Light protection apparatus comprising an electrically controllable light protection filter element

• US 5,302,815 A
• Filed: 08/27/1992
• Issued: 04/12/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Sperian Welding Protection AG (Sperian Protection)
• Original Assignee: Optrel AG
• Inventors: Eggenschwiler, Andre M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nelms, David C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, John R.
• Application Number:
  US07/936,900
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 250/201.1, 250/205, 250/216, 250/237 R, 250/239, 359/63, 359/66, 359/85, 2/8, 2/12, 2/15, 2/431
• US Class Current: 250/201.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/067 with variable transmission

Abstract

The invention provides a light protection apparatus, particularly for welder'"'"'s protective helmets, welder'"'"'s protective eyeglasses or welder'"'"'s protective shields. It comprises a light protection filter element, the optical transmission thereof being electrically controllable, and a control box connected to the light protection filter element to control the optical transmission of the light protection filter element. The control box comprises one or several light sensitive sensor to control the light transmission of the light protection filter element in dependence of the light falling onto the sensor or sensors, respectively. The light protection filter element is provided with shield elements adapted to shield the sensor against interfering light falling onto the sensor in at least one preselected direction.

Claims

1. A light protection apparatus, particularly for welder'"'"'s protective helmets, welder'"'"'s protective eyeglasses or welder'"'"'s protective shields, comprising a light protection filter element, the optical transmission thereof being electrically controllable, a control means connected to said light protection filter element to control the optical transmission of said light protection filter element, said control means comprising a plurality of light sensitive sensor means to control the light transmission of said light protection filter element in dependence of the light falling onto said sensor means, said light protection filter element being provided with shield means adapted to shield each of said sensor means against interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction.

2. A light protection apparatus, particularly for welder'"'"'s protective helmets, welder'"'"'s protective eyeglasses or welder'"'"'protective shields, comprising a light protection filter element, the optical transmission thereof being electrically controllable, a control means connected to said light protection filter element to control the optical transmission of said light protection filter element, said control means comprising a light sensitive sensor means to control the light transmission of said light protection filter element in dependence of the light falling onto said sensor means, said light protection filter element being provided with shield means ad pated to shield said sensor means against interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least on preselected direction.

3. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 which said shield means comprises a shade means having a first transparent part and a second non-transparent part extending substantially perpendicularly to said first transparent part and running along the length of said first transparent part, said shade means being mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded.

4. A light protection apparatus according to claim 3 in which said shade means is pivotally connected to said light protection filter element by means of a hinge means and is provided with an operating handle such that said shade means can be swivelled from an operative position to an inoperative position.

5. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means comprises a shackle member provided with light-transparent openings, said shackle member being mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that the position of said openings substantially corresponds with the position of said sensor means such that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded.

6. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means comprises a shackle member provided with light-transparent openings, said openings being partially surrounded by shielding cap members, said shackle member being mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that the position of said openings substantially corresponds with the position of said sensor means such that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded.

7. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means comprises a shackle member provided with light-transparent, obliquely and/or vertically and/or horizontally running apertures, said shackle member being mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that the position of said apertures substantially correspond with the position of said sensor means such that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded.

8. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means comprises at least one plate member which is provided with a bore designed in such a way that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded when said at least one plate member is mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that the position of said openings substantially corresponds with the position of said sensor means.

9. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means comprises an elongated strip member having at least one bore, said strip member being mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that the position of said bore or bores substantially corresponds with the position of said sensor means such that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded.

10. A light protection apparatus according to claim 9 in which the central axis of said at least one bore forms an angle with a central symmetry plane such that the angle of incidence of the light hitting said sensor means may be preselected.

11. A light protection apparatus according to claim 9 in which the amount of light hitting the sensor is adjusted by the diameter of said bore.

12. A light protection apparatus according to claim 9 in which the amount of light hitting the sensor is adjusted by the thickness of said strip member.

13. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is integrally formed onto said light protection filter element.

14. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is plugged onto said light protection filter element.

15. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is clamped onto said light protection filter element.

16. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is removably connected to said light protection filter element.

17. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is glued onto said light protection filter element.

18. A light protection apparatus according to claim 5 in which the central axis of said bores and openings, respectively, includes an angle to the axis running perpendicular to the surface of said shackle member and said plate member, respectively, such that the angle of incidence of the light falling onto said sensor means is limited to a preselected direction.

19. Alight protection apparatus according to claim 7 in which the central axis of said apertures include an angle to the axis running perpendicular to the surface of said shackle member such that the angle of incidence of the light falling onto said sensor means is limited to a preselected direction.

20. A light protection apparatus according to claim 3 in which the angle of incidence of the light falling onto said sensor means is set by the width of said second non-transparent part of said shade means.

21. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is designed such that said sensor means is shielded against interfering light substantially coming from the top.

22. A light protection apparatus according to claim 2 in which said shield means is designed such that said sensor means is shielded against interfering light falling onto said sensor means under an angle of not more than 90 degrees, with reference to the optical axis to said sensor means, seen from the top if said light protection apparatus is in normal operative position.

23. A light shield member for a light protection apparatus, particularly for welder'"'"'s protective helmets, welder'"'"'s protective eyeglasses or welder'"'"'s protective shields, said light protection apparatus comprising a light protection filter element, the optical transmission thereof being electrically controllable a control means connected to said light protection filter element to control the optical transmission of said light protection filter element, said control means comprising a light sensitive sensor to control the light transmission of said light protection filter element in dependence of the light falling onto said sensor, said light shield member comprising an elongated strip member having at least one bore, said strip member being mounted to said light protection filter element in front of said sensor means such that the position of said bore or bores substantially corresponds with the position of said sensor means such that interfering light falling onto said sensor means in at least one preselected direction is shielded.

24. A light shield member according to claim 23 in which the central axis of said at least one bore forms an angle with a central symmetry plane such that the angle of incidence of the light hitting the sensor may be preselected.

25. A light shield member according to claim 24 in which the amount of light hitting the sensor is adjusted by the diameter of said bore.

26. A light shield member according to claim 23 in which the amount of light hitting the sensor is adjusted by the thickness of said strip member.

27. A light shield member according to claim 23 in which said light shield member is adapted to be mounted to said light protection filter element by clipping-on, by gluing or by clamping.