Optics: eye examining – vision testing and correcting – Spectacles and eyeglasses – Ophthalmic lenses or blanks
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-07
2001-03-27
Epps, Georgia (Department: 2873)
Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting
Spectacles and eyeglasses
Ophthalmic lenses or blanks
C351S177000, C359S742000, C434S258000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06206521
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains to human activities, and more particularly to apparatus that mimics the causes of inability to perform selected common actions.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The detrimental effects of intoxication on the ability of persons to perform common activities is well known. For example, major efforts have been made for years to rid the highways of intoxicated drivers.
A vital part of law enforcement involves educating drivers about the dangers of driving when intoxicated. As part of such educational programs, various types of equipment have been developed that simulate intoxication. An example of a prior educational aid is a pair of goggles with eyepieces that deceive the wearer as to the actual locations of objects he is viewing. When the person wears the prior goggles, he perceives his surroundings as being displaced from their actual locations. Consequently, the person becomes disoriented and is unable to perform such simple activities as walking in a straight line. Examples of prior eyewear that induce disorientation may be seen in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,522,474; 4,698,564; and 5,362,238.
The eyewear of the foregoing patents employs two separate eyepieces made from fresnel lenses with straight light refracting prisms. The prior eyewear shifts the apparent locations of objects as perceived by the wearer relative to their actual locations. Depending on the orientation of the refracting prisms in the eyewear, the objects are perceived as being up, down, or to one side of their true locations relative to the wearer. However, the products of the foregoing patents produce little, if any, actual distortion of the perceived objects. After a relatively short time wearing the eyewear, a person becomes acclimated to the perceived shift in location. The impairment effect of the eyewear is thus reduced.
The Pacific Science Center And Group Health Cooperative, under a grant from the National Institutes of Health/National Center For Research Resources, has designed a visual perception curriculum entitled “Brain Power It's All In Your Head.” The Pacific Science Center curriculum employs fresnel lenses as a tool for disorienting persons. Two separate small eyepieces made from the corners of a fresnel lens are used. The refracting prisms of the fresnel lens may be curved. The refracting prisms of both eyepieces are parallel to each other. Because of the short lengths of the refracting prisms in each eyepiece, a person perceives objects as being only displaced from their true locations. In fact, the Pacific Science Center curriculum specifically instructs persons using its described eyewear to readjust it if distortions are perceived.
As further background, intoxication simulation apparatus that does not involve eyewear is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,918,176 and 4,058,911. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,777,717 and 5,867,247 disclose eyeglasses that simulate visual anomalies that may result from eye surgery.
Despite the availability of existing equipment that produces visual displacements to a person for simulating intoxication and other incapacities, further development is desirable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, eyewear is provided that simulates selected bodily impairments by causing a person to perceive nearby objects as being distorted. This is accomplished by apparatus that includes an eyepiece made from a fresnel lens having curved refracting prisms that span both eyes of the person.
The eyewear is comprised of a goggle having a frame that is worn on a person's face. The goggle eyepiece spans both eyes and is symmetrical about a transverse centerline. The eyepiece is retained around its periphery in the goggle frame.
The fresnel lens from which the goggle eyepiece is made is in the shape of a flat transparent sheet. There are multiple closely spaced circular light refracting prisms on one side of the sheet. The refracting prisms are concentric about a center.
According to one aspect of the invention, the eyepiece is produced from the fresnel such that the eyepiece transverse centerline coincides with a straight line through the center of the fresnel lens. Accordingly, the refracting prisms of the eyepiece are symmetrical about the eyepiece transverse centerline. Preferably, the eyepiece is produced from an area of the fresnel lens at which the refracting prisms have the largest diameter, i.e., close to the edge of the fresnel lens sheet. As a result, many of the refracting prisms span the entire length of the eyepiece.
To protect the eyepiece, a cover of a clear material can be inserted in the goggle frame over the eyepiece. The clear cover is retained around its periphery in the goggle frame in the same manner as the eyepiece.
When the eyewear of the invention is worn by a person, he sees the objects around him in a distorted fashion. One eye perceives the objects as being shifted both vertically and horizontally relative to their true positions relative to the person. In addition, because of the curvature of the long refractive prisms, the objects are perceived as being misshapen. The person's second eye perceives the objects as being shifted in the same vertical direction, but in the opposite horizontal direction, as the first eye. The objects also appear to be misshapen to the second eye. When the person uses both eyes, his brain perceives double images that are both displaced in opposite directions and that are misshapen. The person wearing the eyepiece cannot satisfactorily perform even very simple tasks such as walking a straight line. The eyewear thus simulates bodily impairments similar to those produced by intoxication. The eyewear is an excellent aid for teaching persons of the dangers of driving automobiles and operating other machines while intoxicated.
In a modified embodiment, the eyepiece is produced from near the center of a fresnel lens. The eyepiece transverse centerline is coincident with a straight line through the center of the fresnel lens. Further embodiments include eyepieces in which the transverse centerlines are not coincident with any straight line through the fresnel lens center. The nature of the visual distortions perceived by a person varies depending on the particular area of the fresnel lens from which the eyepiece is produced. For all eyepiece constructions, however, bodily activities are severely impaired.
The method and apparatus of the invention, using a single eyepiece made from a fresnel lens, thus enables persons to safely experience the effects of intoxication. The visual distortions produced by the eyewear of the invention are temporary and can be terminated at will, even though the distortions are both realistic and economical to produce.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4353621 (1982-10-01), Geer et al.
patent: 4698564 (1987-10-01), Slavin
patent: 5362238 (1994-11-01), Slavin
Cayen Donald
Epps Georgia
Spector David N.
LandOfFree
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