Abstract:
A locking mechanism to prevent unintentional disengagement of a goggle lens from its frame and allowing for easy changes of the lens when required. The locking mechanism employs translatable clips engaged to the frame which translate toward and away from the lens between engaged and disengaged positions. The engaged position locks the lens in place until the user translates the clip to the disengaged position. A post and slot engagement of each clip to the frame maintains them connected to the frame to prevent loss.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a Continuation in Part, and claims the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/877,493, filed Dec. 28, 2006 and incorporated herein in its entirety by reference. The disclosed system and method relate generally goggles employed over the eyes. More particularly it relates to a goggle adapted for easy replacement of lenses in a sealed engagement with the goggle frame which is easy to employ without losing parts integral the operation of the device. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
       [0002]    Goggles have been employed to protect the eyes of users and in some cases enhance vision, for many years. When worn by a user for eye protection, goggles are especially well adapted to keep dust, wind, gravel, and other particulate out of the eyes of the user. In dry and windy environments such as with the military in a desert environment, goggles are frequently employed to prevent vision impairment that can be caused by wind drying the eyes and particulate entering the eyes. Further, in most environments, goggles may be employed with lens tinting and polarization to both enhance vision and protect the user&#39;s eyes from long term exposure to different light spectrums. 
         [0003]    However, in many environments, it is particularly useful if the lens engaged with the goggle frame may be replaced or substituted or temporarily removed. Replacement is frequently required when the lens becomes scratched or otherwise damaged. Temporary removal or a substitution of one lens for another from a plurality of cooperatively engageable lenses is particularly useful when the environment of the user changes their vision requirements. For instance if used in a desert environment by the military, during the day a lens which reduces glare and eye damage from radiation and which enhances vision is particularly useful since a soldier depends upon their eyesight for their well being. However that same user in a nighttime employment of goggles in the same environment, may wish to have a clear lens which allows more light to their eyesight or a partially tinted lens which enhances night vision but would not be particularly useful during daylight. On some occasions a temporary removal of the lens may be desirable to allow for temporary unaltered vision. 
         [0004]    In order to allow for removal and replacement some type of lens retainment system is required. Historically goggle lenses have been retained by various locking mechanisms that essential operate by friction. Systems have been employed using tapered openings in the frame adapted for a frictional seal around the perimeter of the lens therein. Additionally methods historically employed for lens retainment include shaped indents, hooks, and bezels that surrounded the entire frame and lens. 
         [0005]    The basic problem attempted by such prior art is to securely engage the lens in the goggle frame but also allow for an easy change in the field. While the goal of the retainment-system is easy use, the lens must still be secured to resist disengagement in case of impact upon the lens, or distortion of the conventionally flexible goggle frame by brute force. 
         [0006]    In most such prior systems, distortion of the frame if the lens is not mechanically engaged to the frame by other than engagement in a slot, will cause the lens to pop out of the frame. The same disengagement with a frictional seal type lens and goggle will occur upon a sharp impact to the semi-rigid lens. 
         [0007]    However, if a mechanical engagement of the lens to the frame is employed, other problems occur in that they can be hard to engage and disengage by the user or hard to employ when the user is wearing gloves. Further, if pins and clips are used to mechanically engage the lens to the frame, once separated from the frame, they tend to become lost rendering the goggle useless. 
         [0008]    Accordingly, there is an unmet need for a goggle having a very secure engagement means for the lens to the goggle frame which provides a mechanical mechanism to hold the lens in a secure engagement. While providing a positive lock of the lens to the frame, such a device must also be easy to operate. Such a goggle engagement system should require no tools to operate since goggles are frequently employed in harsh conditions or in military situations not conducive to tool employment. Further, such a device must insure that all parts employed to lock the lens to the goggle frame, resist becoming lost during a lens disengagement. 
         [0009]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for designing other mechanical engagement systems for lenses to goggles and for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0010]    An object of this invention is the provision of a goggle having a lens which is engaged to the goggle frame by a mechanical lock to thereby resist disengagement of the lens from impacts or from contortions of the flexible goggle frame. 
