A technique is known from the published International patent application W097/23803, which has been entered into the European phase as European patent application no.

96943886.0 and the therefrom branched-off applications for registration of a utility model 9700458 and 9700468, with which technique rimmed eyeglasses are made by cutting out an eyeglass frame front and two temples from a thin metal plate, preferably a thin titanium plate, as one coherent plate profile, being subsequently divided into the eyeglass frame front and the matching temples, fitted with hinges and subsequently assembled with the eyeglass lenses by the clamping of the eyeglass lenses between the component cut out of the thin metal plate and the filamentous wire parts which are elastically flexible, preferably wire parts made of thin titanium wire. This known eyeglass structure or technique for the manufacture of eyeglasses or eyeglass frames constitutes a completely new technology compared to the known techniques comprising the creation of eyeglasses or eyeglass frames by using thin metal wire, cast metal-or plastic parts or combinations hereof, which new technology opens up for the possibility of the manufacturing of a great number of eye- glass structures with advantageous properties as regards great strength and rigidity as well as low weight and advantageous possibilities concerning the design.

Thus, the present invention relates to a further development or an improvement of the technology known from the above-mentioned published Intemational patent application and in particular relates to eyeglasses or eyeglass frames of the type stated by way of introduc- tion, which eyeglasses or which eyeglass frames constitute a particularly simple structure made with a minimum number of components and which makes the mounting and the re- placement of the eyeglass lenses or one of the eyeglass lenses possible without using special tools and thus makes it possible to assemble eyeglasses from one eyeglass frame and two eyeglass lenses, which in accordance with a further realisation according to the present invention can be available to the user as prefabricated eyeglass lenses with vary- ing optical strength, fade, tinted glass, dyeing, non-gare treatment etc. and can be com-

bined with a range of eyeglass frames which are structurally identical and which vary in size and perhaps also in design, for example dyeing, surface treatment etc.

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, eyeglasses or eyeglass frames of the type stated by way of introduction, are provided, said eyeglasses or eyeglass frames being, in accordance with the present invention, characteristic in that the component cut out of thin metal plate is designed with two recesses to receive and secure the eyeglass lenses, the component having such a plate thickness and the recesses having such dimen- sions relative to the eyeglass lenses that each of said recesses, when flexing the compo- nent elastically in a direction substantially in the same plane as the component, may be expanded in order to allow the introduction and the mounting of a corresponding eyeglass lens in the respective recess or allow the removal of the corresponding eyeglass lens from the respective recess, and each of the eyeglass lenses being secured in the corresponding recess in the component cut out of thin metal plate by means of said component, at the edge of the respective recess, gripping around the eyeglass lens in the engagement in the corresponding groove in the eyeglass lens.

The eyeglasses or the eyeglass frame according to the present invention are thus charac- teristic in that the component cut out of a thin metal plate and which is comprised in the eyeglass frame front and thus, in accordance with an especially advantageous embodiment for the present invention, constitutes the actual eyeglass frame front or in accordance with alternative embodiments, constitutes a component of the eyeglass frame front and thus is combined with other supplementary components in the eyeglass frame front, provides two recesses for the reception and the gripping of the eyeglass lenses, the recesses combined with the material thickness allowing a bending or flexing of the component cut out of the thin metal plate, by turning or torsion of a given recess to expand the opening in the recess in such a way that a corresponding eyeglass lens can be inserted into or removed from the respective recess. The securement of each eyeglass lens in the corresponding recess is achieved by the recess being designed such that it grips around the eyeglass lens and ei- ther clamps around the eyeglass lens, the edge portions of the component cut out of thin metal plate in the recess squeezing against the corresponding groove in the eyeglass lens, or, alternatively and preferably, by the component cut out of thin metal plate simply gripping around the eyeglass lens without squeezing or tightening around the eyeglass lens, but instead just fits with a tight fit in the groove in the edge of the corresponding eyeglass lens.

The eyeglass frame or the eyeglasses according to the present invention may be designed in many varying ways and thus, in accordance with two alternative designs, be designed such that the two recesses in the component cut out of thin metal plate are adapted to grip around the lower edges of the corresponding eyeglass lenses or alternatively be adapted to grip around the top edges of the corresponding eyeglass lenses. In accordance with these two alternative designs, the component cut out of a thin metal plate is consequently placed respectively under and over the eyeglass lenses and, in accordance with the realisation which is at the basis for the present invention, the component itself may secure the eye- glass lenses without any supplementary fixing in the form of extra components such as e. g. the wire known from the above mentioned published International patent application or a similar plate component or some other holding or locking device.

