WO2004060499A1

WO2004060499A1 - Swimming goggles

Info

Publication number: WO2004060499A1
Application number: PCT/EP2003/010321
Authority: WO
Inventors: Guido Zoffoli
Original assignee: Diverplast S.P.A.
Priority date: 2003-01-02
Filing date: 2003-09-17
Publication date: 2004-07-22
Also published as: ITGE20030001A1; AU2003273893A1

Abstract

Swimming goggles of the type that includes one or two lenses (10) , a rigid frame (11) to support the said lens or lenses, and a seal of elastic material (11), tightened between the said rigid frame and the trimming of the lens or lenses, in which the tightening means of the lens into the said frame are achieved through discontinuous means such as screws (13).

Description

DESCRIPTION The object of the present invention is consists of swimming goggles and of fixing means of the viewers of the goggles. It is known that the swimming goggles and more generally goggles for any other under-water activity require the separation of the visual apparatus from the external environment .

This can be carried out with a facial mask or with goggles of smaller dimensions that covers only a part of the face: eyes and nose or only eyes. This last solution is thus adopted to carry out activities for the most part on surface, such as swimming or breath-held under-water activities in shallow depths .

When the goggles are used for the under-water activities it is necessary that the vision is as perfect as possible and such a result is achieved only with flat lenses, which is occasionally graduated to correct the user's defects. The use of the flat lens implies the goggles to project off the users face inevitably reducing the lateral vision given that a lateral blind spot remains in between the outer edge of the viewer and the temple of the user. This reduction of the visual angle is compensated by a clear vision of the under water space in front of the user.

When instead the goggles are used for swimming on the surface, the widening of the visual angle becomes more important than the clear vision of the space found in front of the swimmer: in effect, on one hand, surface swimming inevitably implies that clear vision is anyway disturbed by the irregular "water-to-air" interface. On the other hand, surface swimming, especially if competitive, requires the visual lateral angle to be as wide as possible.

In view of this, surface-swimming goggles often include a curved form, wraparound, on the horizontal level.

It is known that goggles of this type include four fundamental components:

1. the lens (or the lenses)

2. a rigid frame to support the same

3. A seal of elastic material that fits the shape of the face on which the goggles are placed and is extended thereto from the said rigid frame.

4. A lengthwise adjustable strap to fix the goggles to the face of the user.

It is known that the lenses or the single lens can be fassened to the rigid frame in two ways .

According to the first known solution, the seal of elastic material is tightened against the lens or the lenses between the two portions of said rigid frame that are pressed one against the other perpendicularly with respect to the lying plane of the lenses or of the lens. In this known solution, the first and the second element of the rigid frame are continuous elements that extend to the entire outer border of the lens or of the lenses and are pressed against the outer edge of the seal of elastic material. In the second case the outer edge of the lens or of the lenses, together with the outer edge of the seal of elastic material, is inserted in a channel shaped elongated element, generally in two pieces that are pressed radialy against the edge of the lens or of the lenses and of the rim of the seal of elastic material.

Whether in one case, i.e. axial tightening, or in the other, i.e. radial tightening, it is inevitable to have a double rigid frame surrounding the entire edges of the lens or of the lenses.

This inevitably implies an increase in weight and in encumbrance which inevitably results in a worsening of the aesthetic aspect of the swimming goggles.

According to the present invention the swimming goggles include a structural reduction given that the supporting rigid frame of the lens or of the lenses is made-up of a single element against which the lens or the lenses are fixed in a non continuous fashion, yet enables the attainment of an axial or radial tightening.

