Abstract:
A patient laser goggle having a pair of eye cup assemblies adjustably joined to a formed bridge wire having collinear ends. Each eye cup has a clamping mechanism to which each bridge wire end is held and a strap hook to receive the looped ends of an adjustable band. The collinear bridge wire ends are horizontally and tiltably held within the clamping mechanisms so that the patient laser goggle can be easily custom fit to the eyes of a patient. Once adjusted, the clamping mechanism allows rotation of the bridge wire with respect to the eye cup so that a medical practitioner can have easy and unobstructed access to areas of the patient&#39;s face.

Description:
This Application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/128,936, filed on May 27, 2008. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to eyewear and particularly to a laser goggle worn by a patient undergoing a medical procedure. More particularly, the present invention relates to patient laser goggles having adjustable eye cup assemblies with a removable wire bridge which is adjustably secured in clamping mechanisms which secure the bridge ends. A clamping mechanism is mounted on each eye cup to permit a medical practitioner to pivot the wire bridge without affecting the adjusted eyecup assemblies on the patient. 
     Various prior art eyewear structures to cover a patient&#39;s eyes have been used and proposed in the past. Eyewear goggles having fixed structures for a patient or goggles having limited nose bridge movement once adjusted for wear on the patient are known. The spring-type nose bridge wire disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,918,600 to Durette, the frictionally held nose piece in U.S. Pat. No. 6,081,934 to Stefanovsky et al., and other prior art eye wear structures, all providing a pivotable nose wire, are examples of eyewear having such limited bridge movement. These frictionally and mechanically held eye shield structures have limited adjustability for patient wear and provide limited movement for the practitioner during a medical procedure. Durette U.S. Pat. No. 7,188,625 discloses an ocular surgical protective shield with eye shields having a ball/socket mounting structure mounted perpendicular to the eye shields and parallel to each other also providing a pivotable nose piece. The latter mounting structure is likewise limited in adjustability and patient eye shield comfort due to its inherently limited nose bridge movement provided to the practitioner during a medical procedure. 
     The eyewear of the present invention overcome these limitations and shortcomings by providing eyewear to protect the eyes of a patient from accidental exposure to a surgical laser while laser surgery or other procedures are performed in close proximity to the ocular area. The present invention provides two shields or eye cups shaped to envelop as much of the eye as possible, constructed of stainless steel, for example, to provide durability to resist the beam of the surgical laser. The eyewear provides a comfortable fit over the eye and eyelids, and allows the medical practitioner to adjust the wire bridge of the eyewear without effecting the position of the eye cups. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A patient laser goggle having a pair of eye cup assemblies adjustably joined to a formed bridge wire. Each eye cup has a clamping mechanism which provides an adjustment and connecting structure and to which each bridge wire end is held. The clamping mechanism includes a generally cylindrical housing with a cavity, a plurality of openings, a pair of guide pins and a biased and shaped push button to allow the lateral, pivotable and rotational movement of each eye cup with respect to the nose bridge structure. The collinear bridge wire ends are horizontally and tiltably held within the clamping mechanisms so that the patient laser goggle can be easily custom fit to the face and eyes of a patient. Once adjusted, the clamping structure allows rotation of the bridge wire with respect to the eye cup so that a medical practitioner can have easy and unobstructed access to areas of the patient&#39;s face. 
     Each eye cup is provided with a strap hook and an adjustable strap with end loops may be connected to the strap hook. Removable eye padding is provided about the periphery of each eye cup to provide patient comfort. The eye cups, clamping structures and bridge wire are preferably constructed of a non-reflective stainless steel to block or absorb laser beam or IPL (intensed pulse light) sources typically used during medical procedures. 
     To secure the eyewear device to the face of the patient, a hook is provided near the outside edge of each eye cup, which may be used to secure an adjustable elastic strap, for example, to be positioned around the back of the patient&#39;s head. To connect the eye cups to each other, a bridge wire is held at each end by the clamping mechanism which is fixed, i.e., welded, to its respective eye cup structure. The bridge wire center portion is shaped, for example, V-shaped, so as to allow clearance for the patient&#39;s nose, and has two straight or collinear end portions to permit adjustment of position and angle in the clamping mechanisms. 
     The elements of the eyewear device allow the user of the device to adjust the relative pitch angle and distance between the two eye cups to fit the patient without the need to bend the bridge wire, and also to readily permit the complete removal of the wire for the eye cups so that each may be used alone or individually. Because the ends of the wire are collinear this structure permits the V-shaped nose clearance portion of the wire to be pivoted up or down without changing the position or angle of the eye cups, allowing access to regions of the patient&#39;s nose and forehead. This action is possible without depressing the clamping device button due to the significant mechanical advantage provided between the wire and the clamp structures. 
     The stainless steel construction of the device elements permits cleaning and sterilization by thermal or chemical means without damage to the device, and a blasted or otherwise roughened outer surface on all components inhibits reflection of the surgical laser for additional safety. 
     An advantage of the patient laser goggles of the invention is to provide an easily adjustable eye cup assembly having bridge wire adjustment means which allows degrees of adjustability not taught or suggested in the prior art. Another advantage is to provide an easily and quickly assembled laser goggle structure which provides patient comfort, ease of adjustability and ease of cleaning. 
     These and other benefits and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a front plan view of the patient laser goggles of the invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top plan view of the goggles of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a lateral plan view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  shows the individual elements which cooperate to form the patient laser goggles of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged lateral view, partially in section, showing the bridge wire mounting and adjustment structure of the invention; 
         FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  are top views showing an adjusted position of the eye cup assemblies with respect to the bridge wire; 
         FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  are top views showing the eye cup assemblies adjusted having another pitch or tilted position; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of the bridge wire and eye cup assemblies in a separated state; 
         FIG. 9  are lateral views showing various rotationally adjusted positions of the eye bridge with respect to an eye cup assembly; 
         FIG. 10  is a top view of the adjustable straps of the invention; 
         FIG. 11  is a front plan view of an eye cup assembly of the invention having eye padding attached about the cup periphery; and 
         FIG. 12  is a top plan view of the eye cup assembly and eye padding of  FIG. 11 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , the patient laser goggles  10  of the invention is shown having a pair of eye cup assemblies  11  held on the aligned end portions of a formed wire nose bridge  12 . Each eye cup assembly  11  is comprised of a formed, generally oval shaped eye cup structure  13  having a bridge wire securement structure  20  formed of a generally cylindrical housing  16  and a button member  15  as further discussed below with respect to  FIG. 4 . Each eye cup structure  13  has an attachment hook  17  to receive an attachment loop of an adjustable strap, as shown in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 4  shows the individual elements which form the patient laser goggles  10 . The clamping mechanism or bridge wire securement structure  20  is shown having a compression spring  14 , a formed button member  15 , a housing structure  16  and two opposing dowel or guide pins  18  and  19 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the formed button member  15  is smaller in dimension than the interior or cavity of housing  16  to thereby permit movement of the button  15  within the housing. The bottom of button  15  is shown having an extension to permit the button to fit into spring  14 . The generally cylindrical housing  16  has peripheral wall  31  having bores  34  and  35  with the two dowel or guide pins  18  and  19  laterally positioned therein to cooperate with opposing formed indentations  26  and  27  of the button member  15 . As shown, formed indentation  26  has a top rounded portion and a bottom sloped portion and formed indentation  27 , on the other side of the button member  15 , having a top sloped portion and a bottom rounded portion. These opposing guide pins  18 ,  19  in cooperation with the formed indentations  26 ,  27  provide means to offset the button or to allow the button to laterally move within the cavity of the housing  16 . 
     Aligned elongated apertures  29  centrally disposed in housing  16  and central slot  28  of button member  15  allow the ends  22  of the nose bridge wire  12  to be placed therethrough when the button member  15  is depressed, due to the smaller diameter of the wire with respect to the slot and apertures. The central slot  28  is shown extending higher and lower than apertures  29 . When the button member  15  is released, the cooperating movement of the offset curved formed indentations  26  and  27  with respect to the fixed guide pins  18  and  19  cause the central slot  28  in the button member  15  to move laterally to thereby pinch or secure the bridge wire ends  22 . This button member  15  movement allows the bridge wire ends  22  to be adjusted with respect to the housing  16  and thus the eye cup  13  to which the housing  16  is mounted. For example, the pitch angle of each eye cup is easily adjusted on the bridge wire ends and, upon depressing button member  15 , the width of the goggles or the distance between the eye cups is easily laterally adjusted on the bridge wire ends  22 . 
