Sunglasses with clear bifocals

The present invention is directed to sunglasses with clear bifocals. The sunglasses with clear bifocals may comprise a pair of sunglasses having bifocal lenses that provide far distance correction through the top of the bifocal lenses and near distance correction through the bottom of the bifocal lenses. A portion of the bifocal lenses providing the far distance correction may be tinted to block sunlight and a portion of the bifocal lenses providing the near distance correction may be clear. As a non-limiting example, the pair of sunglasses may provide protection from bright sunlight while driving without interfering with the ability to read the instrument panel which is less brightly lit.

RELATED APPLICATIONS

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to sunglasses and more specifically to sunglasses with clear bifocal lenses.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Many of us over the age of forty-five develop a condition called presbyopia, which is a deterioration in the ability of the eye's natural lens to expand or contract in order to focus on close objects one instant and far away ones the next. As a result, the use of prescription bifocals is usually prescribed. This allows the user to use the distance portion of the lens to view far away objects, and the small near portion of the lens to view close up objects such as text on reading material.

Many of us who spend time outdoors may have a pair of prescription bifocal tinted to protect one's eyes from bright sunlight and UV radiation. While such tinting works great for the distance portion of the lens, the tinting on the near portion of the lens makes viewing text in a book, on an outdoor restaurant menu, or even a vehicle's dashboard difficult. Accordingly, there exists a need for a means by which a tinted bifocal prescription eyewear can accommodate both near and far viewing. The development of the sunglasses with clear bifocals fulfills this need.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The disadvantages of the prior art are overcome by the present invention in providing a sunglasses with clear bifocals that has a pair of sunglasses having a pair of bifocal lenses, a frame, and a pair of temples, and a portion of the pair of bifocal lenses having far distance correction are tinted to block sunlight and a portion of the pair of bifocal lenses providing the near distance correction is clear, wherein the pair of sunglasses are adapted to be worn by a user on a user's head with the pair of temples resting on a user's ears and the frame is adapted to be supported by a user's nose.

The pair of bifocal lenses may provide far distance correction through a top of the pair of bifocal lenses. The pair of bifocal lenses may provide near distance correction through a bottom of the pair of bifocal lenses. The pair of sunglasses may provide protection from bright sunlight while driving without interfering with reading an instrument panel which is less brightly lit. The pair of bifocal lenses may be coupled to the frame which is adapted to hold the bifocal lenses vertically in front of a user's eyes. The pair of bifocal lenses may be adapted to correct the user's vision to prevent sunlight from reaching the user's eyes. The pair of bifocal lenses may include a first optical field and a second optical field. The first optical field may be a first optical correction which is far distance correction. The second optical field may be a second optical correction which is near distance correction. The second optical field may be positioned below the first optical field on each of the individual bifocal lens such that each of the individual bifocal lens may be adapted for the user to look through the top of each of the individual bifocal lens to see distance one or more objects and to look through the bottom of the individual bifocal lens to see the one or more close objects. The first optical field may include a plurality of tinting to reduce sunlight that passes through the first optical field. The tinting may vary across the first optical field such that the tinting produces a gradient oriented such that darker shades of the tinting appear at a top of the first optical field and lighter shades of the tinting appear at the bottom of the first optical field. The tinting may be in the range of 8%-50% light transmission. The gradient may transition to 100% light transmission at or above an upper edge of the second optical field. The frame may include a pair of rims for holding the bifocal lenses and a bridge between the pair of rims. The sunglasses with clear bifocals may further comprise a plurality of nose pads coupled to the pair of rims and/or the bridge that are adapted to rest on the user's nose that distribute weight from the pair of sunglasses and thus make the pair of sunglasses more comfortable to wear. The pair of temples may be a pair of armatures that protrude from the frame in a rearward direction and are adapted to pass along the sides of the user's head and to rest on the user's ears. The pair of temples may be hingedly coupled to the frame via a pair of hinges such that the pair of temples fold against the frame when the pair of sunglasses are not being worn. The frame may be made of material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, wood, resins, or any combination thereof. The pair of temples may be made of material selected from the group consisting of metal, plastic, wood, resins, or any combination thereof.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to sunglasses with clear bifocals (herein described as the “invention”)100. The invention100may comprise a pair of sunglasses200having bifocal lenses210that provide far distance correction through the top of the bifocal lenses210and near distance correction through the bottom of the bifocal lenses210. A portion of the bifocal lenses210providing the far distance correction may be tinted to block sunlight and a portion of the bifocal lenses210providing the near distance correction may be clear. As a non-limiting example, the pair of sunglasses200may provide protection from bright sunlight while driving without interfering with the ability to read the instrument panel which is less brightly lit.

