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Title:
COMPONENT FOR SPECTACLES AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME
Document Type and Number:
WIPO Patent Application WO/2008/136036
Kind Code:
A2
Abstract:
Component (10) for spectacles comprising at least one covering layer (16) made of thermoplastic material over-injected on a leather and/or fabric strip (12).

Inventors:
SABADOTTO GIULIO (IT)
Application Number:
PCT/IT2008/000302
Publication Date:
November 13, 2008
Filing Date:
May 05, 2008
Export Citation:
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Assignee:
SABADOTTO S N C DI SABADOTTO G (IT)
SABADOTTO GIULIO (IT)
International Classes:
B29D12/02; G02C5/14
Foreign References:
EP0332540A11989-09-13
GB1223653A1971-03-03
EP0042712A21981-12-30
DE3935397A11991-04-25
FR2575106A11986-06-27
EP1903373A12008-03-26
US7261409B12007-08-28
Attorney, Agent or Firm:
DRAGOTTI, Gianfranco (Via Paris Bordone 9, Treviso, IT)
Download PDF:
Claims:
CLAIMS

I. Component (10) for spectacles, characterised in that it comprises at least one covering layer (16) made of thermoplastic material, having a first melting temperature (Tl), over- injected on a leather and/or fabric strip (12). 2. Component (10) according to claim 1, comprising a reinforcement core (14) dipped into the layer (16) made of thermoplastic material.

3. Component (10) according to claim 2, comprising one or more spacing elements (18) between the reinforcement core (14) and at least one strip (12).

4. Component (10) according to claim 3, wherein at least one spacer element is integral to the core.

5. Component (10) according to claim 3 or 4, wherein at least one spacer element surrounds a portion of the reinforcement core (14).

6. Component (10) according to one of claims 3-5, wherein at least one spacer element has an extended shape. 7. Component (10) according to one of claims 3-6, wherein at least one spacer element (18) is made of thermoplastic material having a second melting temperature (T2) lower with respect to the first melting temperature (Tl).

8. Component (10) according to claim 7, wherein the thermoplastic material of the spacer elements (18) has a melting temperature (T2) corresponding to a hardness of the solidified material comprised between 60 and 70 Shores, preferably equivalent to 65 Shores.

9. Component (10) according to one of claims 3-8, wherein at least one spacer element (18) is perpendicular with respect to the direction of longitudinal extension of the reinforcement core (14).

10. Component (10) according to one of claims 3-9, wherein the spacer elements (18) are arranged spaced from each other on the core (14).

II. Component (10) according to one of claims 2-10, wherein the reinforcement core (14) has at least one through opening (20)

12.Component (10) according to one of claims 2-11, wherein the reinforcement core (14) is made of metal. 13. Method for making a component for spectacles, characterised by over-injecting a covering layer (16) made of thermoplastic material, having a first melting temperature (Tl), on a leather and/or fabric strip (12).

14.Method according to claim 13 comprising the further step of dipping a reinforced core (14) into the layer (16) made of thermoplastic material.

15.Method according to claim 14, comprising the further steps of over-injecting on the separate core (14) one or more spacer elements (18), and providing the assembly thus obtained on said strip (12) before proceeding to perform the over-injection of said covering layer (16). lό.Method according to claim 15, wherein for the one or more spacer elements (18), thermoplastic material having a melting temperature (T2) lower with respect to the melting temperature of the covering layer (16) is used.

Description:

COMPONENT FOR SPECTACLES AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME".

***

The present invention regards a component for spectacles, in particular a temple or the frame, and the method for making it. The Japanese patent JP 2005189489 describes a temple for spectacles on whose surface, facing inwards, a cavity is realised. Glued on such cavity is a leather element. In this manner, the temple has the exposed surface covered, though only partially, by the leather element.

The French patent FR 2 575 106 describes a method for making a frame entirely coated by a leather layer. The method first provides for gluing a leather layer on each side of a plastic rigid sheet, and subsequently the cutting of the sheet thus made according to a preset shape, in such a manner to obtain the frame.

The frame thus realised has a poor flexibility, due to the rigidity of leather which does not allow it to bend. Furthermore, simple gluing of the three layers does not guarantee stable joining, especially if the frame is subjected to high temperatures. The main objective of the invention is to provide a component for spectacles which is flexible and with an external leather layer. Alternatively, fabric material can be used in place of leather, or else a combination of both can be used. Preferably, the component is stably joined to a framework.

These and other objectives are attained by a component for spectacles characterised in that it comprises at least one layer made of thermoplastic material with a first melting temperature over-injected on a leather and/or fabric strip. The strips, if several, can be arranged adjacent to each other or not, and made up of one and/or the other material.

