WO2007110554A1

WO2007110554A1 - Improvements in or relating to eyewear

Info

Publication number: WO2007110554A1
Application number: PCT/GB2006/001103
Authority: WO
Inventors: Konstantinos Marantidis
Original assignee: Konstantinos Marantidis
Priority date: 2006-03-24
Filing date: 2006-03-24
Publication date: 2007-10-04

Abstract

Eyewear having a lens and being configured so that in normal use of the eyewear a wearer of the eyewear may see through the lens, the lens allowing images to be seen therethrough in a substantially undistorted manner, wherein the eyewear comprises at least one cavity containing a refrigerant.

Description

"Improvements in or relating to Eyewear"

THIS INVENTION relates to eyewear, and in particular seeks to provide improved eyewear for use in situations in which intensive use of the eyes is required, such as working on a computer.

Accordingly, one aspect of the invention provides eyewear having a lens and being configured so that in normal use of the eyewear, a wearer of the eyewear may see through the lens, the lens allowing images to be seen therethrough in a substantially undistorted manner, wherein the eyewear comprises at least one cavity containing a refrigerant.

Advantageously, the eyewear comprises a rim for supporting the lens, wherein the cavity is provided within the rim.

Preferably, the cavity is substantially toroidal.

Conveniently, the eyewear comprises a pair of rims for supporting respective lenses, cavities being provided within each of the rims.

Advantageously, the cavity is provided within the lens.

Preferably, a plurality of cavities are provided within the lens.

Conveniently, the at least one cavity comprises a microtube. Advantageously, the cavity is provided within an element which is attached to a surface of the lens.

Preferably, the element comprises a substantially planar element, which is substantially parallel to the lens.

Conveniently, the element comprises a tubular element having sealed ends.

Advantageously, the element is a microtube.

Preferably, the eyewear comprises a plurality of elements attached to a surface of the lens.

Conveniently, the surface of the lens to which the element is attached is the surface thereof which will be closest to a wearer's eyes in normal use of the eyewear.

Advantageously, the eyewear comprises a pair of lenses.

Preferably, the eyewear comprises at least one rim, for supporting the lens, which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

Conveniently, the eyewear comprises a plurality of interchangeable rims, each of which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

Advantageously, the eyewear additionally comprises one or more further lenses. Preferably, the one or more further lenses are not removably attached to the eyewear.

Conveniently, the eyewear comprises at least one lens which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

Advantageously, a rim of the eyewear, for supporting the lens, comprises an inward-facing groove in which at least a part of the periphery of the lens may be slidably received.

Preferably, the lens comprises a gripping portion, which a user may grip to facilitate attachment of the lens to, or detachment of the of the lens from, the rim.

Conveniently, the gripping portion comprises an indentation in a surface of the lens.

Advantageously, the rim is provided with a cutaway portion, to allow a user to grasp a part of the lens for attachment thereof to, or detachment thereof from, the rim.

Preferably, the eyewear comprises a plurality of interchangeable lenses, each of which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

Conveniently, the eyewear is adapted to be removably attached to other eyewear. Advantageously, the eyewear is configured so that, when the eyewear is attached to other eyewear comprising at least one lens and the other eyewear is worn by a wearer, the at least one cavity is disposed closer to the face of the wearer than the lens of the other eyewear.

Preferably, the eyewear comprises at least one fixed rim for supporting a lens of the eyewear, with a further detachable rim being provided which may be removably attached to the fixed rim, the detachable rim containing a refrigerant.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a rim for use in eyewear, for supporting a lens of the eyewear, the rim comprising a cavity containing a refrigerant.

A further aspect of the present invention provides a lens for use in eyewear, the lens comprising a cavity containing a refrigerant.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a device which is adapted to be removably attached to eyewear having a lens and being configured so that in normal use of the eyewear a wearer of the eyewear may see through the lens, the device comprising at least one cavity containing a refrigerant.

Preferably, the device is attached to the eyewear and the eyewear is worn by a wearer so that the wearer may see through the lens, the at least one cavity is disposed closer to the face of the wearer than the lens of the eyewear.

Conveniently, the refrigerant is a fluid. In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows eyewear embodying the present invention;

Figures 2, 3 and 4 are cross- sectional views of eyewear embodying the present invention;

Figure 5 shows further eyewear embodying the present invention;

Figure 6 is a side view of alternative eyewear embodying the present invention; and

Figures 7, 8 and 9 show an implementation of the invention.

