Patent Application
20070132941
The invention concerns a method for mechanically securing a first member to a second member of eyeglasses.
Eyeglasses are an important product for many people who do not possess perfect eyesight and people who wear sunglasses. Due to the large eyeglasses market, manufacturers have conducted research and development to develop new designs to meet market demand and fashion trends. One area of development has been to use the state-of-the-art materials to improve the durability and value of the product.
For example, there is a method for joining different kinds of metals that is disclosed in Chinese patent application number 99109185.X. Although the method can join two unweldable members to each other by magnetism, the degree of firmness and strength of the join is not satisfactory. Transitional welding may solve the problem of welding two metals which are unweldable to each other, i.e. by using a third metal. The third metal is welded with the other two metals by placing it between them. Although, transitional welding achieves a high degree of firmness and strength, it is a complicated process which results in high manufacturing costs. Furthermore, transitional welding does not produce an aesthetically pleasing result for eyeglasses. There are also other joining methods such as outer knurling or flattening. Similarly, these methods do not produce an aesthetically pleasing result for eyeglasses.
Unweldable eyeglasses members refer to metal members which cannot be welded using existing technology for eyeglasses. Such metal members are made of nickel-titanium alloy, magnesium alloy, and aluminum alloy as currently used in eyeglasses. If nickel-titanium alloy members of eyeglasses are to be welded, the existing technique is to form a layer of metal such as nickel or palladium (which has good welding capability) on the surface of the nickel-titanium alloy, and then performing the welding. However, this technique is costly and complicated to manufacture and is time consuming to produce.
Accordingly, there is a desire to connect unweldable members for eyeglasses that produces a high degree of firmness and strength, and is also relatively easy to manufacture and is therefore inexpensive to manufacture.
In a first preferred aspect, there is provided a method for securing a first member to a second member of eyeglasses, the method comprising:
The method may further comprise cleaning and polishing an area located where the first member is mechanically secured to the second member.
The first member may be elongate such as a bridge, top bar, rimwire, temple or hinge of eyeglasses.
The second member may be a hollow sleeve.
The first portion may be removed from the first member by milling.
The cut-out portion may be in the form of a slot, recess, or annular groove extending circumferentially around the first member.
The method may further comprise removing a second portion from the first member to form a second cut-out portion on the first member, where the external force is applied to also cause the second member to deform against the first member where another portion of the second member is deformed into the second cut-out portion.
The first and second portions may be removed at the same side in the same plane from the first member.
The second portion may be removed at an opposite side relative to the cut-out portion from the first member.
Te external force may be any one from the group consisting of: stamping, clamping, punching or thrusting.
The first member may be made of a material that is non-solderable or non-weldable.
In a second aspect, there is provided eyeglasses comprising:
In a third aspect, there is provided a method for securing a first member to a second member of eyeglasses, the method comprising:
A solderable or weldable media may be inserted into the cut-out portion to assist with securing the first member to the second member.
The solderable or weldable media may be copper foil.
In a fourth aspect, there is provided a method for securing a first hollow member to a second member of eyeglasses, the method comprising:
The method may further comprise:
The method may further comprise deforming the second member into a predetermined shape by applying an external force on the second member.
In a fifth aspect, there is provided a device for securement to eyeglasses, the device comprising:
The enlarged portion may be formed by flaring or flattening the first distal end of the second member.
The enlarged portion may be formed by expanding the first distal end of the second member transversely outwardly or by expanding the first distal end of the second member towards the circumferential edge of the second member.
If the first distal end of the second member is expanded transversely outwardly, the enlarged portion may be formed in the shape of a sector which deforms against the inner wall of the first hollow member for securement.
If the first distal end of the second member is expanded towards the circumferential edge of the second member, the enlarged portion may be formed in the shape of a trumpet towards the circumferential edge of the second member, where the larger open end of the trumpet deforms against the inner wall of the first hollow member for securement.
In a sixth aspect, there is provided a device for securement to eyeglasses, the device comprising:
In a seventh aspect, there is provided a device for securement to eyeglasses, the device comprising:
An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIGS. 9(a) to (c) are a series of images illustrating the insertion of a first member into a second member;
Referring to FIGS. 1 to 8, a method for securing a first member 30 to a second member 20 of eyeglasses is provided. The device 10 comprising the first member 30 secured to the second member 20 produced by the method is depicted in
The second member is an extra media 20 that is required to join those eyeglasses parts together which are not soldered or not welded together. The parts which are not soldered or not welded together are the first members 30. The second members are hollow sleeves 20 are used to connect the non-solderable or non-weldable parts 30 by securely attaching the sleeves 20 to the non-solderable or non-weldable parts 30. The non-solderable or non-weldable parts are made of materials such as Nickel Titanium memory alloy or magnesium aluminum alloys. A precise and rigid method is provided. The slot(s) 31 hold the sleeve 20 tightly to the non-solderable or non-weldable parts 30. The sleeve 20 surrounds a portion of the non-solderable or non-weldable parts 30 when the end of the bridge 30 or temple 30 is inserted into the sleeve 20. Next, an external force is applied to secure the sleeve 20 to the end of the bridge 30 or temple 30. An area located where the first member 30 is mechanically secured to the sleeve 20 is cleaned and polished to produce an aesthetically pleasing result.
