EYEWEAR WITH MAGNETIC TRACK FOR ELECTRONIC WEARABLE DEVICE

• US 20160363787A1
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Published: 12/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pogotec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pogotec, Inc.
• Inventors: TRAJKOVSKA-BROACH, ANITA, Blum, Ronald D., KOKONASKI, WILLIAM, CLOMPUS, RICHARD, DANNHARDT, WALTER, PINAZZA, MASSIMO, DALLA LONGA, CLAUDIO
• Granted Patent: US 10,241,351 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/02 Magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/008 Spectacles frames characterized by their material, material structure and material properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/14 Side-members
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/146 having special front end
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/22 Hinges pivotal connection in general F16C11/00

Abstract

An eyewear system according to the present disclosure may include at least one temple, and a temple guide provided on the at least one temple, wherein the temple guide comprises a guide surface defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple, and wherein the temple guide is configured to magnetically retain an electronic wearable device in slidable attachment therewith and to restrict lateral movement of the electronic wearable device relative to the temple when the electronic wearable device is engaged with the temple guide.

Claims

1. An eyewear system comprising:

a frame including a lens-retaining portion comprising first and second end portions; and

a pair of temples, each connected to a respective one of the first and second end portions, each of the temples comprising a hinge portion and an insert extending from the hinge portion towards a distal end of the temple, wherein the insert is formed of a ferromagnetic material, and wherein at least one of the temples in the pair comprises a track extending longitudinally along a length of the temple, wherein a base of the track is defined by the insert and wherein walls of the track are defined by a second material disposed around the insert.

2. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track has a constant width along a depth of the track.

3. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track has a constant width along a length of the track.

4. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein a width of the track is smaller than a width of the ferromagnetic insert.

5. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the width of the track does not exceed 3.0 mm.

6. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the width of the track does not exceed 2.5 mm.

7. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the depth of the track does not exceed 2.0 mm.

8. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the depth of the track does not exceed 1.5 mm.

9. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the forward end is located from 5 mm to 20 mm distally of the hinge portion.

10. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track is at least 15 mm long.

11. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein each of the temples comprises a track.

12. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the second material is plastic.

13. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises spring steel, stainless steel, or combinations thereof, and wherein the second material comprises acetate.

14. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein an exposed surface of the insert is coated with a corrosion resistant material.

15. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein an exposed surface of the insert is coated with a colored material.

16. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein an exposed surface of the insert is coated with a low-friction material.

17. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track is curved in plan view, and wherein a radius of the track is 90 cm or greater.

18. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the temples of the pair comprises a arm portion and an earpiece portion connected at a bend configured to be positioned over a wearer'"'"'s ears, and wherein the track spans more than 50% of a length of the arm portion.

22. The eyewear system of claim 15, wherein the temple guide comprises a longitudinal track configured to enable attachment and removal of the electronic wearable device by insertion of a portion of the electronic wearable device into the track along a direction perpendicular to a base of the track.

19. An eyewear system comprising:

an eyewear frame including at least one temple; and

a temple guide provided on the at least one temple, wherein the temple guide comprises a guide surface defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple, and wherein the temple guide is configured to magnetically retain an electronic wearable device in slidable attachment therewith and to restrict lateral movement of the electronic wearable device relative to the temple when the electronic wearable device is engaged with the temple guide.

20. The eyewear system of claim 19, wherein the at least one temple comprises a ferromagnetic insert, wherein the temple guide comprises a track defined by a longitudinal slot in the temple to a depth extending to the insert, wherein the track comprises a base defined by the insert, and wherein the guide surface is provided by the base of the track.

21. The eyewear system of claim 19, wherein the temple guide comprises a track defined by a longitudinal slot in the temple, wherein the eyewear system further comprises the electronic wearable device, and wherein the electronic wearable device comprises a protrusion including at least one magnet arranged in the protrusion to magnetically attract the ferromagnetic material of the temple when the protrusion is inserted, at least partially, within the track.

23. The eyewear system of claim 20, wherein the temple comprises a second material different from the ferromagnetic material, and wherein the second material encloses, at least partially, the ferromagnetic material.

