GB2177290A

GB2177290A - A pair of spectacles or goggles with wipers

Info

Publication number: GB2177290A
Application number: GB08513290A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shing Shui
Original assignee: GOLDEN AGE IND Ltd
Current assignee: GOLDEN AGE IND Ltd
Priority date: 1985-05-28
Filing date: 1985-05-28
Publication date: 1987-01-21
Also published as: GB8513290D0; GB2177290B

Abstract

A pair of spectacles or goggles comprising a frame 1 with glass panels or lenses 4, side members 3, wipers 5 and a drive mechanism 6-11 for driving the wipers is characterised by a receptacle in at least one of the side members for a battery 13 for powering motor 6. Lamps 15 may be located above the lenses and may be lit by batteries 13. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION A pair of spectacles goggles or the like Field of the Invention The invention relates to a pair of spectacles, goggles or the like fitted with electrically driven simulated wipers which oscillate in front of glasses or lenses forming part of the spectacles, goggles or the like.

Background Art United Kingdom Patent Specification No. 1 268 783 discloses a pair of spectacles, goggles or the like comprising a frame in which two eyepieces are connected by a bridge; two side members respectively hinged to the two eyepieces, on opposite sides of the frame, for engagement with the head of a wearer; two glasses or lenses respectively mounted in the eyepieces; two simulated wipers mounted for oscillatory motion respectively in front of the two glasses or lenses; and drive means including an electric motor and transmission means mounted within the bridge of the frame for driving the wipers.

However, in this known device, the battery for actuating the electric motor has to be carried separately from the pair of spectacles, goggles or the like and connected to the pair of spectacles, goggles or the like by means of lengthy wiring. This obtrusive wiring spoils the novel visuai effect of the spectacles, goggles or the like and, in addition, as a result of extra loading, makes it necessary to use a fairly bulky battery.

The wipers in this known device are rotatably mounted in the bridge at the top of the two eyepieces. They depend, respectively, in front of the glasses or lenses in the two eyepieces, and are oscillated about vertical mean positions by means of a long drive member which is reciprocated horizontally by the electric motor. The drive from the battery to the wipers is therefore of appreciable frictional resistance and inertia and, for this reason also, in view of this loading, it is necessary to use a fairly bulky battery.

Disclosure of the Invention It is an object of the present invention to avoid the obtrusive wiring connecting the battery to the pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, in the known construction.

This is achieved by at least one of the side members being formed with a receptacle for a battery for actuating the electric motor. Preferably, both side members are formed with these receptacles.

Thus, according to invention, there is provided a pair of spectacles, goggles or the like comprising a frame in which two eyepieces are connected by a bridge; two side members respectively hinged to the two eyepieces, on opposite sides of frame, for engagement with the head of a wearer, at least one of which is formed with a receptacle for a battery; two glasses or lenses respectively mounted in the eyepieces; two simulated wipers mounted for oscillatory motion respectively across the two glasses or lenses; and drive means including an electric motor and transmission means mounted within the bridge of the frame for driving the wipers when the electric motor is connected to a battery in the or each receptacle.

By this means, it is possible to avoid the use of obtrusive wiring between the or each battery and the electric motor and this enhances the novel appearance of the pair of spectacles, goggles or the like.

The side members are preferably of channelshaped cross-section so as to provide inwardly facing portions forming receptacles for two batteries. This provides a neat appearance; the batteries are hidden from view, but easily accessable.

In a preferred embodiment, the wipers are rotatably mounted in the bridge, extend away from each other, and are mounted for oscillatory motion about horizontal mean positions.

In this case, the wipers may be provided with cranked inner ends and the transmission means may comprise a vertically reciprocable member having opposite sides in driving engagement with the cranked inner ends of the wipers. By this means, it is possible to reduce the bulk and inertia of the transmission means so that the energy dissipated in operating the wipers is minimised, thus permitting the use of smaller batteries which can more easily be fitted into the side members of the pair of spectacles, goggles or the like. Moreover, this effect may be enhanced by balancing the vertically movable components which are moved up and down when driven by the electric motor.

Conveniently, the transmission means also comprise a worm, attached to the electric motor, a worm gear meshing with the worm, and reciprocating means driven by the worm gear for reciprocating the vertically reciprocable member.

To improve the novel appearance of the pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, two lamps are mounted on the bridge respectively above the two eyepieces, wiring extends between the or each battery receptacle and the electric motor and between the or each battery receptacle and the two lamps; and a switch provided for connecting a battery in the or each battery receptacle to, or disconnecting the or each battery from, the electric motor and the two lamps. Thus, when the wipers are in operation, the lights are lit, thereby providing the novel impression of a motor car.

