CA2290295A1

CA2290295A1 - Sport protection eyewear

Info

Publication number: CA2290295A1
Application number: CA 2290295
Authority: CA
Inventors: Raymond Cyr
Original assignee: Leader Industries Inc Canada
Current assignee: LEADER INDUSTRIES (2001) Inc
Priority date: 1999-11-23
Filing date: 1999-11-23
Publication date: 2001-05-23

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.

Description

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 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

3 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.

4 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.

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

6 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.

Claims

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;

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.

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.