The present invention relates generally to corrective lenses employed in eyewear such as eyeglasses, protective eyewear, and goggles. More particularly, the disclosed system and method relates to a lens having a first portion forming a shield or surrounding portion formed of optically correct material and having one or a plurality of projections permanently positioned thereon for formation of corrective lenses. So configured the device forms a unitary structure where the perimeter of the first portion of the lens is adapted for engagement in an eyewear frame or goggle or other lens frames.
Individuals with eyesight problems have turned to corrective eyewear for hundreds of years. As a general rule, such eyesight problems are a result of the physical characteristics of the eye of the person requiring corrective lenses. Over the duration such corrective lenses have been provided to users requiring them. The basic nature of grinding lenses to refocus the image captured by the eye of the user onto the receptive rear surface of their eye in a manner rendering clearer vision has progressed to provide corrections for issues other than near or far sightedness. However, the basic premise of positioning a lens in front of the eye of the user to refocus incoming light is still present today.
In some instances the nature of construction of corrective lenses, especially in combination with safety or protective eyewear, has been less than adequate. For example, users of corrective lenses who suffer from severe farsightedness require very thick lenses to correct their vision, which are not well adapted for use in combination with a shield type eyewear such as goggles. Further, such thick lenses have perimeters which limit the engagement to eyeglass frames.
Further, those with nearsightedness or farsightedness or who suffer from other vision acuity problems also have problems trying to wear protective goggles such as military members who wear goggles, or others who wear sport goggles for activities such as skiing or motorcycling. The problem of corrective lenses is also an issue when combined with workers who must wear safety goggles.
Conventionally, such users have been forced to try and fit their eyeglasses within the cavity of the goggle or safety goggle covering their eyes. In such a combination, the user must view their surroundings through both the goggle lens, and their own lenses positioned in-between the goggle lens and their face. Such has led to poor vison from fogging, glare from the interaction of spaced refraction surfaces, shadow images caused by the spaced lenses, and other issues caused by the interaction between the eyeglass lenses spaced from the goggle lens or lenses.
In prior art a partial solution to the problem has been advanced. For example U.S. Pat. No. 8,814,349 (Quintana), while a leap forward, in the concept of providing a unitary structure of corrective lenses and panoramic or shielding lens, could use improvement in the taught construction of the unitary structure. Quintana, while teaching the novel concept of using two projecting portions rising from one side of a first panoramic lens for formation of ophthalmic lenses, makes no accommodation for the risk of cracking along the perimeter of the projecting portions at their intersection with the front panoramic lens. Additionally, refraction of light through the sidewall of the projecting portions and adjacent their intersection with the front panoramic lens, as taught by the Quintana reference, may generate refractive qualities such as colorized light, which has been found to be distracting to users. Additionally, when employed for goggles which form a sealed cavity in front of the face of the user, the dissimilar thicknesses of the panoramic lens or shield areas thereof with projecting portions, can have thermal issues during formation due to the retention of heat in the thicker areas. Additionally, no prior art teaches a manner in which smaller projections on a curved panoramic shield can be ground to required characteristics to provide vision correction to a wearer.
As such, there exists an unmet need, for a corrective lens formable upon a surface of a thinner panoramic lens, where the intersection of the perimeter of the projecting material from which the ophthalmic lens is formed and the planar panoramic front lens is configured to prevent cracking and stress fractures over time and temperature differentials. Such a device should provide a form which is employable in single lenses of eyewear as well as in dual lens configurations of protective eyewear shields and sport and protective goggle devices and in shapes which allow for formation of progressive lenses in both the horizontal and vertical direction. Still further, such a device and method should provide projections on the frontal panoramic lens which are machinable to corrective lenses using conventional lens grinding machinery, in spite of the large and highly curved panoramic lens surrounding the projecting portions.
The forgoing examples of related art and limitations related therewith are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive, and they do not imply any limitations on the invention described and claimed herein. Various limitations of the related prior art will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of the specification below and the accompanying drawings.
It is an object of this invention to provide a unitary structure of a first curved or panoramic lens having one or a plurality of projecting portions formed thereon which may be cut to form ophthalmic lenses.
It is a further object of this invention to provide such a unitary structure where the first lens on which the projecting portion is formed, surrounds the projecting portion in a thinner cross section of optical material which may be fit to frames heretofore precluded for users with thick lens prescriptions.
