Abstract:
Eye masks having nose- and ear-pieces similar to those of conventional spectacles and sunglasses are described. Such masks include eye-covering regions of opaque material but need not include elastic bands, adhesive, or loops to retain the regions in place while in use. The masks additionally may be made of one-piece construction if desired, molded of plastic or other suitable material into a unitary body.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to masks for eyes and more particularly to opaque eye shields similar to spectacles or sunglasses but designed to facilitate sleeping under conditions (as in airplanes, trains, and cars, for example) where the wearer&#39;s environment may be illuminated. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The disclosure of U.S. Pat. No. Des. 388,812 to Miehe, et al. appears exemplary of conventional styles of sleeping masks. Such masks typically include a fabric or cloth body to which one or more elastic bands are attached. In use, the body is positioned over the eyes of the wearer and generally held in place when the elastic bands are stretched about the wearer&#39;s head. Additionally, because the body is wholly flexible, it conforms, more or less, to the contours of the face of the wearer in the region it covers. 
     Omission of a relatively rigid nose- or ear-piece of the mask of the Miehe patent, however, can result in slippage of the body of the mask in use. This slippage in turn may decrease the comfort of the wearer, potentially waking him or her from restful sleep. These flexible masks further lack any stylishness, resembling neither aesthetically-attractive spectacles nor sunglasses. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,411,263 to Cook describes infant eye shields designed as alternatives to the traditional practice of taping gauze pads over infants&#39; eyes during hospital procedures. As with other conventional masks, the eye shields of the Cook patent are made of flexible cloth (or film) and omit any rigid nose- or ear-piece. Instead, the shields are adhered to the temples of infants using adhesive of selected peel and shear strengths, with such adhesive being utilized to maintain the shields in position. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,908,878 to Tarragano, incorporated herein in its entirety by this reference, details yet another light shield, although for use primarily (but supposedly not exclusively) with hospitalized adults. It too “is made entirely of soft, non-woven fabric sheeting,” intentionally omitting any more rigid plastic or other material. Loops attached to the masking region of the shield engage the ears of a wearer to retain the shield in place. Although the Tarragano patent mentions (without explanation) “ultrasonically welding” the periphery of the shield and its loops, it nevertheless fails to suggest having any rigid masking region or nose- or ear-piece or structure resembling conventional spectacles or sunglasses. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention, by contrast, provides more rigid masks or shields intended to block all (or substantially all) visible light from the eyes of the wearer. Such masks do not include elastic bands, adhesive, or loops to maintain them in position in use. Rather, relatively rigid nose- and ear-pieces are employed, in some respects similar to those of existing spectacles and sunglasses. 
     Additionally unlike conventional shields, the eye-covering regions of the innovative masks likewise are relatively rigid in comparison with cloths or fabrics. Thus, masks of the present invention may be made of one-piece construction, molded of plastic or other suitable material into a unitary body. If desired, frames of the masks may have some flexibility, much as many spectacle frames currently do, to permit at least some adjustment for enhanced conformance to features of the wearers&#39; heads. 
     It thus is an object of the present invention to provide eye masks lacking any need for elastic bands, adhesive, and loops to permit their retention in position. 
     It is also an object of the present invention to provide eye masks whose frames and contours can be similar to those of attractive or stylish spectacles or sunglasses. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide eye masks having opaque material in place of lenses so as to block some or all visible light from penetrating the masks to the wearers&#39; eyes. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide eye masks having nose-pieces, ear-pieces, or both made of material other than flexible cloth or fabric. 
     It is an additional object of the present invention to provide eye masks which may be molded of plastic material and which may be of one-piece construction. 
     It is yet another object of the present invention to provide eye masks which facilitate sleeping in places, such as in cars, airplanes, and trains or outdoors, where ambient light may be present. 
     Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art with reference to the remaining text and drawings of this application. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of portions of an eye mask of the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a perspective view of portions of the eye mask of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 3 is another perspective view of portions of the eye mask of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 4 is a side view of portions of the eye mask of FIG.  1 . 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate eye mask of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIGS. 1-4 illustrate an exemplary eye mask  10  of the present invention. Mask  10  typically includes eye-covering regions  14  and  18 , associated respectively with the left and right eyes of a wearer. Also incorporated into mask  10  are ear-pieces  22  and  26  and nose-piece  30 , the latter of which comprises either or both of bridge  34  and pads  38  and  42 . Ear-piece  22  is adapted to contact the left ear of a wearer, while ear-piece  26  contacts the wearer&#39;s right ear. Nose-piece  30 , by contrast, contacts the wearer&#39;s nose in use, with bridge  34  also functioning to connect regions  14  and  18 . 
