Elastic hinge for eyeglass frames and process for the mounting thereof

Abstract

Elastic hinge for eyeglass frames, provided with two pivot elements hinged together by means of a pin. A first pivot element is provided with an elastic device comprising a carriage provided, at an external end thereof, with a head portion having a first hole which is extended passing between its two lateral faces. A second pivot element comprises two shoulders provided with second holes and delimiting a slit between them in which the head portion is inserted. The head portion comprises a tilted slide surface, which is extended towards the external end of the carriage on at least one of the lateral faces of the head portion directed towards the head of the pin, covering at least one area adjacent to the first through hole.

1 . An elastic hinge for eyeglass frames, which comprises:
 a first pivot element ( 4 ), which is mechanically associable with a first component ( 2 ,  3 ) of an eyeglass frame, and is provided with an elastic device ( 7 ) susceptible of housing in a seat ( 10 ) associated with said first component ( 2 ,  3 ), said elastic device ( 7 ) comprising;
 at least one carriage ( 8 ), which is slidably movable in said seat ( 10 ), and is provided, at an external end ( 9 ′) of the carriage ( 8 ), with at least one head portion ( 9 ) projecting from said seat ( 10 ) and provided with a corresponding first through hole ( 90 ) which is extended passing between two lateral faces ( 9 A,  9 B) of said head portion ( 9 ) along a transverse axis (X); 
 at least one spring ( 11 ) acting on said carriage ( 8 ) in order to elastically force said carriage ( 8 ) towards the interior of said seat ( 10 ); 
   a second pivot element ( 5 ), mechanically associable with a second component ( 3 ,  2 ) of the eyeglass frame and comprising at least two shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B) provided with second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) and delimiting at least one slit ( 14 ) between them in which said head portion ( 9 ) is inserted;   at least one hinge pin ( 6 ) engaged in the first through hole ( 90 ) of the head portion ( 9 ) of said first pivot ( 4 ) and in the second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) of the shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B) of said second pivot ( 5 ) in order to rotatable couple together said first pivot ( 4 ) and said second pivot ( 5 );   wherein the head portion ( 9 ) comprises at least one slide surface ( 70 ), which is extended towards the external end ( 9 ′) on at least one lateral face ( 9 A) of the two lateral faces ( 9 A,  99 ) of said head portion ( 9 ), such lateral face ( 9 A) directed towards a head ( 60 ) of said hinge pin ( 6 ), said slide surface ( 70 ) covering at least one area adjacent to said first through hole ( 90 ) and extended in a tilted manner towards said first through hole ( 90 ).   
     
     
         2 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to claim.  1 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is extended in the direction of said external end ( 9 ′) for a depth (L) greater than at least  115  of the diameter of said first through hole ( 90 ). 
     
     
         3 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is tilted with average tilt angle (α) comprised between 25° and 65°, with respect to the transverse axis (X) of said first through hole ( 90 ). 
     
     
         4 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is extended in the direction of said external end ( 9 ′) for a depth (L) equal to or greater than the offset (D) existing between the axes of said hinge pin ( 6 ) and said first through hole ( 90 ), when said hinge pin ( 6 ) is removed. 
     
     
         5 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said hinge pin ( 6 ) is provided with a stem ( 61 ) and with a free end ( 63 ), such free end ( 63 ) of said hinge pin ( 6 ) connected to the stem ( 61 ) by means of a terminal portion ( 61 B″) with tapered shape of width (d);
 said slide surface ( 70 ) being extended in the direction of said external end ( 9 ′) for a depth (L) equal to or greater than the difference between the offset (D) between said hinge pin ( 6 ) and said first through hole ( 90 ), and the width (d) of the terminal portion ( 61 B″) with tapered shape of the stem ( 61 ), when said hinge pin ( 6 ) is removed. 
 
     
     
         6 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said first through hole ( 90 ) has, at least at the lateral face ( 9 A) of said head portion ( 9 ) directed towards the head ( 60 ) of said hinge pin ( 6 ), a smoothed annular edge ( 71 ) which is extended for at least one circular sector and is connected at the ends ( 72 ) of the smoothed annular edge ( 71 ) to said slide surface ( 70 ). 
     
     
         7 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is provided with a front edge, such front edge of said slide surface ( 70 ) close to said external end ( 9 ′) is extended with circular arc form ( 73 ) with diameter substantially equal to the diameter of said first through hole ( 90 ) and is tangentially connected to said first through hole ( 90 ) with two parallel sections ( 74 ). 
     
     
         8 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is provided with a front edge, such front edge of said slide surface ( 70 ) close to said external end extended with circular arc form ( 73 ) with diameter greater than the diameter of said first through hole ( 90 ) and encloses said first through hole ( 90 ) itself, being connected to said first through hole ( 90 ) in middle position or in an advanced position beyond said middle position in the direction of said seat ( 10 ). 
     
