Magnetic attachment mechanism for eyewear

• US 10,539,810 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2019
• Issued: 01/21/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Smith Optics Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Smith Optics Incorporated
• Inventors: Thorsell, Eric, Capozzi, Matt, Ramirez, Nicolas, Qualls, Michael, Layton, Scott, Nemoto, Sean, Chilson, James Andrew
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung X
• Application Number:
  US16/267,127
• Publication Number:
  US 20190171033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 351 Days
• Field of Search: 351110, 351116
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 1/02 Bridge or browbar secured to lenses without the use of rims
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 1/04 Bridge or browbar secured to or integral with partial rims, e.g. with partially-flexible rim for holding lens
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 1/08 the rims being tranversely split and provided with securing means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/02 Magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/04 Junctions between frame elements having a click function
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/06 Locking elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/08 Modular frames, easily exchangeable frame parts and lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/10 Intermediate bars or bars between bridge and side-members
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/126 exchangeable or otherwise fitted to the shape of the nose
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/146 having special front end
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/22 Hinges pivotal connection in general F16C11/00

Abstract

Interchangeably lenses and attachment assemblies for eyewear with removable temples are described. An example attachment assembly for removably magnetically attaching an eyewear temple to a lens may include a magnetic latch having a first latch portion and a second latch portions movably (e.g., pivotably) coupled to the temple. The first and second latch portions may be configured to be positioned on opposite sides of the lens by a carrier. The first and second latch portions may be configured to magnetically attract one another in a magnetic attraction direction. The carrier may be configured to restrict movement of at least one of the first and second latch portions in a second direction opposite the magnetic attraction direction.

Claims

1. An eyewear comprising and attachment assembly for removably magnetically attaching an eyewear temple to a lens of the eyewear, the attachment assembly comprising a carrier coupled to the lens and a magnetic latch configured to removably, couple to the carrier, wherein the magnetic latch comprises a first latch portion and a second latch portion coupled to the temple such that the first latch portion pivots in relation to the second latch portion, a magnet attached to one of the first and second latch portions, and a magnetic material attached to the other one of the first and second latch portions, wherein the magnet and the magnetic material are arranged on opposing sides of the first and second latch portions to urge the first and second portions in a first direction towards one another, and wherein the carrier is attached to a perimeter portion of the lens and is configured to restrict movement of at least one of the first and second latch portions in a second direction opposite the first direction.

2. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the magnetic latch is pivotally coupled to the temple.

3. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the first and second latch portions are pivotally coupled to the temple at a hinge axis of the temple.

4. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the temple is pivotable between a folded configuration and an as-worn configuration, and wherein the temple is configured to prevent separation of the lens from the eyewear when the temple is in the as-worn configuration.

5. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the carrier defines a channel configured to receive at least one of the first and second latch portions at least partially therein.

6. The eyewear of claim 5, wherein the channel includes at least one wall configured to restrict lateral movement of the received one of the first and second latch portions.

7. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the carrier comprises a seat configured to align the first latch portion with respect to the carrier.

8. The eyewear of claim 7, wherein the seat is defined at least in part by a through passage connecting opposite sides of the carrier.

9. The eyewear of claim 8, wherein one of the first or second latch portions includes a magnet housing shaped for a cooperating fit with the passage.

10. The eyewear of claim 9, wherein the magnet housing includes a ramp and the passage includes an angled sidewall configured to abut the ramp when the magnetic latch is coupled to the carrier.

11. The eyewear of claim 10, wherein the carrier includes a post defining a distal side of the passage and wherein the post includes another ramp configured to cooperate with the ramp on the first latch portion to urge the first latch portion away from the second latch portion when coupling the magnetic latch to the carrier.

12. The eyewear of claim 11, wherein the attachment mechanism includes a stop feature configured to cooperate with the post to limit separation of the first and second latch portions during removal of the temple.

13. The eyewear of claim 1, wherein the attachment assembly is one of a pair of attachment assemblies of the eyewear, each of the pair of attachment assemblies positioned for coupling a respective one of a pair of temples to the eyewear.

14. The eyewear of claim 13, wherein the carriers of the pair of attachment assemblies form part of a rim of the eyewear, the rim configured to individually engage a respective one of the pair of temples for removably coupling the temples to the eyewear.

15. An interchangeable lens assembly for an eyewear with at least one removable temple having a magnetic latch with opposing moveably coupled first and second latch portions for removably attaching the removable temples to the lens assembly, wherein the lens assembly comprises a lens including at least one carrier arranged at a perimeter portion of the lens, wherein the carrier is configured to receive the first and second latch portions for removably coupling the magnetic latch to the lens by magnetic attraction of the first and second latch portions in a first direction, and wherein the carrier is further configured to restrict movement of at least one of the first and second latch portions in a second direction opposite the first direction.

16. The interchangeable lens assembly of claim 15, wherein the carrier defines a channel configured to receive at least one of the first and second latch portions at least partially therein.

17. The interchangeable lens assembly of claim 16, wherein the channel includes at least one wall configured to restrict lateral movement of the received one of the first and second latch portions.

18. The interchangeable lens assembly of claim 16, wherein the carrier includes a seat configured to prevent the first and second latch portions from contacting one another when the magnetic latch is coupled to the interchangeable lens assembly.

19. The interchangeable lens assembly of claim 16, wherein the lens comprises a first carrier disposed at a first perimeter portion of the lens and a second carrier disposed at a second perimeter portion of the lens, each configured for individually removably coupling a respective temple to the lens.

20. An eyewear comprising:

a frame including;

a rim;

first and second temples pivotally attached to the rim; and

first and second levers pivotally coupled to respective one of the first and second temples, wherein each of the levers includes a magnet housing enclosing, at least partially, a magnetic material, wherein the magnet housing defines a ramp extending from a lower end of the lever toward the magnetic material; and

first and second lens assemblies removably attached to the frame, wherein each of the first and second lens assemblies includes;

a lens;

a first extension located at a medial portion of the lens, wherein the first extension is configured to be received in a slot formed in a medial portion of the frame; and

a carrier attached to the lens opposite the first extension, wherein the carrier comprises a second extension configured to be slidably received in a cavity defined between the magnet housing and the rim.