     Preferred embodiments of mask  10  are molded of plastic material having sufficient rigidity to maintain its overall shape absent application of manual or other pressure. Some embodiments of mask  10  presently contemplated will not change shape during any portion of normal use. Other embodiments, however, may permit a wearer to flex or bend (at least slightly) either or both of ear-pieces  22  and  26  and bridge  34  to adapt mask  10  better to the characteristics of the wearer&#39;s head. In either event, by making regions  14  and  18 , ear-pieces  22  and  26 , and nose-piece  30  of the same material, mask  10  can be of one-piece construction whether molded or otherwise formed. 
     At least regions  14  and  18  should be opaque for optimal results. Creating these regions  14  and  18  of black material of sufficient thickness to prevent all (or substantially all) visible light from reaching the wearer&#39;s eyes is preferred in connection with mask  10 , although those skilled in the art are aware that materials or colors other than black may be utilized instead. Thus, although some embodiments of mask  10  may be solid black in color, others may be or contain other colors (and indeed may be multi-colored if appropriate or desired). 
     If ear-pieces  22  and  26  are formed of substantially rigid material and mask  10  is of one-piece construction, ear-pieces  22  and  26  will not fold compactly like corresponding ear-pieces of conventional glasses. These versions of mask  10  are contemplated as being sufficiently inexpensive so as to be disposable after use rather than requiring storage. Of course, regardless of cost they need not necessarily be disposed of following use, and other embodiments of mask  10  may include hinges or other suitable mechanisms allowing ear-pieces  22  and  26  to fold more or less parallel to the general plane containing regions  14  and  18 . 
     As noted earlier, ear-pieces  22  and  26  are designed to contact the wearer&#39;s ears when mask  10  is being used. The ear-pieces  22  and  26  of FIGS. 2-4 likely will contact only the upper portions of the wearer&#39;s ears, in the uppermost areas of connection of the ears to the head. As shown particularly in FIG. 4, such ear-pieces  22  and  26  are relatively straight. Ear-pieces  22  and  26  need not be so formed, however, but instead may include terminal hooks (in essence, they may be shaped so as to resemble a rotated letter “J”) to engage additional portions of the wearer&#39;s ears. 
     Additionally as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, each of ear-pieces  22  and  26  may include a portion  46  or  50  of increased width near the junction of pieces  22  and  26  with regions  14  and  18 . Increased-width portions  46  and  50  may be useful in inhibiting visible light from reaching the eyes peripherally and thus, if present, advantageously may be made of opaque material. Portions  46  and  50  need not have width greater than the remainder of ear-pieces  22  and  26 , however. 
     Together with ear-pieces  22  and  26 , nose-piece  30  helps maintain the position of mask  10  on a wearer&#39;s head. Typically either not bendable or only modestly so, bridge  34  of nose-piece  30  is adapted to contact and rest against the bridge of the wearer&#39;s nose. Pads  38  and  42 , in turn, contact and rest against opposed sides of the wearer&#39;s nose. If in the form shown in FIG. 3, pads  38  and  42  may comprise curved, increased-thickness areas of respective regions  14  and  18 . Pads  38  and  42  may be formed otherwise, however, if appropriate. 
     FIGS. 1,  2 , and  4  collectively illustrate ridges  54  and  58 , which may demarcate respective central sections  62  and  66  of regions  14  and  18  from frame  70 . If, hypothetically, lenses were substituted for central sections  62  and  66 , ridges  54  and  58  effectively could indicate or overlap the edges of the lenses adjacent the frame of the glasses. Thus, in embodiments of mask  10  where ridges  54  and  58  (or either of them) are present, the ridges  54  and  58  can simulate (at least aesthetically) the presence of lenses and thereby enable the mask  10  more to resemble spectacles or sunglasses. 
     FIG. 5, by contrast, details an alternative mask  10 ′ lacking any ridges  54  or  58  or demarcations between central sections  62  and  66  and the remainder of frame  70  in regions  14  and  18 . Frame  70  thus may be smooth throughout regions  14  and  18 , unlike conventional spectacles and sunglasses. This characteristic of mask  10 ′ may simplify its being molded, for example, while additionally creating a sleeker, potentially more attractive appearance for the mask  10 ′. 
     The foregoing is provided for purposes of illustrating, explaining, and describing embodiments of the present invention. Further modifications and adaptations to these embodiments will be apparent to those skilled in the art and may be made without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention.