Digital display for head mounted protection

• US 4,796,987 A
• Filed: 04/07/1987
• Issued: 01/10/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Harry A. Linden
• Original Assignee: Harry A. Linden
• Inventors: Linden, Harry A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Application Number:
  US07/035,219
• Time in Patent Office: 644 Days
• Field of Search: 351/158, 351/43, 351/51, 2/426, 2/428
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/029 Additional functions or features, e.g. protection for other parts of the face such as ears, nose or mouth; Screen wipers or cleaning devices
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0666 worn on the head or face, e.g. combined with goggles or glasses
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 33/004 comprising two separate lenses joined by a flexible bridge
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 71/0686 Timers, rhythm indicators or pacing apparatus using electric or electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence

Abstract

The preferred embodiment provides a stopwatch mounted in a lens, goggle, mask or shield for use by a swimmer or other goggle wearer to observe elapsed time during, or countdown time prior to, an activity.

Claims

1. A headgear comprising:

a frame releasably securable to a wearer'"'"'s head, said frame including a goggle portion for protecting the wearer'"'"'s eyes from water;

a liquid crystal digital display unit for indicating digital time parameters, said unit being secured to said goggle portion so as to be protected from water, said display unit being light-transmissive so as to permit viewing therethrough by the wearer, said display unit being readable by the wearer against an ambient background; and

control means for controlling said display unit, said control means being accessible by the wearer when said frame is secured to the wearer.

5. The headgear of claim 1 wherein said time indicator includes a disposable battery interconnected to said information display, said disposable battery powering said information display to indicate at least one digital time parameter.

2. A headgear comprising:

a frame releasably securable to a wearer'"'"'s head; and

an information display secured to said frame so as to be within the wearer'"'"'s direct view when said frame is secured to the wearer'"'"'s head, said display being light-transmissive so as to permit viewing therethrough by the wearer, said display being readable by the wearer against an ambient background, said frame including a goggle portion for deflecting water from the wearer'"'"'s eyes, wherein said display is mounted on said goggle portion so as to be protected from water, and said display is a liquid crystal digital type.

3. The headgear of claim 2 wherein said goggle portion includes one protective lens for each eye and said display is mounted on a lens.

4. A headgear comprising:

a frame releasably securable to a wearer'"'"'s head; and

an information display secured to said frame so as to be within the wearer'"'"'s direct view when said frame is secured to the wearer'"'"'s head, said display being light-transmissive so as to permit viewing therethrough by the wearer, said display being mounted behind a transparent focusing lens having a focal length suitable for permitting direct reading therethrough of the display, said display being readable by the wearer against an ambient background, wherein said display includes a time indicator.

6. The headgear of claim 4 wherein said time indicator includes a switch portion which is readily manually accessible by the wearer when said frame is secured to the wearer'"'"'s head, said switch portion controlling said time indicator.

7. The headgear of claim 6 wherein said time indicator is a stopwatch.

8. The headgear of claim 7 wherein said stopwatch can be set at a negative number.

9. The headgear of claim 4 wherein said frame includes eye protectors, said time indicator being secured to at least one of said eye protectors.

10. The headgear of claim 9 wherein the dimensions of said time indicator are approximately 14×

17 mm, said time indicator including at least three digits arranged to display two digits of seconds and at least one digit of minutes.

11. A headgear comprising:

a frame releasably securable to a wearer'"'"'s head; and

an information display secured to said frame so as to be within the wearer'"'"'s direct view when said frame is secured to the wearer'"'"'s head, said display being light-transmissive so as to permit viewing therethrough by the wearer, said frame including a lens having a focal length of no more than 20 mm and a width or diameter of no more than 25 mm, said display being mounted behind said lens.

12. The headgear of claim 11 wherein said frame includes two lenses, each lens protecting one of the wearer'"'"'s eyes.

13. A headgear comprising:

a frame releasably securable to a wearer'"'"'s head, said frame including means for protecting the wearer'"'"'s eyes, said means permitting viewing therethrough by the wearer; and

an information display attached to said frame so as to be located when secured proximate to the wearer'"'"'s eyes, said display being directly viewable by the wearer, said frame being mounted behind a transparent focusing lens having a focal length suitable for permitting direct reading of said display by the wearer through said focusing lens, said display being predeterminedly sized and positioned on said frame to cause minimal visual obstruction to the wearer when directly viewing through said means.

14. The headgear of claim 13 wherein said means for protecting include a goggle portion having at least one protective lens for deflecting water from the wearer'"'"'s eyes, said information display being mounted on said frame so as to be protected from water.