US 5,969,786 AGranted

Collapsible eye protector

OwnerSteven R. Marcuminventor

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Abstract

An eye protector assembly 10 is provided which includes a film-like, resilient collapsible lens 20 that wraps about the eyes of the wearer W from temple T to temple T. The lens 20 is partially held in place by its left and right wings 30 which include respective left and right temple pads 40. The lens 20 is offset from the face of the wearer W by horizontal pads 60 which increase the wearer's W comfort and provide circulation via two primary vents 70 to allow perspiration to dissipate from the enclosure created between the lens 20 and the wearer's W face. A nose cutout region 90, conforming to the general shape of a typical user's nose N, is provided at the midpoint of the lens 20 at its bottom edge 28. A nose saddle 100, made of soft, resilient foam or rubber-type material, is attached adjacent the nose cutout region 90 on the rear concave surface 24 of the lens 20. The nose saddle 100 conforms to the shape of the nose N of the wearer W. A retention band 200 extends from the left and right edges 32 of the left and right wings 30 to provide a secure means for retaining the lens 20 on the face of the wearer W. A cylindrical container 300 provided for stowage of the eye protector assembly 10 in a rolled-up orientation is also described.

Claims17

Dependent claims

An apparatus for protection of eyes of a human wearer, comprising in combination:

a lens including a left edge defining a left side of said lens and a right edge defining a right side of said lens;
said lens having sufficient width between said left edge and said right edge to cover both eyes of the wearer;
said lens formed of at least partially transparent material;
said lens being sufficiently flexible about a vertical axis to be orientable in both a plane and in a rolled-up orientation exhibiting at least partial overlap, without exceeding an elastic limit of said material forming said lens;
said lens being sufficiently resilient to return to an original relaxed orientation when unloaded;
said relaxed orientation being said rolled-up orientation;
said lens including means to generate return forces tending to cause said lens to return to said relaxed orientation when said lens is unrolled away from said relaxed orientation;
said return forces at least as great as a clamping force necessary to hold said lens frictionally upon the wearer in a position overlying the eyes of the wearer with said left edge and said right edge frictionally engaging temples of the wearer, such that said lens can be unrolled and placed on the wearer with said left edge and said right edge each adjacent opposite temples of the wearer and said lens will remain in place;
and
at least one clamping force transmission pad adjacent said left edge of said lens and at least one clamping force transmission pad adjacent said right edge of said lens, said left pad and said right pad in positions where said pads abut temples of the wearer when said lens is worn, such that said clamping force is transmitted through said pads to the temples of the wearer.

7 more elements

A method for storing eyeglasses when not in use, the eyeglasses having a lens including a left edge defining a left side of the lens and a right edge defining a right side of the lens, the lens having sufficient width between the left edge and the right edge to cover both eyes of the wearer, the lens formed of at least partially transparent material, the lens being sufficiently flexible about a vertical axis to be orientable in both a plane and in a rolled-up orientation exhibiting at least partial overlap, without exceeding an elastic limit of the material forming the lens, the lens being sufficiently resilient to return to an original relaxed orientation when unloaded, the relaxed orientation being the rolled-up orientation, the lens including means to generate return forces tending to cause the lens to return to the relaxed orientation when the lens is unrolled away from the relaxed orientation, the return forces at least as great as a clamping force necessary to hold the lens frictionally upon the wearer in a position overlying the eyes of the wearer with the left edge and the right edge frictionally engaging temples of the wearer, such that the lens can be unrolled and placed on the wearer with the left edge and the right edge each adjacent opposite temples of the wearer and the lens will remain in place, at least one clamping force transmission pad adjacent the left edge and at least one clamping force transmission pad adjacent the right edge;

the steps including:
allowing the lens to go to the relaxed orientation;
providing a cylindrical container having a diameter similar to a diameter of the lens when the lens is in its rolled-up orientation, the container diameter sized smaller than both a horizontal length and a vertical height of the lens when the lens is deployed for wearing;
and
placing the lens into the container.

2 more elements

Eyeware for protection of eyes of a human wearer, comprising in combination:

a set of at least one lens, the set including a left edge defining a left side of said set of at least one lens and a right edge defining a right side of said set of at least one lens;
said set of at least one lens together having sufficient width between said left edge and said right edge to cover both eyes of the wearer;
said set of at least one lens formed of at least partially transparent material;
said set of at least one lens together being sufficiently flexible about a vertical axis to be orientable in both a plane and in a rolled-up orientation exhibiting at least partial overlap, without exceeding an elastic limit of said material forming said set of at least one lens;
said set of at least one lens together being sufficiently resilient to return to an original relaxed orientation when unloaded;
said relaxed orientation being said rolled-up orientation;
said set of at least one lens together including means to generate return forces tending to cause said set of at least one lens to return to said relaxed orientation of said set when said set of at least one lens is unrolled away from said relaxed orientation;
said return forces at least as great as a clamping force necessary to hold said set of at least one lens together frictionally upon the wearer in a position overlying the eyes of the wearer with said left edge and said right edge of said set frictionally engaging temples of the wearer, such that said set of at least one lens can be unrolled and placed on the wearer with said left edge and said right edge of said set each adjacent opposite temples of the wearer and said set of at least one lens will remain in place;
and
at least one clamping force transmission pad adjacent said left edge of said set of at least one lens and at least one clamping force transmission pad adjacent said right edge of said set of at least one lens, said left pad and said right pad in positions where said pads abut temples of the wearer when said set of least one lens is worn, such that said clamping force is transmitted through said pads to the temples of the wearer.

7 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.