, the core material 41 is not continuous with the general hinge portion 2, but extends rearward from the rear side portion 33, which reduces the weight load on the temple portion 3 and reduces manufacturing costs.

[0055] In the ear hook portion 4, the ear hook cover portion 42 is not particularly limited, but, like the temple cover portion 5 described above, it can be made of fabrics such as woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and nonwoven fabrics, or molded bodies made of elastomers. In this case, the surface can be made less slippery and it can be easily attached to the curved core material 41. Among these, it is preferable that the ear hook cover portion 42 be molded bodies made of elastomers. In other words, it is preferable that the material of the ear hook cover portion 42 is elastomer. In this case, it is easy to design and manufacture the ear hook cover portion 42 so that the outer surface of the ear hook cover portion 42 is flush with the outer surface of the rear portion 33. The material of the ear hook cover portion 42 may be the same as or different from the material of the temple cover portion 5.

[0056] Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments.

[0057] In the eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment, the front portion 1 has a pair of left and right rim portions 10 for holding the lenses L, a bridge portion 11 connecting the rim portions 10, and nose pad portions 12 attached to each of the rim portions 10, but is not limited to this structure. For example, the front portion may have a so-called rimless structure without rim portions, or a nose pad-less structure without the nose pad portions 12. Similarly, the ear hook portions 4 have a core-sheath structure with a core material 41 and ear hook cover portions 42 attached to the core material 41 so as to cover the core material 41, but are not limited to this structure. For example, the ear hook portions may have no core material and be made of a single resin.

[0058] In the eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment, the temple portion 3 is composed of a front portion 31, a thin portion 32, and a rear portion 33, but is not limited to this and may include other parts. However, it is essential that the temple portion 3 has a thin portion. Furthermore, the surfaces of the front and rear ends of the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33 are inclined so that they slope more rearward as they go downward, but this is not essential.

[0059] In the eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment, the thin-walled portions 32 are portions where the left-right width of the temple portions 3 is made smaller in a stepped manner than the left-right widths of the front portions 31 and rear portions 33, which are other portions of the temple main body 3, but the stepped width is not required as long as the left-right width is smaller. Also, the thin-walled portions 32 are portions where the up-down width of the temple portions 3 is made smaller in a stepped manner than the up-down widths of the front portions 31 and rear portions 33, which are other portions of the temple main body 3, but the up-down width does not have to be smaller. In other words, it is sufficient that the thin-walled portions have at least a left-right width smaller than the left-right widths of the other portions of the temple portions.

[0060] In the eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment, the left-right width H1 of the thin-walled portion 32 is substantially constant in the length direction, but is not limited to this and may be tapered so that the left-right width gradually decreases. Furthermore, while the surface of the thin-walled portion is linear in side view, it may also be arched, V-shaped, zigzag, wavy, or other shapes. Even if the left-right width varies, it is preferable that the left-right width dimension be within the above-mentioned range. The same applies to the vertical width H2 of the thin-walled portion 32.

[0061] In the eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment, the reinforcing plate 6 is a small piece having a front end and a rear end, but is not limited to this, and for example, the front end may be connected to the hinge portion or may be connected to the core material 41 of the ear hook portion 4. Furthermore, the reinforcing plate 6 has an upper rib portion 6b1, a lower rib portion 6b2, an inner rib portion 6c1, and an outer rib portion 6c2, but these ribs are not essential.

[0062] In the eyeglass frame 100 of this embodiment, the outer surface of the temple cover portion 5 is flush with the outer surfaces of the other parts of the temple portion 3, that is, the front portion 31 and the rear portion 33, all around, but this is not essential.

[0063] In the eyeglass frame 100 according to this embodiment, the ear cover portion 42 is made of the same material as the temple cover portion 5, but this is not essential.

[0064] The eyeglass frame of the present invention can be used as so-called eyeglasses by attaching a pair of lenses. Furthermore, when no lenses are attached, it can be used as a fashion eyeglass frame. The eyeglass frame of the present invention has a bent portion, which provides excellent flexibility. As a result, the eyeglass frame is comfortable to wear and can prevent fatigue failure of the temples.

[0065] DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1: Front portion 10: Rim portion 11: Bridge portion 12: Nose pad portion 100: Eyeglass frame 2: Hinge portion 3: Temple portion 31: Front portion 32: Thin portion 33: Rear portion 4: Ear hook portion 41: Core material 42: Ear hook cover portion 5: Temple cover portion 6: Reinforcing plate 6a: Main body portion 6b1: Upper rib portion 6b2: Lower rib portion 6c1: Inner rib portion 6c2: Outer rib portion L: Lens

Claims

1. An eyeglass frame having a front portion on which a pair of lenses can be attached, hinge portions provided on both ends of the front portion, temple portions rotatably attached to the hinge portions, and ear hook portions continuous with the temple portions, wherein the temple portions are made of plastic and have a thin portion whose left-right width perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the temple portions is smaller than that of other portions of the temple portions, a temple cover portion is attached to the thin portion so as to cover the thin portion, and a bending portion consisting of the thin portion and the temple cover portion has less rigidity in the left-right direction than the other portions of the temple portions.

2. The eyeglass frame according to claim 1, wherein the thin-walled portion is a portion in which the left-right width perpendicular to the length direction of the temple portion and the up-down width perpendicular to the length direction are stepped smaller than the other portions of the temple portion, and the outer surface of the temple cover portion is flush with the outer surface of the other portions of the temple portion.

3. An eyeglass frame as claimed in claim 1, wherein the temple portion comprises a front portion rotatably attached to the hinge portion, the thin portion continuous with the front portion, and a rear portion continuous with the thin portion, the other portion of the temple portion being the front portion or the rear portion, and the front portion, the thin portion, and the rear portion are integrally molded from the same material.

4. The eyeglass frame according to claim 1, wherein the thin portion is rectangular in cross section, and a plate-shaped reinforcing plate is embedded in the thin portion.

5. An eyeglass frame as claimed in claim 3, wherein said thin portion is rectangular in cross section, a plate-shaped reinforcing plate is embedded in said thin portion, a front end of said reinforcing plate extends beyond the front end of said thin portion, enters said front side portion and is embedded in said front side portion, and a rear end of said reinforcing plate extends beyond the rear end of said thin portion, enters said rear side portion and is embedded in said rear side portion.

6. The eyeglass frame according to claim 4 or 5, wherein the reinforcing plate has a plate-shaped main body portion, an upper rib portion provided at the upper end of the main body portion and protruding upward from the upper end, and a lower rib portion provided at the lower end of the main body portion and protruding downward from the lower end, and the main body portion, the upper rib portion and the lower rib portion are embedded in the thin portion.

7. An eyeglass frame as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein the reinforcing plate has a plate-shaped main body portion, an inner rib portion provided on the inner side surface of the main body portion and protruding inwardly from the inner side surface, and an outer rib portion provided on the outer side surface of the main body portion and protruding outwardly from the outer side surface, and the thin-walled portion has positioning holes on the left and right sides of the reinforcing plate, and the reinforcing plate is positioned by inserting the inner rib portion and the outer rib portion into the corresponding positioning holes.

8. The eyeglass frame according to claim 1, wherein said temple cover portion is made of an elastomer.

9. An eyeglass frame as claimed in claim 1 or 8, wherein the ear hook portion has a core material and an ear hook cover portion attached to the core material so as to cover the core material, and the front end of the core material extends into the rear side portion and is embedded in the rear side portion.

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