GB2261743A

GB2261743A - Opaque protective eye pads

Info

Publication number: GB2261743A
Application number: GB9224340A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Gail Kerfoot; Ken Hallam
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1991-11-22
Filing date: 1992-11-20
Publication date: 1993-05-26
Also published as: GB9124851D0; GB9224340D0

Abstract

An eye protector pad comprises a first opaque member 1, e.g. made from a sheet material, which is shaped to be retained on an eyelid or surrounding eye socket, and which may have attached to it a further member 2 of opaque or reflective material, which may be photosensitive. The protector may be attached using an adhesive strip 3. The first opaque number 1 may of cotton wool or lint type fabric. The protector may comprise a coolant, fragrant e.g. a natural herb or fruit extract or a decongestant. <IMAGE>

Description

PROTECTIVE EYE PADS The invention relates to the field of protective eye wear, and particularly although not exclusively to eye wear which protects against radiation.

Conventional eye wear, generally comprise opaque glass or plastic filters or lenses held in a frame which attaches either to the head, for example at the bridge of the nose and the ears, or on the crown of the head. An example of such conventional eye protectors would be a simple pair of sunglasses or goggles. However, such conventional eye wear has the disadvantage that where radiation is applied to the face, portions of the face and the eye sockets are shielded from the radiation by the supporting framework of the lenses or filters.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an eye protector comprising a first opaque member adapted to be positionable over an eye and eye lid to shield the eye from incident radiation, said protector being adapted such as to be retainable to the eye lid and/or a surrounding eye socket.

Preferably, said eye protector is of a substantially oval shape.

Preferably, said first opaque member comprises a sheet material.

Preferably, said sheet material is of a thickness in the range of 2mm to 15mm.

Preferably, said first opaque member is compressible and/or deformable.

Preferably, said oval has a width in the range 15mm to 40mm and a length in the range 20mm to 50mm.

Preferably, said sheet material comprises a fabric.

Said fabric may be a cotton wool or lint type fabric.

Said eye protector may further comprise a fluid which is releasable onto the eye or eye lid.

Said fluid may be a vapour which is gradually released from a solid or liquid state.

The vapour may be a decongestant.

Said fluid may be a coolant.

Said fluid may be a fragrant.

Said fragrant fluid is preferably a natural herb or fruit extract.

The eye protector may further comprise an adhesive member for locating said opaque member in position over said eye.

Preferably, the eye protector further comprises a second member attached to an outer surface of said first opaque member, said first opaque member being interposed between said eye and said second member, said second member including an opaque or reflective material.

Preferably said second member comprises a sheet material.

Said opaque or reflective material may be a photosensitive material.

Preferably, the eye protector is adapted to display characters or other information such that characters or other information are visible on an outer surface of the eye protector.

Preferably, the eye protector is adapted to display characters or other information such that said characters or other information are visible on an outer surface of said eye protector. This feature may have an advantage of displaying information, the information possibly relating to the wearer, in such a form as to be clearly identified and or monitored by an observer standing a few feet away form the wearer.

The invention includes a method of eye protection in which a first member is placed in an eye socket over an eyeball and eyelid, the member being adapted to be retainable in position in the eye socket.

The invention also includes a method of protecting an eye from radiation said method comprising placing an opaque member over the eye and an eye lid, said member being adapted to be retainable in an eye socket, and applying an adhesive to said opaque member for adhering said opaque member to the eye lid such that said opaque member covers the eye and eye lid and protects the eye from directly incident radiation, but shields no other portion of a face.

The member may be retained in position by use of a liquid applied to the member.

By way of example, a specific embodiment according to the present invention will now be described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings in which; Figure 1 shows an exploded view of an eye protector according to one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 shows a plan and side view of an opaque member of the embodiment of Figure 1; and Figure 3 shows a plurality of the eye protectors of Figure 1 deployed in use.

Referring to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings, an eye protector comprises a first opaque member 1, and optionally a second member 2 and an adhesive strip 3. The first opaque member 1 is of a compressible sheet material such as lint or cotton wool sheeting which, in a relaxed state, has a thickness in the range 8mm to 12mm.