It is a further object of this invention to eliminate or at least minimize the potential for cracking of the thinner front or panoramic lens at the intersection of the perimeter sidewalls of the projecting portions and the panoramic lens they are formed upon.
It is a further object of this invention to provide the projecting portions formed upon a surface of a larger curved lens to be machinable using conventional lens grinding machinery despite the large and curved first lens portions surrounding them.
It is also an object of this invention to provide the projecting portions formed to unitary structure with the surrounding panoramic first lens, in shapes which may be cut to allow for progressive lenses in both the horizontal and vertical directions.
These and other objects, features, and advantages of the present lens invention and system herein, as well as the advantages thereof over existing prior art, which will become apparent from the description to follow, are accomplished by the improvements described in this specification and hereinafter described in the following detailed description which fully discloses the invention, but should not be considered as placing limitations thereon.
The present invention is a lens formed into a unitary structure featuring a first lens portion formed in a generally concave panoramic shape and having a plurality of projecting portions on a rear surface, defined in shape by a perimeter edge, rising from a permanent connection with a first surface of the first lens portion. The cross sectional thickness of the first lens portion, which curves around and surrounds the projecting portions, is thinner than the cross sectional thickness of the area within the bounds of the perimeter of the projecting portions, rising from an inner or first side of the first lens portion.
In a preferred mode of the device, the radii of the first lens portion or shield can vary slightly to better accommodate the portion in a central area of the shield where the projections are located and reduce distortion further. For example, the first lens portion or shield can have a general radii of a front surface of the shield or first lens portion, which is 75 mm. However, the central area where the projections extend can be 65 mm (flatter). This slight flattening of the arc in the central portion has been found to increase the range of possible corrective prescriptions to be produced. However, the difference in radii would not be noticeable to the naked eye, and the first portion or shield will maintain, in general, its original shape for cosmetics and fitment to conventional frames and goggle housings.
This first lens portion is optically correct across its entire surface such that the thinner surrounding area, on both sides of the central portion, is optically correct and significantly thinner in cross section to allow engagement within an eyeglass frame or goggle but still adapted for an engagement to temple portions to form a shield.
In all modes of the device herein, the intersection of the perimeter edge of the sidewall defining the shape of the projecting portion employed for lens formation, with the first surface for the first lens portion, is preferably neither a perpendicular intersection of two planar surfaces nor an intersection of a straight line extending up the sidewall surface of the projecting portion.
In all modes of the device herein, that intersection of the sidewall of the perimeter of the projecting portions which defines a shape of the projecting portions, is preferably formed such that the line running up the sidewall surface from the intersection with the first surface of the first lens portion, is non linear in that a portion of the sidewall changes direction relative to the rest of the sidewall extending to the edge of the machinable surface of the projecting portion.
In all modes of the device herein, one or, more preferably, a plurality of such projecting portions, are engaged with the surrounding optically correct panoramic lens in a manner to yield a permanent connection between the two, which forms a unitary structure with minimal, if any, optical distortion therethrough. This connection between the projecting portion or portions is preferably achieved by molded formation of a unitary structure of the projecting portions and the first lens portion or shield defining a panoramic lens.
In forming a unitary structure, the projections and first lens portion or shield can be molding as a single unit, or the projections may be co-molded into the first lens portion. In co-molding, the projections are pre-formed and subsequently communicated into the mold for the first lens portion, wherein a first surface of the projections melts and joins to the projecting portions to form a unitary structure.
As noted, it is preferable that the intersection of the perimeter sidewall of the projections, and the central portion of the first lens portion, is not perpendicular. Thus, in molding or forming the unitary structure of the first lens portion and projections, this intersection is preferably formed curved or angled. It is also preferred that a width of the intersection of the angled or curved surface forming the connection be small and not rise more than a millimeter above the surface of the first lens portion, because experimentation has shown this to minimize any distortion or light refraction issues.
Additionally, if formed of a curved first lens portion or shield with a plurality of projecting portions thereon for engagement to goggles or an eyeglass frame, a polarizing layer may be placed in-between the material forming the first lens portion and the projecting portion which is machinable to form the corrective lens. This will provide polarized light transmission to the wearer. Such may be accomplished by layering the first lens portion.
