Eyewear frames with magnetic lens attachements
AssigneeLiberty Sport, Inc.
InventorCarmine S. DiChiara
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention illustrates various methods of attaching a pair of eyeglass lenses or a lens shield to an eyeglass frame using magnets or magnetically attractive material. The magnetic attachment methods are beneficial because they allow the user to have interchangeable lenses or shields for indoor and outdoor use, enhancing their visual acuity during work or play. The lenses may be tinted, prescription, protective eyewear, or plano. The magnetic lenses are convenient and user friendly, allowing intuitive, tool-less interchangeability with no need to twist or stress the frame. These methods of attachment require no specific instructions or tools when the user replaces lenses.
Claims46
An eyeglass assembly comprising a primary eyeglass frame adapted for removable mounting of a primary lens thereto, further comprising:
- at least one primary lens having a front surface defined by a front circumferential edge, a rear surface defined by a rear circumferential edge spaced a distance from said front circumferential edge, and a circumferential edge thickness defined by the spaced distance between the front circumferential edge and the rear circumferential edge;
- said primary eyeglass frame having at least one partial lens rim portion comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein at least a portion of said inner surface defines a lens mounting surface for receipt of said at least one primary lens;
- at least one magnetic member secured to said frame;
- at least one magnetic member embedded in said at least one primary lens;
- wherein when said at least one primary lens is located on said inner surface of said at least one partial lens rim such that said at least one magnetic member embedded in said at least one primary lens and said at least one magnetic member secured to said inner surface of said frame are aligned to attract one another and magnetically couple said at least one primary lens to said at least partial lens rim portion.
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An eyeglass assembly, comprising:
- at least one primary lens;
- a magnetic member shaped in the form of a locking pin at least partially embedded in said at least one primary lens;
- a slot in said lens rim for receipt of said locking pin;
- a magnetic member located within said slot;
- wherein said locking pin protrudes from said at least one lens such that said locking pin is received into said slot in said lens rim to couple said at least one primary lens to said frame.
An eyeglass assembly for removably mounting a primary lens to an eyeglass frame, comprising:
- a frame including a lens rim having a first rimlock portion and a second rimlock portion;
- at least one primary lens that is removably received in said lens rim;
- wherein said first and second rimlock portions of said lens rim have magnetic members embedded therein for magnetically coupling said first and second rimlock portions of said lens rim together so as to secure said at least one primary lens in said lens rim.
An eyeglass assembly for removably coupling a primary lens, a bridge bar, and a temple piece, comprising:
- a bridge bar;
- at least one magnetic member secured to said bridge bar;
- at least one primary lens;
- at least one magnetic member embedded in said at least one primary lens near the portion of said at least one primary lens adjacent to said bridge bar;
- at least one end piece portion;
- at least one magnetic member secured to said end piece portion;
- and
- at least one magnetic member secured to said at least one primary lens near the end of said at least one primary lens adjacent to said end piece portion;
- wherein said at least one primary lens is magnetically coupled to said end piece portion and said brow bar, thereby forming an eyeglass assembly.
A method of coupling a primary lens to an eyewear frame, comprising:
- guiding at least one primary lens having at least one magnetic member into a lens rim of an eyewear frame having at least one magnetic member;
- positioning said at least one primary lens on an inner surface of said rim such that
- said magnetic member of said at least one primary lens and said magnetic member of said lens rim are aligned to attract one another and magnetically couple said at least one primary lens to said lens rim.
An eyeglass assembly comprising a primary eyeglass frame adapted for removable mounting of a primary lens thereto, further comprising:
- at least one primary lens having a front surface defined by a front circumferential edge, a rear surface defined by a rear circumferential edge spaced a distance from said front circumferential edge, and a circumferential edge thickness defined by the spaced distance between the front circumferential edge and the rear circumferential edge;
- said primary eyeglass frame having at least one partial lens rim portion comprising an outer surface and an inner surface, wherein at least a portion of said inner surface defines a lens mounting surface for receipt of said at least one primary lens;
- at least one magnetic member secured to said primary frame;
- at least one magnetic member embedded in said at least one primary lens
- wherein said at least one magnetic member secured to said frame and said at least one magnetic member embedded in said at least one primary lens cooperate to align and removably couple said primary lens to said primary frame.
An eyeglass assembly comprising a primary eyeglass frame adapted for removable mounting of a primary lens thereto, and at least one primary lens, the at least one lens further comprising:
- a front surface having a front circumferential edge;
- a rear surface having a rear circumferential edge spaced a distance from said front circumferential edge;
- and
- a circumferential edge surface defined by the spaced distance between the front circumferential edge and the rear circumferential edge;
- said primary eyeglass frame having at least one partial lens rim portion for receipt of said at least one primary lens;
- at least one magnetic member secured to said primary frame;
- at least one magnetic member embedded in said at least one primary lens, the at least one magnetic member comprising:
- a magnetic member front surface;
- a magnetic member rear surface;
- and
- a magnetic member circumferential edge surface
- wherein
- the magnetic member front surface coincides with the lens front surface;
- and
- the magnetic member rear surface coincides with the lens rear surface.
A lens apparatus for removably mounting a lens to an eyeglass frame comprising a lens and at least one magnetic member, the lens comprising:
- a lens front surface having a front circumferential edge;
- a lens rear surface having a rear circumferential edge spaced a distance from said front circumferential edge;
- a lens thickness spaced between the front lens surface and the rear lens surface;
- a lens edge surface spaced between the front circumferential edge and the rear circumferential edge;
- and
- a cavity extending at least partially through the lens thickness, the cavity having a proximal cavity portion proximal to the circumferential edge and having a first cavity dimension;
- and
- the cavity having a distal cavity portion distal from the circumferential edge and having a second cavity dimension;
- wherein the at least one magnetic member comprises:
- a magnetic member front surface;
- a magnetic member rear surface;
- a magnetic member edge surface;
- wherein
- a first portion is sized to fit within the first cavity portion;
- and
- a second portion is sized to fit within the second cavity portion.
An eyeglass frame apparatus for removably mounting a primary lens comprising a frame and at least one frame magnetic member, the frame comprising:
- at least one partial lens rim portion comprising:
- a front frame portion having a front surface,
- a rear frame portion having a rear surface separated a distance from and opposing the front frame surface,
- a connecting frame portion connecting the front frame portion and the rear frame portion, the connecting portion comprising:
- a mounting surface;
- and
- at least one frame cavity extending at least partially through the connecting frame portion,
- the at least one frame cavity having a first frame cavity portion proximal to the mounting surface having a first frame cavity dimension;
- and
- a second frame cavity portion distal from the mounting surface having a second frame cavity dimension larger than the first frame cavity dimension;
- wherein the at least one frame magnetic member comprises:
- a first frame magnetic member portion sized to fit within the first frame cavity portion;
- and
- a second frame magnetic member portion sized to fit within the second frame cavity portion.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.