SPORT PROTECTION EYEWEAR

LUNETTES PROTECTRICES POUR LE SPORT

English Abstract

Eyewear comprising a frame having top, bottom and opposite
sides defining a lens opening, each opposite side having lens engaging
means, and a lens adapted to be removably attached to the frame to
substantially cover the lens opening. The lens posseses translucent front
and rear faces, opposite first and second side ends, and a first and second
lens locking portions. The first lens locking portion is located at the first
side
end for cooperatingly engaging one of the lens engaging means at a first
opposite side of the frame. The second lens locking portion is located at the
second side end for cooperatingly engaging the lens engaging means at a
second opposite side of the frame for locking the lens to the frame. The lens
is flexible in a direction enabling distance variation between the first and
second lens locking portions. Manual pressure exerted on the lens to flex it
engages and disengages the locking portions with and from the lens
engaging means. The invention is useful in many sports, where there is a
need for wearing protective eyewear in order to avoid eye injuries. It is
especially advantageous in sports where it is desirable to have the capability
to replace eyewear lenses quickly. This may be necessary because of
changing light conditions or simply because a lens may be damaged or dirty
thereby impeding the wearer's vision.

Claims

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CLAIMS:
1. Eyewear comprising:
a) a frame having top, bottom and opposite sides defining a
lens opening, each opposite side having lens engaging means; and
b) a lens adapted to be removably attached to said frame to
substantially cover said lens opening, said lens having:
i) translucent front and rear faces and opposite first and
second side ends; and
ii) a first lens locking portion located at said first side end
for cooperatingly engaging one of said lens engaging means
at a first of said opposite sides of said frame, and a second
lens locking portion located at said second side end for
cooperatingly engaging said lens engaging means at a second
of said opposite sides of said frame for locking said lens to said
frame;
wherein said lens is flexible in a direction enabling distance
variation between said first and second lens locking portions;

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whereby manual pressure may be exerted on said lens to flex said lens
to thereby engage and disengage of said locking portions of said lens
with and from said lens engaging means.
2. Eyewear as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second lens
engaging means each comprise a slot formed in said frame and wherein
said first and second lens locking portions each comprise a lip projecting
from said side ends of said lens.
3. Eyewear as defined in claim 2, wherein said lips project frontwardly
from said front face.
4. Eyewear as defined in claim 2, wherein said lips project rearwardly
from said rear face.
5. Eyewear as defined in claim 1, wherein said first and second lens
engaging means each comprise a lip projecting from said frame and
wherein said first and second lens locking portions each comprise a slot
formed in said side ends of said lens.

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6. Eyewear as defined in any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising
means engaging a wearer's head for holding said eyewear thereagainst.
7. Eyewear as defined in any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein said lens
opening comprises at least one groove located substantially around the
periphery of said lens opening, and wherein said lens further comprises
at least one projection portion located substantially around the periphery
of said lens and corresponding in position and size to said at least one
groove, said at least one groove and said at least one projection portion
engaging each other.

Description

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SPORT PROTECTION EYEWEAR
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the invention:
The invention relates to sport protection eyewear and more
specifically to interchangeable lens sport goggles.
2. Brief description of the prior art:
In many sports, there is a need for wearing protective eyewear in
order to avoid eye injuries. In some sports, it is even necessary or desirable
to have the capability to replace eyewear lenses. This may be necessary
because of changing light conditions or simply because a lens may be
darnaged or dirty thereby impeding the wearer's vision.
Many models of interchangeable lens protection eyewear exist.
Among them, U.S. Patent No. 3,896,496 awarded to t_eblanc et al. describes
an interchangeable lens ski goggle. This ski goggle comprises a translucent
lens, a flexible frame and an intermediate rigid frame on which the
translucent lens is installed and which is itself installed on the flexible
frame.
One of the disadvantages of this particular goggle is the need for a rigid
intermediate frame.
In U.S. Patent No. 5,455,639 issued to Magdelaine et al.,
protective eyewear with a replaceable lens is described. In this particular
invention, the lens is attached to a brow member in a channel specially

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formed therein. Unfortunately, this particular protective eyewear is illsuited
for sport applications.
U.S. Patent No. 3,945,044 issued to McGee et ai. deals with a pair
of sport goggles on which is mounted one main lens and one or more
auxilliary lenses. The lenses are mounted in a peripheral groove around the
frame. Each auxilliary lens has an offset tab to allow a wearer to detach the
auxilliary lens while the goggle is being worn. While this particular
invention
provides a quick means for removing auxilliary lenses, it does not permit
quick installation or replacement of lenses.
There is therefore a need for sport protection eyewear having a
feature to quickly remove and install different lenses.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is therefore to overcome the
above described drawbacks of the prior art.
Another object of the present invention is to provide sport
protective eyewear with interchangeable lens capability.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
More specifically, in a preferred embodiment of the invention,
there is provided eyewear comprising:
a) a frame having top, bottom and opposite sides defining a
lens opening, each opposite side having lens engaging
means; and

