Abstract:
A portable field optics maintenance kit fit into the form of a cloth wallet. An easily portable compact wallet accessory to properly maintain and clean optics that are used in the field away from where most optics cleaning kits are stored.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority as a non-provisional perfection of prior filed U.S. provisional application No. 61/587,442, filed Jan. 17, 2012, and incorporates the same by reference in its entirety herein. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This disclosure relates to the maintenance of portable field optics. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Field optics may require thorough cleaning while in use in. When field optics become dirty they may become unusable until properly cleaned. In particular those field optics include eyeglasses, sunglasses, binoculars, scopes, cameras, computer screens, and rifle scopes. These devices need to maintain efficiency not only for everyday use but also during outdoor activities such as hunting, hiking, fishing, and snow mobiling. If improperly cleaned the quality of the field optics may become compromised. A field optics maintenance and cleaning device with the necessary equipment to achieve a thorough and proper cleaning and that is small enough and easily portable so as to be able to comfortably carry on your person for everyday use would be desirable. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The proposed invention is a complete field optics maintenance kit enclosed in a cloth wallet. Accordingly, the maintenance kit must be sufficiently portable for the user to easily carry for everyday use and provide the cleaning reliability for outdoor activities. In addition to portability the present invention provides a maintenance kit that is small and light and sufficiently compact so as to comfortably fit into a person&#39;s pocket. The cloth wallet generally includes a wallet with a foldable fabric insert. In one embodiment the exterior of the wallet may be connected to an elastic retainer to ensure the contents of the maintenance kit remain enclosed in the maintenance kit during the outdoor activities. In one aspect the wallet may also include pouches to dispose other maintenance equipment. The maintenance equipment can be easily removed for use from the exterior pouches of the maintenance kit. In one embodiment the maintenance equipment stored in the cavities comprises a cleaning brush, cotton swabs, and a cleansing solution dispenser. The proposed invention is a compact and light optics cleaning kit and may be referred to as a pocket optics cleaning kit. 
         [0005]    The wallet geometry is suitable for outdoor activities to easily fit into pockets of the user during the said activities. Securement of the wallet-shaped maintenance kit within the users pocket allows for easy access and will prevent accidental dislodgement or loss. In one embodiment, the kit may be secured to one or more keys or a key chain. 
         [0006]    In addition to the maintenance devices described herein, the proposed invention proposes a portable method for cleaning and properly maintaining field optics devices. This method includes the proper use of the cleaning brush, the cleaning solution, cotton swabs, and the cleaning fabric or cotton swabs. 
         [0007]    The more important features of the invention have thus been outlined in order that the more detailed description that follows may be better understood and in order that the present contribution to the art may better be appreciated. Additional features of the invention will be described hereinafter and will form the subject matter of the claims that follow. 
         [0008]    Many objects of this invention will appear from the following description and appended claims, reference being made to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views. 
         [0009]    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 the arrangements 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. 
         [0010]    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 the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0011]      FIG. 1  is a front elevation of a wallet accessory fully open and unfolded according to one embodiment of the field optic maintenance kit. 
           [0012]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation of the wallet accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevation of the wallet accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the wallet accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 5  is a rear perspective view of the wallet accessory of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 6  is a front elevation of one embodiment of a cleaning solution dispenser for use with the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 7  is an exploded side elevation of the dispenser of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0018]      FIG. 8  is an exploded rear view of the dispenser of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 9  is a top plan view of the dispenser of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of the dispenser of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0021]      FIG. 11  is a front elevation of one embodiment of a brush for use with the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 12  is a sectional view of the brush of  FIG. 11 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 13  is a front elevation of one embodiment of a brush case for use with the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 14  is a rear elevation of the brush case of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 15  is a sectional view of the brush case of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0026]      FIG. 16  is a perspective view of a brush assembly formed by the brush of  FIG. 11  nested within the brush case of  FIG. 13 . 
           [0027]      FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the brush assembly of  FIG. 16 . 
           [0028]      FIG. 18  is a front elevation of one embodiment of a field optic maintenance kit according to the teachings of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    A field optics maintenance kit herein presented offers features with the different illustrative embodiments. It should be noted that the articles “a”, “an”, and “the”, as used in this specification, include plural referents unless the content clearly dictates otherwise. 
         [0030]      FIGS. 1-5  show several views of the wallet accessory  100  of the optics field maintenance kit. The wallet accessory  100  may be a bi-fold wallet and may comprise materials such as fabrics. According to one embodiment the wallet accessory  100  may include an elastic retainer  113  to partially encase the wallet when the cleaning fabric  111  and wallet exterior  112  are in a folded disposition. In another embodiment the elastic retainer  113  may wrap around the wallet accessory  100  to fasten the wallet accessory  100  together. Additionally the pouches  114  may be connected to the cloth wallet accessory  100  for securement and storage of maintenance equipment. In one embodiment the pouches  114  are formed by an interior cloth member fastened to the wallet exterior  112  and may be disposed on the interior side of the cloth wallet accessory  100  while in another embodiment the pouches maybe disposed on the exterior of the cloth wallet accessory  100 . In one embodiment the cleaning fabric  111  is adhered to the wallet accessory  100  by stitching the cleaning fabric  111  to the wallet accessory  100 . Additionally the cleaning fabric  111  may be sewn to the interior hinge of the wallet accessory  100 , where the connection from the cleaning fabric  111  extends along the majority of the length of the wallet accessory  100 . 
