Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A63—SPORTS; GAMES; AMUSEMENTS
  • A63B—APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING, CLIMBING, OR FENCING; BALL GAMES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT
  • A63B33/00—Swimming equipment attachable to the head, e.g. swim caps or goggles
  • A63B33/002—Swimming goggles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B63—SHIPS OR OTHER WATERBORNE VESSELS; RELATED EQUIPMENT
  • B63C—LAUNCHING, HAULING-OUT, OR DRY-DOCKING OF VESSELS; LIFE-SAVING IN WATER; EQUIPMENT FOR DWELLING OR WORKING UNDER WATER; MEANS FOR SALVAGING OR SEARCHING FOR UNDERWATER OBJECTS
  • B63C11/00—Equipment for dwelling or working underwater; Means for searching for underwater objects
  • B63C11/02—Divers' equipment
  • B63C11/12—Diving masks

Definitions

• the present invention relates to diving masks used in commercial diving, recreational scuba diving or skin diving, and particularly to optical systems and configurations that seek to expand the diver's field-of-view underwater.
• Patents for various domed shape lenses include U.S. Patents 5,625,425 (Kranhouse) and 5,764,332 (Kranhouse). (The entire contents of both of these patents are hereby incorporated by reference.) While the Kranhouse patented designs are able to achieve a wider field-of-view, many embodiments therein do not provide in-focus vision above water. In the case of designs intended for emmetropic divers, such as a twin positive meniscus lens configuration or positive lenses positioned behind front domes, above water vision through such systems would be poor, providing emmetropic divers less than five feet of in-focus viewing. Alternatively in the case of the thin, parallel walled domes intended for myopic divers, above water vision would only be in focus for emmetropes. [0004] The '332 patent has some provisions for a water-filled supplementary lens for in-focus viewing above water. However, cost and mechanical limitations make this less desirable in some applications.
• the present invention is directed to an optical device that provides in-focus vision above water when used with diving masks such as those disclosed in the '425 and '332 Kranhouse patents.
• the optical configuration uses a single element lens for each eye, to provide optical power similar to that which water provides when the twin domed mask is submerged and air is trapped against the diver's face inside the domes.
• the present invention thereby provides inexpensive detachable optics for above water vision comprised of twin single-element lenses, usually of negative optical power.
• the domes create a negative diopter when submerged and the optical lenses compensate for the loss of the negative diopter power when the mask is above water.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a diving mask of the present invention
• FIG. 2 is an upper perspective view of the mask of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 3 is a lower perspective view of the mask of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 4 is a schematic ray trace diagram of a mask (such as that of FIG. 1 ) with twin parallel walled domes wherein the center of each eyeball rotation is concentric with the hemisphere.
• FIG. 5 is simplified schematic top diagram showing the addition of twin negative diopter lenses (surface optics of the present invention) positioned in front of the twin domes of the mask of FIG. 1 , for example; the negative diopter lenses can be made from any refractive material which is used for making ophthalmic lenses;
• FIG. 6 is a rear perspective image of a supporting frame of the present invention holding the surface optics of FIG. 5; instead of D-shaped, the optics can be circular, if desired;
• FIG. 7 is a side perspective view of the supporting frame of FIG. 6 shown secured to the front of the mask of FIG. 1 and in an operative position;
• FIG. 8 is a front perspective view similar to that of FIG. 7;
• FIG. 9 is a perspective view similar to FIG. 6 and illustrating the supporting frame in a raised position
• FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of a holster assembly for holding the optical frame of FIG. 6 when disconnected from the mask of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 11 is a front view of a variation of the optical frame of FIG. 6 having a snap fit buckle and with the lenses not in position;
• FIG. 12 is a perspective view of an alternative mask and cover lens frame wherein the frame is semi-permanently attached to the mask frame or the lens; it can be flipped between up (when underwater) and down (when above water) positions, and is shown in the up position;
• FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the mask of FIG. 1 with the face seal omitted for illustrative purposes;
• FIG. 14 is a front view of a twin domed diving mask of the present invention and is a variation of the mask of FIG. 1 ;
• FIG. 15 is a partially-exploded side view of the mask of FIG. 14;
• FIG. 16 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 16-16 of FIG. 15;
• FIG. 17 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 17-17 of FIG. 14;
• FIG. 18 is an alternative to the arrangement shown generally in FIG. 16;
• FIG. 19 is a bifocal alternative to the domed lens of the mask of FIG. 14, for example;
• FIG. 20 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 20-20 of FIG. 15;
• FIG. 21 is a front-and-back clamping and with the buckle secured to the face seal alternative of the mask of FIG. 20;
• FIG. 22 is a side exploded perspective view of a portion of the mask of FIG. 14;
• FIG. 23 is a rear exploded view of a larger radius (80 millimeter instead of 60 millimeter) mask of FIG. 14;
• FIG. 24 is a front perspective view of an alternative over-molded mask of the present invention shown being worn by a user;
• FIG. 25 is a side elevational view of the mask of FIG. 24;
• FIG. 26 is a sectional view of the mask of FIG. 25.