     In summary, each clamping mechanism  20  comprises essentially of three cooperating elements, namely the cylindrical housing  16 , the formed button member  15  and the spring  14  or other biasing means. The clamping mechanism  20  acts on the end  22  of the wire  12  by pinching it to prevent motion, or releasing it to permit motion. The housing  16 , through which the end  22  of the wire passes, has two generally oval openings  29  which permit the wire to pivot or pitch up and down relative to the eye cup  13 . The end  22  of the wire may also be free to spin or rotate about its axis in oval openings  29  and to slide along its length. The button member  15  has a similar central slot  28  which permits a change of pitch angle. The compression spring  14  pushes the button toward the top opening  33  of the housing  16 , where conical seat or shoulder  32  and two guide pins  18  and  19  ramp the button member  15  toward one side, thereby pinching the end of the wire between the slot  28  of the button member  15  and the openings  29  of the housing. The action of depressing the button, in compressing the spring and moving the button member  15  away from the conical seat  32  of the housing  16 , will permit the button to move laterally to allow clearance for the end of the wire  22  for adjustment. 
       FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  show the eye cup assembly  11  to be tilted or placed in a pitched position with respect to the bridge wire ends  22 . Specifically,  FIGS. 6   a  and  6   b  show two opposite positions, for example, with the eye cups  13  tilted inwardly and outwardly, respectively, as shown by the dotted line axis intersecting the bridge wire securement structures  20 . 
       FIGS. 7   a  and  7   b  show the lateral movement positions of the eye cups  13  with respect to the nose bridge wire ends.  FIG. 7   a  shows the eye cups positioned at the ends of the wire nose bridge and  FIG. 7   b  shows the eye cups moved inwardly adjacent the centrally disposed hook bend of the wire bridge. The dotted axis indicates that the eye cups are not tilted with respect thereto. 
       FIG. 8  shows the eye cups  11  removed from the bridge wire  12 . The ability for easy removal by suppressing the button  15  of clamping mechanism  20  allows the components of the eye goggle to be easily cleaned, via an autoclave for example. Further, the eye cups  13  may be utilized during a medical procedure without the use of the nose bridge  12 . The easily assembling and disassembling eyewear structure of this invention provides numerous benefits. 
       FIG. 9  shows a sequence of the eye cup  13  being in a stationary position and showing the generally V-shaped center portion  30  of the wire nose bridge being rotated with respect to housing  16 . Thus, subsequent the fitting of the eyewear to the face of a patient, the mounting structure  20  permits a smooth and easy rotational movement of the nose bridge  12  as preferred during a medical procedure. 
       FIG. 10  shows the adjustable strap  23  having loop attachment portions  24  for attachment to hooks  17 . The strap may be adjustable and is shown having an annular sliding member(s)  25  for strap length adjustment. Two straps may be provided with the assembly, one strap may be white, the other black, thereby providing a choice for the practitioner. For example, black straps may be more susceptible to damage than white straps when contacted by certain laser beams. 
       FIGS. 11 and 12  show the eye cup  13  of the eye goggles assembly having peripheral padding  21  around the cup periphery. The eye goggles assembly may be utilized with or without the peripheral pads which are provided for patient comfort. The eye pads  21  are shown to be thin oval rings that may be applied to and frictionally held on the outer peripheral edge of the stainless steel eye cups for patient comfort. 
     The eye cups  13 , bridge wire  12 , and the housing  16 , compression spring  14 , button member  15 , strap hooks  17  and dowel or guide pins  18  and  19  are preferably constructed of medical grade stainless steel or the like. This stainless steel composition has been shown to provide a suitable composition for use with all types of laser sources as well as intensed pulsed light (IPL) sources. The straps may be formed of a flexible elastic structure, for example, and the eye pads are preferably formed of a medical grade white silicone composition. The eye pads  21  are easily attached and removed from the eye cup and are provided for patient comfort. 
     As many changes are possible to the patient laser goggles of this invention utilizing the teachings thereof, the descriptions above and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted in the illustrative and not in the limited sense.