Anti-fog goggle with foam frame

• US 4,707,863 A
• Filed: 02/19/1986
• Issued: 11/24/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/1983
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Scott USA, Limited Partnership
• Original Assignee: Scott USA, Limited Partnership
• Inventors: McNeal, Joseph R.
• Primary Examiner(s): NERBUN, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US06/832,103
• Time in Patent Office: 643 Days
• Field of Search: 2/436, 2/437, 2/439, 2/431, 2/432, 2/426, 2/435, 2/447, 2/452
• US Class Current: 2/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/028 Ventilation means

Abstract

An anti-fog goggle is provided having a foam frame with a method of manufacturing the goggle. The goggle is composed of generally planar individual members, yet the goggle has a desired degree of self-supporting curvature. The anti-fog goggle has a semi-rigid support member for supporting the goggle'"'"'s lens, the support member being stamped out of a planar sheet of foam. The foam support member has air channels depressed therein through which air enters and exits the interior of the goggle to prevent condensation from forming on the viewing surface of the lens'"'"' interior. The lens is stamped from a planar sheet of transparent plastic which is deformable into a simple curve. The lens is formed with a plurality of apertures therein which are aligned with air channels in the support member when the lends is secured thereto. The lens'"'"' apertures form ports through which air may flow into the air channels, the air channels directing the air downward across the inner surface of the lens. To make the goggle, the support member is curved about a form having the generally desired curvature and the lens adhered to the curved support member with an adhesive to deform the lens and support member into the form curvature which is substantially maintained when the lens and support member are removed from the form. The goggle may also include a cushioning foam member which is adhered to the inner surface of the semi-rigid foam support member to cushion contact with the wearer'"'"'s face.

Claims

1. A goggle comprising:

a transparent, normally planar lens member deformed into a desired curvature, said lens member having a centrally located viewing area and non-viewing upper and lower peripheral areas;

a normally planar semi-rigid support member for supporting said lens member and secured to said lens member and conforming to said desired curvature, said support member extending inwardly from the non-viewing areas of the lens member towards the face of the wearer of the goggle and having means disposed adjacent the upper and lower non-viewing areas of the lens member for forming, with portions of said upper and lower lens areas, respective upper and lower air channels to allow air to enter and exit the interior of the goggle between the lens and air channel forming means of the support member; and

adhesive securing means for maintaining said lens member and said support member secured together in said desired curvature, the combination of said lens member and said support member secured together providing the goggle with curvature that is self-sustaining.

2. The goggle of claim 1 further comprising a layer of soft, resilient cushioning material to cushion contact with and conform to the face of the wearer, said cushioning material being mounted to the support member to extend inwardly thereof toward the wearer'"'"'s face.

3. The goggle of claim 1 wherein said support member is made of cellular plastic and said air channel forming means includes indentations formed in the surface of the support to which the lens is secured.

4. The goggle of claim 1 wherein said support member is made of cellular polyether urethane.

5. The goggle of claim 1 wherein said support member is made of cellular polyester urethane.

6. The goggle of claim 2 wherein said support member is made of a plastic foam material and said cushioning material is made of a plastic foam material having a lower density than the density of said support member.

7. The goggle of claim 1 wherein said securing means comprises an adhesive bond.

8. The goggle of claim 7 wherein said normally planar lens and support members are bonded together with adhesive material while held in a curved position, whereby said lens and support members are maintained by said adhesive bond in said desired curvature.

9. The goggles of claim 7 wherein said adhesive bond together said support member and said lens member at peripheral portions of said lens member.

10. The goggle of claim 7 wherein said adhesive material is provided on both sides of a carrier tape located between said lens member and said support member.

11. The goggle of claim 10 wherein said carrier tape is polyester film.

12. The goggle of claim 3 wherein said securing means comprises an adhesive bond.

13. The goggle of claim 1 wherein said desired curvature is a substantially circular arc.

14. A goggle comprising:

a normally planar transparent lens member deformed into a desired curvature, said lens member having inner and outer surfaces, a centrally located viewing area and peripheral non-viewing areas adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the viewing area, the upper non-viewing area having at least one lens aperture therein forming an air inlet,

a normally planar semi-rigid support member having inner and outer surfaces and upper and lower areas, said support member for supporting said lens member and being secured to said lens and conforming to said desired curvature with the upper and lower areas of said support member being respectively at least substantially contiguous with the upper and lower non-viewing areas of said lens member, the outer surface of said support member having at least one lower air channel formed in said lower area and at least one upper air channel formed in said upper area, said upper air channel being aligned with said lens aperture to allow air to enter said upper air channel through the aperture, the air passing between the upper non-viewing area of the lens member and the upper area of the support member, across the viewing area of the lens member, and out through said lower air channel; and

adhesive securing means for maintaining said lens member and said support member secured together in said desired curvature, the combination of said lens member and said support member secured together providing a goggle with curvature that is self-sustaining.

