US3011170A - Pocket eyeshade for spectacles - Google Patents

Description

Dec. 5, 1961 R. R. LUTZ 3,011,170

POCKET EYESHADE FOR SPECTACLES Filed Aug. 8, 1960 IN VEN TOR.

Z6 Rufus R. Lu tz Fl 6. 5 5 lg I Attorney Patented Dec. 5, 1961 3,011,170 POCKET EYESHADE FOR SPECTACLES Rufus RJ'Lutz, 1620 SW. 2nd Ave., Miami, Fla. Filed Aug. 8,1960, SenNo. 48,295 3 Claims. .(Cl. 2-13) This-invention relates in general to eye shades, and more particularly, to an eyeshade designed to fitupon and be supported by a pairof spectacles.

While the eyeshade embodying my invention is adapted for constant use by persons engaged in occupations involving close work under strong light, the espwial objective pursued in its development was a device that would serve to protect the'eyes on the frequent occasions When they are exposed to light strain during comparatively shortperiods of time, such as, for example; viewing television, reading on a train or plane, long card games under over head light, riding in an open car, reading or study with badly placed or excessive light, attendance at theaters, games or other public events, where frequently indirect light or glare molests and irritates the eyes.

Though various eyeshade attachments for spectacles have heretofore been developed, nonehas found wide spread acceptance by the general public for various reasons, principal among which are their complexity, high cost, bulkine-ss and the difficulty in attaching and removing them from the spectacles.

The principal object-of my invention, accordingly, is to provide an eyeshade of the character described which overcomes the deficiencies of prior eyeshades, and which is low in cost, simple and durable in structure, attractive in appearance, compactly folda-ble, easy to use and highly effective for the intended purpose.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an eyeshade attachment of the above nature which may be constructed of a strip of flexible, semi-transparent or opaque material available in sheet form or which may be molded or extruded of a flexible synthetic plastic, and which comprises a visor having two separate grooves equal in length provided near the rearward side of the visor. In effecting the attachment of the eyeshade to the spectacles, the grooves are pressed over the upper spectacle rims pinchingthem firmly enough to maintain the visor at the desired angle. The grooves are centered separately over the spectacle rims, leaving a space between them'which is arcuately recessed to facilitate folding the eyeshade to pocketv size when not in use.

The primary requirements in an eyeshade for such temporary use, sometimes unplanned and often interrupted, are: 1

First, that the operations of attaching the eyeshade to and removal from the spectacles be effected easily and Second, in order that the eyeshade be available at any time that the need for it arises, it must be small enough to fit easily in a pocket or purse. This invention, when not in use, folds to half size, occupying less, space than a cigarette pack.

Another advantage of marked importance in this invention is economy in manufacturing costs. Preferably the visor is die-cut from flat stock, and the groove members, formed by extrusion or molding of a synthetic plastic, are cemented in place. Alternatively, both visor and grooves may be integrally formed, either by molding or by extrusion. If extruded, the individual units can be cut from extruded stock by a simple die-cutting operation.

Other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from thefollowing detailed description when read with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings, wherein like reference numbers denote corresponding parts throughout the several views: p

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred form of eyeshade embodying the' invention, mounted on a pair of spectacles, 1

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the eyeshade shown separately, FIG. 3 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the eyeshade of FIGS. 1 and 2, taken along the line 33 of W FIG. 2 in the direction of the-arrows, I

FIG. 4 is across-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing a modified form wherein the eyeshade is integrally formed, and I V i FIG. 5'is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3 but showing still another modification of the invention.

Referring now in detail to the drawings 10 in FIGS. 1,

2 and 3 designates my improved eyeshade generally, the

same comprising a thin visor member 1'1 having an arcuate forward edge 12, curved, opposed rear corners 13, and straight, aligned, opposed rear edges 14. The inner ends of the rear edges 14 define a curved bridge recess 15. Cemented or otherwise afi'ixed against the underside of the visor member 11 at each side of the bridge recess $15 and in spaced parallel disposition with respect to the rear edges 14 of said visor member is a groove member 16. The groove members 1 6 are preferably cut from extruded lengths of resilient synthetic plastic material for economy of manufacture, and as best illustrated in FIG. 3, are formed with a relatively wideupper end portion 17, and a pair of downwardly-extending front and rear side wall portions 18, 19, respectively.

The inner surface of the front side wall portion 18 of the groove members 16 converges slightly from the inner to the outer end thereof as indicated at 20, whereas the inner surface of the rear side Wall portion 19 of said groove members'is corrugated as indicated at 21, whereby said groove members wil effectively grip over the spectacle frame portions over the lenses and maintain their adjusted position thereon, as illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 1 further illustrates how the short portions of the visor member 11 projecting rearwardl y beyond the spectacle frame lenses affords additional protection against unwanted light s'triking the eyes from above. When it is desired to remove the eyeshade, it is a simple matter to detach it simply by pushing upwardly with the fingers on the lower ends of the rear side wall portions 19 of the groove'members 16 while maintaining the spectacles in relatively fixed position. The bridge recess 15 provides a relatively weak central zone along the visor member v11 allowing folding in half for convenient storage or carrying in a pocket. i

The modification of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4 and designated generally by reference number 22 differs from that of the embodiment of FIGS. 1-3 described above only in that the visor member 23 is integrally formed with groove members defined by front and rear side wall portions 24, 25 respectively. In this embodimerit of the invention, the entire unit may be fabricated of extruded lengths of synthetic plastic die-cut into shape and then machined to remove excess end portions of the groove side walls 24, 2'5.

The modification of the invention illustrated in FIGS 5 and designated by reference number 26 dilfers from that of FIG. 4 in that opposed rear end portions of the visor member 11 are integrally molded with the lower end of the front side wall portion 28 of the groove members defined by the front and rear wall portions 28, 29,*re-

WhileI have illustrated and described herein only three 'forms in which my invention can conveniently be embodied in practice, these forms are presented by way of example only and not ina limiting sense. In short, the

invention is limited only by the scope and spirit of 'the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: v I

1. In a visor for spectacles, the combination comprising, a fiat, flexible visor member having a curved front edge and a pair of opposed, aligned substantially straight rear edges, a bridge recess in said visor member between the inner ends of said rear edges, and a pair of elongated, resilient groove members secured along the underside of side visor member, in-opposed disposition near one each of the rear edges of said visor member and in spaced parallel relation to said rear edges, said groove members comprising spaced front and rear wall portions operative I References Qited in the file of this patent UNITED STATESI'PATENTS 2,795,793 Sommers June 18, 1957 2,819,468 Van Dincklage .Jan. 14, 1958 2,891,251 Ebersole' --June 23, 1959 Bricker -Sept. 11, 1956 ,..7. l w r,

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