Contact Lens Travel Kit

Abstract

A contact lens travel device is provide having a flexible body. The body of the device is configurable to a circular configuration wherein it is adapted to engage an eyeglass case or for a positioning as support for a mirror at multiple angles above a support surface for a user to employ for contact lens insertion or removal from their eyes. A fluid container is engageable within a pocket of the body with a cap end of the container extending from the perimeter to allow for dispensing of eye drops therefrom without removal of the container from the pocket.

Claims

1. A contact lens travel apparatus comprising: a flexible body having a perimeter edge surrounding a first side which is opposite a second side, said body extending between a first end and a second end; cooperative fasteners positioned at or adjacent each of said first end and said second end of said body, said cooperative fasteners removably engageable to each other to hold said body in a circular configuration; said body in said circular configuration adapted for an engagement of said body around an eyeglass case with said first side of said body in contact therewith; a first pocket positioned within said body, said first pocket adapted to hold a contact lens case therein and having an opening on said first side of said body; a second pocket positioned within said body, said second pocket having two side surfaces extending to a second pocket opening positioned along said perimeter edge of said body; said second pocket adapted for holding a fluid container having a cap removably engaged thereon, with said cap projecting from said second pocket opening; and whereby said body can be engaged around said eyeglass case and fluid is dispensable from said fluid container with said fluid container concurrently held within said second pocket.

2. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: said body having an elastic portion; and said engagement of said body around an eyeglass case being a biased compressive engagement of said first side of said body against said eyeglass case.

3. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: a mirror positioned upon said second surface of said body; said body in said circular configuration forming a mount for said mirror in a position elevated above a support surface; and an angle of said mirror relative to a user adjustable by a repositioning of said second surface of said body upon said support surface.

4. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: a mirror positioned upon said second surface of said body; said body in said circular configuration forming a mount for said mirror in a position elevated above a support surface; and an angle of said mirror relative to a user positioned there above being adjustable by a repositioning of said second surface of said body upon said support surface.

5. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 1 additionally comprising: at least one of said two side surfaces of said second pocket formed of elastic material; and said second pocket opening being stretchable to allow insertion and removal of said fluid container from said second pocket with said body in said circular configuration.

6. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 2 additionally comprising: at least one of said two side surfaces of said second pocket formed of elastic material; and said second pocket opening being stretchable to allow insertion and removal of said fluid container from said second pocket with said body in said circular configuration.

7. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 3 additionally comprising: at least one of said two side surfaces of said second pocket formed of elastic material; and said second pocket opening being stretchable to allow insertion and removal of said fluid container from said second pocket with said body in said circular configuration.

8. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 4 additionally comprising: at least one of said two side surfaces of said second pocket formed of elastic material; and said second pocket opening being stretchable to allow insertion and removal of said fluid container from said second pocket with said body in said circular configuration.

9. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 1 wherein said cooperative fasteners are one or a combination of cooperative fasteners from a group of cooperative fasteners including hook and loop fabric, clips, buttons, snaps, and hooks.

10. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cooperative fasteners are one or a combination of cooperative fasteners from a group of cooperative fasteners including hook and loop fabric, clips, buttons, snaps, and hooks.

11. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 5 wherein said cooperative fasteners are one or a combination of cooperative fasteners from a group of cooperative fasteners including hook and loop fabric, clips, buttons, snaps, and hooks.

12. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 6 wherein said cooperative fasteners are one or a combination of cooperative fasteners from a group of cooperative fasteners including hook and loop fabric, clips, buttons, snaps, and hooks.

13. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 7 wherein said cooperative fasteners are one or a combination of cooperative fasteners from a group of cooperative fasteners including hook and loop fabric, clips, buttons, snaps, and hooks.

14. The contact lens travel apparatus of claim 8 wherein said cooperative fasteners are one or a combination of cooperative fasteners from a group of cooperative fasteners including hook and loop fabric, clips, buttons, snaps, and hooks.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIGURES

[0035] FIG. 1 depicts the device with the body of the contact lens carrying device herein having an elastic portion, in an engaged position with an eyeglass carrying case.

[0036] FIG. 1a shows the device with the body of the contact lens carrying device formed of non elastic material and in an engaged position with an eyeglass carrying case.

[0037] FIG. 2 depicts the device of FIG. 1, from an opposite end and showing the cooperative removable engagement to the two ends of the body of the device to achieve the compressibly biased circumferential engagement around the eyeglass case or other object.

[0038] FIG. 3. shows the flexible body of the device disengaged from the circumferential engagement with the eyeglass case.

[0039] FIG. 4 shows the flexible body of the device, with ends engaged and functioning as a mirror stand by holding the engaged mirror in position for use by the wearer and showing the contact lens case engageable with the first pocket.

