Driver vision field extender

• US 8,687,288 B2
• Filed: 01/08/2013
• Issued: 04/01/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: North East Window Solutions, LLC
• Original Assignee: North East Window Solutions, LLC
• Inventors: Webber, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Spector, David N
• Application Number:
  US13/736,219
• Publication Number:
  US 20130182338A1
• Time in Patent Office: 448 Days
• Field of Search: 359/527, 359/720, 359/741, 359/742, 359/743, 359/831, 359/837
• US Class Current: 359/720
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/001 integrated in the windows, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/005 specially adapted for viewing traffic-lights
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/045 Prism arrays

Abstract

A driver vision field extender uses flexible vinyl Fresnel-type prism lens material with substantially parallel horizontal straight linearly extending prism lines. The parallel lines permit wide side by side views without substantial distortion. As the driver vision field extender is intended to be positioned contiguously along the windshield, the driver vision field extender after installation preferably exhibits a concave shape acting to focus the light defining and delineating overhead objects towards front-seated passengers such as the driver.

Claims

1. A Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device for extending an automobile driver'"'"'s visual field of view, comprising:

a plurality of prism lenses arranged on a front side of the device to be substantially in parallel, said lenses extending horizontally side to side linearly, wherein a back side of the device configured for attaching to the automobile windshield in a way that lines of the prism lenses substantially align with an upper horizontal edge of the windshield.

2. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 1, wherein a length of the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device is substantially equal to a horizontal length of the windshield.

3. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 2, wherein device is configured to be positioned on the automobile windshield not less that 6″

from upper horizontal edge of the windshield to avoid forward view distortion.

4. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is formed of soft plastic.

5. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 4, wherein the back side of the device is affixed to the inner surface of the automobile windshield by static cling.

6. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 1, wherein a length of the device is adjustable by a user prior to affixation.

7. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 6, wherein the length of the device is half the length of the upper horizontal edge of the windshield.

8. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 1, wherein the device is configured to conform to a horizontal contour of the automobile windshield.

9. The Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 8, wherein a concave shape of the device after affixation focuses the light defining and delineating overhead objects towards front-seated passengers such as the driver.

10. A method of using a Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device to extend an automobile driver'"'"'s visual field of view, the vision-extending device having a front side comprising a plurality of prism lenses arranged on a front side of the device to be substantially in parallel and a back side of the device configured for attaching to the automobile windshield, the method comprising the steps of:

adjusting a length of the device;

attaching the length-adjusted device to the automobile windshield in a way that lines of the prism lenses substantially align with an upper horizontal edge of the windshield.

11. The method of using the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 10, wherein a length of the device is adjusted to be substantially equal to a horizontal length of the windshield.

12. The method of using the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 10, wherein a length of the device is adjusted to be substantially less that horizontal length of the windshield.

13. The method of using the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 10, wherein the device is formed of soft plastic and the step of attaching includes pressing the back side against the window to affix same by static cling.

14. The method of using the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 10, wherein the step of attachment includes positioning the device on the automobile windshield not less than 6″

from an upper horizontal edge of the windshield to avoid forward view distortion.

15. The method of using the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 10, wherein the device is configured to conform to a horizontal contour of the automobile windshield at attachment.

16. The method of using the Fresnel lens-type vision-extending device as recited in claim 15, wherein a concave shape of the device after affixation focuses the light defining and delineating overhead objects towards front-seated passengers such as the driver.