Slotted Eyeglass Screw With Friction Insert Against Loosening
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing eyeglass screws tend to loosen and fall out, causing lenses to detach from the frame, leading to inconvenience, expense, and difficulty in replacement, especially for older individuals.
Innovation Solution
A novel screw design featuring a shaft with a longitudinal slot filled with neoprene or polypropene, which creates drag and prevents automatic unwinding, ensuring the screw remains securely in place and can be easily installed using a conventional screwdriver.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional threaded screws are used to secure eyeglass lenses, then the screws can be easily installed and removed, but the screws tend to loosen and back out over time, causing lenses to fall out
Solution Approach 1:
The screw is divided into two functional parts: a threaded shaft for installation and a smooth slot section with drag-creating material for prevention of unwinding. This segmentation allows the screw to have both ease of installation (threaded portion) and reliability (smooth portion with drag material that prevents rotation)
Solution Approach 2:
A drag-creating material (neoprene or polypropene) is introduced as an intermediary between the screw shaft and the frame slot. This material creates frictional drag that prevents the screw from unwinding, while still allowing the screw to be installed using a conventional screwdriver
2Reliability
If small screws are used to secure lenses in eyeglasses, then the lenses can be held in place, but the screws are difficult to locate when they fall out and require magnification for reinstallation
Solution Approach 1:
The drag-creating material (neoprene or polypropene) provides a visual contrast to the metal screw shaft, making the screw more visible and easier to locate when it falls out. The material can be seen without magnification, solving the problem of lost screws
3Adaptability or versatility
If threaded screws are used for securing eyeglass components, then the screws can be tightened and loosened as needed, but they become loose over time and require periodic tightening and replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The screw has a threaded section for initial installation and adjustment, followed by a smooth section with drag-creating material that prevents further rotation. This allows the screw to be adjusted during installation but then remains stable without periodic tightening
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous threaded mechanical system is replaced with a hybrid system: threaded portion for installation followed by a smooth portion with friction-based drag material. This substitution prevents the screw from unwinding while still allowing initial tightening
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 screw effectively secures eyeglass lenses and temples, reducing the likelihood of them falling out, saving users from costly repairs and improving the longevity of eyewear components by preventing unnecessary loosening and loss.
Implementation Method 1
the slot is filled with a neoprene, polypropylene, or polypropene planar bar that causes drag and prevents automatic unwinding of the screw
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to a novel screw that causes drag and prohibits unwinding of the screw. The screw is designed for use in eyeglasses for securing eyeglass lenses and prohibiting same from falling out. The screw includes a fillister head, a drive disposed on the head for engaging a screwdriver, a shaft running from the head to a terminal end, the shaft having non-contiguous circumferential threads along the length of the shaft for rotatably sliding the screw through slots. The screw includes a longitudinal channel in the form of a slot disposed along the surface of the shaft and through the length of the shaft. A planar bar of neoprene or any other polypropene can be inserted in the channel which assists with prohibiting unwinding of the screw when the screw is in use.