Eyewear with hingedly attached strapped head retainer

• US 6,024,446 A
• Filed: 02/26/1997
• Issued: 02/15/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Cabot Safety Intermediate Corporation et al
• Inventors: Hall, James, Fecteau, Keith, Salce, John, Desy, Raoul
• Primary Examiner(s): MAI, HUY KIM
• Application Number:
  US08/806,595
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 351/121, 351/156, 351/157, 351/158, 351/120, 351/119, 2/209, 2/448, 2/452, 2/453
• US Class Current: 351/120
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 11/14 external, e.g. earcaps or earmuffs
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/025 Special attachment of screens, e.g. hinged, removable; Roll-up protective layers
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/026 Paddings; Cushions; Fittings to the face
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/028 Ventilation means
• 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: G02C 11/00 Non-optical adjuncts; Attachment thereof G02C7/16 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/08 Anti-misting means, e.g. ventilating, heating H05B3/84 takes precedence; Wipers
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 2200/04 Junctions between frame elements having a click function
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 3/003 Arrangements for fitting and securing to the head in the position of use
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 5/2263 Composite hinges, e.g. for varying the inclination of the lenses
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/02 Lenses; Lens systems ; Methods of designing lenses

Abstract

Safety eyewear is presented which is provided with particulate sealing around the inside periphery of the lens/lenses and having temples that provide adjustment of the eyewear to a pantoscopic angle. The eyewear is provided with an adjustable strap assembly for better fit to the wearer'"'"'s head. The eyewear lens/frame includes a plurality of projections that define various pantoscopic angles. The temple end piece includes a set of recesses that engage the projections formed on the lens/frame which temple end piece is rotated relative to the lens/frame to set the pantoscopic angle. The adjustable strap assembly further adjust the fit of the eyewear and can be unbuckled for snaplocked attachment of the eyewear directly to other safety equipment such as noise suppression ear muffs, communication head phones, breathing masks and the like.

Claims

1. Eyewear comprising:

a lens having opposed ends;

a pair of end pieces, each of said end pieces including first and second end piece sections pivotably connected to one another and defining a hinge, each of said first end piece sections being removably attachable to a respective end of said lens;

a strap attached to each of said second end piece sections for retaining the lens in position about the head of a wearer;

wherein one of said lens and said end pieces has at least one projection formed on the surface thereof; and

said end piece is movably connected to said lens and the other one of said lens and said end piece includes recesses formed on the surface thereof, wherein the pantoscopic angle of the eyewear is set by positioning said projection in one of said recesses.

2. The eyewear of claim 1 further comprising:

a resilient sealing flange along at least a portion of the periphery of the lens.

3. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein:

said first end piece section comprises a post including a head having a groove formed therein.

4. The eyewear of claim 3 wherein:

said groove is formed generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said head.

5. The eyewear of claim 3 wherein:

said post further comprises a neck and said groove is formed in a portion of said neck.

6. The eyewear of claim 3 wherein:

said groove has a v-shape.

7. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein:

said lens includes a pair of slots and said first end section of each end piece comprises a post which engages said slot to movably connect said lens to said end piece.

8. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein:

said recesses comprise a plurality of pairs of recesses, each pair of recesses defining a respective pantoscopic angle.

9. The eyewear of claim 8 wherein:

said projection compromises a pair of projections that engage a pair of said recesses.

10. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein:

said lens includes a pair of lens sections interconnected by a bridge, each of said lens section being associated with a respective eye of the wearer.

11. The eyewear of claim 1 wherein:

said second end piece sections each including a strap holding opening for securing said strap.

12. The eyewear of claim 11 wherein:

said strap holding opening is an integrally molded portion of said second end piece section.