Goggles

The goggles have two eyepieces connected by an elastomeric strap forming a nosepiece, the length of which is adjustable by loosening a pair of adjustment screws. Each eyepiece has an upper contour portion having a smooth incurve to conform to the upper eye socket. The lower portion of each eyepiece has a smooth incurve with an excurvation in the vicinity of the nosepiece to conform to the lower eye socket. Each eyepiece flares outwardly to form a widened eye socket contacting surface. Each of these surfaces slopes radially outward of the eyepiece and toward the front thereof. In this manner, when worn, the surfaces produce a radially outward pressure on the eye socket and require only a minimum layer of form padding to insure a watertight seal. The goggles are also equipped with an elastic head strap attached to a plastic hook end which fits into an aperture on one of the eyepieces for easy attachment thereto.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention relates to eye protectors and particularly to eye goggles 
which may be worn during swimming, skiing and other sports. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
Many types of goggles for the protection of one's eyes during pursuit of 
athletic endeavors have been proposed in the past. Goggles used for 
athletic activities, especially those used when swimming, should be light 
in weight, easily attached and removed from the users' head, comfortable 
to wear, and streamlined. Also, when used for swimming the goggles must 
provide an adequate seal between the eye sockets of the user and the 
peripheral edge of the goggles in order that no water will enter the area 
interiorly of the goggles. Such water of course distorts vision and 
thereby hinders rather than aids the swimmer. Goggles proposed for the 
purpose of providing for the above-described needs include those shown in 
U.S. Pat. No. 4,051,557 issued Oct. 4, 1977 to Bengtson et al. The 
Bengtson et al goggles have a pair of identical eyepieces with each 
eyepiece having an upper and a lower incurved surface attached to padding 
for providing a water-tight seal between the goggles and the user. The 
Bengtson et al goggles also include a nosepiece formed with a plurality of 
stops for adjusting the nosepiece. This adjustment system is cumbersome 
and difficult to use. Also, the straps employed in the goggles do not 
allow an easy attachment of the goggles to the head of the user. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,264,351 issued Dec. 2, 1941 to Willson shows a headband 
strap for use with safety goggles. The goggles shown in the patent have 
eyepieces incorporating a curved surface to conform to the head of the 
user. Each eyepiece has a lateral excurved surface for making contact with 
the temple of the user and an incurved surface for contact with the skull 
surrounding the eye socket. The strap used in Willson includes an 
inelastic tubular head-band which provides a positive limit of stretch to 
a resilient member disposed in the head-band. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a durable, comfortable and 
economical pair of goggles for use in swimming, skiing and other 
recreational sports. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a pair of goggles 
having eyepieces which conform more exactly to the shape of the bone 
structure surrounding the human eye socket so as to allow a water-tight 
seal to exist without the necessity of providing undue pressure on a foam 
pad and forcing the foam pad to conform to the required shape. 
One more object of the present invention is to provide a pair of goggles 
the eyepieces of which extend into the eye socket and provides a slightly 
radially outward pressure to insure the watertight seal. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a pair of goggles 
having separate eyepieces which are connected by a unique and easily 
adjustable nosepiece for varying the distance between the eyepieces. 
A still further object of the present invention is to provide a pair of 
goggles having a head strap which may be engaged and disengaged easily by 
the use of a hook and eye interconnection. 
Yet a still further object of the present invention is to provide a head 
strap which may be adjusted easily to fit various sized heads. 
An additional object of the present invention is to provide a pair of 
goggles which are configured to provide a minimum amount of water 
resistance when used by a swimmer. 
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an embodiment 
of the invention including a double head strap configuration for insuring 
a positive connection between the straps and the head of the user. 
These together with other objects and advantages which will become 
subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation 
as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to 
the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals 
refer to like parts throughout.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
Now in reference to the drawings, goggles incorporating the principles and 
concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the numeral 
10 will be clearly described. With particular reference to FIGS. 1 and 3, 
it will be noted that the goggles comprise two eyepieces 12 and 14 
interconnected by nosepiece 16. A head band 18 is fixedly attached to 
eyepiece 12 and is removably attachable to eyepiece 14 for securing the 
goggles to the head of the user. 