15. The goggle of claim 14 further comprising a layer of soft, resilient cushioning material to cushion contact with and conform to the face of the wearer, said cushioning material being mounted to the inner surface of said support member to extend inwardly thereof.

16. The anti-fog goggle of claim 14 wherein said support member includes upper and lower lens guard portions which respectively abut against portions of the upper and lower edges of said lens to guard said lens edges.

17. The anti-fog goggle of claim 16 wherein said support member has cross sections of variable thicknesses and each of said air channels has a base and two side walls, the side walls of each air channel having a cross section the thickness of which is greater than the thickness of the cross section of the air channel'"'"'s base and less than the thickness of the cross section of the guard portions.

18. The goggle of claim 14 wherein said support member is formed of cellular plastic material.

19. The goggle of claim 14 wherein said support member is made of cellular polyether urethane.

20. The goggle of claim 14 wherein said support member is made of cellular polyester urethane.

21. The goggle of claim 14 wherein said securing means comprises an adhesive bond.

22. The goggle of claim 21 wherein said normally planar lens and support members are bonded together with adhesive material while held in a curved position, whereby said lens and support members are maintained by said adhesive in said desired curvature.

23. The goggle of claim 22 wherein said adhesive material is provided on both sides of a carrier tape located between said lens member and said support member.

24. The goggle of claim 23 wherein said carrier tape is polyester film.

25. The goggle of claim 21 wherein said adhesive bonds together said support member and said lens member at peripheral portions of said lens member.

26. The goggle of claim 14 wherein said desired curvature is a substantially circular arc.

27. A method of manufacturing a goggle comprising:

forming from a generally planar sheet of transparent plastic material an elongated generally planar semi-rigid lens member having a centrally located viewing area and upper and lower peripheral non-viewing areas;

forming from a generally planar sheet of foam material a generally planar semi-rigid support member having a centrally located elongated opening defining a viewing area;

deforming said lens and support members into a curved assembly position; and

adhesive securing said lens to one side of said support member while said lens and support members are in said curved assembly position whereby after said securing said lens and support members are in a desired curved assembled position.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of forming said support member includes the step of forming air channels in the surface of said support member to which the lens is to be secured.

29. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of forming said lens includes the step of forming at least one aperture in said lens, said aperture to be aligned with one of said air channels in the support member when the lens is adhered to said member.

30. The method of claim 27 wherein said forming of said lens comprises stamping.

31. The method of claim 27 wherein said forming of said support member comprises stamping.

32. The method of claim 28 wherein said air channels are formed by heat pressing.

33. The method of claim 27 wherein said deforming comprises conforming the lens and support members about a form having the curve of said assembly position.

34. The method of claim 27 wherein said securing includes adhesively bonding with an adhesive said lens member to said support member.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said lens and support members remain conformed to said form after said adhesively bonding until said adhesive is cured.

36. The method of claim 27 further comprising securing foam cushioning material to the side of said support member opposite the side having said lens member secured thereto.

37. The method of claim 27 further comprising forming a slot in each longitudinal end of said lens member.

38. The method of claim 37 further comprising disposing a headband in said slots.

39. A goggle comprising:

a normally planar transparent lens member deformed into a desired curvature, said lens member having inner and outer surfaces, a centrally located viewing area and peripheral non-viewing areas adjacent to the upper and lower edges of the viewing area, the upper non-viewing area having a plurality or lens apertures therein forming air inlets,

a normally planar semi-rigid cellular plastic support member having inner and outer surfaces and upper and lower areas, said support member for supporting said lens member and being secured to said lens and conforming to said desired curvature with the upper and lower areas of said support member being respectively at least substantially contiguous with the upper and lower non-viewing areas of said lens member, the outer surface of said support member having a plurality of lower air channels formed in said lower area and a plurality of upper air channels formed in said upper area, said upper air channels being aligned with said lens apertures to allow air to enter said upper air channels through the apertures, the air passing between the upper non-viewing area of the lens member and the upper area of the support member, across the viewing area of the lens member, and out through said lower air channels, said support member including upper and lower lens guard portions which respectively abat against portions of the upper and lower edges of said lens; and

an adhesive bond at peripheral portions of said lens member and said support member for maintaining said lens member and said support member secured together in said desired curvature, the combination of said lens member and said support member secured together with said adhesive bond providing a goggle with curvature that is self-sustaining.

40. The goggle of claim 39 further comprising a layer of soft, resilient cushioning material to cushion contact with and conform to the face of the wearer, said cushioning material being mounted to the inner surface of said support member to extend inwardly thereof.