Illuminated eyewear

• US 8,545,012 B2
• Filed: 02/10/2011
• Issued: 10/01/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Michael Waters
• Original Assignee: Michael Waters
• Inventors: Waters, Michael
• Primary Examiner(s): Makiya, David J
• Application Number:
  US13/025,100
• Publication Number:
  US 20110187989A1
• Time in Patent Office: 964 Days
• Field of Search: 362/106, 362/105, 351/158
• US Class Current: 351/158
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/04 Illuminating means

Abstract

There is provided illuminated eyewear having one or more light sources mounted thereto to project light forwardly thereof. The illuminated eyewear includes a cross-frame member or portion and temple arm members or portions extending rearwardly therefrom in a use configuration. The illuminated eyewear may include a pass-through portion of the cross-frame member that is oriented to be forwardly of the light source to allow light projected from the light source to pass therethrough to an area forwardly of the cross-frame member.

Claims

1. Illuminated eyewear comprising:

a front laterally extending cross-frame portion;

a pair of temple arm portions that have a use configuration with the temple arm portions generally extending rearwardly from the front cross-frame portion;

front frame portions of the cross-frame portion adjacent to the pair of temple arm portions in the use configuration;

light sources mounted to the temple arm portions adjacent to the front frame portions; and

a pass-through portion of each of the front frame portions oriented to be forwardly of the light sources with the temple arm portions in the use configuration with the pass-through portion configured to allow light projected from each light source to project through the front frame portions forwardly of the cross-frame portion;

wherein the cross-frame portion comprises a cross-frame member, the temple arm portions comprise temple arm members, and further comprising a pivot connection between each of the temple arm members and the cross-frame member for pivoting the temple arm members between the use configuration and a storage configuration with the temple arm members generally extending laterally adjacent to the cross-frame member, and

wherein the pass-through portion comprises a rearwardly opening bore, the temple arm members each include a forward surface, and the light sources each are mounted to the corresponding temple arm member to include a forward portion thereof that projects forwardly beyond the forward surface of the corresponding temple arm member so that with the temple arm members in the use configuration, the forward portion of each the light sources extends into the corresponding rearwardly opening bore.

2. The illuminated eyewear of claim 1 wherein the pass-through portion comprises a cavity in the front frame portion and a cap fit in the cavity and being of a predetermined material to allow light projected from each light source to pass therethrough.

3. The illuminated eyewear of claim 2 wherein the cap predetermined material is transparent or translucent to allow light projected from the light source to pass therethrough without being refracted.

4. The illuminated eyewear of claim 2 wherein the cap predetermined material is at least one of a diffuser, refractor, color filter, wavelength filter, or tinted.

5. The illuminated eyewear of claim 2 wherein the cross-frame portion and the caps include respective front surfaces that are flush with each other.

6. The illuminated eyewear of claim 1 further comprising a light blocking member extending forwardly from the forward surface of the temple arm members adjacent to the light sources for blocking incident light from projecting through a laterally inward gap between the temple arm members and the cross-frame member with the temple arm members in the use configuration.

7. The illuminated eyewear of claim 6 wherein the light blocking member comprises an arcuate wall that at least partially wraps around the light source.

8. The illuminated eyewear of claim 6 wherein the pass-through portion rearwardly opening bore comprises a throughbore in each of the front frame portions having an enlarged rear bore portion for receiving the light blocking member therein.

9. The illuminated eyewear of claim 1 further comprising a light blocking member extending rearwardly from the front frame portions of the cross-frame member and laterally adjacent to the light sources with the temple arm members in the use configuration for blocking incident light from projecting through a laterally inward gap between the temple arm members and the cross-frame member with the temple arm members in the use configuration.

10. The illuminated eyewear of claim 1 wherein the pass-through portion comprises a layer of translucent material mounted to the cross-frame portion forwardly of the light sources.

11. The illuminated eyewear of claim 1 wherein the light sources and the pass-through portions respectively are canted inwardly and downwardly to illuminate a viewing area forwardly of the illuminated eyewear.

12. Illuminated eyewear comprising:

a cross-frame member having opposite end portions and front and rear surfaces;

temple arm members each having a forward end surface with the temple arm members having a use configuration where the forward end surfaces are adjacent the cross-frame member opposite end portions at the rear surfaces thereof and extend rearwardly from the cross-frame member for being worn by a user;

a rear opening in each of the cross-frame member end portions;

an LED having a diode mounted to each of the temple arm members and having a forward lens portion in which the diode is contained that projects beyond the corresponding temple arm member forward end surface with the forward lens portions of the LEDs fitting into the corresponding rear openings of the cross-frame member end portions with the temple arm members in the use configuration thereof; and

a front opening in each of the cross-frame member end portions in communication with the corresponding rear opening to allow light from the LEDs to travel therethrough for providing illumination forwardly of the cross-frame member,

wherein the cross-frame member and the temple arm members have pivot connections therebetween for pivoting the temple arm members from the use configuration to a storage configuration with the temple arm members generally extending along the cross-frame member, the use configuration creates a gap in an engagement area between the temple arm member forward end surfaces and the cross-frame member, and the temple arm members further comprising light blocking extensions fixed thereto laterally inwardly of the LEDs and extending forwardly away from the forward end surfaces beyond the diodes for blocking incident light from projecting through the gap with the rear openings each sized to receive the corresponding LED forward lens portion and light blocking extension therein which the corresponding temple arm member pivoted to the use configuration thereof.

13. The illuminated eyewear of claim 12 including an insert sized to fit in each of the front openings and being of nonrefractive, light transmissive material so that light from the LEDs passes through the inserts.

14. The illuminated eyewear of claim 13 wherein the insert has a front surface, and the inserts are fit in the front openings so that the front surfaces thereof are flush with the front surface of the cross-frame member.

15. The illuminated eyewear of claim 12 wherein the cross-frame member end portions each have a throughbore extending therethrough including the front and rear openings so that light from the LEDs passes through open space in the throughbores out from the front openings thereof.

16. Illuminated eyewear comprising:

a cross-frame member having opposite end portions and front and rear surfaces;

temple arm members each having a forward end surface with the temple arm members having a use configuration where the forward end surfaces are adjacent the cross-frame member opposite end portions at the rear surfaces thereof and extend rearwardly from the cross-frame member for being worn by a user;

a rear opening in each of the cross-frame member end portions;

an LED mounted to each of the temple arm members and having a forward lens portion that projects beyond the corresponding temple arm member forward end surface with the forward lens portions of the LEDs fitting into the corresponding rear openings of the cross-frame member end portions with the temple arm members in the use configuration thereof; and

a front opening in each of the cross-frame member end portions in communication with the corresponding rear opening to allow light from the LEDs to travel therethrough for providing illumination forwardly of the cross-frame member,

wherein the cross-frame member and the temple arm members have pivot connections therebetween for pivoting the temple arm members from the use configuration to a storage configuration with the temple arm members generally extending along the cross-frame member, and the rear openings are oversized relative to the forward lens portions of the LEDs to allow the forward lens portions to be pivotally fit into the rear openings as the temple arm members are pivoted from the storage configuration to the use configuration.