Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
2002-01-07
2004-03-30
Welch, Gary L. (Department: 3765)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
active
06711754
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a pair of swimming/diving goggles with improved assembling reliability, waterproof effect, and safety. In addition, the pair of swimming/diving goggles has improved strength and diversified ornamentation.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 9
of the drawings illustrates a pair of conventional swimming goggles comprised of two lenses
1
′, two padding members
2
′, a bridge
3
′, and a head strap
4
′. Each lens
1
′ is made of rigid transparent material and includes a flange
11
′ for engaging with an associated one of the padding members
2
′. Each lens
1
′ further includes an inner connecting portion
12
′ for engaging with the bridge
3
′ and an outer connecting portion
13
′ for engaging with an associated end of the head strap
4
′. Each padding member
2
′ is made of soft material and includes a deformable receiving groove
21
′ for receiving an associated lens
1
′. Each padding member
2
′ further includes a padding portion
22
′ for intimate contact with a user's eye socket. The bridge
3
′ is made of slightly flexible material and is more rigid than the padding members
2
′. Thus, the bridge
3
′ may deform in response to different contours of the user's face, allowing the padding members
2
′ to be in intimate contact with the user's eye sockets. However, the assembly of the simple engagement between the lenses
1
′ and the padding members
2
′ of the pair of swimming goggles is not reliable. In use, leakage tends to occur in the area of the padding members
2
′ when the pair of swimming goggles is impinged. In some cases, the padding members
2
′ could be disengaged from the lenses
1
′, and the user's eye sockets could feel pain or even be injured by the rigid lenses
1
′.
FIGS. 10 and 11
illustrate another pair of conventional swimming goggles comprised of two lenses
5
′, two frames
6
′, a bridge
7
′, and a head strap
8
′. Each lens
5
′ is made of rigid transparent material and includes a peripheral edge
51
′ for engaging with an associated frame
6
′. The frames
6
′ and the bridge
7
′ are made of identical soft material. The lenses
5
′ are placed in a mold, and the soft material is injected into the mold and thus formed with the lenses
5
′. Each frame
6
′ includes a padding portion
61
′ for intimate contact with a user's eye socket and a connecting portion
62
′ for engaging with an end of the head strap
8
′. Each frame
6
′ includes an annular receiving groove
63
′ for receiving the peripheral edge
51
′ of the associated lens
5
′.
As illustrated in
FIG. 12
, when a relatively large force is applied to the head strap
8
′ during wearing of the pair of swimming goggles, the connecting portion
62
′ of the respective frame
6
′ could expand and thus disengage from the respective lens
5
′. As a result, the user's eye socket could be injured by the sharp edge of the lens
5
′. In order to provide a comfort, intimate contact with the user's eye socket, each padding portion
61
′ of the respective frame
6
′ must be made by softer material. The bridge
7
′ and the frames
6
′ are highly deformable when they are integrally formed by the same material as the padding portions
61
′. As a result, the frames
6
′ are apt to deform when applying a force to the head strap
8
′ for wearing purpose. In addition, the bridge
7
′ will deform to a large extent and thus press the nose of the user. Thus, the user will feel pain in the nose area. The above problems can be solved by means of making the frames
6
′ and the nose
7
′ with less soft material. But this results in discomfort to the user's eye sockets, as the padding portions
61
′ must be formed with the same material as the frames
6
′ and the nose
7
′.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A pair of swimming/diving goggles in accordance with the present invention comprises two lenses, a protective frame, and a main frame. Each lens is made of rigid transparent material and includes a peripheral edge. The protective frame is made of a material that is slightly flexible and pull-resistant. The protective frame includes two rings each having a receiving groove for engaging with the peripheral edge of an associated one of the lenses. The main frame is made of soft material and securely engaged with the protective frame by means of molding injection. The main frame includes two padding portions for intimate contact with a user's eye sockets. The protective frame prevents disengagement of the lenses from the protective frame and the main frame when a pulling force is applied for wearing the pair of swimming/diving goggles.
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patent: 5650866 (1997-07-01), Haslbeck
patent: 5771499 (1998-06-01), Monaco et al.
patent: 5802620 (1998-09-01), Chiang
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patent: 6253387 (2001-07-01), Yu
patent: 6473909 (2002-11-01), Chou
patent: 6499148 (2002-12-01), Chou
Baxley Charles E.
Welch Gary L.
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