Abstract:
Apparatus and method of using same for facilitating and improving vision, specifically reading or near vision. The apparatus is configured for facilitating vision from one eye of a user. The apparatus includes a lens having two side surfaces for enhancing vision when positioned close to an eye of a user, and a holding mechanism including a first portion at least partially framing the lens and a second portion extending from the first portion in the plane of the two side surfaces. The apparatus further includes a container, connected to the second portion via a connector, for containing the holding mechanism and lens.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/021,640 filed Dec. 12, 2001, entitled “VISION FACILITATION APPARATUS AND METHOD, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application Serial No. 60/255,695, filed Dec. 13, 2000, entitled “VISION FACILITATION APPARATUS AND METHOD.” 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    The present invention relates to vision facilitating devices. More specifically, the present invention provides for an apparatus for facilitating vision from one eye of a user, and method for making the same.  
           [0003]    A person&#39;s vision, or eyesight, can become impaired. Vision may degenerate over time or eyesight can become degraded due to illness, disease, accident or other ailment. Age-related vision degradation usually leads to a diminished near-vision, which renders text and close-up small items very difficult to see. To remedy this circumstance, a person can wear eyeglasses, which include reading glasses or traditional prescription eyeglasses. Eyeglasses are well known devices that are made with two lenses held by a frame, which must be arranged for being supported over the user&#39;s nose, and which further include a pair of arms that bridge over the user&#39;s ears to aid in holding the eyeglasses in place.  
           [0004]    An environment may also lead to permanently or temporarily impaired vision, such as a low light level, or a small object that must be viewed. Well known remedies for these situations include, as before, wearing eyeglasses or reading glasses, or using a magnifying glass. A magnifying glass usually has a single magnifying lens adapted for being positioned close to the thing being viewed, and coupled with a handle that is adapted for being held in the user&#39;s hand. A magnifying glass is held close to an object to magnify a view of that object. Accordingly, only a small area of sight is improved by using a magnifying glass. All other areas of sight will remain impaired.  
           [0005]    In either instance, a person cannot always carry with him or her a magnifying glass or eyeglasses. Such devices are easily forgotten or misplaced, or too inconvenient to carry. Further, the utility of a magnifying glass is limited to the small area directly beneath the magnifying lens and, therefore, is not usually considered a necessary accessory. Further still, fashion trends of modern society may sometimes dictate against the use of such devices in social situations. Lastly, most eyeglasses, and to some extent most magnifying glasses, are of a size which can be easily broken in, or unwieldy for, common or repetitive uses.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0006]    The invention relates to an apparatus for improving and facilitating a user&#39;s vision, particularly near vision and reading vision. In an embodiment, the apparatus is small, convenient to carry and use, and is of resilient manufacture. In accordance with a particular embodiment, an apparatus includes a lens having two side surfaces for enhancing vision when positioned close to an eye of a user, and a holding mechanism including a first portion at least partially framing the lens and a second portion extending from the first portion in the plane of the two side surfaces. The apparatus further includes a container, connected to the second portion via a connector, for containing the holding mechanism and lens.  
           [0007]    In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, a method of improving near or reading vision includes the steps of withdrawing a lens from a container, wherein the lens is at least partially framed by a holding mechanism coupled to the container. The method further includes the step of positioning the lens close to one eye, wherein the lens is fabricated of a size, shape and power such that it improves a substantially complete area of vision from the one eye when positioned close to the one eye.  
           [0008]    In accordance with another embodiment, the lens and holding mechanism are attached to the container via a connector. The connector can be a pin, and can be biased so that the lens and holding mechanism may be sprung from the container. The connector may also be any type of mechanism which allows withdrawal and reinsertion of the lens and holding mechanism from the container, while maintaining a coupling therebetween. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 is a front view of a vision facilitating apparatus, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0010]    [0010]FIGS. 2A and 2B show side views of alternative embodiments of a lens according to an embodiment.  
         [0011]    [0011]FIG. 3 is a front view of a vision facilitating apparatus according to an alternative embodiment of the invention.  
         [0012]    [0012]FIG. 4 illustrates a container for a vision facilitating system.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a vision facilitating apparatus. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0014]    The figures and the accompanying description below are examples of the preferred embodiment of the present invention and a few variations. A person of skill in the art will understand that many of the specific details of the embodiments shown here can be varied without departing from the novelty of the invention.  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 1 shows an apparatus  1  for facilitating vision, in accordance with the invention. Preferably, the apparatus  1  facilitates and improves near and reading vision, and as such is adapted for being positioned close to one eye of a user. The apparatus  1  includes a lens  2  and can include a holding mechanism  4 . The lens  2  is formed of a size and shape, and has a power to improve a substantially complete area of vision from the one eye of the user. Thus, when positioned close to the one eye, the lens  2  improves nearly the entire range of vision out from that eye, to clarify any object within that range of vision. A shape of the lens  2  includes, but is not limited to being, circular, or any other shape that includes at least a portion that facilitates a user&#39;s vision. Thus, the lens  2  can be formed in alternative shapes and configurations, consistent with the principles of the invention.  
         [0016]    The holding mechanism  4  includes a first portion  6  that is sized to accommodate the lens  2 , and hold the lens. The holding mechanism  4  further includes a second portion  8  coupled with the first portion  6 , and sized and configured for being held by a user. The second portion  8  is preferably sized for being grasped between two fingers of the user. However, when the holding mechanism  4  or apparatus  1  is coupled to another object, the apparatus  1  could be held by the user, via the second portion  8 , in accordance with other practices, such as the user grasping the other object, etc. The holding mechanism can be substantially flat and extended in the plane of the lens  2 .  