[0040] FIG. 5 depicts an overhead view of the first side surface of the body of the device, showing the first pocket adapted to hold a contact lens case and showing the side edge positioned opening for the second pocket adapted to hold the fluid container.

[0041] FIG. 6 shows an overhead view of a second side surface of the body of the device, showing the mirror which may be removably engaged using a circumferential elastic lip and showing the elastic band for holding one or a plurality of cloths.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

[0042] In this description, any directional prepositions if employed, such as up, upwardly, down, downwardly, front, back, first, second, top, upper, bottom, lower, left, right and other such terms refer to the device or depictions as such may be oriented are describing such as it appears in the drawings and are used for convenience only. Such terms of direction and location are not intended to be limiting or to imply that the device herein has to be used or positioned in any particular orientation.

[0043] Now referring to drawings in FIGS. 1-6 there is seen in FIG. 1, the flexible body 12 of the contact lens carrying device 10 herein. As shown in a preferred mode of FIG. 1, the body 12 may have at least one elastic portion 11 which stretches during engagement with the eyeglass case 14 and is in a compressibly biased engagement surrounding the circumference of the object such as an eyeglass carrying case 14.

[0044] The body 12 in this mode with an elastic portion 11 is thus adapted in length such that when placed in the engaged position around an eyeglass carrying case, shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, one or more elastic portions 11 of the body 12, are stretched and bias portions of the body 12 inward and against the carrying case 14 or similar object when stretched thereround. The elastic portions 11 of fabric forming the body 12 can also be positioned at or adjacent a first end 19 and/or second end 21 of the flexible body 12. Since the body 12 is sewn from leather, or CORDURA, other flexible materials, positioning of elastic portions 11 formed for example of an elastic fabric such as neoprene or spandex or the like, can easily be done.

[0045] Shown in FIG. 1a, is a mode of the device 10 wherein the body is formed of leather, or CORDURA, or other woven, non-woven, or laminated materials or flexible materials 16 which may not be elastic in the manner of that of FIG. 1, but would still have a slight inherent ability to stretch or elongated during the encircling and engagement around the object such as an eyeglass case 14. In all modes of the device 10 herein, the body is adapted for an encircled engagement around the eyeglass carrying case 14 with the first end 19 and second end 21 removably engaged.

[0046] Using either a body 12 having an elastic portion 11 or simply formed of flexible material 16, the length of the body from the first end 19 to the second end 21 is adapted such that when positioned in an engaged position as in FIG. 1, the interior circumference of the engaged body 14, prior to positioning around an object such as the eyeglass case 14, is equal to or slightly smaller than a circumference of the eyeglass case 14. Thus, when stretched over the case 14, the mode of the body with one or more elastic portions 11 will contract, and impart a compressive bias of the interior circumference of the engaged body 12, to the exterior of the eyeglass case 14. In the mode of the body formed of flexible material 16, such inherently will stretch slightly during engagement of the fasteners at the first end 19 and second end 21 and provide a frictional encircled engagement of the eyeglass case 14.

[0047] Shown in FIG. 2, and also in FIGS. 3, and 5-6, the first end 19 and second end 21 of the body 12, can be configured with flap portions 22 for an overlapping engagement. As depicted in FIG. 2, these flap portions 22 at both ends may have cooperative fasteners 24 thereon configured for removable mating on opposing sides of the body from each other, such that when overlapped as in FIG. 2, the cooperative fasteners 24 positioned on each flap 20 removably engage. As noted such cooperative fasteners 24 may be hook and loop fabric, hooks, buttons, snaps, clips, or other fasteners as would be employed by one skilled in the art.

[0048] Depicted in FIG. 3, the flexible body 12 of the device 10 in a disengaged position, but ready for positioning to the engaged position, in a circular configuration with said first end removably engaged with said second end as shown in FIGS. 1-2 or FIG. 4. In this circular configuration, the body 12 is adapted for frictional or biased compressive engagement surrounding the eyeglass case 14 such as in FIGS. 1-2, or with the first and second ends engaged to form a self supporting structure as in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 3, the body 12 is in position for the user to connect the cooperative fasteners 24 at both the first and second ends, and thereby removably engage the body 12 around the eyeglass case 14, such as in FIGS. 1 and 2, or to form the self supporting structure for upright positioning of the mirror 26, elevated above a support surface.

[0049] Also as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, is a preferred configuration having a mirror 26 engaged to the second side 20 of the flexible body 12. In one mode of the device 10 the mirror 26 might be permanently engaged with adhesive, or in another mode the mirror as noted can be removably engaged to allow use remote from the device 10.

