Technological background As is known, the frames for spectacles used in the Western field and in the Eastern field must exhibit a different positioning of the nose pads with respect to the front or rim of the spectacles, so as to adapt to the different facial morphologies, thus providing a Western fit and an Eastern fit.

By the term"Western"it is intended to indicate in the following context the standard of fit for morphologies of the face typical of the European and North American population, while the term"Eastern"is intended to comprise the standard of fit for facial morphologies of the typically Asian, African and Afro- american populations.

In particular in the Western fit, as illustrated in Figure 1, the pad arm 1, which connects the nose pad 2 to the rim 3 of the spectacles, is at a shorter distance from the front relative to the pad arm 5 or Eastern pad arm which is illustrated in Figure 2. Moreover, the nose pads 2 have a different angle of opening between the Western fit and the Eastern fit.

In the present state of the art, therefore, in order to provide frames for spectacles with a Western fit and with an Eastern fit, it is necessary to modify the shape of the pad arm which, being an element rigidly connected to the front or rim of the spectacles, requires the provision of two different products with the drawbacks obviously entailed.

At present, frames have not been produced capable of providing either of the two fits irrespectively, and the only attempts which have been made to produce different fits refer to the different fit necessary for frames which are, for example, bifocal, in which it is necessary to vary the positioning of the optical axis.

Solutions of this type are, for example, illustrated in US Patents 4 896 957 and US 6 056 398, but such solutions, which in practice vary the connection between pad arm and nose pad in order to vary the positioning in height of the

lens, are not usable for combining the Western fit and the Eastern fit, in so far as they do not make it possible to vary the distance between nose pad and front, which is the element presenting the greatest difference between the Western fit and the Eastern fit.

Description of the invention The objective proposed for the invention is precisely that of solving the problem stated above, by providing a frame for spectacles which can be used both for the Western fit and for the Eastern fit, without thereby needing to modify elements which constitute an integral part of the frame and which consequently would require two different products.

Within the framework of the objective stated above, a particular aim of the invention is that of providing a frame for spectacles in which it is possible to modify the fit simply by modifying the type of nose pad, or much more simply, by modifying the positioning of the same nose pad.

A further aim of the present invention is that of providing a frame for spectacles in which there is a possibility of standardizing the frame, being able to equip it each time according to the type of fit required.

Not the least aim of the present invention is that of providing a frame which, owing to its particular production characteristics, is capable of offering the fullest guarantees of reliability and safety in use.

The objective stated above, and also the aims mentioned and others which will become clearer hereinafter, are fulfilled by a frame for spectacles usable for a Western fit and an Eastern fit, produced according to the appended claims.

Brief description of the drawings Further characteristics and advantages will become clearer from the description of some preferred, but not exclusive, embodiments of a frame for spectacles usable for a Western fit and for an Eastern fit, illustrated by way of non-limiting example by means of the appended drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows, partially and diagrammatically in side elevation, a frame for spectacles with a fit according to the Western standard;

Figure 2 shows, in side elevation, a frame for spectacles with a fit according to the Eastern standard; Figure 3 shows a frame with pad arm according to the Western standard equipped with a nose pad which transforms the frame into an Eastern fit; Figure 4 shows diagrammatically the nose pad for adapting the Western pad arm to the Eastern fit; Figure 5 shows diagrammatically a frame with pad arm according to the Eastern standard and with a nose pad which transforms it into a Western fit; Figure 6 shows the nose pad for adapting the pad arm according to the Eastern standard to a Western fit; Figure 7 shows a pad arm according to the invention, which is placed in an intermediate position between the pad arm according to the Eastern standard and the pad arm according to the Western standard; Figure 8 shows diagrammatically left-hand and right-hand nose pads that can be transposed with respect to each other in order to vary the fit; Figure 9 shows the nose pads diagrammatically positioned according to the two different fits; Figure 10 shows nose pads that can be inverted for varying the fit; Figure 11 shows diagrammatically the nose pads with the different positioning for varying the fit; Figure 12 shows, in plan view from above, a pair of spectacles provided with pad arms according to the Western standard having respectively a nose pad according to the prior art (Western fit) and a nose pad according to the invention for obtaining an Eastern fit; Figure 13 shows, in side elevation from one side, the spectacles in Figure 12, showing the pad arm for an Eastern fit; Figure 14 shows, in side elevation from the other side, the spectacles in Figure 12, showing the pad arm for a Western fit; Figure 15 shows, in front elevation, the spectacles in Figure 12.

