Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02C—SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES
  • G02C5/00—Constructions of non-optical parts
  • G02C5/22—Hinges
  • G02C5/2218—Resilient hinges
  • G02C5/2236—Resilient hinges comprising a sliding hinge member and a coil spring
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G02—OPTICS
  • G02C—SPECTACLES; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURES AS SPECTACLES; CONTACT LENSES
  • G02C2200/00—Generic mechanical aspects applicable to one or more of the groups G02C1/00 - G02C5/00 and G02C9/00 - G02C13/00 and their subgroups
  • G02C2200/30—Piston

Definitions

• the present invention relates to an improved elastic hinge for eyeglasses.
• the present invention relates to an elastic hinge provided by means of a temple the end whereof comprises an elongated hollow body containing a cylindrical helical spring.
• Said spring is interposed between the head of a pin, which passes axially therethrough with its shank, and a contrast element, which is also locked inside said hollow body (for example by means of an elastic snap ring).
• the pin passes through said contrast element and engages a first element of the hinge which is shaped like an eyelet.
• Said eyelet-shaped element is associated by means of a pivot with a second element of the hinge which is rigidly coupled to the front of the eyeglasses and is also eyelet- shaped.
• the rotatable assembly of the two hinge elements which are rigidly coupled to the temple and to the front respectively, provides the articulation of the hinge.
• the elastic ring that retains the contrast element inside the hollow body is conveniently accommodated between a bore formed in said hollow body and an annular seat of the contrast element.
• Assembly of said hinge must be carried out by preassembling all of its components and then inserting them in the hollow body, while making the snap ring fit in the bore formed inside said hollow body.
• the insertion and correct positioning of the snap ring in the corresponding seat is not at all easy and causes hinge assembly to be difficult and slow.
• Elastic hinges for eyeglasses according to Italian patent no. 01243287 in the name of the same Applicant, are currently manufactured in which the pin around which the spring is arranged is inserted in a substantially cylindrical contrast element.
• Said contrast element has two semicylindrical raised sectors that are separated by a diametrical gap.
• Said two semicylindrical sectors are suitable to fit, by elastic expansion, in a corresponding bore formed inside the hollow body.
• This elastic hinge is highly satisfactory from the point of view of operation, although it too requires a rather complex manufacturing process.
• the aim of the present invention is to provide an improved elastic hinge for eyeglasses which eliminates all the drawbacks of the prior art mentioned above.
• a consequent primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved elastic hinge which can be assembled according to a simple and rapid method.
• Another important object of the present invention is to provide an improved elastic hinge which can be installed without having to resort to any particular tool.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an elastic hinge which can be manufactured with less chip- forming machining operations than conventional hinges.
• Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved elastic hinge which ensures optimum durability in operation.
• a further object of the present invention is to provide an improved elastic hinge which can be manufactured at low cost and with conventional techniques.
• an improved elastic hinge for eyeglasses of the kind which comprises, at the end of a temple, an elongated hollow body which forms a seat in which an elastic means is inserted, said elastic means being arranged between the head of a screw, which passes therethrough axially, and a contrast element to be locked in said body, said screw passing through said contrast element and engaging a first hinge element, to which a second hinge element is pivoted, said second hinge element being rigidly coupled to the front of the eyeglasses, the improvement consisting in that said hollow body is box-shaped and obtained starting from a metal lamina, and in that a blanked portion is formed thereon which defines a tab which is folded inward so as to partially obstruct said seat, and in that said contrast element has, on one face, a seat for said tab, said contrast element entering said hollow body through the elastic deformation of said lowered tab and locking itself therein through the elastic return of said tab in abutment against said seat.
• figure 1 is a sectional view of an improved elastic hinge according to the invention
• figure 2 is an exploded view of an improved elastic hinge according to the invention
• figure 3 is a front view of a detail of an improved elastic hinge according to the invention
• figures 4a-4b show two sectional views of a detail of an improved elastic hinge according to the invention
• figure 5 is a perspective view of a detail of an improved elastic hinge according to the invention in a different embodiment
• figure 6 is a sectional view of a detail of an improved elastic hinge according to the invention in a different embodiment .
• an elastic hinge for eyeglasses is generally designated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises, at one end of a temple 11, a hollow body 12, which in this case is substantially shaped like a parallelepiped and has a flat face 13 at a first end which is directed toward the articulation of the hinge 10.
