EYEGLASS HOLDER

Abstract

A holder is disclosed for removably attaching an eyeglass with temple bars to a garment having a button hole. The holder comprises an elongated flexible member having first and second ends respectively secured to first and second coupling members. The first coupling member is configured and dimensioned for insertion through the button hole and into a mechanically engaged position in contact with an interior surface of the garment, with the flexible member projecting downwardly from the button hole along an exterior surface of the garment. The second coupling member is configured and dimensioned for detachable connection to a temple bar of the eyeglass, with the eyeglass thus being suspended by the flexible member at the exterior surface of the garment.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to eyeglass holders of the type that are attachable to a garment or the like.

BACKGROUND DISCUSSION

As disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,893,198, it is known to provide eyeglass holders fashioned as necklaces. With such holders, bending forward causes the eyeglasses to drop vertically away from the wearer's body, which may interfere with his or her movement, or bring them into contact with foods or beverages, or the presence of power tools or the like.

Other known eyeglass holders, as described for example in U.S. Pat. No. 6,260,749 and Pub. No. US2002/0170147A1, are magnetically attached to the wearer's garment. Such holders are unduly complicated in design, and prohibitively expensive.

Still other known eyeglass holders, as described for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,458,384 and 5,845,369 are secured by pins penetrating the garment fabrics. Repeated attachment thus produces multiple unsightly and potentially destructive perforations.

Other known eyeglass holders, such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,343,599 and 5,551,126, are attachable to garment buttons, while still others, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,956,812 and 6,076,925, employ clamps and the like with pivotal spring-loaded jaws.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, a novel holder serves to removably attach an eyeglass with temple bars by interacting with the button hole of a garment. The eyeglass holder comprises a flexible member such as a cord or chain having first and second ends. A first coupling member, which may for example comprise a cross bar or disc, is secured to the first end of the flexible member. The first coupling member is configured and dimensioned for insertion through the button hole and into a mechanically engaged position in contact with an interior garment surface, with the flexible member projecting downwardly from the button hole along the exterior garment surface.

A second coupling member, which preferably comprises a ring, is configured and dimensioned to receive and mechanically interengage with a temple bar of the eyeglass, thus suspending the eyeglass from the flexible member along the exterior garment surface.

These and other features of the present invention will now be described in further detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an eyeglass holder in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 2 shows the eyeglass holder in use;

FIG. 3A is a view taken along line 3A-3A of FIG. 2;

FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the circled portion of FIG. 3A; and

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of an alternative embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference initially to FIG. 1, a first embodiment of an eyeglass holder in accordance with the present invention is generally depicted at 10. The eyeglass holder includes a flexible member 12 in the form of a chain having an upper “first” end and a lower “second” end. A first coupling member comprising an anchor preferably shaped as a cross bar 14 is secured to the first end of the chain, and a second coupling member comprising a ring 16 is secured to the second end of the chain.

With additional reference to FIGS. 2, 3A and 3B, it will be seen that the cross bar is configured and dimensioned for insertion through a garment button hole 18 and into a mechanically engaged position extending across the length of the button hole and in contact with an interior surface 20 of the garment. The chain 12 thus projects downwardly from the button hole along an exterior surface 22 of the garment.

The ring 16 is configured and dimensioned to receive and detachably interconnect with a temple bar 24 of an eyeglass 26, with the eyeglass thus being suspended by the chain 12 at the exterior surface of the garment.

It will be understood that the first coupling member can have any of many different configurations, each having a major dimension extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of the flexible member. Thus, for example, as shown in FIG. 4, the first coupling member may be shaped as a circular disc 28 with a diameter approximating that of a conventional button.

The flexible member may also be of different types, an example being the cord 30 shown in FIG. 4.

Claims

1. A holder for removably attaching an eyeglass with temple bars to a garment having a button hole, said holder comprising: an elongated flexible member having first and second ends;a first coupling member secured to the first end of said flexible member, said first coupling member being configured and dimensioned for insertion through said button hole and into a mechanically engaged position in contact with an interior surface of said garment, with said flexible member projecting downwardly from said button hole along an exterior surface of said garment; anda second coupling member secured to the second end of said flexible member, said second coupling member being configured and dimensioned for detachable connection to a temple bar of said eyeglass, with said eyeglass thus being suspended by said flexible member at the exterior surface of said garment.

2. The holder of claim 1 wherein said first coupling member comprises an anchor having a major dimension extending transversely with respect to the longitudinal axis of said flexible member.

3. The holder of claim 2 wherein said anchor comprises a bar.

4. The holder of claim 1 wherein said first coupling member comprises a circular disc.

5. The holder of claim 1 wherein said second coupling member comprises a ring.

6. The holder of claim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises a chain.

7. The holder of claim 1 wherein said flexible member comprises a cord.