Twisted Flat Material Spectacle Hinge With Functional Bushing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing spectacle temple hinges face challenges in durability and functional reliability, particularly with thin flat material constructions, where mounting slots compromise strength, and designs with separate clips or locking projections are prone to disintegration or unintended disassembly.

Innovation Solution

A spectacle temple hinge design featuring a twisted flat material temple piece with a non-rotatable functional bushing and collar, incorporating a radial assembly slot, and a torsion-proof functional socket with a polygonal shape, ensuring component strength and secure locking without additional components.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a mounting slot is introduced in the joint area of the temple piece, then the temple piece can be assembled to the hinge axis, but the durability and functional reliability of the spectacle temple hinge is permanently reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly capabilityVSAvoiddurability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a functional bushing as an intermediary component that is inserted into the receiving opening of the temple piece. This bushing provides the necessary mounting slot functionality while being integrated into the temple piece structure, thereby avoiding the need to directly cut slots into the thin temple material which would compromise its strength and durability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The functional bushing is nested within the receiving opening of the temple piece, creating a hierarchical structure where the bushing is contained within the temple piece. This nesting approach allows the mounting slot to be provided in the bushing rather than directly in the temple piece, preserving the integrity of the thin temple material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Weight of moving object

If the temple piece is made with very thin flat material (about one millimeter or less), then the spectacle frame achieves a compact and lightweight design, but no mounting slot can be arranged without compromising durability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetemple piece thicknessVSAvoidmounting slot integration
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the temple piece structure by separating the mounting slot functionality from the main temple piece body. The functional bushing is inserted into the receiving opening, creating a distinct component that provides the mounting slot without requiring direct modification of the thin temple piece material.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs a composite construction where the functional bushing (made of suitable material for mounting) is integrated into the thin flat temple piece material. This composite approach allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining the overall lightweight and compact design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If separate clips or locking projections are used to secure the temple piece, then the hinge can be assembled, but the structure is prone to disintegration or unintended disassembly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly capabilityVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the mounting slot provision and the locking function into the integrated functional bushing structure. The bushing simultaneously provides the mounting slot for assembly and incorporates features (such as the collar and interaction with the hinge axis receiving slots) that prevent unintended disassembly, eliminating the need for separate clips or locking projections.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3547012B1Spectacles hinge
Publication Date: 2020.08.05 TEMMING HLDG
  • EP3547012B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3547012B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3547012B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

A spectacle temple hinge (1) of a spectacle frame is provided, consisting of a spectacle jaw (3) made of a thin flat material and a spectacle temple (11), which at least in its joint area (10) also consists of thin flat material, which has few components, is easy to assemble and disassemble and, despite its thin material, forms a robust and durable functional part, preventing the spectacle temple (11) from being unintentionally removed from the hinge joint of the spectacles. This is achieved by the fact that the spectacle temple (11) consists of flat material twisted at right angles to the joint area of ​​the spectacle jaw (3) in the joint area (10) and a functional bushing (13) is inserted into the receiving opening (12) of the spectacle temple (11) in a rotationally fixed manner, the bushing having a downwardly protruding collar (14).which is provided with a radial mounting slot (15) on its front side and in a mounting position of the temple arm (11) the mounting slot (15) is aligned with the front receiving slots (8;9) of the hinge axis (7) and the projections (5;6).