AU658520B2

AU658520B2 - Eye shield viewing device

Info

Publication number: AU658520B2
Application number: AU44411/93A
Authority: AU
Inventors: James Shreenan
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1992-08-03
Filing date: 1993-08-03
Publication date: 1995-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2013-08-03
Also published as: AU4441193A; WO1995021000A1

Description

OWNu/u I AUSTRALIA Regulation 3, 2O Patents Act 19.90

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT inetonTte: .I D .I WI. DEVICE,... The following statement Is a full description of this Invention, Including the best method of performing it known to me*.- .I I L I I, This invention relates generally to an eye-shield device which can be worn as a pair of sun glasses or vision spectacles by golfers and for controlling the position of a golfer's head, body or limbs when addressing a golf ball with a golf club or when determining correct alignment for full back swing.

The invention according to a general aspect resides in an eyeshield viewing device for determining the focal pitch of a person's eyes while wearing the device and to enable a person to maintain his/her head in correct position before and/or while hitting a golf ball with a golf club at least when in an initial golf ball address position, the device comprises an eye shield or partial eye shield adapted to be worn on the head similar to spectacles or which can be clipped onto spectacles, the device has, on one eye-shielding side thereof, a single eye-level, horizon+ally-disposed o, kor&z Josc\, slo rk- see eye-viewing slot extending completely therethrough or as 'eye-vision clear window and is provided on the other eye-shielding side thereof with two small eye-viewing apertures or eye-vision clear windows, the arrangement enabling a golfer to view or focus on a golf ball when wearing the device and when looking through the *o eye-viewing apertures or windows and slot or window only when the head is turned and maintained in correct position during initial golf ball address position for determining full back swing and correct head position and/or body alignment when viewing the golf ball through T f

T

the slot orlwindow in conjunction with the small I -I -2apertures or windows, Preferably the two small apertures or windows in one section of the eye shield area comprise an inner circular hole and a short outer slot in horizontal alignment with the hole.

Preferably the two small apertures comprising the circular hole and the short outer slot in one section of the eye shield area and the first-mentioned slot in the other area are all in mutually horizontal alignment.

Preferably the first said horizontal slot or clear-vision window is the longest slot and the second horizontal slot is shorter in length or horizontal span than the first said slot, 15 Preferably, all of the said slots and the circular hole are off-set with respect to both a notional lateral axis of symmetry of the eye- shield area of the device and a vertical centre line of the eye-shielding area of the device.

Preferably, a small area on the eye shield surrounding the aperture and slots is. opaque to vision.

More particularly, the hole and both of said slots are all below eye pupil level when a users eyes and head are in normal vision position.

Non-limiting examples of embodiments or practical arrangements of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a rear view of a clip-on sun-shield Fl I i -3for spectacles which incorporates the invention.

Referring to the drawings there is shown as sclip-on accessory for normal-vision spectacles an eye shield viewing device for determining the focal pitch of a person's eyes while wearing the device and to enable a person to maintain his/her head in correct position before and/or while hitting a golf ball with a golf club at least when in an initial golf ball address position, the device in this example is in the form of a clip-on type tinted plastic sun-shade accessory for vision spectacles to shield against the sun's rays. The device as depicted in the drawings is a rear view looking through in the same direction as a wearer of the device and has a total eye shield area 10 and resilient or spring-loaded clips 11, 12 mounted on the top edge and "this total eye-shield area 10 is divided into left-hand and right-hand area sections 13 and 14 which are tinted to block or shiled out a high percentage of harmful ultraviolet rays of the sun as in the case of normal sun-glasses. The right-hand side eye-shielding area 14 has a single, eye pupil-level, elongate horizontallydisposed slot or window 15 (which serves a double viewing function and the device is provided on the left-hand side, eye-shielding side area section 13, with two small apertures or windows in this example an inner circular inner hole or clear-vision golf ball address position viewing window 16 (for putting) and an outer slot or clear-vision viewing window for full back swing and correct directional alignment) 17 which is of 7 L -4shorter in length than the first or elongate slot or clear-vision window 14. One or outer end of the slot 17 is preferably tapered into a point 17a for aligning oneself with a target. All of these viewing apertures (or vision-clear viewing windows) namely the elongate slot 14, the round or circular inner hole 16 and the outer shorter slot or clear-vision window are mutually in horizontal alignment. Both of the slots (or clear-vision windows) 15 and 17 respectively and the round hole aperture (or window) 16 are off-set with respect to the notional lateral axis of symmetry or centre line of each left-hand and right-hand eye-shielding area respectively of the eye shield area of the device. During golf ball address, moving one's 15 eye from the small round hole 16 to the slot 17 enables "sighting of a target via the pointed end 17a of the slot ee. 17. An oval-shaped opaque area 18, 19 respectively is provided on each eye-shield portion or segment 13,14 of rd the eye-shield device, each area 18, 19 surrounds the circular inner hole 16 and both slots 15 and 17 and is opaque to vision, It is preferrred that the hole and ee*e slots below eye pupil level and the opaque areas surrounding the hole and slots are also below eye-pupil "level.

