Laser-X radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system

A primary lens element fabricated of laser protective glass has proximal and distal faces, a central extent and a peripheral extent. A secondary lens element fabricated of lead oxide has proximal and distal faces, a central extent and a peripheral extent. The secondary lens is operatively coupled to the primary lens forming a lens laminate ground to form a composite lens with a prescription. The composite lens has a central extent of an enlarged thickness and a peripheral extent of a reduced thickness.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system and more particularly pertains to abating, through safety filtration, the harmful effects to eyes of a user from laser radiation and from radiation from fluoroscopy imaging procedures, the abating, through safety filtration, of the harmful radiation effects being done in a safe, convenient and economic manner.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the disadvantages inherent in the known types of sunglass systems of known designs and configurations now present in the prior art, the present invention provides an improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system. As such, the general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system and method which has all the advantages of the prior art and none of the disadvantages.

To attain this, the present invention essentially comprises a laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system. First provided are two primary lens elements. Each primary lens element has a proximal face. Each primary lens element has a planar distal face. Each primary lens has a central region. Each primary lens also has a peripheral region. Each primary lens element is fabricated of laser protective glass. The laser protective glass has laser glass protective ranges of 900 nm to 950 nm at 4+ OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating, and 950 nm to 1000 nm at 5+ OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating, 1000 nm to 2400 nm at 6+ OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating, 2750 nm to 10600 nm at 7+OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating. Each primary lens is adapted to protect the eyes of the user from harmful effects of laser radiation.

Two secondary lens elements are provided. Each secondary lens element has a proximal face. Each secondary lens element has a planar distal face. Each secondary lens element has a central region. Each secondary lens element has a peripheral region. Each secondary lens element is fabricated of lead oxide glass. The lead oxide glass has a lead content of a minimum of 0.75 percent lead plus or minus 5 percent in a 1.80 high-index rate of refraction. The secondary lens is adapted to protect the eyes of the user from harmful effects of fluoroscopy radiation.

Each secondary lens element is operatively coupled to an associated primary lens element. In this manner two lens laminates are formed. The distal face of each primary lens forms a planar interface with each proximal face of an associated secondary lens.

Each proximal face of each primary lens and each distal face of each secondary lens is ground. In this manner two composite lenses are formed. The composite lenses have a minimum prescription. Also in this manner each composite lens has a central region of an enlarged thickness. Further in this manner each composite lens has a peripheral region of a reduced thickness less than the thickness of the central extent.

Further provided is a frame. The frame has a front section. The front section receives and supports a pair of composite lenses in an essentially common front plane. The frame has side sections. The side sections extend proximally and positionable over ears of the user. The composite lenses are positioned in the frame. The primary lens elements are located proximally of the secondary lens elements.

Provided last are supplemental composite lenses. The supplemental lenses are positioned in the front section adjacent to the side sections. The supplemental lenses are in essentially parallel side planes perpendicular to the front plane. The supplemental composite lenses are adapted to provide lateral vision free from the effects of laser and fluroscope radiation, the supplemental lenses having slightly different curves to compensate for the refractive index of the refractive glass.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system which has all of the advantages of the prior art sunglass systems of known designs and configurations and none of the disadvantages.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system which may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed.

It is further object of the present invention to provide a new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system which is of durable and reliable constructions.

An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system which is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system economically available to the buying public.

Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system for abating, through safety filtration, the harmful effects to eyes of a user from laser radiation and from radiation from fluoroscopy imaging procedures, the abating, through safety filtration, of the harmful radiation effects being done in a safe, convenient and economic manner.

Lastly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system. A primary lens element has proximal and distal faces, a central extent and a peripheral extent. The primary lens element is fabricated of laser protective glass. A secondary lens element has proximal and distal faces, a central extent and a peripheral extent. The secondary lens is fabricated of lead oxide glass. The secondary lens is operatively coupled to the primary lens. In this manner a lens laminate is formed. The lens laminate is ground to form a composite lens with a prescription. In this manner the composite lens has a central extent of an enlarged thickness and a peripheral extent of a reduced thickness less than the thickness of the central extent.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular toFIG. 1thereof, the preferred embodiment of the new and improved laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral10will be described.