• FIG. 27 is a view showing a mask having an alternative mounting arrangement of the purge valves.
• Some embodiments of diving masks disclosed by the '425 and '332 Kranhouse patents do not provide in-focus above-water vision for all users. For instance if a strongly-powered positive meniscus lens is used for in-focus underwater viewing by an emmetrope, that lens above water is only appropriate for one with hyperopia.
• the supplemental lens disclosed in the '332 Kranhouse patent has certain mechanical and cost disadvantages. Rather than trapping sea water or other refractive fluid onto the front of these diving masks to provide in-focus above water vision, the present invention places refractive lenses, usually having negative refractive diopter power, onto the masks.
• the surface optics lenses are held in place and are part of a support frame, which in turn can be readily removed and reinstalled onto the mask by the diver. Removal and re-installation can be performed by the user while wearing the mask either above water or underwater.
• the support frame can be affixed to the mask and movable by the user between an operative position in front of the lenses of the mask and an out-of-the-way position (such as pivoted up) so as to not be in the line-of-sight of the mask domed lenses with the mask on a user.
• the refractive power of the surface optics are greatly reduced when submerged in water, since the refractive index of water is close to that of the refractive lens material; hardly any perceptible optical distortions are visible, however the support frame impedes the field-of-view. For this reason the ability to remove the surface optics is highly desirable for the duration of underwater activity.
• FIGS. 1-3 show a twin domed mask 100 of the present invention and is a variation of the mask of the '425 patent.
• Mask 100 has twin parallel walled domes 104 and 108, formed as a single unit and held in a frame-face seal assembly 120.
• Receiving pockets 130 and 134 are provided on the top edge of the mask 100.
• a receiving groove is on the bottom edge of the front of the mask.
• a pair of cylindrical or conical purge valve housing projections 150, 160 are formed at the bottom of the mask under respective lenses, including integrally formed spokes which support a flapper valve.
• the purge valve projection uniquely exhaust the water and bubbles horizontally and rearwardly. This arrangement also better protects the purge flapper.
• FIG. 4 is a schematic ray traced diagram of the twin parallel walled domes 104 and 108 of mask 100.
• the radii R1 and R2 of each dome share the same center point, which is also concentric with the rotation point of the eye E of the user.
• These solid lenses 200, 210 can be made from any refractive material used for making ophthalmic lenses such as glass, polycarbonate, acrylic or CR-39 resin.
• FIG. 6 shows a supporting frame 250 which holds the surface optics 200, 210.
• Hooks 260, 270 engage into pockets 130 and 134. Thereby the hooks rest in the pockets (well areas) which allow for some hinging maneuvering.
• Hook 280 (FIG. 6) is movable and engages into receiving groove 290 (FIG. 3). By applying pressure with one's fingertip and moving tab 300 away from the face, hook 280 arcs lower, thereby allows for attachment and disengagement of hook 280 from groove 290.