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b) a lens adapted to be removably attached to the frame to
substantially cover the lens opening, the lens having:
i) translucent front and rear faces and opposite first and
second side ends; and
ii) a first lens locking portion located at the first side end
for cooperatingly engaging one of the lens engaging
means at a first of the opposite sides of the frame,
and a second lens locking portion located at the
second side end for cooperatingly engaging the lens
engaging means at a second of the opposite sides of
the frame for locking the lens to the frame;
wherein the lens is flexible in a direction enabling distance variation
between
the first and second lens locking portions;
whereby manual pressure may be exerted on the lens to flex the lens to
thereby engage and disengage of the locking portions of the lens with and
from the lens engaging means.
In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the first and
second lens engaging means comprise two slots wherein each slot is
located on a respective side of the frame; the first and second lens
locking portions comprise two lips, each lip projecting frontwardly from the
front face of each side end of the lens.
An important advantage of the sport protective eyewear of
this invention is to permit rapid replacement of the lens while ensuring
that it is safely secured on the frame while in use.

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Further objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non
restrictive description of a preferred embodiment thereof, given by way of
example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 is a perspective view showing an eyewear made
in accordance with the present invention;
Figure 2 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the
eyewear taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1; and
Figure 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of the
eyewear, taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to Figure 1, the eyewear of the invention is
shown and it is generally referred to as item 10. The eyewear comprises
a frame 12 and a translucent lens 14. For illustrative purposes, the lens
14 is shown detached from frame 12.
The frame 12 has a top side 16, a bottom side 18, a first
opposite side 20 and a second opposite side 22, all defining a lens
opening 24. A first groove 26 is located in the interior portion of the top
side 16 while a second groove 28 is located in the interior portion of the
bottom side 18.

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Foam padding 30 may be provided to engage the wearer's
head and an elastic band 32 may also be provided for holding the
eyewear against the wearer's head.
In this embodiment of the invention, slots are situated in
5 each of the opposite sides 20 and 22. Slot 34 is shown on side 22 while
the slot on side 20 is not shown. These slots will effectively interact with
the lips at each side ends 36, 38 of lens 14. One lip 40 is shown in side
end 38 while the lip on side end 36 is not shown. Lens 14 also includes
portions 42 and 44 projecting rearwardly and located along the bottom
and top portions of lens 14, respectively. The rearward projecting lips 42
and 44 interact with the grooves 28 and 26, respectively, for insuring a
snug fit of lens 14 with frame 12.
Figure 2 shows in greater detail the interaction of
projection portion 42 with groove 28 as well as projection portion 44 with
groove 26. The lens 14 is therefore shown installed on frame 12.
Figure 3 gives a detailed view of opposite side 22. The
interaction of lip 40 and slot 34 is shown in greater detail. When installed,
lens 14 is retained in place on frame 12 by the interaction of, at one of the
ends (ie. 22), lip 40, post 46 and portion 48 of frame 12. Post 46 ensures
that lens 14 is retained on frame portion 48 all the while preventing lens
14 from moving sideways.
In order to remove the lens from frame 12, lens 14 is made
to flex by manual pressure applied thereon in a direction enabling
distance variation between the lips at each side end 36, 38. For manual

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pressure exerted on lens 14 to enable a reduction in distance between
the lips at each of the lens side ends 36 and 38, lip 40 has to be moved
rearwardly (still by manual pressure) and displaced behind post 46. Once
lip 40 is passed post 46, lens 40 is free to be removed from frame 12.
The installation of lens 14 on frame 12 is achieved by
reversing the removal procedure. That is, one lens side end (eg. end 36)
is installed in one of the frame opposite sides (eg. end 20) by placing the
lip (not shown) on lens side end 36 in the slot (not shown) in opposite
side 20. The opposite lens side end 38 is then installed in the opposite
frame side 22 by displacing lip 40 behind post 46 until it snaps in place in
slot 34. Lens 14 is now locked in place on frame 12 and ready for use.
Although the present invention has been described herein
above with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, these
embodiments can be modified at will, within the scope of the appended
claims, without departing from the spirit and nature of the subject
invention.

Representative Drawing