         [0031]    Other embodiments of the wallet accessory  100  may include a tri-fold wallet, a rolled wallet, and such. In one embodiment the wallet accessory  100  may be retained in a folded position by an elastic retainer  113 . The elastic retainer  113  may be a sleeve, pocket, band, and the like to retain or fold the wallet. Additionally the elastic retainer  113  may be sewn to the wallet accessory  100 . In one embodiment the elastic retainer  113  may be sewn to the interior of the wallet accessory; in another embodiment (not shown) the elastic retainer  113  may be sewn to the exterior of the wallet accessory  100 . Depending upon the embodiment of the elastic retainer  113  to maintain a folded position of the wallet accessory the elastic retainer  113  may be pulled over the back of the wallet exterior  112  to engage the closed position of the wallet accessory  100 . 
         [0032]    Additionally the connections between the cleaning fabric  111  edges and the wallet exterior  112  are sewn together rather than using other means that may defect such as Velcro, buttons, ties, pull strings, and the such to limit the possibility of sudden loss of use of the optic field maintenance kit while performing the outdoor activity. The cleaning fabric  111  may be folded within the wallet accessory  100  and therefore fill less volume than being bunched into a ball. 
         [0033]    The wallet accessory  100  may have an attachment  115  secured to the edge; a loop, snap, clip, key chain, and such. The attachment shown in  FIG. 18  is a cord loop  115 . In one embodiment this attachment  115  may secure objects to the cloth accessory while in another embodiment the attachment  115  may attach the wallet accessory  100  to an object. In various embodiments the of wallet accessory  100  an object  116  may be joined to the attachment  115 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 18 , a snap clip is representative of the joining object  116 . In this embodiment the joining object  116  may be used to link the wallet accessory to a variety of places for the user to ensure securement while otherwise engaged. It is appreciated that the exemplary loop attachment  115  and joining clip  116  are one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0034]    The wallet exterior  112  may be made of any fabric material suitable to withstand temperature and humidity conditions. In another embodiment, the solution container  211  may dispense the solution by spraying or misting. While outdoors it is preferred to have a material that can repel excess water from saturating the cleaning fabric  111 . In one embodiment the cleaning fabric  111  may be made of any material suitable for cleaning optical lenses such as microfiber cloths. In one embodiment the wallet exterior  112  may be a neoprene fabric in another embodiment the wallet exterior  112  may be a microfiber cloth. 
         [0035]      FIGS. 6-10  illustrate several views of the cleaning solution dispenser according to one aspect of the field optic maintenance kit. According to one embodiment the cleaning solution dispenser  200 , is disposed within the exterior pouch  114 . In one embodiment the solution dispenser  200  comprises a solution container  211 , a nozzle tip  212 , and a nozzle cap  213 . Additionally the nozzle cap  213  may screw on the nozzle tip  212  actuating a closed orientation of the solution container  211  to prevent cleaning solution leakage. 
         [0036]    In one embodiment the solution container  211  may dispense a liquid while in another embodiment it may dispense a gel or a paste. In one embodiment the solution container  211  may dispense the solution in drops. In another embodiment the solution container  211  may dispense the solution in a stream. The solution container  211  may be made of suitable materials that are squeezable, able to hold liquid, and are light; such as plastics and metals. In one embodiment suitable materials for the nozzle tip  212  and the nozzle cap  213  are of similar materials to the solution container, in another embodiment the materials are altered for more preferable results. 
         [0037]      FIGS. 11-17  illustrate several views of the brush assembly according to one aspect of the field optic maintenance kit. The brush assembly  300  comprises of the brush  310  and the brush case  320 . Details of the brush  310  are more easily seen in the sectional view of the brush  FIG. 12 . The brush grip  312  is used to extend or retract the brush with in the brush case  320 . The brush body  313  is disposed within the brush case and is connected to the brush handle and the brush bristles  314 . The brush bristles  314  extend beyond the brush case  320  when in the fully extended position allowing for use of the brush bristles  314 . When contracted the brush bristles  314  are fully encased within the brush case  320 . The brush case  320  can be seen in the sectional view  FIG. 15  and the bottom view  FIG. 14 . Two views of the brush assembly  300  with the brush fully enclosed within the brush case are the angled view  FIG. 16  and the top view  FIG. 17 . In another embodiment (not shown) the brush  310  is not disposed within a brush case  320 . In yet another embodiment of the present invention the brush  310  is exposed from the brush case  320  by another mechanism other than sliding out; opening, twisting, clicking, and such. 
         [0038]    In one aspect the brush assembly  300  is to remove unwanted debris from the field optic lens being cleaned. In this aspect suitable materials for the brush bristles  314  are materials that are stiff enough to remove the debris, but are also not damaging to the optic lens being cleaned. Further suitable materials for the brush case  320 , brush grip  312 , and the brush body  313  are materials that are sturdy and light. 
         [0039]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, numerous modifications and variations can be made and still the result will come within the scope of the invention. No limitation with respect to the specific embodiments disclosed herein is intended or should be inferred.