Automatic eyewear strap winding device

• US 5,898,472 A
• Filed: 07/11/1997
• Issued: 04/27/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hidetoshi Oshikawa
• Original Assignee: Hidetoshi Oshikawa
• Inventors: Oshikawa, Hidetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US08/893,580
• Time in Patent Office: 655 Days
• Field of Search: 351/156, 351/157, 2/452
• 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: G02C 3/02 Arrangements for supporting by headgear

Abstract

An eyeglass holding device (7) has a strap (4'"'"') with a clip for attaching the strap end to an eyeglass frame (1'"'"'). The strap feeds in and out of a housing (8) which contains reel (14) on which the cord winds. The housing is detachably mounted on a hat or shirt for example with VELCRO. The strap winding mechanism inside the housing includes a torsion spring (21) for retracting the strap back into the housing; a rachet (18) and pawl (17) acting as lock to stop the spring from pulling the strap in once it is pulled out; and a button (16) to release the lock. The eyeglasses can be pulled to bring out any length of the straps. The torsion spring retracts the cords while the button is pressed.

Claims

1. An eyeglass holding device (7) comprising:

a strap (4'"'"') including an eyeglass frame (1'"'"') attachment at one end thereof;

a housing (8);

a detachable mount for attaching the housing to an article of clothing; and

a winding mechanism, disposed within the housing, for drawing into and releasing the strap from the housing, the winding mechanism including

a retractor for pulling the strap into the housing, a lock for stopping motion of the strap into the housing, and a manual lock release permitting retraction of the strap into the housing.

2. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism comprises a magazine (9) removable from the housing.

3. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the housing includes two separable cases (8, 8'"'"').

4. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the detachable mount includes a first mount attached to the article of clothing and a second mount attached to the housing.

5. The holding device according to claim 4, wherein the first mount and the second mount include hook material and loop material.

6. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the eyeglass frame attachment includes a clip (26) attachable to an eyeglass frame (1'"'"').

7. The holding device according to claim 6, wherein the clip (26) includes a curved lever (27) disposed on a top portion of the clip and supported by a link (28) attached to an end of a bow (11'"'"') of the frame (1'"'"'), a handle bar (29) pivotably coupled to the lever (27) and including a stopper (30) insertable into a pocket (31) in the bow (11'"'"') of the frame (1'"'"');

whereby turning the handle bar in a direction of the bow causes the bow and the clip to draw closer to one another and the stopper (30) to be set into the pocket (31).

8. The holding device according to claim 1, wherein the winding mechanism comprises a reel (14) on which the strap is wound by rotation of the reel about a shank (16'"'"') on which the reel is rotatably mounted (15).

9. The holding device according to claim 8, wherein the retractor comprises a torsion spring (21) coupled between the shank and the reel.

10. The holding device according to claim 9, wherein the torsion spring is substantially in equilibrium when the strap is wound about the reel such that the strap is generally contained within the winding mechanism, whereby the torsion spring exerts a retracting force when the strap is extended outside of the reel.

11. The holding device according to claim 8, wherein the lock comprises a ratchet and a pawl.