Ski goggles

• US 5,452,480 A
• Filed: 04/15/1994
• Issued: 09/26/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Electric Eyewear Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Electric Eyewear Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Ryden, William D.
• Primary Examiner(s): NERBUN, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US08/227,451
• Time in Patent Office: 529 Days
• Field of Search: 2/436, 2/437, 2/171.3, 2/8, 2/9
• US Class Current: 2/436
• CPC Class Codes: A61F 9/028 Ventilation means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/08 Anti-misting means, e.g. ventilating, heating H05B3/84 takes precedence; Wipers

Abstract

Goggles and eyeglasses worn in winter weather conditions are subject to fogging. A method of preventing condensation from forming on goggles and on eyeglasses worn under goggles is provided. The method involves using a fan to exhaust air from the air space between the goggles and a user'"'"'s face. Continuous operation of the fan is designed to be inaudible and effective to prevent fogging. The method can involve use of a goggle ventilation design which improves wearer comfort. The goggle can also clear fogging which has occurred while the fan is not in operation.

Claims

1. A goggle with defogging means to be worn on the face of a user, comprising:

(a.) a frame member suitable for placing in contact with the face of the user, said frame member having a top, a bottom, a left side, and a right side, and a lens member supported by said frame member, said frame member securing said lens member in a position so that the user looks through the lens member when the frame member is placed in contact with the face, wherein a center line bisecting the top of said frame member is an equal distance from the left side and the right side of the frame member,

(b.) strap means to removably maintain said frame member in said position,

(c.) air exhaust means supported by said frame member for exhausting air from an air space between said frame member, said lens member, and the face of the user to ambient air exterior to the goggle, said air exhaust means comprising a fan blade assembly located within a fan blade shroud, which fan blade assembly is connected to an electric motor so that said fan blade assembly rotates coaxially within said blade shroud when said electric motor is activated, and

(d.) power supply means for supplying power to said electric motor, and

(e.) wherein said air exhaust means is mounted on the top of said frame member an offset distance from said center line.

2. The goggle as described in claim 1, wherein said frame member secures said lens a sufficient distance from the face of the user to permit the user to wear in said air space eyeglasses comprising eyeglass lenses and a frame with a right temple piece and a left temple piece.

3. The goggle as described in claim 1, wherein the air exhaust means causes air to be exchanged between said air space and air exterior to the goggle at an exchange rate which maintains a measurable dew point of said air space at a temperature less than a measurable temperature of the lens member.

6. The goggle as described in claim 1, wherein said air exhaust means is immovably mounted on the top of said frame member between said center line and said right side of the frame and wherein said fan blade assembly of said air exhaust means rotates in a clockwise direction when viewed from above said goggle.

7. The goggle as described in claim 1, wherein said air exhaust means is immovably mounted on the top of said frame member between said center line and said left side of the frame and wherein said fan blade assembly of said air exhaust means rotates in a counter-clockwise direction when viewed from above said goggle.

4. A goggle with defogging means to be worn on the face of a user, comprising:

(a.) a frame member suitable for placing in contact with the face of the user, said frame member having a top, a bottom, a left side, and a right side, and a lens member supported by said frame member, said frame member securing said lens member in a position so that the user looks through the lens member when the frame member is placed in contact with the face,

(b.) strap means to removably maintain said frame member in said position,

(c.) air exhaust means supported by said frame member for exhausting air from an air space between-said frame member, said lens member, and the face of the user to ambient air exterior to the goggle, said air exhaust means comprising a fan blade assembly located within a fan blade shroud, which fan blade assembly is connected to an electric motor so that said fan blade assembly rotates coaxially within said blade shroud when said electric motor is activated, and

(d.) power supply means for supplying power to said electric motor,

(e.) wherein said bottom of said frame member is substantially impermeable to air so that ambient air external to the goggle cannot flow through said bottom of said frame member into said air space, and

(f.) wherein said frame member secures said lens a sufficient distance from the face of the user to permit the user to wear in said air space eyeglasses comprising eyeglass lenses and a frame with a right temple piece and a left temple piece, and

(g.) ventilation ports formed in said right side and said left side of said frame member, which ventilation ports are suitable for permitting eyeglass temple pieces to extend from inside said air space to the user'"'"'s ears exterior to the goggle wherein said air external to the goggle is permitted to flow into said air space during operation of said electric motor only through said ventilation ports.

5. The goggle as described in claim 4, wherein the air exhaust means causes air to be exchanged between said air space and air exterior to the goggle at an exchange rate which maintains a measurable dew point of said air space at a temperature less than a measurable temperature of the eyeglass lenses.

8. A goggle with defogging means to be worn on the face of a user, comprising:

(a.) a frame member suitable for placing in contact with the face of the user, said frame member having a top, a bottom, a left side, and a right side, and a lens member supported by said frame member, said frame member securing said lens member in a position so that the user looks through the lens member when the frame member is placed in contact with the face,

(b.) strap means to removably maintain said frame member in said position,

(c.) air exhaust means supported by said frame member for exhausting air from an air space between said frame member, said lens member, and the face of the user to ambient air exterior to the goggle, said air exhaust means comprising a fan blade assembly located within a fan blade shroud, which fan blade assembly is connected to an electric motor so that said fan blade assembly rotates coaxially within said blade shroud when said electric motor is activated, and

(d.) power supply means for supplying power to said electric motor,

(e.) wherein said air exhaust means is mounted on the top of said frame member and a vertical axis of said fan blade assembly forms an acute angle with a horizontal plane in which the top of said frame member lies.

9. A goggle with defogging means to be worn on the face of a user, comprising:

(a.) a frame member suitable for placing in contact with the face of the user, said frame member having a top, a bottom, a left side, and a right side, and a lens member supported by said frame member, said frame member securing said lens member in a position so that the user looks through the lens member when the frame member is placed in contact with the face,

(b.) strap means to removably maintain said frame member in said position,

(c.) air exhaust means supported by said frame member for exhausting air from an air space between said frame member, said lens member, and the face of the user to ambient air exterior to the goggle, said air exhaust means comprising a fan blade assembly located within a fan blade shroud, which fan blade assembly is connected to an electric motor so that said fan blade assembly rotates coaxially within said blade shroud when said electric motor is activated, and

(d.) power supply means for supplying power to said electric motor,

(e.) wherein said fan blade assembly has a maximum linear velocity of less than seven meters per second while said electric motor is activated.

11. The goggle as described in claim 9, wherein air enters said fan blade shroud of said air exhaust means at a vertical elevation of no less than 3 centimeters above pupils of the user'"'"'s eyes when the goggle is in said position on the user'"'"'s face.

10. A goggle with defogging means to be worn on the face of a user, comprising:

(a.) a frame member suitable for placing in contact with the face of the user, said frame member having a top, a bottom, a left side, and a right side, and a lens member supported by said frame member, said frame member securing said lens member in a position so that the user looks through the lens member when the frame member is placed in contact with the face,

(b.) strap means to removably maintain said frame member in said position,

(c.) air exhaust means supported by said frame member for exhausting air from the air space between said frame member, said lens member, and the face of the user to ambient air exterior to the goggle, said air exhaust means comprising two exhaust fan blade assemblies, each fan blade assembly located within a fan blade shroud, which fan blade assemblies are connected to at least one electric motor so that each fan blade assembly rotates coaxially within the blade shroud and in an opposite direction of rotation with respect to the other fan blade assembly when each electric motor is activated, and

(d.) power supply means for supplying power to each electric motor.