• Front finger flanges 310, 320 (e.g., FIG. 7) allow the user to pull the hook 280 away from groove 290 without pulling the mask 100 off of the user's face and breaking the water-tight seal.
• the flanges provide leverage so that the user's index finger can rest over the front of the frame and create a fixed point against which his thumb, when pressing on the tab 300, can cause the hook to deflect downwardly.
• tab slots 330 are areas wherein projections from the edges of the optical lenses can be inserted with a small rotational insertion force, thereby securing the lenses into the frame.
• the cover lenses can be round (as opposed to D-shaped) and held in place with an annular hoop and push-pin fasteners.
• cover lens insert lenses By changing the cover lens insert lenses to round lenses (not D- shaped) it will also be possible to easily install astigmatism correction to accurately match a diver's prescription for in-air viewing. This is less critical for non-presbyopic divers, since they have greater close-focusing ability and by prescribing a stronger-than-normal optical power of the mask, when used underwater, that extra sphere prescription strength negates most cases of astigmatism. Disposable toric contact lenses can also be used in conjunction with the mask for divers with strong astigmatism (those requiring greater than 1.25 diopter of cylinder correction).
• FIGS. 7 and 8 show the surface optics supporting frame fully secured to the front of the mask of FIG. 1.
• FIG. 9 shows the surface optics supporting frame attached to the front of the mask 100 and being positioned down into the positions of FIGS. 7 and 8, or removed from the mask. Hooks 260 and 270 are engaged into receiving pockets 130 and 134.
• the frame has lower tabs 330, 334 and figure-eight rubber bands 338 can be looped over the tabs and the respective face seal projections to further secure the frame to the mask.
• the tabs preferably have bracing ribs. This securement complements that of the tab and the hooks. It may be needed when the user is in heavy surf. When the cover lens is not attached to the mask, small portions of the rubber bands hang down out of the field of view.
• the removal and attachment mechanism of the surface optics' support frame to the water side of the mask can be accomplished according to a variety of alternative methods, such as snap-fitting, magnetic force, twist-locking and by suction cups and other methods which would be apparent to those skilled in the art from this disclosure.
• a holster 340 can be provided for holding the frame when removed from the mask. Straps threaded through the holster holes 360 allow the holster to be strapped to the user's upper left arm out of the way of the regulator hoses or strapped to the user's buoyancy device in his front torso area.
• the string can be tied in one of the openings 364 in the frame.
• the frame 250 can be connected to the holster 340 using a common side-squeeze buckle 370 such as shown in FIG. 11 mounted to the side of the frame.
• the buckle plugs into the unit depicted at the top of FIG. 10 at 376, which is attached with a cord 380 to a spring-loaded retractor 384.
• the retractor 384 has a back plate 390 which slides into a slot 400 on the back of the holster 340 and snap fits into position with button-depression arrangement 410.
• Other means of attaching the retractor to the holster as would be apparent to those skilled in the art are also included herein.
• the holster 340 can also include a side slot 420 for another accessory such as a flashlight (not shown).
• the frame has been described as being detachable by the user from the mask.
• FIG. 12 has the frame secured to the mask and repositionable between an operative position in front of the twin domed mask (similar to that depicted in FIG. 7) and an out of the way position (similar to that depicted in FIG. 9, but raised to an approximate vertical position).
• the frame can be held in the out of the way position with a friction fit such as rotating on friction bushing(s) (FIG. 12) at 424. More particularly, the cover lens is attached with a rubber bushing that gives it some degree of friction to hold it in a flipped up position. Or it can be held in the out of the way position using other means such as straps, snaps or the like.
• This attachment of the frame to the mask would be particularly useful for diving instructors who are frequently going under water and coming back up above water and who do not want to be frequently connecting and disconnecting the frame with supplemental optics to their mask. Rather, they flip the frame with optics down into position and subsequently up to the out of the way position pursuant to the FIG. 12 embodiment.
• the specifications of the domed or hemispherical lenses of any of the mask embodiments disclosed herein are now discussed.
