US20110086716A1

US20110086716A1 - Novelty eye patch with artificial eye or eyelid

Info

Publication number: US20110086716A1
Application number: US12/923,692
Authority: US
Inventors: Richard Brockley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-10-08
Filing date: 2010-10-05
Publication date: 2011-04-14

Abstract

A novelty eye patch with a retaining, elastic band connected to a gag, false eye, eyelid or other embodiment, concealed beneath the patch. The patch and false eye or lid will be adjoined by a small, hidden spring, built onto two (2) hard wire frames. The spring will compress the false eye or lid against the user's real eye while allowing the patch to be lifted, revealing the gaff eye or lid. The two (2) steel wire frames will be concealed, along with the adjoining spring. One wire frame will be sewn into the outer circumference of the eye patch while the other frame will be molded into the underlying gaff or falsetto eye, to conceal their identity while maintaining stability to the patch and the gaff. Opposing force, created by the hidden spring, will compress downward the false eye or lid firmly against the user's real-eyelid, while maintaining a constant upward force of pressure on the patch. The spring will include a locking clip to keep the patch lowered to the position of the user's eye until such time that the user elects to lift the patch to reveal the gaff. This pressure will make lifting the patch more simplistic, while conversely maintaining an opposing force against the gaff eye or lid thereby preserving firmness of the gaff onto the user's real eyelid.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. §119 of Provisional Application Ser. No. 61/272,589 filed Oct. 8, 2009. The contents of this prior provisional application are incorporated by reference herein.

REFERENCES CITED

U.S. Patent Documents

U.S. Pat. No. 6,450,814 B1 9/2002 Brittain . . . 433/215
U.S. Pat. No. 7,495,835 B2 2/2009 Daley . . . 359/630
U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,669 7/1998 Hornsby et al . . . 446/342
U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,320 B1 8/2009 Kurup . . . 351/203
U.S. Pat. No. 0,200,998 A1 8/2007 Schrimmer et al . . . 351/158
U.S. Pat. No. 4,890,767 1/1990 Burlison . . . 222/78

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to novelty products for the face. In particular, the invention is designed to cover one eye with what appears to be a common eye patch that gives the user the facade of having a normally injured eye. When the eye patch is lifted, either a shockingly deformed or mutated false eye or eyelid will be revealed, or a mechanical, robot-like eye or even an LED light panel, for numerous usages. With respect to the novelty of the invention, it allows the wearer to lift the patch, thereby revealing an artificial deformity, consistent with the appearance of a serious or abnormal injury, or grotesque deformity of and around the wearer's eye. The concealed gaff may also include the revelation of a robot-like eye with or without an LED illumination, or an LED lit embodiment, which could feature a variety of designs or panels.
Novelty gags and illusionary gaffs that create false human appearances and unusual deformities are very popular among people worldwide. An entertaining gaff item for the human body, that requires little or no practice to use, which is easy to put on, can create lighthearted fun for individuals and their friends. Reducing or eliminating any complication from using or wearing a gaff is by far more popular and in greater demand than those that take practice and/or are complicated to use or set up.
An eye patch with entertainment value such as U.S. Pat. No. 7,575,320 to Kurup, embodies an adhesive design, but is proposed to aid in correcting vision and would not include a concealed gaff. In U.S. Pat. No. 5,782,669 to Hornsby et al., the provision for an eye assembly is constructed for the use on a stuffed toy. With respect to U.S. Pat. No. 7,495,835 to Daley, a facemask reveals the appearance of permanently visible red eyes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with preferred embodiments of the invention, a common fabric eye patch, with an elastic band for the head, is supported by two (2) concealed, metal, wire frames. A concealed, miniature, locking-spring mechanism, fused to both wire frames adjoins the eye patch to an underlying falsetto construction, of an aforementioned design. The concealed, miniature, locking spring mechanism, which adjoins the two entities, also places opposing force on the two connected structures. The novelty eye patch could be placed over the eye of a participant and with a gentle lift from the user's fingers, the patch will flip upward thereby revealing the underlying gaff to achieve the desired, entertaining results.
The novelty eye patch can be worn indiscriminately at any given time and does not require any practice or skill. The elastic band would enable usage for both children and adults. The invention gives the appearance to an observer that the wearer has some sort of normal eye injury. When the patch is raised, it would appear to the observer that the wearer had either some horrible malformation, some type of robotic appearance or even could expose a humorous LED design. The designs could vary from being humorous and absurd to very eerie and bizarre.
The design of the underlying gaff could be made to be see-through, although it would not be absolutely necessary in that the other eye would be uncovered. When the patch is pushed back down into place, the locking clip on the spring will sustain the patch in the down position, to be used again by the wearer, when ready.
It is therefore a primary objective to the present invention to provide a novelty and amusement device that exposes an exaggerated eye injury, an inhuman eye deformity, or some other entertaining revelation to nearby onlookers.
Another objective is to provide a simulated eye patch novelty gag device that is simple and easy to transport and use.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention and its construction concepts will be better understood upon reviewing the following detailed descriptions and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a depicted user showing the proper placement of the eye patch secured by the elastic headband.

