Description

Spectacles with removable lens structure.

The present invention relates to a pair of spectacles of the type comprising a lens structure that includes a partially rigid structure designed to hold a pair of lenses, and a rim provided with at least one frame associated with two side-pieces by means of rotation; the term "structure" refers to the part that surrounds at least partially and holds the lenses and can be mounted on a rim composed of side-pieces and frame to form a pair of spectacles, including sports goggles.

Numerous different types of spectacles are known in the state of the art, including sports goggles and spectacles, in which the lens structure is mounted on the frame of the rim, for example in order to change either part with suitable spare parts without having to change all the components of the spectacles.

A popular type of spectacles is composed of a plastic, or more specifically acetate structure that surrounds the lenses and holds them in mutual position, which is fixed to the frame of the rim by means of two or more fixing screws; this allows to change either part without having to change the spectacles integrally: for instance, in case of sports goggles, it is extremely useful to have a single rim on which different structures can be mounted, each of them with a different type of lens according to different sunlight irradiation (such as ski goggles).

Another example of spectacles with removable structures is represented by structures hinged on the top of the rim that be removed when they are overturned.

Nevertheless, these type of spectacles are impaired by some inconveniences: first of all, the mounting of structure and rim is obtained with screws that require a corresponding threaded housing on the frame of the rim or on the structure. Moreover, the screws have a very small diameter and are difficult to use, with the risk of getting lost when mounting or dismounting the

structure. Because of the small dimensions, the mounting and dismounting work requires some time and considerable tools (for instance, small screwdrivers and magnifiers).

A purpose of the present invention is to find a solution to the problems of the known art by devising a pair of spectacles in which the lens structure is mounted on a rim without the use of screws, thus overcoming the inconveniences of the known art.

The present invention relates to a pair of spectacles as claimed in the first claim. Further advantageous characteristics are the subject of the enclosed subclaims.

The spectacles according to the present invention comprise a structure designed to be dismounted from the normal operating condition by rotating the structure around its axis and translating it. The mounting occurs in the opposite way, meaning that the structure is coupled with the frame of the rim and translated in oblique position with respect to the operating condition and then held in place by rotating it until the position that corresponds to the normal operating condition is achieved.

The term "normal operating condition" of the structure indicates the position of the structure that brings the lenses in correct position on the plane of the user's eyes, for example with the lenses basically perpendicular to the side-pieces; evidently, the "normal operating condition" is generally the position of the lenses that allows the spectacles to carry out their function when worn by the user. In other words, in order to be coupled or uncoupled from the frame, the structure must be rotated around its horizontal transversal axis by a certain angle with respect to the normal operating condition.

According to an advantageous characteristic of the invention, lock means are provided to prevent the structure from making an undesired rotation around its transversal axis and from disengaging from the frame.

This simplifies the coupling and uncoupling operations between structure and frame: in fact, it is only necessary to rotate and translate the

structure in order to fit it on the frame, thus simplifying the construction of the spectacles by avoiding the presence of threaded connections.

According to an especially advantageous embodiment of the invention illustrated below, the structure (and/or the lenses) can be advantageously used to hold the side-pieces that are inserted on a pin of the frame and can be removed from the pin only in case of angular position of the side-pieces with respect to the frame, which is prevented by the structure in operating condition.

These and other advantageous characteristics shall be better understood from the description of an executive embodiment, illustrated in the enclosed drawings without limiting purposes, whereby: fig. 1 is a front view of a structure (with lenses) according to the present invention; fig. 2 is a top view of a frame according to the present invention; fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the frame illustrated in fig. 2; fig. 4 is a view of the spectacles of the invention with the structure coupled with the frame in normal operating condition; fig. 5 is a detailed view of the rim and side-pieces; fig. 6 is an enlarged view of a detail of the structure that supports the lenses.

Fig. 1 illustrates the lenses (20, 21 ) of a pair of spectacles mounted on a partially rigid structure (22).

The structure (22) partially embraces the lenses (20, 21 ) and is provided with two mushroom heads (23, 24) positioned at the opposite side ends and supported by two corresponding plate-shaped bodies (25, 26) shown in fig. 6.

As shown in figs. 3 and 5, the frame is provided with two engagement housings (27, 28) for the said plate-shaped bodies, in which they are inserted after passing through corresponding guides (29, 30). The guides (29, 30) and the plate-shaped bodies (25, 26) of the mushroom heads are provided with suitable shape and dimensions to permit the passage of the bodies (25, 26) through the guides (29, 30) only when the

structure (22) is situated in angled position with respect to the normal operating condition (as defined above and illustrated in fig. 4).

The guides (29, 30) are composed of two arms separated by a distance lower than the width of the plate-shaped bodies (25, 26) in such a way that they can pass between the guides only in oblique position, that is to say when the structure (22) is inclined with respect to the mounting (or operating) position; in order to mount the structure (22) on the frame (4) the plate-shaped bodies (25, 26) slide inside the guides (29, 30) until they are brought in the corresponding engagement housings (27, 28); in order to hold the structure (22) in place, the said structure (22) is simply rotated around its axis in such a way the largest dimension of each plate-shaped body (25, 26) can no longer come out of the corresponding engagement housing (27, 28).

According to another advantageous characteristic, an additional lock (31 ) is provided in the central area of the rim and structure, as shown in fig. 4. The lock (31 ) is made of two different parts, of which one part is joined to the structure (22) and one part is joined to the frame (4).

