Abstract: A headgear for a head safety product such as a face shield, hardhat or welding helmet includes a spring buffered cradle mounted on the horizontal band of the headgear to improve the fit, function, stability and comfort of the headgear. The cradle is flexible and has a concave inner surface contoured to conform to the shape of the head. A spring element is coupled between the cradle and the horizontal band to buffer the tension between the band and the head and more equally distribute pressure across the head. In a preferred embodiment, an occipital cradle includes two leaf springs coupled to the rear portion of the horizontal band.

Abstract: An adapter for mounting a face shield on a hard hat self-centers and aligns itself with respect to the hard hat brim. An arcuate main body has an arcuate guard portion that extends over the hard hat brim. A central retention tab engages the front edge of the hard hat brim. Opposing guide channels engage the side edges of the hard hat brim and limit rotation of the main body with respect to the hard hat. Cantilever springs within the guide channels engage the side edges of the hard hat brim to self-center the brim with respect to the main body. A retention member extending around the back of the hard hat secures the main body to the hard hat. A face shield mounting bracket is pivotally mounted to the main body portion and supports a face shield. A clutching mechanism helps control the orientation of the face shield.

Abstract: A headgear for a head safety product such as a face shield, hardhat or welding helmet includes a spring buffered cradle mounted on the horizontal band of the headgear to improve the fit, function, stability and comfort of the headgear. The cradle is flexible and has a concave inner surface contoured to conform to the shape of the head. A spring element is coupled between the cradle and the horizontal band to buffer the tension between the band and the head and more equally distribute pressure across the head. In a preferred embodiment, an occipital cradle includes two leaf springs coupled to the rear portion of the horizontal band.

Abstract: A headgear for a head safety product such as a face shield, hardhat or welding helmet includes a spring buffered cradle mounted on the horizontal band of the headgear to improve the fit, function, stability and comfort of the headgear. The cradle is flexible and has a concave inner surface contoured to conform to the shape of the head. A spring element is coupled between the cradle and the horizontal band to buffer the tension between the band and the head and more equally distribute pressure across the head. In a preferred embodiment, an occipital cradle includes two leaf springs coupled to the rear portion of the horizontal band.

Abstract: An improved face shield assembly universally fits to most hard hats and includes a dual-point pivot system which allows the face shield to be located in a “down” as-used position, an “up” as-used position and a “stowed” position above the hard hat. The improved face shield assembly includes three separate brackets, namely a main mounting bracket secured to the brim of a hard hat, a rotating bracket pivotably mounted to the main mounting bracket and a lens mounting bracket pivotably mounted to the rotating bracket. Spring-loaded struts stabilize and retain the lens mounting bracket in the as-used and stowed positions relative to the rotating bracket.

Abstract: An improved face shield assembly universally fits to most hard hats and includes a dual-point pivot system which allows the face shield to be located in a “down” as-used position, an “up” as-used position and a “stowed” position above the hard hat. The improved face shield assembly includes three separate brackets, namely a main mounting bracket secured to the brim of a hard hat, a rotating bracket pivotably mounted to the main mounting bracket and a lens mounting bracket pivotably mounted to the rotating bracket. Spring-loaded struts stabilize and retain the lens mounting bracket in the as-used and stowed positions relative to the rotating bracket.

Abstract: A face shield includes a crown, a head gear, and a lens removably secured to the crown with a latch lever having a wide paddle-shaped actuator that is easily manipulated from the rearward edge of the crown. The crown has an opposing pair of studs extending inwardly from the lower edge. The upper edge of the lens includes an opposing pair of keyhole-shaped slots adjacent its opposing side edges which receive and rotatably engage the studs. The engagement end of the latch includes a spaced pair of detents. The fulcrum is secured to an inner surface of the crown so that the engagement end of the latch extends toward the front edge of the crown and the upper actuator end extends toward the rearward edge of the crown. The upper edge of the lens includes a pair of spaced openings that releasably engage the detents on the latch lever.

Abstract: A headgear for a head safety product such as a face shield, hardhat or welding helmet includes a spring buffered cradle mounted on the horizontal band of the headgear to improve the fit, function, stability and comfort of the headgear. The cradle is flexible and has a concave inner surface contoured to conform to the shape of the head. A spring element is coupled between the cradle and the horizontal band to buffer the tension between the band and the head and more equally distribute pressure across the head. In a preferred embodiment, an occipital cradle includes two leaf springs coupled to the rear portion of the horizontal band.

Abstract: A face shield includes a crown, a head gear, and a lens removably secured to the crown with a latch lever having a wide paddle-shaped actuator that is easily manipulated from the rearward edge of the crown. The crown has an opposing pair of studs extending inwardly from the lower edge. The upper edge of the lens includes an opposing pair of keyhole-shaped slots adjacent its opposing side edges which receive and rotatably engage the studs. The engagement end of the latch includes a spaced pair of detents. The fulcrum is secured to an inner surface of the crown so that the engagement end of the latch extends toward the front edge of the crown and the upper actuator end extends toward the rearward edge of the crown. The upper edge of the lens includes a pair of spaced openings that releasably engage the detents on the latch lever.