The arrangement is such as to enable a golfer to view or focus on a golf ball when wearing the device and when looking through the eye viewing round hole aperture or window 16 and also this hole or window 16 in conjunction with the elongate slot or window 14 during _J ~V driving full-backswing position only when the head is turned slightly from address position and maintained in correct position during striking of the golf ball with the club. It will be understood that instead of one continuous shield the device can comprise two separate eye-shield areas and instead of being incorporated into a clip-on device the invention could be incorporated into sun-glasses or vision spectacles and the periphery of the device can be varied accordingly. The apertures or windows could be initially formed into the eye shield or cut or fabricated after manufacturing the shield or sun glasses. Likewise, the opaque areas could be initially moulded or incorporated or could be added on afterwards even as decal or self-adhesive or other 15 stick-on units.

The device of the invention allows a golfer to 4** play while wearing normal vision glasses or sun glasses and is not merely a training aid as it shields the eyes against the sun.

In one alternative embodiment the eye-shield and golf address position viewing device is formed as normal vision-glass spectacles with the hole and slots below eye pupil level and the opaque areas surrounding the hole and slots are also below eye-pupil level.

I 3 ~--lgsl r

Claims

1. An eyeshield viewing device for determining the focal pitch of a person's eyes while wearing the device and to enable a person to maintain his/her head in correct position before and/or while hitting a golf ball with a golf club at least when in an initial golf ball address position, the device comprises an eye shield or partial eye shield adapted to be worn on the head similar to spectacles or which can be clipped onto spectacles, the device has, on one eye-shielding side thereof, a single eye-level, horizontally-disposed hor i -2on c\YLy- oset s ok-slkc.eA) eye-viewing slot extending completely therethrough o0 a eye-vision clear window and is provided on the other eye-shielding side thereof with two small eye-viewing apertures or eye-vision clear windows, the arrangement enabling a golfer to view or focus on a golf ball when S..wearing the device and when looking through the eye- viewing apertures or windows and slot or window only '*when the head is turned and maintained in correct position during initial golf ball address position for determining full back swing and correct head position and/or body alignment when viewing the golf ball through Or SloA-kco.pe oj'eOw the slot in conjunction with the small apertures or windows.

2. The device according to claim 1 wherein the two small apertures or windows in one section of the eye shield area comprise an inner circular hole and a short outer slot in horizontal alignment with the hole.

3. The device according to claim 2 wherein the two 2 X" /w w *0*0 small apertures comprising the circular hole and the short outer slot in one section of the eye shield area and the elongate first-mentioned slot in the other area are all in mutually horizontal alignment.

4. The device according to any preceding claim wherein the hole and both of said sluts are all below eye pupil level when a user's eyes and head are in normal vision position, The device according to any preceding claim wherein the first said horizontal slot or clear-vision window is a relatively elongate slot and the second horizontal slot is shorter in length or horizontal span than the first said slot.

6. The device according to any preceding claim wherein all of the said slots or windows and the aperture or circular hole or window are off-set with respect to both a notional lateral axis of symmetry of the eye-shield area of the device and a vertical centre line of the eye- shielding area of the device.

7. The device according to any preceding claim wherein a small area on the eye shield surrounding the aperture and slots or clear-vision windows is opaque to vision.

8. The device according to any preceding claim wherein one or outer end of the short outer slot is tapered to enable sighting of a target.

9. The device according to any preceding claim which is a clip-on, flip-up and removable accessory for normal vision spectacles. 0 0 i I I -8- The device according to any one of claims I to 8 and which is formed as a sun-shield with folding side arms and wearable as sunglasses.

11. The device according to any one of claims I to 8 and which is formed as normal vision-glass spectacles with the hole and slots below eye pupil level and the opaque areas surrounding the hole and slots are also below eye-pupil level.

12. An eye-shield viewing device for determining the focal pitch of a person's eyes while wearing the device and to enable a person to maintain his/her head in correct position before and/or while hitting a golf ball with a golf club at least when in an initial golf ball address position and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawing. Dated this 2nd day of August, 1993 JAMES SHRBBIA& By M~y Patent Attorney JOHN L. DAVIBES CO. _"V I- -9- ABSTRACT An eyeshield viewing device enables the focal pitch of a person's eyes to be determined and helps maintain his/her head in correct position for striking a golf ball, has a tinted, UV blocking, eyeshield with golf- ball viewing apertures or windows on each eye-shielding side area (13, 14); on one side area (14> there is a single eye-viewing lateral slot on the other side area (13) there is a small eye-viewing circular outer hole (16 for viewing alignment of a golf ball while in correct golf ball-address putting position; there is a smaller lateral eye-viewing slot (17) alongside and •outwards from the small circular hole the outer end of the small slot (17) tapers to point (17a) for target sighting; both slots and the hole (16) are surrounded by a small opaque area (18,19) and are positioned vertically below eye pupil level for normal vision. o I I-