Abstract:
A shield for removable attachment to an eyeglass frame front having a pair of eyeglass lens holding frames and a pair of pivotal temples for holding said eyeglass lens frames on the head of a user to provide protection on the top, the bottom and the side of the eye. The sideshields are attached to the eyeglass lens holding frames in a detachable manner and are mounted such that they do not interfere with movement of the eyeglass temples so that the temples can be folded or, if they are spring-pivoted temples, can move outwardly a predetermined distance without substantial interference by the sideshields.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates in general to safety glasses which provide protection to the eyes and, in particular, to a full sideshield for a removable attachment to an eyeglass frame without interfering with movement of the eyeglass temples. 
     2. Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 C.R.F. §§1.97 and 198 
     Safety glasses are well known in the prior art and are used to protect the eyes of an individual from airborne particles, high-velocity projectiles, wind, and the like. As used herein, and by those skilled in the art, the terms “safety glasses” or “eyeshields” typically mean a protective barrier in front of the eye. A “sideshield,” on the other hand, typically means a protective barrier to the side, above or below the eye and normally supplements safety glasses. 
     There are many different types of sideshields that are used with eyeglass frames. For example, some are permanently attached to the eyeglass frames and provide reasonable protection for the top, side, and bottom of the eye. Sideshields providing such protection and which also fit a broad range of eyeglass frame shapes and sizes are known as universal sideshields. Further, an eyeglass frame, as used herein, is intended to include the front portion and temples or bows. 
     One such type of universal sideshield is of plastic construction having a side flap, partial top and bottom flaps, front flaps extending from each of the side and top portions, and bottom flaps extending from each of the side and top portions that fold around the front edge of the eyeglass frame. The temple of the eyeglass frame on each side is inserted through appropriate slots formed in the side portion of the sideshield so that the sideshield can slide on the temple toward the eyeglass front and be held in place by the temple. In such case, when the temples are folded, the sideshields move with the temples and thus are subject to repositioning themselves on the temples and requiring a readjustment each time the temples are folded and then unfolded. 
     Another type of sideshield includes substantially a clear side portion with a perpendicularly-extending top portion and a small perpendicularly-extending front portion that engages the front portion of the eyeglass frame. There is a resilient continuous elastic band that passes through four orifices in the side to enable the temples to slide under two spaced portions of the continuous elastic band to hold the sideshield to the temple of the glasses. Again, each time the temples are folded, the sideshield moves with the temples thus causing readjustment to be necessary each time the temples are folded and unfolded. Also, this sideshield provides very little protection for the top of the eye and none from the bottom. 
     A third type of universal sideshield is attached to the temple portion of the frame using a screw and nut that clamps the sideshield to the temple when tightened. 
     Another type of universal sideshield is formed of an injection molded flat part having four slots at different points through which the temple of the eyeglass frame can be threaded and attempt to adjust for pantoscopic angle variations. 
     Thus, these examples of prior art sideshields are attached to the temples and move with the temples except those which are permanently attached to the eyeglass front. 
     Further, each of the prior art detachable sideshields has a fixed pantoscopic angle (the angle the temple makes with the eyeglass front to which it is attached) molded into them that cannot be easily varied for eyeglasses with a different pantoscopic angle. 
     It would be desirable to have a full sideshield to provide substantial protection for the eye from the top, side, and bottom and which would fit a broader range of eyeglass frames than most sideshields, and which is not affected by the pantoscopic angle of the eyeglass frame. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides full sideshields for removable attachment to an eyeglass frame without interfering with movement of the temples attached by hinges to the eyeglass frame. The sideshield is typically formed from a polycarbonate which may be transparent, absorptive or opaque and is generally arcuate-shaped having a periphery for generally conforming to the shape of the eyeglass frame and has a top portion, a bottom portion, and a side portion integrally formed as a single unit. A flange portion extends inwardly from at least one of the top, bottom or side portions of the sideshield in front of and substantially parallel to the eyeglass frame. An elastomeric member attaches the sideshield to the eyeglass frame without interfering with movement of the temples. 
     Thus, the present invention relates to a full sideshield to provide protection to the eye and which is removable attached to each side of an eyeglass frame having a pair of lens and a pair of pivotable temples attached to the eyeglass frame by hinges for holding the eyeglass frames on the head of the user. 