         [0011]    A further object of this invention is to provide such a goggle with a lens retainment system which is easy to operate and requires no tools to engage or disengage a lens with the frame. 
         [0012]    An additional object of this invention is the provision of such a goggle and lens retainment system which prevents the loss of lens engagement parts during use or lens replacement. 
         [0013]    These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of the construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The disclosed system provides a means for easy interchangeability of lenses in a goggle which overcoming the noted shortcomings of lens dismount and lost parts of the prior art. The device employs a goggle frame and a lens which is dimensioned for a removable sealed engagement with the frame. 
         [0015]    Engagement of the lens and frame are insured against an accidental dismount from impacts and contortions of the frame by the employment of a plurality of clips which are slidably engaged to the frame in ramps and translate between an engaged position locking both the lense and clip in position, to a disengaged position where the clip is still in an engagement with the frame to thereby avoid lost parts. A U-shaped first end of the clip is employed to communicate through an aperture in the lens to mechanically hold it in place and a sealed engagement around its periphery. 
         [0016]    A second end of the clips are each adapted for retained engagement with the frame during translation and dismount of the lens. In operation, when translated to the disengaged position of the clip, the first end of the clip will disengage from the lens aperture allowing its removal from the frame. 
         [0017]    A means for locked engagement of the lens to the frame and clip in the engaged position is provided by a locking mechanism of the clip and frame. Means to maintain the clip engaged to the frame is provided by a recess formed in the ramp in which the clip translates using a member projecting from the second end of the clip engaged in a slot in the ramp. Once in the engaged position the member locks into an elastic locking aperture and must be forcibly pulled therefrom with sufficient force to overcome the grip of the locking aperture on the member protruding from the clip. 
         [0018]    The low profile design of the clip and translation within a ramp formed into the surface of the frame is also especially preferred. This recessed translational engagement maintains the exposed surface of the clip from interfering with a helmet worn by the user. Helmet wear is also aided by provision of rotationally engaged strap mounts which allow for engagement at a wide variety of angles. 
         [0019]    In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the device and method herein in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction, and to the arrangement of the components or method steps set forth in the description herein. The invention is thus capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways as would occur to those skilled in the art once they have read this disclosure. 
         [0020]    As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception upon which the disclosed goggle with removably engageable lens in a positive lock is based may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other methods for carrying out the purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
         [0021]    Also with respect to the disclosure herein, it is to be realized that the optimum relationships for the method and hardware herein are to include variations in function and manner of operation, steps in operation and use, which are readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. Therefore, the disclosure herein is considered as illustrative only of the key principles of the invention yielding the improved operation thereof. 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 which may be resorted to by those skilled in the art are considered to fall within the scope of the invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0022]      FIG. 1  is a graphic depiction of a front perspective view of the goggle herein showing engagement clips aligned with slots in the lens and goggle. 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  depicts a side view of the goggle of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  depicts an exploded perspective view of the disclosed device. 
           [0025]      FIG. 4  depicts a top view of the goggle showing engagement clips engaged with the frame and mechanically locking the lens in a sealed engagement. 
           [0026]      FIG. 5  depicts a front view of the device of  FIG. 4 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 6  is a slice through  FIG. 5  along line A-A. 
           [0028]      FIG. 7  is a slice view through  FIG. 5  along line B-B. 
           [0029]      FIG. 8  depicts the clip translated to a disengaged position from the engaged position of  FIG. 6 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0030]    Referring now to the drawings in  FIGS. 1-8  singularly or in combination, wherein similar parts are identified by like reference numerals, some preferred embodiments of the device  10  disclosed herein in current preferred modes are shown and described. 
         [0031]    As seen in the front perspective view of  FIG. 1  the device employs a goggle frame  12  and lens  14  which is adapted for a removable sealed engagement with the frame  12  and to be held securely using a plurality of clips  16  which are slidably engaged to the frame  12  in ramps  13  to provide translation between an engaged position shown in  FIG. 6  to a disengaged position of  FIG. 8 . Each clip  16  has a first end  18  adapted for engagement with the exterior surface of the lens  14  once the clip  16  is translated to and engaged position with the frame  12  as shown in  FIGS. 5-6  from the disengaged position of  FIG. 8 . Currently the preferred mode of engagement of the first end  18  of the clip  18  to the lens  14  employs an engagement of a portion of the first end  18  through an aperture  20  communicating through the lens  14  which is located adjacent to the periphery edge of the lens  14 . 
