Abstract:
A protective cover for the front and rear lenses of a barrel of an optical instrument such as a set of binoculars. The cover includes a removable shield for each of the lenses, wherein each shield is attached to a support which is removably attached to a barrel of the binoculars. The cover is constructed of flexible materials having elastic properties.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Technical Field of the Invention 
     This invention broadly relates to optical instruments useful for making a distant object appear nearer. Such instruments are comprised of an arrangement of lenses which operate to magnify the image of the distant object to aid in visual observation of the object. The invention further relates to optical instruments which are adapted for manual use such as a telescope, which is useful with one eye, and binoculars, which are useful with two eyes. The invention more particularly relates to an article of manufacture which protects the lenses of the telescope or binoculars. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art and Problems Solved 
     An optical instrument of a size adapted for manual use by a single observer, such as a telescope or a set of binoculars, has lenses which can be damaged because they become scratched and dusty. This lense damage problem has been solved by the use of protective covers for the lenses. The known protective covers have included rigid caps which enclose a lense. Such known caps are not attached to the optical instrument, and are easily misplaced and easily lost. The known caps are difficult to manually mount on and remove from the lenses with one hand while the instrument is being used to observe some distant object. 
     What is required are protective shields for the lenses of a set of binoculars or a telescope which can be manually mounted on and removed from the lenses. The shields should be readily and easily employed to cover and uncover the lenses with one hand, while the other hand retains a grip on the instrument. The caps should remain attached to the instrument while the instrument is being used to view a distant object. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     By this invention there is provided an article of manufacture, broadly referred to herein as a cover, which includes a protective shield for the front lense and a protective shield for the rear lense of a barrel of a telescope or for each barrel of a set of binoculars. The cover of this invention is applicable to a telescope, which has a single barrel, and also to a set of binoculars, which has two barrels. For purposes of simplicity only, the remainder of this disclosure is directed to a set of binoculars. Accordingly, a set of binoculars, requires two covers, one for each barrel of the binoculars. 
     The cover of this invention is comprised of three essential elements which are a barrel support, a front lense cap and a rear lense cap, which is sometimes referred to herein as an eye-piece cap. The front lense cap is employed to protect the front lense of a single barrel of a set of binoculars, and the eye-piece cap is employed to protect the rear lense of the same barrel of the set of binoculars. 
     The barrel support is comprised of a linear, substantially rectangular, body having a linear axis, a forward end, a rearward end, a first strap and a second strap. The length of the linear axis of the linear body is greater than the length of the transverse axis of the linear body, and the diameter of the barrel is greater than the length of the transverse axis of the linear body. The first strap is connected to the forward end of the linear body at two separate locations to thereby form a first continuous loop, wherein the first of the two locations and the second of the two locations are on the opposite sides of the linear axis of the linear body. The second strap is connected to the rearward end of the linear body at two separate locations to thereby form a second loop, wherein the first of the two locations and the second of the two locations are on the opposite sides of the linear axis of the linear body. The first and second loops are used to removably attach the barrel support to the bottom side of the barrel so that the linear axis of the linear body is positioned parallel to the linear axis of the barrel. 
     The front lense cap is attached to the forward end of the linear body. The eye-piece cap is attached to the rearward end of the linear body. Each cap is, accordingly, indirectly removably attached to the bottom side of the barrel. Therefor, the lense caps, being attached to the barrel support, are suspended beneath the barrel when they are not being used to protect the lenses. 
     The front lense cap is comprised of a lense shield and at least one tie which connects the lense shield to the forward end of the linear body of the barrel support. The eye-piece cap is comprised of an eye-piece shield and at least one tie which connects the eye-piece shield to the rearward end of the linear body of the barrel support. 
     Each lense shield is of a size necessary to completely enclose the end of a barrel. It is known that a lense is placed within the interior of the end of a barrel in a position perpendicular to the linear axis of the barrel. Accordingly, it will be appreciated that a lense shield also completely encloses a lense. 