FIG. 2 depicts the exposed gaff, falsetto-eye, after the wearer has lifted the eye patch.

FIG. 3 demonstrates the positioning of the spring and the locking clips built onto both ends of the spring. The broken line sequences are the concealed two (2), steel, wire frames that support the eye patch and the gaff and enables the spring to adjoin the two (2) components.

FIG. 4 depicts the two (2) wire frames adjoined by the spring, prior to the construction of the patch and the gaff.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

While the present invention is subject to embodiment in a variety of forms, there is demonstrated in the drawings and will hereinafter be described a presently preferred embodiment with the understanding that the present submission is to be considered an exemplification of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the specific embodiment illustrated.
It should be further understood that the title of this section, namely “Detailed Description of the Invention,” relates to a requirement of the United States Patent Office, and does not imply, nor should be inferred to limit the subject matter disclosed herein.
Referring now to the figures, and in particular FIG. 1 depicting a wearer with the external fabric eye patch 11 in place. Any suitable, opaque fabric or fabric-like material may be used in constructing the preferred embodiment of the eye patch 11. References for means of fastening, connecting or attaching components of the patch aspect of the present invention are intended to encompass conventional fastening means such as sewing or stitching, appropriate adhesives, application of heat or Velcro-type of connections. As referenced in FIG. 3, a sturdy, steel wire frame 14 will be woven into the perimeter of the patch 11 to give increased durability and to give the spring 16 an embodiment that connects it with patch 11. A band 12 will consist of an elastic material with stretchable properties and sized to fit the average human head, from that of a child to that of an adult. The material for both the patch 11 and the band 12 should likely be a uniform color, but may vary, based upon demand. The invention can be worn over either eye.
In FIG. 2, the patch 11 has been lifted by the wearer to create the surprising effect caused by the artificial, gaff eye, with what appears to be surrounding bloody tissue 13. Numerous aforementioned options can be incorporated with this invention. FIG. 2 depicts only one such option. In this particular depiction, the gaff 13 could be constructed from a portion of a glass eye, or a replicated doll-like eye of appropriate material, molded into a sturdy, malleable-type of construction such as plastics, polymers, hard rubber, or vinyls. The material surrounding the eyeball could then be painted to appear as though the flesh has been torn away from around the eye for a more dramatic effect. As represented in FIG. 3, another sturdy, steel wire frame 15 will be molded into the plastic material to stabilize the gaff 13 and secure the spring 16 to both the patch 11 and the gaff 13 respectively.
The spring 16 is the adjoining element that both combines the patch 11 and the gaff 13 as well as stabilizes the invention's usage. The spring 16 is designed as a low tension expansion spring that has a constant outward force when the eye patch 11 is in the down position as in FIG. 1. The spring 16 has two locking or retaining clasps 17 on either side so that when the spring 16 is pushed downward, it locks as in FIG. 1. When the user chooses to reveal the gaff 13, he or she simply applies slight pressure on the base of the patch 11, lifting upward. The spring's retaining clasps 17 thereby release, allowing the spring 16 to enact force on both the patch 11 and the gaff 13. The spring's force on the gaff 13, causes it to remain firmly positioned over the eye, whereas the patch 11 easily lifts until it lays firmly on the user's forehead.
FIG. 4 demonstrates the initial construction of the invention. In this particular depiction, the two, steel, wire frames 14 and 15 are securely adjoined by welding the spring onto the two positions of the frames as demonstrated in FIG. 4.
The preceding description and the appended drawings are provided to illustrate and describe the preferred embodiment of the novelty eye patch with artificial eye or eyelid assembly of the present invention. Although a description of the preferred embodiment has been presented, various changes, including those mentioned above, could be made without deviating from the spirit of the present invention. It is desired, therefore, that reference be made to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

Claims

1. A novelty interactive eye patch comprising:

an eye patch having a supporting frame about at least a portion of the patch perimeter, and a locking spring affixed to the frame for continuously placing upward pressure on the patch;

a concealed, underlying aperture constructed to appear as a deformity, oddity, or representation of humor supported on a further supporting frame affixed to the locking spring continuously placing downward pressure on the aperture; and

wherein the locking spring continuously submits force in opposite directions against the supporting frame and the further supporting frame.

2. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein the underlying aperture is constructed of durable, rubber or plastic, and is painted or molded to have the appearance of a human eye.

3. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein the patch is formed of fabric and the supporting frame is sewn into the perimeter of the patch to secure the patch to the supporting frame.

4. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein the locking spring is permanently affixed to both of the supporting frames.

5. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 4 wherein the locking spring places opposing force against the two supporting frames, as to the patch and as to the aperture.

6. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 5 wherein the release of the eye patch from the aperture projects the eye patch upward, thereby revealing the aperture.

7. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 5 wherein the release of the eye patch from the aperture forces downward tension on the aperture to secure it against the user's eyelid, thereby stabilizing the aperture.

8. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein a false eyeball is incorporated into the aperture.

9. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein a robotic-like eye with an LED fixture is incorporated into the aperture.

10. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein a false eyelid is incorporated into the aperture.

11. The novelty eye patch in accordance with claim 1 wherein an LED aperture is incorporated.