In use, the eye protector fits over an eyelid, and is of dimensions such that it is retainable over the eyelid, even when a person sits vertically, so that their face is vertical. In this respect, the compressibility of the member 1 aids in shaping the eye protector to the eyeball and eyelid for retaining the eye protector thereto. The adhesive strip 3 may also aid in retaining the eye pad to the eyelid. However, the shape and dimensions of the member 1 are such that the eye protector can be retained in the eye socket without the aid of the adhesive strip 3.

The eye pad is advantageously found to be best retainable in the eye socket if the first member has a width in the range 20mm to 25mm and a length in the range 35mm to 45mm.

In use, the eye protectors may have an advantage of allowing the surface of a face to be exposed to radiation whilst a small area corresponding to the eyelids and eyes of a person may be protected by the eye protector from the radiation. The second member 2 may be provided with a reflective or opaque coating or may be made of an opaque material itself.

The first and/or second member(s) may be printed with information so as to visually present the information, which can be for example numerals, letters, alphanumeric characters or the like, outwardly from the face such that the information is readable by another person positioned a distance of a few feet away from the wearer of the eye protector(s). The information may be colour information.

An advantage of the information display may be that an observer may readily view information displayed on the eye protectors, the information may be associated with or pertaining to characteristics of the wearer of the eye protector(s).

The opaque member 1 may be impregnated with a fluid which is gradually releasable when the eye protector is in position over an eye, as shown in Figure 3. The fluid may be impregnated into the opaque member in the form of a liquid from which vapours are produced, or may be generated from a solid material, e.g. crystals, which are impregnated in the opaque member 1. The eye protector may be provided with a hermetically sealed enclosure, for example a plastic package (not shown in the Figures) such that when the package is opened, vapour is released.

Alternatively, a tear-off strip (not shown in the Figures) which covers the adhesive strip 3 may be peelable from the adhesive strip to release the vapours, and expose an adhesive portion.

The crystals or fluid which are impregnated in the opaque member 1 may be temperature sensitive, such that when radiation is incident on the eye pads the rate of release of vapour is dependent upon the intensity of the incident radiation.

The fluid is suitably a natural extract, such as a fruit or herb juice.

The reader's attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, abstract and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.

Claims

1. An eye protector comprising a first opaque member adapted to be positionable over an eye and eye lid to shield the eye from incident radiation, said protector being adapted such as to be retainable to the eye lid and/or a surrounding eye socket.

2. An eye protector according to claim 1, in which said eye protector is of a substantially oval shape.

3. An eye protector according to claim 2, in which said oval has a width in the range 15mm to 40mm and a length in the range 20mm to 50mm.

4. An eye protector according to claim 1, 2 or 3, in which said first opaque member is a sheet material.

5. An eye protector according to claim 4, in which said sheet material is a fabric.

6. An eye protector according to claim 5, in which said fabric is a cotton wool or lint type fabric.

7. An eye protector according to claim 4, 5 or 6, in which said sheet material has a thickness in the range of 2mm to 15mm.

8. An eye protector according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said first opaque member is compressible and/or deformable.

9. An eye protector according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a fluid which is releasable on to the eye or eyelid.

10. An eye protector according to claim 9, in which said fluid comprises a vapour which is gradually released from a solid or liquid state.

11. An eye protector according to claim 9 or 10, in which said fluid comprises a coolant.

12. An eye protector according to claim 9, 10 or 11, in which said fluid comprises a fragrant or a decongestant.

13. An eye protector according to claim 12, in which said fragrant fluid is a natural herb or fruit extract.

14. An eye protector according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising an adhesive member for locating said opaque member in position over said eye.

15. Any eye protector according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a second member attached to an outer surface of said first opaque member, in use, said first opaque member being interposed between said eye and said second member, said second member including an opaque or reflective material.

16. An eye protector according to claim 14, wherein said second member is a sheet material.

17. An eye protector according to claim 15 or 16, in which said opaque or reflective material is a photosensitive material.

18. An eye protector according to any one of the preceding claims, adapted to display characters or other information such that said characters or other information are visible on an outer surface of said eye protector.

19. An eye protector or method of eye protection substantially as herein described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

20. A method of protecting an eye from radiation said method comprising placing an opaque member over the eye and an eye lid, said member being adapted to be retainable in an eye socket, and applying an adhesive to said opaque member for adhering said opaque member to the eye lid such that said opaque member covers the eye and eye lid and protects the eye from directly incident radiation, but shields no other portion of a face.