Each eyepiece 12 and 14 is produced from clear optical plastic by, 
preferably, injection molding. Each eyepiece also includes a substantially 
planar lens portion 20 which may be either molded with the eyepiece from 
clear optical plastic or may be a pre-ground plastic lens adapted to fit 
into the pre-formed eyepiece. With reference to FIG. 2, it will be seen 
that the top contour of each eyepiece includes a transverse incurved 
portion 22 which is shaped to fit the upper portion of the human skull 
surrounding the eye socket. The transverse curve extends laterally and 
defines a wing section 24 which is designed to fit snugly against temporal 
area of the human skull. With reference to FIG. 3, it will be seen that 
the lower contour of each eyepiece includes a transverse incurved portion 
26 beginning at the wings 24 and smoothly changing to a transverse 
excurved inside portion 28 which is designed to fit on the lower eye 
socket in the vicinity of the nose and a transverse excurved outside 
portion 29, see also FIGS. 13 and 14, is provided to conform to the facial 
bone contour defining the outer side marginal portion of the eye socket 
and all adjacent excurved and incurved portions merge smoothly into each 
other. This is to be contrasted with the bottom contour of the prior art 
shown in FIG. 4. In the prior art goggles, the curves 30 are incurved 
throughout their length and thereby leave a small gap in the area 
designated 32 when placed on the human head. This gap will have to be 
filled by proper compression of the foam rubber 34. In contrast, goggles 
of the present invention incorporate the use of foam pad 36 to merely 
effect a watertight seal between the plastic portion of the eyepiece and 
the skin of the user, the aforementioned gap existing in the prior art 
being filled by excurve portion 28 as discussed above. 
As seen in FIG. 1, eyepiece 12 has attached thereto the head band 18. As 
seen in FIGS. 1 and 7, this attachment is effected through the use of an 
identation 38 made in the surface of the wing portion 24 of that eyepiece. 
The elastic head band 18 is inserted in the indentation and a cover plate 
40 is fixedly attached thereover by the use of screw attachment devices 42 
or any other suitable attachment means. On the opposite end of the head 
band 18 is attached hook portion 44. Hook portion 44 includes the 
adjustment mechanism of the device. As seen in FIG. 6, the adjustment 
portion comprises three laterally aligned transverse slots 46 through 
which the head band is woven in order to hold it in place. On the other 
end of the hook portion is the actual hook 48 which may be inserted in 
aperture 50 provided in eyepiece 14 for that purpose. Tension on the head 
band will maintain the flange 52 of the hook 48 in an engaged position 
within the aperture 50 in FIG. 6. The aperture 50 is an extension of an 
indentation 54 as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6. The indentation 54 is 
substantially equal in depth to the thickness of the hook portion 44 thus 
allowing a substantially flush arrangement between the hook portion and 
eyepiece when engaged. 
As seen in FIGS. 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8, the nosepiece 16 fits within sockets 56 
in each eyepiece. Each eyepiece also includes lateral extensions 58 
through which sockets 56 also pass. Each lateral extension 58 has a screw 
60 passing therethrough with the threads of the screw being in 
communication with its respective socket. In this manner, by inserting the 
elastic nosepiece 16 into the socket 56, the screw 60 must be turned in 
order to control the progress of the nosepiece 16 into the socket. The 
pressure of the screw against the nosepiece also serves to hold the 
nosepiece within the socket. Therefore, adjustment of the nosepiece 16 
length may be effected through turning of the individual screws 60. 
FIGS. 9 and 10 show a second embodiment of the hook portion of the 
invention. This embodiment is generally referred to by the numeral 62. 
