Patent Publication Number: US-2012036816-A1

Title: Horse Eye Protection Device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not Applicable 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not Applicable 
     REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISC APPENDIX 
     Not Applicable 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a protective mask for assisting the eyes of an animal heal from injury or infection, as well as protecting the eyes from wind, insects, debris and the sun. More particularly, the present invention relates to a device designed to protect the eyes of a horse with protective lenses which may be adapted to be used as black-out lenses, transparent protective lenses or UV-protective lenses. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Several hazards pose threats to a horse&#39;s eye. Insects, sticks, hay and airborne debris can injure the eye of a horse if the cornea becomes scratched or otherwise damaged. Injured eyes can become infected and require further treatment. During treatment, which often requires the eye to be dilated, the eye must be completely shielded from light and protected to prevent further damage and to allow the eye an opportunity to heal properly. 
     Another hazard exists in exposure to ultraviolet light. Exposure to ultraviolet may result from extended or frequent sun exposure, or high altitude conditions. This exposure has been known to cause sunburn, cataracts and even cancer within a horse&#39;s eye. 
     Attempts to address some of these hazards exist. A traditional fly mask provides protection from insects and minimal protection from ultraviolet light. These masks provide their protection at the expense of clear vision for the horse. 
     Alternatively, masks are made with a hard plastic piece in place which may act as a blackout lens during the healing period after an injury to the eye. 
     Blinders, or blinkers, are also made to obstruct part of the horse&#39;s field of vision. By obstructing part of the field of vision, the horse is not distracted by movement within the obstructed portion of the field of vision. 
     Each of these masks are made to be single-purposed. If environmental conditions such as lighting or the work performed by the horse requires a change from one mask to another, a person must first remove the mask the horse is wearing, select a stowed mask appropriate for the conditions, then place the selected mask on the horse. Prior solutions do not allow a person to quickly change which mask a horse is wearing, and the individual masks do not provide complete protection for multiple types of hazards. 
     A solution is needed to address one or more of these shortcomings in the prior art. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The horse eye protection device utilizes a mask which wraps around the horse&#39;s head. The mask is made from a breathable and stretchable fabric, such as a cotton/polyester/spandex knit. The mask is stretchable, so that it may stretch around the horse&#39;s head, yet durable enough to maintain its general form. The mask is placed over the horse&#39;s head and is closed by means of a zipper placed from the horse&#39;s throat to the jaw. 
     Holes are placed in the mask around the horse&#39;s eyes and ears. In the interior of the mask, around the eye holes, are foam or cotton cushions which rest upon the face of the horse, and are attached to the mask. Above the cushion, on the exterior of the mask, are several snaps which may be used to connect the various lenses to the mask. 
     Various pairs of lenses are provided for the mask. These lenses are constructed from a durable, shatterproof plastic. Lenses are domed with an attached flange. The flanges have snaps paired with the snaps on the mask. Lens pairs may be completely transparent for protection against wind and debris, tinted for protection against ultraviolet light, a blackout lens to completely shield the eye, or partially transparent and partially opaque for use as a blinder. 
     Use of the eye protection device allows a horse handler to quickly and easily change which lenses are applied to the horse&#39;s mask, without need of removing the mask or carrying multiple masks. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
         FIG. 1  depicts a lateral view of a horse wearing a horse eye protection device. 
         FIG. 2  depicts a detail view of a lens  16  of a horse eye protection device. 
         FIG. 3  depicts a cross-sectional view of a lens  16  of a horse eye protection device. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the horse eye protection device utilizes a protective mask  10  which may be placed over the head of a horse. The mask extends from the top of the head to the top of the jaw, with ear holes  12  allowing the ears of the horse to pass through the protective mask  10 . The protective mask  10  is secured on the head of the horse by means of a zipper  14 , which extends along the bottom of the mask from the throat of the horse to the jaw of the horse. The zipper may be fixed by a safety clasp. 
     The protective mask  10  should be constructed from a breathable and stretchable material. While other materials may be used, a cotton/polyester/spandex blend may be used to provide a material that is both breathable and stretchable. The material should have enough elasticity to allow the protective mask  10  to accommodate the shape of the head, yet be sturdy enough to maintain its general form. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the protective mask  10  has eye holes fitted with interchangeable lenses  16 . Each lens  16  is constructed from a durable, shatterproof plastic. Each lens  16  has a curved dome  18 . The dome  18  is made as a 3.5 inch (8.9 cm) diameter hemisphere, approximately 0.125 inch (3.2 mm) thick. Extending outward from the dome  18  is a flange  20 . The flange  20  is integrally formed with the dome  18 . The flange  20  is approximately 0.75 inch (1.9 cm) to 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide. The flange  20  should be somewhat flexible to allow it to conform to the shape of the protective mask  10  as it rests on the head of the horse. The flange  20  holds a multiplicity of snaps  22 , typically six to eight spaced around the flange  20 . One portion of the snaps  22  may be embedded in the flange  20  or adhered to the bottom of the flange  20 . The other portion of the snaps  22  is attached to the protective mask  10 . The snaps  22  allow a handler to attach a lens  16  to the protective mask  10 . 
     On the interior of the protective mask  10  is a cushion  24 . The cushion  24  is attached to the interior of the protective mask  10  under the flange  20 . The cushion  24  rests around the eye of the horse, providing padding between the protective mask  10  and the face of the horse. The cushion  24  is substantially conical in shape, the cushion  24  being thinner toward the brow of the horse, and thicker toward the bottom of the mask. 
     A horse eye protection device has multiple pairs of interchangeable lenses  16 . A clear transparent lens  16  may be provided for protection against wind and debris. A tinted transparent lens  16  may be provided for protection against ultraviolet light, as well as wind and debris. The tinted transparent lens  16  may reduce the amount of harm due to ultraviolet exposure, and thus help prevent cancer in the eye of the horse. A blackout lens  16  may be provided for use during healing of an eye injury. A blinder lens  16  may be provided, wherein a portion of the lens  16  is opaque and another portion of the lens  16  is transparent, either clear or tinted. 
     Having a multiplicity of lenses  16  allows a horse handler to quickly and easily change which lens  16  placed on the protective mask  10 . For example, changes in environmental conditions, such as changes in lighting, may require a handler to change from a tinted transparent lens  16  to a clear transparent lens  16 , or vice versa. Likewise, changes in the work a horse is performing may require a change from a transparent lens  16  to a blinder lens  16 , or vice versa. Changing from one lens  16  to another may be done by unsnapping the snaps  22  one one lens and attaching another lens  16  by the snaps  22 .