The present invention relates to a frame for corrective eyeglasses and sunglasses.

Eyeglasses are usually constituted by a frame, often made of plastics or metal, which is mainly constituted by two eyepieces or lens mounts, two arms, and a bridge and/or a nosepiece.

The bridge is the connection between the eyepieces or lens mounts, and is arranged at the upper part of the eyepieces in line with the eyebrows.

The nosepiece is the connection of the eyepieces or lens mounts in an intermediate position, in contact with the nose.

The eyepieces accommodate previously-produced lenses that have been cut to size on the basis of the geometry of the eyepiece or lens mount proper.

Very often, eyeglasses are not positioned correctly on the face of the user because the size of the nosepiece of the eyeglasses is not adapted to the size of the nose of the user.

The part of the face that most influences the fit of an eyeglass frame, except for rare cases, is the nasal bridge which is different in shape and size for each individual.

Even the more or less trapezoidal shape of the cross-section of the nasal bridge determines the fit of the eyeglass frame.

The variability of sizes and shapes of nasal bridges creates difficulties for makers, who for each model of eyeglasses have to make as many frames (with different nosepiece measurements) as there are possible measurements of customers nasal bridges.

Currently for each model of eyeglasses, frames are made with two or three different sizes of bridges or nosepieces, so as to obtain some correspondence with the different sizes of nasal bridges.

In this way a segment of sizes of nasal bridges has been covered, but it is still a long way off from the ideal situation of adapting the eyeglass frame to the faces of all possible users, since all intermediate positions between one size of the nosepiece and the next are not covered.

From the industrial point of view, making, as currently happens for the known art, the same model of eyeglasses with several sizes of nosepiece entails a sharp increase in costs for producing the items and for managing production.

To meet customers needs quickly requires the production of stocks of all sizes of nosepiece with a major financial commitment and, sometimes, also resulting in a lot of unsold stock.

The aim of the present application is therefore to resolve the above mentioned technical problems, by eliminating the drawbacks in the cited known art and hence providing an invention that makes it possible to adapt the eyeglass frame to the size of the nasal bridge of every user.

Within the above aim, an object of the invention is to provide an invention that makes such adaptation possible rapidly and simply as a function of the specific morphological shape structures of the user.

Another object is to provide an invention that enables an optician to improve the service to his/her customers by offering them an eyeglass frame that is structured as a function of the specific facial characteristics of the customer, thus giving the perception that the eyeglass frame has been especially made for his/her face by taking account of the shape structure of his/her nasal septum.

Another object is to provide an invention that is structurally simple and low cost and can be made with the usual conventional plants.

This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a frame for corrective eyeglasses and sunglasses which is characterized in that it is constituted by a first support and a second support for a lens, which are interposed and interact selectively with a nosepiece provided with means for angular adjustment of the optical axes. Advantageously such angular adjustment means comprise grip means, according to preset positions along a circumference, for engagement means and elastically deformable means that are associated with the nosepiece, the grip and engagement means lying on a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of arrangement of the first and second supports.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description of a particular, but not exclusive, embodiment, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a three-quarters side view of the frame in a first condition;

Figure 2 is a front elevation view of the frame in the previous figure;

Figure 3 is a three-quarters side view of the frame in a second condition;

Figure 4 is a front elevation view of the frame in the previous figure; Figure 5 is a view of a detail of the frame;

Figure 6 is an exploded view of the detail in the previous figure;

Figure 7 is a sectional view along the line VII- VII in Figure 5;

Figure 8 is an exploded view of a further embodiment;

Figure 9 is a sectional view along the line IX-IX in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is a view similar to that in Figure 5 of the device of a further embodiment;

Figure 11 is a sectional view along the line XI-XI in Figure 10;

Figure 12 is a perspective exploded view of the frame according to the present invention.

In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

Moreover, it should be noted that anything found to be already known during the patenting process is understood not to be claimed and to be the subject of a disclaimer. With reference to the figures, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a frame for corrective eyeglasses and sunglasses which is constituted by a first and a second support or eyepiece or lens mount 2, 3 for a lens 4, 5; the first and second supports 2, 3 are interposed and interact selectively with a nosepiece 6 which is the connection of the eyepieces or lens mounts in an intermediate position in contact with the nose.

The nosepiece 6 is constituted by a first arm 7 and by a second arm 8 which protrude, in mutually opposite directions, from the mutually facing outer lateral surfaces 9a, 9b of the first and second supports 2, 3.

Means for angular adjustment of the optical axes are associated with the ends of the first arm 7 and of the second arm 8, such means being constituted by a first cylindrical sleeve 10 and by a second cylindrical sleeve 11 , which protrude radially from the ends, arranging themselves along the same axis 12 that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of arrangement of the first and second supports 2, 3.

The first and second cylindrical sleeves 10, 11 respectively have a first axial seat 13 and a first hole 14 that is threaded internally; the first axial seat 13 has, in the direction of the second cylindrical sleeve 11 , a second hole 15 whose diameter is substantially equal to the diameter of the first hole 14 so as to define a step-like discontinuity.

The head of a screw 16 is arrangeable at the first axial seat 13 and its shank 17 passes through at the second hole 15 and is threaded complementarily to the first hole 14.

The frame has, at the first and second sleeves 10, 11 , grip means, according to preset positions along a circumference, for engagement means constituted respectively by a first radial set of teeth 18 and by a second radial set of teeth 19, the sets being provided at the mutually facing lateral surfaces of the first and second sleeves 10, 11.

