Pressure equalizing mechanism for a diving mask
AssigneeJohnson Worldwide Associates, Inc.
InventorsJames R. Lutz, Keith D. Alaberg, James F. Caruso, Paul J. Doczy, Robert S. Gelick, Craig Scherer
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An improved diving mask is disclosed. The diving mask includes a frame and a lens mounted and sealed within the frame. A flexible skirt is also mounted to the frame and designed to form a seal with a diver's face around the eyes and nose of the diver. The skirt includes a flexible nosepiece that fits over the nose of the diver. A stiff bracket is mounted to the frame and extends partially over the nosepiece. Additionally, an actuator is adjustably mounted to the bracket and cooperates with the nosepiece to selectively squeeze the nosepiece and restrict airflow through the nose of the diver.
Claims19
A diving mask for use by a diver, the diving mask creating an interior pocket of air bounded by an interior of the mask and at least part of the face of the diver when worn by the diver, comprising:
- a frame;
- a lens sealingly mounted in the frame;
- a flexible skirt mounted to the frame, the flexible skirt including a nosepiece configured to fit over the nose of the diver;
- a bracket mounted to the frame and disposed at least partially over the nosepiece;
- and
- an actuator connected to the bracket and including a nose pinching element, the actuator being movable, wherein upon sufficient movement of the actuator, the nosepiece is squeezed inwardly by the nose pinching element to a position that would restrict airflow through the diver's nose when positioned within the nosepiece.
A diving mask designed to fit over a nose and a pair of eyes of a diver to create a pocket of air bounded by an interior of the mask and at least part of a face of the diver, comprising:
- a frame having a top, a bottom, and a pair of sides that cooperate to form at lease one opening;
- a lens mounted and sealed within the at least one opening;
- a flexible skirt mounted to the frame, the flexible skirt including a flexible nosepiece having a bottom panel and a pair of side panels configured to fit over the nose of the diver;
- a stiff bracket mounted to the frame to extend at least partially over the nosepiece;
- and
- an actuator at least partially mounted to the stiff bracket for cooperation with the nosepiece, wherein the actuator includes a nose pinching mechanism that, upon actuation, squeezes each side panel of the pair of side panels towards the other side panel to squeeze the nose of the diver and restrict airflow therethrough.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.