     Each barrel of a set of binoculars can be tubular in cross-section so that the front lense and the rear lense are each contained in identical cross-sections, accordingly, each shield is the same size. In contrast, each barrel of a set of binoculars can be in the form of a truncated cone wherein the diameter of the front end is greater than the diameter of the rear end so that the front lense is larger in diameter of the rear lense in which case the respective shields are not the same size. 
     Each lense cap can be, and is at least partially, constructed with a flexible material having elastic properties. Accordingly, to position a cap over the end of a barrel in a protective mode the cap must be able to stretch under the influence of manual force to enable placement of the cap over the end of the barrel and thus the lense. 
     In one preferred embodiment, the protective cover of this invention is a single, elastic unitary article consisting of the barrel support, the front lense cap and the eye-piece cap. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view of the top side of a set of binoculars. The right side of  FIG. 1  (designated by the numeral  1 ) shows the right side barrel of the binoculars as being fully equipped with the protective cover of this invention. The left side of  FIG. 1  (designated by the numeral  2 ) shows the left side barrel of the binoculars as being partially equipped with the protective cover of this invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view of the bottom side of the binoculars of  FIG. 1 . The left side of  FIG. 2  (designated by the numeral  1 ) is shown to be fully equipped with the protective cover of this invention. The right side of  FIG. 2  (designated by the numeral  2 ) is shown to be partially equipped with the protective cover of this invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a view of the right side of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a view of the left side of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 5  is a view of the front side of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 6  is a view of the rear side of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The protective cover of this invention is an article of manufacture comprised of three essential elements. These three elements are a base support, hereinafter referred to as a barrel support, a front lense cap and a rear lense cap, hereinafter sometimes referred to as an eye-piece cap. In one preferred embodiment the protective cover of this invention is a single unitary article consisting of a barrel support, a front lense cap and an eye-piece cap. 
     It is known that a set of binoculars is comprised of two substantially parallel barrels, wherein each such barrel has a lense and an eye-piece. Each barrel can be tubular in shape or it can be in the shape of a truncated cone. Accordingly, a set of binoculars requires two protective covers of this invention, one for each barrel. 
     The barrels of the binoculars (as employed in connection with the protective cover of this invention) are in the shape of a truncated cone. Accordingly, the diameter of each barrel uniformly decreases from the lense end (the forward end) to the eye-piece end (the rearward end). 
     The protective cover of this invention, consisting of the mentioned three essential elements, is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as it would appear when mounted on side  1  of  FIG. 1 . An incomplete cover of this invention, consisting solely of the barrel support, is shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  as it would appear when mounted on side  2  of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1  is a plan view of the top side of Binoculars A having right side barrel  1 , left side barrel  2 , front lense side  5 , front lense side  6 , eye-piece side  3  and eye-piece side  4 . Right side  1  is equipped with a complete protective cover of this invention, consisting of the mentioned three essential elements. Left side  2  is equipped with an incomplete cover of this invention wherein the front lense cap and the eye-piece cap are not shown. 
       FIG. 2  is a plan view of the bottom side of Binoculars A. Accordingly, to obtain  FIG. 2 , binoculars A, having the protective covers positioned as indicated in  FIG. 1 , are flipped over by 180 degrees, accordingly, sides  1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  are likewise flipped over by 180 degrees. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show protective cover B as completely installed on right barrel  1  of binoculars A, and as partially installed on left barrel  2  of binoculars A. Cover B is comprised of barrel support  7 , front lense cap  8 , and eye piece cap  9 . 
     As seen in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , barrel support  7  is comprised of linear body  7   a , forward barrel strap  10  and rearward barrel strap  13 . Linear body  7   a  is a substantially rectangular body having a linear axis, a forward end and a rearward end. Linear body  7   a  and barrel straps  10  and  13  are preferably constructed of flexible materials having elastic properties. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4 , barrel support  7  is mounted on Binoculars A, wherein linear body  7   a  is positioned on the bottom side of a barrel, e.g. left side barrel  2 , of binoculars A intermediate a lense side, e.g. front lense side  5 , and an eye-piece side, e.g. side  3 , so that the linear axis of body  7   a  is parallel to the linear axis of the barrel of binoculars A. As shown in  FIG. 2 , the length of the transverse axis of linear body  7   a  is less than the diameter of a barrel of Binoculars A. 
