Structure for closing the lenses and for simultaneous elastic, snap-action movement of the temples of eyeglasses
The novel hinge structure with an elastic fork and bushing system addresses the wear and tear issues of miniaturized springs by enabling a single operation for lens closure and temple elasticization, providing stable and durable eyeglass frames with improved snap-action movement.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- WO · WO
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- SORDELLI FRANCO SRL
- Filing Date
- 2026-01-26
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-30
AI Technical Summary
Existing eyeglass hinges with miniaturized springs are prone to wear and tear, requiring complex assembly processes for both lens closure and temple elasticization, leading to instability and reduced effectiveness over time.
A novel hinge structure using an elastic fork with angled prongs and a bushing system that allows for a single operation to both secure lens closure and elastic, snap-action temple movement, featuring a fork with radial recesses for temple accommodation and a bushing with a threaded screw for stability.
Ensures stable, robust, and adjustable eyeglass frames with improved assembly ease, enhanced durability, and effective snap-action temple movement, while allowing for simultaneous lens closure and temple adjustment.
Smart Images
Figure IB2026050684_30072026_PF_FP_ABST
Abstract
Description
[0001] TITLE: "STRUCTURE FOR CLOSING THE LENSES AND FOR SIMULTANEOUS ELASTIC, SNAP-ACTION MOVEMENT OF THE TEMPLES OF EYEGLASSES”
[0002] DESCRIPTION
[0003] The present invention relates to the production of an eyeglass frame that uses a single structure for closing the lenses in its lens-retaining rims and for adjusting the closed, open, and extra-open, snap-action movement of its temples.
[0004] A main feature of the present invention is that it provides, between the closing ends of the lens-retaining rims and the end of the respective lateral temple of the eyeglasses, the interposition of an elastic fork that is provided with a base, with two prongs, for the closure and fixing of said ends of the rim, as well as being provided with the two angled end portions of each prong, which prongs allow the hinging of an eyelet of a cooperating rotation body of the end of the temple core, the inner surfaces of the ends of said angled prongs being shaped as eyelets and having slight radial recesses, adapted to accommodate said ends of the temple core, which ends protrude radially on the two planar faces of the eyelet of the rotation body, said recesses being arranged to elastically define the closed, open, and extra-open position of said temple, with a snapaction reaction for each manual movement thereof.
[0005] For some centuries, eyeglasses have been made as an instrument or device to be worn on a person's face, to improve or protect their sight, starting from an initial form consisting of a pair of glass lenses, suitably concave or convex, joined together by a rigid connecting body, called the “front” of the eyeglasses, then associating said front with a pair of side pieces or lateral temples hinged thereto, which ensured their support on the upper part of the earlobes.Over the last few decades, innumerable technical improvements have been made, both to the quality of the glass or other perfected ophthalmic material, and to the conformation of the front and the method of supporting and hinging the temples, particularly with the elasticization of their movement, especially in metal frames. Indeed, the elasticization of the temples on the front of a metal eyeglass has been proposed in hundreds of patented and disclosed solutions, which generally provide for the use of a helical compression spring, inserted in the head end of the temple, so as to push an intermediate slider thereof against a solid abutment present at the end or endpiece of the eyeglass front, to ensure its snap-action accommodation in provided seats that are adapted to define a closed position, a normal open position, and a maximum spread position of the same temple, and vice versa, following its manual movement.
[0006] Innumerable variations of elasticized hinging of the temples to an eyeglass front provide for the use of one or more helical tension springs, always to be arranged at the head of the temple and connected to the end of the front endpiece, or they provide for their application on the same endpiece, as an elasticization of the temple against an appropriate slider thereof, to achieve the desired snap action in the same conditions of closure, opening, and maximum spread of the same temple on the eyeglass front. All these and other currently known solutions for the elasticization of eyeglass temples provide for the production of springs or similar elastic means that are necessarily of small dimensions and of reduced effectiveness over time, as well as being the cause of frequent wear of their sliders and of the other known hinge elements, due to their forced miniaturization.In the present solution, the realization of a hinge is proposed to join and move the temples on the eyeglass front, such that it overcomes these and other drawbacks of current eyeglass hinges.
[0007] Before illustrating said new solution of a hinge or structure for eyeglasses, it seems appropriate to also illustrate another important aspect of the present invention, for which aspect the same hinge also constitutes a substantial structure for the simultaneous closure of the lenses to the same eyeglass front, particularly in metal frames.
