EYEWEAR PROTECTION COVER
An eyewear protection apparatus includes: a first body shaped to cover a front surface of eyewear frames when attached to the eyewear; a second body shaped to cover a back surface of the eyewear frames; and a hinge mechanism pivotally connecting the first body and the second body.
This application is a National Stage Entry of PCT/US2017/058194, filed on Oct. 25, 2017, which is a non-provisional of, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/412,443, entitled “Eyewear protection cover with one-step—one hand operation,” filed on Oct. 25, 2016, and now expired; all of which are incorporated by reference in their entirety herein.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to the field of mechanical apparatus and, more specifically, to mechanical apparatus for the protection of eyewear.
BACKGROUNDEyewear is an expensive investment. The advent of new lens materials and coatings has made the protection of the glass even more important. All too often, however, the solution in the current state of the art is to place the eyewear into a case. This certainly works to protect the eyewear, but adds bulk and weight. The best protection is one that is actually used, so a bulky case that is left aside is not doing its job of protecting the eyewear. Other protective methods involve sleeves or bags. While addressing the issue of bulk, these do little to protect against impact.
Furthermore, protective cases, sleeves, and other solutions currently found in the art typically require the use of two hands: one hand for the case, the other hand for the eyewear. For busy people on the go, having two hands free is not always an option. In summary, the current state of the art presents eyewear protection solutions that are bulky, too big to carry in pant pockets or small purses, and require two hands to place and withdraw the eyewear.
SUMMARYBriefly, according to an embodiment, an eyewear protection apparatus includes: a first body shaped to cover a front surface of eyewear lenses when attached to the eyewear; a second body shaped to cover a back surface of the eyewear lenses; and a hinge mechanism pivotally coupling the first body and the second body.
According to another embodiment, an eyewear protection apparatus further includes right and left lateral lens guards in each of the first body and the second body; and a hinge mechanism pivotally coupling the first body to the second body. The hinge mechanism includes an attachment device attaching the hinge mechanism to the first body and the second body.
The accompanying figures where like reference numerals refer to identical or functionally similar elements throughout the separate views, and which together with the detailed description below are incorporated in and form part of the specification, serve to further illustrate various embodiments and to explain various principles and advantages all in accordance with the present disclosure, in which:
While certain aspects of conventional technologies and methods in the relevant art have been discussed to facilitate disclosure of the invention, Applicant in no way disclaims these technical aspects or methods, and it is contemplated that the claimed invention may encompass one or more of the conventional technical aspects or methods discussed herein.
In the description below and in the accompanying drawings, reference is made to particular features of the invention. It should be understood that the disclosure of the invention in this specification includes all possible combinations of such particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment of the invention, or a particular claim, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in combination with and/or in the context of other particular aspects and embodiments of the invention, and in the invention generally.
In view of the foregoing, embodiments of the invention are directed toward an eyewear protection apparatus. The apparatus includes a front cover portion (first body) and a back cover portion (second body). The front cover portion and the back cover portion are pivotally attached at a common point. The front and back covers are configured to substantially cover the lenses of the eyewear while not obstructing the legs of the eyewear frame. In some embodiments, the front cover portion spans a wider area than the back cover portion. As an example, assume a pair of sunglasses measure 12 centimeters from hinge to hinge. In certain embodiments, using the sunglasses example, the front cover portion is approximately the same width (12 cm), whereas the back cover portion is approximately 10-11 centimeters to allow for a proper fit.
The eyewear protection apparatus, as described, is slim, light, customizable and easy to store. Furthermore, it is easily operated with one hand. Still further, the protective cover can be placed on or removed from the eyewear in one step, with one hand.
The first body 120 has an outer surface and an inner surface. The outer surface faces away from the lenses (not shown). The inner surface (not shown) faces towards the lenses. The eyewear protection apparatus 100 can further include a detachable cushion, pad 170, or other non-abrasive material that serves to absorb the energy of impact and protect the lenses. Additional embodiments of the eyewear protection apparatus 100 also contemplate the use of non-abrasive materials, such as microfiber, for the surfaces that may come into contact with the actual lenses.
The first body 120 is the portion that protects the front surface of the eyewear lenses. The second body 140 protects the back surface of the eyewear lenses.
The second body 140 is structurally similar to the first body 120 but configured to cover the back surface of the eyewear lenses and it is generally smaller to allow ease of insertion of the eyewear and for accommodating nose pads and hinges. The non-limiting example depicted in
Pivotally coupling the first body 120 with the second body 140 is a hinge mechanism 150. The hinge mechanism 150 includes a housing with two hinge body members 158a and 158b that each end in grip portions 152a and 152b, respectively. Hinge body member 158a attaches to first body 120 and hinge body member 158b attaches to second body 140. The hinge mechanism 150 joins the two bodies with at least one hinge disposed in at least one hinge attach point. In the embodiment shown in
The grip portions 152a and 152b are configured such that by pressing or “pinching” the two grip portions 152a and 152b together, the first body 120 and the second body 140 pivot at the hinge attach point and open or separate from each other. The result is that, by pressing the grip portions 152a and 152b together, a user may separate the first and second bodies in order to place eyewear between the first and second bodies. Releasing the pinched grip portions 152a and 152b results in the first and second bodies coming back together, encasing the eyewear lenses and protecting them from scratches or impact. To provide additional protection, optional detachable lens cushions, or pads 170 can be affixed to the inside surfaces of first body 120 and second body 140.
