COMPRESSED GAS LENS CLEANING APPARATUS
An apparatus for cleaning eyewear lenses includes: a wearable article or an accessory and a gas supply conduit provided within the wearable article or accessory. The gas supply conduit has a spray nozzle connected to one end of the gas supply conduit and one or more compressed gas storage containers connected to the other end of the gas supply conduit. An actuator is provided to release gas from the compressed gas storage container(s) through the gas supply conduit and out the spray nozzle. The gas in the compressed gas storage container is pressurized to a level sufficient to remove at least one of water, ice, snow, perspiration, dirt, and dust from the eyewear lenses.
This application claims the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/449,419, which is incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of Invention
The present application generally relates to an apparatus for cleaning eyewear lenses.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
Clear vision and eye protection is needed for individuals participating in outdoor recreational or occupational activities. Such recreational activities may include snow sports (including skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, snowmobiling, and sledding), cycling, mountain biking, motorcycling, hiking, climbing, water sports (including jet skiing, waterskiing, and tubing), and hunting. Such occupations may be in industries such as construction, lumber, agriculture, and utilities. In addition, military, police, and other safety personnel often operate in environments where clear vision is significant to safety and performance.
Goggles and other types of eyewear have been developed to maintain clear vision and reduce injury in a variety of environments and conditions. In particular, specialized eyewear has been developed for use in the sports and occupations described above. Moreover, goggle and eyewear makers have developed many innovations to improve their products, including different lens styles, tints, optics, materials, and anti-fog capabilities. Advances in micro-electronics have also opened new opportunities for lens manufacturers. Digital information on location, speed, elevation, and other aspects of sport performance or tactical operations can be projected on lenses to enhance the user experience or improve mission success.
In spite of these advances, however, one aspect of vision has not been adequately addressed: the presence of vision-impairing materials on the exterior and interior surfaces of the lens. Water, ice, snow, perspiration, dust, and debris often stick to the lens and impair vision. The most common solution to this problem has been to simply wipe moisture or debris from the lens with a glove or cloth. However, this is unsatisfactory for a variety of reasons. First, the lens often remains partially or even wholly obscured after wiping, offering limited vision improvement. Second, moisture, such as in the form of freezing rain or drizzle, dirt, and other debris may be difficult to remove, require frequent wiping, and build up on the lens. Third, moisture or dirt on the lens interior is difficult to remove using known techniques. Fourth, many lenses have a protective coating that can be damaged by wiping, especially when wet. Fifth, wiping may be time consuming, and some individuals cannot remove their hands from their equipment for more than a very brief period of time. For example, a climber cannot take his or her hands off the ropes for very long. Sixth, when eyewear is coated with dust or debris, the vision-impairing material is often abrasive, and wiping may scratch or damage the lens surface.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTIONThe following summary presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the systems and/or methods discussed herein. This summary is not an extensive overview of the systems and/or methods discussed herein. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of such systems and/or methods. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In accordance with one aspect, an apparatus for cleaning eyewear lenses is provided. The apparatus includes: at least one of a wearable article and an accessory; a gas supply conduit provided within the at least one of the wearable article and the accessory, the gas supply conduit having a first end and a second end; a spray nozzle connected to the first end of the gas supply conduit; at least one compressed gas storage container connected to the second end of the gas supply conduit; and an actuator, wherein the actuator releases gas from the at least one compressed gas storage container through the gas supply conduit and out the spray nozzle, wherein the gas in the compressed gas storage container is pressurized to a level sufficient to remove at least one of water, ice, snow, perspiration, dirt, or dust from the eyewear lenses.
In accordance with another aspect, an apparatus for cleaning eyewear lenses is provided. The apparatus includes: a housing; a gas delivery system coupled to the housing; a spray valve assembly coupled to the gas delivery system; and a portable source of pressurized gas coupled to the gas delivery system, wherein the spray valve assembly includes a spray nozzle, an actuator, and a gate, the gate being biased closed to contain the pressurized gas within the gas delivery system and openable by the actuator, and wherein the portable source of pressurized gas includes a check valve that releases the gas when connected to the spray valve assembly.
