Electro-active spectacle frames

• US 8,979,259 B2
• Filed: 07/08/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carl Zeiss Vision International GMBH (Carl-Zeiss-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Mitsui Chemicals Incorporated (Mitsui Chemicals)
• Inventors: Haddock, Joshua N., Blum, Ronald D., Dalla Longa, Claudio, Graham, Mark, Wang, Yongping
• Primary Examiner(s): DANG, HUNG XUAN
• Application Number:
  US13/179,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20130010256A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,348 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/111, 351/113, 351/41, 351/49
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/2272 Hinges without well-defined pivot axis

Abstract

A first device is provided. The first device includes a lens comprising at least a first electrical contact and a lens housing holding the lens. The lens housing includes at least a second electrical contact. The first device further comprises a compliant conductive element disposed between the first and the second electrical contact. The compliant conductive element electrically connects the first and second electrical contacts.

Claims

1. A first device, comprising:

a lens comprising at least a first electrical contact;

a lens housing holding the lens, wherein the lens housing comprises at least a second electrical contact; and

a physically compliant and compressible conductive element disposed between the first and the second electrical contact, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element electrically connects the first and second electrical contacts.

2. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element comprises conductive rubber.

3. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is disposed between the lens housing and the lens.

4. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a shape that comprises any one of, or some combination of, a triangle, a square, a “

figure 8,”

an oval, a circle, and a rectangle.

5. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element comprises:

a first end having a first thickness;

a second end having a second thickness; and

a center portion having a third thickness;

wherein the center portion is disposed between and coupled to the first end and the second end; and

wherein the first thickness of the first end and the second thickness of the second end are each greater than the third thickness of the center portion.

6. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is an extrusion.

7. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the lens comprises a first surface;

wherein the lens housing comprises a first surface; and

wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element substantially conforms to at least a portion of the first surface of the lens and at least a portion of the first surface of the lens housing.

8. The first device of claim 1, further comprising:

a first temple coupled to the lens housing; and

an electronic module coupled to the first temple;

wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is electrically connected to the electronic module.

9. The first device of claim 8, further comprising:

a conductor substantially embedded within the temple and/or the lens housing;

wherein the conductor electrically connects the electronic module to the physically compliant and compressible conductive element.

10. The first device of claim 9, wherein a first portion of the conductor is exposed;

and

wherein the first portion of the conductor electrically connects the electronic module to the physically compliant and compressible conductive element.

11. The first device of claim 9, wherein the lens housing comprises acetate.

12. The first device of claim 8, wherein the lens housing comprises a conductive material;

and

wherein the lens housing electrically connects the electronic module to the physically compliant and compressible conductive element.

13. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises semi-rimless spectacle frames.

14. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the lens comprises a first groove;

wherein the lens housing comprises a first cavity;

wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element comprises a first and a second portion; and

wherein the first portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is disposed substantially within the first groove of the lens and the second portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is disposed substantially within the first cavity of the lens housing.

15. The first device of claim 14, wherein the first portion and the second portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element are connected by a bridge.

16. The first device of claim 14,

wherein the first portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a first shape that comprises any one of a triangle, a square, a circle, and a rectangle;

and

wherein the second portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a second shape that comprises any one of a triangle, a square, a circle, and a rectangle.

17. The first device of claim 14,

wherein the lens has a first surface that is located within the first groove;

and

wherein at least a part of the first portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element substantially conforms to the first surface of the first groove.

18. The first device of claim 14, wherein the first surface of the lens is coated with a conductive paint.

19. The first device of claim 14, wherein the first groove of the lens has width approximately within the range of 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm and a depth approximately within the range of 0.4 mm and 1.0 mm.

20. The first device of claim 14, wherein the groove of the first lens has width of approximately 0.7 mm and a depth of approximately 0.6 mm.

21. The first device of claim 14,

wherein the lens housing has a first surface that is located within the first cavity;

and

wherein a part of the second portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element substantially conforms to the first surface of the first cavity.

22. The first device of claim 14, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has an uncompressed height of at least the distance between the first surface of the first groove of the lens and the first surface of the first cavity of the lens housing.

23. The first device of claim 22, wherein first surface of the lens housing and the first surface of the lens compress at least a portion of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element when the lens housing and the lens are coupled.

24. The first device of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises full rimmed spectacle frames.

25. The first device of claim 1,

wherein the lens comprises a first surface;

wherein the lens housing comprises a first cavity;

wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element comprises a first surface;

wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is disposed substantially within the first cavity of the lens housing; and

wherein the first surface of the physically compliant and compressible conductive element substantially conforms to the first surface of the lens.

26. The first device of claim 25, wherein the first surface of the lens comprises a first and second beveled edge.

27. The first device of claim 25,

wherein the first cavity has a width;

and

wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has an uncompressed width that is greater than the width of the cavity.

28. The first device of claim 25,

wherein the cavity of the lens housing has a top surface;

wherein a portion of the lens extends into the first cavity of the lens housing; and

wherein the physically and compressible conductive element has an uncompressed height that is approximately equal to or greater than a distance from the top surface of the cavity of the lens housing to the portion of the lens that extends into the first cavity.

29. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element comprises metal loaded silicon elastomers.

30. The first device of claim 29, wherein the metal comprises silver and aluminum (AG-Al).

31. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a volume resistivity that is less than 10 Ω

-cm.

32. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a volume resistivity that is less than 1 Ω

-cm.

33. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a hardness on the shore durometer A scale that is greater than 50.

34. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a hardness on the shore durometer A scale that is greater than 65.

35. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element has a hardness on the shore durometer A scale that approximate equal to 70 and a volume resistivity of approximately 0.0008 Ω

-cm.

36. The first device of claim 1, wherein the physically compliant and compressible conductive element is elastic.

37. A first device comprising:

a lens comprising at least a first electrical contact;

a lens housing holding the lens, wherein the lens housing comprises at least a second electrical contact; and

a compliant conductive element disposed between the first and the second electrical contact, wherein the compliant conductive element electrically connects the first and second electrical contacts

wherein the lens comprises a first groove;

wherein the lens housing comprises a first cavity;

wherein the compliant conductive element comprises a first and a second portion; and

wherein the first portion of the compliant conductive element is disposed substantially within the first groove of the lens and the second portion of the compliant conductive element is disposed substantially within the first cavity of the lens housing;

wherein the compliant conductive element has an uncompressed height of at least the distance between the first surface of the first groove of the lens and the first surface of the first cavity of the lens housing;

wherein the uncompressed height of the compliant conductive element is at least 0.75 mm.