Preferred method of execution of the invention With reference to the above-mentioned drawings and in particular to Figures 3 and 4, a frame for spectacles is illustrated in which a pad arm 10

produced according to the Western standard is provided. In the case where a frame according to the Western standard is to be produced, the conventional nose pad can be connected to the pad arm 10, while in the case where it is wished to produce a fit according to the Eastern standard, and therefore different from the standard of the pad arm 10, a nose pad 11 is fitted which is equipped with a connection mounting 12 which is offset with respect to the nose pad and, more precisely, is positioned towards the inner edge, that is to say, towards the front, and towards the upper part.

This type of nose pad 11 therefore makes it possible to use a frame having a pad arm produced according to the Western standard, while obtaining a fit according to the Eastern standard.

Similarly, as illustrated in Figures 5 and 6, it is possible to provide a nose pad 20 which is connectable to a pad arm 21, according to the Eastern standard, which has a mounting 22 for connection to the Eastern pad arm 21 positioned on the periphery of the lower part and towards the outside, that is to say, remote from the front.

This type of pad arm therefore provides the possibility of using a frame having a pad arm according to the Eastern standard for producing a fit according to the Western standard.

According to a different embodiment, which is illustrated in Figures 7 to 11, it is possible to provide an intermediate pad arm, indicated by 30, which has intermediate connection means 31 which are disposed in an intermediate position on the theoretical line of conjunction between the Western pad arm 10 and the Eastern pad arm 21 and which further have a slight inclination to compensate for the different angle of opening.

With the intermediate pad arm 30 it is possible to use, as specifically illustrated in Figures 8 and 9, transposable nose pads, indicated by 40, in which the attachment means 41 are placed alongside the vertical line of symmetry, so as to be able to vary the type of fit simply by transposing the right-hand nose pad and the left-hand nose pad.

The transposition between right-hand nose pad and left-hand nose pad in practice brings about a horizontal translation which makes it possible to produce the Western fit or the Eastern fit.

With specific reference to Figures 10 and 11, invertible nose pads 50 are provided which are equipped with an attachment means 51 in a position offset with respect to the horizontal median line and to the vertical median line so as to make it possible to obtain the variation in fit by inversion of the nose pad.

In practice it is found that in order to produce the Western fit or the fit according to the Eastern standard, rotation of the invertible nose pad is required which brings about translation of the frame both in the horizontal direction and in the vertical direction.

In substance it is therefore possible, by using intermediate pad arms, to obtain the different type of fit by varying the positioning of the nose pads.

With reference to Figures 12 to 15, a frame for spectacles which is provided with pad arms 10 according to the Western standard is indicated as a whole by 60.

For greater clarity of illustration, on one of the pad arms 10 of the frame there is mounted the conventional nose pad 2, produced according to the prior art (Figure 14), while on the other pad arm 10 there is mounted the nose pad 11 according to the invention, provided with the connection mounting 12 to produce the Eastern fit. The configuration of the mounting and its off-centre positioning so as to move the nose pad further away from the front relative to the standard of Eastern fit should be observed. In the same frame 10 (having pad arms according to the Western standard) it is therefore easy to obtain a Western fit or an Eastern fit of the spectacles respectively by mounting a pair of nose pads 2 or alternatively a pair of nose pads 11.

From what is illustrated above, it can therefore be seen that the invention fulfils the aims proposed and in particular the fact is underlined that a frame for spectacles is provided which makes it possible to standardize the production of the fronts of the pad arms, while being able to adapt easily to the different types of fit.

The invention thus devised is capable of numerous modifications and variants, all coming within the scope of the inventive concept.

In addition, all the details may be substituted by other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials used, and also the dimensions and the contingent forms may be of any kind according to requirements.