24. The eyewear system of claim 23, wherein the second material is a metal different from the ferromagnetic material.

25. The eyewear system of claim 23, wherein the second material is plastic.

26. The eyewear system of claim 19, wherein the at least one temple comprises an insert, wherein the temple guide extends longitudinally along a length of the insert, and wherein a portion of the temple guide is defined by and integrally formed with the insert.

27. The eyewear system of claim 26, wherein the temple comprises a second material different from the ferromagnetic material, and wherein the temple guide comprises a rail protruding from a surface of the second material.

28. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the rail is integrally formed with the insert to form a stiffener having a T-shaped transverse cross section at least along a portion of the length of the stiffener.

29. The eyewear system of claim 26, wherein a length of the rail is shorter than a length of the insert.

30. The eyewear system of claim 19, further comprising an electronic wearable device including a device guide configured to magnetically attach to the temple, and wherein the electronic wearable device is slidable along the temple guide when the electronic wearable device is attached to the temple.

31. The eyewear system of claim 30, wherein the device guide comprises first and second guide members defining a channel therebetween and a magnet disposed in the channel between the guide members.

32. The eyewear system of claim 31, wherein the temple guide comprises a rail, wherein the device guide is configured such that a top of the rail is spaced apart from a surface of the magnet when the electronic wearable device is attached to the temple.

33. An eyewear system comprising:

an eyewear frame including at least one temple;

a temple guide provided on the at least one temple, wherein the temple guide comprises a guide surface defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple; and

an electronic wearable device configured to magnetically attach to the at least one temple via the temple guide, wherein the temple guide is configured to magnetically retain the electronic wearable device in slidable attachment therewith and to restrict lateral movement of the electronic wearable device relative to the temple when the electronic wearable device is engaged with the temple guide, and wherein the electronic wearable device comprises;

a magnet which attaches to the ferromagnetic material; and

an additional member for securing the electronic wearable device to the eyewear.

34. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the temple guide comprises a temple track comprising a floor and two walls.

35. The eyewear system of claim 34, wherein the electronic wearable device is attachable to the at least one temple via magnetic attraction to the floor of the track and wherein the electronic wearable device is oriented by at least one wall of the track when attached to the at least one temple.

36. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the temple is made of plastic.

37. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the temple is made of metal.

38. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the additional member is a securing ring, which encircles a cross section of the temple.

39. The eyewear system of claim 38, wherein the securing ring is translucent or transparent.

40. The eyewear system of claim 39, wherein the securing ring has a cross sectional core thickness of less than 1.5 mm.

41. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the magnet is attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple by at least 0.5 Newtons when the electronic wearable device is attached to the at least one temple.

42. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the magnet is attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple by more than 10 Newtons when the electronic wearable device is attached to the at least one temple.

43. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the magnet is attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple within the range of 1.5 Newtons and 5 Newtons when the electronic wearable device is attached to the at least one temple.

44. The eyewear system of claim 33, wherein the magnet is a bar magnet.

45. A wearable device adapter comprising:

a body of a stretchable material and configured to removably attach the adapter o an eyewear temple of any of a plurality of differently shaped eyewear frames; and

a magnetic feature attached to the body and configured for magnetically retaining an electronic wearable device in attachment with the adapter.

46. The adapter of claim 45, wherein the magnetic feature comprises a magnet, a ferromagnetic metal, or combinations thereof.

47. The adapter of claim 46, wherein the stretchable material comprises urethane, plastic, rubber, fabric, or combinations thereof.

48. The adapter of claim 45, further comprising the electronic wearable device.

49. The adapter of claim 48, wherein the electronic wearable device is a camera.

50. The adapter of claim 45, wherein the wearable device adapter is configured to align the electronic wearable device in a predetermined orientation relative to the eyewear temple when the electronic wearable device is attached to the eyewear using the wearable device adapter.

51. The adapter of claim 45, wherein the wearable device adapter is rotatable relative to a longitudinal axis of the temple when attached thereto.