     As will be understood by those skilled in the art, eyeglass hinges include a portion mounted to the front frame of the eyeglasses referred to as the “frame front hinge” and a portion mounted to a temple referred to as the “temple hinge.” The sideshield comprises a generally arcuate-shaped shield removably attached to each frame front in a fixed relationship and having a periphery generally conforming to the frame front. Each sideshield has a side portion integrally formed at a first edge to a top portion, and integrally formed at a second edge to a bottom portion for protecting the eyes of the user. A detachable elastomeric member releasably engages both the sideshield and a portion of the eyeglass frame between the lens holder and the hinge commonly referred to as the “end piece” or at the “frame front itself to removably attach the sideshield to the lens frame in a fixed relationship without interfering with pivotal movement of the temples. 
     First and second spaced slots having a selected width are formed in the side portion, each extending from first and second enlarged slots in front of the sideshield along the first and second edges to enlarged areas which are also located toward the front of the sideshield. Third and fourth slots are formed in the rear portion of the sideshield and define a tab member. 
     An elastomeric member having a relaxed diameter greater than the width of the spaced slots is deformed to pass through the slots into the enlarged areas. The elastomeric member engages the end piece of the frame of the eyeglasses between the lens holder and the hinge or the frame front hinge itself and extends into the enlarged areas of the first and second spaced slots and along the first and second edges of the side portion into third and fourth spaced slots and then passes under the tab member. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features of the present invention will be more fully disclosed when taken in conjunction with the following DESCRIPTION OF SELECTIVE EMBODIMENTS in which like numerals represent like elements and in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a partial isometric view of a pair of eyeglass frames and temples having the novel sideshields of the present invention attached thereto; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional inside view of sideshield attached to the rearwardly extending end piece of the eyeglass frame forward of the hinge, and with one of the temples extending outwardly from the end piece; 
     FIGS. 3A,  3 B and  3 C are top views of two types of typical eyeglass frames showing two types of end pieces and a hinge. 
     FIG. 4 is a side view facing the inside of the novel eyeglass sideshield of the present invention illustrating points along which cross-sectional views are shown; 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B are enlarged perspective views of the front portion of the sideshield and one of the spaced slots illustrating the function of the enlarged slots; 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the cross-sectional views taken along the section lines shown in FIG. 4; 
     FIGS. 7A,  7 B and  7 C illustrate the use of living hinges to adjust the size of the sideshield to fit small, intermediate and large size eyeglass frames; 
     FIG. 8 is a side view of the sideshield similar to FIG.  4  and including a continuous elastic band to attach the sideshield to the eyeglass frame; 
     FIG. 9 is an outside side view of the sideshield showing a continuous elastic band in place to attach the sideshield to a portion or end piece of the eyeglass frame between the lens holder and the hinge; 
     FIG. 10 is a top view of one of the novel sideshields of the present invention shown using a continuous elastic band to attach the sideshield to the eyeglass frame front; 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the novel sideshield of the present invention illustrating the eye protection received from the bottom of the eye and an end piece of the eyeglass frame with a rearwardly extending portion for attaching the temple; 
     FIG. 12 is a side view of the sideshield prior to being attached to the eyeglass temple frames according to a second embodiment utilizing an elongated elastic member with bosses at each end; 
     FIG. 13 illustrates the elongated elastic member having bosses at each end of FIG. 12; 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of an outline of a human head illustrating in phantom lines the area to be protected by the full sideshield and also illustrating the different pantoscopic angles for various glasses; and 
     FIG. 15 is a front view of an illustration of a human head showing in phantom lines the area about the eyes protected by the sideshield of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
     FIG. 1 is a partial isometric view of a pair of eyeglasses having the novel full sideshields removably attached to each side thereof. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the eyeglass frame front portion  10  has temples  12  and  14  pivotally attached to each side thereof for holding the eyeglass frame front  10  on the face of a user. The novel full sideshields  16  and  18  are removably attached on each side of the frame front  10  and form a semicircle around the eyeglass lens  20  and  22  in front of the eye cavity of the user to provide eye protection on the top, bottom and side of the eye. Each sideshield  16  and  18  is a generally arcuate-shaped sideshield having a periphery for generally conforming to the shape of the individual eyeglass lens holders  24  and  26 . Each of the novel sideshields  16  and  18  has a top portion  28  integrally formed to a side portion  30 , along a first edge  32 , and a bottom portion  34  integrally formed with side portion  30  at a second edge  36 . It can be further seen from FIG. 1 that the sideshields fitting each side of the eyeglass frame are mirror images of each other. 
