GB2326078A - Swimming goggles mounted directly on swimming cap - Google Patents

Abstract

Swimming goggles are held in position on the wearer's head by a flexible swim cap 8. The eyepieces 1 of the goggles fit in openings at the front of the swim cap, which extends down the face, and the openings have an enlarged connecting rim which is trapped in a peripheral groove around the goggle eyepieces. The goggle eyepieces may be double-glazed. A resilient face seal for contacting around the eyes behind the goggle eyepieces may be provided as an integral rear extension of the swim cap material. A length-adjustable nose bridge is provided joining the left and right eyepieces, and has a flexible bridging member connected eccentrically to rotatable pegs seated in complementary bores of the eyepieces, so that the bridge length can be adjusted by turning the pegs.

Description

DEVELOPMENTS RELATING TO GOGGLES AND SWIM CAPS The invention relates to goggles, particularly sports goggles such as swimming goggles.

Goggles are routinely used by competitive swimmers and often by leisure swimmers as well. Conventional swimming goggles have a pair of separate transparent eyepieces, which may be moulded in one piece from transparent plastics, connected by a short flexible nose bridge in front and a flexible head strap behind. A flexible rubber sealing skirt clips around the rear of each eyepiece to seal against the wearer's face.

One technical issue relating to goggles is that of misting; temperature differential between the wearer's face and the surroundings causes condensation on the inner surface of the goggles and misted vision.

Another issue is that of fitting across the nose.

Some goggles have no adjustment; you must buy the size that fits you. In others the nose bridge is a rubber arch whose ends fit through holes in the respective eyepieces and have a series of snap ribs enabling crude length adjustment. In racing goggles there is often just a knotted string connecting the eye pieces.

A third issue is that of smooth flow: the conventional eyepieces are cup-shaped and stand off the face creating flow resistance which may be undesirable especially in competition.

A fourth issue is how the goggles can conveniently be retained on the wearer's head.

We now propose a number of new measures relating to goggles. This description is primarily in relation to swimming goggles but the concepts may apply to other kinds of goggles except where the context requires otherwise.

A first proposal is goggles having a transparent goggle lens comprising front and rear lens layers spaced to provide a sealed laminar lens space between them. The insulation afforded by the sealed space can reduce or eliminate misting on the rear surface of the rear layer.

Preferably the space extends over substantially the entire vision area of the lens. Usually there will be a pair of lenses, one for each eye, but the principle is also applicable when a single visor-type lens serves both eyes.

The front and rear lens layers can be provided by front and rear lens components fitted together and sealed around a peripheral sealing region. The sealing is preferably by a direct fit and bonding together of these components, e.g. by adhesive or welding. To reduce misting effectively the insulating space should usually be substantially moisture-free, e.g. by assembling the components under low-humidity conditions, and/or reduced pressure, and/or including some desiccant medium in or in contact with the space. One or both of the front and rear lens components can provide anchors for a securing member such as a strap to pass around the wearer's head.

These anchors may in themselves be conventional. One or both of the lens components can be one-piece moulded plastics units.

A flexible face seal is usually provided extending around the rear periphery of the or each goggle lens.

This may be secured by an in-turned rim or a bead engaged in a groove or slot at or near the rear periphery of the lens. There is the possibility of forming this groove or slot between front and rear lens components as mentioned above.

The anti-misting effect of the present construction may be reinforced if desired by an anti-misting coating these are known as such - on the rear lens surface.

Our second general proposal is swim headwear comprising a flexible swimcap to cover and extend around a wearer's head and swim goggles joined to the cap material so that the cap holds the goggles in position over the wearer's eyes in use.

Preferably a connecting rim on the cap's sheet material is connected directly to the periphery of the goggles' lens or eyepiece component(s). This rim of the cap material may be formed with an angled or enlarged collar or bead which is hooked into or trapped by a corresponding opening at the goggles periphery.

