Hinge with wire extending therethrough

• US 6,099,117 A
• Filed: 12/15/1998
• Issued: 08/08/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: PPG Industries Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Gregory, Christopher C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung Xuan
• Application Number:
  US09/211,787
• Time in Patent Office: 602 Days
• Field of Search: 351/49, 351/41, 351/158, 351/153, 351/44, 2/432, 16/228
• US Class Current: 351/49
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/22 Hinges pivotal connection in general F16C11/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/101 having an electro-optical light valve electro-optical elements per se G02F

Abstract

Hinge and one or more wires, or electrical conductors, wherein portion of such wire or wires extends axially through the hollow pivot pin of a hinge and wherein such portion of the wire or wires is placed in torsion upon the hinge being pivoted.

Claims

1. Eyeglass apparatus, comprising:

an eyeglass frame, a pair of temples and a pair of hinges respectively pivotally interconnecting said eyeglass frame with said temples, a pair of eyeglass lenses mounted in said eyeglass frame and each of said eyeglass lenses comprising optical means for changing an optical characteristic of said eyeglass lenses upon receipt of an electrical signal, an electrical circuit for providing an electrical signal to at least one of said eyeglass lenses and said electrical circuit mounted to at least one of said temples, at least one of said hinges including a tang extending outwardly from said eyeglass frame and a clevis extending outwardly from one end of one of said temples and a pivot pin pivotally interconnecting said tang and said clevis, at least one electrical conductor interconnecting said electrical circuit with at least one of said eyeglass lenses and a first portion of said electrical conductors extending through a first conductor passageway formed in said pivot pin.

2. The eyeglass apparatus of claim 1 wherein a second portion of said electrical conductor extends through a second conductor passageway formed in said tang.

3. The eyeglass apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pivot pin comprises a generally cylindrical and longitudinally extending first body and wherein said second conductor passageway comprises a first axial bore extending longitudinally through at least a first portion of said pivot pin and a second radial bore extending generally transversely through a second portion of said pivot pin and in communication with and generally perpendicular to said axial bore.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said tang includes a second body having a first pivot pin through hole extending therethrough for receiving the mid-portion of said pivot pin and wherein said second conductor passageway comprises a longitudinal bore extending generally longitudinally through said second body and generally perpendicular to and in communication with said first pivot pin through hole.

5. The eyeglass apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said clevis includes a generally U-shaped third body including a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel and generally rectangular clevis members having, respectively, second and third axially aligned pivot pin through holes extending therethrough for receiving the outer end portions of said pivot pin, upon said clevis members being placed over said tang and upon said pivot pin through holes being axially aligned said pivot pin being inserted through said pivot pin through holes to pivotally interconnect said tang and said clevis.

6. The eyeglass apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said eyeglass apparatus further comprises a second electrical circuit for providing an electrical signal to the other of said eyeglass lenses and said second electrical circuit mounted to the other one of said temples, a second hinge including a second tang extending outwardly from said eyeglass frame and a second clevis extending outwardly from one end of the other one of said temples and a second pivot pin pivotally interconnecting said second tang and said second clevis, a second electrical conductor interconnecting said second electrical circuit with the other of said eyeglass lenses and a third portion of said second electrical conductor extending through a third conductor passageway formed in said second pivot pin and a fourth portion of said second electrical conductor extending through a fourth conductor passageway formed in said second tang and said third portion of said second electrical conductor being placed in torsion upon pivotal movement between said second tang and said second clevis about said second pivot pin.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of tangs and a plurality of clevises being pivotally interconnected by a pivot pin.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tang has a rounded distal end.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pivot pin further comprises a first end and a second end, where said first end contains a radially extending flange and said second end contains a longitudinally directed threaded bore.

10. Eyeglass apparatus, comprising:

an eyeglass frame, a pair of temples and a pair of hinges respectively pivotally interconnecting said eyeglass frame with said temples, a pair of eyeglass lenses mounted in said eyeglass frame and each of said eyeglass lenses comprising optical means for changing an optical characteristic of said eyeglass lenses upon receipt of an electrical signal, an electrical circuit for providing an electrical signal to at least one of said eyeglass lenses and said electrical circuit mounted to at least one of said temples, at least one of said hinges including a tang extending outwardly from one end of one of said temples and a clevis extending outwardly from said eyeglass frame and a pivot pin pivotally interconnecting said tang and said clevis, at least one electrical conductor interconnecting said electrical circuit with at least one of said eyeglass lenses and a first portion of said electrical conductors extending through a first conductor passageway formed in said pivot pin.

11. The eyeglass apparatus of claim 10 wherein a second portion of said electrical conductor extends through a second conductor passageway formed in said tang.

12. The eyeglass apparatus according to claim 11 wherein said pivot pin comprises a generally cylindrical and longitudinally extending first body and wherein said second conductor passageway comprises a first axial bore extending generally centrally and longitudinally through at least a first portion of said pivot pin and a second radial bore extending generally transversely through a second portion of said pivot pin and in communication with and generally perpendicular to said axial bore.

13. The apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said tang includes a second body having a first pivot pin through hole extending therethrough for receiving the mid-portion of said pivot pin and wherein said second conductor passageway comprises a longitudinal bore extending generally longitudinally through said second body and generally perpendicular to and in communication with said first pivot pin through hole.

14. The eyeglass apparatus according to claim 10 wherein said clevis includes a generally U-shaped third body including a pair of spaced apart substantially parallel and generally rectangular clevis members having, respectively, second and third axially aligned pivot pin through holes extending therethrough for receiving the outer end portions of said pivot pin, upon said clevis members being placed over said tang and upon said pivot pin through holes being axially aligned said pivot pin being inserted through said pivot pin through holes to pivotally interconnect said tang and said clevis.

15. The eyeglass apparatus according to claim 14 wherein said eyeglass apparatus further comprises a second electrical circuit for providing an electrical signal to the other of said eyeglass lenses and said second electrical circuit mounted to the other one of said temples, a second hinge including a second tang extending outwardly from one end of the other one of said temples and a second clevis extending outwardly from said eyeglass frame and a second pivot pin pivotally interconnecting said second tang and said second clevis, a second electrical conductor interconnecting said second electrical circuit with the other of said eyeglass lenses and a third portion of said second electrical conductor extending through a third conductor passageway formed in said second pivot pin and a fourth portion of said second electrical conductor extending through a fourth conductor passageway formed in said second tang and said third portion of said second electrical conductor being placed in torsion upon pivotal movement between said second tang and said second clevis about said second pivot pin.

16. The eyeglass apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of tangs and a plurality of devises being pivotally interconnected by a pivot pin.

17. The eyeglass apparatus of claim 10 wherein the tang has a rounded distal end.

18. The eyeglass apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pivot pin further comprises a first end and a second end, where said first end contains a radially extending flange and said second end contains a longitudinally directed threaded bore.