Patent Application
20200008506
The present invention relates to a novel device for retaining the temples of eyeglasses to removably secure the glasses to headwear. More particularly; the temples of a pair of eyeglasses are received into retention members mounted to the side panels of a hat or cap and securely retained thereby in place on the hat or cap. The geometry of the retention members and the gripping properties of the materials from which the retention members are manufactured retain the temples of the eyeglasses in place until the user purposefully removes the eyeglasses from the device.
For general reference purposes, and without limiting the scope of this application, common terms used herein include the parts of eyeglasses, to include the frames, lenses, rims, temple, shaft, and earpiece. Common terms for cap construction include brim, crown, hat band, back panel, and side panel. The term eyeglasses encompasses prescription eyeglasses, reading glasses, sunglasses, vanity glasses, and all other types of similar products.
It is common practice for eyeglasses wearers to place their eyeglasses on top of their head when not in use. Moreover, it is very common for individuals who wear eyeglasses and headwear, such as hats or caps, at the same time to place their eyeglasses onto their hats when the eyeglasses are not in use. Unsecured eyeglasses placed on the brim or other component of such headwear are not secure and may eventually fall off of the headwear. Lost or damaged eyeglasses are a commonplace result of such behavior.
People are more likely to place their glasses onto the brim of a cap when engaging in certain activities. For example, it is common for golfers to wear brimmed caps and sunglasses at the same time. As the light changes, the need for the sunglasses changes and many times the sunglasses are placed onto the hat with the nosepiece or rims of the frames placed against the brim and the temple disposed along the side of the cap above the wearer's ears. Fishermen often wear hats and sunglasses, or in many cases, magnifying glasses that allow them to see to tie on lures. Again, it is common to see the eyeglasses placed on the brim of the hat when not in use as eyewear. When such users bend over, the eyeglasses may end up falling off of the hat and into the water. Many eyeglasses are expensive and are not always easily replaced.
What is desirable and needed is a retention device that allows a user to quickly and easily secure eyeglasses to headwear by inserting the temple or earpieces of the eyeglasses into the retention devices described herein without removing the headwear from a user's head. The devices should securely grip the temple of the glasses when they are in place but should also release the temple of the eyeglasses upon user manipulation so the eyeglasses may easily be removed. The instant invention overcomes the limitations of the related art and achieves the stated goals.
It is also important that the retention members do not detract from the aesthetic value of the headwear. It is preferred that they are not noticeable when not in use or, in the alternative, add to the overall appearance of the headwear. Although an attractive or unobtrusive appearance is the desire and intent, the most important feature is the ease of use and the secure retention of the eyeglasses on the headwear during use.
In various embodiments, the retention device for retaining eyeglasses in relation to a hat, is formed from a base portion and a retention portion, where the base portion is joined to the retention portion with interior surfaces disposed toward each other to form a socket for receiving the earpiece of the eyeglasses. In embodiments, the forward edge of one of the base portion and the retention portion is provided with a recessed portion that is at least partially recessed with respect to the forward edge of other of the base portion and the retention portion. In a preferred embodiment, the forward edge of the base portion is partially recessed with respect to the forward edge of the retention portion. In these embodiments, the retention portion extends forward of the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion. In some of these embodiments the forward edge of the base portion is at least partially recessed by a notch.
In some embodiments of the device, the socket narrows from the forward edge of the retention portion to the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion. In some of these embodiments, the socket has a uniform width from the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion to the read edge of the base.
In some embodiments, the interior surface of the retention portion in the socket is provided with a concave channel extending from the forward edge to the rear edge thereof. Similarly, in some embodiments the interior surface of the base portion in the socket is a concave surface. In various embodiments, the base portion is provided with at least one attachment tab for attaching the device to the hat.
In a preferred embodiment the hat has an aperture having at least two side edges, and the retention device is attached to the hat with the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion adjacent to one of the side edges, and the forward edge of the retention portion adjacent to another of the side edges.
In another embodiment, the retention device provides for retaining eyeglasses in relation to a garment having an aperture. The retention device may include a base portion and a retention portion, where the base portion and the retention portion are joined with their interior surfaces disposed toward one another to form a socket for receiving the ear piece of the eyeglasses through the aperture in the garment. In some embodiments, a portion of the forward edge of the base portion is recessed with respect to the forward edge of the retention member. When this embodiment of the device is attached to the garment with the recessed portion of the forward edge adjacent to the aperture in the garment, the retention portion of the device substantially covers the aperture.
