Bifocal Eyeglasses Frame with Vertical Lens Slide Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional bifocal glasses cause eyestrain due to the unnatural eye direction required to switch between long-distance and short-distance vision lenses, as the lower lens is typically positioned to be viewed at an angle, misaligning the eye level with the lens center.

Innovation Solution

A bifocal glasses frame design featuring a hanging shaft with a slide mechanism that allows for vertical movement and inversion of lenses, aligning the lens center with the eye level, enabling easy switching between lens types without misalignment, using mechanisms like engagement pieces, clips, magnets, or locking grooves for smooth operation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If the lower lens is positioned for short-distance vision, then the user can see nearby objects, but the user must look downward at an unnatural eye direction causing eyestrain

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevision capabilityVSAvoideyestrain
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the lens-holding frames vertically movable relative to the bridge, allowing the lenses to be dynamically adjusted between different vertical positions. This enables the user to switch between looking straight ahead at the upper lens and looking slightly downward at the lower lens, reducing eyestrain while maintaining both long-distance and short-distance vision capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent divides the vision function into two separate vertically-arranged lenses instead of combining them in a single lens. The upper lens is dedicated to long-distance vision and the lower lens to short-distance vision, allowing each lens to be optimized for its specific function while being independently positionable

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Ease of operation

If the glasses are inverted to align eye level with lens center, then natural viewing is achieved, but the nose pads require frequent vertical adjustment which is troublesome

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveviewing comfortVSAvoidadjustment complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a dynamic adjustment mechanism where the lens-holding frames can be vertically moved along the bridge. This allows the lenses to be quickly repositioned to align with the eye level when the glasses are inverted, eliminating the need for troublesome manual adjustment of nose pads while maintaining viewing comfort

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a slide mechanism as an intermediary between the lens-holding frames and the bridge. This slide mechanism facilitates smooth vertical movement of the lenses, making it easy to adjust the lens position without directly manipulating the nose pads, thus reducing operational complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the lenses are fixed in position, then the structure is simple, but the user cannot switch between different lens types for different uses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelens switching capabilityVSAvoidframe structure
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent converts the fixed lens structure into a dynamic one by enabling vertical movement of the lens-holding frames along the bridge. This allows the user to switch between different lens types (e.g., daytime/nighttime lenses, different prescription strengths) by simply moving the frames to different vertical positions, adding versatility without requiring multiple separate glasses

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent makes the single pair of glasses universal by allowing it to perform multiple functions through lens switching. The same frame can accommodate different lens types for different uses (driving, reading, nighttime viewing) by vertically repositioning the lenses, eliminating the need for multiple specialized glasses

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3521904B1Frame for bifocal eyeglasses
Publication Date: 2024.05.22 SEKI NORIO
  • EP3521904B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3521904B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3521904B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A frame includes: a pair of temples (1); a connecting bar (2) connecting respective ends of the pair of temples; at least one hanging shaft (3) located at a middle of the connecting bar (2); nose pads (4) fixed to the hanging shaft (3); a slide (5) attached to the hanging shaft (3) for a sliding movement; a pair of lens-holding frames (6) vertically slidable in front of the connecting bar (2), the lens-holding frames (6) being each configured to hold vertically arranged upper and lower lenses (A, B); and a bridge (7) coupling the lens-holding frames (6). The bridge (7) is attached at a level lower than a center of the lower lens in each of the lens-holding frames (6), and the lens-holding frames (6) are slidable for a distance at least corresponding to a distance between a center of the upper lens (A) and the center of the lower lens (B).