Advantageously, a reinforcement core, for example made of metal, can be dipped into the layer of thermoplastic material, thus conferring greater sturdiness to the entire structure. Therefore, the component is flexible, in that the thermoplastic material in which the reinforcement core is dipped is flexible. Advantageously, the reinforcement core can be spaced from the leather layer by one or more spacer elements, preferably made of thermoplastic material with a lower melting temperature with respect to the layer over- injected on the strip. Furthermore, the objectives of the invention are attained through a method for making a component for spectacles, characterised in that a covering layer made of thermoplastic material, having a first melting temperature, is over-injected on the leather and/or fabric strip.

The method can comprise a further stage of dipping the reinforcement core into the layer of thermoplastic material. Advantageously, during further steps, on the isolated core one or

more spacer elements made of thermoplastic material having a lower melting temperature with respect to the one of the covering layer can be over-injected and arrange the assembly thus obtained on said strip before proceeding to perform the over-injection of said covering layer. In this manner, during the over-injection of the covering layer, the spacer elements melt and amalgamate with it, ending up being indistinguishable in the finished product.

Aspects and advantages of the present invention shall be clearer from the following description, provided strictly for exemplifying purposes regarding a temple for spectacles, with reference to the attached drawing wherein: - Fig. 1 is an axonometric top view of a temple for spectacles according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the component of fig. 1 according to plane II-II; Fig. 3 is an axonometric view of a reinforcement core of the component of fig. 1. Referring to the figures, a temple for spectacles 10 comprises a leather strip 12 over- injected on which, through known techniques, is a covering layer 16 made of thermoplastic material. In order to guarantee greater sturdiness of the temple 10, in the layer 16, which has a flat surface for contact with the strip 12 and a remaining round surface, a reinforcement core 14 is dipped, forming an extended shape similar to the temple 10. The core 14 is provided on the strip 12 before the over-injection of the layer 16. The core 14 is spaced from the leather strip 12 by means of spacer elements 18 made of thermoplastic material over-injected on the core 14. In this manner, the core remains arranged, after the cooling of the layer 16, approximately at the centre of the layer, where it performs its bearing functions best.

The spacer elements 18 made of thermoplastic material, for example polyurethane, have a melting temperature Tl corresponding to a hardness of the solidified material comprised between 60 and 70 Shores, preferably equivalent to 65 Shores.

The core 14 comprises one or more through openings 20 (see fig. 3) which facilitate the distribution and bonding of thermoplastic material during the step of injection of the layer 16 and lighten the temple 10 at the same time. The spacer elements 18 are made of thermoplastic material, for example polyurethane, having a lower melting temperature T2 with respect to the melting temperature Tl of the layer 16. In this manner, when the layer 16 is over-injected on the strip 12, the spacer elements 18 melt and amalgamate with the same layer 16. A meticulous choice of the colour of the elements 18 and of the layer 16, as well as their melting temperatures Tl and T2

ensures that, at the end of the process, the material of the elements 18 be indistinguishable from the layer 16, even though during the injection of the elements 18, still solid, the core 14 was supported maintaining it at the desired value with respect to strip 12.

As shown in figure 3, trie spacer elements 18 have a streamlined and extended shape, and they are arranged spaced from each other along the core 14. It can be observed that the spacer elements 18 are perpendicular with respect to the direction of longitudinal extension of the core 14, and the closer the elements are to the tip of the core 14, the smaller they get.

The shape and direction of the spacer elements 18 can also be different from the one shown. In fig. 3, the spacer elements completely surround a portion of the core 14, but realising only a part of them beneath it might be enough to form a support for the core 14 and raise it with respect to a support surface (the strip 12).

The method for realising a temple 10 comprises the injection moulding step of a layer 16 made of thermoplastic material with a melting temperature Tl on the surface of the leather strip 12. At will, a reinforcement core can be integrated in the temple thus obtained by overlapping it on the strip 12. In order to improve the functionality and aesthetic qualities of the core, the method also provides for the following optional steps of:

- moulding, by means of over-injection on a reinforcement core 14, of the spacer elements 18 made of thermoplastic material with a melting temperature T2; - positioning the core thus obtained on the leather strip 12 (the core 14, due to the elements 18 shall be at a raised position with respect to the strip 12);

- performing the said over-injection of the layer 16, thus obtaining two results; incorporation of the core 14 approximately at the centre of the layer 16 and the melting of die elements 18, which remain invisible inside the layer 16. Given that the melting temperature Tl of the strip 16 material is higher with respect to the melting temperature T2 of the material of the spacer elements 18, during die injection of the layer 16, the spacer elements 18 melt and amalgamate with the same layer 16, thus becoming invisible should the thermoplastic material be transparent. Regarding the layer 16, material of greater shore hardness with respect to the material of the spacer elements can be used. This ensures suitable proportion between the temperatures Tl and T2.

As variants of the invention, it is possible to use for example for the spacer elements, separately or combined, the characteristics described, for example some of them facing one direction and the others another, or some arranged in contact with the core but without surrounding it or only fixed in a light manner.