To hold the goggles against the face they should preferably connect at least to side portions of the swim cap. However we prefer that the cap material is joined around the goggles periphery at least along the top as well and preferably also along the bottom. For example it may join continuously substantially all around the or each goggle lens. To make these connections the cap has corresponding mask or face regions which can cover and thereby streamline the transition between the goggles and face, conventionally an angular junction creating high drag. The cap material may be shaped or supported to enhance this effect. For example a brow region leading to a connection along the top of the goggle lens may be thickened and/or provided with internal support elements in order to occupy the angle above the top of the goggles.

The goggles may be in accordance with the first aspect above, i.e. having front and rear lens layers with a sealed space between. In this case an opening for receiving/trapping the rim of the cap material may be between the front and rear lens components.

We particularly prefer that a flexible face seal extending around the rear periphery of the goggle lens is formed integrally with the cap. This is feasible because the same kinds of soft resilient materials are suitable for both and the possibility of securing a cap rim around the goggle lens components accords with the similar fixing needed for the face seal. So, the cap can be formed with a goggle opening having a surrounding rim with a front connection rim or bead for making the structural connection to the goggles and an integral rearward projection behind this to provide the face seal.

Each of these can be annular to surround a goggle lens.

Another general proposal herein is that a swim cap, such as that used in the previous proposal, has formed on its outer surface with flow-guiding projections such as plural projecting ribs extending side-by-side.

Our fourth general proposal is of goggles having left and right lens portions or eyepieces connected through a length-adjustable nose-bridging arrangement including an adjuster element mounted on one of the lens portions so as to be progressively rotatable relative to it through a range of stable rotational positions, and a flexible bridging element connected eccentrically to the adjuster element so that progressive rotation of the adjuster element progressively adjusts the length of the nose-bridging arrangement.

There may be a pair of adjuster elements, one on each lens portion.

The adjuster element may have or be a sleeve, post or peg providing the rotational engagement with the lens portion. An end of the flexible element may be attached to this. For example the lens portion may have a socket in which a post or peg fits rotatably. The adjuster element may be stabilised by frictional engagement or interference with a complementary formation on the lens portion. Any engagement that can adequately prevent slip will do but we prefer to minimise discrete moving parts, relying instead of resilience and friction of the components. Preferably the adjuster element makes a rotationally-sense-preferential engagement with the complementary formation of the eyepiece, such as a pawl or a ratchet-type engagement created by radial projections on one or both of these components which are circumferentially directed. They should be oriented so as to resist more strongly rotation which would lengthen the bridging element.

The adjuster element can have a grip portion for manual operation, e.g. an annular head which may have frictional regions e.g. serrations or knurlings to facilitate use. Alternatively a lever may be provided.

A simple construction for the adjuster element is a peg with a grippable operating head, a thinner winding portion engaging the flexible element and a rotational mounting portion fitting to a complementary formation e.g. a pin or socket on the lens portion.

This length-adjustable nose-bridging arrangement may be used with any of the other general proposals above.

Compared with known adjusters it confers benefits firstly of a progressive adjustment and secondly of adjustment by a simple action which could be done while wearing the goggles e.g. when swimming.

Examples illustrating these proposals are now described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig 1 is a median horizontal section through a pair of swimming goggles, taken at I-I shown in Fig. 2; Fig. 2 is a front view of the swimming goggles of Fig. 1; Fig. 2 is a front view of the Fig.l goggles; Fig. 3 is a front view of one goggle eyepiece; Fig. 4 is a side view of the eyepiece; Fig. 5 is a section at V-V shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 6 is a section at VI-VI shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary view from Fig. 3 showing an adjuster socket; Figs. 8 and 9 are respectively horizontal sectional and front views of a different version of swimming goggles; Figs. 10 and 11 are front and side views of components of a nose bridge length adjuster; Figs. 12 and 13 are enlarged sections taken at XII XII and XIII-XIII shown in Fig.ll; Figs. 14(a),(b),(c) are front, side and rear views respectively of a combined swim cap and goggles, and Figs. 15,16,and 17 are sectional views taken respectively at XV-XV, XVI-XVI and XVII-XVII indicated in Fig. 14.

In the following description, corresponding parts of the various constructions are referred to by the same reference numbers.

Figs. 1 and 2 show swimming goggles having left and right eyepieces 1 joined at their inner extremities by a nose bridging arrangement 2 and connected at their outer extremities to the ends of a strap 3, itself conventional, for holding the goggles on the head.