Hook portion 62 is designed for use with two head bands 64 and 66. This 
configuration insures maximum positive support of the goggles on the head 
of the user. The hook portion 62 includes two series of laterally aligned 
slots 46. Each series of slots is for use with an individual one of the 
head straps. In this manner each head strap is individually adjustable by 
the user. 
FIGS. 11-15 depict a pair of goggles 68 which are similar in many respects 
to goggles 10, with similar characteristics being represented by like 
numerals. Goggles 68 are compoed of a pair of eyepieces 70, 72 which are 
interconnected by a nosepiece 16. The eyepieces are held against the head 
of the user by a strap 18 and hook 14 which are those shown in FIG. 5. The 
hook is connected with an aperture formed in eyepiece 72. The opposite end 
of strap 16 is interwoven between three laterally aligned slots 74 formed 
in wing section 24 of the eyepiece 70. This provides for added 
adjustability and allows the eyepiece to be formed as a unitary 
construction. 
The nosepiece 16 is held within a pair of opposed sockets 76 formed in the 
eyepieces 70, 72. Each socket has a threaded hole 78 disposed in one wall. 
A set screw 80 is screwed into each hole and is rotatably connected to a 
plate 82 which is mounted in the socket 76 for movement thereacross. Each 
plate 82 contains an opening through which a reduced extension 84 of the 
set screw passes. Obviously, with strap 16 inserted to the desired depth 
in sockets 78 between plates 82 and the opposite socket walls, set screws 
80 can be tightened and the nosepiece adjustment will be completed. 
Each eyepiece, as shown in relation to eyepiece 20, incorporates the 
transverse upper incurve 22 as well as the lower transverse incurved 
portion 26 and transverse excurved portion 28 in the vicinity of the 
nosepiece. These portions, as explained supra, are for the purpose of 
conforming to the external skull shape about the periphery of the eye 
socket. The transverse curves extend laterally to define a wing section 24 
which, as discussed hereinabove, contains the strap attachments. The 
section of the eyepiece rimming the lens 20 is of a substantial thickness 
to provide rigidity and contains an annular reduced area 86 into which the 
lens is received thus making it flush with the front of the eyepiece. The 
lens can be mounted by gluing or in any other suitable manner. 
Rearwardly of the lens, the eyepiece contains a radially outward flared 
portion 88 which results in a widened eye socket contacting surface 90. 
Surface 90 appears substantially annular in elevation, as seen in FIG. 11. 
However, when viewed in cross section, it becomes apparent that surface 90 
is designed to promote an effective contact between the eyepiece and the 
skull of the user. In the area of wing 24, surface 90 slopes radially 
outward and away from the lens portion of the eyepiece and toward the 
temporal portion of the skull, when in use. The remainder of the surface 
slopes radially outward and forward, toward the front of the eyepiece so 
as to rest against the inside ridge of the eye socket with the inner edge 
of the surface 90 projecting slightly into the wearer's eye socket, and 
the outer edge projecting slightly outside of the eye socket. The surface 
90 therefore abuts the outer edge of the eye socket and force is applied, 
through strap 18, both directly inward against the skull and radially 
outward against the rim of the eye socket. Since the surface 90 follows 
the incurves and excurves of the perimeter, the result is a convoluted 
surface which readily conforms to the eye socket. Accordingly, only a thin 
layer of foam padding, or the like, shown on eyepiece 72 at 92, need be 
employed to insure a watertight seal and maximum comfort to the wearer. 
This configuration is to be contrasted with that of the prior art, as shown 
in FIG. 4, wherein the skull contacting surfaces of the goggles are not 
sloped. The prior art goggles rely on the resiliency of the foam padding 
overlying the inner surfaces of the eyepieces to allow that padding to 
become contorted in a manner which will enable a watertight seal between 
the goggles and the skull of the user. A seal formed in this manner may be 
prone to leakage as well as the formation of pressure points which make 
the goggles uncomfortable to wear. The goggles of the present invention 
overcome these deficiencies. 
The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the 
invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily 
occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the 
invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and 
accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted 
to, falling within the scope of the invention.