Multi-purpose eyewear

Details Multi-purpose eyewear Multi-purpose eyewear

2000-08-07

2001-06-19

Mai, Huy (Department: 2873)

Optics: eye examining, vision testing and correcting

Spectacles and eyeglasses

With support or holder

C351S043000, C351S118000, C002S431000, C002S452000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06247811

ABSTRACT:

FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to eyewear and in particular to eyewear that has multiple functions, including being usable as traditional eyeglasses, as air/water-tight goggles and as glasses that enable a controllable air flow around the lenses, with the lenses thereof also being capable of providing vision correction and/or sun protection for the wearer.
PROBLEM
It is a problem in the field of eyewear to provide the wearer with a product that has multiple uses. In particular, there are many endeavors in which the participant is preferably equipped with eyewear that protects the eyes from an ambient environment which can contain one or more hostile elements. These hostile elements can include, but are not limited to: water; water-borne chemicals; air flow; extremes of air temperature; air-borne particulates such as dust, dirt, smoke and the like; and sunlight. Traditional solutions of providing a wearer with basic eye protection from sunlight and a modicum of hostile elements comprise a rigid eyeglass frame that is secured in place on the wearer's face by means of a strap. This solution is largely ineffective to provide the user with protection from the more hostile conditions, since the rigid eyeglass frame does not enclose the wearer's eyes and enables the hostile elements to impact the wearer's eyes. One advantage of the rigid eyeglass frame is that the lenses can be manufactured to provide the user with vision correction capability as well as sunlight protection.
An alternative solution to protect the wearer's eyes is to manufacture the eyeglass frame of a flexible material such that it is conformable to the wearer's face by the application of tension to the frame via a flexible strap. The flexible strap pulls the eyeglass frame against the wearer's face to provide an air/water-tight seal between the eyeglass frame and the wearer's skin. Neoprene and foam rubber are the materials used to form the seal but can cause skin irritation and do not adequately shape to the individual's facial contours. Furthermore, these flexible eyeglass frames typically use the eye socket as a point of contact which can constrict blood circulation in this area and result in bruising of the skin. Therefore, eyewear that provide eye socket contact cannot be used for an extended periods of time. Finally, these goggles do not provide vision correction and must be worn over prescription eyeglasses or in place of prescription eyeglasses in most applications. This causes the wearer to lose the vision correction provided by the prescription eyeglasses and the wearer must carry multiple pairs of eyewear: prescription eyeglasses, goggles, sunglasses, and the like, which is inconvenient at best. Examples of typical eyewear are found in numerous patents that have addressed this issue.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,526,181 issued to Wilen discloses underwater goggles that are formed of a frame manufactured of a material which is compressible against the user's face in a manner to be impervious to water and formed to fit around the user's eyes. The frame has a recess adjacent its front edge for receiving a single piece of plate glass and two attachment points for receiving the ends of a flexible band which is adjustable to place a compression force on the frame to form the watertight seal between the frame and the user's skin. These underwater goggles are a single purpose device, somewhat uncomfortable to wear for an extended period of time, must be worn over prescription eyeglasses, and are inapplicable to other than the underwater environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,526,449 issued to Bolle et al discloses one piece sunglasses that comprise a single molded piece that includes two lenses and the supporting frame as an integral unit. The lenses are concavo-convex, separated by a bridge portion, with each lens terminated laterally in an elongated rearward extension that is flexible and conformable to the head of the user. These sunglasses provide some protection to the wearer but do not provide a water-tight or air-tight seal for the eyes of the wearer.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,989,274 issued to Patelski III discloses sports goggles that comprise a frame having left and right vision openings and having anterior and posterior surfaces. Right and left lenses are sized and shaped to cover the respective vision openings. The frame is constructed of a flexible material to enable the posterior portion to conform the user's face. An air gap is maintained between the lenses and the frame to enable air circulation there between to prevent fogging of the lenses. The frame includes a flexible adjustable strap to secure the frame to the user's head. These sports goggles provide some protection to the wearer but do not provide a water-tight or air-tight seal for the eyes of the wearer. U.S. Pat. No. 5,129,109 issued to Runckel discloses swim goggles that include an inflatable air gasket seal. The goggles have two eye pieces, each of which includes a frame that extends continuously around a lens opening. An inflatable cushion member is provided for each eyepiece and extends throughout the frame portion of the eyepiece. The frame includes a flexible adjustable strap to secure the frame to the user's head. These swim goggles are a single purpose device, somewhat uncomfortable to wear for an extended period of time, must be worn over prescription eyeglasses, and are inapplicable to other than the underwater environment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,165 issued to Rauch discloses an audio headwear that produces sound output in addition to providing the visor or headband function. The audio headwear comprises a flexible frame, a protective layer and two speaker elements. The speakers are attached between the flexible frame and the protective layer that is attached to cover the bottom side of the visor. The speaker elements therefore do not interfere with the visor yet provide an audio output that can be heard by the wearer. This headwear does not address the problem of providing a water-tight or air-tight seal for the eyes of the wearer and cannot incorporate prescription lenses for vision correction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,309,577 issued to Buononato et al discloses buoyant wraparound sunglasses that comprise an elongated flexible strap that has its ends terminated by fasteners that are joinable to form a band. The strap has a cutout section adapted to receive an eye shield. These sunglasses provide some protection to the wearer but do not provide a water-tight or air-tight seal for the eyes of the wearer and cannot incorporate prescription lenses for vision correction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,092 issued to Kawai discloses eyewear that can be switched to function either as a pair of sunglasses or goggles. The eyewear combines a frame member and a lens member that function as sunglasses. The eyewear can be converted to goggles by replacing the frame member with an upper goggle frame member and the addition of a detachable lower goggle frame. While this eyewear provided a dual purpose, the lens is clear glass and does not provide vision correction. This eyewear must be worn over the wearer's prescription eyeglasses, if possible, and are complex to disassemble and reassemble.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,488,441 issued to Pomatti discloses an adjustable eyeglasses retainer. The eyeglass frame is fabricated of a combination of a semi-rigid lens retaining support and a semi-flexible nose bridge and semi-flexible temple brows has having a retaining strap removably engagable around the back of the head. Closed cell shaped padding is applied to the lens supports facing the eye sockets to protect the eyes from the elements. These eyeglasses provide some protection to the wearer but do not provide a water-tight or air-tight seal for the eyes of the wearer
Thus, in the field of eyewear, there is a need for eyewear that can be effectively used as either eyeglasses - unsealed with free flow of air around the lenses or air-tight/water-tight goggles. This eyewear should be convenient to use, simple to adapt to multi

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