The outer form of the eyepieces is relatively conventional; a flat viewing region 10 surrounded by a border 11 inclining rearwardly towards the face. The inner part of the border 11 has a mounting location 12 for the nose bridge arrangement 2, to be described in more detail later. The outer extremity of the border 11 provides attachment 13 for the strap 3.

The sectional views figs. 1,5,6 show however that each eyepiece 1 has a novel double-glazed construction, formed by front and rear lens components 14,15 joined together. Each of the front and rear components 14,15 has a region corresponding to the viewing area 10, which is flat in this particular example, and these are spaced from one another in the finished construction so that a flat laminar insulation space 16 is defined between them.

Furthermore the front and rear components are bonded together around an annular sealing region 20 at the edge of the space 16 so that the space is sealed. In the construction shown this is done by forming a stepped recess 21 around the inside of the border of the front lens component 14, a front periphery angle 22 of the rear component 15 adjacent the viewing surface fitting and being bonded into this recess 21.

In the construction shown, each of the front and rear components 14, 15 is a single moulded plastic unit, e.g. of polycarbonate. We prefer ultrasonic welding for joining them together, but other techniques may be used.

The insulation space 16 between the layers reduces the effect of temperature differential across the lens, the cause of misting. By assembling the lens in a humidity-free atmosphere and sealing the join, misting within the space 16 can be prevented. Additionally or alternatively a desiccant substance may be introduced in the space 16 for the same reason. Thermal conduction contact between the front and rear components should be kept small, but this is not difficult with plastics materials e.g. by using a small area bonding zone as shown in this example.

In this example the double-glazed region corresponds to an area to the front viewing zone. It is desirable that at least most of the front zone has the double glazing. Equally however it is possible that the doubleglazed zone extends into the border portion with the seal being provided near the edge. The front region does not need to be flat although this is normally preferred.

The strap 3 is secured by a loop 31 passing through a slit 132 at the outer end 13 of the lens arrangement.

This is in itself conventional; the illustrated example has the slit 131 through the integral border of the front component 14 but it could be formed through the rear component or on some attached component.

Swimming goggles generally have a soft resilient projection around their rear periphery to seal against the face in use. This is usually of soft rubber, e.g.

silicone rubber, that interlocks with some peripheral projection slot around the rear of the lens. In these goggles an appropriate slot 59 is provided by clearance between the inclined border regions 141, 151 of the front and rear components. The rubber face seal 4 has an inturned front flange 41 which hooks behind an outward flange 152 around the rear extremity of the rear component 15. In this example it fits snugly between the flange 152 and the border 141 of the front component; this is not essential and other modes of fitting can be used. The border region 151 of the rear component 15 is not strictly needed for the double-glazing purposes and it would be possible to provide a rear layer only for the double-glazed region, other attachments being made to peripheral regions of the front layer. Equally, it would be possible to reverse that arrangement and have the front layer present only over the double-glazed region.

A skilled person will readily understand possible variants. See for example the goggles shown in Fig. 8, where the rear component 15 dispenses with a substantial border area and has only a small flange 152 for trapping the rubber face seal 4. For bonding, the front and rear components 14, 15 have respectively rearwardly and forwardly projecting peripheral beads 143, 153 which are bonded edge-to-edge around the viewing region.

The nose bridge 2 has a special and novel construction giving length adjustability. The inner front boundary of each lens 1 has a boss 19 with a generally cylindrical forwardly-opening bore 191. In the example shown this is formed in the front lens component 14, but the nose bridge arrangement itself is suitable for use in other forms of goggles e.g. with discrete frames or with conventional single-glazed lenses.

Left and right hand adjuster pegs 5 fit into the respective socket bores 191 of the left and right lenses.

Each adjuster peg 5 is a one-piece plastics entity, e.g.

of nylon, and is shown in detail in Figs 11 to 13.

Generally speaking their function is to adjust the length of the nose bridge 2 by deflecting or winding a flexible bridging element 6 which in this example extends linearly between them. Each peg 5 has a mounting portion 51 which fits into the bore 191, a winding portion 52 exposed above the bore 191 and a radially-enlarged head 53 to be gripped and operated by hand.