In some embodiments, the retention portion is provided with a concave channel extending from the forward edge thereof through the socket. In other embodiments the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion comprises a notch. In those embodiments, the aperture in the garment has at least three edges and the notch in the base portion is disposed adjacent to two of the edges of the aperture, and the forward edge of the retention portion is adjacent to a third edge of the aperture. In these and other embodiments, when the earpiece of the eyeglasses is inserted into the aperture, contact between the earpiece and the retention portion guides the earpiece into the socket. Then the interior surfaces of the base portion and retention portion of the device grip the earpiece of the eyeglasses.
In some embodiments, the socket narrows from the forward edge of the retention portion to the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion, and the socket is of substantially uniform width from the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion to the rear edge of the base portion.
In other embodiments, the inventive device comprises a hat with retention devices for releasably retaining a pair of eyeglasses thereon, the eyeglasses having two earpieces. In these embodiments, the hat with retention devices has a first aperture and a second aperture disposed on a crown of the hat, the first aperture spaced apart from the second aperture so that each of the two earpieces may be simultaneously inserted into the first and second apertures. A first retention device is attached to the inside of the hat adjacent to the first aperture. Similarly, a second retention device is attached to the inside of the hat adjacent to the second aperture.
In these embodiments, the first and second retention devices may have a base portion and a retention portion, where the base portion is joined to the retention portion to form a socket. In a preferred embodiment, a portion of the forward edge of the base portion is recessed in relation to the forward edge of the retention portion.
In some embodiments the first and second retention devices are attached to the hat such that the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portion is adjacent to an edge of the first and second aperture, respectively, and the retention portion of the first and second retention devices extends across the first and second aperture, respectively.
In a preferred embodiment the recessed portion of the forward edge of the base portions of the retention devices comprises a notch, and the first and second apertures comprise substantially triangular apertures.
An inventive retention device for securing eyeglasses to headwear is described herein. Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a product for removably securing glasses to headwear. The inventive retention device is particularly well suited for use with baseball style caps having a forward facing bill or brim. In embodiments, a retention member, or device, is provided on one or both sides of the cap, above and behind the juncture of the brim and the crown of the cap. In some embodiments, the retention device is attached to the inside of the cap or hat.
In various embodiments, an aperture is provided through the crown of the cap. This aperture allows the earpieces or temples of a pair of eyeglasses to be inserted from the outside of the cap, through the exterior layer of the cap and into an interior portion of the cap where the retention device is attached to the inside of the cap. In some embodiments or applications for adult caps, the opening is located approximately 1 to 1½ inches behind the brim of the cap and above the lower edge of the crown between 1¼ to 2 inches. In other embodiments, or for children's caps, the opening may be located in a different location with different dimensions, so long as the location is sufficient to allow both earpieces of a pair of glasses to be inserted through the opening on one or both sides of the hat when the rims of the glasses are placed adjacent to the crown of the cap and above the brim. A retention member is fastened inside the cap near each opening to receive the earpieces of the eyeglasses when inserted into the aperture.
Referring to
One of the portions, in this embodiment the retention portion 104 has a forward edge 106 that extends in front of the forward edge of the other portion, in this case base portion 102, which is partially or completely recessed with respect to forward edge 106. In some embodiments, the partially recessed forward edge 108 comprises a substantially V-shaped or funnel-shaped notch in the forward edge 108 that extends partially or completely across the width of the socket 110. In some embodiments, the V-shaped notch in the forward edge 108 serves to guide the earpiece of the glasses into the socket or channel 110 formed between the base portion 102 and the retention portion 104 of the retention device 100. In other embodiments, the edge 108 may be shaped to fit the aperture in the hat, or vice versa. In other embodiments, the edge 108 may be arcuate or non-linear.
In the depicted embodiment, the base portion 102 and the retention portion 104 are attached to each other along the side edges of the retention portion 104. In the embodiment depicted in
In the depicted embodiment, the retention portion 104 extends forward of the recessed forward edge 108 of the base portion. This overlap of the retention portion 104 over the notch or recessed forward edge 108 causes the retention portion 104 to prevent the temples of the eyeglasses from missing the socket 110. Contact between the temples and the overlapping portion of the retention portion 104 prevents the temples from missing the front aperture 124, and help guide the temples into the aperture 124 and socket 110.
