Patent Application
20180256942
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
Not Applicable
This invention relates generally to the field of swimming aids and more specifically to a swim goggle with video camera and monitor providing direction assistance to the user.
When competitive swimmers are moving forward in the water it is necessary for them to stay on course to achieve the best time. Open water swimmers must look up periodically to view a visual indicator, be it a floating buoy or an object on shore, and to then correct their course so that they are moving as straight a direction as possible within the context of the agreed upon course. The action of looking up and then adjusting direction is time consuming and can be the difference in winning or losing a race.
One way of helping a swimmer to stay on course would be to use a GPS system and provide audible cues to the swimmer. This was proposed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,837,827 by Wa; C. Lee et al. However, this system requires that the swimmer pre-set the route that he or she is swimming which can be time consuming and complicated. Additionally; The GPS signal may be inhibited by the presence of water since the antenna may be underwater for periods of time. Finally, there may be swimming locations that do not have an Internet signal.
Other devices allow for water resistant head mounting video cameras that can allow a swimmer the ability to record his or her swimming activity. But there is no monitor placed near the user's eye to let him see what the camera sees. The new Goggle Glass product includes a small monitor that faces the user's eye but does not include a camera that is placed in the proper orientation for a swimmer to use while swimming. Additionally, the Goggle Glass product is not water resistant.
The primary object of the invention is to provide a swim goggle that includes a built in video camera and micro monitor that allows a swimmer to check the direction of their swimming course without having to lift his or her head out of the water.
Another object of the invention is to provide a direction assist swim goggle that attaches the camera to the strap at the rear of the user's head and pointed forward, in a parallel path to the water surface, when the swimmer has his face in the water.
Another object of the invention is to provide a direction assist swim goggle that positions the micro monitor on one side of the swim goggle lens and facing the user's eye.
A further object of the invention is to provide a direction assist swim goggle that encloses the cable assembly and video processing circuit within a hollow portion of the swim goggle headband.
Another object of the invention is to provide a direction assist swim goggle whose electronic components are enclosed in a water resistant fashion.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following descriptions, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, there is disclosed a swim goggle with direction assist comprising: a digital video camera member, a camera housing, a micro video monitor member, a first connecting cable, a second connecting cable, a video processing circuit, a rechargeable power supply, a flexible strap, a swim goggle lens set, said digital camera member enclosed within said camera housing, said micro video monitor member housed in a transparent hollow protrusion within one side of one of said goggle lens, said video processing circuit and said rechargeable power, supply housed within a pocket located on said flexible strap, said first connecting cable connecting said digital video camera member to said video processing circuit, said second connecting cable connecting said video processing circuit to said micro video monitor member, said first and second connecting cables housed within said pocket in said flexible strap, said strap connected on each end to said goggle lens set, said rechargeable power supply supplying electrical power to all electrical components and housed within said pocket on said flexible strap, and said strap pocket, said camera housing and said hollow camera protrusion all being water resistant.
The drawings constitute a part of this specification and include exemplary embodiments to the invention, which may be embodied in various forms. It is to be understood that in some instances various aspects of the invention may be shown exaggerated or enlarged to facilitate an understanding of the invention.
Detailed descriptions of the preferred embodiment are provided herein. It is to be understood, however, that the present invention may be embodied in various forms. Therefore, specific details disclosed herein are not to be interpreted as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching one skilled in the art to employ the present invention in virtually any appropriately detailed system, structure or manner.
Referring now to
In a second version of the alternate embodiment as shown in
While the invention has been described in connection with a preferred embodiment, it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention to the particular form set forth, but on the contrary, it is intended to cover such alternatives, modifications, and equivalents as may be included within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.