Details of the mounting portion 51 can be seen in Figs 11 to 13. Its generally cylindrical body is interrupted at two diametrically opposed locations by circumferentially-projecting fins 54 which act as rotational sense-selective pawls. Each fin 54 extends substantially the length of the portion 51 and lies over a corresponding recess 55 giving clearance for flexion.

As seen in Fig 13 the pawl fins 54 of the left and right pegs have the opposite rotational sense.

The bore 191 is provided with a circumferentiallydistributed series of internal ribs 192 as seen in Fig 7, and these interact with the fins 54 on the pegs 5 to give a range of "click" positions. The pawl selectivity makes turning relatively easy in the direction of the arrows shown on the peg heads in Fig 10 and relatively difficult in the opposite direction.

The flexible element 6 extends between the pegs and meets their winding portions 52 at a point above the peg axis so that the direction of relatively easy peg rotation tightens the element 6 by winding it onto the peg.

The material for the element 6 and its mode of attachment to the pegs are not critical, but we propose here a construction in which the two pegs 5 and the flexible element 6 are moulded together as a one-piece entity of the same material e.g. nylon. Fig 12 shows how the flexible element merges into the winding portion of the peg. In the version shown the flexible element has uniform thin end portions 62 and an enlarged mid-portion 61. The enlarged mid-portion is primarily for aesthetic purposes.

The skilled reader will appreciate that the method of providing the stable nose bridge length can be varied.

In particular there are other ways of providing senseselective engagement between the peg and bore. The number and disposition of pawl elements, either on bore or peg, can be changed. Furthermore, while a sensepreferential arrangement is preferred because it makes adjustment easy it is not essential and it may be adequate if the adjuster element is simply difficult to move relative to its mounting e.g. a tight interference fit of high-friction material.

Alternatively it would be possible to provide some kind of releasable lock for the adjuster element but this may be complicated to make.

A particular virtue of the construction described is the ease of adjustment; the simple rotational movement can be made with one hand even while wearing the goggles.

The peg heads 53 have peripheral serrations to improve grip.

Figs 14 to 17 show a novel item of swimming headwear having goggle eyepieces 1 built into a swimming cap 8.

The goggle eyepieces 1 are double-glazed units as described above and the nose bridge adjuster 2 is also of the special construction described above. This is highly preferred, but it is possible to make the present swimming cap/goggles combination with other kinds of goggles.

In essence the swimming cap 8 substitutes for the conventional strap of the goggles. The material of the cap is joined directly to the goggle eyepieces 1 as shown in Figs 15, 16. The cap extends down over the upper part of the face to form a partial mask, with a brow region 81 extending down to meet the top of the goggles, side regions extending forward from the ears and cheek regions 82 extending around underneath the goggle eyepieces 1 to the centre of the face. In this embodiment the cap material extends continuously right around each eyepiece.

A particular reason for this is seen in Figs 15 and 16: the cap 8 is formed in one piece with the face seals 4 behind the eyepieces. This highly desirable degree of integration is possible because the requirements of the materials for these components are similar. Both may be of silicone rubber, for example. The opening formed in the cap component 8 is provided with a peripheral securement bead 84 or other appropriate retaining formation, and this is held in a corresponding slot around the edge of the lens component. In the version illustrated this is the slot between the front and rear lens components of a double-glazed unit, as described previously. The annular face seal components 4 are provided surrounding the securement beads 84 and extending away rearwardly i.e. towards the face.

Other modes of attachment of the cap material around the lens eyepieces may occur to the skilled reader.

Sufficient retaining strength may be available by putting a bead into a fixed slot, e.g. as shown. It would also be possible to fit front and rear lens components (not necessarily double-glazing components; one might be e.g.

a peripheral retaining strip or ring) together onto the cap's retaining edge.

While as mentioned it is preferred for the cap to extend right around the goggles lens periphery it is not essential for securement to the head. The side elements of the cap 83 are most important for this. They may be thickened or otherwise strengthened if need be.