         [0032]    The clips  16  have a second end  22  which is adapted for retained engagement with the frame  12 . The clip  12  employs a novel means to maintain engagement with the frame  12  while in the disengaged position and thereby maintains the clips  16  connected to the frame  12  while the lens  14  is disengaged or being replaced with another lens  14  and prevents the clip  16  from becoming lost. This is a most important feature as noted since the device  10  is employed for use in some very unfavorable conditions. In operation, when translated to the disengaged position of  FIG. 8 , the first end  18  of the clip  16  disengages from the aperture  20  in the lens  14  allowing its removal from the frame  12 . Sliding the clip  16  is accomplished by the user&#39;s finger imparting a lateral force on the top side of the clip  16  in a depression  17  to slide it in the ramp  13 . While a frictional engagement with the top of the clip may work, providing the depression  17  allows the sure to impart more lateral force in the direction of the slide of the clip  16  intended. 
         [0033]    Substitution of another lens  14  from a plurality of lenses available or replacement of the lens  14  with another lens  14  is in reverse of removal. The lens  14  is placed in a sealed engagement with the frame  12  which in the current preferred mode is engaging the edge  15  of the lens  14  into a recess  19  formed in the frame  12 . The recess  19  provides means for sealed engagement of the lens  14  with the frame  12  to form an interior chamber between the face of a user and the lens  14  and the frame  12  engaged on the face. 
         [0034]    As noted, the sealed engagement of the lens  14  is subject to unwanted disengagement from impact and deformation. When mounting the lens  14  with the frame  12 , a means for locked engagement of the lens  14  to the frame  12  is provided by translating the clip  16  to the engaged position of  FIG. 6  with the first end  18  communicating through the aperture  20  of the lens  14 . Means to maintain the clip  16  engaged to the frame  12  when disengaged is provided by a recess  30  formed in the ramp  13 . The recess  30  has flexible top covering sidewalls overhanging the recess  30  with a gap  21  therebetween and maintains the clip  16  engaged to the frame  12  using a member  26  projecting from the second end  22 . The member  26  has a distal end  28  which is preferably tapered toward a ridge  34  projecting from the exterior circumference  35  of the lower portion of the member  26 . The ridge  34  is slightly larger than the gap  21  between the flexible overhanging sidewalls at the top of the recess  30  such that once it stretches the sidewalls to project the distal end  28  into the recess  30  past the ridge  34 , subsequently the member  26  is not easily removed but will still slide in the recess  30  to allow translation between the engaged and disengaged positions. 
         [0035]    In operation as the clip  16  is slid toward the user forehead or second end  22  by the finger of the user, to translate the clip  16  to the engaged position, the second end  22  of the clip will flex slightly and allow the distal end  28  of the member  26  on the clip  16  to project through a locking aperture  36  depending into the bottom surface of the recess  30 . The diameter of the locking aperture  36  is elastic in nature such that it will stretch to allow the tapered end of the member  26  to stretch over it and allow the larger ridge  34  to engage through the locking aperture  36 . This engagement of the ridge  34  with the locking aperture  36  is maintained until sufficient lateral force is imparted on the clip  16  to slide it to the disengaged position and to concurrently pull on the member  26  to stretch the locking aperture  36  over the projecting ridge  34  to thereby release the distal end of the member  16  to allow it to translate toward the first end  18 . Absent sufficient lateral force to release the member  26  from the locking aperture  36 , the clip  16  will remain locked in the engaged position with the first end  18  engaged through the aperture  20  in the lens  14  locking it in place also. 