According to the realisation which is at the basis of the present invention as regards inven- tion of a particularly simple construction and design of the eyeglass frame or of the eye- glasses, the component cut out of thin metal plate preferably also forms two nose supports designed as tab shaped portions placed under the nose bridge which either in itself is adapted to rest against and be supported by the user's nose on the sides of the nose or it is adapted to receive supporting pads such as plastic or rubber pads which are locked in incisions, bores or holes in the tab shaped portions, such as also described in the above mentioned published International patent application. In accordance with a particularly ad- vantageous and simple design of the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frames according to the present invention and in accordance with the technology known from the above mentioned published International patent application, the temples and said component are advanta- geously cut out of the same thin metal plate, so that these three in total components ac- cording to the currently preferred embodiment of the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frames according to the present invention, constitute the three main components of the eyeglass frame or the eyeglasses and so that these three in total components for the invention of a finished pair of eyeglasses must only be supplemented with two hinges, two eyeglass lenses and optionally nose pads and/or a soft plastic or rubber encapsulation on the tem- ples at places where the temples grip on or behind the user's ear.

The eyeglasses or the eyeglass frame according to the present invention may, in accor- dance with the alternative designs, be designed in many different ways as it is known per se in connection with eyeglass frames, which in consideration of the appearance of each user can be of various shapes in order to receive different shapes of eyeglass lenses. In accordance with alternative embodiments of the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frames ac-

cording to the present invention, the said recesses in the component cut out of thin metal plate are preferably designed as part of a circle, part of an ellipse, part of a parabola, part of a rectangle, part of a square, part of a triangle or part of any other polygonal form or combinations thereof. The two recesses in the component cut out of thin metal plate are, which per se is normal in connection with eyeglass frames, designed symmetrically relative to the median plane of the eyeglass frame front, but in accordance with a further advanta- geous embodiment of the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frames according to the present in- vention, the recesses are in themselves symmetrical and thus allow an immediate substitu- tion of the eyeglass lenses as well as a replacement of one of the eyeglass lenses by any similar corresponding eyeglass lens without any actual adjustment of a specific eyeglass lens to the left or the right eye.

The securement of the eyeglass lenses in the corresponding recesses in the component cut out of thin metal plate may in itself be provided by an appropriate geometrical design of the recesses, as these in accordance with the realisation at the basis of the present inven- tion may describe a curve, which at an arbitrary point defines a tangent, the tangent turn along this curve being larger than 180° and preferably less than 240°, e. g. 200-230°, by means of which the eyeglass lens is held in the corresponding recess. The tangent turn can in itself constitute an arbitrary geometrical function, e. g. a continuous function and de- scribe a curve which in a given section of the curve only varies within a limited angle range.

Alternatively, the tangent turn may, at the openings of the recesses, provide a rapidly varying angle variation and this angle variation may be provided by cams or projections of the component cut out of thin metal plate providing barbs or similar means to provide the design described above of the recesses, whereby the recesses grip around the corre- sponding eyeglass lenses and secure same.

The eyeglasses or the eyeglass frame according to the present invention may be designed such that the component cut out of thin metal plate is profile or deflected out from the plane of the original plate for the invention of an eyeglass frame form. The mentioned com- ponent is, alternatively and preferably, approximately plane, which allows the invention of particularly compact eyeglasses which allows the eyeglasses to be placed in a very small eyeglass case. In this connection it should be noted that the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frames according to the present invention are particularly suitable for the invention of reading glasses which, precisely, since the user only uses the glasses periodically, pref- erably are to be designed so that they are compact and with minimal dimensions both re- garding thickness in collapsed condition, width in collapsed condition and height in both

collapsed and deployed condition, i. e. the condition ready for use. In order to provide a particularly compact eyeglass frame shape and thus a special compact pair of eyeglasses, it is furthermore preferable that the temples constitute angular portions where these por- tions angled from the temples are connected to the component of the eyeglass frame front cut out of thin metal plate through respective hinges which are welded, soldered, glued or attached in another way to said component. Concerning this special design of the eye- glasses or the eyeglass frames according to the present invention, the hinges connecting the temples to the eyeglass frame front are therefore not, as is normally the case in con- nection with eyeglass frames and eyeglasses, placed immediately in or at the comers which are formed in the eyeglasses when these are deployed and ready for use, but to the contrary displaced inwards on the eyeglass frame front and past said corners, whereby the eyeglass frames and the eyeglasses, when the eyeglasses are collapsed, are shorter than corresponding conventionally designed eyeglasses.