An embodiment of the invention is hereinafter described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawing Figure 1 is a schematic rear elevation of a pair of goggles embodying the present invention, in which part of the pair of goggles has been removed for illustrative purposes; Figure 2 is a rear elevation of part of transmission means forming part of the pair of goggles shown in Figure 1; and Figure 3 is a sectional elevation of the pair of goggles shown in Figure 1.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention As shown in Figure 1, eyepieces 1 are interconnected by a bridge 2 to form an integral moulded plastic frame 1 and 2. The eyepieces 1 are fitted with glass panels 4 and side members 3 are connected to the eyepieces 1 at opposide sides of the frame 1 and 2 by means of hinges 18. The side members 3 are formed with channel-shaped cross-sections to form receptacles 12 for batteries 13. Wiring 18 (shown schematically) extends from terminals 19 at the ends of the receptacles 12 to an electric motor 8 mounted within the bridge 2. A worm 7 connected to the electric motor 6 drives a worm gear 8 which meshes with a drive gear 9 formed integral with an eccentric cam 10.A vertically reciprocable member 11 is formed with a horizontal slot 24 receiving the eccentric cam 10 and is positioned between guides 21 which ensure that the vertically reciprocable member 11 moves up and down as the drive gear 9 is rotated.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the vertically reciprocable member 11 is formed with another horizontal slot 22 which receives cranked inner ends 14 of the wipers 5. These cranked inner ends 19 of the wipers 5 are rotatably in bushes 23 mounted in the bridge 2. Thus, as the vertically reciprocable member 11 moves upwards, as a result of rotation of the drive gear 9, the outer ends of the wipers 5, which are fitted with rubber blades 24, are caused to rotate downwardly. Then, on continued rotation of the drive gear 9, the vertically reciprocable member 11 is caused to move downwards, thus causing the wipers 5 to rotate upwardly until the vertically reciprocable member 11 reaches its lowermost position, whereupon the wipers 5 rotate downwards, in the opposite direction, once more.

As shown in Figure 3, the worm gear 8 and the drive gear 9 are rotatably mounted on spindles 25 and 26 formed integral with the bridge 2 and the drive means comprising the electric motor 6 and the transmission means including the worm 7, the worm gear 8, the drive gear 9 and integral cam 10 and the vertically reciprocable member 11 are enclosed within the bridge 2 by means of a removable cover plate 27 which can be attached to the bridge 2 by means of screws (not shown). It should be noted that it is this cover plate 27 which is omitted from Figure 1. To complete the circuit between the batteries 13 and the electric motor 6 and between the batteries 13 and the lamps 15, a switch 17 is provided in one of the side pieces 3 and, although not clearly shown, this switch is arranged to be operated from the outer surface of the pair of goggles.

Claims

1. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, comprising: a frame (1 and 2) in which two eyepieces (1) are connected by a bridge (2); two side members (3) respectively hinged to the two eyepieces (1), on opposite sides of the frame (1 and 2), for engagement with the head of a wearer; two glasses or lenses (4) respectively mounted in the eyepieces (1); two simulated wipers (5) mounted for oscillatory motion respectively in front of the two glasses or lenses (4); and drive means (6 to 11) including an electric motor (6) and transmission means (7 to 11) mounted within the bridge (2) of the frame (1 and 2) for driving the wipers (5); characterised in that: at least one of the side members (3) is formed with a receptacle (12) for a battery (13) for actuating the electric motor (6).

2. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, according to Claim 1, in which the or each side member (3) is formed with a channelshaped cross-section to provide a receptacle (12) for a battery (13).

3. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, in which the wipers (5) are rotatably mounted in the bridge (2), extend away from each other, and are mounted for oscillatory motion about horizontal mean positions.

4. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, according to Claim 3, in which the wipers (5) have cranked inner ends (14) and the transmission means (7 to 11) comprise a vertically reciprocable member (11) having opposite sides in driving engagement with the cranked inner ends (14) of the wipers (5).

5. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, according to Claim 4, in which the transmission means (7 to 11) comprise a worm (7), attached to the electric motor (6), a worm gear (8) meshing with the worm (7), reciprocating means (9 and 10) driven by the worm gear (8) for reciprocating the vertically reciprocable member (11).

6. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, according to any preceding claim, in which: two lamps (15) are mounted on the bridge (2) respectively above the two eyepieces (1); wiring (16) extends between the or each battery receptacle (12) and the electric motor (6) and between the or each battery receptacle (12) and the two lamps (15); and a switch (17) is provided for connecting a battery (13) in the or each battery receptacle (12) to, or disconnecting the or each battery (13) from, the electric motor (6) and the two lamps (15).

7. A pair of spectacles, goggles or the like, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.