Apparel – Guard or protector – For wearer's head
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-13
2001-09-04
Nerbun, Peter (Department: 3741)
Apparel
Guard or protector
For wearer's head
C002S431000, C002S436000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06282727
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of sports & safety eye wear and more specifically to eye wear having improved lens retention and members which may be added to the bottom edge of eye wear lens members to form an improved goggle structure.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Conventional sports & safety eye wear currently exist which allow the user a wide angle of view. This type of eye wear is typified by a singular or two lenses which extends from the outside of one of the wearer's eyes and extends across to the outside of the other of the wearer's eyes, and only partially interrupted by the structures which support the eye wear at the bridge of the nose. This is a partial interruption since the support structures are typically supported only by the center of the singular lens, which is in turn supported by the upper portion of the frame. The support structure extends inside the singular lens to garner support from the user's nose, and the singular lens is kept outward and generally downward opening downward and lower on the user's face. Thus the wide view afforded by the singular lens comes at the expense of having a wide open space between the lower edge of the lens and the user's face. The same issues occur in two lens eye wear in the wide open space between the lens & user's face.
Goggles hug and seal with the face of the user to isolate the eyes as much as possible from wind and debris. The sealing can occur around each eye, and the protected area most often includes the bridge of the nose. Even where the enclosure extends across the area adjacent both eyes, goggles still generally restrict the view of the user. The restriction usually comes with the support structure which is used to seal against the face and closely adjacent to the eyes, and typically surrounds the entire lens fully.
In terms of usage, a user is faced with having to buy both goggles and conventional sports glasses, and to use the appropriate eye wear depending upon circumstances. Where debris is severe enough, goggles are worn at the sacrifice of an expanded viewing angle, more heavily structured and bulky. Where conventional open sports eye wear are worn, the user suffers the debris, particularly wind and dust, which may enter the eyes behind the lenses. In addition, conventional sports eye wear, by having a significant gap on the face, even where the gap between the bottom of the lens and the face surrounding the eyes is low on the face, admits significant amounts of light. Where the user gazes down, there will be a sudden change in light levels, which can both annoy the user and stress the user's eyes. The effect is most pronounced where the lens is particularly dark.
Another aspect of eye wear not served well by goggles includes the ability for comfort and ventilation. A good seal is usually achieved at the expense of ventilation and with significant pressure on the face surrounding the eyes. In some cases specialized ventilation ports are formed in the side walls of the lens support structures, but they are not always located properly or structured to provide adequate ventilation. Even where adequate ventilation is provided, the goggles do not provide a comfortable fit.
Goggle framing is usually fairly durable and allows for a long useage life. The seal used in conventional goggles is less able to withstand vigorous use, and tends to break down over a relatively short period of time. The seal break down usually occurs far short of the full use life of the overall goggle. Therefore, the ability to interchange goggle seals is important in extending the life of a goggle.
What is therefore needed is a new and improved sports eye wear structure including at least one lens member that may be held strongly in a frame and having structures which engage the lens member along the bottom edge, separate or in conjunction with a top and/or side edges, and which will permit a very gentle sealing with the face to inhibit wind and debris from entering the user's eyes and which will block unwanted light from the eyes. Further, to benefit interchange ability, the structures which forms the seal along the bottom portion of the lens or lenses should be removable so that a wearer can use the same eye wear in an open or closed format as the user wishes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The eye wear includes a single piece lens or two lenses which may or may not be supported and captured within a frame using a ramped protrusion from the lens which engages a matching accommodating void and lies off of a main slot in the frame which engages the upper edge of the lens. Possible lenses include removable lenses, anti-fog lenses, as well as systems supplied as lens-only.
The lower lens is engaged by a fitted member having a sealing structure extending to one side. The side of the sealing structure extension which meets the face preferably has a smooth, non-porus surface to avoid collection of debris, body oil, although since the member is removable and easily washable, an open cell foam or other porus material, as well as a completely closed foam, non-externally porus material can be used as the sealing structure. The sealing structure which may have a finished end surface, would also be permissible. The sealing structure may operate in conjunction with a built-in or removable side shield and may accommodate a permanent or removable nosepiece.
The fitted member engaging the lower edge of the lens or lenses and which may extend from a point near the outermost edge of one side of the eye wear, or face and to the nose area. The end of the fitted member can be shaped to provide maximum accommodation of the nose support member and help seal in a manner complementary to the nose support member.
In another embodiment, the fitted member can extend from one side of the eye wear, completely through to the other side of the eye wear and form the structure which supports the lens against the nose. In both embodiments, the fitted member is intended to include the possibility of alteration by the user by cutting, trimming and the like to obtain maximum conformance to the particular shape of the user's eye wear.
The fitted member may include a plastic support piece having a generally U-shaped cross section for engaging the lower edge of the lens, and a small shelf, extending from the bottom portion of the U-shape which helps to support the sealing structure which seals against the face. Along the length of the shelf, a series of elongate rectangular ports assist in handling drainage of any sweat, or any rain or moisture which might have entered the eye shield area and collect along the bottom of the lens.
The plastic support piece will typically be extruded or injected and may be heat formed to a specific shape where it is desired to provide eye wear as a kit. Where the fitted member is provided as a retro-fit device for use with non-specific shapes of lenses, the fitted member will ideally have a series of angled slots along its length to permit bending conformance to a wide variety of shapes of lens edges without twisting or distorting the material. In another embodiment, shorter sections of material may be fitted along the lower edge of lens members. Attachment of any of the structures of the invention may be had by gluing, hooking or clipping, chemical bonding, welding, friction fit, screws, pressure, male and female pins and holes, attachment channel and groove, hook and loop members, magnets, suction, static attraction, melting or solvent, and independent attachment to other structures including any portion of the eye wear frame, temples, strap or lens. The structures of the invention may include homogeneous structures, or structures made of two or more different types of material. Materials which can be used include wood, metal, plastic, leather, cloth/fabric, foam, rubber, conforming material and any other material capable of making the seal now known or later discovered. Manufacture of the structures of the invention can occur by extrusion, injection, shaping, forming,
Harrington Curtis L.
Nerbun Peter
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