Abstract: A temple bar assembly for eyeglasses is provided having several adjustable members wherein all of the joints are formed by utilizing in-mold-assembly techniques to reduce the assembly steps required to form such a temple bar assembly. The temple bar assembly includes at least one of the following adjustment points: temple length, inclination angle and/or hinge attachment all formed using IMA while further resulting in a temple bar that has increased adjustability and utility. Also, the materials selected may include either hard or soft plastics to form either component.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pair of protective eyewear that includes a frame having a brow portion with a top surface and a bottom portion with a bottom surface. The frame is configured and arranged to be secured against a wearer's face wherein the brow portion conforms to the wearer's forehead and the bottom portion conforms around the wearer's nose and cheekbones. A lens is interfittingly engaged with the frame. The frame and the lens define an interior portion of the eyewear and an exterior portion of the eyewear. The frame includes a number of vent structures, and each of the vent structures has a vent opening. The vent opening is in fluid connection between the interior portion and the exterior portion of the eyewear. The protective eyewear includes at least one vent accessory configured and arranged to releasably couple to at least one of the vent structures.

Abstract: A temple bar assembly for eyeglasses is provided having several adjustable members wherein all of the joints are formed by utilizing in-mold-assembly techniques to reduce the assembly steps required to form such a temple bar assembly. The temple bar assembly includes at least one of the following adjustment points: temple length, inclination angle and/or hinge attachment all formed using IMA while further resulting in a temple bar that has increased adjustability and utility. Also, the materials selected may include either hard or soft plastics to form either component.

Abstract: A novel nose pad assembly for eyeglasses is provided wherein the support and nose pad are formed as a fully articulating ball and socket joint. The ball and socket joint provides excellent adjustability of the nose pads in a simple mechanical construction. In a unique method of forming the nose pad assembly the support structure (ball) is formed in a first molding step and an adjustable pad member is molded directly over the ball of the support structure in a second molding step. The present invention utilized in-mold-assembly techniques to reduce the assembly steps required to form such a nose pad assembly while further resulting in a nose pad that has increased adjustability and utility. Alternately, the pad portion may be formed first and the support structure formed second. Also, the materials selected may include either hard or soft plastics to form either component.

Abstract: The safety eyewear includes a one-piece molded lens frame, and left and right temple bar assemblies. The one-piece lens frame includes a brow bar portion, a central bridge portion, a nose piece portion, and left and right lens frame eyewires that cooperate with the brow bar and bridge to define left and right lens openings. An over-molded elastomeric material is also used to provide soft bumpers in the inner side of the brow bar and a soft cushion on the inner surfaces of the nose piece. The creative and selective use of the over-molded material thus provides both decorative and aesthetic features while also providing functional cushioned areas.

Abstract: A frame assembly for eyeglasses is provided wherein the overall width of the eyeglass frame is adjustable by utilizing a telescoping brow bar. The upper frame member or brow bar is formed to include either a pair of telescoping or indexed joints allowing the length of the brow bar to be adjusted thereby placing the hinge points and temple bars further apart from one another. The adjustable length of the brow bar provides excellent adjustability of the overall width of the eyeglass frame in simple mechanical construction. Further, in a unique method of forming the adjustable brow bar assembly a central portion may be formed in a first molding step and an adjustable hinge section is then molded directly over the central portion in a second molding step. The present invention utilizes in-mold-assembly techniques to reduce the assembly steps required to form such an adjustable brow bar assembly while further resulting in an eyeglass frame that has increased adjustability and utility.

Abstract: A novel hinge assembly for eyeglasses is provided wherein a first structural member for the hinge structure is formed in a first molding step and a second structural member of the hinge structure is formed directly over a portion of the first structural member in a second molding step. The present invention utilizes in-mold-assembly techniques to reduce the assembly steps required to form such a hinge assembly while further resulting in a hinge assembly that has increased adjustability and utility. Specifically, the overmolded components form a ball and socket type joint allowing a large degree of lateral rotation in one direction and a limited amount of freedom in a second direction. This hinge allows the temple portion of the eyeglasses to be folded against the brow bar and the inclination angle between the temples and the brow bar to be adjusted.

Abstract: Disclosed is a pair of protective eyewear that includes a frame having a brow portion with a top surface and a bottom portion with a bottom surface. The frame is configured and arranged to be secured against a wearer's face wherein the brow portion conforms to the wearer's forehead and the bottom portion conforms around the wearer's nose and cheekbones. A lens is interfittingly engaged with the frame. The frame and the lens define an interior portion of the eyewear and an exterior portion of the eyewear. The frame includes a number of vent structures, and each of the vent structures has a vent opening. The vent opening is in fluid connection between the interior portion and the exterior portion of the eyewear. The protective eyewear includes at least one vent accessory configured and arranged to releasably couple to at least one of the vent structures.

Abstract: A novel frame construction for eyeglasses is provided wherein the upper frame member is formed to have greatly enhanced flexibility to increase the overall adjustability, comfort and fit of the eyeglasses. The upper frame member includes areas wherein the material is selectively weakened to create predetermined flex points periodically within the frame member. Additionally, the weakened areas may be filled and/or covered with a second material that is more flexible than the base material used to form the frame member. The enhanced flexibility allows the upper frame member to flex as the temple members of the eyeglasses are stretched outwardly providing a comfortable fit for a wide range of wearers. Further, the top edge of the eyeglass lens may include formations that provide clearance for the deflection of the top frame member.