GB2490331A

GB2490331A - A pair of swimming goggles with an additional buffer portion

Info

Publication number: GB2490331A
Application number: GB1106888.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Herman Chiang
Original assignee: Global Esprit Inc
Current assignee: Global Esprit Inc
Priority date: 2011-04-26
Filing date: 2011-04-26
Publication date: 2012-10-31
Also published as: GB201106888D0

Abstract

A pair of swimming goggles comprising left and right lense frames 2 and 3 with lenses 80 and 81 in, a bridge element 4 connecting the frames 2 and 3, buffer portions connected to the lense frames 2 and 3 and sealing frames 52 and 62 connected to the buffer portions wherein the sealing frames 52 and 53 have substantially J shaped cross sections. The buffer portions and sealing frames 52 and 53 may have edges that have cooperating wave shaped forms 521 and 621. Polycarbonate and therma plastic rubber may be used in the construction which may be done by injection moulding. The additional buffer is designed to help prevent imprints of bruising when impacts or high pressure are placed on the goggles.

Description

Title -Swim Goggles The present invention relates to a pair of swim goggles, and more particularly to a pair of swim goggles having buffer portions help buffer the swim goggles against an external impact.

As is well-known, primary functions of swim goggles are to protect eyes and prevent them from contacting water. Therefore, it is very important that swim goggles are capable of being water permeation-proof and providing protection as well as comfort in use. Such a water permeation-proof design is fulfilled by providing seals, which are known as a foam-type seal in early times and a sucking-type seal in latter times. Both types of swim goggles are significantly improved in comfort and materials. The sucking type seal is made of soft material and formed integrally with a lens frame in order to fit better to the eye socket and to enhance comfort, which is currently a typical structure of swim goggles. The sucking type seal is generally of a substantially J' shape in cross-section in any segment thereof. The J-shaped seal functions as a buffer portion between the lens frame and the eye socket, and is deformable to fit closely to the eye socket.

Though the sucking type seal serves to buffer the swim goggles and fits to the eye socket as well, it will be over deformed by outer pressure from the lens frame and lenses when swimming or inappropriately wearing the swim goggles. Further, the deformation will become serious when the pressure is increased. As a result, the sucking type seal may over fit to the eye socket and badly affect the blood circulation thereabout. In such a circumstance, inflamed imprints or even bruises may be left after taking off the swim goggles. Besides, actions or exercise that involves strong impact on the swim goggles, such as jumping into water or triathlon, may also cause the same problems and hurt eyes because of the excessive deformation of the J-shaped seals.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide novel swim goggles which have not only protection seals used to provide comfort and a water permeation-proof function, as a first buffering against impact, but also buffer portions provided between frames and the protection seals, as a second buffering against the impact.

To achieve the above-mentioned objects, a pair of swim goggles include left and right frames having lenses therein, respectively, a bridge element connecting the left and right frames, and left and right sealing frames sealing around peripheral sides of the left and right frames and forming protection seals, respectively, each of the protection seals having a substantially J shape in cross-section in any segment thereof, and strap apparatus disposed on outer sides of the left and right frames, respectively, wherein buffer portions are provided between the protection seals and the left and right frames, respectively, so that the buffer portions and the protection seals capable of cooperatively absorbing an external impact.

In accordance with the above-mentioned features, the buffer portions and the protection seals cooperatively form wave-shaped contact faces, and the left and right frames and the lenses are integrally formed of Polycarbonate (PC) Further, the left and right sealing frames and the bridge element are integrally made of Therma Plastic Rubber (TPR), and are formed in different colors by second injection molding.

Still further, each of the strap apparatus includes a coupling base extending integrally from respective outer sides of the left and right frames, the coupling base has a position hole and a recessed portion, the position hole is allowed for a head strap drawn therethrough, and the recessed portion facilitates formation of the left and right sealing frames and the left and right frames.

Figs. I and 2 are different exploded perspective views of a pair of swim goggles of the present invention; Figs. 3 and 4 are perspective assembly views of Figs. I and 2, respectively; Fig. 5 is a front elevation view of Fig. 3; Figs. 6 to 8 are cross-sectional views taken along lines 6-6, 7-7, and 8-8 in sequence in Fig. 5.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a pair of swim goggles I of the present invention include a left frame 2 and a right frame 3, a bridge element 4, a left sealing frame 5, a right sealing frame 6 and strap apparatus 7, wherein the left and right frames 2, 3 are integrally formed with lenses 80, 81 and are made of Polycarbonate (PC). The left and right frames 2, 3 further form tongue portions 20, 30, respectively, located adjacent to the bridge element 4 and tilted upwards and outwards of the left and right frames 2, 3. Each of the tongue portions 20, 30 faces each other and is of a substantially triangle shape.

Furthermore, each of the left and right frames 2, 3 is formed with wave-shaped lips 21, 31 located at upper and lower sides thereof (the wave-shaped lips 21, 31 are part of buffer portions, described below). The strap apparatus 7 are disposed on outer sides of the left and right frames 2, 3, respectively. Each of the strap apparatus 7 includes a coupling base 70 extending integrally from respective outer sides of the left and right frames 2, 3. The coupling base 70 has a position hole 71 and a recessed portion 72.