Referring firstly to Figure 1, eyewear 1 embodying the present invention is shown. The eyewear comprises a pair of rims 2, each supporting a lens 3, and joined to one another by way of a nose bridge 4, as will be readily understood by those skilled in the art. The frame further comprises a pair of arms 5, one arm 5 being attached to each of the rims 2. The arms 5 may be attached to the respective rims 2 by a hinged arrangement 6, allowing the arms 5 to pivot with respect to the rims 2 to allow greater ease of storage and transportation of the eyewear 1.

The arms 5 each comprise a hooked portion at distal ends thereof for hooking over the ears of a wearer of the eyewear 1, and a skilled person will immediately understand that the eyewear 1 may be worn by a user such that the hooked portions of the arms 5 hook over the ears of the wearer, the nose bridge 4 of the eyewear 1 rests on the nose of the user, and the lenses 3 are supported in front of the eyes of the wearer.

Figure 2 is a cross- sectional view of one of the lenses 3 of the eyewear 1, along with the corresponding rim 2, taken through a plane which is substantially perpendicular to the lens 3. The rim 2 has a substantially circular cross-section, and has a groove 7 provided on an inner surface thereof to assist in supporting the lens 3. A cavity 8 is provided within the rim 2, the cavity 8 being provided substantially at the centre of the cross-section of the rim 2 and extending all the way around the rim 2. Thus, it will be appreciated that the cavity 8 is of a substantially toroidal shape.

Provided within the cavity 8 is a refrigerant. The refrigerant is preferably in the form of a fluid, and in preferred embodiments of the invention the refrigerant comprises water.

Both of the rims 2 of the eyewear 1 are provided with cavities 8 as depicted in Figure 2. A skilled person will appreciate how the rims 2 may be manufactured to have the cavities 8, for instance by forming the rims 2 in two halves which are subsequently joined to one another.

In use of the eyewear 1, the eyewear 1 is first placed in an environment in which the refrigerant will become cool, for instance a refrigerator or freezer. The eyewear 1 is then removed from the cool environment, and worn by a user. The refrigerant will then provide a cooling effect in the region around the rims 2, and the extent and duration of the cooling effect will be determined, at least in part, by the quantity and specific heat capacity of the refrigerant. The cooling effect will also be determined by the thermal conductivity of the material surrounding the refrigerant. Ideally, the material will be chosen to have a suitable thermal conductivity, since if the thermal conductivity is too low then the cooling effect provided by the eyewear 1 will be too little, and if the thermal conductivity is too great, the cooling effect will be excessive, and also undesirably short-lived.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, the rims 2 are coated with a paint or other substance which has a relatively low thermal conductivity, to prolong the cooling effect provided by the rims 2.

Alternatively, the rims may be constructed in the manner of a vacuum flask, with an inner tube containing refrigerant and an outer tube region surrounding the inner tube and being partially evacuated. A skilled person will appreciate how this construction may be achieved, and it is noted that struts or similar supports may be required to maintain the position of an inner tube containing the cavity within the partially-evacuated region defined by the outer tube.

The rims 2 are preferably constructed from a tough, shatter-proof material, such as the materials from which vacuum flasks are formed. For instance, the rims 2 may be formed from steel, or a tough plastic material.

It will be appreciated that the cooling effect in the region of the rims 2 will help to keep the user's eyes (and surrounding regions of the user's face) cool when wearing the eyewear 1. Additional potential benefits include soothing of the skin around the eyes, and preventing the appearance of wrinkles. It is envisaged that wearers of the eyewear 1 will find it substantially more comfortable to perform tasks which involve intensive use of the eyes, for instance working with computers, watching television or otherwise viewing a monitor for prolonged periods, reading, and sunbathing, when using the eyewear 1. A skilled person will, however, realise that there are many more situations than those listed above in which eyewear embodying the present invention will be of use.

The cavity 8 need not extend all the way around the rim 2 in question, and may extend only a part of the way around the rim 2. In embodiments of the invention, two or more cavities 8 may be provided, each extending a part of the way around the rim 2. Indeed, the rim 2 may not extend all of the way around the periphery of the lens 3, for instance if the lens 3 is of a "half-moon" style.

Alternatively, a plurality of overlapping cavities may be provided within the rim 2, each extending all or part of the way around the rim 2. In preferred embodiments of the invention, these cavities may comprise microtubes.