     As shown, a first flange portion  38  extends from at least one of the top portion  28 , side portion  30 , and bottom portion  34  at least partially in front of and substantially parallel to the eyeglass lens holder  26 . Also, according to one embodiment, a second flange portion  40  also extends inwardly from at least one of the top and bottom portions behind and substantially parallel to the eyeglass lens holder  26  to secure the eyeglass lens holder  26  between the first and second flange portions  38  and  40 . It will be noted that in the illustrative embodiment, the first flange portion  38  extends inwardly along the front portion  42  of the lens holder  26  while the second flange portion  40  extends behind and substantially parallel to the rear portion  44  of the individual eyeglass lens holder  26 , thus retaining the eyeglass lens holder  26  between the first and second flange portions  38  and  40 . This is shown clearly in FIGS. 2 and 3. 
     Continuing with FIG. 2, it can be seen that with most eyeglass frames  10 , temple  14  is attached by a hinge  46  to a portion  47  of each side of the individual eyeglass lens holders  24  and  26  for holding the eyeglass frame  10  on the head of the user. The portion  47  of the eyeglass frame to which the hinge is attached is typically referred to by those skilled in the art as the “end piece.” The temple  14  is pivotally attached to the frame  10  by hinge  46  at pivot point  48 , as is well known in the art. 
     Further, as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, each hinge  46  will include a first portion secured or mounted to the end piece  47  of the eyeglass frame  10  located between the side of the lens holder and the hinge  46 . This first portion of the hinge is referred to herein as the frame front hinge portion  51  or simply the “frame front hinge.” Hinge  46  will also include a second portion  53  secured or mounted to the temple  14  and is hereinafter referred to as the temple hinge portion or simply “temple hinge.” 
     Note also in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 4 that the first flange portion  38  of the shield  10 , according to the embodiment of FIG. 2, extends partially in front of the eyeglass lens holder  26  at  42  along substantially the entire periphery of the sideshield except for the enlarged slots  58 A and  58 B of slots  52  and  54 . Also note in FIG. 4 that the second flange portion  40  extends only from the top and bottom portions of the sideshield  18  behind the eyeglass lens holder at  44  to secure the eyeglass frame between the first and second flange portions  38  and  40 . 
     Referring now to FIG. 3A, there is shown a typical plastic frame having an end piece  47  with a very short or no rearward projection  49 . FIG. 3B shows a typical metal frame (also some plastic frames) having an extending rearward projection  49 . This type frame often uses a three-leaf hinge with two leaves attached to the frame  26  and a single leaf attached to the temple  14 . FIG. 3C shows a rugged seven-leaf hinge (four leaves attached, for example, to the end piece  47  of the frame and three leaves attached to the temple  14 ). 
     The side view of FIG. 4 facing the inside of the sideshield shows the sideshield before being installed on a pair of eyeglasses and without the elastomeric member  50  being installed. As shown, the first and second slots  52  and  54  extend from first enlarged slots  58 A and  58 B in the front of the sideshield to enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B, respectively. 
     FIGS. 5A and 5B illustrate how the use of the enlarged slots  58 A and  58 B (shown in FIG. 5A) facilitate passing the elastomeric member  50  through the spaced slot  52  to the enlarged area  60 A. In FIG. 5A, the diameter  63  of the elastomeric member  50  is seen to be approximately the same or slightly smaller than the width  65  of enlarged slot  58 A. However, as shown in FIG. 5B, the diameter  63  of elastomeric member  50  is substantially greater than the width of slot  52  as shown at  67 . Enlarged slot or area  58 A provides an effective way for easily passing the elastomeric member  50  into enlarged area  60 A while allowing the use of simple and inexpensive injection molding dies. 
