Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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VENTILATED GLASSES WITH A REMOVABLE PAD
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to sunglasses. More
particularly the present invention pertains to sunglasses
that are worn by riders of motorcycles, bicycles, and other
vehicles who experience strong winds blowing upon their
face.
Some of the presently available glasses have various
types of added protection around the perimeter edge of the
glasses that reduce the wind blowing upon the rider's face.
Unfortunately this extra protection on the glasses reduces
the amount of air circulation on the back interior surface
of the glasses near the face. The reduced air circulation
allows moisture to build up, which causes condensation and
fogging on the back interior surface of the glasses. The
condensation and fogging reduces the visibility of the
rider. Bicycles and motorcycles can travel at relatively
high speeds where adequate visibility is a great safety
concern.
Devices, such as ski goggles, are designed to reduce
wind effects upon the eyes and minimize the condensation
buildup. Ski goggles are often made with an inner lens and
an exterior lens that create a substantially enclosed
chamber. The air in the chamber is warmed by the proximity
to the face. The higher air temperature of the chamber in
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relation to the outside ambient temperature assists in
reducing condensation buildup. Unfortunately, ski goggles
tend to be too bulky for riders of cycles. Furthermore, the
ski goggles are not an aesthetically appealing design shape
for bicycle and motorcycle riders.
Therefore there is a need for sunglasses that have
added protection around the edges of the glasses, which
reduce the wind blowing upon the rider's face. Furthermore,
the glasses should also have a source for reducing the
condensation and fogging on the back interior surface of the
glasses. The glasses should be lightweight and comfortable
for the rider, while creating an appealing aesthetic image.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An objective of the present invention is reducing the
airflow impacting the rider's eyes. Motorcycles, bicycles,
and other vehicles can travel at high speed, which creates
significant airflow around the glasses into the eyes. The
strong airflow around the perimeter of the glasses can cause
significant watering of the eyes, which reduces visibility
and affects safety. An advantage of the liner pad is
improved vision and comfort for the rider, due to the
reduction in airflow impacting the eyes.
Another objective is providing adequate airflow through
the glasses to counteract the build up of condensation upon
the interior surface of the eyeglass frame. The reduction
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of wind from around the perimeter of the glasses that
contacts the interior surface must be compensated in some
manner, in order to reduce condensation accumulation.
Traveling on motorcycles and bicycles can be a strenuous
activity. Perspiration often accumulates on the rider's
face, which vaporizes and collects on the glasses as
condensation. Apertures are provided that allow a reduced
airflow onto the interior surface. An advantage of the
apertures is the reduction in condensation build up, which
improves visibility and safety.
A further objective is easy attachment and removal of
the protective liner pad from the eyeglass frame. Easily
switching from just basic glasses to a ventilated glasses
system with the pad is an important advantage. Removal of
the inner frame and liner pad decreases the weight of the
glasses, which increase comfort. Also, some people consider
the glasses more aesthetically appealing with the inner
frame and pad removed. Detents are provided thus the inner
frame with the protective pad is quickly reattached to the
eyeglass frame when travel begins on the cycle. The detents
are advantageous as they save time and frustration, while
providing a quick method of attaching and detaching the
inner frame from the eyeglass frame.
The ventilated glasses system includes a pad that
serves as a liner for the inner frame. The pad reduces the
air flowing into the eyes from around the perimeter edge of
the glasses. A cavity with a partial air seal is formed by
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the person's face and the ventilated glasses system with
pad. The partial air seal prevents any significant amount
of airflow around the perimeter edges of the eyeglass frame.
This lack of airflow could cause an accumulation of moisture
and condensation within the cavity. Without adequate
ventilation the condensation accumulates on the interior
surface of the left lens and right lens, which obscures
vision.
Apertures that form small holes are added to the
eyeglass frame system to increase the airflow, thus reducing
the condensation. The apertures are small enough to
minimize the strength and speed of the airflow, yet still
sufficient in size to allow a volume of air to flow through
that will remove condensation from the interior surface.
An embodiment of the ventilated glasses system with a
removable pad and detent includes an eyeglass frame with an
exterior surface and an interior surface. The eyeglass
frame has a left ear extension, a right ear extension, and a
nostril bridge support. The first aperture and the second
aperture are located on the nostril bridge support, where
condensation tends to be the most prevalent. Air can flow
from the exterior surface to the interior surface through
the first aperture and the second aperture.
The left lens and the right lens are attached to the
eyeglass frame. The left lens and the right lens form a
portion of the interior surface. Air flowing through the
first aperture and the second aperture removes condensation
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from the interior surface, which dries the left lens and the
right lens.