In still further alternative embodiments of the invention, the refrigerant may be provided within a series of cavities, for instance small, substantially spherical cavities, distributed around the rim 2.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken through a rim 2 and lens 3 of alternative eyewear embodying the present invention. In this embodiment, a cavity 9 containing a refrigerant is provided within the lens 3, rather than within the rim 2. The cavity 9 may be substantially co-planar with the lens 3 and preferably extends over the majority of the area of the lens 3, and is sufficiently thin so that images may still be seen through the lens 3 in an undistorted manner. A skilled person will understand how these lenses 3 may be manufactured, for example by forming the lenses 3 in two halves which are subsequently joined to one another.

In alternative embodiments, a number of elongate tube-like cavities (for instance microtubes) may be provided within the lens 3, and these cavities may be provided in any orientation. The cavities are, however, preferably substantially parallel with the plane of the lens 3 itself.

In further alternative embodiments, the refrigerant may be provided in a plurality of cavities (for instance small, substantially spherical cavities) which are dispersed throughout the lens 3.

As discussed above in relation to the rims 2, the lens 3 may be coated with a substance, for instance a paint, that has a low thermal conductivity. Desirably, this substance is substantially transparent or translucent.

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view through a rim 2 and lens 3 of further eyewear embodying the present invention. In this embodiment, cavities containing the refrigerant are not disposed within the rim 2 or the lens 3, but are provided in a plurality of elements 10 which are attached to a surface of the lens 3. In the depicted embodiment, the elements 10 are provided on a rear surface of the lens 3, i.e. the surface which will be closest to the wearer's eyes in normal use of the eyewear 1. Providing the elements 10 on a rear surface of the lens 3 confers the advantage that the cooling effect provided by the refrigerant will be concentrated in the region behind the lenses 3 of the eyewear. In preferred embodiments, the elements 10 comprise fine tubular elements (for instance microtubes), each having a bore containing a refrigerant. The elements 10 may be disposed substantially horizontally or substantially vertically on the surface of the lens 3, or indeed in any suitable orientation.

In an alternative embodiment, the refrigerant may be provided in a plurality of bead-like elements, each containing refrigerant, which are dispersed across the surface of the lens 3.

As a further alternative, a substantially planar element, having one or more cavities disposed therein, may be adhered or otherwise fixed to a surface of the lens. The element preferably extends over the majority of the area of the lens 3, and is sufficiently thin so that images may be seen through the element and the lens 3 in a substantially undistorted manner. As discussed above, the element is preferably fixed to a rear surface of the lens 3. The planar element may have a single planar element provided therein, or may have a plurality of smaller cavities of any shape (e.g. tubular or bead-like) provided therein.

In the above description, refrigerant is provided in one or more cavities in, or on, a rim of the eyewear or a lens of the eyewear. These need not be alternatives, however, and the present invention encompasses eyewear having cavities containing refrigerant in, or on, both a rim and a lens thereof.

Any suitable refrigerant may be used in eyewear embodying the present invention, with clearly desirable properties of the selected refrigerant being that the refrigerant has a relatively high specific heat capacity and does not expand or contract by an unduly large amount upon refrigeration or freezing. It is envisaged that water (possibly treated to improve the refrigerant properties thereof) may be used as a suitable refrigerant. It is expected that users of the eyewear will prefer the refrigerant employed to be non-toxic, due to the proximity of the refrigerant to the wearer's eyes.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, rims of the eyewear are readily detachable and re-attachable to the remainder of the eyewear. For instance, the eyewear may comprise a pair of fixed rims, which support the lenses of the eyewear, with further detachable rims being provided which may be removably attached to the fixed rims. Alternatively, the removable rims may perform the function of supporting lenses of the eyewear.

This feature allows a wearer to possess several sets of interchangeable rims, and when a rim is not in use it can be stored in a refrigerator or freezer. Thus, when a rim has been worn for a length of time and no longer provides effective cooling, a fresh rim can be obtained from the refrigerator or freezer and attached to the eyewear in place of the rim which has been removed. This used rim can be placed in a refrigerator or freezer for later use.

A skilled person will readily appreciate how removably attachable rims may be provided.

It is also envisaged that the lenses of the eyewear may be readily removable, and in a similar manner to that described above the user may possess several sets of lenses, which may kept in a refrigerator or freezer when not in use and substituted into the eyewear as needed.