         [0017]    In one exemplary embodiment of the invention, the second portion  8  includes a subportion  9 . The subportion  9  forms a part of the second portion  8  for being held by the user. In a specific embodiment, the subportion  9  is trapezoidal, having a first parallel side  42  and a second parallel side  43  that is longer than the first parallel side  42 . The subportion  9  is further defined by a first end  44  coupled to the holding mechanism first portion  6 , and a second end  45  defining a space or boundary between the first and second parallel sides  42 ,  43 . In the specific embodiment, the holding mechanism is Q-shaped.  
         [0018]    The second portion  8  can also include an aperture  10 , formed in the surface of the second portion  8 . The aperture  10  can also be formed to have any shape. The aperture is adapted for being threaded by a ring, chain, or any other member which can attach to another object. In one embodiment of the invention, for example, the aperture is adapted to receive a pin, and the pin is also threaded through a container that is sized for holding the vision facilitating apparatus. The lens can be withdrawn from and reinserted into the container by rotating the apparatus about the axis of the pin.  
         [0019]    According to one embodiment, the lens  2  has a diameter of approximately 1 inch. The holding mechanism first portion  6 , when entirely circumscribing the lens, has an outer diameter of approximately 1.16 inches. The holding mechanism second portion  8  extends from the first portion  6  by approximately 0.3 inches. These measurements are merely exemplary. In an embodiment, the holding mechanism is formed into a unitary piece based on a single mold, so that the lens  2  may be simply snapped into place in the holding mechanism first portion.  
         [0020]    Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, there are shown several embodiments of a lens  2 . In FIG. 2A, the lens  2  is defined by a circumferential edge  13  bounded by a two side surfaces  12  and  14 . In one embodiment of the invention, a first side surface  12  and the second side surface  14  are planar. However, one of the side surfaces can have a curvature. The power or magnification of the lens  2  is such that, when positioned closer to one eye of a user than an object being viewed, vision within a substantially total range of sight from the one eye is improved.  
         [0021]    In a specific embodiment, the lens power is between 2.0 and 4.5 diopters. In a specific exemplary embodiment, the power is between 3.0 and 3.5 diopters, which is a level of magnification that is suitable for nearly all users. This diopter power range enables a user to position the lens to the eye and see an entire reading or viewing area, or in other words, facilitates and improves vision for the entire range of sight.  
         [0022]    [0022]FIG. 2B shows an alternative embodiment of the lens  2  in which both a first side surface  16  and a second side surface  18  have curvatures. In the embodiment, a combination of the curvatures is sufficient to produce a desired strength of optic magnification, or power, as described above. Further still, one side surface may be concave while the other side surface may be convex. Those skilled in the art would recognize that any combination of curvature or planarization which yields a desired optic strength is within the scope of the invention, so long as the lens  2  is formed of a relatively thin piece of material.  
         [0023]    The lens  2  may be formed of a material which includes glass, plastic, acrylic, or the like. Also, a coloring may included in the formation of the lens for filtering certain wavelengths of visible light. For instance, the lens could be yellow to aid vision in dark environments, brown to aid vision in bright environments, or another color for maximum eye comfort. Further, the lens may be inscribed with a colored pattern, icon or logo.  
         [0024]    [0024]FIG. 3 shows an alternative configuration of the vision facilitating apparatus, for illustrating that the apparatus according to the invention can have any form or shape. In the embodiment shown, the lens  2  is circular, but can be any shape or polygon. The holding mechanism  4  includes a narrow first portion  20  that completely circumscribes the lens, but in other embodiments such first portion  20  can partially circumscribe the lens, or the holding mechanism  4  could even not include a first portion  20 . A second portion  22  is coupled to the first portion  20  in one embodiment, but in other configurations could be attached directly to the lens  2 . The second portion  22  is shown as having an angular shape, in this case being a triangle. An aperture  24  is formed in the second portion  22 , and can take a similar or different general shape as the second portion  22 .  
         [0025]    [0025]FIG. 4 illustrates a container  30 , in which the vision facilitating apparatus  1  may be contained, and from which the apparatus  1  can be swiveled or sprung. As described above, the apparatus  1  is coupled to the container  30  via a pin  32 , which in one embodiment is coupled through both a corner of the container  30  and the apparatus  1 . In other embodiments, the mechanism by which the apparatus  1  is attached to the container could be a ring, a bar, a hook, or any other suitable member.  
         [0026]    [0026]FIG. 5 shows an alternative exemplary embodiment of the present invention, in which an apparatus  1  includes a lens  2  and a holding mechanism  4  for holding the lens  2 . In the embodiment shown, the holding mechanism  4  includes a first portion  6  that partially circumscribes the lens  2 . The holding mechanism  4  may thus be snapped or temporarily bent into place around the lens  2 . A second portion  8  extends from the first portion  6 , preferably in the same general plane as the lens  2  and/or the first portion  6 . A third portion  15  of the holding mechanism is preferably sized and adapted to be held between two fingers of a user, to provide an alternative mechanism by which the apparatus  1  may be positioned to a user&#39;s eye. A size of the third portion  15  may be complementary to a size of the second portion  8 .  
         [0027]    The second portion  8  includes an aperture  10 , which is sized and adapted for receiving a securing mechanism  11 . The securing mechanism  11  can be formed of any member which can be suitably attached to the aperture  10  of the apparatus  1 . Examples of the securing mechanism include a ring found with conventional key ring assemblies, a chain, or a pin.  
         [0028]    In summary, the preferred embodiments described above allow for an improved vision facilitating apparatus and method of its manufacture. The above description is illustrative and not restrictive. Many variations of the invention will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon review of this disclosure. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined not with reference to the above description, but instead should be determined with reference to the appended claims along with their full scope of equivalents.