     
         9 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said first pivot element ( 4 ) is provided with two parallel head portions ( 9 ), provided with two corresponding first through holes ( 90 ) from which two corresponding said slide surfaces ( 70 ) are extended; and
 wherein said second pivot element ( 5 ) comprises three shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B), which are provided with corresponding second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) and delimit between them two slits ( 14 ) in which said two head portions ( 9 ) are inserted.   
     
     
         10 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said head portion ( 9 ) comprises one said slide surface ( 70 ) on each external lateral face ( 9 A,  9 B). 
     
     
         11 . The elastic hinge for eyeglass frames according to  claim 1 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is extended on the lateral face ( 9 A), starting from said first through hole ( 90 ), with main extension towards said external end ( 9 ′). 
     
     
         12 . A process for mounting an elastic hinge on eyeglass frames according o  claim 1 , wherein the elastic hinge comprises:
 a first pivot element ( 4 ), which is mechanically associable with a first component ( 2 ,  3 ) of an eyeglass frame, and is provided with an elastic device ( 7 ) susceptible of housing in a seat ( 10 ) associated with said first component ( 2 ,  3 ), said elastic device ( 7 ) comprising:
 at least one carriage ( 8 ), which is slidably movable in said seat ( 10 ), and is provided, at an external end ( 9 ′) of the carriage ( 8 ), with at least one head portion ( 9 ) projecting from said seat ( 10 ) and provided with a corresponding first hole through ( 90 ) which is extended passing between two lateral faces ( 9 A,  9 B) of said head portion ( 9 ) along a transverse axis (X); 
 at least one spring ( 11 ) acting on said carriage ( 8 ) in order to elastically force said carriage ( 8 ) towards the interior of said seat ( 10 ); 
   a second pivot element ( 5 ), mechanically associable with a second component ( 3 ,  2 ) of the eyeglass frame and comprising at least two shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B) provided with second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) and delimiting at least one slit ( 14 ) between them in which said head portion ( 9 ) is inserted;   at least one hinge pin ( 6 ) engaged in the first through hole ( 90 ) of the head portion ( 9 ) of said first pivot ( 4 ) and in the second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) of the shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B) of said second pivot ( 5 ) in order to rotatably couple together said first pivot ( 4 ) and said second pivot ( 5 ); wherein the head portion ( 9 ) comprises at least one slide surface ( 70 ), which is extended towards the external end ( 9 ′) on at least one lateral face ( 9 A) of the two lateral faces ( 9 A,  9 B) of said head portion ( 9 ), such lateral face ( 9 A) directed towards a head ( 60 ) of said hinge pin ( 6 ), said slide surface ( 70 ) covering at least one area adjacent to said first through hole ( 90 ) and extended in a tilted manner towards said first through hole ( 90 );   wherein the process comprises the following operating steps:   fixing said first pivot element ( 4 ) to said first component of the eyeglass frame;   fixing said second pivot element ( 5 ) to said second component of the eyeglass frame;   inserting said at least one head portion ( 9 ) in said slit ( 14 ) defined between said at least two shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B) in order to place in succession said first through hole ( 90 ) with said second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) offset from each other;   a step of engaging said pin ( 6 ) in said first hole and second holes of said two pivots ( 4 ,  5 ), wherein the free end ( 63 ) of the stem ( 61 ) of said pin ( 6 ) acts in abutment against the slide surface ( 70 ) of the lateral face ( 9 A,  9 B) of said head portion ( 9 ), forcing said elastic device ( 7 ) to slide in said seat ( 10 ) until the first through hole ( 90 ) of said head portion ( 9 ) of said first pivot ( 4 ) is substantially aligned with the second holes ( 50 A,  50 B) of the shoulders ( 5 A,  5 B) of said second pivot ( 5 ).   
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 12 , wherein during said step of engaging said hinge pin ( 6 ) in said first through hole ( 90 ) and in said second holes ( 50 A,  50 B), the head ( 60 ) of said pin ( 6 ) is housed in a shaped second hole ( 50 A) of a first shoulder ( 5 A) of said second pivot ( 5 ), the threaded terminal portion ( 61 A) of the stem ( 61 ) of said pin ( 6 ) is engaged via screwing in a second threaded terminal hole ( 50 B) of a second shoulder ( 5 B) of said second pivot ( 5 ), and at least one middle portion ( 61 B) of said pin ( 6 ) is inserted in the first through hole ( 90 ) of said head portion ( 9 ), in particular substantially to size. 
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 12 , wherein said slide surface ( 70 ) is obtained by means of machining via removal of material, in particular by means of milling with mill that conducts pass or plunge machining.