Eyewear with magnetic track for electronic wearable device

• US 10,241,351 B2
• Filed: 06/10/2016
• Issued: 03/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Pogotec, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Pogotec, Inc.
• Inventors: Blum, Ronald D., Kokonaski, William, Clompus, Richard, Dannhardt, Walter, Pinazza, Massimo, Dalla Longa, Claudio, Trajkovska-Broach, Anita
• Primary Examiner(s): Dang, Hung
• Application Number:
  US15/179,018
• Publication Number:
  US 20160363787A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,019 Days
• Field of Search: 351158, 351111, 351121, 351 51, 351 52, 348 42
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/10 Electronic devices other than hearing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/02 Magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/008 Spectacles frames characterized by their material, material structure and material properties
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/14 Side-members
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/146 having special front end
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/22 Hinges pivotal connection in general F16C11/00

Abstract

An eyewear system according to the present disclosure may include at least one temple, and a temple guide provided on the at least one temple, wherein the temple guide comprises a guide surface defined by a ferromagnetic material of the temple, and wherein the temple guide is configured to magnetically retain an electronic wearable device in slidable attachment therewith and to restrict lateral movement of the electronic wearable device relative to the temple when the electronic wearable device is engaged with the temple guide.

Claims

1. An eyewear system comprising:

a frame including a lens-retaining portion comprising first and second end portions;

a pair of temples, each connected to a respective one of the first and second end portions; and

a pair of hinges, each connecting respective one of the temples to a respective one of the first and second end portions;

wherein, each of the temples comprises a first material and an insert formed of a ferromagnetic material and embedded in the first material, the insert being attached to and extending from the hinge towards a distal end of the temple, and wherein at least one of the temples in the pair comprises a track extending longitudinally along a length of the temple, wherein the track is defined by a groove formed in the first material and extending to a depth of the insert such that a base of the track is defined by the insert and wherein walls of the track are defined, at least in part, by the first material disposed around the insert.

2. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track has a constant width along a depth of the track.

3. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track has a constant width along a full length of the track.

4. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein a width of the track at a given location along the length of the track is smaller than a width of the ferromagnetic insert at the given location along the length of the track.

5. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the width of the track does not exceed 3.0 mm.

6. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the width of the track does not exceed 2.5 mm.

7. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the depth of the track does not exceed 2.0 mm.

8. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the depth of the track does not exceed 1.5 mm.

9. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein a forward end per QS of the track is located from 5 mm to 20 mm distally of the hinge.

10. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track is at least 15 mm long.

11. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein each of the temples comprises a track.

12. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the first material is plastic.

13. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the insert comprises spring steel, stainless steel, or combinations thereof, and wherein the first material comprises acetate.

14. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein an exposed surface of the insert is coated with a corrosion resistant material.

15. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein an exposed surface of the insert is coated with a colored material.

16. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein an exposed surface of the insert is coated with a low-friction material.

17. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein the track is curved in plan view, and wherein a radius of the track is 90 cm or greater.

18. The eyewear system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the temples of the pair comprises a arm portion and an earpiece portion connected at a bend configured to be positioned over a wearer'"'"'s ears, and wherein the track spans more than 50% of a length of the arm portion.

19. An eyewear system comprising:

an eyewear frame including a pair of hinges and a pair of temples, each temple of the pair of temples including insert formed of a ferromagnetic material, the insert being attached to and extending from the respective hinge towards a distal end of the respective temple; and

a track provided on at least one of the pair of temples, wherein the track comprises at least one surface defined by the ferromagnetic material of the insert, wherein the track is defined by a longitudinal slot in the at least one temple to a depth extending to the insert such that a base of the track is defined by the insert, and wherein the track is thereby configured to magnetically retain an electronic wearable device in attachment with the at least one temple.

20. The eyewear system of claim 19, wherein the eyewear system further comprises the electronic wearable device, and wherein the electronic wearable device comprises a protrusion including at least one magnet arranged in the protrusion to magnetically attract the ferromagnetic material of the temple when the protrusion is inserted, at least partially, within the track.

21. The eyewear system of claim 19, wherein the track is configured to enable attachment and removal of the electronic wearable device by insertion of a portion of the electronic wearable device into the track along a direction perpendicular to the base of the track.

22. The eyewear system of claim 19, wherein the temple comprises a first material different from the ferromagnetic material, and wherein the first material encloses, at least partially, the ferromagnetic material.

23. The eyewear system of claim 22, wherein the first material is a metal different from the ferromagnetic material.

24. The eyewear system of claim 22, wherein the first material is plastic.

25. The eyewear system of claim 19, further comprising an electronic wearable device including a device guide configured to magnetically attach to the temple, and wherein the electronic wearable device is slidable along the track when the electronic wearable device is attached to the temple.

26. The eyewear system of claim 25, wherein the device guide comprises first and second guide members defining a channel therebetween and a magnet disposed in the channel between the guide members.

27. An eyewear system comprising:

an eyewear frame including first and second hinges and first and second temples, each of the first and second temples including an insert attached to and extending from the respective hinge towards a distal end of the first or second temple;

a temple guide provided on at least one of the first and second temples, wherein the temple guide comprises a track comprising two opposing walls and a floor extending between the two opposing walls, wherein the floor is defined by a surface of the insert; and

an electronic wearable device configured to magnetically attach to the at least one temple via the temple guide, wherein the temple guide is configured to magnetically retain the electronic wearable device in slidable attachment therewith and to restrict lateral movement of the electronic wearable device relative to the temple when the electronic wearable device is engaged with the temple guide, and wherein the electronic wearable device comprises;

a magnet which attaches to the ferromagnetic material; and

an additional member for securing the electronic wearable device to the eyewear.

28. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the electronic wearable device is attachable to the at least one temple via magnetic attraction to the floor of the track and wherein the electronic wearable device is oriented by at least one wall of the track when attached to the at least one temple.

29. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the temple is made of plastic.

30. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the temple is made of metal.

31. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the additional member is a securing ring, which encircles a cross section of the temple.

32. The eyewear system of claim 31, wherein the securing ring is translucent or transparent.

33. The eyewear system of claim 32, wherein the securing ring has a cross sectional core thickness of less than 1.5 mm.

34. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the magnet is attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple by at least 0.5 Newtons when the electronic wearable device is attached to the at least one temple.

35. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the magnet is attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple by more than 10 Newtons when the electronic wearable device is attached to the at least one temple.

36. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the magnet is attracted to the ferromagnetic material of the temple within the range of 1.5 Newtons and 5 Newtons when the electronic wearable device is attached to the at least one temple.

37. The eyewear system of claim 27, wherein the magnet is a bar magnet.