     Forward barrel strap  10  is attached to linear body  7   a  at junction points  11  and  12  located at the corners of the forward end, i.e., the lense end, of linear body  7   a . As shown, junction points  11  and  12  are positioned on opposite sides of the linear axis of body  7   a . Barrel strap  10 , accordingly, forms a continuous loop extending from junction point  11  to junction point  12 . It is apparent from  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  that the forward end of a barrel of Binoculars A extends through the continuous loop formed by strap  10 . 
     Rearward barrel strap  13  is attached to linear body  7   a  at junction points  14  and  15  located at the corners of the rearward end, i.e., the eye-piece end, of linear body  7   a . As shown, junction points  14  and  15  are positioned on opposite sides of the linear axis of linear body  7   a . Barrel strap  13 , accordingly, forms a continuous loop extending from junction point  14  to junction point  15 . It is apparent from  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  that the rearward end of a barrel of Binoculars A extends through the continuous loop formed by strap  13 . 
     The barrels shown in binoculars A are in the form of a truncated cone. Accordingly, the length of forward barrel strap  10  is greater than the length of rearward barrel strap  13  because the circumference of the barrel in the vicinity of the position of strap  10  is greater than the circumference of the barrel in the vicinity of the position of strap  13 . 
     Front lense cap  8  is comprised of lense shield  16 , right tie  17 , left tie  18  and center tie  19 . Lense shield  16  is of a size necessary to completely enclose the lense end, e.g. lense end  5 , of each barrel of Binoculars A. Lense shield  16 , right tie  17 , left tie  18  and center tie  19  are preferably constructed of flexible materials having elastic properties. 
     Lense shield  16  is attached to the forward end of linear body  7   a  by forward ties  17 ,  18  and  19 . Tie  17  is attached to junction  11  of linear body  7   a  and to junction  16   a  of shield  16  intermediate (about halfway between) the top side and the bottom side of shield  16 . Tie  18  is attached to junction  12  of linear body  7   a  and to junction  16   b  of shield  16  intermediate (about halfway between) the top side and the bottom side of shield  16 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , junctions  16   a  and  16   b  are positioned on the opposite sides of the linear axis of linear body  7   a . Tie  19  is attached to linear body  7   a  intermediate junction  11  and junction  12  and to shield  16  intermediate junctions  16   a  and  16   b . Tie  19  is substantially in line with the linear (longitudinal) axis of linear body  7   a . As shown in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , lense shield  16  is further comprised of lip  20  which protrudes outwardly from shield  16  on the top side of shield  16 . 
     Eye-piece cover  9  is comprised of eye-piece shield  21 , rearward tie  22  and rearward tie  23 . Eye-piece shield  21  is attached to the rearward end of linear body  7   a  by ties  22  and  23 . Tie  22  is attached to junction  14  of linear body  7   a  and to junction  21   a  of shield  21  intermediate (about halfway between) the top side and the bottom side of shield  21 . Tie  23  is attached to junction  15  of linear body  7   a  and to junction  21   b  of shield  21  intermediate (about halfway between) the top side and the bottom side of shield  21 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , junctions  21   a  and  21   b  are positioned on the opposite sides of the linear axis of linear body  7   a.    
     Eye-piece shield  21  is of a size necessary to completely enclose the eye-piece end, e.g. eye-piece end  3 , of each barrel of binoculars A. Eye-piece shield  21 , rearward tie  22  and rearward tie  23  are preferably constructed of flexible materials having elastic properties. 
     Comparing  FIGS. 2 and 3 , it is shown that shields  16  and  21  completely enclose the lense end and the eye-piece end of a barrel, respectively, and, accordingly, completely enclose the lense and the eye-piece of a barrel. 
     Flexible materials having elastic properties believed to be useful herein include warp knit constructions and circular knit constructions. Raw materials employed in the constructions can include nylon, polyester and polyurethane-polyurea copolymers available under the trademarks Spandex and Lycra. Other flexible materials having elastic properties believed to be useful herein include extruded and molded synthetic and natural rubber.