Moisture-resistant electronic spectacle frames

Abstract

Eyewear including an optical functional member, control electronics, and a sealed electrical connective element connecting the electronics to the optical functional member. The connective element can directly connect the electronics to the optical functional member, or can connect through an intermediate contact, e.g., a plug-and-receptacle. The connective element can be routed from the electronics, around a rimlock of the eyewear to the optical functional member. The connective element can be a conductive compressible member, such as conductive rubber. In some embodiments, the connective element can be a multiconductor cable.

1 . Eyewear comprising:
 an optical functional member;   an electronics module comprising electronics for controlling the optical functional member; and   at least one sealed electrical connective element connecting the electronics of the electronics module to the optical functional member.   
     
     
         2 . The eyewear of  claim 1  wherein:
 the optical functional member comprises at least one electrical connector, 
 the connective element directly connects the electronics of the electronics module to the at least one electrical connector of the optical functional member, and 
 the electronics module is sealed. 
 
     
     
         3 . The eyewear of  claim 1 :
 further comprising at least one intermediate electrical contact; and   wherein:
 the optical functional member comprises at least one electrical connector, and 
 the connective element connects the electronics of the electronics module to the at least one electrical connector of the optical functional member through the at least one intermediate electrical contact. 
   
     
     
         4 . The eyewear of  claim 3  wherein:
 the intermediate electrical contact comprises a plug-and-receptacle. 
 
     
     
         5 . The eyewear of  claim 3  wherein the intermediate electrical contact is located at one of: a rim of the eyewear, a surface of the optical functional member, a frame front of the eyewear, an electronic display, an electronic controller. 
     
     
         6 . The eyewear of  claim 1  wherein:
 the eyewear further comprises a temple and a rimlock, and 
 wherein:
 the electronics module is located in the temple, and 
 the connective element is routed from the electronics module through the rimlock to the optical functional member. 
 
 
     
     
         7 . The eyewear of  claim 6  wherein:
 the rimlock comprises an upper rimlock and a lower rimlock, and 
 the connective element is routed between the upper rimlock and the lower rimlock. 
 
     
     
         8 . The eyewear of  claim 6  wherein:
 the rimlock comprises an upper rimlock and a lower rimlock, and 
 the connective element forms a layer between the upper rimlock and the lower rimlock. 
 
     
     
         9 . The eyewear of  claim 8  wherein:
 the layer is an electrically insulating layer. 
 
     
     
         10 . The eyewear of  claim 1  wherein:
 the connective element is a conductive compressible member 
 
     
     
         11 . The eyewear of  claim 10  wherein:
 the conductive compressible member is conductive rubber. 
 
     
     
         12 . The eyewear of  claim 1  wherein:
 the connective element comprises a multi-conductor cable. 
 
     
     
         13 . An eyewear frame comprising:
 an electronics module comprising electronics for controlling an optical functional member; and   at least one sealed electrical connective element:
 connecting the electronics of the electronics module at a first end of the connective element, and 
 configured to connect to an optical functional element at a second end of the connective element. 
   
     
     
         14 . The eyewear frame of  claim 13  wherein:
 the optical functional member comprises at least one electrical connector, 
 the connective element directly connects the electronics of the electronics module to the at least one electrical connector of the optical functional member, and 
 the electronics module is sealed. 
 
     
     
         15 . The eyewear frame of  claim 13 :
 further comprising at least one intermediate electrical contact; and   wherein:
 the optical functional member comprises at least one electrical connector, and 
 the connective element connects the electronics of the electronics module to the at least one electrical connector of the optical functional member through the at least one intermediate electrical contact. 
   
     
     
         16 . The eyewear frame of  claim 15  wherein:
 the intermediate electrical contact comprises a plug-and-receptacle. 
 
     
     
         17 - 24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . Eyewear comprising:
 at least one electrical conductor; and   at least one non-electrically-conductive grease coating a portion of the electrical conductor.   
     
     
         26 . The eyewear of  claim 25  wherein the grease is silicone grease. 
     
     
         27 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . A method of assembling eyewear comprising:
 affixing a portion of eyewire to a rimlock to form a first stage assembly, wherein each surface point of the first stage assembly comprises a single electrical node;   bisecting the first stage assembly, forming an upper rimlock with upper eyewire and a lower rimlock with lower eyewire;   coating the bisected first stage assembly with an electrically-insulating coating.   
     
     
         31 - 33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . The eyewear of  claim 1  wherein:
 the at least one sealed electrical conductive element is at least one of: moisture resistant, salt resistant, and moisture proof.