Hollow Nose Pad Elements for Spectacle Frames
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional nose pads for glasses often slip and are uncomfortable to wear due to inadequate fit and design, leading to insecurity and discomfort for spectacle wearers.
Innovation Solution
The nose pad elements are designed to be hollow and elongated, with a continuous interior space that is open on one or both sides, providing a secure and comfortable fit by being molded onto the spectacle frame and made from thermoplastic elastomers, offering a resilient connection and high wearing comfort.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional nose pads are used, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but the glasses slip and are uncomfortable to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The nose pad is divided into multiple functional zones: a softer contact region that interfaces with the nose and a harder connection region that attaches to the frame. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally - the soft region provides comfort and grip while the hard region ensures secure attachment, thereby improving overall reliability without excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The nose pad utilizes composite material construction with at least two different material regions having distinct hardness levels. The softer material region enhances comfort and friction against the nose to prevent slipping, while the harder material region provides structural integrity for secure mounting. This composite approach directly addresses the contradiction by improving reliability through material differentiation while maintaining manufacturability.
2Ease of operation
If conventional nose pads are used, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the wearing comfort is poor
Solution Approach 1:
The nose pad is pre-formed with an integrated curved profile that matches the natural contour of the nose before attachment to the frame. This preliminary shaping ensures that when the glasses are worn, the nose pad already conforms to the nose geometry, providing immediate comfort without requiring additional adjustment or complex multi-step manufacturing processes.
Solution Approach 2:
By incorporating softer material regions directly into the nose pad structure during manufacturing, the design achieves superior wearing comfort through enhanced contact properties. The softer zones provide better cushioning and adaptability to individual nose shapes, while the manufacturing process remains relatively simple through injection molding or similar techniques that can produce multi-material components in one step.
3Reliability
If hollow nose pad elements are used, then the wearing comfort and secure hold are improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The hollow interior space and the curved external profile are merged into a single integrated molding operation. The mold cavity is designed to simultaneously create both the outer contour that fits the nose and the internal hollow space, eliminating the need for separate manufacturing steps or assembly operations. This merging approach improves secure hold through the hollow structure while keeping manufacturing complexity manageable.
Solution Approach 2:
The hollow profile and curvature are built into the nose pad during the initial molding process rather than requiring post-manufacturing operations. The mold design incorporates features that automatically create the hollow interior and curved exterior in one step, providing the structural benefits of a hollow design for improved secure hold while avoiding complex multi-step manufacturing procedures.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution ensures glasses sit securely and comfortably on the wearer's nose, providing a stable and cost-effective production method while maintaining a secure hold, enhancing the overall wearing experience.
Implementation Method 1
The nose pad elements are made from thermoplastic elastomers, offering a resilient connection and high wearing comfort
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a pair of spectacles, comprising at least one spectacle lens (2), a spectacle frame (1) that holds the at least one spectacle lens (2), a nose pad (4) to lie against the nose of a spectacle wearer. The nose pad (4) has at least two opposing nose pad elements (5), each of which is a circumferentially continuous, endless body surrounding an interior space (16). Each nose pad element (5) has a partially free, lateral nose pad element web (15) to rest on the nose of the spectacle wearer, the nose pad element web (15) preferably being soft. Each nose pad element (5) has a fixed, lateral nose pad element fixing portion (17), which extends opposite and substantially parallel to the associated nose pad element web (15).