Universal-fit eyeglasses

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12353061-B2
Application number	US-202118026491-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 15, 2021
Priority date	Oct 9, 2020
Publication date	Jul 8, 2025
Grant date	Jul 8, 2025

Abstract

Eyeglasses with a flare-nose aperture in which is positioned a nosepiece that has left and right nosepads each comprising a generally U-shaped cross section and being made of a compliant material wherein the flare-nose aperture is defined by at least abridge portion of a frame and laterally-inward terminal edges of left and right lenses.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. Eyeglasses comprising:
left and right lenses and a frame that supports the left and right lenses and that comprises a bridge portion that connects the left and right lenses, with at least the bridge portion of the frame and laterally-inward terminal edges of the left and right lenses being configured to define a flared nose-aperture;
and,
a nosepiece that is positioned in the flared nose-aperture and is connected to the eyeglasses,
wherein the nosepiece comprises a left nosepad and a right nosepad, the nosepads being spaced laterally apart and downwardly laterally diverging to accommodate a nose of a wearer of the eyeglasses and each nosepad being elongate and generally U-shaped in cross-section and being made of a compliant material with a Shore A hardness of between 30 and 70;
wherein each elongate nosepad comprises a laterally-outward elongate sidewall and a laterally-inward elongate sidewall, the elongate sidewalls being connected to each other by an elongate valley floor so that the elongate sidewalls and the elongate valley floor collectively provide the generally U-shaped cross section, and wherein the elongate sidewalls and the elongate valley floor collectively define an elongate air gap between the elongate sidewalls;
and,
wherein for each elongate nosepad, the elongate valley floor meets the laterally-inward elongate sidewall at an elongate junction; and, wherein an elongate secondary flange extends from the elongate junction in a generally opposite direction from the laterally-inward elongate sidewall, so that the laterally-inward elongate sidewall and the secondary flange collectively provide a resilient, conformable nose-contact plate.

2. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein each elongate nosepad exhibits a forward-facing U-shape with an open end of the U facing forward, away from the wearer's face, and with the elongate valley floor of the nosepad being oriented rearward, toward the wearer's face.

3. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the elongate junction serves as a pivot that provides a rotation axis about which the resilient, conformable nose-contact plate can partially rotate, the rotation axis being at least generally aligned with the long axis of the elongate nosepad.

4. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the nosepiece comprises first, cushioning piece that comprises the left and right nosepads and is made of a compliant material with a Shore A hardness of between 30 and 70; and, a second, support piece, to which the first, cushioning piece is non-detachably attached.

5. The eyeglasses of claim 4 wherein the first, cushioning piece is a single, integral, molded piece that is made of a compliant material with a Shore A hardness of between 40 and 60 and wherein the second, support piece is a single, integral, molded piece that is made of a material with a Shore A hardness of at least 80.

6. The eyeglasses of claim 4 wherein the first, cushioning piece, and the second, support piece, are each a generally Y-shaped piece that fits into the flared nose-aperture of the eyeglasses, with the nosepiece being attached to the eyeglasses by way of the second, support piece and with all contact surfaces of the nosepiece being provided by the first, cushioning piece.

7. The eyeglasses of claim 6 wherein the second, support piece comprises an elongate notch that is configured so that when the second, support piece is fitted into the flared nose-aperture and attached to the eyeglasses, at least a portion of laterally-inward terminal edges of the left and right lenses are received into the elongate notch of the second, support piece.

8. The eyeglasses of claim 6 wherein the generally Y-shaped first, cushioning piece comprises a left elongate leg and a right elongate leg, wherein the generally Y-shaped second, support piece comprises a left elongate leg and a right elongate leg, and wherein when the first, cushioning piece and the second, support piece are non-detachably attached to each other, the left elongate leg of the first, cushioning piece is in contact with the left elongate leg of the second, support piece, and the right elongate leg of the first, cushioning piece is in contact with the right elongate leg of the second, support piece.

9. The eyeglasses of claim 8 wherein for each nosepad, a laterally-outward elongate sidewall of the first, cushioning piece is connected to an elongate leg of the first, compliant piece.

10. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein any portion of the flared nose-aperture that is less than 20 mm wide is bounded by lower and/or laterally-inward edges of the bridge portion of the frame and/or by laterally-inward terminal edges of the left and right lenses of the left or right lenses, that are all oriented at an angle that is at least 30 degrees away from a vertical axis of the eyeglasses.

11. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein any portion of the flared nose-aperture that is less than 10 mm vertically below an uppermost boundary of the flared nose-aperture is bounded by lower and/or laterally-inward edges of the bridge portion and/or by laterally-inward terminal edges of the left or right lenses, that are all oriented at an angle that is at least 30 degrees away from a vertical axis of the eyeglasses.

12. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the flared nose-aperture of the eyeglasses is upwardly bounded by the bridge portion of the frame and/or by laterally-inward terminal edges of the left and right lenses, so as to exhibit an upper boundary with a radius of curvature of at least 10 mm.

13. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein laterally-inward terminal edges of the left and right lenses are oriented at an angle of at least 60 degrees relative to each other.

14. The eyeglasses of claim 1 wherein the frame, including the bridge portion, and the left and right lenses, are all portions of a single, integral molded piece, to which right and left temple arms are attached to provide the eyeglasses.

15. Eyeglasses comprising:
left and right lenses and a frame that supports the left and right lenses and that comprises a bridge portion that connects the left and right lenses, with at least the bridge portion of the frame and laterally-inward terminal edges of the left and right lenses being configured to define a flared nose-aperture;
and,
a nosepiece that is positioned in the flared nose-aperture and is connected to the eyeglasses,
wherein the nosepiece comprises a left nosepad and a right nosepad, the nosepads being spaced laterally apart and downwardly laterally diverging to accommodate a nose of a wearer of the eyeglasses and each nosepad being elongate and generally U-shaped in cross-section and being made of a compliant material with a Shore A hardness of between 30 and 70;
wherein each elongate nosepad comprises a laterally-outward elongate sidewall and a laterally-inward elongate sidewall, the elongate sidewalls being connected to each other by an elongate valley floor so that the elongate sidewalls and the elongate valley floor collectively provide the generally U-shaped cross section, and wherein the elongate sidewalls and the elongate valley floor collectively define an elongate air gap between the elongate sidewalls;
and,
wherein each elongate nosepad is upwardly tapered so that a width of the elongate air gap at an upper end of the elongate air gap is less than half a width of the elongate air gap at a lower end of the elongate air gap.

16. The eyeglasses of claim 15 wherein each elongate nosepad exhibits a taper angle, defined by an angle between the laterally-outward elongate sidewall and the laterally-inward elongate sidewall, of fr

Assignees

• 3M Innovative Properties Company

Inventors

• Froissard Laurent
• Alvarez Laurel A

Classifications

• G02C5/122

  with adjustable means · CPC title

• A61F9/026

  Paddings; Cushions; Fittings to the face · CPC title

• G02C3/003

  Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use · CPC title

• G02C5/126 Primary

  exchangeable or otherwise fitted to the shape of the nose · CPC title