[0008] Indeed, according to a prevailing current technique for manufacturing an eyeglass frame, particularly of the metal type, a final phase of applying the lenses, at least the sample ones, is provided within the rims of the front, for which the outer side of both rims is provided with an aperture, generally arranged in proximity to the endpiece or fixed hinge support, which aperture makes it possible to insert the lens, and on which aperture are arranged small plates which are then joined together by means of a screw for closing and locking the same lens.
[0009] As is known, the operator, according to the current state of the art, in the first application phase of the lenses will have to, on the one hand, assemble and adjust the elasticized hinging of the temple to the eyeglass front, and on the other hand will also have to proceed with the insertion of the lenses and their closure in the rims of the front, to then provide for the closure of the same rims, acting on their screws and discs or end plates.
[0010] This double assembly processing phase of the eyeglass frame, on the one hand, involves the realization of numerous miniaturized elements and, on the other, their difficult application on the same frame.A main purpose of the present invention is in fact that of having a single processing operation, to proceed both to the improved application of the elasticized temples on the eyeglass front, and to the optimal accommodation and closure of the lenses in the respective seats of the same front.
[0011] Within the scope of this task, another important purpose of the present invention is that of being able to have an elasticizing element that is not forcedly small, as it does not have to be enclosed in the narrow section of a hinging end of the temple and therefore can have a good sliding and contact surface between the end of the temple and the end of the front endpiece.
[0012] A further purpose of the invention is that of being able to have an elasticizing means that is not constrained to the small dimensions of accommodations at the ends of the temple or of the front, ensuring a sizing thereof such as to be able to ensure the desired elasticity also over time.
[0013] Yet another purpose of the present invention is that of being able to realize an eyeglass frame that is stable and robust, even in case of accidental impacts or falls, as well as always being adjustable in its conditions of lens closure on the front and of adaptation of the hinging of its lateral temples.
[0014] These and other purposes are effectively achieved with the present invention, with which an eyeglass frame is realized that is easy to assemble, both in the application or replacement of the lenses, and in the regulation of the best snap-action movement of the temple hinged to the sides of the front.
[0015] A more complete illustration of a preferred constructive solution of the structure for closing the lenses and for the elastic movement of the eyeglass temples which forms the subject of the present invention, as well as the verification of their correspondenceto the specified purposes, is better highlighted in the appended claims and is illustratively proposed in the following description of a constructive form thereof, purely indicative and non-limiting, also illustrated with the aid of n. 9 schematic figures reproduced in the two appended sheets, of which:
[0016] • Fig. 1 of sheet 1 represents a perspective, substantially vertical, and exploded view of the various elements that compose the present structure for closing the lenses and for elastic, snap-action movement of the eyeglass temples;
[0017] • Fig. 2 of sheet 1 represents a perspective, substantially vertical, and from an external angular position view of the left side of an eyeglass, showing the assembly of the elements of the structure of fig. 1;
[0018] • Figs. 3 to 9 of sheet 2 represent detailed views of the same elements represented in fig. 1, and in particular:
[0019] • Fig. 3 represents a top plan view and in horizontal section of the central part of the structure of fig. 1;
[0020] • Fig. 4 represents a view of the temple hinging joint of fig. 1, in horizontal section, along the plane IV - IV of fig. 5;
[0021] • Fig. 5 represents a view in vertical section, along the plane V-V of the hinging joint of fig. 4;
[0022] • Fig. 6 represents a vertical view of the bushing for fixing the open ends of a lens-retaining rim to the fork of fig. 1, shown partially in axial section and with a planar head and a shank having a blind threaded bore;
[0023] • Fig. 7 represents the view of a screw with a planar head to be associated with the bushing of fig. 6;• Fig. 8 represents a vertical and partially in axial section view of the bushing or pin of the hinging joint of the temple of fig. 5 to the same fork of fig. 1;
[0024] • Fig. 9 represents a view of the screw with a planar head to be associated with the bushing of fig. 8;
[0025] In all the figures, the same parts are represented, or are intended to be represented, with the same reference number.
[0026] With reference to figs. 1 - 2 and 3, a structure 1 for closing the lenses and for elastic, snap-action movement of the eyeglass temples is substantially constituted by a fork 10 having two mutually parallel prongs 11 - 12, which prongs have respective coplanar ends 11 / a - 12 / a that are inclined with respect to their connecting base 13, with an angle (alpha), preferably slightly greater than 90° and with the formation of an intermediate free space 14.