• the hemispherically- shaped lenses can have external diameters in the range of from about 4.25 inches to about nine inches.
• the lens material is preferably polycarbonate, and protected by an abrasion-resistant coating. However, any other clear polymer with abrasion resistance and impact strength would be suitable.
• the probable parallel wall thickness (not for the in-air positively powered meniscus lens from the Kranhouse patents) for the thin simple twin-dome mask would typically be in the range from one to four millimeters thick, with two to 2.5 being most preferred. In air, any simple dome has an infinitesimally minor negative diopter power; the smaller the radius, the stronger the power in air. And the thicker the parallel wall, the stronger the negative power. All that said, the radii would be selected that yields between -5.5 and -3 diopter, when submerged.
• FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of the mask of FIG. 1 , for example, but with the face seal omitted for illustrative purposes. It is seen therein to include three components, namely, the lens assembly 500, the inner frame 520, and the outer frame 540.
• the bulge 550 hanging down from the front portion of the purge valve chamber on the lens assembly 500 is merely decorative.
• the rear portion of the purge valve chamber is shown at 556.
• the water exhausts out the rear of the purge valve.
• Around the perimeter of the inner frame is a ridge or tongue 560 and on the backside of the lens is a corresponding groove for adhesive bonding with the corresponding tongue.
• the face seal would be pinched between the outer and inner frames 520, 540.
• Dovetail pieces at the top of the mask that provide that when the lens and the inner frame are bonded together they become a very rigid piece. And when it is pushed in from the front it sandwiches the face seal in against the receiving groove that is on the inside of the frame to thereby make a watertight seal.
• the water collecting in the mask 100 exits through a narrow passageway down through the narrow constricted passageway to get to the purge valve chamber, which makes it difficult for water to splash out and it also creates a venturi effect.
• the passageway into the purge valve collecting chamber is preferably a rectangular and not a round slit.
• the locations of the purge valve areas allow larger diameter purge valves to be used. These valves can have radii of Vz inch preferably or inch is also within the scope of the invention.
• the purge valve fitting can be large because of its unique positioning under the lenses so that it does not obscure the diver's field of view.
• the purge valve then exhausts water and bubbles straight horizontally backward in a unique orientation. This keeps the bubbles out of the diver's face, out of his central field of view. It also allows for an easier construction of the mask 100. It further allows the actual purge valve flapper to be better protected from the flow of water that could cause it to crack its seal if it were oriented straight downward with no other protection.
• FIGS. 14-23 illustrate an alternative face mask 600 of the present invention and more particularly depict in detail its construction and method of assembly including alternatives.
• a good drawing for explanatory purposes is FIG. 22 and referring thereto it can be seen that the face seal 610 grips around its perimeter on the lip 620 of the hemispherical lens 624.
• the face seal is held in place by top and bottom frames 630, 640 which are secured together with screws 644.
• top and bottom frames 630, 640 which are secured together with screws 644.
• snap fits or hook and groove arrangements or other securement means as would be apparent to those skilled in the art can be used.
• Integral with the seal is the projection 650 for the purge valve, and it is shown to be generally conical or cylindrical and having an outer lip 654.
• the purge valve carrier 660 which comprises a four spokes with a hole 666 in the middle is fit into the projection spaced a distance inward of the lip. And the flapper valve 670 via its backside peg is pressed into the center hole of the purge carrier.
• the purge valve is housed in a generally conical or cylindrical projection of the face seal.
• the projection 650 advantageously is flexible, cheaper to manufacture, more hydrodynamic and easier to clean than those in the prior art. It is easier for the consumer or diver to remove grit from the purge valve.
• the purge carrier 660 can be squeezed and popped out, rinsed off and pushed back in.
• the purge carrier is recessed perhaps 3/8 inch in from the exterior lip of the rubber projection 650 so that it is always sheltered from peeling back.
• the face seal 610 has internal grooving which grips around about the perimeter of the flange of the lens, and this is best shown in cross-section in FIG. 17, for example. Referring to FIG. 17, the center septum or a vertical bar 680 between the middle of the eyes is secured in place with a center screw 690. This is also shown in FIG. 23.