An inner frame is attached to the eyeglass frame with
a detent. The detent includes a male portion and a female
portion that accepts the male portion. The detent firmly
secures the inner frame to the eyeglass frame. The inner
frame has a pad that significantly reduces the wind from
blowing on a person's eyes, while wearing the glasses. The
pad is positioned on the back surface of the inner frame, so
that the pad can compress against the person's face. The pad
has a thickness 't' that is about one-quarter (.25)inch.
The inner frame contains a first track and a second
track. The eyeglass frame has an associated first ridge and
second ridge. The first track guides the first ridge and
the second track guides the second ridge. The inner frame is
guided into the proper alignment for attachment to the
eyeglass frame.
The eyeglass frame has a third aperture and a fourth
aperture, which are similar in function to the first
aperture and the second aperture. Air can flow through the
third aperture and the fourth aperture thus removing
condensation from the interior surface. The third aperture
is located adjacent to the right ear extension and the
fourth aperture is located adjacent to the left ear
extension.
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In one aspect, there is provided a ventilated glasses system
with a removable pad comprising: a) an eyeglass frame having a
left ear extension, a right ear extension, a nostril bridge
support, a left lens, a right lens, an exterior surface and an
interior surface; b) an inner frame having the pad; and c) a
detent; wherein the detent securely attaches the inner frame to
the eyeglass frame, such that the pad substantially prevents wind
from blowing on a person's eyes while wearing the glasses,
wherein the detent having a male portion provided on the inner
frame, and a female portion provided on the nostril bridge
support of the eyeglass frame, whereby the female portion accepts
the male portion.
In another aspect, there is provided eyewear comprising an
outer frame with outer and inner surfaces and an inner frame with
outer and inner surfaces: the outer frame having a pair of
lens-holding portions at opposite sides of a nostril bridge
support, a pair of ear extensions mounted on respective
extremities of the outer frame remote from the nostril bridge
support, the inner frame having a nostril bridge support between
portions of the inner frame that define openings disposed for
alignment with respective lens-holding portions of the outer
frame, a pad of predetermined thickness disposed on the inner
surface of the inner frame, said pad extending across the nostril
bridge support thereof and surrounding the openings of the inner
frame, the pad and the inner and outer frames having conforming
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curvatures, means for releasably attaching the inner frame to the
outer frame, with the outer surface of the inner frame juxtaposed
with the inner surface of the outer frame, said means comprising
cooperable elements on the nostril bridge supports of the inner
and outer frames and cooperable elements at the extremities of
the outer frame and corresponding extremities of the inner frame.
In a further aspect, there is provided eyewear comprising an
outer frame with outer and inner surfaces and an inner frame with
outer and inner surfaces: the outer frame having a pair of
lens-holding portions at opposite sides of a nostril bridge
support, a pair of ear extensions mounted on respective
extremities of the outer frame remote from the nostril bridge
support, the inner frame having a nostril bridge support between
portions of the inner frame that define openings disposed for
alignment with respective lens-holding portions of the outer
frame, a pad of predetermined thickness disposed on the inner
surface of the inner frame, said pad extending across the nostril
bridge support thereof and surrounding the openings of the inner
frame, the pad and the inner and outer frames having conforming
curvatures, means for releasably attaching the inner frame to the
outer frame, with the outer surface of the inner frame juxtaposed
with the inner surface of the outer frame, said means comprising
cooperable elements at the extremities of the outer frame and
corresponding extremities of the inner frame.
Although the present invention is briefly summarized, a
fuller understanding of the invention can be obtained from
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the following drawings, detailed description and appended
claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the
present invention will become better understood with
reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the eyeglass
frame and inner frame;
Fig. 2 is a partial side view of the first track and
first ridge;
Fig. 3 is a cutaway perspective view of the area around
the nostril bridge support;
Fig. 4 is front view of the inner frame;
Fig. 5 is a back-side perspective view; and
Fig. 6 is a bottom view with the inner frame attached
to the eyeglass frame.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to figs. 1 through 6, with particular
reference to figs. 1 and 6, a ventilated glasses system 10
with a removable pad 12 and detent 14 includes an eyeglass
frame 16 with an exterior surface 18 and an interior surface
20. The eyeglass frame 16 has a left ear extension 22, a
right ear extension 24, and a nostril bridge support 26.
The first aperture 28 and the second aperture 30 are located
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on the nostril bridge support 26, where condensation tends
to be the most prevalent. Air can flow from the exterior
surface 18 to the interior surface 20 through the first
aperture 28 and the second aperture 30.
