Auxiliary eyewear attachment methods and apparatus

Abstract

A method and apparatus for mounting auxiliary eyeglasses on conventional eyeglasses in which magnets are attached to appendages on the auxiliary eyeglasses mating with magnets mounted on the temple extensions of conventional eyeglasses. The magnets on the auxiliary eyeglasses are mounted in sockets formed on the appendages of the auxiliary eyeglasses such that their maximum magnetic force is oriented vertically or parallel to the plane of the conventional eyeglass frame. The appendages on the auxiliary eyeglass frame fit beneath the temple extensions on the conventional eyeglasses frame to hold the auxiliary frames in place solely by the magnetic attractive force. The orientation of the magnets is such that the maximum magnetic force resists any downward movement of the auxiliary eyeglasses on the conventional eyeglasses when installed. In a modification of the embodiment, the magnets mounted on the conventional eyeglasses are recessed in sockets formed on the temple extensions while the magnets mounted on the appendages extend out of the sockets. The extended magnets fit into the recesses in the conventional eyeglass sockets automatically aligning and securing the auxiliary eyeglasses on the conventional eyeglasses.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method of attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to conventional eyeglasses comprising; 
 a plurality of magnets mounted on said conventional eyeglasses;    a plurality of magnets mounted on said auxiliary eyeglasses adopted to fit beneath and mate with said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglasses;    said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglasses and said plurality of magnets on said auxiliary eyeglasses being mounted to orient the maximum magnet attractive force vertically approximately parallel to the plane of lenses in said conventional eyeglasses;    whereby said auxiliary eyeglasses are prevented from moving downward and being displaced when mounted on said conventional eyeglasses by said attractive force between said magnets.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1  comprising mounting said plurality of magnets in said conventional eyeglasses in temple extensions of a frame of said conventional eyeglasses; and mounting said plurality of magnets on said auxiliary eyeglasses in appendages that extend from opposite sides of a frame of said auxiliary eyeglasses.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 2  comprising mounting a plurality of cylindrical magnets with their axis vertically oriented parallel to the lenses of said conventional eyeglasses; and mounting a plurality of mating cylindrical magnets with their axis vertically oriented parallel to the lenses of said auxiliary eyeglasses whereby the maximum magnetic attractive force prevents detachment of said auxiliary eyeglasses from said conventional eyeglasses by downward movement.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 2  comprising; providing sockets on said temple extensions and on said auxiliary eyeglass appendages; mounting said plurality of magnets in said respective sockets.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 4  including forming a recess adjacent said plurality of magnets in one pair of said sockets; and extending said plurality magnets out of the other of said sockets whereby said extended magnets fit into said recesses to automatically align and secure said auxiliary eyeglasses when mounted on said conventional eyeglass frame.  
     
     
         6 . The method according to  claim 5  in which said sockets having said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglass frame extensions are recessed and said plurality magnets mounted on said appendages on said auxiliary eyeglass frame extend out of said sockets.  
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6  including; coating the exposed sides of said magnets with a protective and decorative material.  
     
     
         8 . The method according to  claim 7  including coating the exposed sides of said magnets with a protective and decorative material that matches the frames of the conventional eyeglasses and auxiliary eyeglasses.  
     
     
         9 . Apparatus for attaching auxiliary eyeglasses to conventional eyeglasses comprising; 
 a plurality of magnets mounted on said conventional eyeglasses;    a plurality of magnets mounted on said auxiliary eyeglasses for mating beneath said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglasses;    said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglasses and said mounting plurality of magnets on said auxiliary eyeglasses being oriented such that the maximum magnetic attractive force between said magnets is oriented vertically parallel to lenses in said conventional eyeglasses;    whereby said plurality of magnets on said auxiliary eyeglasses when mated beneath said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglasses provides maximum resistance to downward movement of said auxiliary eyeglasses thereby preventing said auxiliary eyeglasses from detaching from said conventional eyeglasses.    
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9  in which said plurality of magnets mounted on said conventional eyeglasses are attached to temple mounting extensions on a frame of said conventional eyeglasses; and said plurality of magnets mounted on said auxiliary eyeglasses are mounted on appendages on said auxiliary eyeglasses adapted to fit beneath said temple extension on said frame of said conventional eyeglasses.  
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  including sockets formed on said temple extensions and sockets formed on said appendages on said auxiliary eyeglasses; said plurality of magnets on said conventional eyeglasses and said auxiliary eyeglasses being mounted in said sockets.  
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11  in which a first pair of said sockets having said plurality of magnets forming a recess; a second pair of sockets having a plurality of magnets that extend out of said sockets; said second plurality of magnets constructed to fit in said recesses in said first pair of sockets; whereby said second plurality of magnets automatically engage and fit into said recesses to automatically align and secure said auxiliary eyeglasses when mounted on said conventional eyeglasses.  
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 12  in which said first pair of sockets having said magnets forming a recess are on said conventional eyeglass extensions; and said second pair of sockets with magnets extended out therefrom are mounted on said auxiliary eyeglasses.  
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 10  including a protective and decorative coating on an exposed side of said plurality of magnets.  
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 14  in which said protective and decorative coating is constructed to match the frames on said conventional eyeglasses and said auxiliary eyeglasses.