The eyewear protection apparatus 100 shown in
In
Referring to
Further embodiments of the present invention may include other features or structures. In particular, features from one embodiment can be used with another embodiment. While particular embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
In light of the foregoing description, it should be recognized that embodiments in accordance with the present invention can be realized in numerous configurations contemplated to be within the scope and spirit of the claims. Additionally, the description above is intended by way of example only and is not intended to limit the present invention in any way.
Claims
1. An eyewear protection apparatus comprising:
- a first body shaped to substantially cover a front surface of an eyewear lens when attached to the eyewear, the first body comprising: an inner surface facing towards the front surface of the eyewear lens; and an outer surface facing away from the front surface of the eyewear lens; and
- a second body shaped to substantially cover a back surface of an eyewear lens when attached to the eyewear, the second body comprising: an inner surface facing towards the back surface of the eyewear lens; and an outer surface facing away from the back surface of the eyewear lens when attached to the eyewear; and
- a hinge mechanism pivotally connecting the first body to the second body on a pivotal axis.
2. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first body is formed from a durable, lightweight material comprising plastic, polycarbonate, wood, rubber, silicone, metal, and microfiber.
3. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the hinge mechanism is selected from a group consisting of: a continuous piano hinge, a pin-and-knuckle hinge, a spring-loaded clip, and a clamshell hinge.
4. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 3 wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a mechanical biasing element applying a force to the first body and the second body, maintaining the eyewear protection apparatus in a closed state until counterforce is applied.
5. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one detachable lens pad shaped to substantially match the eyewear lens, the detachable lens pad removably attached to the inner surface of at least one of the first body and the second body.
6. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 5 wherein the at least one detachable lens pad is shaped with a concave form on a surface facing the eyewear lens.
7. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 6 wherein the at least one detachable lens pad comprises a raised portion along part of an edge of the surface facing the eyewear lens.
8. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a latching mechanism to sustain a closed state, the latching mechanism comprising at least one of: a magnetic latch and a mechanical latch.
9. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first body and the second body are formed to substantially cover an eyewear frame, including both lenses and an eyewear bridge.
10. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first body and the second body are formed to substantially cover only the eyewear lens and further comprising a second eyewear protection apparatus comprising an additional first body and an additional second body, the second eyewear protection apparatus in axial alignment with the eyewear protection apparatus.
11. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 10 further comprising an attachment device attaching the second eyewear protection apparatus to the eyewear protection apparatus.
12. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first body is wider than the second body.
13. The eyewear protection apparatus of 10 wherein the hinge mechanism comprises a winged attachment portion in contact with the eyewear protection apparatus and the second eyewear protection apparatus.
14. An eyewear protection apparatus comprising:
- a first body protecting a front surface of eyewear lenses, the first body comprising: a right front lens guard with a first hinge attach location; a left front lens guard with a second hinge attach location, the left front lens guard in axial alignment with the right front lens guard; wherein the right front lens guard and the left front lens guards are shaped to substantially match a shape and size of the eyewear lenses to be protected;
- a second body protecting a back surface of the eyewear lenses, the second body pivotally coupled with the first body on a pivotal axis, the second body comprising: a right back lens guard with a third hinge attach location; a left back lens guard with a fourth hinge attach location, the left back lens guard in axial alignment with the right back lens guard; wherein the right back lens guard and the left back lens guards are of a smaller size than the right front lens guard and the left front lens guard, respectively; and
- a hinge mechanism comprising: a front portion with an attachment device attaching the hinge mechanism to the first body via the first and second hinge attach locations; a front protruding grip; a back portion with an attachment device attaching the hinge mechanism to the second body via the third and fourth hinge attach locations; a back protruding grip; and a hinge pivotally coupling the front portion and the back portion.
15. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 14 further comprising detachable lens pads shaped to substantially match the eyewear lenses.
16. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 15 wherein the detachable lens pads are shaped with a concave form on a surface facing the eyewear lenses.
17. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 15 wherein the detachable lens pads are shaped with a raised edge such that only the raised edge makes contact with the eyewear when the eyewear protection apparatus is attached to the eyewear.
18. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the attachment device is one of a ball and joint mechanism and a cylinder, allowing rotation of the first and second bodies.
19. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 14 wherein the hinge mechanism further comprises a mechanical biasing element applying a force to the first body and the second body, maintaining the eyewear protection apparatus in a closed state until counterforce is applied.
20. The eyewear protection apparatus of claim 14 further comprising a latching mechanism to sustain a closed state when attached to the eyewear, the latching mechanism comprising at least one of: a magnetic latch and a mechanical latch.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 25, 2017
Publication Date: Mar 5, 2020
Inventor: GONZALO FERNANDEZ (MIAMI, FL)
Application Number: 16/344,142