Abstract:
Swimming goggles includes left and right frames integrally formed together, a connecting element for interconnecting the left and right frames, protection pads, lenses installed in the left and right frames, buckles integrally formed on side portions of the left and right frames, and a head strap being movably connected with the buckles. Each of the buckles has a main body which is disposed on and integrally formed with the corresponding side portion of the left/right frame. More specifically, the buckles are capable of forming a part of the lenses, or a part of the left and right frames. Additionally, the main body is defined with a through hole for simplifying the structure of the swimming goggles and for making assembly of the swimming goggles less difficult, and further for efficiently reducing a cost for assembly of the swimming goggles.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to swimming goggles, and particularly to swimming goggles that is simplified and ergonomic in design, perfect fit and comfortable in wearing, and is watertight in use. 
         [0003]    2. Related Art 
         [0004]    A structure of swimming goggles relating to the present invention has left and right frames and a connecting element that are integrally formed together. For such swimming goggles, lenses are assembled with the left and right frames in a manner of implantation, and the left and right frames are provided with buckles for a head strap to pass therethrough. The buckles provide functions to not only position the head strap but also limit the head strap to move in one direction so as to allow the head strap to be adjustable to a proper length. However, the buckles are mostly connected with the left and right frames for which the assembly with other parts of the swimming goggles is needed to be considered by utilizing extra and more components. Consequently, a cost for assembly is increased because of multiple and complicated components, and the overall swimming goggles is increased in size as well for the same reason, and is not compatible with a light and simple trend in design. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0005]    Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide swimming goggles having a simple structure by simplifying buckles and skillfully integrating the buckles with existed components, so as to make assembly of the swimming goggles less difficult, and further reduce a cost for assembly. 
         [0006]    Another object of the present invention is to provide buckles that are intended to enable a head strap to be adjusted in length quickly and easily without taking off the swimming goggles so as to achieve the effect of convenient use. 
         [0007]    To achieve the above objects, the swimming goggles of the present invention comprise left and right frames integrally formed together, a connecting element for interconnecting the left and right frames, protection pads, lenses installed in the left and right frames, buckles integrally formed on side portions of the left and right frames, and a head strap being movably connected with the buckles, wherein each of the buckles comprises a main body which is disposed on and integrally formed with the corresponding side portion of the left/right frame, and the main body is defined with a through hole for positioning the head strap. 
         [0008]    According to one aspect of the present invention, the main body has a plate-like shape and integrally extends from an edge of each of the lenses to be embedded into the side portion of the left/right frame. The main bodies form a part of the lenses. The side portions of the left and right frames are formed with frame holes corresponding to the through holes. 
         [0009]    According to another aspect of the present invention, the main body is smoothly connected to the side portion of the left/right frame in such a manner that upper and lower sides of the main body are smoothly connected with upper and lower sides of the side portion of the left/right frame, and forms a part of the left/right frame. 
         [0010]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a rectangular pillar is longitudinally disposed in the through hole of the main body, and divides the through hole into a first guiding portion and a second guiding portion. A guiding end of the head strap passes through the first guiding portion to go around the rectangular pillar then through the second guiding portion in such a manner that the head strap is bent at approximate 90 degrees around and against the rectangular pillar, whereby the guiding end is capable of being drawn rearward to tighten the head strap in only one direction. Other portion of the head strap is defined between a wearer&#39;s head and the rectangular pillar. When the main body is not pulled outward, the other portion of the head strap is not drawable because the other portion is in frictional engagement with the rectangular pillar. When the head strap is to be loosened, the main body is being pulled outward, the other portion of the head strap is thus drawable rearward because an angle between the other portion and the rectangular pillar is increased. Accordingly, adjustment of the head strap for loosening or tightening is performed without taking off the swimming goggles. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective exploded view of swimming goggles in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective assembly view of  FIG. 1 ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a front elevational view of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  3 - 3  in  FIG. 3 ; 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of swimming goggles in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0016]      FIGS. 6A  is a partially exploded perspective view of swimming goggles in accordance with a third embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 6B  is a perspective assembly view of  FIG. 6A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6C  is a schematic sectional view of  FIG. 6B ; 
           [0019]      FIGS. 7 and 8  schematically show a head strap being assembled with and adjusted in the swimming goggles of  FIG. 6C ; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 9  is a schematic sectional view of swimming goggles in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0021]    Referring to  FIGS. 1 to 4  showing a first embodiment of swimming goggles of the present invention, the swimming goggles  1  of the present invention comprise: left and right frames  20  and  21 , a connecting element  22 , lenses  30  and  31 , buckles  4 , and a head strap (not shown in this embodiment), wherein the left and right frames  20  and  21 , and the connecting element  22  are integrally made of thermal plastic rubber by means of injection molding. Additionally, each of the left and right frames  20  and  21  is defined with a connecting opening  202  and  212  for receiving the lenses  30  and  31 . Protection pads  231  and  232  are integrally formed with the lenses  30  and  31  for providing comfortable and watertight contact with a user&#39;s face when being worn. The lenses  30  and  31  are made of polycarbonate resin or cellulose acetate or cellulose propionate sheet, and peripheral sides of the lenses  30  and  31  are integrally enveloped by the left and right frames  20  and  21  at the time when the left and right frames  20  and  21  and the connecting element  22  are in the process of integral injection molding. 