The pair of sunglasses200may comprise the bifocal lenses210, a frame240, and a pair of temples250. The pair of sunglasses200may be adapted to be worn by a user on the user's head with the pair of temples250resting on the user's ears and the frame240supported by the user's nose.

The bifocal lenses210may be coupled to the frame240. The frame240may be adapted to hold the bifocal lenses210vertically in front of the user's eyes. The bifocal lenses210may be adapted to correct the user's vision and/or to prevent sunlight from reaching the user's eyes.

An individual bifocal lens212selected from the bifocal lenses210may comprise a first optical field220and a second optical field230. The first optical field220may provide a first optical correction which may be the far distance correction. In some embodiments, (wherein the pair of bifocal lenses include a first optical field and a second optical field.) The second optical field230may provide a second optical correction which may be the near distance correction. The second optical field230may be positioned below the first optical field220on the individual bifocal lens212such that the individual bifocal lens212is adapted for the user to look through the top of the individual bifocal lens212to see distance objects and to look through the bottom of the individual bifocal lens212to see close objects.

The first optical field220may comprise tinting222to reduce the amount of sunlight that passes through the first optical field220. The degree of the tinting222may determine the darkness of the first optical field220. Darker lenses may block more sunlight and lighter lenses may pass more sunlight. As a non-limiting example, the degree of the tinting222may vary from eight percent to fifty percent (8-50%) light transmission.

The tinting222may vary across the first optical field220such that the tinting222produces a gradient224. The gradient224may be oriented such that darker shades of the tinting222appear at the top of the first optical field220and lighter shades of the tinting222appear at the bottom of the first optical field220. In some embodiments, the gradient224may transition to one hundred percent (100%) light transmission at or above the upper edge of the second optical field230.

In some embodiments, each of the individual bifocal lenses212may provide a different amount of optical correction. The first optical correction provided by the individual bifocal lens212on the left side may be different from the first optical correction provided by the individual bifocal lens212on the right side and/or the second optical correction provided by the individual bifocal lens212on the left side may be different from the second optical correction provided by the individual bifocal lens212on the right side.

The frame240may comprise a pair of rims242for holding the bifocal lenses210and a bridge244between the pair of rims242. Nose pads246coupled to the pair of rims242and/or the bridge244may be adapted to rest on the user's nose. The nose pads246may distribute the weight of the pair of sunglasses200and thus make the pair of sunglasses200more comfortable to wear. As non-limiting examples, the nose pads246may be molded onto the frame240or may comprise swiveling pads coupled to the frame240via adjustable armatures.

The pair of temples250may be armatures that protrude from the frame240in a rearward direction. The pair of temples250may be adapted to pass along the sides of the user's head and to rest on the user's ears. In some embodiments, the pair of temples250may be hingedly coupled to the frame240via a pair of hinges260such that the pair of temples250may fold against the frame240when the pair of sunglasses200are not being worn.

As non-limiting examples, the frame240and the pair of temples250may be made of metal, plastic, wood, resins, or any combination thereof. As non-limiting examples, the frame240and the pair of temples250may comprise a color scheme using one (1) or more solid colors, a pattern of colors, transparency, or any combination thereof. In some embodiments, the bifocal lenses210, in part or in whole, may comprise one or more coatings that reduce glare, block UV light, or both. In some embodiments, the bifocal lenses210, in part or in whole, may comprise one (1) or more films that polarize the bifocal lenses210such that transmission of reflected light through the bifocal lenses210is reduced.

Although the invention100has been described in terms of bifocal lenses210those skilled in the art will recognize that the concepts described herein may be equally applicable to trifocal and other multi-focal lenses resulting in various embodiments of the present invention which will result in an improved invention, yet all of which will fall within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. Accordingly, the invention100is to be limited only by the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.

In use, the user may don the pair of sunglasses200by placing the pair of temples250along the side of the user's head, resting on the user's ears, and by resting the nose pads246of the frame240on the user's nose. The user may benefit from a reduction of sunlight passing through the first optical field220and/or corrected vision while looking at distance objects and may benefit from corrected vision while looking at nearby objects through the second optical field230without a reduction in the amount of light passing through the second optical field230.

The exact specifications, materials used, and method of use of the invention100may vary upon manufacturing. The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated.