HOME > PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE>view
Hinges for glasses
24-04-23 05:02:12 By Bestsea eyewear
Hinge for glasses is a small parts connecting the frame and temple.which can realize the opening and closing, also rotation between frame and temple.
Even though it’s only a small components, but actually it’s plays an important role in eyeglasses.so it’s help us to better protect our glasses and extend their service life when we well understanding the structure and types of hinges,as well as correctly to protect glasses hinges.
Below is a pair of metal glasses using a Open and close hinge type.
Type of hinges for glasses
Different types of hinges for glasses plays an important role in the field of eyeglass manufacturing. Spring hinges are favored for the unique flexibility and compression performance, it’s suitable for a variety of complex frames and use environments. Fixed hinges are popular because of their excellent resistance to bending and wear, it’s particularly suitable for combined frames. The custom hinge provides more choices and enriches the type of glasses.
Glasses hinges are generally divided into three types: spring hinges, screw hinges and embedded hinges.
1.Hinges for glasses: Spring Hinges.
With bending elasticity, when the temple opened outwards, it can automatically restore to the original state. which makes the glasses both easy to wear and take off, furthermore, it’s can adapt to different head shapes and facial contours which improving comfortable for eyeglass. Spring hinges are suitable for glasses of various materials, such as acetate glasses, metal glasses and titanium glasses, especially those with tough frames or temple.
The picture below shows a spring hinges used on acetate glasses frame.
Above pictures shows spring hinges of some eyeglasses, which are used for various material of glasses,such as metal, titanium,and acetate, injection glasses frames or horn glasses, wood glasses frame etc.
For Metal and titanium frame are mainly use welding process to fix the hinges with end piece and temple above.
For acetate and injection frame use the specially mechine to fix the hinges on the frame. Some types of hinges used for screw to fix frame, such as above shows picture”hidden inner spring hinges ”
2.Hinges for glasses: regular hinges.
Also called open and close hinges, this is a structural design that imitate the traditional book hinge; the advantage is that it realized the stable location to different angles, which help to adjust the best angles according to user’s requirements.
Meantime, due to this compact structure, it’s also helps to reduce the weight of the whole frame. For this kind of hinges are normally so it’s can be fixed above frame by machine, rivets or screws.
3.Hinges for glasses: fixed hinges.
This is a very normally form of hinges for glasses. which means that the temple and the end piece are formed in one piece and cannot be folded. The advantages of this hinges are simple structure, strong and durable, beautiful and generous. which generally used in customized solutions, so the styles are varied and also suitable for various types of glasses.
In addition to the various types of the above several hinges, here we also have the removable hinges, etc., which can realize the exchange of temple, such as a front frame with several pairs of different colors of temple, and the wearer can replace them at any time according to their preferences.
Design for hinges
The design of hinges fog glasses is varied, each type has its own unique features and useful place,so choosing the right glasses,not only considering the degree of the lens and styles of the frame, but also well understanding the different types and peculiarity of hinges.A good design of glasses should not only take into appearance and functionality, but also comfort and durability. So the hinges is one of the details that can not be ignored.
The human imagination is very various, the hinges can be designed for any style and structure, as long as it can meet the function of the hinge. Here are some very special hinges of glasses.
The Material choice of hinges for glasses
The material of hinges have a lots of choice, such as white copper, stainless steel, beryllium copper,titanium alloy and etc.each material has its advantages and disadvantage.that’s why we need to choose according to user’s needs.Aluminum alloy is light and comfortable, but less durable; Stainless steel corrosion-resistant, but heavier; Titanium alloys are lightweight and durable, but they are more expensive.
1. Normally the white copper has good machining performance, which is one of the most used materials, but the disadvantage is that the strength and melting point are low, it is generally used to make larger size hinges;
2. The comprehensive performance of high nickel white copper is good, which it is the most widely used hinges material, the high nickel white copper used for making hinges is 18Ni, 22Ni and 24Ni.