         [0022]    Each of the buckles  4  is integrally formed with side portions of the left and right frames  20  and  21 , and comprises a main body  40  which is made of polycarbonate resin as same as the lenses  30  and  31 . In this preferable embodiment, the main body  40  has a plate-like shape and forms a through hole  411  thereon. In particular, the main body  40  integrally extends rearward and temporally from an edge of each of the lenses  30  and  31 , and therefore forms a part of the lenses  30  and  31 . The main bodies  40  and part of the lenses  30  and  31  are embedded in the side portions of the left and right frames  20  and  21 . The side portions of the left and right frames  20  and  21  are formed with frame holes  24  and  25  corresponding to the through holes  411  for securing the head strap. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1  in combination with  FIG. 4 , the swimming goggles  1  of the present invention, in assembly, is to utilize integral injection molding technique to integrally form the left and right frames  20  and  21 , and the connecting element  22 , wherein when the lenses  30  and  31  and the main bodies  40  of the buckles  4  are being embedded in respective left and right frames  20  and  21 , the assembly is finished. Thus the swimming goggles  1  is simplified in structure and is light and handy in design through the integration of the main bodies  40  of the buckles  4  and the lenses  30  and  31 . Furthermore, a head strap can be provided with hooks (not shown) to directly hook over the through holes  411  of the main bodies  40 . Alternatively, a head strap is fastenable with the buckles  4  through other connecting elements (not shown). 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 5  illustrating a second embodiment of the present invention, a major difference between this embodiment and the preceding embodiment is that a rectangular pillar  412  is longitudinally disposed in the through hole  411  of the main body  40 . The rectangular pillar  412  divides the through hole  411  into a first guiding portion  413  and a second guiding portion  414  so as to enable a tightening or loosening adjustment of the head strap (detailed processes are described below). 
