US3395406A - Double-lens goggles - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 6, 1968 R. P. SMITH 3,395,406

DOUBLE-LENS GOGGLES Filed April 15, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. ROBERT P. SMITH @qWQXM ATTORNEY Aug. 6, 1968 R. P. SMITH DOUBLE-LENS GOGGLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 15. 1966 INVENTOR. ROBERT F. SMITH ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,395,406 DOUBLE-LENS GOGGLES Robert P. Smith, Englewood, Colo. (RR. 2, Box 87, Evergreen, Colo. 80439) Filed Apr. 15, 1966, Ser. No. 542,877 6 Claims. (Cl. 214) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Double-lens sports goggles vent the space between the lens by a venturi action to prevent fogging of the lens. A normal flange depending from the peripheral edge of the front lens maintains the lens secured in position in the frame. The inner lens is arranged for a prescription insert lens providing clear vision for the user as well as wide angle vision.

This invention relates to goggles useful for athletics and the like, and particularly to double-lens goggles useful for skiing, tobogganing, and like activities in cold weather.

The goggles of the invention provide means for reducing fogging at reduced ambient temperatures but still provide a tight fit to the contour of the wearer, keeping snow and Water out of the users eyes. Tight fitting goggles that confine air around the eyes of the user may fog in a short time, particularly when worn when the temperature is low. Such fogging generally occurs because of the humidity which forms in the air in the confined space due to respiration of the skin. With increased activity of the wearer the humidity may rise quite rapidly and fogging becomes heavy enough to completely cloud the vision of the user. In prior art goggles ventilating the air space has been attempted; however, ventilation has not been satisfactory and the fogging is not prevented.

According to the objects and advantages of the present invention is to provide goggles which reduce fogging substantially by providing a double lens which keeps the inner lens at a higher temperature than the outer lens, thereby substantially reducing the tendency to fog, and further to ventilate the air space around the eyes of the user.

A further object of the invention is to provide a goggle which may be worn at low temperatures with reduced fogging, thereby maintaining the wearers vision for such cold weather activity.

Another object of the invention is to provide a goggle in which the user may have a prescription lens mounted as part of one goggle lens itself, thereby giving full corrected forward vision and full side or marginal vision.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readily ascertained by referring to the following description and appended drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a goggle according to the invention with the outer lens in an exploded position;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the goggle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the goggle of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of one part of the goggles taken along section line 44 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the goggle taken along section line 55 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one form of inner lens for use with the goggle;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a modified lens for use as an inner lens of the goggle; and

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the lens of FIG. 7 taken along section line 8-8.

In the embodiment shown in the drawings, the frame, shown in general by numeral 10, is made of a resilient flexible material, normally a soft plastic or a soft rubber. The frame is arcuate so as to conform with the contour "ice of the head in the area of the users eyes. As shown in FIG. 4, the frame 10 is provided with a foamed plastic,

- foamed rubber or very soft plastic material which is cemented or otherwise secured to the frame to provide a cushion for the face and forehead of the user and to conform and seal the frame to various shapes of users. .The use of such foamed soft material on goggles and the like is, of course, conventional.

The frame is provided with an outer groove 14 and an inner groove 15 for holding a pair of lenses. The outer lens is provided with forwardly extending lips including lip 21 on the top edge, a lip 22 on one side, a lip 23 on the opposite side, and a lip 24 on the bottom side. As shown in FIG. 4, the groove 14 has an undercut Q6 into which the lips fit holding the lens in place, and the lower lip 24 on the bottom fits into the groove as does upper lip 21. Holes or perforations 27 and 28 in the middle of the lens provide means for securing the lens into position by a snap fastener 30 (FIG. 5) on the upper part of the frame and a snap fastener 31 on the lower part of the frame. These fasteners secure the outer lens in position in the goggle frame and conversely hold the frame on the lens. The snap fasteners 30 and 31 may, also, be post fasteners, threaded male members and female members, such fasteners being generally conventional.

The inner lens 33 fits in the groove 15 and it, likewise, has apertures 34 and 35 for securing the same in the frame and for holding the frame to the lens. As shown in FIG. 5, a fastener 37 passes through the opening 34 for securing the same in the upper part of the frame and a fastener 38 passes through the opening 35 for securing the same in that portion of the frame.

The foamed or sponge material extends around the frame, including the nose area where: a flap 12 (FIG. 5) provides a covering and seal for the bridge of the nose of the user.

With the lenses in place in the frame, a closed space 39 is left between, the two lenses providing an insulating volume of air. This prevents moisture from accumulating as condensation on either of the lenses. Behind the lens 33 is another space 40 which is closed when the goggles are placed on the face of the user, the face and eyes forming one side of the enclosure and the lens 33 the front. Since the respiration and perspiration from the skin of the user produce moisture, particularly on exertion, means are provided for changing the air or maintaining a flow of air through the space 40 when a stream of air is flowing past the goggles.

