Interchangeable tethered glasses

• US 5,557,345 A
• Filed: 03/13/1995
• Issued: 09/17/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Betty L. Katzenmeyer, Kent R. Katzenmeyer
• Original Assignee: Betty L. Katzenmeyer, Kent R. Katzenmeyer
• Inventors: Katzenmeyer, Betty L., Katzenmeyer, Kent R.
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US08/402,638
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 351/41, 351/51, 351/52, 351/66, 351/114, 351/119, 351/121, 351/123, 351/158, 351/140, 63/1.1, 63/13
• US Class Current: 351/66
• CPC Class Codes: A44C 15/003 Jewellery holding or retaining articles, e.g. eyeglasses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/02 Ornaments, e.g. exchangeable
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/003 Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use

Abstract

Interchangeable tethered glasses for adjustably positioning relative to a face of an individual for filtering light into eyes of the individual. The inventive device includes a frame assembly for supporting a pair of lenses over eyes of an individual. An ear engaging assembly extends from opposed sides of the frame assembly for engaging ears of the individual to secure the frame assembly relative thereto. The ear engaging assembly includes a tether extendable over the ears of the individual, and a weight coupled to a distal end of the tether for maintaining a desired tension within the tether.

Claims

1. Interchangeable tethered glasses comprising:

a pair of lenses;

a frame means for supporting the lenses over eyes of an individual;

ear engaging means coupled to opposed ends of the frame means for engaging ears of an individual to secure the frame means and lenses relative thereto,

wherein the frame means comprises a pair of lens frames supported in a spaced relationship by a nose bridge extending therebetween, each of the lens frames receiving and supporting an individual one of the lenses,

wherein the ear engaging means comprise a pair of tethers each coupled to an individual one of opposed outboard lateral portions of the frame means, the tethers each extending from the frame means and terminating in a free distal end;

a pair of weights; and

coupling means for securing each of the weights to the free distal end of an individual one of the tethers,

wherein the coupling means comprises a ring extending through an aperture in the weight, the ring being coupled to the free distal end of the respective tether,

wherein the coupling means further comprises a substantially J-shaped clip coupled to the ring and the free distal end of the tether to permit selective removal of the respective weight, and

wherein the coupling means further comprises a decorative facia coupled to a front face of the J-shaped clip so as to disguise the clip from view.

2. The interchangeable tethered glasses of claim 1, wherein the lens frames and lenses are circular in shape.

3. The interchangeable tethered glasses of claim 1, wherein the lens frames and lenses are square in shape.

4. The interchangeable tethered glasses of claim 1, wherein the lens frames and lenses are ovoid in shape.

5. The interchangeable tethered glasses of claim 1, wherein the tether comprises a length of chain.

6. An interchangeable tethered glasses kit comprising:

a pair of lenses;

a frame means for supporting the lenses over eyes of an individual;

ear engaging means coupled to opposed ends of the frame means for engaging ears of an individual to secure the frame means and lenses relative thereto, the ear engaging means comprising a pair of tethers each coupled to an individual one of opposed outboard lateral portions of the frame means, the tethers each extending from the frame means and terminating in a free distal end;

a first pair of weights

a second pair of weights disparately shaped relative to the first pair of weights;

and coupling means for securing the weights to the free distal ends of the tethers and for permitting interchanging of the second pair of weights in place of the first pair of weights,

wherein the coupling means comprises a ring extending through an aperture in the weight, and a substantially J-shaped clip coupled to the ring and the free distal end of the tether to permit selective removal of the respective weight.

7. The interchangeable tethered glasses kit of claim 16, and further comprising a third pair of weights disparately shaped relative to the first and second pairs of weights, and further wherein the coupling means is further operable for securing the third pair of weights to the free distal ends of the tethers in place of the first and second pairs of weights.

8. The interchangeable tethered glasses kit of claim 7, and further comprising a storage box means for containing weights not coupled to the tethers.

9. The interchangeable tethered glasses kit of claim 8, wherein the first pair of weights each comprise a circular planar member.

10. The interchangeable tethered glasses kit of claim 9, wherein the second pair of weights each comprise a polygonal planar member.

11. The interchangeable tethered glasses kit of claim 10, wherein the third pair of weights each comprise a pivoted loop member including an outer loop and an inner loop pivotally mounted within the outer loop.

12. The interchangeable tethered glasses kit of claim 11, wherein the storage box includes a plurality of compartments, with a first circular planar member being positioned in a first compartment and a second circular planar member being positioned in a second compartment of the storage box, a first pivoted loop member positioned within a third compartment and a second pivoted loop member being positioned in a fourth compartment of the storage box, and a first polygonal planar member positioned in a fifth compartment, with a second polygonal planar member being positioned in a sixth compartment of the storage box.