Still further, the shape of the projecting portion defined by the sidewall intersecting the first surface of the first lens portion can be formed in shapes, as shown herein, or other shapes, which will allow for cutting of progressive lenses therein for the user. For example, one such shape, as shown in the figures, has a wider diameter adjacent the two ends of the curved first lens portion and narrows and extends toward the middle.
This preferred shape allows for portions of the projecting portion to extend closer to the bridge of the nose, while concurrently extending to the temple and well below the nose. This extended rectangular shape with a curve extending from a nose-side to the lower edge allows for formation of progressive lenses which are highly customized to a user where the progressive lens can be both horizontal from top to bottom and sideways from nose to temple. Since the surrounding section of the first lens portion is significantly thinner than the unitary portion of the projecting portion and first lens portion, the formed lens or shield can be configured for users.
Additionally shown is a preferred removable tooling engagement member which may be formed as part of the unitary lens. By formation of this tooling engagement member, in a break away or removable engagement extending perpendicular from the axis of the unitary lens and in a centered position, it allows for machining of the raised surfaces of the projecting portions to form corrective lenses by an engagement of the unitary structure to a lens machining apparatus using the removable projecting member. As noted, this tooling engagement, and the unitary structure of the first lens and projecting portion, overcomes the problems associated with the prior art, where the large curved panoramic first lens portion blocks engagement in a conventional fashion to lens grinding machines. Once the projecting portion surface or surfaces have been properly machined to the corrective lens, the projecting member can be removed by breaking a frangible portion or cutting it from the side edge.
Finally, the unitary lens herein is especially well adapted to the formation of protective eyewear, as well as for sport goggles and the like. This is because a plurality of raised portions may be permanently engaged and extend from the first surface of the first lens portion surrounding the raised portions, and the first lens portion is large and panoramic and has thin edges, the unitary structure provides a goggle which is protected from fogging and the like. Further, as noted above, a wafer or layer of polarizing film may be positioned between the lenses, or within the pre formed projecting portions which are later co-molded to the first lens portion, thereby providing polarized eyewear to the user for high glare conditions.
In all modes, both the first lens portion surrounding the engaged projecting portion, and the projecting portion or portions, may be formed of polycarbonate plastic or other optically suitable polymeric or plastic materials, such as a monomer plastic, or a “High Index” plastic.
With respect to the above description, before explaining at least one preferred embodiment of the herein disclosed eyewear invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangement of the steps in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The unitary lens invention herein described is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways which will become obvious to those skilled in the art on reading this disclosure. 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.
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 designing and carrying out the present disclosed system and eyewear apparatus. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent construction and methodology insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Other aspects of the present invention shall be more readily understood when considered in conjunction with the above noted accompanying drawings, and the following detailed description, neither of which should be considered limiting.
Now referring to drawings of
A particularly preferred shape of the projecting portions 16 is shown in
This preferred shape allows for portions of the projecting portions 16 to extend closer to the bridge of the nose, while concurrently extending to the temple and well below the nose. This extended rectangular shape, with a curve extending from a nose-side of the projections 16 to a lower edge adjacent both ends of the first lens portion 12, allows for formation of progressive lenses, using the projecting portions 16, and prescriptive eyewear which are highly customized, as the formed progressive lens can be both horizontal from top to bottom, and sideways from nose end to temple end.
Shown in
In the depiction of
Instead, at or adjacent to, the intersection 20 of the surface of the sidewall 18 deviates from a planar or straight surface, with an angled portion or curved portion of the surface communicating between the sidewall 18, and the first surface 14. Currently, the angled intersection of
Thus, the non linear intersection as defined herein, can be any of a group of non linear intersections, including an intersection formed by a curved surface extending between said first end of said sidewall and said first surface of said first lens portion as in
As shown in
In
A perspective view of this configuration is shown in
In
Shown in
Another goggle or protective eyewear mode is shown in
Where filtered optics are desired or required in the device 10 herein in any mode, such is depicted in
While all of the fundamental characteristics and features of the software enabled employee management and matching 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 or steps in the invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features or steps without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth. It should also be understood that various substitutions, modifications, and variations may 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 are included within the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
This application is a Continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/754,506 filed on Feb. 22, 2018 which was a national filing of PCT/US16/49110 filed on Aug. 26, 2016, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/210,024 filed on Aug. 26, 2015, all of which are incorporated in their respective entirety by this reference thereto.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62210024 | Aug 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 15754506 | Feb 2018 | US |
Child | 16853259 | US |