3. The mechanical properties of stainless steel are very good, but because of the hardness, so the processing is difficulty, it is generally used to produce hinges with smaller width sizes.
4. The processing of pure titanium (or titanium alloy) is more difficult, the price is more expensive as well, so it is only used for high-end titanium frames.
5. Beryllium copper is generally used for casting hinges. It is necessary to make a mold in advance, pour the dissolved beryllium copper solution into the mold, cool it and form it. The advantage of the casting process is that hinges of various complex shapes can be manufactured, but the disadvantage is that the surface of beryllium copper hinges is not smooth and the accuracy is not high enough.
Hinge manufacturing process
At present, the main hinge manufacturing process include special-shaped cutting process, casting process, pressing process and integrated metal injection process. The material and manufacturing process determine the durability and stability of the hinge.
1. Special hinge cutting process. The special-shaped and cutting process generally uses white copper, the use of extrusion and drawing method, the first to produce the metal wire with the shape of the hinge, then go ahead with the cutting and fine carving process. The hinges produced by this process have excellent mechanical properties and process properties, which can meet the requirements of subsequent processing in glasses,its have high precision and smoothly.
2. Hinge casting process. Casting is the process of cooling liquid metal through a casting mold to form a workpiece or part into the shape and size. The use of casting process to manufacture hinges, the advantage is that more complex hinges can be manufactured, the disadvantage is the lack of precision, surface is not good enough.
3,Hinge pressing process.This is generally used for the fixed hinge formed in one piece,at first we should make a mold then press it by the punching machine.finally,go ahead with the carving process and etc.
4.Metal injection molding process of hinges. Refers to name as MIM,which means a new powder metallurgy near net molding technology formed by introducing modern plastic injection molding technology into powder metallurgy.compared with others process,MIM can produce more complex and precise hinge,in the meantime, it’s the cheapest way to produce them.but the disadvantage is that this need to be make molding in advance, and the cost is super expensive.
The effect of glasses hinge
The hinge can make the temple easy to open and close , wear and adjust, but also can reduce the deformation and wastage, and extend the service life of the glasses.
1. The temple can be easy to open and close , which is convenient for wearing and storing.
2. The spring hinge has elasticity of bending , when the temple is open, it can automatically restore, so it can make the glasses more comfortable to wear.
3. a fashionable glasses hinge, it’s also play the role of beautifying glasses, which not only need to take into account the strength and flexibility of the material, but also pay attention to the stability and adjustment function of the structure, while integrating aesthetic elements, and care about the user experience in details. This kind of hinge can make your glasses looks nice.
Testing of Hinges for glasses
The hinge is an important part of the eyeglass, because it is used frequently, we needs to be tested for opening and closing, torque test and fatigue test. they are applicable to these tests Even for spring hinges, hinges, fixed hinges, etc.
1. The hinge opening and closing test and fatigue resistance test. Generally through the tester to know whether the hinge has any durability, if it can withstand a number of opening and closing activities and maintain the original state, the purpose is to test the tightness change of the hinge. At present, the best hinge brands are “Visottica” and “OBE”, and their hinges can generally withstand more than 10,000 times of opening and closing and still maintain a normal elastic state.
2. Torque test of hinges. Generally use a torque tester or manual testing. It is mainly twisted at a certain Angle without damage or breakage.
The Determine quality factors of hinge for glasses
The hinge is one of the most important parts of the glasses and the most frequently used part, so the quality of the hinge is very important. The process of some hinges is very complex, such as spring hinges, which contain many small components such as springs. As an experienced eyewear manufacturer, we play great attention to the quality of hinges, from the material, process, testing requirements to be perfect. So, what are the factors that affect the quality of the hinge?
1. Drawings. Each hinge must to be designed, then make the technology drawing, every detail must be paid attention to details and accurate.