     It should also be noted that, according to one embodiment, there is a sloping or tapered area  62 A and  62 B from the first enlarged areas  58 A and  58 B to their respective slots  52  and  54 . However, the transition from the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B to the respective slots  52  and  54  is abrupt. Although the actual dimension of the slots  52  and  54  and the enlarged areas  58 A and  58 B and  60 A and  60 B are not critical, the width of the slots  52  and  54  are selected to be somewhat less than the relaxed diameter of the elastomeric member  50 . On the other hand, according to one embodiment, the dimension of the enlarged slots  58 A and  58 B and the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B are selected to be approximately the same size as the elastomeric member  50 . These enlarged openings may be slightly smaller than the relaxed diameter of the elastomeric member  50 , but are preferably slightly larger. The arrangement of the enlarged slots  58 A and  58 B sloping to the spaced slots  52  and  54 , as discussed above, allows for easily attaching the elastic or elastomeric member  50  to the sideshield thereby protecting it from being broken or abraded during the assembly process. This helps to prevent premature failures. However, the abrupt transition from enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B to narrow slots  52  and  54  provides a barrier against accidental removal of the elastomeric member  50 . Again, it should be understood that the dimensions of the enlarged areas, the slots and the elastomeric member may vary for different applications or uses. However, if the elastomeric member  50  is selected to have a relaxed diameter of about 0.070 inches, it has been determined that selecting the enlarged slots  58 A and  58 B to be about 0.080 inches, the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B to be 0.10 inches, and the spaced slots  52  and  54  to have a width of about 0.030 inches results in an exemplary sideshield. 
     FIGS. 6A and 6B illustrate the cross-sectional views taken along the lines indicated in FIG.  3  and show the top portion  28 , the side portion  30 , the bottom portion  34 , the slots  52  and  54 , and the grooves  64  and  66 . 
     As can also be seen in FIG.  4  and the cross-sectional view of FIG. 6B, the present invention can further incorporate “living hinges” to permit the sideshield to be easily adjusted to accommodate eyeglass frames of various sizes. The perspective view of FIGS. 7A,  7 B and  7 C illustrate the sideshield of the present invention being adjusted for a normal eyeglass frame, a larger eyeglass frame and a smaller eyeglass frame, respectively. 
     The living hinge maintains its shape or position until intentionally readjusted, such as for example, to fit another eyeglass frame of a different size, and is formed by defining a pair of grooves  64  and  66  along or proximate the edges  36  and  34  which join the side portion  30  of the sideshield to the top portion  28  and the bottom portion  34 , respectively. The exact dimension of the grooves  64  and  66  defined in the sideshield may vary depending upon the composition of the sideshield material and the nominal thickness of the sideshield. 
     According to one embodiment using a plastic material such as polycarbonate having a nominal thickness of about 0.050 inches, groove  64  was selected to be about 0.70 inches long. The thickness of the sideshield material at groove  64  was about 0.03+0.005−0.002 inches, and the thickness of the material for groove  66  was about 0.020+0.005−0.002 inches. 
     FIGS. 2,  8 ,  9 ,  10  and  11  show embodiments of the present invention to hold the sideshield to the front portion of the eyeglass frame  10 . According to this embodiment, the elastomeric member  50  is a continuous elastic band  56 , such as, for example only, a rubber O-ring. The O-ring or continuous elastic band  56  engages end piece or portion  47  of the eyeglass frame  10  as shown in FIGS. 2 and 10, or at the frame front hinge portion  51  itself of hinge  46  as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9 and extends into the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B of first and second spaced slots  52  and  54 . The O-ring is stretched along corresponding ones of the first and second edges  32  and  36  into the third and fourth slots  70  and  72  and under the tab or flange  68 . Thus, by stretching the continuous elastic band  56  to engage the third and fourth slots  70  and  72  under the sideshield tab  68 , tension is applied to the eyeglass lens holder  26  and the sideshield  18  to fixedly hold the sideshield  18  to the eyeglass lens holder  26 . 
     As was discussed, FIG. 4 is a side view of one of the sideshields  16  or  18  illustrating cross-sectional lines A—A and B—B associated with the shield. The cross sections are shown in FIGS. 6A and 6B. Note also that the sideshields  16  and  18  include a top portion  28 , a side portion  30 , and a bottom portion  34 . As discussed above, slots  70  and  72  are formed at the rear of the sideshields  16  and  18  and define the tab or flange  68 . The first groove  64  extends at least part way between enlarged area  60 A and slot  72 , and the second grove  66  extends at least part way between enlarged area  60 B and  70 . 
     FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the sideshield  18  attached to an eyeglass frame having an extended portion  49  of end piece  47  located between the lens holder and the hinge  46 . Because of the flexibility of the sideshield  18 , the temple  14  as illustrated in FIG. 8 can be a spring-loaded temple at hinge  46 , as is well known in the art. Thus, according to one embodiment, the temples can move outwardly in a direction away from each other as shown by arrow  74  a predetermined distance such as, for example only, approximately five degrees. Thus, eyeglasses with spring-loaded temples can be accommodated with the present device. 
     As discussed above, it can be seen in FIG. 1 that sideshields  16  and  18  are mirror images of each other, and thus only one sideshield has been disclosed and discussed in detail in the FIGS. 
     FIG. 12 shows an embodiment similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 8, but instead of using an elastic band or “O”-ring, the elastomeric member  50  is an elongated elastic member  76  having first and second ends  78  and  80  such as shown in FIG.  13 . Each of the first and second ends  78  and  80  include an enlarged portion or bosses  82  and  84 . Bosses  82  and  84  maintain or hold the ends of the elastic member in the second enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B of slots  52  and  54 , respectively. The enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B may preferably be elongated as shown in FIG. 12 for this embodiment since both ends of the elongated elastic member  76  are received by each of the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B. 
     FIG. 14 illustrates the different pantoscopic angles that can be found for various eyeglasses. Assuming that the eyeglass front portion  10  is vertically positioned in front of the eye, the temple could extend through either of the points  86 ,  88  or  90 , thus varying the angle between the temple and the eyeglass lens in front of the eye. With the present invention, the pantoscopic angle can change as needed and the temple can extend through any of the points  86 ,  88  or  90  without affecting the attachment of the sideshield to the eyeglass front portion  10 . FIG. 14 also illustrates in phantom lines the area  92  which is desired to be protected by the sideshields. 
     FIG. 15 is a front view of the representation of a face illustrating in phantom lines the area  74  about the eye that is protected by the novel sideshields of the present invention. 
     Thus, there has been disclosed a full sideshield for removable attachment to an eyeglass frame having a front and a rear and a pair of pivotally-mounted temples attached to corresponding mounting bracket projections or hinges extending from each side of the eyeglass frame for holding the eyeglass frame on the head of a user. The sideshield forms a semicircle around the eyeglass in front of the eye cavity of the user to provide at least partial protection on the top, bottom and side of the eye. The sideshield is generally arcuate-shaped and has a periphery for generally conforming to the shape of the eyeglass frame. The sideshield has a side portion  30  integrally framed along a first edge  32  with a top portion  28 , and also integrally framed along a second edge  36  to a bottom portion  34 . First and second flange portions  38  and  40  extend at least partially in front of and behind the eyeglass frame front portion to hold the eyeglass frame lens holder portions between the first and second flange portions  38  and  40 . An elastomeric member  50  attaches the sideshield to the end piece or portion  47  of the eyeglass frame  10  between the side of lens holder and the hinge without interfering with movement of the temple. 
     The elastomeric member  50  may be a continuous elastic band  56  engaging the mounting bracket projection hinge or frame front  46  on the eyeglass frame front portion and extending into the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B of first and second spaced slots  52  and  54  in the forward end of the sideshield and extending along the edges  32  and  36  joining the top portion  28  and bottom portion  34  to the side portion  30  into third and fourth spaced slots  72  and  74  at the opposite end or rear of the sideshield, and then under a substantially U-shaped tab or flange  68  such that, by stretching the continuous elastic band to engage the third and fourth slots and pass under the sideshield tab or flange  68 , a tension is applied to the eyeglass frame and the sideshield to fixedly hold the sideshield to the eyeglass frame. Alternately, the elastomeric member  50  may be an elongated elastic member  76  with bosses  82  and  84  on each end to retain the member in the enlarged areas  60 A and  60 B of front slots  52  and  54 . 
     Clearly, either the elongated elastic member  76  or the continuous elastic band  56  could be used to hold the sideshield to the eyeglass frame front portion. 
     The corresponding structures, materials, acts and equivalents of all means plus function elements in the claims below are intended to include any structure, material or act for performing the function in combination with other claimed elements as specifically claimed.