SWIM GOGGLES WITH FLUID-FILLED FRAMES

Abstract

Swim goggles have a peripheral frame enclosing at least one lens and a strap connected to opposite ends of the frame. The peripheral frame encloses a channel extending through the frame. The channel contains a fluid and at least one decorative object. The decorative objects can match the shape of the lenses or can be of any shape, or even be in the form of glitter. The decorative objects are suspended in the liquid and create a decorative effect that is viewable through the material of the frame, yet does not affect visibility through the lenses.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to swim goggles that have a decorative frame. In particular, the invention relates to swim goggles that have a hollow frame filled with fluid and decorative objects.

2. The Prior Art

Swim goggles are used by swimmers to keep water out of their eyes while in a pool or open water. Children's swim goggles are often decorated with bright colors, shapes and other decorative objects, to make the more attractive and thus encourage their use.

United States Patent Application No. 2009/0271915A1 to Ross discloses a dynamic scenery swim mask having a liquid filled lens that contains decorative elements that float across the lens while in use, creating a decorative effect.

While this might seem attractive at first, the liquid and decorative objects can obscure the swimmer's vision and be very distracting. It would be desirable to create a swim goggle that can achieve the decorative effect of floating objects without interfering in the user's vision.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a swim goggle having a fluid-filled frame that holds decorative objects, so that the decorative effect can be obtained without interfering with the wearer's vision.

The swim goggle of the present invention is created by molding a frame onto a lens, with the frame having a channel extending around each of the eye portions and being enclosed by the lens. Padding that surrounds the periphery of each eye portion is then attached on the opposite face of the lens. Alternatively, the frame can be made by separately molding a front half and a rear half of each frame, with each of the halves includes a cavity extending around a circumference of each of the eye portions, so that when the two halves are welded together, a closed channel extends around the eye portions of the frame. The lens can then be inserted and padding added. In either version, the channel can be filled with a fluid, such as glycerin, water, oil or any suitable fluid. Furthermore, any suitable type of solid decorative object can be added to the fluid to increase the decorative effect. The cross-section of the channel can have any shape, such as square, rectangular or round. The channel can be divided into several subsections, so that separate compartments of fluid and decorative objects exist. For example if the goggles enclose two separate lenses, each part of the frame surrounding each lens could form a separate channel. The decorative objects in each channel could be the same, or the channels could contain different objects. The two lenses could be connected by a solid nosepiece. The nosepiece could also contain a channel that connects the channels surrounding the lenses.

The fluid can be of any color, or can be colorless. In addition, the frame can be made of any translucent or transparent material such as polypropylene. The frame can be colored or colorless. The decorative objects can be of any size as long as they fit within the channel formed by the closed frame. The objects can be as small as glitter particles, or as large as miniature toys.

The frame could be made in a variety of different shapes, to accommodate differ shaped lenses. For example, heart-shaped or round frames could be used. The decorative object could match the shape of the lenses. For example, if the lenses are heart-shaped, the decorative objects could be heart-shaped as well.

The frame and lens or lenses can be molded integrally from one piece. For example, the front portion of the frame and lenses can form a single piece, and the rear portion could then be welded on to form the closed channel. Alternatively, the lenses could be made separately and inserted into the frame. The lenses are preferably made of polycarbonate, but other materials could also be used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed as an illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawings, wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of one embodiment of the swim goggles according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section of the swim goggles along lines II-II of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of the swim goggles according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

Referring now in detail to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 show the swim goggles 1 according to the invention, having heart-shaped frames 20 surrounded by a frame 10. Frame 10 comprises two frame-surrounding front portions 11 connected by a nose piece 12. Front portions 11 each have a channel 12 therein and are fused to the lens 20 to create a closed annular compartment. Channel 17 is filled with a fluid 13, as well as decorative objects 14. In this case, decorative objects 14 are small heart-shaped objects, which match the shape of the lenses 20.

Attached to the rear side of lenses 20 is soft padding 15 that surrounds the perimeter of lenses 20, for sealing the goggles 1 to a wearer's face in an air-tight manner. This padding can be made of an elastomeric material that is flexible and can form an air-tight seal between frame 11 and the wearer's face. A strap 30 is connected to each side of frame 10 to secure goggles 1 to the wearer's head.

An alternative embodiment is shown in FIG. 3. Here, frame 40 is formed of two round eye portions 41 connected by a nose piece 12. Eye portions 41 surround round lenses 21 and contain a channel 42 that encloses a fluid 43 and decorative objects 44. Here, the objects 44 are star-shaped. The goggles function in the same way as goggles 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

Accordingly, while only a few embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Claims

1. Swim goggles comprising a peripheral frame enclosing at least one lens, wherein the peripheral frame encloses a channel extending through the frame, and wherein the channel contains at least one decorative object.

2. The swim goggles according to claim 1, wherein the frame encloses two lenses and has two channels, each channel surrounding a respective one of the lenses.

3. The swim goggles according to claim 1, wherein the frame is transparent.

4. The swim goggles according to claim 1, wherein the channel contains a fluid that is selected from the group consisting of water, glycerin and oil.

5. The swim goggles according to claim 1, wherein the at least one decorative object comprises glitter.

6. The swim goggles according to claim 2, wherein the decorative object matches the shape of the lenses.

7. The swim goggles according to claim 2, wherein each lens is heart-shaped.

8. The swim goggles according to claim 2, wherein each lens is round.

9. The swim goggles according to claim 1, wherein the at least one lens is molded integrally with the frame.

10. The swim goggles according to claim 1 further comprising a strap having two ends, each end connected to the frame.

11. The swim goggles according to claim 1, further comprising padding surrounding the at least one lens, the padding being configured for creating an air-tight seal between the frame and a wearer when the goggles are placed on a wearer's face.