In preferred embodiments of the invention, an inward-facing surface of a rim of the eyewear is provided with a groove 12, in which at least a part of the periphery of the lens may be slidably received. Such an embodiment is depicted in Figure 5, in which arms of the depicted eyewear have been omitted for the purposes of clarity. Preferably, the groove 12 extends around upper and lower parts of the rim 2, and parts of the rim 2 adjacent to a nose of the wearer. A gap or aperture 11 is provided in a portion of the rim 2 furthest from a nose of the wearer, to allow the lens 3 to be slid into the groove 12 to be removably attached to the rim 2, and to be slid out of the groove 12 to be detached from the rim 2.

A cleaning element may be provided at or near the gap or aperture 11, to clean or wipe a lens 3 as it is attached to, or detached from, the rim 2. For instance, the cleaning element may comprise a quantity of material, preferably with anti-static properties, which is provided on an inner surface of the gap or aperture 11.

The lens 3 may be provided with a gripping portion, which may for instance comprise an indentation of a suitable size to receive a user's fingernail, to assist the user in attaching the lens 3 to, and detaching the lens 3 from, the rim 2. The rim 2 may also comprise a cutaway portion, to expose a part of the lens 3, and thereby facilitate attachment of the lens 3 to, and detachment of the lens 3 from, the rim 2.

The lenses of eyewear embodying the present invention may be corrective lenses (such as prescription lenses), to correct a user's vision, or may be substantially non-corrective, thus providing a pleasant cooling effect for users who do not require corrective lenses.

A further embodiment of the present invention, which is depicted in Figure 6, provides eyewear comprising fixed lenses 13, which may be prescription lenses, and which are held in place by a first inward-facing groove 14 ranning around a periphery of a rim 2 of the eyewear. The eyewear further includes a second inward-facing groove 15 running around at least a part of the periphery of the rim 2 of the eyewear to allow (as described above) a removable lens 3 (which is preferably not a prescription lens), comprising at least one cavity containing a refrigerant, to be slidably received within the rim 2. The eyewear can, therefore, be used without the removable lenses 3, so that a wearer of the eyewear will look only through the fixed lenses 13. The removable lenses 3 can be removably received in the rims 2 of the eyewear as and when required, to provide a cooling effect. A gap or aperture will be provided in each of the rims 2 of the eyewear, as discussed above, but this gap or aperture will be in the region of the respective removable lens 3, and will not allow the respective fixed lens 13 to be removed from the eyewear.

As discussed above, the removable lenses 3 are preferably removably received behind the fixed lenses 13, so that the removable lenses 3 are closer to the face of a wearer of the eyewear than the fixed lenses 12, during normal use of the eyewear.

The present invention also provides a device which may be removably attached to eyewear, and which has at least one cavity containing a refrigerant. For instance, the device may comprise a pair of rims, which may be held together by a supporting bridge, which are adapted to be clipped to standard spectacles so that the rims lie generally adjacent the rims of the standard spectacles. Preferably, the rims of the removable device will lie closer to the face of the wearer of the spectacles than the rims of the spectacles themselves.

A skilled person will realise that this device will allow a user to adapt standard eyewear to provide a useful and pleasant cooling effect when wearing the standard eyewear. Alternatively, the device may comprise a pair of secondary lenses, which may be held together by a frame, each lens comprising at least one cavity comprising a refrigerant, which may be clipped to ordinary spectacles or eyewear so that the secondary lenses are generally adjacent the lenses of the standard spectacles. Again, the secondary lenses will preferably be disposed closer to the face of a wearer than the lenses of the standard spectacles, to concentrate the cooling effect provided by the refrigerant in the region directly in front of the wearer' s eyes.

Several of the above-described embodiments involve the positioning of a pair of lenses in front of an eye of a wearer, one lens containing a refrigerant and being closer to the face of a wearer of the eyewear than the other lens. In such embodiments, it is envisaged that the lens that is furthest from the face of the wearer (i.e. the lens that does not comprise a cavity containing a refrigerant) may be at least partially coated with a paint or other material which has a relatively low thermal conductivity, to concentrate the cooling effect provided by the refrigerant in the region adjacent the user's eye. In preferred embodiments of the invention, the lens which is furthest from the face of the wearer may be coated only on an inner surface thereof, i.e. a surface facing substantially towards the face of the wearer.

While the embodiments of the invention described above comprise a pair of rims, each supporting a respective lens, the present invention may also be applied to eyewear having a single lens mounted in front of one or both eyes.