The left lens 32 and the right lens 34 are attached to
the eyeglass frame 16. The left lens 32 and the right lens
34 forms a portion of the interior surface 20. Air flowing
through the first aperture 28 and the second aperture 30
removes condensation from the interior surface 20, which
dries the left lens 32 and the right lens 34.
An inner frame 36 is attached to the eyeglass frame 16
with a detent 14. Two detents 14, 14' are provided for a
firm attachment, shown in dotted lines on fig. 6. The
detents 14, 14' provide a quick and effective mechanism for
attaching and removing the inner frame 36 from the eyeglass
frame 16.
Referring to figs. 4 and 5, the detents 14, 14'
include a male portion 38, 38' and a female portion 40, 40'
that accepts the male portion 38, 38'. The female portion
40, 40' is an indentation located on the nostril bridge
support 26. The male portion 38, 38' is a projection
situated on the inner frame 36. The detents 14, 14'
securely attach the inner frame 36 to the eyeglass frame 16.
Although not shown, the detents 14, 14' can also be
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Velcro'. VelcroT" has two opposing side, which adhere to
each other.
The nostril bridge support 26 is divided into a left
side 42 and a right side 44. One detent 14 is located on and
to the left side 42 of the nostril bridge support 26.
Another detent 14' is located on and to the right side 44 of
the nostril bridge support 26. The female portion 40, 40'
is located on the nostril bridge support 26. The male
portion 38, 38' is positioned on the inner frame 36. The
detent 14 is located adjacent to the first aperture 28,
while the detent 14' is located adjacent to the second
aperture 30.
Referring to figs. 3, 4 and 6, the inner frame 36 has a
pad 12 that significantly reduces the wind from blowing on a
person's eyes, while wearing the glasses. The pad 12 is
positioned on the back surface 46 of the inner frame 36, so
that the pad 12 can compress against the person's face. The
pad 12 is foam or other soft pliable materials that are
gentle and comfortable on the person's skin. The soft
pliability of the foam allows the foam to conform to the
shape of the person's face.
As shown in fig 6, the pad 12 has a thickness 't' that
is between about one-sixteenth (1/16) inch and about one-
half (1/2) inch. In a preferred embodiment the pad 12 has a
thickness 't' that is about one-quarter (.25) inch. The
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first aperture 28 and the second aperture 30 function best
when combined with the pad 12. The pad 12 minimizes the
airflow impacting the eyes from around the perimeter 48 of
the ventilated glasses system 10. The first aperture 28 and
the second aperture 30 allow some reduced speed airflow to
circulate upon the interior surface 20. The reduced airflow
is much gentler on the eyes, while still minimizing or
eliminating accumulation of condensation.
Referring to fig. 1, 2, 4 and 5 the inner frame 36
contains a first track 50 and a second track 52. The
eyeglass frame 16 has a corresponding first ridge 54 and
second ridge 56. Fig. 2 is a close up view of the first
track 50 and the first ridge 54. The first track 50 accepts
the first ridge 54 and the second track 52 accepts the
second ridge 56. The inner frame 36 is thus guided into the
proper positional alignment during attachment to the
eyeglass frame 16. In conjunction with the detents 14, 14'
a secure connection is provided between the inner frame 36
and the eyeglass frame 16. The first ridge 54 and the
second ridge 56 are on the interior surface 20. The first
ridge 54 is shown in dotted lines, since it is obscured in
the backside perspective view of fig. 5.
Referencing particularly figs. 2 and 4, the first track
50 has a first indent 66 that accepts a hinge protrusion 70.
The hinge protrusion 70 is attached to the first ridge 54.
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Similarly, the second track 52 has a second indent 68 that
accepts a hinge protrusion 70. A screw 72 projects through
the center of the hinge protrusion 70.
Referring to figs. 1, 5 and 6, the eyeglass frame 16 is
provided with a third aperture 58 and a fourth aperture 60
that are similar in function to the first aperture 28 and
the second aperture 30. Air can flow through the third
aperture 58 and the fourth aperture 60 thus removing
condensation from the interior surface 20. The third
aperture 58 is located adjacent to the left ear extension 22
and the fourth aperture 60 is located adjacent to the right
ear extension 24.