         [0036]    Thus engagement of the distal end of the member  26  with the locking aperture  36  provides means to lock the clip  16  in the engaged position to maintain the lens  14  locked in the frame  12 . Engagement of the distal end of the member  16  within the recess  30  provides means to maintain the clip  16  in engagement with the frame  12  when translated to the disengaged position to allow lens  14  removal and/or replacement. 
         [0037]    Thus, the locking clip  16  provides a manner to overcome the noted easy disengagement of the lens  14  from the frame  12  on impact or distortion of the flexible frame  12  suffered by conventional goggles. The engagement of the clip  12  in the recess  30  during translation back and forth, provides a manner to keep the clip  16  from becoming lost when the lens  14  is disengaged. Both functions as noted are extremely important in the hostile environment where goggles are employed and lost or accidentally disengaged parts can render the device useless. 
         [0038]    The low profile design of the clip  16  and translation within a ramp  13  in the surface of the frame  12 , is also especially preferred in the device  10 . In a military or motorcycle use, or other uses where a helmet is worn, the clip  16  and resulting locking system and the means to maintain engagement of the clip with the frame  12 , in a low-profile provided by the recessed ramp engagement. This recessed translational engagement maintains the exposed surface of the clip  16  from projecting too far above the upper exterior surface of the goggle frame  12  where it might impede the wearing of a helmet by interfering with the front edge of the helmet were it to project above the top surface. 
         [0039]    The device  10  herein can thus be practiced by forming or placing the lens locking and maintaining components on a conventional goggle frame already in existence or can be formed as a complete unit with the lens locking components formed into the goggle frame  12  as noted above. If employed as a lens locking system on a conventional goggle, the recess  30  with the overhanging top wall can be formed in the top surface of the goggle body  12  and sized to engage the ridge  34  at the distal end of a clip  16 . This engagement as with the combined device  10  above, provides means to maintain the clips  16  in contact with the frame  12  and not become lost. Provision of the locking aperture  36  at the rear of the recess  30  will likewise provide means to maintain the clips  16  locked in the engaged position allowing the first ends  18  of the clips  16  to hold the lens  14  in its sealed engagement with the frame  12 . 
         [0040]    Additionally, since the lenses  14  of the device  10  have the apertures  20  formed to align with the ramps  13  formed on the frame  12 , and have registration tabs  31  located on the periphery that line up with frontal portions of the ramps  13 , it is especially easy, even in a dark or otherwise vision-impaired environment, to change the lens  14 . The tabs  31  are positioned to extend from the edge of the lens  14  and engage respective ramps  13  and thereby align the lens  14  for clip engagement. Thus, any lens  14  from a supply or kit of kit of lenses  14  having the same tabs  31  and apertures  20  positioned for such alignment with the ramps  13  will easily drop into place even using the fingers in a no-light situation since the user can feel the tab and ramp engagement. 
         [0041]    Once so aligned, the user thus will impart lateral force on the clip  16  to engage them through the apertures  20  and subsequently lock the clips  16  and lens  14  in a registered sealed engagement with the frame  12 . 
         [0042]    Finally, to aid in maintaining a good seal with the face of the user and to adapt to the various facial structures of different people, and to allow storage of the device  10  by engaging it on a helmet, the device  10  is equipped with pair of strap mounts  40  that are rotatably engaged at a hinge point  42  on the frame  12 . This rotational or hinged engagement of the strap mounts  40  allows the elastic strap that engaged therebetween to angle outward from the frame or inward as required by the shape of the user&#39;s head or the helmet on which it is mounted. 
         [0043]    As noted previously, the disclosed goggle having a locking engagement for lenses shown in the drawings and described in detail herein, disclosed arrangements of elements of particular construction, and configuration for illustrating preferred embodiments of structure and method of operation of the present invention. It is to be understood, however, that elements of different construction and configuration and different steps and process procedures and other arrangements thereof, other than those illustrated and described, may be employed for providing the method herein within the spirit of this invention. 
         [0044]    As such, while the present invention has been described herein with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modifications, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure, and it will be appreciated that in some instance some features of the invention could be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims. All such changes, alternations and modifications as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered to be within the scope of this invention as broadly defined in the appended claims.