Pseudoelastic &bgr; titanium eyeglass components
US6419358B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 24, 1999 |
| Grant date | Jul 16, 2002 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 24, 2019 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC A)Human Necessities
- CPC primaryA61L2400/16
- WIPO fieldMedical technology
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A new eyeglass frame, eyeglass frame component and method for making eyeglass frames or parts thereof of a nickel-free titanium based SMA. A pseudoelastic &bgr; titanium alloy is used which has superior fabricating characteristics combined with weldability with pseudoelastic properties over the temperature range of −25° C. to 50° C. making this alloy ideally suited for the manufacture of various eyeglass components. The disclosed eyeglass component alloy is a &bgr; titanium alloy contains alloying elements of molybdenum between 10.0 and 12.0 weight percent, aluminum between 2.8 and 4.0 weight percent, chromium and vanadium between 0.0 and 2.0 weight percent, and niobium between 0.0 and 4.0 weight percent. The eyeglass components fabricated from this alloy exhibit a strain recovery of up to 3.5% deformation, a lower stiffness than conventional binary nickel titanium alloys yielding superior wearer comfort.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.