In some embodiments the side walls 112 separate the two portions 102 and 104 by between 1-3 mm, and in a preferred embodiment the separation is 2 mm. In some embodiments, the side edges of the portion 104 may be directly attached to a first surface of base portion 102, and the portions 102 and 104 may have varying thicknesses across their width to create a separation between the portions 102 and 104 along a desired portion of their width. In other embodiments, one portion 102 or 104, or both may be arcuate or curved to create the socket 110. In some embodiments the base portion 102 and retention portion 104 may extend beyond the side walls 112 or other point of connection between the two portions.
In the depicted embodiments, the base portion 102 is provided with at least one attachment tab 114 and 116. In the depicted embodiment, side attachment tabs 114 extend outwardly on each side edge of the base portion 102, and a rear attachment tab 116 extends outward on the back edge 118 of the base portion 102. In other embodiments the attachment tabs may be attached to the retention portion of the device 100 extend outwardly from some point on side walls 112. In other embodiments the attachment tabs 114 and 116 may be of a different shape or location on the device or may be incorporated into other portions of the device 100. In some embodiments they may be removed entirely, in favor of another manner of attaching the device to a hat, such as internal stitching, glue, or other means of connection that may be known to a person of skill in this field.
In various embodiments, the portions 102 and 104, and side walls 112 are formed from material that is between 1-3 mm thick. In a preferred embodiment, the portions 102 and 104 and side walls 112 are substantially 2 mm thick. The exact thicknesses of the materials may vary from that specified herein without departing from the scope of the invention, and such thicknesses depend on the material used to form the device 100, as well as the exact outer dimensions of the device 100 which may vary for different sizes of the device. In some embodiments, the attachment tabs 114 and 116, if present are 1-3 mm in thickness and may extend from 0-10 mm away from the point of attachment to the retention device 100, though in other embodiments they may be formed of different thicknesses and sizes.
In some embodiments, the portions 102 and 104, and side walls 112 are formed from a flexible, elastic material, with a surface that releaseably grips other materials. In some embodiments, the portions 102 and 104, and side walls 112 may be formed from rubber or rubber-like materials. Other materials may be used without departing from the scope of the invention.
In various embodiments of the device 100, the width of one or both of the base portion 102 and retention portion 104, meaning the distance between the side edges of each portion, and the width of the socket 110, decreases from the forward edges 106 and 108 to a rear edges 118 and 120. In some embodiments, the forward edge 106 of the retention portion may be from 10-30 mm wide, and in a preferred embodiment it is substantially 20 mm in width. In some embodiments, the width of the socket 110 may narrow from a width of 10-30 mm wide at the forward edge of the retention member to 5-20 mm wide at the narrowest point in the socket 110. In a preferred embodiment, the socket 110 is substantially 10 mm wide at the narrowest point in the socket 110. In some embodiments the outer dimensions of the base and retention portions may remain the same while the inner dimensions of the socket 110 may decrease as described above. In some embodiments, the change in width of socket 110 may not be linear.
In some embodiments, rear aperture 122 to socket 110 is provided between the rear edges 118 and 120 of base and retention portions 102 and 104, respectively. In some embodiments, rear aperture 122 is a slit and the edges 118 and 120 may touch each other except when the temples of eyeglasses are disposed therein. In other embodiments, the rear edges 118 and 120 may be disposed apart. In some embodiments, there may be no rear aperture 122 and the base portion 102 and retention portion 104 may be attached along the rear edges.
In the depicted embodiment, the V-shaped forward edge 108 of the base portion 102 creates a guide which generally accommodates insertion of the earpiece of glasses into socket 110. The decreasing width of the socket 110 created in this embodiment by the base and retention portions 102 and 104 creates a narrowing guide channel which directs the earpiece of the glasses into socket 110 and toward rear aperture 122.
In a preferred embodiment, the material of the base and retention portions 102 and 104 is pliable but has a sufficiently high frictional coefficient to secure the earpiece or temple of the glasses within the retention device against accidental discharge due to movement of the wearer's head.
In some embodiments of the retention device 100, the base portion 102, retention portion 104, side walls 112, and attachment tabs 114 and 116 are made from rubber or silicone. In some embodiments the rubber or silicone material has a durometer hardness of between 30 and 35. In some embodiments, the silicone material is flexible or pliable enough that it can expand to accommodate larger ear pieces while retaining and rebounding to its original shape when the ear piece is removed. The specific durometer hardness selected for the material of construction is selected to be suited for gripping plastic or metal, which are the most common products from which eye glass ear pieces are manufactured.
In some embodiments such as that depicted herein, the interior surface 128 of the base portion 104 may be provided with a concave channel 126, or groove of some other cross-section, to further guide the earpiece into the socket 110. Similarly, some embodiments include a retention portion 104 with a concave channel 132, or groove of some other cross-section, on the interior surface 130 of the retention portion 104. In some parts of the socket 110, the channels 126 and 132 may extend across the entire width of the socket 110.
Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
In this embodiment of the device, the guide and engagement sections of the device cooperate to guide the temple of the eyeglasses into the device and cause it to be held securely in the device. As will be seen in later figures, the shape of forward edge 108 may be designed to match the opening or aperture provided in the hat, or vice versa, to improve the guidance of the temple 206 as it enters the aperture in the hat into the socket 110. The narrowing walls of the guide portion of the socket 110 direct the end of the temple into the engagement portion of the socket. In addition to the guiding functions, the guide portion of the socket may also provide frictional holding force to prevent the eyeglasses from falling out of the device unexpectedly.
In these embodiments, the internal surfaces of the engagement section of the device 100 exert a frictional force on the temple of the eyeglasses to prevent the temples from withdrawing out of the socket 110 until a user provides sufficient force to overcome the frictional forces exerted by the surfaces of the device on the eyeglasses. In some embodiments, the displacement of the elastic material used to make the retention portion 104 and side walls 112 may also exert a compressive force on the temple of the eyeglasses to press them against the base portion 102 or the hat 200, and also increasing the force necessary to overcome friction between the temples of the eyeglasses and the device 100.
In some embodiments there may not be a guide section, or a separate engagement section. In some embodiments, the entire length of socket 110 may be constant in width, or narrowing in width, or have some sections that widen and others that narrow. In some embodiments, the forward edge 108 may be arcuate or shaped in any shape desired to receive a temple of eyeglasses inserted through the aperture in the hat. In a preferred embodiment, the forward edge 108 is shaped to match the shape of the aperture in the hat.
Referring now to
In other embodiments, the device may be used with a hat without a bill, or oriented so that the glasses it on the top or back of the hat. In other uses of the device 100, it may be oriented so that the temples of the glasses may be secured with the glasses oriented vertically, from the back of the hat, or even while the glasses are still disposed on the face of the wearer. In yet other embodiments, the device or devices 100 may be attached to the outside of the hat 200 and used without aperture 202.
In the depicted embodiment an aperture 202 is provided through the crown of the hat adjacent to the front edges of the retention device 100. The ear piece of the eyeglasses are inserted into the aperture 202 and into the socket 110 of the retention device 100.
In the embodiment depicted in
Referring now to
In the depicted embodiment, each of the attachment tabs 114 and 116 of the retention device 100 are sewn into the material of the crown of the hat by stitching 210. In other embodiments, the device 100 is affixed to the hat material by sewing, gluing or other known and conventional fastening means, either of attachment tabs 114 and 116 or other parts of device 100.
As depicted in
In other embodiments, a forward wall may be added to device 100 to cover the area between the forward edge 106 and the inside surface of the hat 200. In other embodiments, the side walls 212 may reduce in “height” as they approach the forward edge 106 of the retention portion 104, thus bringing edge 106 in close proximity with the forward edge 212 of the aperture 202, and in some cases attachment to the hat. In other embodiments, an attachment tab may extend from the forward edges 106 or 108 for attachment to the hat similar to tabs 114 and 116.
The depicted embodiment is shown in relation to a hat, however it and other embodiments may be used with other articles of clothing, such as headbands, shirts, jackets, backpacks, and other articles. For example, the device may be used on clothing to secure one temple of glasses to the clothing when the glasses are folded. In one example it could be attached to a shirt, adjacent to or inside a pocket to receive and secure glasses in or on the pocket. In another use, one or embodiment of the device may be attached to the inside or the outside of a backpack, or inside a pocket of the backpack, to secure folded glasses to the backpack. Other similar uses will be apparent to one of skill in the art of designing clothing and similar articles.
Changes may be made in the above methods, devices and structures without departing from the scope hereof. Many different arrangements of the various components depicted, as well as components not shown, are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Embodiments of the present invention have been described with the intent to be illustrative and exemplary of the invention, rather than restrictive or limiting of the scope thereof. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art that do not depart from its scope. Specific structural and functional details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but merely as a representative basis for teaching one of skill in the art to employ the present invention in any appropriately detailed structure. A skilled artisan may develop alternative means of implementing the aforementioned improvements without departing from the scope of the present invention.
It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations and are contemplated within the scope of the claims. Not all steps listed in the various figures need be carried out in the specific order described.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/694,520 filed Jul. 6, 2018, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62694520 | Jul 2018 | US |
