Cap visor eye shield

An eye shield device for a visor broadly includes an eye shield assembly and an attachment assembly for removably attaching the eye shield assembly to the visor. The attachment assembly includes a pair of opposed support members, an eye shield mount for coupling the eye shield assembly to the attachment assembly for permitting pivotal movement of the eye shield assembly about a first axis, and a generally flexible band coupled with and spanning between the support members defining a visor-receiving slot between the band and the eye shield assembly.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to eyeglasses and more particularly to shaded eyeglasses for reducing the glare of light and that may be removably attached to a variety of sizes of visors. The present invention also relates to a visor attachment that may be moved between a stowed position and a deployed position while attached to the visor.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art

Sunlight is a common source of damage to human eyes, whether from short term direct exposure resulting in immediate burning of the retinas or long term exposure to ultraviolet rays that may lead to earlier and more severe occurrences of cataract, a clouding of the lenses of human eyes. Such problems cause degradation of eyesight and even blindness in humans, affecting one's lifestyle in a negative manner.

As a result, sunglasses have been developed to assist in shading eyes from the harmful effects of sunlight. Special lenses have been developed to filter the most harmful rays of sunlight. Conventional sunglasses incorporate a frame having a pair of lens receiving holes and a pair of hinged temple bars designed to rest on the ears of a user. Such conventional glasses may become uncomfortable to wear for long periods of time as a result of pressure placed on the wearer's head by the temple bars.

In recent years, more people have become aware of other harmful effects of sunlight, such as skin cancer. To reduce the risk of skin cancer, many people wear head gear having a visor, covering and thus protecting the top of one's head from sunlight while the visor shades the face. Sunglasses have been known in the art that clip onto the visor of such a hat to provide shading of light received by the eyes while having the shading benefits associated with visored hats. Such devices reduce discomfort associated with conventional sunglasses while yielding their shading benefits.

Due to the fact that hats and visors attached thereto come in many different shapes and sizes, there is a need to provide an eye protection device that may be removably attached to visors of various sizes. There also exists a need to provide such a device that may be easily moved between a working, deployed position in which an eye shield is positioned in front of a user's eyes, and a non-working, stowed position wherein the shield is generally out of the line of sight of the user.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An eye shield device for a visor broadly comprises an eye shield assembly and an attachment assembly for removably attaching the eye shield assembly to the visor. The eye shield assembly includes a one-piece lens and a flexible shaping bar coupled with an upper edge of the lens. The shaping bar may be used to adjust the curvature of the lens in order to provide a custom fit for visors of varying sizes and curvatures.

The attachment assembly includes a pair of opposed support members, and an eye shield mount for coupling the eye shield assembly to the attachment assembly for permitting pivotal movement of the eye shield assembly about a first axis. The attachment assembly also includes a generally flexible, elastic band coupled with and spanning between the support members. A visor-receiving slot is defined between the band and the eye shield assembly. When the visor is inserted into the visor-receiving slot, the band is stretched to the point of being in tension between the support members for securing the device to the visor. By stretching the band further, the device may be removed from the visor.

The eye shield mount includes a pair of mounting members coupled with opposed sides of the lens. Each mounting member includes a post. The support members each include an adjustment slot defined therein for receiving one of the posts. The eye shield assembly is pivoted on the posts about the first axis for movement between a deployed position in front of a user's eyes and a stowed position generally out of the line of sight of the user.

In an alternative form, the eye shield assembly includes a pair of lenses connected by a centrally disposed bridge. A unitary mount is positioned between and coupled with the support members, and a telescopic arm depends from the mount and is coupled with the eye shield assembly. The arm may be pivoted about a first axis for selective positioning of the eye assembly. The arm provides a means of adjusting the location of the eye shield assembly while in deployed or stowed positions.

The bridge includes a pair of outer bridge panels hingedly coupled with a centrally disposed central bridge panel. Each outer bridge panel is coupled with one of the lenses. As a result, each lens may be pivoted about separate axes for adjusting the curvature of the eye shield assembly.

In another alternative form, the eye shield device includes a bridge having a central portion coupled with the arm, and first and second outer portions. The first and second outer portions are coupled with the central portion for pivotal movement about generally parallel first and second bridge axes. The first and second outer portions each include a hinge permitting pivotal movement of the first and second lenses about third and forth axes. The third and forth axes do not intersect the first and second axes. Therefore, this alternative embodiment permits adjustment of the curvature of the eye shield assembly and permits adjustment of the distance between the lenses for adapting to users having varying eye spacing distances.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings,FIG. 1adepicts an eye shield device10constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The device10broadly comprises an eye shield assembly12and an attachment assembly14for removably attaching the eye shield assembly12to the visor16of a cap18.