[0050] In a removable engagement, the mirror 26 can be engaged about the perimeter by an elastic lip 28 attached to the first side or surface 18 of the body 12, and extending across a width to an opposite edge defining an aperture 30 formed at an interior perimeter. In this configuration with the elastic lip 28, the mirror 26 is held against the side surface of the body 12 by the elastic lip 28, but can be removed for use away from the body 12 and reattached if desired.

[0051] As shown in FIG. 4, the device 10 as noted above, is configurable to form the body 12 in the circular configuration to form a stand or mount. In this circular configuration as a mount, the mirror 26 is positioned above the support surface 32, and positionable at upward angle relative to an underlying support surface 32, such as a table or counter top. This is done by forming the body 12 to the circular configuration and placing a portion of the first side of the body 12 on the support surface 32 to position the mirror 26 at the desired angle to the user.

[0052] In this mode the cooperative fasteners 24 on each end or flap portion 24, are engaged and the flexible body positioned to place the mirror angling upright from the support surface 32 for the user to employ to insert or remove or adjust their contact lenses, or for applying makeup, or other functions. In this position a rotation of the body 12 on the support surface 32 allows the user there above, to adjust an angle of the mirror 26 relative to the user. Optionally, stiffeners (not shown) may be positioned in-between the first surface 18 and second surface or side 20 in the area of the flap portions 22, which will stiffen both flap portions 22 and increase stability of the body 12 when in the stand mode, for positioning the mirror 26 for use, of FIG. 4.

[0053] Shown in FIG. 5, the first surface 18 of the body 12 is located a first pocket 34 having opening and interior cavity adapted to hold a contact lens case 36 removably therein for storage and transport with the device 10. This positioning of the first pocket 34 is preferred since the first surface 18 side of the body 12 may be exposed during circumferential or a circular configuration in an engagement with an object such as the case 14. As noted, this positioning allows the user to remove the contact lens case 36 without disengaging the body 12 if desired. Also shown is the cooperative fastener 24 adjacent the second end 21 of the body 12 which as depicted is hook and loop fabric.

[0054] Shown in FIG. 6, is the second surface or second side 20 of the body 12 opposite the first side 20. Also shown in both FIGS. 5 and 6, is a second pocket 38, positioned between the first side 18 and second side 20 of the body 12, which is configured to hold a fluid container 39 such as those available for contact lens solution used with contact lenses. The material forming the body 12 in the formed second pocket 38 has at least one side surface 44 of the second pocket 38 formed of elastic material, whereby all or a portion of a second pocket opening 41 will stretch. This allows a fluid container 39 of lens solution to be positioned within the second pocket 38 with the dispensing end of the fluid container 39 projecting from the second pocket opening 41 with the cap 47 on the fluid container 39 as in FIG. 1.

[0055] It is preferred this second pocket 38 is positioned on the body 12 of the device 10, wherein the second pocket opening 41 to the interior cavity of the pocket 38, through which insertion and removal of the fluid container 39 passes, runs along a side edge or perimeter edge 42 of the body 12. This perimeter edge 42 positioning preferred as noted above, as it allows the fluid container 39 to be engaged and removed, through the second pocket opening 41 on the perimeter edge 42 while the body is engaged to an eyeglass case 14. More importantly, this positioning allows the user to remove the cap 47 on the fluid container 39, and dispense drops of a contact lens solution from the pocket-housed fluid container 39 without removing the fluid container 39 from the second pocket 38, and without disengaging the device 10 from the engaged position around an eyeglass case 14.

[0056] In an optional but desirable mode of the device 10, a third pocket 46 having a transparent sidewall 48 is positioned on one end of the body 12. Such is preferable, as it provides a place to store a readable card 50 which might be a user ID or instructions on use of the device 10 or its parts, all of which may be viewed or read through the transparent wall 48 of the third pocket 46 and thereby protected from moisture.

[0057] Finally, another optional component for engagement and inclusion with the device 10 is one or a package of cleaning cloths 52. As noted above, during transition from contact lenses to eyeglasses, the availability of a cleaning cloth 52 for the eyewear lenses is preferable since such may be smudged or dirty. Securement is provided by an elastic band 54 to yield a removable engagement for the cloth 52.

[0058] While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the contact lens transport and storage system herein have been shown and described herein, with reference to particular embodiments thereof, a latitude of modification, various changes and substitutions are intended in the foregoing disclosure and it will be apparent that in some instances, some features of the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that upon reading this disclosure and becoming aware of the disclosed novel and useful device disclosed, that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may occur to and be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Consequently, all such modifications and variations and substitutions, as would occur to those skilled in the art are considered included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.