Example embodiments are described and illustrated in the drawings. These illustrated examples are not intended to be limitations. For example, one or more aspects of one embodiment can be utilized in other embodiments and even other types of devices. Moreover, certain terminology is used herein for convenience only and is not to be taken as a limitation. Still further, in the drawings, the same reference numerals may be employed for designating the same or similar elements.
As shown in
The device 100 for cleaning eyewear lenses includes at least one compressed gas container 22, a gas supply conduit 9, and a spray valve assembly 10. The first housing 1 accommodates the gas supply conduit 9 and the spray valve assembly 10. The second housing 2 accommodates the compressed gas container 22 (See
The gas supply conduit 9 is disposed in the first cavity 8 of the first housing 1 and can extend from the first end 1a to the second end 1b. A first end of the gas supply conduit 9 has a female coupling body 13 with internal threads that connect to external threads of a male coupling body on the compressed gas container 22. A gas release pin 14 is located within the female coupling body 13. The gas release pin 14 releases pressurized gas from the compressed gas container 22 when the compressed gas container 22 is screwed into the female coupling body 13.
Pins 11 can be used to secure the gas supply conduit 9 within the first cavity 8. For example, four pins 11 can be positioned at 90 degree angles from each other near the first end 1a of the first housing, and similarly, four pins 11 can be positioned at 90 degree angles from each other near the second end 1b of the first housing. Additional pins 11 can be located between the first end 1a and the second end 1b of the first housing. One end of each pin 11 is secured to an internal wall of the first housing 1, and an opposite end of the pin 11 contacts the gas supply conduit 9. The pins 11 facilitate stability of the gas supply conduit 9 within the first housing 1 during use. It is to be appreciated that any suitable support structure for the gas supply conduit 9 can be used.
A second end of the gas supply conduit 9 is connected to the spray valve assembly 10. The spray valve assembly 10 includes a spray nozzle 5, an actuator, such as an activation button 15, a plunger 16, a gate 17, and a connecting pipe 18. The first end 1a of the first housing 1 can be covered with a flexible material, such as rubber or plastic, so that a user can bend or flex the material to depress or actuate the activation button 15. When the activation button 15 is depressed, such as by the user's thumb, the plunger 16 activates the gate 17. Initially, gas traveling from the compressed gas container 22 and gas supply conduit 9 is blocked by the gate 17. However, when a user pushes the button 15, the gate 17 opens and allows the compressed gas to release through the connecting pipe 18 to the spray nozzle 5. The compressed gas can thus be used to remove water, ice, snow, perspiration, dirt, dust, or other materials from eyewear lenses or from any other desired surface. When the user lets go of the activation button 15, the gate 17 closes and the gas will no longer be released.
The compressed gas container 22 has a neck with a male coupling body. External threads of the male coupling body connect to the internal threads of female coupling body 13 on the gas supply conduit 9. A check valve is located in the neck and is opened by the gas release pin 14 in the female coupling body 13. When engaged and tightened, the male coupling body and the female coupling body 13 form a seal that allows gas to pressurize the gas supply conduit 9 and the spray valve assembly 10.
The compressed gas container 22, the first housing 1, and the second housing 2 are connected in the following manner. First, the user connects the compressed gas container 22 to the gas supply conduit 9 by threading the male coupling body on the compressed gas container 22 to the female coupling body 13 on the gas supply conduit 9. Then, the user inserts the compressed gas container 22 into the cavity 8a of the second housing 2. Next, the user screws the external threads 3 of the second housing 2 into the internal threads 12 of the first housing 1. This arrangement allows the compressed gas container 22 to be stored in a secure manner and easily replaced when depleted.
