Adjustable headband attachment for eyeglasses

• US 5,541,676 A
• Filed: 11/17/1994
• Issued: 07/30/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joseph A. Pallat
• Original Assignee: Joseph A. Pallat
• Inventors: Pallat, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikes, William L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US08/341,504
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 351/156, 351/157, 351/158, 351/41, 351/142, 351/114, 351/117, 351/111, 351/153, 351/122, 351/123, 351/121, 2/452, 24/3.3
• US Class Current: 351/156
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/003 Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1371 Eyeglass holder including retaining means

Abstract

An adjustable attachment for eyeglasses in the form of a flexible headband attachment that can be attached to the existing portions of a pair of eyeglasses and looped around the head of the eyeglasses user. The flexible headband includes a clamp for adjusting the length of the headband to fit the headband tight around the head of the eyeglasses user and includes a stop for securing the headband in it adjusted length. The flexible headband attachment includes straps that pass through a movable sheathing between the eyeglasses frame and the clamp.

Claims

1. An adjustable headband means for securing eyeglasses to the head of an eyeglass user, said eyeglasses including a substantially rigid eyeglass frame having hinge means for attaching separate temple/ear piece members to said frame at each side thereof, said hinge means including a portion securely attached to said frame, said portion including an opening for receiving means for attaching said temple/ear piece members, said adjustable headband means being adapted to replace said temple/ear piece members for securing said eyeglass frame to the head of said eyeglass user, said adjustable headband means for securing said eyeglasses comprising:

a) flexible strap means,

b) means comprising an integral part of said strap for movably attaching said strap means to said eyeglass frame at said portion of said hinge means at each side of said frame,

c) a clamp means,

d) said flexible strap means slideably passing through said clamp means,

e) holding means in said clamp means cooperating with said flexible strap to secure said strap within said clamp,

f) and means for preventing said flexible strap from being removed from said clamp,

whereby said strap means when attached to said eyeglass frame by said integral part of said strap may be slideably passed around the head of the eyeglass user and through said clamp to tighten said eyeglass frame to the face of the user and said strap may then be secured to hold said eyeglasses against the head of the user.

2. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said flexible strap means is inextensible in its longitudinal direction and is flexible in lateral directions.

3. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said flexible strap is a pair of separate strap elements each separate strap having said integral part, one of said pair of straps attached by said integral part to each side of said eyeglass frame at said hinge portion.

4. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said integral part of said strap for attaching said strap means to said eyeglass frame is an attachment means passing through said hinge means and replacing said temple/ear piece members, said attachment means being universally movable with respect to said portion of said hinge means.

5. The adjustable head band means of claim 4 wherein said integral part of said strap for attaching said strap means to said eyeglass frame includes a resilient adjustable member adapted to engage said portion of said hinge means at said opening.

6. The adjustable head band means of claim 4 wherein said portion of said hinge means includes a pair of aligned hollow hinge loops and said resilient adjustable means includes fingers adapted to pass through said aligned hollow hinge loops, said fingers being adapted to be formed to maintain movable engagement with said hinge loops.

7. The adjustable head band means of claim 6 wherein said resilient adjustable means is a crimped resilient means attached to said strap so as to become an integral part of said strap.

8. The adjustable head band means of claim 6 wherein said resilient adjustable means is a resilient spring means including said fingers, said spring means being adapted to place said fingers in said hinge loops with said fingers biased by said spring means to releasably maintain said headband attached to said eyeglass frame.

9. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said clamp means comprises a locking means including means for passing said strap means side-by-side through said clamp means and a flexible means within said clamp for releasably holding said strap means in said clamp.

10. The adjustable headband means of claim 9 wherein said locking means in said clamp means is a flexible gromet member engaging each of said strap means and holding said strap means in said clamp.

11. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said flexible strap is a pair of separate strap elements, one of said pair of straps attached to each side of said eyeglass frame, said clamp means is a hollow Y-shaped means for accomodating said straps, said Y-shape permitting entry of one of said pair of said straps means from each side of said eyeglass frame into said Y-shape at the upper arms of said Y and exit of both strap means in a side-by-side relationship from the central leg of said Y, said holding means engaging said strap means at the junction of said arms and said leg of said Y-shape.

12. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said means for preventing said strap means from being removed from said clamp includes an enlarged portion that will not pass through said clamp at each end of said strap, said enlarged portion being at an end of said strap means not attached to said hinge means of said eyeglass frame so as to prevent said clamp from being removed from said strap means.

13. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said flexible strap means is a metallic box link chain.

14. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein said means comprising an integral part of said strap for movably attaching strap means to said hinge means on said eyeglass frame is a spring clamp integrally attached to said strap means and having means passing through said portion of said hinge means.

15. The adjustable headband means of claim 1 wherein at least a portion off said flexible strap means between said clamp and said means for movably attaching said strap means to said eyeglasses frame is enclosed in an elongated tubular sheathing, said sheathing being adapted to protect the head of the eyeglasses user when said strap means holds said eyeglasses against the head of the user.

16. The adjustable headband means of claim 15 wherein said elongated tubular sheathing is movable along said strap means to be positioned against the head of the user.

17. The adjustable headband means of claim 15 wherein said elongated tubular sheathing is a material adapted to be heat shrunken about said strap means.

18. The adjustable headband means of claim 17 wherein said elongated tubular sheathing is a heat shrinkable plastic material.