US3377626A - Insulated goggles - Google Patents

Description

April 16, 1968 R. E. SMITH INSULATED GOGGLES Filed April 1, 1966 INVENTOR. Robert E. Smith Attorneys United States Patent 3,377,626 INSULATED GOGGLES Robert E. Smith, 908 E St., San Rafael, Calif. 94%1 Filed Apr. 1, 1966, Ser. No. 539,458 6 Claims. (Cl. 2-14) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Goggles formed with a sealed rigid lens structure having spaced lenses between which is contained a sealed atmosphere. The lens structure is held away from the face with a shell structure which permits controlled slow exchange of atmosphere from Within the shell to ambient.

This invention relates to goggles, and more particularly relates to winter sports goggles as used by skiers.

Heretofore, such goggles have been subject to the accumulation of snow and slush on the outer or exposed surface of the lens because it is too warm with respect to ambient temperature, and have further been subject to fogging on the inside of the lens because the lens is too cold with respect to the temperature and humidity between the lens and the face. One solution to this problem has been that of ventilating the inside surface of the lens to remove the excess moisture and to cool the lens so that slush and snow do not accumulate on the outside. But, such ventilation requires holes or other openings about the lens which permit snow and slush to accumulate inside the lens where they collect on the warmer inside surface of the lens. Furthermore, ventilation permits the Wind to penetrate into the inside of the goggles causing the face, nose and eyes to get cold when skiing. And, the tear layer of the eyes tends to be evaporated too rapidly when highly ventilated.

The use of vents suffers from another problem due to the tendency of fogging to increase with increased bodily activity and, generally, reach a maximum when the individual has come to rest after strenuous activity. Since the ventilation requires movement, it ceases to operate when the wearer stops and excess moisture between the lens and the face quickly fogs the goggle. There is, therefore, a need for a new and improved goggle especially adapted for use in winter sports.

It is a general object of the invention to provide a goggle which will overcome the above named disadvantages.

Another object of the invention is to provide a goggle of the above character which provides a seal between the face and the lens to keep snow and slush out from the inside of the glasses.

Another object of the invention is to provide a goggle of the above character in which the exposed surface of the lens is maintained at a cold temperature, close to ambient, so that snow and slush will not stick to such lens surface, and to keep the inner surface of the lens structure warm so that the tendency for moisture between the face and said surface to condensate is substantially reduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide a goggle of the above character in which the amount of body heat dissipated through it is controlled such that the heat is slowly dissipated and serves to maintain the inside of the lens warm.

Another object of the invention is to provide goggles of the above character which is sealed to the face in a comfortable manner.

These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIGURE 1 is a. perspective view showing goggles incorporating my invention and illustrating the manner i which they are worn.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevational view FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational View of the goggles C FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 33.

FIGURE 4 is a rear elevational view of the goggles c FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 44 of FIGURE 3 FIGURE 5 is a top plan view of the goggles of FIG URE 2 taken along the lines 5-5.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse cross-sectional view of th goggles of FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 6-6.

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of th goggles of FIGURE 2 taken along the lines 77.

FIGURE 8 is a horizontal sectional view of an alter nate goggle construction incorporating my invention.

Referring now to FIGURES 1-7, my goggles 10 com prise a lens structure 11 supported in spaced relation to z Wearers face by a box-like shell 12, and held in positior by an elastic band 13 adapted to engage lens structure 11 and encircle the wearers head.

Lens structure 11 is formed of inner and outer lenses or walls 16 and 17 insulated from each other and made of transparent material having an optical clarity suitable for ordinary vision. Each of the lenses 16 and 17 has a length suflicient to extend across both eyes (preferably about six inches) subtending the path of vision of the wearer, and are curved in horizontal section (FIGURE 6) to generally conform to the curvature of the head. The lenses are preferably about one and one-half (1 /2) to two (2) inches high.

Lenses 16 and 17 are joined about their marginal edges by upper and lower walls 18, i9, and sidewalls 21, 22 to thereby form a sealed insulating space 59 therebetween. Space 50 is filled with anhydrous air so that internal condensation does not occur when the structure is cooled. The space may be filled with other anhydrous gases or may be vacuum sealed, but satisfactory results are attained using anhydrous air without the further expense. It has been found that the distance between inner and outer lenses 16 and 17 should be at least about ,4; of an inch to be effective in insulating them from each other, but the distance is preferably less than about of an inch so the goggles do not become unwieldy. Preferably, the entire lens structure is injection molded of transparent plastic such as an acrylic resin. When completed, lens structure 11 becomes a solid rigid unit which serves as the essential structural element of my goggles, and provides wraparound vision, free of obstructions, especially over the bridge of the nose.

Box-like shell 12 supports the lens structure away from. the wearers face a substantial distance as hereinafter discussed. The member includes sidewalls 23, 24, and upper and lower walls 26, 27, the latter being curved at their front edges 28, 29 to generally conform to the curvature of the front of lens structure 11, and also cunved along their rear edges 31, 32 to conform to the horizontal curvature of the wearers face. The inside 'front edges of the member 12 are sealed to the outer margins of the lens structure as by gluing them to the lens structure with a suitable adhesive. The front edges 28 and 29 overlap beyond the front of the outer lens a slight amount along the upper and lower edges so that the exposed surface of the lens 17 is protected when the goggles are laid down.