Alternatively, a refillable compressed gas container 22 could be permanently connected to the gas supply conduit 9. The compressed gas container would have an air supply valve exiting the second housing 2 to enable refilling. In this embodiment, the check valve in the compressed gas container would also regulate the gas release pressure to ensure a safe pressure level within the gas supply conduit 9 and the spray valve assembly 10.
Turning back to
As shown in
As shown in
The helmet 41 has a first side 41a and a second side 41b. A storage area 42 is disposed at the second side 41b. The storage area 42 is an enclosed space with an opening for placing at least one compressed gas container 43 therein. For example, two compressed gas containers 43 are shown in
The storage area 42 can also have a space 44 for a warming element 80 that can be used to increase spray effectiveness in extremely cold conditions. Since some warming elements require sufficient exposure to oxygen, at least one air hole 45 can be incorporated into the storage area 42 for ventilation. These holes 45 can be placed so as to encourage air intake at the bottom of the storage area 42 and air exhaust at the top.
As shown in
The gas supply conduit 46 can extend from the first side 41a to the second side 41b of the helmet 41. At the second side 41b, the flexible gas supply conduit 46 is connected to the compressed gas containers 43. As shown in
The gas supply conduit 46 extends through an inlet hole 57 near the second side 41b of the helmet 41 and into the helmet interior. Guides 49 in the helmet interior route the gas supply conduit 46 toward the first side 41a of the helmet and through an exit hole 51. Three guides 49 are shown, but more or fewer guides 49 could also be used.
The helmet can also include a tensioner pulley 50. In the present example, the tensioner pulley 50 is provided at a top center portion of the helmet. The gas supply conduit 46 is wrapped around the tensioner pulley 50. The tensioner pulley 50 holds a length of the gas supply conduit 46 so that the gas supply conduit 46 can extend and retract. In particular, the tensioner pulley 50 allows the gas supply conduit 46 to extend from the first side 41a of the helmet so that a spray valve assembly 52 at a distal end of the gas supply conduit 46 can clean a user's eyewear lenses. For example, this distance could be 18 inches from the helmet 41. The tensioner pulley 50 also applies tension to the gas supply conduit 46 so that it will retract when not in use.
As shown in
A spray valve assembly 52 is connected to the gas supply conduit 46 with a female coupling body 62. As shown in
When not in use, the spray valve assembly 52 is pushed upwardly into the resting position and secured to the helmet 41 with retaining clips 56. Two retaining clips 56 can be attached to the helmet 41, with one retaining clip 56 on either side of the exit hole 51. The retaining clips 56 put pressure on the finger grips 53 and keep the spray valve assembly 52 in place.
When the spray valve assembly 52 is in the resting position, the spray nozzle 54 rests against the helmet 41. The helmet 41 may be provided with a vertical depression 70 extending from the exit hole 51 to the helmet edge. The vertical depression 70 provides a space for the spray nozzle 54 to travel when the spray valve assembly 52 is extended or retracted, reducing wear or damage to the spray nozzle 54.
If the helmet 41 is a duckbill design, the retaining clips 56 can be attached to the underside of the duckbill, with the spray nozzle 54 facing downward. This design negates the need for the vertical depression 70 since the spray nozzle 54 would not slide along the helmet 41 when extended or retracted.
The glove 90 has a palm side adjacent to a wearer's palm, and a back side opposite to the palm side and adjacent to the back of the wear's hand. The back side of the glove 90 includes a storage pouch 102 with an opening 104. The opening 104 can be resealable, such as by a zipper, a button or snap, hook and loop fasteners, or the like.