[0027] The end of the inclined deviation 11 / a has an annular cylindrical configuration 11 / b, with a through-hole 11 / c of a square or rectangular shape, while the end of the inclined deviation 12 / a has an annular cylindrical configuration 12 / b, with a cylindrical through-hole 12 / c coaxial with the bore 11 / b of the prong 11.
[0028] With particular reference also to fig. 3, the rings 11 / b - 12 / b have a planar inner surface thereof, which is defined by the intermediate space 14 and which is provided with two radial recesses 15 - 16, with an angle (beta) between them of slightly less than 90°, and a further recess 17, which is always radial and with an angle (gamma), for example of 15° with respect to the recess 16.
[0029] The same prongs 11 - 12 of the fork 10 then have their respective coaxial through-hole 11 / d - 12 / d shaped in a square or rectangular form.With reference to figs. 1 - 2 and 4 - 5, a joint 20 for hinging the temple 25 to the eyeglass front, has a square body 21 with an eyelet 22 having an orthogonal through-hole 23, said eyelet 22 having a suitable thickness to be accommodated in the space 14 of the fork 10, where the same ring 22 is aligned with the annular ends 11 / a - 12 / a of the prongs 11 - 12.
[0030] With reference to figs. 6 and 7, a bushing 30 having a planar head 31 , has an underlying shank with a square section 32 and an underlying further cylindrical extension 33, which extension has a blind threaded bore 34, while a screw 40 having a planar head 41 and with a threaded shank 42, is adapted to be screwed into said bushing 30.
[0031] Again with reference to figs. 1 and 2, it is clear that the square shank 32 of the bushing 30 is accommodated in the square hole 11 / c of the end 11 / b of the fork 10, after the hole 22 of the eyelet 23 of the joint 20 has been inserted into the space 14 of the same fork 10, aligning its axis with that of the same cylindrical end 11 / b, thus being able to be hinged on the cylindrical part 33 of said bushing 30, up to the thickness of the cylindrical end 12 / b of the same fork 10.
[0032] The cylindrical portion 33 of the bushing 30 thus ensures the containment and the radial movement of the joint 20 and of its eyeglass temple 25 within the space 14 of the fork 10.
[0033] As already specified, the length of the shank 42 is greater than the depth of the threaded seat 34 of the bushing 30, in such a way that the eyelets 11 / b - 12 / b of the fork 10 are always given the possibility of elastic spreading, to favor the elastic movement of the joint 20 and its possibility of snap action, for the passage from a closed, open or spread position, and vice versa, of the temple 25 incorporated therein.In accordance with a natural completion of the hinge in question, not shown in the appended drawings, between the ring 22 of the joint 20 and the upper surface of the eyelet 12 / b, an elastic compensation ring is advantageously applied for the spreading of the eyelets 11 / b - 12 / b, during the snap action of the passage from a closed, open and extra-open position of the joint 20 with its temple 25.
[0034] The stability of the hinging connection of the joint 20 with said fork 10 is ensured by the application of the closing screw 40 in the threaded seat 34 of the bushing 30, although the length of the shank 42 is such as to avoid the tightening of the heads 31 - 41 against the rings 11 / b - 12 / b of the same fork 10.
[0035] A washer, not shown, can be advantageously interposed between the inside of the head 41 and the outer surface of the eyelet 12 / b, to improve the stability of the union of the bushing 30 and the closing screw 40, on the rings 11 / b - 12 / b of the fork 10.
[0036] In figs. 1 - 2 - 4 and 5, for simplicity, the core or temple 25 has been represented as associated with the joint 20 by hot application or by interference, its stable union being possible, for example by screwing or with a pin, with welding or with any other stable and secure union system.
[0037] The elasticization and the snap-action positioning of the temple 25 on the fork 10 and on the eyeglass to which it is stably associated, is made possible by the fact that the end of the temple 25 protrudes from the circumference of the eyelet 22 of the joint 20, with consequent pre-arranged accommodation of its head diameter within one of the spaces 15 - 16 - 17 of the fork 10, ensuring its good condition of closure, opening or extra-opening, with respect to the eyeglass front.
[0038] Naturally, to change the condition of use of the eyeglass it is sufficient to manually push the temple 25 to bring it, with a snap action, into the new desired condition bypassing between the recesses 15 - 16 and 17, with a simple, secure and nondeteriorating solution over time, in accordance with some of the purposes indicated above.