Shell 12 is formed of a one-piece molding of a soft rubber foam, or other flexible polymeric foam material. The material selected to have slight permeability so that the atmosphere within the goggles when worn is in slow, but controlled, exchange with the ambient. In this way, the inner lens 16 is kept warm as well as the face of the user, but excess moisture does not accumulate.

of the goggles c It has been found that the separation between the inner ns 16 and the wearers face should be in the range of )out one (1) to one and one-half (1 /2) inches in order I provide a satisfactory balance between the atmosphere changed and heat dissipated through the shell, and the ."oximity of the lens structure to the face. Upper and VWCI' walls 26, 27 are therefore constructed with a width E approximately one and one-half (1 /2) inches to two 2) inches to space lens structure 11 the required amount.

Upper and lower walls 26, 27 are made thicker at reir rear edges 31, 32 and are tapered toward the front :lges to avoid obstructing the vision of the wearer. The iicker rear edges 31, 32 define an opening for exposure the face about the eyes of the wearer which presents n area of the face to the lens structure that is smaller tan the size of the lens structure itself. This reduces the mount of moisture radiating area exposed with the shell. he increased thickness also serves to impart strength to he shell 12 so that it is not too easily crushed or col- 1p=sed when compressed between the lens structure 11 nd the head of the wearer by band 13.-

Sidewalls 23, 24 are tapered into a thin section at heir rear edges 33, 34 so that they do project only lightly from the side of the face. When worn, sidewalls ,3, 24 are held between the side of the face and the trap 13.

Band 13 engages slots 35, 36 formed at each side of he lens structure and is adjusted to retain the goggles to be head of the wearer without collapsing member 12.

The lower wall 27 is shaped with a cutout 37 for pernitting the nose to pass through the lower wall. To avoid :ainful abrasion of the nose, should the goggles be struck, I. smoothly contoured notch 38 is formed in the lower :entral portion of lens 16 at its juncture with bottom v all 19.

In use, the goggles are positioned over the front of the face and the band 13 adjusted so that the rear edges of hell 12 sealably contact the head in a comfortable nanner. The goggles are very effective since the interior ens is effectively sealed from the elements and can there- Jy remain near body temperature to prevent fogging. The :xterior of the lens structure is sealed from the body :empera'ture and can remain cold or ambient, to prevent mow or slush from sticking to it. Furthermore, the wearer remains comfortable since suflicient body heat and excess moisture is dissipated slowly through the permeable shell 12 so that space 59 doesnt get too warm or moist. Of course, it will be appreciated that it will still be useful to apply a chemical antifoggant to the interior lens 16 of the goggles.

Referring now to FIGURE 8, there is shown goggles 41 constructed especially for use by persons wearing corrective glasses. Goggles 41 is identical to goggles in all respects except that sidewalls 21, 22 are eliminated and the inner lens 42 is formed with a much reduced curvature. As shown, inner lens 42 is spaced at the midpoint from the outer lens 17 as hereinbefore explained, but gradually approaches to the outer lens 17 and makes contact With it at its outer side margins. While space 51 between the lenses contains somewhat less volume than the comparable space 50, previously discussed, this amount is also found entirely satisfactory. This is so because the regular glasses also being worn act to supply an additional thermal barrier between the face and the goggles.

To those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, certain changes and differing embodiments and uses of the invention will suggest themselves with-out departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the addition of a third lens either within the lens structure or as a separate element between the lens structure and the face of the wearer will increase the effectiveness of the goggles by providing an additional thermal barrier. Accordingly, it should be understood that the disclosures and descriptions herein are purely illustrative and are not intended to be in any sense limiting.

I claim:

1. Goggles especially adapted to be worn in cold ambient conditions comprising, spaced inner and outer lenses formed of a substantially light transparent material, each of said lenses having a width sufficient to span across both eyes of the wearer to provide an unobstructed view thereacross and being bounded by upper, lower, and side edges, means joining the respective upper, lower, and side edges of the lenses to form a lens structure defining an enclosed space between said lens, a gas filling said space so that one side of said inner lens is thermally isolated from said outer lens, and a polymeric foam shell formed into a closed generally cylindrical surface having a front edge and rear edge, the front edge being sealed to the periphery of said lens structure and the rear edges being curved to conform to a face, said foam shell being sufiiciently rigid to support said lens structure in spaced relation .to the face, so that an enclosed air chamber is created between the face and the inner lens, said foam shell having a selected permeability with sufiicient porosity to provide a controlled, dissipation of heat and humidity and a slow exchange of air between the air chamber and the ambient so that the other side of said inner lens is also thermally isolated from direct contact with ambient.

2. Goggles as in claim 1 in which said lenses and walls are formed in a rigid unit which serves as the essential structural element of the goggles.

3. Goggles as in claim 1 in which said inner and outer walls are spaced apart at their mid-region by at least of an inch.

4. Goggles as in claim 1 in which said inner and outer walls are spaced apart a constant distance.

5. Goggles as in claim 1 in which said shell is dimensioned to support the lens structure at least one (1) inch from the face.

6. Goggles as in claim 1 in which said shell comprises a single molded article having spaced upper, lower and side walls, said upper and lower walls having a greater thickness at the rear edges than at their front edges and tapering therebetween, and said side edges having a smaller thickness at their rear edges than at their front edges and tapering therebetween.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,012,248 12/1961 Kleinman 214.1 3,040,616 6/1962 Simpson 2-l4.7 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 524,064 7/ 1940 Great Britain.

801,124 5/1936 France. 1,033,517 7/1958 Germany.

HERBERT F. ROSS, Primary Examiner.

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