The device 300 for cleaning eyewear lenses is stored within the storage pouch 102 of the glove 90. Similar to
A spray nozzle 97 is disposed at a second end of the spray valve assembly 91. Although the majority of the device 300 is disposed within the storage pouch 102, the spray nozzle 97 extends through a hole 105 in the glove 90. See
When a user presses the activation button 94, such as be using his or her opposite hand, the activation cable 96 opens a gate 99 in the spray valve assembly 91. Initially, gas traveling from the compressed gas container 92 and spray valve assembly 91 is blocked by the gate 99. However, when a user pushes the activation button 94, the gate 99 allows gas to release through spray nozzle 97. The user can position the spray nozzle 97 to direct gas toward the interior or exterior of an eyewear lens in order to remove water, ice, snow, perspiration, dirt, dust, or other materials thereon.
Because the storage pouch 102 is resealable, the device 300 can be easily removed from the glove, such as to replace the compressed gas container 92. The storage pouch 102 of the glove 90 can also have a space for a warming element that can be used to increase spray effectiveness in extremely cold conditions.
Modifications and alterations of the example devices will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. Example embodiments incorporating one or more aspects are intended to include all such modifications and alterations.
Claims
1. An apparatus for cleaning eyewear lenses including:
- at least one of a wearable article and an accessory;
- a gas supply conduit provided within the at least one of the wearable article and the accessory, the gas supply conduit having a first end and a second end;
- a spray nozzle connected to the first end of the gas supply conduit;
- at least one compressed gas storage container connected to the second end of the gas supply conduit; and
- an actuator, wherein the actuator releases gas from the at least one compressed gas storage container through the gas supply conduit and out the spray nozzle,
- wherein the gas in the compressed gas storage container is pressurized to a level sufficient to remove at least one of water, ice, snow, perspiration, dirt, and dust from the eyewear lenses.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a warming element configured to raise a temperature of the compressed gas within the gas storage container.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the warming element includes a hand warming pad.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a spray valve assembly, the spray valve assembly including the spray nozzle, the actuator, a plunger, a gate, and a connecting pipe.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the accessory is a ski pole and grip.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the grip includes a first housing and the ski pole includes a second housing, the spray nozzle provided within the first housing and the compressed gas container provided within the second housing.
7. The apparatus of claim 6, the first housing comprising a cavity for receiving a warming element, the cavity including an access door.
8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wearable article is a helmet and wherein the gas storage container and the spray nozzle are coupled to the helmet.
9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a tensioner pulley coupled to the helmet, the tensioner pulley configured to extend the gas supply conduit from the helmet when desired and to retract when not in use.
10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the gas supply conduit wraps around the tensioner pulley.
11. The apparatus of claim 8, the helmet including at least one clip to secure the spray nozzle when not in use.
12. The apparatus of claim 8, the helmet including an enclosed area for storing the at least one gas storage container.
13. The apparatus of claim 12, the enclosed area having an access door.
14. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a warming device, the warming device configured to heat the compressed gas storage container.
15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the wearable article is a glove, the glove including a storage pouch configured to house the at least one gas storage container.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a warming device disposed within the storage pouch.
17. An apparatus for cleaning eyewear lenses including:
- a housing;
- a gas delivery system coupled to the housing;
- a spray valve assembly coupled to the gas delivery system; and
- a portable source of pressurized gas coupled to the gas delivery system,
- wherein the spray valve assembly includes a spray nozzle, an actuator, and a gate, the gate being biased closed to contain the pressurized gas within the gas delivery system and openable by the actuator, and
- wherein the portable source of pressurized gas includes a check valve that releases the gas when connected to the spray valve assembly.
18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the actuator is a pressure sensitive activation button at least partially covered by a flexible cover.
19. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the gas delivery system includes a supply hose of sufficient length guided through an interior of the housing to transport compressed gas to the spray valve assembly.
20. The apparatus of claim 17, further comprising a warming element configured to raise a temperature of the pressurized gas contained within the portable source of pressurized gas.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 21, 2012
Publication Date: Sep 6, 2012
Inventor: Harry J. Martin (Cleveland Heights, OH)
Application Number: 13/401,357
International Classification: A42B 1/24 (20060101); A47L 5/00 (20060101);