EYEWEAR LENS SHIELD FOR LENS PROTECTION DURING REPAIR AND ADJUSTMENTS

Abstract

A lens shield with a principal panel and subpanels having hook and loop closures. The lens shield comprises pockets for coolin devices and a base to stabilize it on a surface.

Claims

1. A lens shield comprising: a. A principal panel in the general shape of an H with an upper notch and a lower notch each said notches having a width of at least one inch, b. Subpanels displaying the loop and hook closure strips on each corner of principal panel which are attached by suitable means in such a manner that when the lens shield is folded on its middle each hook strip attaches reversibly to an opposite loop strip while exposing the nose bridge of the glasses through the notches, c. A principal closure strip having extensions, said extensions latch onto opposite strips on the back of the principal panel when the lens shield is folded on itself.

2. The lens shield of claim 1 further comprising pockets for insertion of a cooling device.

3. The lens shield according to claim 2 wherein the cooling device is an ice packet.

4. The lens shield according to claim 2 wherein the cooling device is of an electronic nature.

5. The lens shield of claim 1 wherein the lens shield is manufactured from materials that are heat resistant.

6. The lens shield of claim 1 wherein the lens shield is manufactured from one or a combination of materials chosen from: Cotton fleece, polycarbonate, cotton, polyester, fleece, flannel, metal, satin, silk, wool, linen, microfiber, vinyl, leather, velvet, suede, velour, burlap, hemp, synthetic fabrics, rubber, fiberglass insulation, mineral fibers such as fiberwool or rockwool, cellulose, or reflective materials.

7. The lens shield of claim 1 wherein the overall dimension of the principal panel is at least three inches wide by at least five inches long.

8. A lens shield wherein the lens shield is comprised of two independent modules each having its own hook and loop strips and each is designed to fit around a lens of the eye glasses.

9. The lens shield of claim 8 further comprising pockets for insertion of a cooling device for each module.

10. The lens shield according to claim 8 wherein the cooling device is an ice packet.

11. The lens shield according to claim 8 wherein the cooling device is an electronic nature.

12. The lens shield of claim 8 wherein each module is manufactured from materials that are heat resistant.

13. The lens shield of claim 8 wherein the lens shield is manufactured from one or a combination of materials chosen from: polycarbonate, cotton, polyester, fleece, flannel, metal, satin, silk, wool, linen, microfiber, vinyl, leather, velvet, suede, velour, burlap, hemp, synthetic fabrics, rubber, fiberglass insulation, mineral fibers such as fiberwool or rockwool, cellulose, or reflective materials.

14. The lens shield of claim 8 wherein the overall dimensions of each module is least one and a half inches wide by at least five inches long.

15. The lens shield of claim 1 having means to stabilize it on a surface.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008] FIG. 1 is a back perspective view of the invention in a closed position holding a pair of eye glasses with the eyeglass bridge being exposed.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a plane view of the inside of the invention in an open position depicting the hook and loop closing strips.

[0010] FIG. 3 is a plane view of the outside of the invention in an open position depicting the hook and loop closing strips.

[0011] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the invention viewed from the back depicting the lens shield in a closed position without glasses.

[0012] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the invention viewed from the front depicting the lens shield in a closed position without glasses.

[0013] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the invention viewed from the front depicting the lens shield with pockets for ice packets and insertion slots.

[0014] FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the invention viewed from the front depicting the lens shield as a two part construction.

[0015] FIG. 8 is a plane view of one of the modules of a two module lens shield.

[0016] FIG. 9 is a view of an example of a base used to stabilize the invention on a table top.

[0017] FIG. 10 is a view showing a diagram of how the invention would sit in the base.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0018] When referring to the drawings in detail, like elements are indicated by like numerals in all the drawings.

[0019] The following discussion is presented to enable a person skilled in the art to make and use the invention. The general principles described herein may be applied to embodiments and applications other than those detailed below without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims. The present invention is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and features disclosed herein. As will be described in detail below, the present invention provides for and discloses a flexible lens shield assembly comprising a novel design with a plurality of features that permit the user to easily insert and immobilize the eye glasses in place before heating and adjusting them. The lens shield according to the present invention may be provided as an individual unit or as part of an assembly comprising other equipment used by the optician or optical laboratory technician. It should be understood by one skilled in the art that the novel lens shield of the present invention may be embodied in various types of apparatuses commonly used in the art.

[0020] Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 through 5 illustrate one disclosed embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention displaying the additional feature of pockets for insertion of ice packets or other cooling elements. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the third embodiment of the invention which illustrates it as a two part construction. FIG. 9 represents an example of means for stabilizing the invention on a surface or more particularly a base to hold the lens shield on a surface. FIG. 10 is a diagrammatic representation of the invention as it would look in when stabilized by the said base. In the above figures the closing hook and loops are represented by hatches and cross hatches only in the open positions to emphasize their orientations. The hatches and cross hatches are omitted in the closed positions to avoid cluttering the drawings.