[0039] According to a first constructive variation, the recesses 15 - 16 and 17 can also be made on only one of the two inner surfaces of the eyelets 11 / b - 12 / b, just as the same ends of the temples 25 can also be partially tapered, to cooperate with the desired extent of spreading of the eyelets 11 / b - 12 / b, in the elasticization of the fork 10. As specified above, the structure in question, in addition to the function of optimal elastic and snap-action hinging of a temple 25 to the joint 20 and to its eyeglass front, also makes possible a simultaneous and parallel closure and locking of the prescription or protective lenses on the same eyeglass.
[0040] In fact, again with reference to the appended figs. 1 -2, the prevailing hypothesis of a metal eyeglass front is shown which includes two rims for retaining the respective lenses, each rim having an aperture A - B thereof which ends with the ends Al - Bl sufficiently spreadable, between them for the passage and accommodation of the respective lens, not shown.
[0041] In accordance with the solution exemplified below and not new in itself, the same ends A - B are then bent to form a respective plane A / l - B / l, to be joined together and closed solidly, to contain the eyeglass lens.
[0042] With the present invention, between the same planes Al - Bl, of the ends of an eyeglass rim, the prongs 11 - 12 of the fork 10 are interposed, with their base 13, to then stably close the same fork 10 by means of the bushing 50 and its closing screw 60.In particular, with reference to figs. 6 and 7, the bushing 50 has a planar head 51 with a shank 54 with a square section 52, which shank has a blind axial threaded bore 53, while a screw 60 has a planar head 61 and a threaded shank 62, said shank 62 being adapted to be screwed into the threaded seat 53 until it stably tightens the planes A / l - B / l of the apertures A - B of the rim for retaining the respective lens, against the outer surface of the prongs 11 - 12 of the fork 10.
[0043] To allow the passage of the shank 52 through the planar ends A / l - B / l, as well as through the through-holes 11 / d - 12 / d of the fork 10, before closing on the screw 60, the holes A / 2 - B / 2 of the planar ends A / l - B / l, as well as the holes 11 / d - 12 / d of the same fork 10 will have to be adequately sized and in any case shaped to prevent their free rotation, during screwing or unscrewing for the closure or opening of the same rims for retaining the lenses.
[0044] To allow the centering stability of the head 51 of the bushing 50 in the passage seat A / 2 of the upper end A of the lens-retaining rim, the presence of at least one washer, not shown, can be provided, which is interposed between the planar head 51 of the bushing 50 and the squared widening of the accommodation hole A2 - B2, as well as between the head 61 of the screw 50 and the square hole B2 of the lower end B of the same rim for retaining and closing the eyeglass lens.
[0045] With the locking of the ends A - B of the lens-retaining rim and closure of the lens, there is also the secure positioning of the eyelets 11 / b - 12 / b of the fork 10, to be able to accommodate and close the eyelet 22 of the hinging joint 20 and of the temple 25 engaged with it, ensuring, with a single structure for closing the lenses and for elastic, snap-action movement of the same temples 25 of the eyeglass, in accordance with the main purpose of the present invention.The flexibility of the inclined ends 11 / a - 12 / a of the fork 10, allows the regulation of the desired elasticity in the rotation movement of the joint 20 and of its temple 25, as well as the possibility of their snap-action positioning, in the spaces 15 - 16 and 17 of the rings 11 / b - 12 / b of the same fork 10, in accordance with another of the specified purposes.
[0046] With reference to fig. 1, in proximity to the planar ends A / l and B / l of the aperture A - B of the eyeglass lens-retaining rim, a respective abutment L / l -L / 2 can be applied to be inserted in the slot 13 / 1 provided on the base 13 of the fork 10, with the purpose of further increasing the stability of union between said ends A / l - A / 2 of the lensholding rim and the same fork 10.
[0047] The structure for closing the lenses and for elastic, snap-action movement of the temples 1 described and illustrated above, in addition to the technical and functional improvements described above, also presents an original and new aesthetic and visual aspect, which is inherent to the conformation of its horizontally U-shaped fork 10, determining a new and original aspect of the eyeglass front, in accordance with another of the specified purposes.
[0048] The same structure 10, in addition to its basic constitution and the possible constructive variations already exemplified, can naturally be realized with other aspects and adaptations that are however intended to fall within the originality of the solution to be protected.