The present invention, the laser-x radiation/laser combo protective eyewear system10is comprised of a plurality of components. Such components in their broadest context include a primary lens and a secondary lens. Such components are individually configured and correlated with respect to each other so as to attain the desired objective.

First provided are two primary lens elements14. Each primary lens element has a proximal face16. Each primary lens element has a planar distal face18. Each primary lens has a central region20. Each primary lens also has a peripheral region22. Each primary lens element is fabricated of laser protective glass. The laser protective glass has laser glass protective ranges of 900 nm to 950 nm at 4+ OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating, and 950 nm to 1000 nm at 5+ OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating, 1000 nm to 2400 nm at 6+ OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating, 2750 nm to 10600 nm at 7+OD and 80 percent visibility L-6 rating. Each primary lens is adapted to protect the eyes of the user from harmful effects of laser radiation.

Two secondary lens elements26are provided. Each secondary lens element has a proximal face28. Each secondary lens element has a planar distal face30. Each secondary lens element has a central region32. Each secondary lens element has a peripheral region34. Each secondary lens element is fabricated of lead oxide glass. The lead oxide glass has a lead content of a minimum of 0.75 percent lead plus or minus 5 percent in a 1.80 high-index rate of refraction. The secondary lens is adapted to protect the eyes of the user from harmful effects of fluoroscopy radiation.

Each secondary lens element is operatively coupled to an associated primary lens element. In this manner two lens laminates38are formed. The distal face of each primary lens forms a planar interface40with each proximal face of an associated secondary lens.

Each proximal face of each primary lens and each distal face of each secondary lens is ground. In this manner two composite lenses44are formed. The composite lenses have a minimum prescription. Also in this manner each composite lens has a central region of an enlarged thickness. Further in this manner each composite lens has a peripheral region of a reduced thickness less than the thickness of the central extent.

Further provided is a frame48. The frame has a front section50. The front section receives and supports a pair of composite lenses in an essentially common front plane. The frame has side sections52. The side sections extend proximally and positionable over ears of the user. The composite lenses are positioned in the frame. The primary lens elements are located proximally of the secondary lens elements.

Provided last are supplemental composite lenses56. The supplemental lenses are positioned in the front section adjacent to the side sections. The supplemental lenses are in essentially parallel side planes perpendicular to the front plane. The supplemental composite lenses are adapted to provide lateral vision free from the effects of laser and fluroscope radiation.

An alternate embodiment100of the present invention is provided. A frame104is provided. The frame has a front section106. The frame receives and supports a pair of composite lenses108. The composite lenses are received and supported in an essentially common front plane. The frame has side sections110. The side sections extend proximally and are positionable over ears of the user.

Hinges114are provided. The hinges are in a vertical plane. The hinges couple the front and side sections.

Another alternate embodiment200of the present invention is provided. A frame204is provided. The frame has a front section206. The front section receives and supports a pair of composite lenses208. The lenses are received and supported in an essentially common front plane. The frame has side sections210. The side sections extend proximally and are positionable over ears of the user.

Hinges214are provided. The hinges are in a horizontal plane. The hinges couple the front and side sections.

To get laser and radiation protection in a single protective lens, it is first necessary to laminate laser protective glass to leaded oxide glass. Leaded oxide glass protects a user's eyes against certain injurious radiation and laser wave-lengths. Lead oxide protective glass protects the user's eyes against damage due to radiation emitted during interventional fluoroscopy radiation imaging. Interventional fluoroscopy radiation is an interventional imaging procedure where a laser may also utilized. Both laser and fluoroscopy radiation can injure the unprotected eye. Therefore, the eyes must protected from both radiation and laser.

Damage to the eye by radiation such as fluoroscopy, lasers and other radiation is both linear and cumulative. Laser injury to the eye can be instantaneously injurious and irreversible. Both laser and radiation injuries to the eye are generally accepted as being permanent. Until now, the laminated glass had to be made “flat” and “bulky” due to the fact that when the laminated glass is curved, it creates “distortion” such that nothing viewed through the glass may be viewed with any acceptability. The different indexes of refraction are the cause of the distortion.

With the Laser-X system of the present invention, lenses of laminated glass lens are ground into a very minimal prescription eye protection. To compensate for the different indexes, the lenses can then be fitted into acceptable and stylish eyewear frames with an acceptable field of vision and optical acuity.