Telescopic Hinge Spring Offset for Spectacle Frame Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional spectacle frames with telescopic hinges are bulky and heavy due to the presence of a spring, leading to discomfort for users, particularly at the nose bridge where the frame rests.
Innovation Solution
The spring is offset to the free end of the branch, reducing weight on the nose and improving comfort, with the option to replace the spring by a different shape, and the end of the slide is threaded and tapped to secure the sleeve, allowing for easy access and customization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a spring is installed in the telescopic hinge to enable over-opening, then the frame achieves greater comfort and avoids breaking, but the hinge becomes bulky and heavy, increasing weight on the nose bridge
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is repositioned from the hinge area to the free end of the branch, utilizing the longitudinal dimension of the branch to relocate the weight-bearing component. This dimensional shift moves the spring's mass away from the nose bridge contact point to the distal end of the temple, effectively reducing the perceived weight on the user's nose while maintaining the spring's functional benefits for over-opening capability
2Reliability
If a spring is installed in the telescopic hinge to allow over-opening, then the frame achieves greater comfort, but the branches at the hinges become thick, contributing to overall frame weight
Solution Approach 1:
The spring is extracted from the hinge assembly and relocated to the free end of the branch. This separation removes the spring's mass from the hinge structure, allowing the hinge itself to be thinner and lighter while still providing the over-opening function through the telescopic mechanism. The spring remains functional but no longer contributes to hinge bulkiness
3Reliability
If the spring is positioned in the hinge, then it provides over-opening function, but it is not easily accessible for replacement or modification
Solution Approach 1:
The free end of the branch is designed with a pre-configured accessible structure, including a threaded hole and a removable cap, that anticipates future spring replacement needs. This preliminary preparation allows users to easily access and replace the spring by simply removing the cap, without requiring disassembly of the hinge or other complex operations
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
This design lightens the nose area, enhancing comfort and allowing for spring replacement, thus addressing the weight and bulkiness issues of traditional frames.
Implementation Method 1
The sliding of the slide in the sheath takes place against and under the action of a spring, generally of compression
Implementation Method 2
a spring which presses the branch against the head but precisely allows over-opening
Data Source
Figure 1
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Figure 3
AI summary
The frame comprises a front face extended by two lateral studs and two sides (2, 15) which are articulated on the studs about hinge pins of two telescopic hinges (20) each, to a front face element (21), secured to a stud, and a side element (22) secured to a side (15), the side element (22) of a hinge comprising a slider (23) articulated to the front face element (21) and slideably mounted in a sleeve (25) against and under the action of a spring (26). The slider (23) extends as far as the free end (28) of the side (15) forming the said sleeve (25), a sleeve tube (30), fixed to the end (29) of the slider (23), being slideably mounted in the end (28) of the side into which the said spring (26) likewise extends in order to interact with the sleeve tube (30).