Even though the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frame according to the present invention are preferably designed symmetrically, the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frame may also be de- signed asymmetrically, i. e. with left and right glass lenses which are not symmetrical.

As it has already been mentioned above, the present invention allows obtaining particularly simple and compact eyeglasses and eyeglass frames and in accordance with the currently preferred embodiment of the eyeglasses or eyeglass frames according to the present in- vention, the eyeglass frame front is exclusively constituted by the component cut out of thin metal plate. Thus, this advantageous embodiment of the eyeglass frames exclusively com- prises the temples, which are preferably cut out in one piece, and the component of the eyeglass frame front characteristic for the invention, the two connecting hinges and the two eyeglass lenses. Thus, this design of the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frames constitutes partly rimmed eyeglasses and furthermore preferably constitutes furthermore half-glasses which are especially suitable for use as reading glasses. The utilisation of a single compo- nent cut out of thin metal plate for the invention of a component of the eyeglass frame front which in itself retains the corresponding eyeglass lenses in place, also allows the invention of rimmed eyeglasses, and thus not only the provision of partly rimmed eyeglasses, and <BR> <BR> <BR> the component cut out of thin metal plate may be combined with e. g. a wire component or a moulded component or, furthermore advantageously and preferably, a plate formed com- ponent, also cut out of thin metal plate, for the invention of rimmed eyeglasses, this sup- plementary component being attached to the component cut out of thin metal plate char- acteristic of the invention for securing the eyeglass lenses.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, an eyeglass system is provided comprising at least two and preferably several eyeglass frames as well as eyeglass lenses, where an eyeglass frame comprises a pair of eyeglasses or an eyeglass frame according to the first aspect of the present invention and thus comprises two temples and an eyeglass frame front for mounting two eyeglass lenses, which eyeglass frame front comprises a component cut out of thin metal plate and having edge portions for engaging in corre- sponding grooves in adjacent portions of the edges of the eyeglass lenses and forming a nose bridge between the eyeglass lenses and two temples. Each individual pair of eye- glasses or each individual eyeglass frame is furthermore in accordance with this other as- pect of the present invention designed in accordance with the eyeglasses or the eyeglass frame according to the first aspect of the present invention, i. e. the design is such that the component cut out of thin metal plate in each of the eyeglass frames is designed with two recesses for receiving and securing the eyeglass lenses, the component having such a plate thickness and the recesses having such dimensions relative to the eyeglass lenses that each of said recesses, when flexing the component elastically in a direction substan- tially in the same plane as the component, can be expanded in order to allow the introduc- tion and the mounting of a corresponding eyeglass lens in the respective recess or allow the removal of the corresponding eyeglass lens from the respective recess, and each of the eyeglass lenses being secured in the corresponding recess in the component cut out of thin metal plate by means of said component gripping around, at the edge of the respective recess, the eyeglass lens in the engagement in the corresponding groove in the eyeglass lens, but each eyeglass frame is, in the eyeglass system according to the other aspect of the present invention, designed with a different size, the nose bridge and the temples being designed with different sizes in the two eyeglass frames, whereas the recesses in the eye- glass frames have the same design and size, and whereas said eyeglass lenses comprise several eyeglass lenses of the same size and fitting both eyeglass frames but with varying optical strength. Thus, the eyeglass system according to the other aspect of the present invention allows the user to individually choose a specific eyeglass frame in consideration of the head size and shape of the respective user and to mount two eyeglass lenses in the chosen eyeglass frame, and the lenses may either have the same optical strength, or, in case the user is aware of having different vision in each eye, can choose two different opti- cal strengths for the two eyes.

The present invention will be further explained below referring to the drawing where

Fig. 1 schematically and in perspective shows a first and currently preferred embodiment of partly rimmed half-eyeglasses designed in accordance with the present invention.

Fig. 1a shows a detail of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 2 shows another embodiment, schematically and in perspective, corresponding to Fig.

1, of partly rimmed half-eyeglasses according to the present invention, Fig. 3 shows a third embodiment, schematically and in perspective, corresponding to Fig. 1 and 2, of partly rimmed half-eyeglasses according to the present invention, Figs. 4a and 4b show part of a fourth embodiment, schematically and in a section, of partly rimmed half-eyeglasses according to the present invention and showing a technique for mounting or removal of an eyeglass lens from the eyeglasses, Fig. 5 shows part of a fifth embodiment, schematically and in perspective, for half- eyeglasses according to the present invention, Figs. 6a and 6b show part of a sixth and a seventh embodiment, respectively, schemati- cally and in perspective, for partly rimmed half-eyeglasses according to the present inven- tion, Fig. 7 shows entirely rimmed eyeglasses according to the present invention, schematically and in perspective, corresponding to Fig. 1,2 and 3, and Fig. 8 shows an eyeglass system according to the present invention with two eyeglass frames corresponding to the eyeglass frames and corresponding eyeglass lenses shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 1 shows a currently preferred embodiment of partly rimmed half-eyeglasses according to the present invention. The eyeglasses are indicated generally by the reference number 10 and include an eyeglass frame with an eyeglass frame front 12, in which two eyeglass lenses 14 and 16 are mounted, and which are connected by two hinges 36 and 38 to two temples 18 and 20, respectively. The eyeglass frame front 12 is made in one piece and cut out of thin metal plate, preferably a thin titanium plate using the technique described in the published International patent application W097/23803, to which reference is made, the

eyeglass frame front 12 preferably being cut in one piece connected with the temples 18 and 20, after which the temples 18 and 20 are bent into the shape shown in Fig. 1, are separated from the eyeglass frame front by cutting and then attached to the hinges 36 and 38 in the above mentioned order or in any alternative order, e. g. including first mounting the hinges 36 and 38 by welding, soldering or gluing, cutting followed by or alternatively following after the bending of the temples 18 and 20 into the angled shape shown in Fig. 1.

The eyeglass frame front 12 constitutes two arcuate portions parts 22 and 24 which limit respective openings or recesses in which the two eyeglass lenses 14 and 16, respectively, are mounted. The eyeglass lenses 14 and 16 are preferably made of plastic and thus formed as plastic lenses which in principle are half circle shaped, grooves being made in the circular edge portion of the lenses for the reception of the edge of the corresponding arcuate portion 22 and 24, respectively, which define the recesses in which the lenses 14 and 16, as mentioned above, are received. Circular eyeglass lenses can alternatively be mounted in the recesses formed in the arcuate parts 22 and 24 of the eyeglass frame front 12. Consequently, the lenses 14 and 16 are locked relative to the eyeglass frame front 12 in that a corresponding edge portion of the arcuate parts 22 and 24, respectively, is re- ceived in said grooves in the semicircular periphery edge of the lenses 14 and 16. For fix- ing the lenses 14 and 16 relative to the openings or recesses formed by the arcuate por- tions 22 and 24, respectively, projections or cams 21 and 23, respectively, are provided at both sides of the lenses 14 and 16, respectively, to prevent that the lenses 14 and 16 are able to turn in relation to the openings or recesses formed by the arcuate portions 22 and <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 24, respectively. It should be noted that the eyeglass lenses 14 and 16 are not secured by being clamped in the openings or recesses formed by the arcuate portions, 22 and 24, re- spectively, but are exclusively secured in an ideal tight fit in these openings or recesses and are furthermore locked or prevented from on the one hand turning, on the other hand being able to be removed from said openings or recesses by means of the two set of cams or projections 21 and 23, respectively, that grip the top edges of the lenses 14 and 16, re- spectively. Alternatively, the eyeglass lenses 14 and 16 can be fixed by clamping them in the corresponding openings or recesses or they can be fixed by using a combination of clamping in the corresponding openings or recesses and locking by means of the projec- tions or cams. It should furthermore be noted that the projections 21 and 23 in the em- bodiment shown in Fig. 1 or in the embodiments described in detail below can be pivotable, as the cams may be made of a very thin tab of the metal plate of which the eyeglass frame front 12 is made and thus may be pivoted between two positions, an open position where the eyeglass lenses 14 and 16 can be inserted immediately and be received in the eye-