• a hole 14 having a rectangular cross-section opens onto said flat face 13 and passes longitudinally through the entire hollow body 12.
• said hollow body 12 is obtained by blanking and bending starting from a lamina (or a strip) of metallic material, so as to provide its hollow box-like shape with a base 15 which is obtained by placing the two adjacent longitudinal edges 16 parallel to each other.
• Said two longitudinal edges 16 are stably associated with each other by the mutual engagement of coupling elements 17.
• Each one of said coupling elements 17 couples the two edges 16 by means of a lug 18 which protrudes from a first one of said edges 16 which folds and engages in a complementarily shaped seat 19 formed on the other edge 16.
• a central U-shaped blanked portion 20 is formed longitudinally on said base 15 and forms a tab 21 which is folded toward the inside of the hollow body 12 at an acute angle. Said blanked portion 20 is formed in the central part of the base 15 so as to be symmetrical on the two longitudinal edges 16.
• Said hollow body 12 has, in this particular embodiment, 5 a second end which tapers along the extension of the temple 11.
• a cylindrical helical spring 22 is accommodated in the hole 14 inside said hollow body 12 and surrounds the shank 23 of a screw 24. 0 Said screw 24 has a head 25 which abuts against a first end 26 of said cylindrical helical spring 22.
• the shank 23 of the screw 24 passes through a contrast element 27 which has a substantially box-like structure, is specified more clearly hereinafter and is shaped 5 complementarily to the hole 14 of the hollow body 12, inside which it is accommodated when assembly is complete; a cylindrical hole 28 is formed axially in said contrast element.
• Said cylindrical hole 28 is therefore a seat for the 0 insertion of the shank 23, around which the cylindrical helical spring 22 is wound, and the second end 29 of said spring 22 abuts against it.
• the end of the shank 23 of said screw 24, after passing through the contrast element 27, is associated by means of a 5 threaded coupling with a first hinge element 30.
• Said first hinge element 30 has a body 31 which is shaped substantially like a parallelepiped and in which the threaded coupling seat for the shank 23, not shown in the figures, is formed, and has an eyelet-shaped end 32 with a o through hole 33.
• Said first hinge element 30 enters a second hinge element 34, which is substantially fork-shaped, has the structure of a parallelepiped, and from which two eyelets 35 extend; said eyelets form holes 36 which are coaxial to said hole 33 of the first hinge element 30.
• first and second hinge elements 30 and 34 are mutually rotatably associated by means of a threaded pivot 37 which passes through the holes 36 and the through hole 33, forming the articulation of said hinge 10.
• said contrast element 27 has a face on which a seat 38 is provided which is formed, by chip-forming machining or by pressing, with a wedge-like shape in a position and with dimensions which correspond to the tab 21.
• the hinge 10 is assembled by inserting the screw 24 so that it passes axially with its shank 23 sequentially through the cylindrical helical spring 22 and the contrast element 27 and then screws into the first hinge element 30.
• the contrast element 27 is locked inside the hollow body 12 by the engagement of the tab 21 in the complementarily shaped seat 38.
• the tongue 21 is caused, by elastic deformation, to flex toward the base 15 thereof, and can return to the original inactive configuration by elastic return once the seat 38 has been reached.
• the wall 39 against which the tab 21 locks can be obtained by right-angled milling, as shown in figure 4a, or by acute-angle milling, as in figure 4b, in order to enhance its locking action.
• the base 15 is associated with the temple
• the contrast element 27 can be provided starting from a pressed and shaped plate which has a substantially U- shaped transverse cross-section.
• contrast element 27 which has a hollow box- like structure and a rectangular or square cross-section with a blanked portion.
• the contrast element 27 can be obtained by molding plastics.
• the contrast element 27 although being structurally different, performs the same function of locking the screw 24, ensuring that the hinge 10 has a correct elastic extra-wide opening and stable opening and closure positions.
• an advantage has been achieved with the present invention in that an elastic hinge for eyeglasses has been provided having a simple structure.
• Another advantage is achieved with the present invention by providing an improved elastic hinge which allows only rotations of the temple with respect to its pivot.
• Another advantage is that an elastic hinge has been provided which can be produced with a considerable reduction in chip-forming machining operations with respect to conventional hinges.

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• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Ophthalmology & Optometry (AREA)
• Optics & Photonics (AREA)
• Eyeglasses (AREA)

Priority Applications (1)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=11391727

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (3)

Cited By (7)

Citations (6)

• 1997
  • 1997-03-21 IT IT97PD000060A patent/IT1291440B1/it active IP Right Grant
  • 1997-10-20 AU AU48679/97A patent/AU4867997A/en not_active Abandoned
  • 1997-10-20 WO PCT/EP1997/005785 patent/WO1998043127A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (6)

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