The essential features of the invention are summarized and schematized in the claims. The objects and advantages of the same will result furthermore from the description that follows with particular reference to the drawing attached in which:

• figure 1 shows the front view of a pair of swimming goggles according to the invention, in the constructed solution that includes one single lens for both eyes; • figure 2 is a section view according to line II-II of figure 1 ;

• figure 3 is a section view according to line II-II of figure 1 in an enlarged scale;

• figure 4 is a front view of the same type as that illustrated in figure 1, according to which there are 2 lenses of a wraparound form;

• figure 5 is an alternative to the embodiment illustrated in figure 1 ;

• Figure 6 is a section view according to line VI-VI of figure 5, in an enlarged scale.

With particular reference to these figures, with 10 the single lens of the goggle is indicated, that as can be seen in figure 2 and 3, comprises a single rigid frame 11 that repeats the outlying profile of the lens 10.

The outer side of the lens 10, according to the invention, is pressed against the rigid frame 11 by means of intervention of the outer side of the sealing gasket 12.

The tightening of the outer side of the lens 10 to the rigid frame 11 is achieved in a non continuous fashion, by means of screws 13 peripherally located along the edge of the lens 10. These screws 13 crossing the lens 10 and the outer side of the sealing gasket 12 and are screwed in respective holes arranged in the rigid frame 11.

The elimination of the second tightening element of the lens against the rigid frame 11 enables the lightening of the weight of the goggles further allowing an improved aesthetic effect .

There are two lenses 110 in the solution illustrated in figure 4, whilst thereof to the rigid frame 111 is once again carried out by means of screws 113 placed in a regular fashion on the edge of the lenses 110.

In the solution illustrated in figure 5 and 6 the fassening of the lens 210 to the rigid frame 211 is always axial, this one however is achieved by portions of a U shaped raceway 213 placed in a regular fashion on the edge of the lens or of the lenses .

A further embodiment of the invention includes the achievement of the tightening between the rigid frame and the lens or lenses with the interposition of the gasket by means of pegs, for example metallic, positioned in the lens or in the lenses.

These pegs can, advantageously, be inserted into the lens or into the lenses during the moulding of the lens (es) , crossing the gasket, and latch on underneath the rigid frame.

The pegs are preferably made of plastic material in order to be inserted during the moulding step intergral with the lens or the lenses . This solution has extremely advantageous economical results.

In an other embodiment of the invention the tightening between the rigid frame and the lens or lenses with the interposition of the gasket can be achieved by small beams, in plastic or metal, positioned along the outer side of the external edge of the lens or lenses and provided with screws or pins adapted to tighten the underlying parts . This solution offers more possibilities for design choice.

Claims

1. Swimming goggles of the type comprising of one or two lens(es) (10), a rigid frame (11), for the support of the said lens(es), and a gasket of elastic material (11), tightened between said rigid frame and the edge of the lens or of the lenses characterised in that the means of tightening of the lens against said frame are achieved through discontinuous means .

2. Swimming goggles according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the said means of discontinuous tightening of the lens and of the gasket againt the rigid frame are achieved by means of screws fundamentally orientated perpendicularly to the lying plane of said lenses.

3. Swimming goggles according to the preceding claim, characterised in that the said means of discontinuous tightening of the lens and of the gasket against the rigid frame consist of a series of short elastic raceways, adapted to tighten the edge of the lens or of the lenses, arranged along their edge.

4. Swimming goggles according to the preceding claims, characterised in that said lens or lenses are wraparound lenses .

5. Swimming goggles according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said means of tightening are formed by pegs positioned in the lens or in the lenses and are adapted to achieve the tightening between said lens or said lenses and said rigid frame with the interposition of said gasket .

6. Swimming goggles according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said pegs are inserted into the lens or into the lenses during the moulding thereof .

7. Swimming goggles according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that said pegs are made in the moulding step intergral with the said lens or lenses.

8. Swimming goggles according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that the said means of tightening are achieved by small beams arranged along the outer edge of the external side of said lens or of said lenses and equipped with pins and screws adapted to tighten the said lens or the said lenses onto said rigid frame with the interposition of said gasket .

9. Swimming goggles according to the preceding claims fundamentally are accomplished as described and illustrated.