Glasses frame with mutually rotating rims

Abstract

Glasses frame of the type comprising a front-frame consisting of a first rim (2) and a second rim (3) for supporting lenses, and possibly a bridge (1) connecting said rims (2, 3), wherein said rims (2, 3) are separated by a cutting surface (T) and wherein at least one pivoting means (6) is also provided apt to allow said rims (2, 3) to mutually rotate of at least 180 o about a rotation axis (R). The pivoting means (6) is formed between a first bar (8) and a second bar (9) which are respectively superimposed to said first rim (2) and said second rim (3) and fixed thereto on the back of the front-frame.

Description

[0001] GLASSES FRAME WITH MUTUALLY ROTATING RIMS

[0002] DESCRIPTION

[0003] The present invention relates to a glasses frame with mutually rotating rims . In particular, the invention concerns a glasses frame capable of providing to the lenses an excellent protection from impacts or rubbing when the eyeglasses are not worn and are placed in a closed position on any support surface , without being stored in a case . FIELD OF INVENTION

[0004] It is known that in the daily use of glasses , be they sunglasses or prescription glasses , there is often the need to take them off and put them back on, depending on the use or environment conditions .

[0005] When taking of f the glasses , it is often usual to place them on the first available horizontal surface , for example on top of a piece of furniture or a table , on an armchair or a bed . Thereby, rarely does one have the time and the attention to gently and correctly place them in a position - be it closed, i . e . , having the folded temples in contact with the supporting surface , or instead open, lying on the surface with the lower edge of the rims and the temple ends or, more stably, lying on the surface upside down, with the upper edges of the front-piece and the temples - such that the lenses , in either case, do not come in contact with the supporting surface and hence do not risk being damaged by the same .

[0006] More frequently, in fact , glasses are placed casually, due to hurry, carelessness or negligence, and the lenses often risk therefore to be damaged by impacts or rubbing against the supporting surface itself or against the surrounding items . STATE OF THE ART

[0007] EP-3224667 , in the name of the same Applicant , discloses a particularly effective solution to this problem thanks to a glasses frame having rims mutually rotating about a pivoting means located in an asymmetrical position with respect to the bridge of the glasses frame , along a rotation axis lying in a plane which passes through the centres of the two rims and is perpendicular to said rims .

[0008] Thanks to this construction, at the end of using the glasses the two rims can be mutually rotated by 180 ° to obtain the desired configuration, i . e . , that the temples of the glasses arranging themselves on opposite sides of the glasses thus providing, once folded, excellent protection to the lenses .

[0009] The herewith disclosed specific position of the pivoting means and related rotation axis has made it possible to extend to any type of eyeglasses or sunglasses , regardless of the type of frame and of the pivoting point of the temples on the rims , a very comfortable folding up method effective in protecting the lenses , which previously was applied only occasionally to glasses having low-height lenses and temples hinged at the centre of the lenses ( i . e . , typically, presbyopia corrective glasses ) . A traditional solution of this latter type is , for example , disclosed by US- 6257720 , where the pivoting means is housed inside the bridge of the glasses .

[0010] The glasses made according to the teachings of patent EP- 3224667 met the immediate and widespread approval of the public, which allowed to rapidly refine their production, improving some specific aspects of the construction which showed some critical issues . Such critical issues were all substantially connected to the positioning of the pivoting means of the two rims of the glasses , which pivoting means is incorporated in the thickness of the glasses frame , and specifically in one of the rims of the glasses , near to the bridge base . This necessarily results in a construction with very impact ful thicknesses .

[0011] This arrangement , which is essential for the correct operation of the mutual rotation of the rims , has therefore somewhat limited the design freedom of the modelists , especially about the bridge width, the thickness of the rims and the positioning of the cutting surface of the front-frame which, in fact , interrupts the continuity of one of the two rims in the pivoting area .

[0012] Furthermore, in the practical use of the glasses it was found that the freedom of rotation of 360 ° between the two rims , which is a feature of an embodiment of said patent , nevertheless entails some disadvantages , especially when putting on and taking off the glasses , when an unexpected resistance encountered by the glasses can cause the start of an unwanted rotation or a rotation in the opposite direction to the desired one .