The eye shield assembly12includes a shaded one-piece, non-prescription lens20and a flexible shaping bar22coupled with an upper edge of the lens20. The lens20is preferably constructed of a synthetic material providing flexibility and adequate transparency for optical purposes. The shaping bar22is used to adjust the curvature of the lens20in order to provide a custom fit for visors16of varying sizes and curvatures. The shaping bar22is preferably constructed from a material that may be bent and once bent retain the desired shape. For example, the bar may be constructed from a metallic material.

The attachment assembly14includes a pair of opposed support members24,26, and pair of mounting members28,30for coupling the eye shield assembly12to the attachment assembly14and for permitting pivotal movement of the eye shield assembly12about a first axis. The first axis is generally parallel with a line tangent to a mid-point of the visor16. The attachment assembly14also includes a generally flexible, elastic band32coupled with and spanning between the support members24,26. A visor-receiving slot is defined between the band32and the eye shield assembly12.

The mounting members each include a post34having a shank36and cap38. An elongated slot40is defined in each support member for receiving the posts34and permiting rotation of the posts34therein for permitting pivotal movement of the lens20between a stowed position, shown inFIGS. 1cand1d, and a deployed position, shown inFIG. 1b. In addition, the elongated slots40permit sliding of the posts40in order to facilitate adjustment of the position of the first axis, thereby allowing a user to move the lens20closer to or farther away from their face. For example, when in the deployed position, it may be desired to move the lens20relatively close to one's face, as shown inFIG. 2a, in order to more completely shade one's eyes. While in the stowed position, it may be desired to move the lens20relatively farther away from one's face to improve the field of vision of the user, as shown inFIG. 2b.

Turning now toFIG. 1c, the eye shield device10is positioned for use around the visor16of a cap18so that the eye shield assembly12is beneath the visor16and the band32is stretched over the top of the visor16. The relative length of the band32and elastic qualities thereof act to secure the device10to the visor16permitting selective positioning of the lens20depending upon the existing lighting conditions. If eye shading is not required for an extended period, but the user desires to wear the cap18, the device10is easily removed by stretching the band32in order to slip the visor16from the visor-receiving slot defined between the band32and eye shield assembly12.

Another eye shield device42is shown inFIG. 3aand is constructed in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The device42broadly comprises eye shield assembly44and attachment assembly46. The eye shield assembly44includes a pair of lenses48,50connected by a double-hinged bridge52. Referring now toFIG. 4, the bridge52includes a centrally disposed panel54, and a pair of outer panels56,58hingedly coupled with the central panel54. Panel56is coupled with lens48while panel58is coupled with lens50. The bridge52permits selective pivoting of the lenses48,50about separate axes and, therefore, selective curvature of the eye shield assembly44.

The attachment assembly46includes support members60,62and mounting member64positioned between and coupled with the support members60,62. The support members60,62each include a buckle66and a leaf spring68. The leaf springs68act to bias the mounting member64in a direction away from the eye shield assembly44in order to hold the mounting member64against the bottom of the visor16.

The attachment assembly46further includes a flexible, elastic band70coupled with the buckles66. The buckles66permit adjustment of the rest length of the band70spanning between support members60,62, and thus adjustment of the tension of the band70. As a result, the attachment assembly46may be secured to visors16of various sizes and shapes.

The bridge52is coupled with the mounting member64by a telescopic arm72having a proximal end74and a distal end76. The proximal end74is coupled with the mounting member64for pivotal movement permitting selective positioning of the eye shield assembly44between a stowed position, shown inFIGS. 3cand3d, and a deployed position, shown inFIG. 3b. The distal end76is pivotally coupled with the bridge52permitting additional adjustment of the eye assembly44, as shown inFIGS. 6cand6d.

Referring toFIGS. 5a–5c, additional detail of the device42is shown. For example, the leaf springs68are snap fitted with the respective buckles66for providing a flexible and secure coupling. The outer panels56,58of the bridge52are friction fitted to the respective lenses48,50and may be additionally secured by means of an adhesive.

Turning now toFIGS. 7a–7d, an eye shield device78constructed in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention is shown. The device78broadly comprises an eye shield assembly80and an attachment assembly82. The attachment assembly82is substantially similar to attachment assembly46with the exception that arm84is not of a telescopic design.

The eye shield assembly80includes a pair of lenses86,88connected by a four hinged bridge90. Referring toFIG. 8, the bridge90includes a central portion92coupled with the arm84, and first and second outer portions94,96. The first and second outer portions94,96are coupled with the central portion92for pivotal movement about generally parallel first and second bridge axes. The first and second outer portions94,96each include a hinge permitting pivotal movement of the lenses86,88about third and forth axes. The third and forth axes do not intersect the first and second axes. Therefore, the alternative eye shield device78permits adjustment of the curvature of the eye shield assembly80via selective pivotal movement of the bridge90about the third and forth axes, and permits adjustment of the distance between the lenses86,88via selective movement of the bridge90about the first and second axes for adapting to users having varying eye spacing distances.