glass frame front, and a closed or locked position, in which the cams, after pivoting in to- wards the corresponding eyeglass lens, locks this eyeglass lens into place relative to the eyeglass frame front 12. Moreover, these pivotable cams may have a considerable length, so that the cams perhaps may provide a"pseudorim"for the corresponding eyeglass lenses, i. e. that they can provide a tight encirclement of the corresponding eyeglass lenses in order to provide a visual effect corresponding to a fully rimmed eyeglass frame.

Moreover, the eyeglass frame front 12 comprises two connecting portions 26 and 30 and a nose bridge 28, the connecting portions 26 and 30 constituting a connection between the arcuate portions 22 and 24, respectively, and the corresponding temple 18 and 20, respec- tively, which as mentioned above and as shown in Fig. 1 are formed as angled temples with connecting portions 40 and 46, respectively, which through the hinges 36 and 38, re- spectively, are connected to the corresponding connecting portions 26 and 30, respec- tively, of the eyeglass frame front 12. Besides, the eyeglass frame front 12 is, at the edges facing each other of the arcuate portions 22 and 24, designed with tab shaped portions 32 and 34, respectively, constituting nose supports, these tab shaped portions being partly surface treated preferably by file-cutting or by other means for the invention of a profile surface and thus a non-smooth surface, partly bent out of the plane defined by the eye- glass frame front for the invention of supports which can support against and abut the nose of the user. The temples 18 and 20 are, corresponding to the tab shaped portions 32 and 34, made by file-cutting 42 and 48, respectively, for the invention of surfaces, that may serve to secure the eyeglasses on the head of the user and thus constitute friction surfaces for abutting the sides of the head of the user at a level with or behind the ears.

The eyeglasses shown in Fig. 1 are, as mentioned, partly rimmed half-eyeglasses and are preferably intended to be used as reading glasses. Consequently, the temples 18 and 20 are, according to what many users of reading glasses like, adapted to be attached with a chain or a wire, e. g. a chain made of silicone rubber which is mounted in the incisions 44, 50 in the temples 18 and 20, respectively, with the possibility of a thread or a wire indicated by the reference number 52 may be mounted as shown in Fig. 1a. This wire is inserted in the corresponding incisions 44 and 50, respectively, and is locked relative to the corre- sponding temple by means of a knot 54 on the respective thread or wire. The securing of the thread or the wire 52 is ensured in that the incisions 44 and 50 are designed with a smaller opening at the entry of the respective incision than at the inner and preferably cir- cular perforation of the respective incision.

The half-eyeglasses shown in Fig. 1 are, as it will appear from Fig. 1, designed such that the arcuate portions 22 and 24 support the semicircular shaped eyeglass or lenses 14 and 16 from below when the eyeglasses are mounted on the head of the user in the intended way. However, the present invention makes a large number of modifications of the eye- glasses or the eyeglass frames possible and may for instance be modified by the arcuate parts gripping in over and from above the eyeglass lenses instead of gripping under the eyeglass lenses. Fig. 2 shows such a modified second embodiment which as a whole is indicated by the reference number 10', the same reference numbers being used in all por- tions of Fig. 2 concerning components which are identical with components shown in Fig. 1 and described above, but for components of another design, yet performing the same func- tion as a component described earlier, the same reference number is used but with the addition of the indication'. Thus, a complete review of all the components in the second embodiment shown in Fig. 2 will not be given, but comments concerning components or portions which are designed in another way than described above will be given. Apart from the above-mentioned modification of the orientation of supporting arcuate portions of the eyeglass or lenses, which in Fig. 2 are indicated by the reference numbers 22'and 24', the outermost ends of the temples 18'and 20'are designed as conventionally bent portions 42' and 48', respectively, which are adapted to grip behind the ear of the user unlike the above-described surfaces 42 and 48 which have been file-cut or processed in another way and constitute friction surfaces.