The eyeglass frame 16 also includes a fifth aperture 62
and a sixth aperture 64 that provide additional airflow from
the exterior surface 18 to the interior surface 20. The
apertures are small in size to reduce the strength and speed
of the airflow. Providing several apertures maintains
sufficient airflow at a reduced speed to still remove
condensation from the interior surface 20. The condensation
does not accumulate on the interior surface 20 thus
visibility is preserved. The nostril bridge support 26 is
divided into the left side 42 and the right side 44. The
first aperture 28 and fifth aperture 62 are positioned on
the left side 42 of the nostril bridge support 26. The
second aperture 30 and sixth aperture 64 are positioned on
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the right side 44. The first aperture 28 and fifth aperture
remove condensation primarily from the left lens 32, while
second aperture 30 and sixth aperture 64 remove condensation
primarily from the right lens 34.
The left lens 32 and the right lens 34 are tinted for
protection from the sun for the eyes. Although not shown,
the ventilated glasses system can be provided with
replacement lens. The left lens 32 or right lens 34 can be
removed from the eyeglass frame 16, then a replacement lens
32, 34 can be snapped into place.
The ventilated glasses system 10 has several
advantages. The strong airflow around the perimeter 48 of
the ventilated glasses system 10 is significantly reduced by
the pad 12. Irritation to the eyes is mitigated thus
improving visibility and enhancing safety. Sufficient
airflow is created by the addition of the apertures 28, 30
to reduce condensation upon the interior surface 20 of the
eyeglass frame 16. The detents 14, 14' facilitate easy
attachment and removal of the protective liner pad 12 from
the eyeglass frame 16. Removal of the inner frame 36 and
liner pad 12 when they are not desired, substantially
decreases the weight of the glasses, thus increasing comfort
for the person. The first track 50 is guided by the first
ridge 54 so that the inner frame 36 is guided into the
correct positional alignment with the eyeglass frame 16.
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From the foregoing description in conjunction with
the drawings, it is apparent that the present invention
is concerned with eyewear comprising an outer frame
with outer and inner surfaces and an inner frame with
outer and inner surfaces, and wherein the outer frame
has a pair of lens-holding portions at opposite sides
of a nostril bridge support, and a pair of ear
extensions mounted on respective extremities of the
outer frame remote from the nostril bridge support, and
the inner frame has a nostril bridge support between
portions of the inner frame that define openings
disposed for alignment with respective lens-holding
portions of the outer frame, and a pad of predetermined
thickness disposed on the inner surface of the inner
frame so as to extend across the nostril bridge support
thereof and surround the openings of the inner frame.
See Figs. 1, 4, and 5, for example. As stated earlier,
the pad has a predetermined thickness (e.g., between
about 1/16th and about %~ in.) and conforms to the shape
of a wearer's face. As is apparent in Figs. 1 and 6,
the pad has a curvature, and the inner and outer frames
have curvature that conforms to the curvature of the
pad.
It is apparent from the earlier description in
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conjunction with the drawings that the inner frame is
releasably attached to the outer frame, and that the
outer surface of the inner frame is juxtaposed with the
inner surface of the outer frame upon engagement of
cooperable elements on the nostril bridge supports of
the inner and outer frames and cooperable elements at
the extremities of the outer frame and corresponding
extremities of the inner frame. See, e.g., Fig. 6.
In an illustrative embodiment shown and described,
the cooperable elements include detent elements and
elements that guide the frames for alignment during
attachment of the frames to one another. In the
aforesaid embodiment, cooperable elements are provided
on the nostril bridge supports of the inner and outer
frames and cooperable elements are provided at the
extremities of the outer frame and corresponding
extremities of the inner frame. Also, as shown, e.g.,
in Figs. 4 and 5, in the aforesaid embodiment the
nostril bridge supports are bifurcated and the
cooperable elements on the nostril bridge supports
include male elements on the bifurcations of one of the
nostril supports that cooperate with female elements on
the bifurcations of the other nostril bridge support.
More particularly, in the aforesaid embodiment the male
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elements are on the bifurcations of the nostril bridge
support of the inner frame and the female elements are
on the bifurcations of the nostril bridge support of
the outer frame. The female elements are disposed on
portions of the bifurcations of the nostril bridge
support of the outer frame that face the ear
extensions, as shown in Fig. 1. Furthermore, in the
aforesaid embodiment the nostril bridge support of the
outer frame is perforated for the flow of air between
the outer surface and the inner surface of the outer
frame, as by the provision of apertures that extend
through the bifurcations. In the aforesaid embodiment,
the eyewear is also perforated at positions other than
the nostril bridge support, as by the provision of
apertures at the extremities of the outer frame.
Although the present invention has been described
in considerable detail with regard to the preferred
versions thereof, other versions are possible.
Therefore, the appended claims should not be limited to
the descriptions of the preferred versions contained
herein.
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