[0013] TECHNICAL PROBLEM

[0014] The technical problem addressed by the present invention is therefore to propose a glasses frame wherein a means of mutual pivoting of the two rims of the glasses is positioned in such a way as to leave a greater degree of freedom to the modelists in the stylistic design of the glasses , while maintaining the conditions of mutual rotation of the two rims about a rotation axis arranged according to the teachings of the above-mentioned patent .

[0015] In the context of this technical problem, a first obj ect of the invention is to provide a glasses frame wherein the width of the bridge and the thickness of the frame - and specifically of the rims - can be determined independently of the size of said pivoting means .

[0016] Another ob ject of the invention is to provide a glasses frame wherein the cutting surface of the front-frame can be chosen independently of the location of said pivoting means .

[0017] A final ob ject of the invention is finally to provide a glasses frame wherein the two rims can mutually rotate by a maximum angle of 180 ° , i . e . , from the position of normal use to a completely overturned position .

[0018] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0019] This technical problem is solved, and these objects achieved, by a glasses frame having the features defined in the here attached claim 1 . Other preferred features of such glasses frame are defined in the secondary claims .

[0020] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] Further features and advantages of the glasses frame according to the present invention will however become more evident from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the same , given by mere way of non-limiting example and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0022] Fig. 1 is a perspective view, from the inside, of a glasses frame according to the present invention, with the temples fully opened in their working position;

[0023] Fig. 2 is a perspective view, from the outside, of the glasses frame of Fig. 1, with the temples fully opened in their working position;

[0024] Fig. 3 is a front view, from the outside, of the glasses frame of Fig. 1, with the temples completely folded in their traditional rest position;

[0025] Fig. 4 is a front view, from the outside, of the glasses frame of Fig. 1, with the temples completely opened in their working position, and with a rim and relative temple rotated about a rotation axis parallel to the front-frame, by approximately 90° from their normal working position;

[0026] Fig. 5 is a view of the glasses frame of Fig. 4, with said rim and relative temple rotated 90° further about said rotation axis;

[0027] Fig. 6 is a view of the glasses frame of Fig. 5, with both temples folded in their rest position;

[0028] Fig. 7 is a plan view of the glasses frame of Fig. 6;

[0029] Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with exploded parts; and Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 2, with exploded parts.

[0030] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0031] As shown in the drawings, the glasses frame according to the present invention looks, when in position of use, like any other glasses frame currently in use on the market and is not limited to a particular design of the rims, the bridge or the temples. Such glasses frame includes therefore all the usual components of a traditional pair of glasses and, in particular: a front-frame consisting of two rims 2, 3 centrally connected by a bridge 1, and respective temples 4 and 5 linked to the outer portion of said rims 2, 3 by pivoting means.

[0032] In accordance with the teachings disclosed in the above- mentioned patent EP-3224667, a mutual pivoting means 6 between the rims 2, 3 is not formed in a central position of the front- frame , i . e . in correspondence with the bridge 1 , but rather in an asymmetric position with respect to said bridge 1 . More precisely, in order for the glasses frame of the present invention to of fer its best performance in terms of protection of the lenses and compactness of the arrangement of the glasses in the rotated position, said pivoting means 6 must be positioned so that the related rotation axis R passes as close as possible to the centre of the rims 2 and 3 . In particular, the rotation axis R is parallel to a segment connecting the centres of the rims 2 , 3 and preferably lies in a plane perpendicular to the rims 2 and passing through the glasses front-frame in correspondence with the centres of the rims 2 , 3 or as close as possible thereto . When the rims 2 , 3 do not have a regular circular shape , for "centre of the rims" 2 , 3 a point located in a position inside the rims 2 , 3 , which is equidistant from their farthest upper and lower point is herein intended .