In Fig. 3, a third embodiment of a partly rimmed pair of eyeglasses is shown in comparison with Figs. 1 and 2 which third embodiment unlike the above-described embodiments 10 and 10'shown in Figs. 1 and 2, respectively, constitute a whole pair of eyeglasses. The third embodiment shown in Fig. 3 of eyeglasses according to the present invention is indi- cated generally by the reference number 10"and in Fig. 3, the same reference number is used for components which are identical to components described earlier, whereas the same number is used for components or portions performing the same function as an ear- lier described component or portion, but with the addition of the indication". Thus, the same temples 18 and 20 as described above form part of the third embodiment shown in Fig. 3, whereas the eyeglass frame front 12"constitutes a modification or a further devel- opment of the second embodiment for the eyeglass frame front 12'shown in Fig. 2, the tab shaped portions which constitute the nose supports 32"and 34"in the embodiment shown in Fig. 3 extending downwards from the nose bridge 28". Moreover. The third embodiment shown in Fig. 3 of eyeglasses according to the present invention differs from the two above-described embodiments in that the arcuate parts 22,24 and 22'and 24'are substi-

tuted by two horizontal bars 22"and 24", respectively, which connect the nosebridge 28" with the corresponding connecting portions 26"and 30", respectively, as well as two sets of side-pieces 21"and 23"pointing downwards which together with the mentioned bar shaped portions 22"and 24", respectively, constitute the framing and the rimming of the corre- sponding eyeglass lenses 14"and 16", respectively. Besides, the eyeglass lenses 14"and 16"are, unlike the above-described semicircular glasses or lenses 14 and 16, respectively, designed as principal rectangular eyeglass lenses which are secured relative to the eye- glass frame front 12"in that the two sets of side-pieces 21"and 23"projecting downwards encircle the lateral edges of the eyeglass lenses 14"and 16", respectively, which are wider at the middle both horizontally and vertically than at the corners of the substantially rectan- gularly shaped eyeglass lenses.

A detail of a fourth embodiment of eyeglasses according to the present invention is shown in Figs. 4a and 4b. The same reference number, though with the addition of the indication "', is employed everywhere in Figs. 4a and 4b for components or portions corresponding to components or portions described above with reference to Fig. 1. Only a detail or a portion of the whole eyeglass frame is shown in Fig. 4a and 4b, only a portion of the eyeglass <BR> <BR> <BR> frame front 12"'belonging to the eyeglass frame 14"'as well as a tab of the bent portion<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> 40"'of the temple being shown. The eyeglass frame front 12"'in Figs. 4a and 4b, like in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, constitutes an arcuate portion 22"'supporting the corre- <BR> <BR> <BR> sponding eyeglass lens 14"'from below. Besides, the eyeglass lens 14"'differs from the semicircular eyeglass lenses 14 and 16 shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and the substantially rec- <BR> <BR> <BR> tangular eyeglass lenses 14"and 16"in that the eyeglass lens 14"'is substantially square with parallel upper and lower sides, but with non-parallel lateral edges. Unlike the above- described substantially rectangular shape, referring to Fig. 3, this eyeglass shape can not <BR> <BR> <BR> be secured by the arcuate portion 22"'itself, but is to be secured by means of cams or<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> projections 21"'on both sides of the eyeglass lens 14"'. Thus, these two projections or<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> cams 21"'grip in over the top edge of the eyeglass lens 14"'and firstly prevent that the<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> eyeglass lens 14"'can be removed immediately from the eyeglass frame and secondly<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> prevent that the eyeglass lens 14"'can turn in relation to the eyeglass frame. Fig. 4b shows a shematical view of the realisation forming the basis of the present invention as regards mounting and demounting of an eyeglass lens in or from the eyeglass frame component <BR> <BR> <BR> made out of thin metal plate, the eyeglass frame front 12"'in Fig. 4b being twisted in a<BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> such way that the arcuate portion 22"'is, so to say, opened by the application of forces according to directions indicated by two arrows 56 and 58, whereby the opening or recess <BR> <BR> <BR> formed by the arcuate portion 22"'is expanded such that the cams or projections 21"'are

guided out of the top edge of the eyeglass lens 14"'which may consequently be freely re- moved from the eyeglass frame front or rather the opening or recess formed of the arcuate portion 22"'. In the same way, the eyeglass lens 14"'may be inserted in the eyeglass frame and be secured in this eyeglass frame preferably in a tight, but not clamping fit or alternatively in combination with a tight clamping fit.