Claims
CLAIMS1.- A structure for closing the lenses and for simultaneous elastic, snap-action movement of the temples of eyeglasses, for adjusting the closed, open, and extra-open movement thereof, characterized by providing, between the closing ends (Al - Bl) of the lens-retaining rims and the end of the temple core (25) of the respective lateral temple of the eyeglasses, the interposition of an elastic fork (10) which is provided with a base (13) with two prongs (11 - 12), for closing and fixing of said ends of the rim, as well as being provided with the two angled end portions of each prong, wherein said prongs (11 - 12) allow the hinging of an eyelet (22) of a cooperating rotation body (20) of the end of the temple core (25), the inner surfaces of the ends of said angled prongs being shaped as eyelets (11b - 12b) and having slight radial recesses (15 - 16 - 17), adapted to accommodate said ends of the temple core (25), which protrude radially on the two planar faces of the eyelet (22) of the rotation body (20), said recesses being arranged to elastically define the closed, open, and extra-open position of said temple (25), with a snap-action reaction for each manual movement thereof.2.- A structure for closing the lenses and for simultaneous elastic movement of the temples of eyeglasses, according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a fork (10), made of an elastic material and having two mutually parallel prongs (11 - 12), said prongs (11 - 12) having respective angled portions (11 / a - 12 / a) and eyelet-shaped ends (11 / b - 12 / b) having an inclination (alpha) slightly greater than 90° with respect to the base (13) and defining the formation of an intermediate free space (14) of said fork (10).3.- A structure according to claim 2, characterized in that the end of the angled portionhole (11 / c) of a square or rectangular shape, while the end of the angled portion (12 / a) of the prong (12) has an annular cylindrical configuration (12 / b), with a cylindrical through-hole (11 / c) coaxial with the bore (11 / b) of the prong (11).4.- A structure for closing the lenses and for elastic movement of the temples, according to claims 2 and 3, characterized in that the rings (11 / b - 12 / b) have at least one planar inner surface thereof, which is spaced from the intermediate free space (14) and which is provided with two radial recesses (15 - 16), with an angle (beta) of slightly less than 90°, and a further recess (17), which is radial and has an angle (gamma) of, for example, 15° with respect to the recess (16).5.- A structure according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that it provides a joint (20) for connecting and hinging a temple (25) to the elastic element (10), which joint (20) has a square body (21), with an intermediate eyelet (22) having an orthogonal through-hole (23), said eyelet (22) having a suitable thickness to be accommodated in the space (14) of the fork (10) and to be hinged therein to the eyelets (11 / b - 12 / b) of the elastic element (10), by insertion of a bushing (30).6.- A structure for closing the lenses and for elastic movement of the temples, according to claim 5, characterized in that a bushing (30) having a planar head (31), has an underlying shank with a square section (32) and an underlying further cylindrical extension (33), which extension has an axial, blind threaded bore (34), while a screw (40) having a planar head (41) and a threaded shank (42), is adapted to be screwed into said bushing (30), wherein its cylindrical portion (33) makes the eyelet (22) of the joint (20) of the temple (25) axially rotatable.7.- A structure according to claims 5 and 6, characterized in that a square shank (32) of the bushing (30) is accommodated in the square hole (11 / c) of the end (11 / b) of thefork (10), after the eyelet (22) of the joint (20) has been inserted into the space (14)of said fork (10), aligning its axis with that of the same cylindrical end (11 / b), thus being centered on the cylindrical portion (33) of said bushing (30) in the through-hole (12 / c) of the eyelet (12 / b).8.- A structure for closing the lenses and for movement of the temple, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the end of the temple (25) protrudes from the circumference of the eyelet (22) of the joint (20), with consequent pre-arranged accommodation of its head diameter within one of the provided spaces (15 - 16 - 17) of the fork (10) and ensuring its elastic movement in the closed, open, or extra-open condition with respect to the front of the eyeglasses.9.- A structure for closing the lenses and for simultaneous elastic, snap-action movement of the temples of eyeglasses, according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that between the planar portions (Al - Bl) of the ends of a rim (A -B) of the eyeglasses, the prongs (11 - 12) of the fork (10) are interposed, with their base (13) facing toward the outside of the eyeglasses, to then stably close said fork (10) by means of the bushing (50) and its closing screw (60).10.- A structure for closing the lenses, according to claim 9, characterized in that a bushing (50) has a head (51) with a shank (54) having a square section (52), for its entire length, and has an axial, blind threaded bore (53), while a screw (60) has a head (61) and a threaded shank (62) that is adapted to be screwed into the bore (53), so as to stably tighten the planar portions (A / l - B / l) of the apertures (A - B) of the lensretaining rim.