[0033] In fact , by arranging the rotation axis R in the manner described above , the rim 3 mutual rotation of 180 ° with respect to the rim 2 involves no significant (or only a modest ) vertical misalignment of the same rim 3 with respect to the rim 2 , as can be seen in Figs . 5 and 6 , and this allows the benefit of a perfect protection of the lenses housed in the same , by means of the temples 4 and 5 . Meanwhile , this condition also allows for maintaining a very compact configuration of the glasses in the overturned position, thanks to the perfect transversal alignment of the two rims in their lying plane (which plane is a substantially vertical plane when referred to the normal position of the rims in the condition of use ) , and also thanks to the opposed arches shape (elongated S shape ) taken by the glasses front-frame when seen in a top view, as illustrated in Fig . 7 , where the curvature of the two rims and relative lenses faces opposite sides .

[0034] According to the innovative feature of the present invention, and as illustrated in greater detail in Figs . 8 and 9 , the pivoting means 6 is formed in an external structure distinct from the front-frame and stably fixed thereto, instead of being formed inside the front-frame body - i . e . one of the rims 2 , 3 or the bridge 1 - like taught in the above cited documents of the prior art . In a preferred embodiment , such structure includes a first bar 8 and a second bar 9 mutually adj acent along a contact line , extending to respectively cover a portion of the rims 2 , 3 , and which are fixed thereto on the back of the front-frame . The first bar 8 carries a male portion 6m of the pivoting means 6 in correspondence with the contact line with the second bar 9 , while the second bar 9 carries a box 7 housing a female portion 6f of the pivoting means 6 and a spring mechanism 7m, in correspondence with the same contact line with the first bar 8 . The spring mechanism 7m causes , in a per se well known manner, the pivoting means 6 to move in discrete steps between stable positions , mutually staggered by preferably 90 ° , up to a maximum rotation of about 180 ° , as illustrated in Figs . 4 and 5 .

[0035] The bars 8 and 9 are made of a material with high mechanical resistance such as , for example, a metallic material or a composite material based on plastics and reinforcing fibres , so that said bars can be made in a low thickness and with a low weight and therefore have a pleasant aesthetic impact on the glasses and a negligible impact on their weight , while ensuring sufficient mechanical strength to guarantee a prolonged service life of the pivoting means 6 . By way of example, the bars 8 and 9 consist in a thin rectangular-section profile , i . e . , a profile having a thickness lower than its height , so shaped as to copy the shape of the rims 2 , 3 in the overlapping area . The bars 8 and 9 can be simply superimposed on the rims 2 and 3 or also recessed thereinto , as illustrated in the drawings , and they extend over at least part and preferably the entire upper portion of the rims 2 , 3 . The bars 8 and 9 are fixed to the rims 2 and 3 with any known means , such as by screws or adhesives , and are mutually positioned in such a way to precisely mate the respective male portions 6m and female portion 6f which make up the pivoting means 6 . The box 7 , wherein the pivoting means 6 is housed, remains visible in the inner part of the glasses , immediately above the nose pad of the second rim 3 , and therefore in an area outside the normal field of vision, so that the user of the glasses does not detect its presence . From an aesthetic point of view, it can also be noted that , when the body of the rims 2 , 3 has a low thickness , the second bar 9 can be visible from the outside in correspondence with the box 7 , as can be seen in Fig . 3 . In this case it is preferable that the first bar 8 is shaped perfectly symmetrical to the bar 9, near the nose pad, as illustrated in the drawings , not for a specific technical utility but to give a balanced and pleasant aesthetic appearance to the glasses frame .

[0036] Finally, it is interesting to note that , according to an important feature of the glasses frame provided with the construction illustrated above , the cutting surface T between the first rim 2 and the second rim 3 does not necessarily need to be aligned with the contact line between the first bar 8 and the second bar 9 . A slight stagger between said cutting surface and said contact line rather allows to create an additional feature of the glasses , i . e . , abutment areas between the rotating rim 3 and the portion of the first bar 8 pro j ecting from the cutting surface T (Fig . 5 ) , which abutment areas thereby give rise to very stable limit stops for the rotation of the rim 3 .