The frame is provided with an upper flap 42 which extends rearwardly in a general curve from near the front of the frame to a position generally over the space 40. A plurality of holes 44 extend through the base of the flange 42 and terminate in position immediately above one of a series of openings 45 in the top of the frame, each communicating directly with the space 401. As shown in FIG. 2, the openings 44 extend parallely directly through the flap in line with wind flow as the user moves with the goggles straight ahead. The openings 44 open over the openings in the frame, indicated as 45a through 45 across the top of the frame so that the passage of the air from the openings 44 across the openings 45 creates a venturi effect, reducing air pressure in each opening 45 and thereby drawing air from the space 40. A plurality of openings 47 in the bottom of the frame provides an inlet for air into the space 40 as air is withdrawn from the top. This provides a substantial change of air in the space 40, and maintains the humidity in the space at approximately the outside ambient humidity. Obviously, the faster the wind passes through the holes the more air will be withdrawn from space 40 and more air will be passed through the chamber. The change in air, also, tends to keep the temperature of the air in the space 40 reduced, which aids in preventing condensation on the lens 33. Thus with a skier, for example, facing directly in line with his motion, the holes through the upper flange are in alignment with the wind, creating the maximum flow through the holes and the maximum venturi effects, thereby causing miximum air change in the space 40. The flap 42, which extends back over the openings 45, also prevents snow from falling through the openings and into the space 40 into the eyes of the user.

The frame for the goggles is held on the face of the user by a conventional strap 50 which may be secured to the goggles by conventional means. As an example, the strap may be held by use of the loop 51, as shown in FIG. 3, which passes through two openings in each side of the frame, and the strap is secured together beyond the frame area between the two openings. Further, the strap may be held by means of a slide buckle inside the frame with the strap passing through a single opening. Both such methods, as well as others, are conventional.

For normal use, the inner lens 30 should be clear and colorless, with the outer less colored. The outer lens may be exchangeable to conform to the light conditions as the skier desires; for example, green for bright days, amber for dull overcast days, or clear as desired. In addition, each lens may be curved to fit the goggles, or it may be flat and bent to arcuate configuration to fit the frame, utilizing the frame itself to maintain the lenses in the arcuate position.

The modification of the inner lens shown in FIGS. 7 and 8 includes a lens 50 of the same general peripheral shape as the inner lens 33, provided with the fastener openings 51 and 52 and arranged to fit in the groove in the frame. The lens portion 50 is preferably of a clear, colorless, and it is provided with two openings 54 and 55 into which a prescription lens 56 and 57 may be placed, respectively. The prescription lenses 56 and 57 are ground plastic lenses to the prescription of the user. Each prescription lens is provided with a mitered edge 58 which is arranged to fit in a groove 59 forming the lens opening, shown in FIG. 8. The outer edge 60 of the opening extends slightly further inwardly than the inner edge 61 which securely holds and prevents the lenses from snapping out. As shown in FIG. 8, the lens frame 50 in the area of the prescription lens has a very shallow curve, but near the side edges the radius of curvature of the lens 50 is decreased, which provided an inner lens holder for more or less conventional, slightly curved prescription lenses. This lens frame and prescription lens system retains full view for the user. An adapter may be used to hold flat, planar prescription lenses where desired.

Where desired the inner lens may be dispensed with and the goggle used as a single lens goggle. The venturi effect from the air passage over the upper frame openings still provides for a continual change of air in the enclosed space around the eyes of the user. This keeps fogging down to a minimum. Additionally, the air passing over the top of the flap itself creates a venturi action helping to pull air from the space through the openings 45. Thus, even without the holes 44 a change of air in the space is accomplished.

While the device has been illustrated by reference to the specific embodiments there is no intent to limit the spirit or scope of the invention to the precise details so set forth except as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A ski goggle comprising a soft, resilient frame arranged to enclose both eyes of a user and having a face contact side to seal against the users face around the eyes of the user; at least one groove in said frame adjacent the side opposite said face contact side, said groove having a forwardly extending undercut normal to said groove; a full width outer lens having a normal, forwardly depending fiange substantially around the lens arranged to mate in said undercut for securing the same against accidental removal and to maintanin the shape of the frame, said lens being arcuate when mounted in said frame and providing full forward and sideways view for the eyes of the user; an upstanding flange depending from the top of said frame extending upwardly and sloping rearwardly from the forward edge of said frame, said upstanding flange extending from side to side across the top and from front toward rear of said frame; a series of passages extending through the base of said upstanding flange in general alignment with incidence wind when a user faces line of travel; a series of openings extending through the top of said frame communicating with the space behind said outer lens, said series of passages terminating at their outlets adjacent to and over said series of openings so as to direct a flow of air across each said opening to provide a venturi action for drawing air from said space; a series of vent holes formed in the bottom of said frame for admitting air to said space; said upstanding flange extending over top of said series of openings to prevent a downward fall of material through the openings when said goggles are in use; and means for securing said goggles against the face of a user.

2. A ski goggle according to claim 1 wherein said passages are essentially parallel and aligned to admit maximum flow of air therethrough when the user is facing his line of travel.

3. A ski goggle according to claim 1 wherein said frame has an inner groove; a full width inner goggle lens mounted in said inner groove providing full sidewise view through both said lenses for said user and providing a space between said inner and outer lenses.

4. A ski goggle according to claim 3 wherein said inner lens has two openings for releasably accommodating two prescription lenses and providing sideways vision as well as through said prescription lenses.

5. A ski goggle according to claim 3 wherein said inner lens has a large radius of curvature in the center portion and a substantially decreased radius of curvature at its edges beyond said lens openings.

6. A ski goggle according to claim 1 wherein said lens has a pair of spaced central apertures; and a pair of spaced snap fasteners mounted in said frame arranged to mate with said apertures for securing said lens in said frame.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,625,685 1/1953 Moeller 214.4 3,036,310 5/1962 Young 2-14 3,040,616 6/1962 Simpson 2l4.7

FOREIGN PATENTS 698,614 10/1953 Great Britain. 930,735 7/1963 Great Britain. 1,070,342 12/ 1959 Germany.

HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner.

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