• FIG. 18 An alternative to having the solid bar 680 as the septum is to use a much thinner piece of material such as a carbon fiber or monofilament, and this is illustrated in FIG. 18 at 694.
• the carbon fiber or monofilament or the center septum applies a torquing force on the arch of the nose to make sure that there is a good seal. Otherwise there tends to be a gap created over the arch of the nose defining a primary leaking point in the mask.
• a bifocal arrangement of the lens is illustrated at 700.
• the bifocal lens has a primary lens portion 710 and a lower secondary portion 720 separated by a flange 724.
• the lower bifocal portion 720 uniquely is spherical and has a different radii than that of the primary lens.
• angle 730 can be between ten and thirty degrees and the other angle 740 can be a full ninety degrees.
• a preferred measurement of the first angle 730 is twenty-five degrees.
• the center line or radius 750 of the secondary bifocal lens 720 passes through the center of the user's eyeball E when the mask is in position on the user's face.
• the separate bifocal portion 720 also essentially has no optical power in air, because the walls are parallel.
• the radius of the bifocal portion 720 would be such that its effective diopter strength when submerged would be two diopters less than that of the primary dome. In other words (as optometrist describe eyeglasses), it would be the equivalent of a plus two bifocal. While a plus two bifocal is a preferred value, it could also be in the range of plus one to plus four. Again, these numbers are not their optical value in air but when submerged relative to the primary hemisphere or lens.
• FIG. 21 is a variation on the arrangement of FIG. 15.
• FIG. 21 shows the buckle 750 attached to the rubber face seal 610.
• FIG. 20 shows the buckle 750 attached to the rigid frame 754.
• the rigid frame includes a top and bottom brackets which clamp the face seal to the mask.
• the straps are shown at 760.
• FIG. 14 shows top and bottom clamps or frame portions that hold the mask together.
• FIG. 21 illustrates an alternative which uses front and back clamps 770, 774 that hold the mask together. A series of screws around the front would be attached to a frame that is on the backside and the split line 780 would be provided in the top plan view such as shown in FIG. 21.
• FIG. 24 another mask of the present invention is illustrated at 800 on the face of a diver D. It uniquely uses an overmolding method of construction for attaching the hemispherical lenses 810 to the mask frame 820.
• the lenses 810 are formed and placed in a mold, then rubber is molded around the lens. This can probably be best understood from FIG. 26.
• This mask 800 thereby basically comprises only the twin polycarbonate dome lenses 810 and a rubber face seal 820.
• the twin purge valves 839 are positioned at the lower edge of the lens and slightly outward of the user's eyes, though an alternative would be to position them more directly beneath the user's eyes, closer to his nose. These purge valves 830 exhaust directly towards the front underneath the eyes of the user.
• Purge valve 830 defines an open tube with four spokes that meet and form a hole in the middle (similar to that shown in FIG. 22). The flapper peg penetrates into this hole and is thereby secured in position. The four spokes with the hole in the middle are molded as part of the lens to thereby reduce the number of components needed to make this mask.
• FIG. 27 An alternative orientation of the purge valves is depicted in FIG. 27 at 860. Referring thereto it is seen that the valves 870, 880 exhaust the water at about forty-five degrees downward and rearward. In comparison with FIG. 14 which as little, if any, downward angle, the valves of FIG. 27 have about a forty- five degree angle.

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• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Pulmonology (AREA)
• General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Physical Education & Sports Medicine (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Ocean & Marine Engineering (AREA)
• Lenses (AREA)
• Eyeglasses (AREA)

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• 2002
  • 2002-01-23 AU AU2002236884A patent/AU2002236884A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2002-01-23 WO PCT/US2002/002347 patent/WO2002058796A2/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2002-01-23 EP EP02703252A patent/EP1363572A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2002-01-23 TW TW096201790U patent/TWM322373U/zh not_active IP Right Cessation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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