Pivotable Eyeglass Frame With Stepped Temple Pivot

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional eyeglass frames become unstable and prone to falling when raised, causing discomfort and potential damage, due to their rigid temple bars and the need for significant upward movement to maintain stability.

Innovation Solution

The eyeglass frame features shortened temple bars with a pivot structure and suction cups or anchoring pads that allow for easy adjustment between normal and raised positions without sacrificing stability, using a combination of tension-type hinges and mechanical mechanisms for secure adhesion to the user's temples.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the eyeglass frame is raised to a higher position (75-90 degrees) to expose eyeballs, then the eyeglass frame can rest on top of the user's head, but the rigid temple bars cause the frame to become unstable and easily fall off

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to raise eyeglass frameVSAvoidstability of eyeglass frame

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces rigid temple bars with flexible temple bars that can dynamically adjust their configuration. The flexible temple bars can bend at the bendable portion to accommodate different positions (normal wearing position and raised position), allowing the frame to maintain stability throughout the range of motion rather than being rigid and unstable at elevated angles.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs flexible temple bars with a bendable portion that acts as a flexible element. This flexible structure allows the temple bar to adapt its shape and maintain contact with the user's head at various angles, providing continuous stability whether the frame is in the normal position or raised to expose the eyeballs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

2Reliability

If conventional angled or curved earpieces are used to stabilize the eyeglass frame, then the frame can rest on the user's ears, but the rigid structure causes discomfort when raised and may damage the hinges through over-extension

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestability of eyeglass frameVSAvoiddiscomfort and potential damage to user

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible temple bar with its bendable portion dynamically adapts to the user's head contours and movement. When the frame is raised, the flexible portion bends to maintain proper contact without over-extending the hinge connection, preventing damage while eliminating discomfort associated with rigid temple bars at elevated positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of the temple bar from rigid to flexible, allowing it to deform elastically under stress. This parameter change enables the temple bar to absorb mechanical stress through bending rather than transmitting it to the hinge, preventing over-extension damage while maintaining comfort during frame elevation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Ease of operation

If the temple bars are shortened with a pivot structure, then the user can push the frame upward with minimal effort (2-3 inches), but the structure becomes more complex with additional components

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveeffort required to raise frameVSAvoidstructure of temple bars

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The flexible temple bar creates a natural pivot point through its bendable portion, allowing the frame to rotate upward with minimal effort. The flexibility itself provides the pivot mechanism without requiring additional mechanical components, thus maintaining simplicity while enabling easy frame elevation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The flexible temple bar serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, creates the pivot point for rotation, and maintains contact with the user's head. The single flexible component performs what would traditionally require multiple separate parts (rigid bar, hinge, pivot mechanism), simplifying the overall structure while enabling easy frame raising.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

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

Enables the eyeglass frame to be raised securely with minimal effort, reducing the risk of falling and discomfort, while maintaining stability and ease of use.

Implementation Method 1

a suction cup or an anchoring pad at the temple tip... the suction cup comprises a head having a cylindrical shape with a narrowing waist portion, and a frustoconical portion thereby securely mounting the suction cup to a temple portion of a user's face... the frustoconical portion of suction cup is surface treated to enhance adhesion of the suction cup on the user's temple portion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAdhesion: Adhesive

Data Source

PatentUS11360322B2Pivotable eyeglass frame with shortened temple bar and anchoring pad

Publication Date: 2022.06.14 RAGONESE STEPHEN

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a pivotable eyeglass frame. In one aspect, the pivotable eyeglass frame includes a rim capable of receiving two lenses therein, and two temple bars, each being rotatably coupled to the rim via a hinge and having an anchoring pad mechanically coupled to the temple bar via a stepper column such that the rim is pivotable about the stepper column in steps.