The position hole 71 penetrates the coupling base 70 from a top to bottom of the coupling base 70 and is allowed for a head strap (not shown) drawn therethrough. The recessed portion 72 is provided with an injection hole 721 and is laterally recessed between respective lenses 80, 81 and the position holes 71. With the recessed portions 72, the coupling base 70 is firmly formed with the left and right sealing frames 5, 6. Peripheral edges of the lenses 80, 81 slightly shrink from the peripheral sides of the left and right frames 2, 3 for facilitating integrally formation with the left and right sealing frames 5, 6.

The left and right sealing frames 5, 6 seal around the left and right frames 2, 3, respectively. In this preferable embodiment, the left and right sealing frames 5, 6 and the bridge element 4 are integrally formed and made of Therma Plastic Rubber (TPR) by secondary injection molding. The left and right sealing frames 5, 6 have first portions 50, 60 and second portions 51, 61, respectively, the first portions 50, 60 sealing the peripheral sides of the left and right frames 2, 3, the second portions 51, 61, forming the protection seals 52, 62, and the first and second portions 50, 60, 51, 61 are formed integrally by secondary injection molding. Particularly note that the first portions 50, 60 are formed in different hardness and colors from the second portions 51, 61 and the bridge element 4 by the secondary injection molding. The first portions 50, 60, are provided with injection slots 53, 63, respectively, in order for facilitating formation of materials of different hardness. Further, each of the protection seals 52, 62 has a substantially J shape in cross-section in any segment thereof. The protection seals 52, 62 respectively form wave-shaped flanges 521, 621 corresponding to and engaged with the wave-shaped lips 21, 31.

The wave-shaped flanges 521, 621 are defined as another part of the buffer portions of the present invention. The buffer portions defined by the wave-shaped lips 21, 31 and the wave-shaped flanges 521, 621 are one of the preferable embodiments of the present invention. Any other structure that is designed to function as the buffer portion can be applied to the present invention in alternative. For instance, resilient elements (not shown) can be provided between the left and right frames 2, 3 and the protection seals 52, 62 for being used as the buffer portion.

Accordingly, after being assembled, the J-shaped protection seals 52, 62, and the wave-shaped buffer portions defined by the wave-shaped lips 21, 31 and the wave-shaped flanges 521, 621 corresponding to and engaged with each other are clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4. The J-shaped protection seals 52, 62 are to provide better comfort and a water permeation-proof function, and the buffer portions of the wave-shaped contact faces are capable of absorbing an external impact on the swim goggles 1. Further referring to Figs. 5 to 8, more specific, once the swim goggles 1 receive the impact, the impact energy will be transferred through the wave-shaped lips 21, 31 to the corresponding wave-shaped flanges 521, 621 and therefore be effectively absorbed thereby.

Further, strength of the impact will be lessened by both the wave-shaped contact faces and appropriate deformation of the protection seals 52, 62.

Consequently, the buffer portions help buffer the swim goggles I against the impact.

It is understood that the invention may be embodied in other forms within the scope of the claims. Thus the present examples and embodiments are to be considered in all respects as illustrative, and not restrictive, of the invention defined by the claims.

Claims

Claims 1. A pair of swim goggles, comprising: a left frame and a right frame having lenses therein, respectively; a bridge element connecting the left and right frames; and a left sealing frame and a right sealing frame sealing around peripheral sides of the left and right frames and forming protection seals, respectively, each of the protection seals having a substantially J-shaped cross-section in any segment thereof; and strap apparatus disposed on outer sides of the left and right frames, respectively, characterized in that buffer portions are provided between the protection seals and the left and right frames, respectively, so that the buffer portions and the protection seals capable of cooperatively absorbing an external impact.
2. The swim goggles of claim 1, wherein the buffer portions and the protection seals cooperatively form wave-shaped contact faces.
3. The swim goggles of claim 2, wherein each of the left and right frames is formed with wave-shaped lips located at upper and lower sides thereof, and each of the protection seals forms wave-shaped flanges corresponding to the wave-shaped lips, whereby to cooperatively define the contact faces.
4. The swim goggles of claim 3, wherein the left and right frames and the lenses are integrally formed of Polycarbonate (PC).
5. The swim goggles of claim 3, wherein the left and right sealing frames and the bridge element are integrally formed of Therma Plastic Rubber (TPR).
6. The swim goggles of claim 3, wherein the left and right sealing frames have first portions and second portions, respectively, the peripheral sides of the left and right frames are sealed by the first portions, the protection seals are formed by the second portions, and the first and second portions are formed integrally by secondary injection molding.
7. The swim goggles of claim 6, wherein the first and second portions of the left and right sealing frames are formed in different hardness by the secondary injection molding.
8. The swim goggles of claim 7, wherein the first portions of the first and second sealing frames are provided with injection slots, respectively.
9. The swim goggles of claim 6, wherein the first and second portions of the first and second sealing frames are formed in different colors by the second injection molding.
10. The swim goggles of claim 1, wherein each of the strap apparatus comprises a coupling base extending integrally from respective outer sides of the left and right frames, the coupling base has a position hole and a recessed portion, the position hole is allowed for a head strap drawn therethrough, and the recessed portion facilitates formation of the left and right sealing frames and the left and right frames.
11. The swim goggles of claim 10, wherein the recessed portion is provided with an injection hole for facilitating the formation with respective left and right sealing frames.
12. The swim goggles of claim 1, wherein the left and right frames form tongue portions, respectively, each of the tongue portions being located adjacent to the bridge element and tilted upwards and outwards of the left and right frames.