Swiss cycling glasses with patented click-in technology
We talked to Simon, our designer and product developer. Because we wanted to know more about the screwless click-in technology. Curious why Simon sometimes wonders about the granted patent? Why our click-in hinge corresponds to a U-profile from shape theory? And what design has to do with simplicity? Go ahead, check out the interview below – part one.
Simon, you describe the screwless click-in technology as the heart of your cycling glasses. What is the idea behind it?
As a product developer, I asked the simple question: What is the function of a frame? And how should a frame be designed to fulfil this function in the best possible way? A conventional hinge is a weak point: a hinge is there to fold the glasses compactly and stow them away. But a frame does not fulfil its job with folded temples in the case. A frame does its job with unfolded temples on the face.
What does this mean for your hinge?
Conventional hinges are movable. They form two unstable points on the face. With our glasses, the hinge is clicked into place. This creates a stable connection between the front and the two temples – and thus between the nose and the two contact points at the ears. This is how we absorb movement and facial expressions. The glasses stay where they belong and do not slip off the nose.
«With our technology, the hinge is clicked into place. This creates a stable connection between the front and the two temples.»
Sounds plausible. What is the consideration behind it?
In the words of a designer and product developer: With the temples clicked in, our glasses have the shape of a U-profile. We know from shape theory that this profile has the greatest possible stability. With the click-in hinge, we make use of this advantage.
How long did the development take?
The idea for the click-in hinge came up five years ago during my industrial design studies. The first prototype worked differently. Although the hinge could also be clicked in, we noticed during user tests that the handling was not intuitive. We can’t re-educate people, but we can offer them added value with products that are easy to handle. So the development of the click-in hinge was not straightforward, but a multi-stage process.
«My aspiration is people looking at our click-in hinge and thinking: ‘actually, that makes sense’.»
You have applied a patent for the click-in technology.
Exactly. The patent has already been granted in some countries. Which is great! And at the same time, it sometimes makes me wonder how a simple and intuitive construction like our hinge can be patented at all. But probably the magic lies right in this simplicity.
Interview part II: Learn how we continuously gathered customer feedback to optimise our cycling glasses.
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