[0037] From the preceding description it turns out clear how the glasses frame according to the present invention has fully achieved all the intended obj ects . In fact , forming the pivoting means 6 in an external structure distinct from the front-frame, as the one consisting of the pair of bars 8 and 9 , instead than in the front-frame body, makes in fact possible to free the bridge 1 and the rims 2 and 3 from the encumbrance of said pivoting means 6, thus allowing the modelist a greater design freedom, and then attaining the first ob ject of the invention . As already highlighted above , using the pair of bars 8 and 9 as support of the pivoting means 6, outside from the front frame , allows to provide the cutting surface T of the front-frame in an area which is not aligned with the contact line between the bars 8 and 9, then widening, also in this case, the designing freedom of the modelist and thus also attaining the second ob ject of the invention . This same last feature allows then to easily create mechanical abutment areas of the second rim 3 against the first bar 8 , thus also attaining the third obj ect of the invention .

[0038] The glasses frame of the present invention also achieves some important additional advantages , such as : possibility of increasing the size of the lenses , the overall width of the front-frame being equal , thanks to the possibility of reducing the thickness of the rim edge as desired; possibility of moving the cutting surface between the two rims of the glasses as desired, thus avoiding the possible positioning of said cutting surface in correspondence with the area where the glasses fit on the nose ; covering of the unesthetic "light" caused by the cutting surface T of the glasses frame, which interrupts the glasses frame continuity, thanks to the first bar 8 being posteriorly superimposed behind of such light .

[0039] It is understood that the invention should not be considered as limited to the specific arrangements illustrated above , which are only exemplary embodiments thereof , but that dif ferent variants are possible within the reach of a person skilled in the art - in particular with reference to the configuration of the pivoting means 6 and of the bars 8 and 9 - without thereby departing from the scope of protection of the invention itself , which is only defined by the following claims .

Claims

CLAIMS1) Glasses frame of the type comprising a front-frame, consisting of a first rim (2) and a second rim (3) for supporting lenses, and possibly a bridge (1) connecting said rims (2, 3) , wherein said rims (2, 3) are separated by a cutting surface (T) and wherein at least one pivoting means (6) is also provided apt to allow said rims (2, 3) to mutually rotate of at least 180° about a rotation axis (R) , characterized in that said pivoting means (6) is formed in an external structure distinct from the front-frame and stably fixed thereto.2) Glasses frame according to claim 1 wherein said external structure distinct from the front-frame includes a first bar (8) and a second bar (9) , which are respectively superimposed to said first rim (2) and said second rim (3) , and fixed thereto on the back of the front-frame.3) Glasses frame according to claim 2, wherein said first bar (8) includes a male portion (6m) of said pivoting means (6) at its end facing said second bar (9) , while said second bar (9) carries a box (7) housing a female portion (6f) of said pivoting means (6) at its end facing said first bar (8) .4) Glasses frame according to claim 3, wherein said first bar (8) and said second bar (9) extend over at least part of the upper portion of the first rim (2) and the second rim (3) , respectively .5) Glasses frame according to claim 3, wherein said first bar (8) and said second bar (9) are partially recessed into the first and second rims (2, 3) .6) Glasses frame according to claim 3, wherein said first bar (8) and said second bar (9) are made of a metallic material or a composite material based on plastics and reinforcing fibres.7) Glasses frame according to claim 6, wherein said first bar (8) and said second bar (9) consist of a low-height rectangular-section profile.8) Glasses frame according to claim 3, wherein said first bar (8) and said second bar (9) are fixed to said first rim andsecond rim (2,3) by means of screws and / or adhesives.9) Glasses frame according to claim 3, wherein said cutting surface (T) between the first rim (2) and the second rim (3) is staggered with respect to the contact line between said first bar (8) and said second bar (9) .10) Glasses frame according to claim 9, wherein abutment areas are provided between said rotating second rim (3) and a portion of said first bar (8) projecting from said cutting surface (T) .11) Glasses frame according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a spring mechanism (7m) housed in said box (7) , which causes the pivoting means (6) to rotate in discrete steps between stable positions mutually staggered by 90° from each other .12) Glasses frame according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein said rotation axis (R) is parallel to a segment connecting the centres of said rims (2, 3) and lies in a plane perpendicular to the rims (2, 3) and passing in correspondence of, or near to, the centres of said rims (2, 3) .

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