[0021] The lens shield assembly can be constructed from a number of materials but more particularly from heat resistant material belonging to both, natural or synthetic materials, Materials that can be used in the construction of the invention comprise but are not limited to heat resistant fabrics, Cotton fleece, some plastics, polycarbonate, polyester, fleece, flannel, metal, satin, silk, wool, linen, microfiber, leather, velvet, suede, velour, burlap, hemp, synthetic fabrics, rubber, fiberglass insulation, mineral fibers such as fiberwool or rockwool, cellulose, and reflective materials.

[0022] In reference to FIG. 1, a lens shield assembly 1 is illustrated in a closed position using a hook and loop closure means, holding a pair of eye glasses in a manner preferred by the optician or laboratory technician and wherein the eyewear nose bridge is exposed for adjustment by the optician. The explanation of the different components in this figure is better understood in the following description. FIG. 2 is a plane view of the inside of the invention in an open position depicting the different component of the invention. In reference to FIG. 2, the lens shield is constructed of a principal panel 1 in the general shape of an H with notches 6 and 6′ and subpanels 2, 5, 7 and 10. During the use of the invention subpanels 2, 5, 7 and 10 are in intimate contact with the lenses whereas the notches 6 and 6′ leave the bridge of the glasses exposed for adjustment by the optician. The upper subpanels 2 and 7 display the loop closure strips 4 and 8 which are attached by suitable means. The strips 4 and 8 can be glued in or alternatively sewed in by thread. On the opposite side subpanels 5 and 10, are attached in a similar manner as described above, hook strips 3 and 9. When the lens shield 1 is folded on its middle in such a manner that subpanel 5 mates to subpanel 2 and subpanel 10 mates to subpanel 7, loop strip 4 (cross hatches) attaches reversibly to hook strip 3 (hatches) and loop strip 8 attaches reversibly to hook strip 9. FIG. 2 also displays extensions 11 and 13 that are part of the principal shield closure strip 14. The main body of the principal closure strip 14 is illustrated here with a dotted line since it is in the back of the current view. The surface of principal closure strip 14 facing the viewer in FIG. 2 is of a hook nature since it will mate to the closure loop strips 15 and 16 located in the back of the current view and shown in cleanly in FIG. 3. The back surface of the principal closure strip 14 does not have to be either loop or hook. Often times these materials are double faced meaning that one face is hook while the other is loop as is the case in FIG. 3. Alternatively the principal Closure strip can be of a loop nature as long as the strips 15 and 16 are of a hook nature. When lens shield 1 is folded on itself in the middle, extension 13 attaches reversibly to strip 16 and extension 11 attaches reversibly to strip 15. FIG. 4 and FIG. 5 show the closed position of the lens shield as viewed from the back and front respectively. When the principal panel 1 is in its hilly open position as described in FIG. 1 or 2, the overall principal panel 1 dimensions are preferably about 5 inches wide as measured from the outer edge of strip 8 to the outer edge of strip 4 by about 7 inches long as measured from the bottom edge of strip 9 to the top edge of strip 8. The thickness is depending on the materials used in the construction of the shield. One skilled in the art may vary these dimensions without departing from the scope of the invention.

[0023] In another embodiment of the invention depicted in FIG. 6, the lens shield comprises pockets 19 and 20 having respectively insertion opening 17 and 18. In this embodiment pockets 19 and 20 are designed to house small squares of so called ice packets made for the most part of plastic structures containing a gel that freezes when disposed in a freezer. These ice packets when inserted in pockets 19 and 20 through insertion slots 17 and IS provide extra cooling during the heating of the frames. In another embodiment of the invention electronic cooling devices such as a Peltier cooling device or any other cooling device can take the place of the ice packets.

[0024] Alternatively and as illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, the invention may be made of independent modules ML and MR each having their independent closure hook and loop mechanisms. In this embodiment, the two modules are identical and each has only two facing strips one hook and the other loop on the inside. Additionally, each of the modules ML and MR will have a principal strip PS made of a double faced hook and loop material that closes on a facing strip of opposite nature (hook or loop) when the module is folded on itself. When fully opened, each of these modules will have dimensions of about 2 inches wide by about 7 inches long. In a separate embodiment, independent modules ML and MR may further comprise pockets for insertion of ice packets or other cooling devices. There are instances when the invention may need stabilization on a surface. In these instances, means or bases for holding the lens shield such as the one represented in FIG. 9 can be provided. Different shapes or materials can be used to make these bases. A diagrammatic description of the manner in which these bases hold the lens shield is shown in FIG. 10.

[0025] Although the invention has been shown and described in detail with respect to some preferred embodiment or embodiments, it is obvious that equivalent alterations and modifications will occur to others skilled in the art upon the reading and understanding of this specification and the annexed drawings. In particular regard to the various functions performed by the above described components (assemblies, devices, circuits, etc.), the terms (including a reference to a “means”) used to describe such components are intended to correspond, unless otherwise indicated, to any component which performs the specified function of the described component (i.e., that is functionally equivalent), even though not structurally equivalent to the disclosed structure which performs the function in the herein illustrated exemplary embodiments of the invention. In addition, while a particular feature of the invention may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several embodiments, such feature may be combined with one or more other features of the other embodiments as may be desired. It is therefore, contemplated that the following claims will cover any such modifications or embodiments that fall within the true scope of the invention.