Eyeglass Temple Bending Tool with Thumb Recess
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for bending eyeglass temples are either inaccurate or injurious to opticians, particularly when dealing with plastic frames that require heating, and previous mechanical devices are not universally adaptable to various sizes and shapes.
Innovation Solution
A handheld tool with an elongated handle and a convex anvil, featuring a nonslip surface and a concave thumb recess, allows for precise bending of eyeglass temples without the optician having to touch the hot frame, and can be made from various materials including metal, plastic, or wood.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the optician uses their thumb as a mandrel to bend the temple, then the bending can be performed with simple tools, but the optician's thumb is injured due to contact with hot plastic frames
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a thumb recess as an intermediary structure between the optician's thumb and the hot temple. The recess is specifically designed to accommodate the thumb while maintaining a safe distance from the heated temple, allowing the optician to apply bending force without direct contact with the harmful hot surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending tool is segmented into distinct functional zones: a thumb recess for safe thumb placement, a temple receiving area for positioning the temple end, and a bending surface for applying force. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function while isolating the optician's thumb from harmful heat.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If pliers are used to bend the temple, then the optician's thumb is protected from injury, but the bending accuracy is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The tool features a convexly curved bending surface with specific geometric properties designed to match the desired temple curvature. This localized geometric quality ensures that the temple conforms to the precise curvature needed, providing accuracy that generic pliers cannot achieve.
Solution Approach 2:
The bending surface is convexly curved to provide a mandrel that guides the temple into the correct arcuate shape. This curved geometry ensures consistent and accurate bending results by providing a physical template for the desired temple curvature.
3Manufacturing precision
If a mechanical device is designed for a specific temple type, then the bending precision can be high, but the device is not universally adaptable to various sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is designed with a universal thumb recess and a flexible temple receiving area that can accommodate temples of various sizes, shapes, and materials. The convex bending surface can be adjusted or selected to match different temple types, making the tool versatile for all eyeglass frame adjustments.
Solution Approach 2:
The tool allows for dynamic adjustment in how the temple is positioned and bent. The optician can adapt the bending approach based on the specific temple characteristics, whether it's plastic, metal, or metal-coated plastic, and adjust the force and angle applied to achieve the correct fit for different patient ear shapes.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand held tool (10, 60, 70) for use by an optician in bending the temples (120) of a pair of eyeglasses includes an elongated handle portion (12, 62, 72) capable of being held in the palm of the optician's hand. A mandrel including a convexly formed anvil (14, 64, 74) with a nonslip upper surface (67, 77a) extends from a first end of the handle portion. A concavely formed thumb recess (16, 66, 76) is located adjacent the first end of the handle portion and is located opposite the anvil (14, 64, 74). The optician's thumb (100) fits within the recess when the handle portion is being held. The free end (110) of an eyeglass temple is placed over the mandrel (14, 64, 74) and is bent over the mandrel by the optician.