Fig. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of eyeglasses according to the present invention. This fifth embodiment is indicated generally by the reference number 10'", and the same reference number is employed in Fig. 5 for components that are identical to the components de- scribed above referring to Fig. 1, whereas the same reference number is employed though with the addition of the indication'"for components with a similar function as components described above referring to Fig. 1. The fifth embodiment shown in Fig. 5 for eyeglasses according to the present invention comprises an eyeglass frame front 12'"which like the eyeglass frame front 12"described above with reference to Fig. 3 serves to receive and secure substantially rectangular lenses, of which one of them is shown in Fig. 5 and indi- cated by the reference number 14'". However, unlike the above-described third embodi- ment, with reference to Fig. 3, the eyeglass lens confining side pieces 21'"do not grip to- tally around the side edges of the eyeglass tens14'", but only extend down to approximately the middle of the side edges of the eyeglass lens 14'", as in the eyeglass lens 14il, apart from the edge groove that serves to receive the adjacent edge of the eyeglass frame front component 12"cut out of thin metal plate, there are made incisions at a level with the bot- tom ends of the side pieces 21in, which form cams protruding inwards which lock in these corresponding incisions in the eyeglass lens 14'". Moreover, the fifth embodiment of eye- glasses or eyeglass frames according to the present invention shown in Fig. 5 differs from the above described four embodiments in that the nose support 32'"is designed with a through bore 33 serving to receive a supporting pad e. g. a soft plastic or rubber pad for abutting against the nose of the user.

A sixth and seventh embodiment respectively for eyeglasses or eyeglass frames according to the present invention are schematically shown in Figs. 6a and 6b, which embodiments are indicated generally by the reference numbers 10"and 10"', respectively. In Figs. 6a and 6b the same reference numbers are employed for components which are identical to com- ponents described earlier, whereas the same reference numbers are employed for compo- nents corresponding to or performing the same function as earlier described components, but with the addition of the indications respectively. A circular eyeglass lens 14" and 14vu, respectively, are mounted in both of these embodiments shown in Figs. 6a and

6b, which eyeglass lens is held in an opening or recess in the eyeglass frame front compo- nent cut out of thin metal plate 12 and 12', respectively, by side pieces which form the circular opening or recess extending beneath the median line of the eyeglass lens 14v and 14vu, respectively, so that these side pieces indicated by the reference numbers 21"and 21"' describe a circle arc of more than 180°, e. g. a circle arc of 200° or 210°. Thus, the stable securing of the eyeglass lens is ensured relative to the corresponding eyeglass frame front in the eyeglass frame. Furthermore, it should be noted that the upwards projecting fingers in the sixth embodiment shown in Fig. 6a can be designed as a single tab which connects the eyeglass frame front to a plate shaped component which through this tab can be bent down towards the corresponding eyeglass lens 14"and in this way form a sun shade that can swing up and down.

Whereas all the embodiments described above constitute partly rimmed eyeglasses, the teaching of the present invention can nevertheless just as well be employed for the inven- tion of entirely rimmed eyeglasses as shown in Fig. 7. Thus, Fig. 7 shows an eighth em- bodiment indicated generally by the reference number 10Vii for entirely rimmed eyeglasses according to the present invention. In the same way as the same reference numbers for components described earlier are employed in the embodiments described earlier and for components or parts performing the same function as components or parts described ear- lier, the same reference numbers as those employed in the earlier figures have been em- ployed, but marked with the addition v". In Fig. 7 the eyeglass frame front component 12 characteristic of the invention forms a partial rim of the corresponding eyeglass lenses 14 and 16""corresponding substantially to the above third embodiment, described with refer- ence to Fig. 3, though the eyeglass lens fixing and opening or recess defining portions 22"" 24""support and grip around the eyeglass lens or lenses, 14""and 16""respectively, from below. A top bar 60 is provided for the invention of the entirely rimmed eyeglasses, which top bar exclusively serves to be attached relative to the eyeglass frame front component 12""without performing, for that matter, any actual fixation of the eyeglass lenses 14""and 16""relative to the eyeglass frame. Thus, this bar 16 comprises two pieces 62 and 64, which in the mounted eyeglasses are placed over the two opening or recess defining por- tions, 22""and 24""respectively, of the eyeglass frame front component 12""whereas the component or the bar 60 additionally comprises a piece 68 for the abutting against and tightly fitting against the nose bridge 28 along with two side pieces, 66 and 70 respectively, for engaging and locking relative to the connecting portions 26""and 30"", respectively, of the eyeglass frame front component 12vit. These entirely rimmed eyeglasses shown in Fig.