The first member 30 is elongate such as a bridge, top bar, rimwire, temple or hinge of eyeglasses 10. The method typically connects the sleeve 20 to the bridge 30 or temple 30 securely and tightly, and prevents the sleeve 20 from rotating axially. Also, the method enables securement in a specific direction or radial angle. The first portion is removed from the first member 30 by milling. The cut-out portion 31 is in the form of a slot or recess. Referring to
In another embodiment, a second portion is removed from the first member 30 to form a second cut-out portion 32 on the first member 30, where the external force is applied to also cause the sleeve 20 to deform against the first member 30 where another portion of the sleeve 20 is deformed into the second cut-out portion 32. In one scenario, the first and second portions 31, 32 are removed at the same side in the same plane from the first member 30 as depicted in
Referring to
Referring to FIGS. 9 to 12, another embodiment for securing the bridge 30 or temple 30 to the sleeve 20 is illustrated. Again, the bridge 30 or temple 30 is made of a material that is non-solderable and non-weldable. The end of the bridge 30 or temple 30 is initially inserted into the sleeve 20. Next, the sleeve 20 is milled with one or more slots 40. The milling process also mills slightly into the bridge 30 or temple 30. Thus, the slot 40 extends through the sleeve 20 and partially into the bridge 30 or temple 30.
In one scenario, a soldering process is then applied in the area of the slot 40 to join the bridge 30 or temple 30 to the sleeve 20. An extra solderable media 50 may be inserted into the slot 40 to assist with joining the bridge 30 or temple 30 to the sleeve 20 as depicted in FIGS. 10 or 11. For example, the extra solderable media may be copper foil 50. However, this is not mandatory in all scenarios as depicted in
After the bridge 30 or temple 30 is secured to the sleeve 20, the area around the join area is cleaned and polished so that the join is not visibly detectable to the eye.
Referring to FIGS. 13 to 15, yet another embodiment for securing a bridge 60 or temple 60 to a hollow sleeve 70 is illustrated. Again, the bridge 60 or temple 60 is made of a material that is non-solderable and non-weldable. One difference with the other embodiments is that an end portion 61 of the bridge 60 or temple 60 must be enlarged relative to the rest of the bridge 60 or temple 60. This first enlarged end portion 61 is also deformable. The enlarged end portion 61 may be formed by flaring or flattening the end portion of the bridge 60 or temple 60, or any other suitable technique. Two sleeves 70 are inserted and slid over the bridge 60 or temple 60. Next, the opposing end of the bridge 60 or temple 60 is enlarged to form a second enlarged end portion 61. Now with both ends of the bridge 60 or temple 60 are enlarged, the two sleeves 70 are pulled outwardly towards the enlarged end portions 61. Applying an external force on the sleeve 70 against the enlarged end portion 61 causes the enlarged end portion 61 to deform. The deformation of the enlarged end portion 61 mechanically secures the sleeves 70 to the bridge 60 or temple 60 without welding or soldering. Later, the second member bridge 60 or temple 60 may be deformed into a predetermined shape by applying an external force on the bridge 60 or temple 60.
Turning to
Advantageously, the methods and devices described enable pieces made of a non-solderable and non-weldable material to be used in eyeglasses. Use of such materials may improve the durability and value of the product, and also produce aesthetically pleasing results. A firm, strong and secure bond is able to be achieved between non-solderable and non-weldable pieces and other pieces of eyeglasses using the methods and devices described.
Although it has been described that the cut-out portions are formed by removing portions from the members, it is envisaged that the cut-out portions may be formed during the molding and casting manufacturing process of the members.
Although a slot or recess has been described for the cut-out portion for the first embodiment, it is envisaged that the void may be of any shape, form or dimension so that when the second member 20 is deformed against the first member 30, part of the second member 20 at least partially fills the void.
Although a slot or recess has been described for the cut-out portion for the second embodiment, it is envisaged that the void may be of any shape, form or dimension so long as it passes through the second member 20 and partially into the first member 30 to allow welding to occur in this area.
The terms unweldable, unsolderable, non-weldable and non-solderable refer to pieces or parts of eyeglasses which are not joined to another part by welding or soldering for reasons outlined in the Background of the Invention.
It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects illustrative and not restrictive.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 200620138917.9 | Sep 2006 | CN | national |
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/748,604, filed Dec. 9, 2005 and Chinese Utility Model Application No. 200620138917.9, filed Sep. 11, 2006, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60748604 | Dec 2005 | US |