Nevertheless, another virtue associated with joining the cap to the goggles is the possibility for smoothing the otherwise upstanding contour of the goggles into the overall contour of the face. In particular the brow and cheek regions 81, 82 are significant in this. Higher flow pressure is at the brow region 81 and this may be supported e.g. by thickening the cap material, either solidly or by means of rearward projections to engage the face, or by providing an upward support extension on the goggles unit.

Another novel feature of the cap shown is the provision of flow-guiding ribs 9 extending along the cap's outer surface side by side. Four broadly spaced ribs extend substantially from front to rear, while on a downwardly-extended nape region 81 of the cap these are further sub-divided by shorter ribs extending in the same direction. These can improve the smoothness of flow around the swimmer's head and consequently reduce drag to some extent. Again, a skilled person will be able to formulate other suitable dispositions of ribs or other suitable flow-guiding conformations of the cap surface.

Claims (13)

CLAIMS:

1. Swim headwear comprising a flexible cap of stretchable sheet material to cover and extend around a wearer's head and goggles connected to the stretchable sheet material of the cap so that the cap holds the goggles in position over the wearer's eyes in use; the goggles having an eyepiece periphery with an outwardly-directed peripheral groove, the cap having a connecting rim formed integrally in the sweet material thereof, and the connecting rim of the cap being retained in the peripheral groove of the goggles eyepiece periphery to provide the connection between the cap and goggles.

2. Swim headwear according to claim 1 in which the connecting rim on the cap entirely surrounds the goggles eyepiece periphery.

3. Swim headwear according to claim 1 or 2 in which the connecting rim on the cap comprises an angled and/or enlarged portion and the peripheral groove of the eyepiece has an angle and/or restriction which traps said portion.

4. Swim headwear according to any of claims 1 to 3 in which the cap comprises a resilient face seal element for the goggles, the face seal element being formed integrally in the material of the cap, and branching rearwardly from adjacent the connecting rim of the cap to extend in behind the goggles eyepiece and rearwardly towards the face.

5. Swim headwear according to any one of the preceding claims in which the goggles eyepiece comprises front and rear portions having front and rear peripheral regions respectively, the front and rear portions,being secured together with their respective peripheral regions opposing one another at a distance to form said peripheral groove retaining the cap's connecting rim.

6. Swim headwear according to claim 5 in which the front portion of the eyepiece is a lens portion and the rear portion is a peripheral clamping ring.

7. Swim headwear according to claim 5 in which both the front portion and the rear portion of the eyepiece are lens portions, so that the goggle eyepiece is doubleglazed.

8. Swim headwear according to any one of the preceding claims in which the goggles have separate left and right eyepieces joined by a length-adjustable nose-bridging arrangement.

9. Swim headwear according to claim 8 in which the nose-bridging arrangement comprises a rotational adjuster element mounted on one of said eyepieces, and progressively rotatable relative thereto through a range of stable rotational positions, and a flexible bridging element connected eccentrically to the rotational adjuster element so that rotation of the adjuster element adjusts the length of the nose-bridging arrangement.

10. Swim headwear comprising goggles having right and left eyepieces, a flexible cap of stretchable sheet material or a strap, connected to the goggles to extend around the wearer's head and hold the eyepieces in position over the wearer's eyes in use, and a lengthadjustable nose-bridging arrangement connecting between the left and right eyepieces, said arrangement comprising an adjuster element mounted on one of the eyepieces and being progressively movable relative thereto through a range of stable rotational orientations and a flexible bridging element connected eccentrically to the adjuster element and to the other eyepiece, whereby rotation of the adjuster element from one of said rotational orientations to another adjusts the length of the nosebridging arrangement.

11. Swim headwear according to claim 10 comprising a pair of said adjuster elements, one on the right eyepiece and one on the left, the flexible bridging element being connected eccentrically to each.

12. Swim headwear according to claim 10 or 11 in which the adjuster element is a peg engaging in a socket in the eyepiece.

13. Swim headwear according to any one of claims 10 to 12 in which the nose-bridging arrangement; is a plastics element comprising the flexible bridging element formed in one piece with the or each adjuster element.