Thus, each reference to a pair of rims, or to a pair of lenses, should be read as including a reference to single-lens eyewear. Figures 7, 8 and 9 show one implementation of the present invention. In this implementation, a ring-shaped 16 having a central cavity containing a refrigerant is covered, on its outer surfaces, with insulating material 17 to form an insulated ring 18. A front surface of the insulated ring 18 is provided with a pair of small hooks 19 which are used to affix the insulated ring 18 to the frame of a pair of spectacles, and a groove 19 is cut along one side of the insulated ring 18 to accommodate the arm of a pair of spectacles. In figure 9, two such insulated rings 18 are shown attached to a pair of spectacles 20.

It will be appreciated that the present invention provides improved eyewear, which will have wide-ranging appeal and utility.

When used in this specification and claims, the terms "comprises" and "comprising" and variations thereof mean that the specified features, steps or integers are included. The terms are not to be interpreted to exclude the presence of other features, steps or components.

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. Eyewear having a lens and being configured so that in normal use of the eyewear, a wearer of the eyewear may see through the lens, the lens allowing images to be seen therethrough in a substantially undistorted manner, wherein the eyewear comprises at least one cavity containing a refrigerant.

2. Eyewear according to Claim 1, comprising a rim for supporting the lens, wherein the cavity is provided within the rim.

3. Eyewear according to Claim 2, wherein the cavity is substantially toroidal.

4. Eyewear according to Claim 2 or 3, comprising a pair of rims for supporting respective lenses, cavities being provided within each of the rims.

5. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, wherein the cavity is provided within the lens.

6. Eyewear according to Claim 5, wherein a plurality of cavities are provided within the lens.

7. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, wherein the at least one cavity comprises a microtube.

8. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, wherein the cavity is provided within an element which is attached to a surface of the lens.

9. Eyewear according to Claim 8, wherein the element comprises a substantially planar element, which is substantially parallel to the lens.

10. Eyewear according to Claim 8, wherein the element comprises a tubular element having sealed ends.

11. Eyewear according to Claim 10, wherein the element is a microtube.

12. Eyewear according to any one of Claims 8 to 11, comprising a plurality of elements attached to a surface of the lens.

13. Eyewear according to any one of Claims 8 to 12, wherein the surface of the lens to which the element is attached is the surface thereof which will be closest to a wearer's eyes in normal use of the eyewear.

14. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, comprising a pair of lenses.

15. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one rim, for supporting the lens, which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

16. Eyewear according to Claim 15, comprising a plurality of interchangeable rims, each of which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

17. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one lens which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

18. Eyewear according to Claim 17, wherein a rim of the eyewear, for supporting the lens, comprises an inward-facing groove in which at least a part of the periphery of the lens may be slidably received.

19. Eyewear according to Claim 18, wherein the lens comprises a gripping portion, which a user may grip to facilitate attachment of the lens to, or detachment of the of the lens from, the rim.

20. Eyewear according to Claim 19, wherein the gripping portion comprises an indentation in a surface of the lens.

21. Eyewear according to any one of Claims 18 to 21, wherein the rim is provided with a cutaway portion, to allow a user to grasp a part of the lens for attachment thereof to, or detachment thereof from, the rim.

22. Eyewear according to any one of Claims 17 to 21, comprising a plurality of interchangeable lenses, each of which may be removably attached to the eyewear.

23. Eyewear according to any one of Claims 17 to 22, wherein the eyewear additionally comprises one or more further lenses.

24. Eyewear according to Claim 23, in which the one or more further lenses are not removably attached to the eyewear.

25. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, wherein the eyewear is adapted to be removably attached to other eyewear.

26. Eyewear according to Claim 25, configured so that, when the eyewear is attached to other eyewear comprising at least one lens and the other eyewear is worn by a wearer, the at least one cavity is disposed closer to the face of the wearer than the lens of the other eyewear.

27. Eyewear according to any preceding claim, comprising at least one fixed rim for supporting a lens of the eyewear, with a further detachable rim being provided which may be removably attached to the fixed rim, the detachable rim containing a refrigerant.

28. A rim for use in eyewear, for supporting a lens of the eyewear, the rim comprising a cavity containing a refrigerant.

29. A lens for use in eyewear, the lens comprising a cavity containing a refrigerant.

30. A device which is adapted to be removably attached to eyewear having a lens and being configured so that in normal use of the eyewear a wearer of the eyewear may see through the lens, the device comprising at least one cavity containing a refrigerant.

31. A device according to Claim 30 wherein, when the device is attached to the eyewear and the eyewear is worn by a wearer so that the wearer may see through the lens, the at least one cavity is disposed closer to the face of the wearer than the lens of the eyewear.

32. Eyewear, a rim, a lens or a device according to any preceding claim, wherein the refrigerant is a fluid.