         [0025]    Referring to  FIGS. 6A ,  6 B and  6 C illustrating a third embodiment of the present invention, likewise, swimming goggles  1 ′ of this embodiment comprise the left and right frames  20 ′ and  21 ′, the connecting element  22 ′, the lenses  30 ′ and  31 ′, and the buckles  4 ′. Different features between this embodiment and the first embodiment are as follows: the main body  40 ′ of the buckle  4 ′ is smoothly connected to the side portion of the left/right frame  20 ′ and  21 ′ in such a manner that upper and lower sides of the main body  40 ′ are smoothly connected with upper and lower sides of the side portion of the left/right frame  20 ′ and  21 ′. Therefore, the buckle  4 ′ forms a part of the left/right frame  20 ′ and  21 ′. Additionally, the rectangular pillar  412 ′ is longitudinally disposed in the through hole  411 ′, wherein opposite sides of the rectangular pillar  412 ′ are disposed facing internal walls of the through hole  411 ′, and the through hole  411 ′ is divided into the first and second guiding portions  413 ′ and  414 ′ by the rectangular pillar  412 ′. With the above mentioned structure, a head strap  5 ′ is capable of passing through the first and second guiding portion  413 ′ and  414 ′, and is circled around and held against the rectangular pillar  412 ′ at approximate 90 degrees. The rectangular pillar  412 ′ is recessed from an outer surface of the main body  40 ′ to form a gap t (shown in  FIG. 6B ) for covering a width of the head strap  5 ′ and holding the head strap thereon. Furthermore, the main body  40 ′ comprises a tongue portion  421 ′ which is embedded in the side portions of the left/right frame  20 ′ and  21 ′. The tongue portion  421 ′ has a cavity  422 ′ formed thereon for being filled with injection material during integral injection molding so as to provide a better grip between the side portion of the left/right frame  20 ′ and  21 ′ and the tongue portion  421 ′. Accordingly, the main bodies  40 ′ are integrally attached to the side portions of the left and right frames  20 ′ and  21 ′. Furthermore, the left and right frames  20 ′ and  21 ′ are respectively provided with notches  201 ′ and  211 ′ that are longitudinally formed on inner sides of the left and right frames  20 ′ and  21 ′, and are located adjacent to the tongue portions  421 ′ and the lenses  30 ′ and  31 ′. The notches  201 ′ and  211 ′ function as a fulcrum when the main bodies  40 ′ are being pulled outward. 
         [0026]    Referring to  FIGS. 7-9 , after wearing the swimming goggles  1 ′, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the head strap  5 ′ (shown only on one side of the swimming goggles  1 ′) that passes through the first and second guiding portions  413 ′ and  414 ′ is only allowed to be adjusted in one direction. More specifically, the head strap  5 ′ is defined with a guiding end  50 ′ which passes through the first guiding portion  413 ′ to go around the rectangular pillar  412 ′ then through the second guiding portion  414 ′ in such a manner that the head strap  5 ′ is bent at approximate 90 degrees continuously to be around and against the rectangular pillar  412 ′, whereby the guiding end  50 ′ of the head strap  5 ′ is capable of being drawn rearward (direction indicated as an arrow in  FIG. 7 ) to tighten the head strap  5 ′. Other portion  51 ′ of the head strap  5 ′ is defined between a wearer&#39;s head and the rectangular pillar  412 ′. When the main body  40 ′ is not pulled outward, the other portion  51 ′ of the head strap  5 ′ is not drawable because the other portion  51 ′is in frictional engagement with the rectangular pillar  412 ′ by the head strap  5 ′ circled around and against the rectangular pillar  412 ′ at an approximate 90 degrees. When the head strap  5 ′ is to be loosened, the main body  40 ′ is being pulled outward (direction shown as an arrow in  FIG. 8 ), wherein the notch  201 ′ ( 211 ′) functions as a fulcrum to facilitate pivoting of the main body  4 ′, the other portion  51 ′ of the head strap  5 ′ is thus drawable rearward because an angle between the other portion  51 ′ and the rectangular pillar  412 ′ is increased. Consequently, adjustment of the head strap  5 ′ for loosening or tightening is performed without taking off the swimming goggles V. Accordingly, the swimming goggles of the third embodiment is simplified in structure and is light and handy in design through the integration of the main bodies  40  and the lenses  30  and  31 , and the rectangular pillar  412 ′ enables a quick and easy adjustment of the head strap. 
         [0027]    Further referring to  FIG. 4  illustrating a forth embodiment of the present invention, a major difference between this and the third embodiment is that a rib  43 ′ is formed on a surface of the rectangular pillar  412 &#39;s. The rib  43 ′ has a size smaller than the rectangular pillar  412 ′ and forms a step-like shape together with the rectangular pillar  412 ′. As a result, a contact area of the head strap and the rectangular pillar  412 ′ is reduced so that friction between the head strap and the rectangular pillar  412 ′ is reduced as well. Therefore, the structure of the rib  43 ′ enables a smooth adjustment of the head strap, and more specifically, the head strap is capable of being adjusted to be loosened by pulling the main body  4 ′ outward at a smaller angle. 
         [0028]    It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims. Thus the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative, and not restrictive, of the invention defined by the claims.