For instance, the two parts of the lock (31 ) can be obtained as two mechanically interfering parts that can be coupled by means of the elastic deformation of the frame (4) or the structure (22): according to the illustrated executive embodiment, the lock is obtained with a hook (32) on the frame (4) that grabs and holds in position the central part (33) of the structure; evidently, the said parts can be reciprocated, meaning that the hook can be provided on the structure.

Alternatively, the lock can be obtained with two magnets, one on the frame and one on the structure, provided with mutual attraction to hold the two parts in position.

In this case the lock prevents the rotation of the structure around its axis and the mushroom heads prevent it from translating in parallel direction to its axis. According to an extremely advantageous embodiment, the two side- pieces (2, 3) are associated to the frame (4) by means of rotation; each end (7, 8) of the frame is provided with an engagement section, which comprises

an unthreaded rotation pin (10, 1 1 ) in which the corresponding side-piece (2, 3) is inserted and rotated.

Each engagement section also comprises an engagement arm (12, 13) that interferes with the side-piece in some angular positions; each engagement arm (12, 13) and the corresponding pin (10, 1 1 ) are basically perpendicular and positioned on different planes.

The pin (10, 1 1 ) is connected to the corresponding engagement arm (12, 13) respectively with a C-shaped section composed of a lower arm (14, 15) and a connection arm (16, 17) that is basically parallel to the pin (10, 1 1 ) according to the illustrated executive embodiment.

Advantageously (in terms of reduction of parts) the engagement arm (12, 13) coincides with one of the guide arms.

The operation of the rim (1 ) is as follows: in a first angular position each side-piece (2, 3) can be inserted or removed from the corresponding pin (10, 1 1 ): in fact, it is moved in the direction defined by the axis of the corresponding pin (10, 1 1 ) from and to the said pin (10, 1 1 ) without encountering any interference, in such a way to couple or uncouple the pin with the corresponding hole of the side-piece (2, 3) in order to engage or disengage the side-piece (2, 3) with respect to the frame (4). Evidently, the structure (22) is coupled with the frame (4) by means of a translation with the structure (22) in oblique position with respect to the normal operating position and is locked in position by means of rotation around its axis until the normal operating position is achieved. Likewise, the structure (22) is uncoupled from the frame by means of rotation of the structure with respect to its axis and a translation.

In a second angular position the position of the side-piece (rotated by a certain angle with respect to the frame) is such that it prevents removal from the corresponding pin (10, 1 1 ) since the removal of the side-piece (2, 3) would involve a movement of the side-piece (2, 3) in the direction of the axis of the pin (10, 1 1 ), away from the lower arm (14, 15) that supports the side- piece, and such a movement is prevented by the fact that each side-piece interferes with the corresponding engagement arm (12, 13) in such a way to

prevent the removal of each side-piece.

Each additional angular movement of the side-piece in the same direction as the angular movement that has brought the side-piece from the first to the second position puts the side-piece (2, 3) in a condition in which the removal of the side-piece (2, 3) from the corresponding pin (10, 1 1 ) is prevented, because of the interference between the engagement arm (12, 13) and the side-piece (2, 3) when it is moved on the axis of the pin away from the lower arm (14, 15).

Consequently, starting from the second position and for any additional angular movement in the same direction as the movement from the first to the second position, each side-piece is associated with the frame (4) in a stable way without possibility of removal; in fact, to remove the side-piece, the side-piece must be brought back into the first position, in which the engagement arm (12, 13) does not interfere with the side-piece (2, 3) during the movement on the axis of the pin away from the lower arm (14, 15).

Advantageously, the first angular position corresponds to the side- piece perpendicular to the frame, which extends on the side of the frame that can be associated with the lenses (the side-piece is practically positioned at 180° when it is opened in the normal operating position), and the second angular position corresponds to rotation by an angle of a few degrees, for instance, 10° after which the side-piece can no longer be removed from the pin.

Therefore, the user can insert the side-piece on the pin and rotate it in the typical operating positions (that is to say in "closed" position with the side- piece behind the lenses parallel to the frame, and in "open" position with the side-piece behind the lenses perpendicular to the frame), thus passing the second position, after which each additional rotation of the side-piece brings it in a position without possibility of removal from the pin: in this way the operating conditions of "closed" and "open" side-piece are both conditions in which the side-piece cannot be removed from the pin.

In view of the above, the frame can be advantageously used as lock to prevent the side-pieces (2, 3) from moving towards the first position and

being accidentally removed from the frame; in fact, after mounting the side- pieces on the frame as illustrated above, the user shall mount the structure (22) that is in front of the side-pieces in normal operating condition, thus interfering with the rotation of the side-piece towards the first angular position, in such a way to maintain it in a position in which it cannot be removed from the pin because of the engagement arm.

Because of the aforementioned principles, the pair of spectacles of the present invention can be mounted and dismounted easily: starting from the frame, the side-pieces and the structure that holds the lenses, first of all the user inserts the side-pieces into the corresponding pins and brings them in operating position (as illustrated above), in which they cannot be removed from the pins, and then mounts the structure with the lenses in oblique position, sliding the plate-shaped bodies inside the corresponding guides, snapping the structure in the correct operation position by means of rotation and using the lock (31 ) to improve locking.

Therefore, the advantages of a pair of spectacles according to the present invention are evident: the spectacles have no threaded parts, is easy to mount also by non-expert users who can change the side-pieces or lenses on their own (for instance to change colour and shape). Evidently, numerous modifications can be made to the structure (for instance for aesthetical reasons) without leaving the precepts of the present invention.