2. Materials. Each material has its own different characteristics, according to the manufacturing process to choose the most suitable material. For example, if the hinge is wide, you can choose high nickel white copper, if the hinge is narrow, you can choose stainless steel, otherwise it’s easy to deform. Another example is the spring hinge, the quality of the spring material and process directly determines the quality of the spring hinge.
3. Craft. It can be said that the quality of hinges is good or not, if use advanced machines and processes are one of the most important factors.
4. Test. After the hinge is produced, each new structure can also withstand a variety of tests, and only through these strict tests can it be considered a good quality hinge.
5. The hinge accessories. It’s also one of factors that determine their quality. To use good quality screws, such as screws made by precision machines, as well as rubber screws, etc., can make the opening and closing of the hinge more smooth. In addition, titanium hinges and some fixed combination hinges, where the mutual bite can add an ultra-thin metal gasket, can improve the quality and performance of the hinges.
Maintenance method of hinges for glasses
Whether it is a spring hinge, or some normally hinges, the process of the hinge is closely related to how you protected it, manufacturing processes such as forging, die casting, etc., determine its durability and stability, the maintenance determine how long can be used for the hinges. In order to keep a good experience and extend the service life of the glasses, it is necessary to carefully maintain the glasses hinges.
1. Pay attention to cleaning and regularly remove dust and dirt on the hinge, which can effectively prevent wear and corrosion.
1. Use lubricating oil regularly, and then gently shake a few times to keep its rotation flexible and prevent hinge blockage or excessive friction.
2. Avoid bending, do not bend the mirror leg too much, so as not to damage the hinge.
3. Regularly check whether the hinge is loose, and adjust it in time if it is loose.
In addition, you should also cherish your glasses, try to avoid falling, please dry them with a special glasses cloth after use, and avoid being in a humid environment for a long time to avoid rust on the hinges.
The hinge welding process of glasses
Hinge welding process, as it’s named means nailing hinges to the eyeglass frame, just like nailing iron nails to the board. The hinge welding process is suitable for regular eyeglass hinges and spring hinges.
It’s can be said the most important process to determine the structure of the acetate frame, only after the hinges, the frames and temples can be assembled into a complete frame by screws. The hinge welding process has been upgraded from the traditional manual mold and equipment to the CNC machine. A person can complete the this work of the left and right temple of a pair of eyeglasses frame, including pre-drilling, heating, welding, self-inspection and other processes, which can be perfectly connected in one station.
Hinge welding process, not only determine the importance process of eyeglasses structure, but also determine the key process of eyeglasses size; such as, the angele and depth of the hinges not only affect the connection between frame and temple.but also affects the appearance and comfort of the eyeglass products.
There are many hinge manufacturing factories, the most famous manufacturers is France's VISOTTICA and Germany's OBE, in China name Kanghua’s hinge, etc., in Shenzhen there are also some specialized production of hinge factories. The picture below shows VISOTTICA's spring hinge and opposite hinge.
With the development of science and technology, equipment, we can expect that the hinges will become more and more variously. Perhaps, in the future, smart hinges will become an important development trend. The integration of smart technology will give traditional hinges unprecedented functionality and control. For example, we can expect that the hinges will be equipped with sensors and micro-motors to achieve the function of automatically adjusting the Angle to suit the specific needs of the user and the use environment. Such smart hinges may automatically adjust the lens Angle based on light intensity or the user's needs, and may even integrate a Bluetooth module to sync data with a smartphone or other device to remind the user to take a break or adjust the line of sight.
Do you think such smart glasses hinges will appear in the future?
In general, the hinge is small, but it is one of the most important parts of the glasses, its role is like a hand or leg joint, so whether it is the eyeglass manufacturer, or the eyeglass brand seller or the wearer, must know some knowledge of the hinges for hinges. Therefore, we sorted out some knowledge from the types, materials, manufacturing processes, hinge testing and maintenance, so that you can better understand what is glasses hinges.
Share Articles To:
PRE:The collection value of horn glasses
NEXT:Nose pad for glasses