US 12,228,801 B1
Hinge assembly for eyewear
Chukwubuikem Marcel Okoli, Los Angeles, CA (US); Benamanahalli K. Nagaraj, Manhattan Beach, CA (US); Nicholas Streets, Los Angeles, CA (US); Stephen Andrew Steger, Los Angeles, CA (US); Jordan Wakser, Los Angeles, CA (US); Choonshin You, Irvine, CA (US); and Ugur Olgun, West Hollywood, CA (US)
Assigned to Snap Inc., Santa Monica, CA (US)
Filed by Chukwubuikem Marcel Okoli, Los Angeles, CA (US); Benamanahalli K. Nagaraj, Manhattan Beach, CA (US); Nicholas Streets, Los Angeles, CA (US); Stephen Andrew Steger, Los Angeles, CA (US); Jordan Wakser, Los Angeles, CA (US); Choonshin You, Irvine, CA (US); and Ugur Olgun, West Hollywood, CA (US)
Filed on Apr. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/716,136.
Int. Cl. G02C 5/22 (2006.01); G02C 11/00 (2006.01)
CPC G02C 5/2254 (2013.01) [G02C 11/00 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A hinge assembly for connecting a temple to a frame of eyewear, the hinge assembly comprising:
a hinge element comprising a one-piece body that includes a first hinge element section for attachment to the frame and a second hinge element section for attachment to the temple;
the hinge element pre-bent along a hinge section to assume a bent configuration in a relaxed state, the hinge section separating the first hinge element section from the second hinge element section; and
the hinge element deformable from the relaxed state to a pre-loaded state when the first hinge element section is attached to the frame and the second hinge element section is attached to the temple, such that the hinge element connects the temple to the frame under a stored energy that biases the temple inwardly toward a user's head when worn.