Spectacles Hinge Orthogonal Hooks for Compact Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spectacles hinges are complex and expensive to manufacture, require additional components for centring, and lack aesthetic appeal due to visible design, while also not allowing for over-opening or being robust enough to absorb impacts.
Innovation Solution
A hinge design featuring a connecting element with a base member articulated to a head member about a vertical axis and integrated into the front-face element, allowing rotations in both horizontal and transverse planes, reducing the number of components and manufacturing complexity, and enhancing aesthetic integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a ball-joint type hinge is used to allow rotation in transverse plane, then the service life is improved, but the manufacturing complexity and cost increase due to spherical surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The hinge is divided into separate functional elements: a front-face element with a guiding opening, a side element with a guiding sphere, and a connecting element with orthogonal hooks. This segmentation allows each component to be manufactured independently using simple processes while collectively achieving the complex ball-joint functionality without requiring difficult spherical machining.
Solution Approach 2:
The connecting element uses two orthogonal hooks (first hook in transverse plane, second hook in horizontal plane) that cooperate to enable rotation in both transverse and horizontal planes. This dimensional approach replaces the need for complex spherical surfaces by using linear guiding elements oriented in different dimensions.
2Ease of manufacture
If hooks and guiding openings are used to avoid spherical surfaces, then manufacturing is simplified, but additional centring means are required
Solution Approach 1:
The centring function is merged into the existing guiding opening of the front-face element. The guiding opening is shaped to automatically centre the connecting element during rotation, eliminating the need for separate centring components while maintaining manufacturing simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge components are designed to self-centre through the geometric configuration of the guiding opening and hooks. The shape of the guiding opening automatically positions the connecting element correctly during operation, without requiring additional active centring mechanisms.
3Ease of manufacture
If simple hinge design is used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but aesthetic appearance deteriorates due to visible components
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting element with its hooks is nested within the front-face element and side element assembly. The hooks are positioned such that they are hidden within the structure when the hinge is in normal use, providing a clean aesthetic appearance while maintaining the simple mechanical design for cost-effective manufacturing.
Data Source
AI summary
A hinge for a spectacles frame, comprising a front-face element, a side element and a connecting element connecting said front-face element to said side element, said connecting element comprising a base member, mounted in the side element, and a head member, housed in the front-face element, the base member being articulated directly to said head member about a vertical first axis of articulation, the head member of the connecting element being articulated directly to the front-face element about a horizontal second axis of articulation.