The grip and engagement means lie on a plane that is substantially parallel to the plane of arrangement of the first and second supports. Elastically deformable means, such as one or more Belleville springs 20, are arranged coaxially to the shank 17 of the screw 16 in the region that lies between the head of the latter and the second hole 15.

Alternatively, use can be made of a cylindrical block 21 constituted by an elastomer that can be arranged at the first axial seat 13 adjacent to the step-like discontinuity and interacts with an adapted washer 22 that interacts with the head of the screw 16.

Thus by intervening on the degree of locking of the screw 16, a mutual rotation can be allowed between the first sleeve 10 and the second sleeve 11, thus achieving a rotation, according to the axis 12, of the first and second supports 2, 3 which entails a consequent approach or distancing of these latter items.

The presence of the elastically deformable elements 20, once the screw 16 is loosened, keeps the first and the second sleeve 10, 11 in the initial (or basic) position.

The rotation in order to search for the final position will be under tension, which is provided by the Belleville springs 20.

If the elastically deformable elements were not present then, once the screw was loosened, the initial position would be lost and therefore the axial adjustment in order to search for the desired position would occur at random and many attempts would be necessary in order to find the desired position.

Once the desired angular position has been found between the first and second sleeves 10, 11 all that is necessary is to tighten the screw 16 which will prevent sliding between the first and the second radial set of teeth 18, 19.

The function of the elastically deformable elements is to enable a partial distancing of the first and of the second sleeve 10, 11 in order to allow the disengagement of the teeth that constitute the first and second radial sets of teeth 18, 19 while at the same time keeping the first and second sleeves 10, 11 mutually associated. Thus it has been found that the invention fully achieves the intended aim and objects, a frame having been obtained that makes it possible to be adapted to the actual size of the nasal bridge of every user, such adjustment being capable of being carried out rapidly and simply as a function of the specific morphological shape structures of the user.

The optician can thus improve the service to his/her customers by offering them an eyeglass frame that is structured as a function of the specific facial characteristics of the customer, thus giving the perception that the eyeglass frame has been especially made for his/her face by taking account of the shape structure of his/her nasal septum.

Furthermore the invention, by acting on the size of the nosepiece, determines the distance of the optical centers of the frame and therefore, in prescription eyeglasses, is capable of making it coincide with the interpupillary distance, which differs from individual to individual; the latter function is very important because it eliminates the problems that can be correlated to such aberration (non-coincidence of the optical axes with the pupillary axes).

The illustrated solution can also be useful in the event that, in an eyeglasses frame that is already fitted with lenses, an error is found in the distance of the optical centers in the prescription lenses owing to an error in cutting the lenses or of mounting them in the frame.

Obviously the invention can be implemented both in plastics eyeglasses and in metal eyeglasses.

The present invention thanks to the solution adopted in order to obtain the angular adjustment of the lens mounts makes it possible to limit production of a same model to just one frame, with considerable reduction of industrial costs and easier management of production, in that fewer codes need to be managed.

Opticians, too, will appreciate a great commercial benefit because they will no longer have to maintain stocks for each nosepiece. Obviously the materials used as well as the dimensions of the individual components of the invention may be more relevant according to specific requirements.

Thus, for example, Figures 10 and 11 show a further embodiment in which means for angular adjustment of the optical axes are associated with the ends of the first arm 107 and of the second arm 108, such means being constituted by a first cylindrical sleeve 110 and by a second cylindrical sleeve 111, which protrude radially from the ends, arranging themselves along the same axis 112 that is substantially perpendicular to the plane of arrangement of the first and second supports 102, 103.

The first and second cylindrical sleeves 110, 111 have respectively a first axial seat 113, which is provided with a step-like discontinuity, and a pivot 123, which is substantially U-shaped and the ends 124a, 124b of which, directed toward the first cylindrical sleeve 110, can be compressed elastically and are substantially L-shaped in order to engage temporarily at the step-like discontinuity.

A second seat 125 is provided coaxially at the base of the pivot 123, a plurality of raised portions 126 protruding from the second seat 125 concentrically to the pivot 123.

An annular ridge 127 is arrangeable at the second seat 125 and protrudes from the first cylindrical sleeve 110; the annular ridge 127 is arranged in a region that lies above the plurality of raised portions 126.

An elastically deformable element, such as a ring 128, can be arranged between the annular ridge 127 and the plurality of raised portions 126.

The surface of the ring 128 facing the plurality of raised portions 126 is smooth or has one or more seats on which one or more of the plurality of raised portions 126 can be positioned temporarily and selectively; in the latter case the ring 128 is of the rigid type.

In such solution a decoupling between the first and second cylindrical sleeves 110, 111 is achieved by bringing the ends 124a, 124b of the pivot 123 closer together: this makes it possible to uncouple the plurality of raised portions 126 from the ring 128 and thus allow the mutual rotation between the cylindrical sleeves 110, 111.

Once the angular positioning between these latter items has been arrived at, it is sufficient to reinsert the pivot 123 into the seat 113 and snap- couple the ends 124a, 124b at the step-like discontinuity defined at the first seat 113.

Such solution also achieves the set aim and objects.

The characteristics indicated above as advantageous, convenient or similar, may also be missing or be substituted by equivalent characteristics.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application No. TV2013A000122 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.