7 can of course be modified in several ways, e. g. by converting the from below supporting

eyeglass frame front component 12"with an eyeglass frame front component encircling and gripping from above of the nature described above with reference to Figs. 2,3,5,6a and 6b.

The present invention allows the provision of an eyeglass system possible thanks to the very simple design of the eyeglass frame, which eyeglass system allows a user in a pur- chasing situation immediately to choose an eyeglass frame according to the shape of head, complexion etc. of the specific user and therefore choose an eyeglass frame of the desired size as well as the desired design and/or the desired colour. In this connection it is worth noting that the present invention not only is limited to the use of titanium plate for the cut- ting out of the eyeglass frame front and the corresponding temples; but it is also possible within the scope of the invention to alternatively use other materials, e. g. aluminium or an- other suitable metal material for the invention of the eyeglass frame front and temples, and the temples can alternatively can be constituted by moulded temples, temples made of metal wire or plastic wire and attached to the eyeglass frame front by means of suitable hinges, e. g. of the type described in the above mentioned published International patent application. The user can after having chosen eyeglass frames, fit the eyeglass lenses on his own and in this connection even fit the eyeglass lenses with different strengths in the two recesses or openings corresponding to the left and right eye, respectively. Thus, for people who at a late age need reading glasses, it has generally turned out to be difficult to persuade such people to seek opticians'or optometrists'assistance, as people who not until a late age admit that they need reading glasses do not regard themselves as depend- ent on eyeglasses and do not either think that they need either medical assistance nor special guidance for determining suitable reading glasses. For such people or other eye- glass users, an eyeglass system is consequently provided in accordance with the teach- ings of the present invention, a number of eyeglass frames of varying size forming part of the system as regards the width of the nose bridge, the length of the temples and perhaps also the dyeing of the eyeglass frame. Two eyeglass frames are illustrated in Fig. 8, which eyeglass frames are designed in accordance with the first embodiment described above <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> with reference to Fig. 1, and indicated by the reference numbers 10, and 102 respectively, these two eyeglass frames, as it immediately appears from the figure, differing from each other in that the nose bridge of the eyeglass frame 10"is substantially wider than the nose bridge of the eyeglass frame 10,. Moreover, these two eyeglass frames can be used to- gether with the same eyeglass lenses. A set of eyeglass lenses corresponding to the eye- glass system is mounted in a supporting tray 80, in which a number of recesses 82 are made, in which recesses corresponding eyeglass lenses are mounted or received. The

eyeglass lenses are placed in two rows corresponding to the right and the left eyeglass lens respectively, indicated by the reference numbers 14 and 16 in Fig. 1 but with varying optical strength. Thus, eight right eyeglass lenses and eight left eyeglass lenses are shown in Fig. 8, where the two first eyeglass lenses in the two rows are indicated by the reference numbers 14, and 16, respectively, and the two next eyeglass lenses in the two rows corre- spondingly are indicated by the reference numbers 142 and 162, respectively. This signa- ture indicates that the optical strength varies from the eyeglass lenses in the first row, i. e. <BR> <BR> <BR> <BR> the eyeglass lenses 14, and 16, to the eyeglass lenses in the second row, that is 142 and 162, and correspondingly the eyeglass lenses of the following rows can have either in- creasing or decreasing optical strength. Thus, in the eyeglass system shown in Fig. 8, the eight sets of eyeglass lenses may, with a variation of 0,25 dioptres, cover a range of eye- glass strength from e. g. 1,25 dioptres to 3 dioptres with steps of 0,25 dioptres.

As it has already been mentioned, the above-described eyeglasses or the above described eyeglass frames are preferably made of a thin metal plate, e. g. a thin metal plate of tita- nium with a thickness of 0,4-2 mm, such as mm, preferably 0,6-1,0 mm, par- ticularly 0,7 mm. Another metal material can alternatively be used, e. g. aluminium, plastic, steel alloys coated with ceramics or in another way, iron etc.