Disposable Side Shield for Eyeglasses

This invention relates to shields for eyeglasses, and more particularly, to removable flexible side shields for closing the space between the lens and the face of the wearer.

A numher of arrangements of shields for eyeglasses are known in the prior art. One previously used arrangement comprises a flexible side shield attached to the frame of the eyeglasses or clamped between the lens and the frame. Such a configuration is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,021,175 to Willson and Bourquin. The Willson invention is quite effective, but is not suited to allow for easy removability of the shield. Several arrangements for removable side eyeglass shields are known in the prior art. One such arrangement is provided by U.S. Pat. No. 1,161,100; however, the device provided in that patent requires several parts in addition to the shield itself in order to be effective. Eyeglass side shields have been developed in the prior art which are easily attachable and removable with a minimum of or no excess parts. However, none of those side shields attach firmly to the lens frame, and none provide protection from light, wind, dirt, or other impurities entering the space between the lens and the face from above the level of the lens.

In accordance with the present invent disposable side shield for a variety of styles of eyeglasses is provided. The side shield disclosed comprises a unitary flexible sheet having an inner face and an outer face and including a shield portion and a base portion with a convexly curved edge. The base portion has a plurality of spaced slits therein directed into the shield portion and preferably located to one side of the center thereof. These slits allow the weakened portion of the sheet between the slits to be torn out by hand, forming a slot extending inward into the shield portion from the base portion. When the shield is attached to eyeglasses, the slot receives the bow of the eyeglasses, allowing the shield portion and base to straddle the bow. Advantageously, the shield portion has a forehead edge shaped to conform to the forehead of the wearer, a cheek edge shaped to conform to the cheek of the wearer, and a rounded apex edge therebetween. An adhesive strip having a removable backing is provided along the base of the body for attaching the shield to eyeglasses along the top, bottom, and side of the lens frame. Preferably, the shield portion has at least one hole therein for receiving a strap to secure the eyeglasses to the head of the wearer. The flexible sheet may be of any suitable material such as leather, cloth, vinyl or the like.

Additional advantages of this invention will become readily apparent from the description which follows, together with the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pair or side shields embodying the present invention in use on a pair of standard eyeglasses;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a pair of side shields embodying the present invention in use on a pair of "cateye" style eyeglasses showing the slot in an alternative selected position;

FIG. 3 is a front elevational view showing the outer face of the left side shield;

FIG. 4 is a rear elevational view showing the inner face of the left side shield;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the left side shield taken along line 5--5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial view of the slot of the side shield.

In accordance with the present invention as depicted in FIGS. 1-6, disposable left and right side shields designated 10L and 10R, respectively for eyeglasses are provided. The shields as shown in FIG. 1 are mounted on standard eyeglasses 11 having a pair of lenses 12, a pair of lens frames 13, and a pair of bows 14. The shields 10L and 10R shown in FIG. 2 are mounted on "cateye" style eyeglasses 15 having a pair of lenses 16, a pair of lens frames 17, and a pair of bows 18. With particular reference to the left side shield 10L in FIGS. 3-6, this is shown to comprise a unitary flexible body or sheet 20 which may be of a material such as leather, cloth, vinyl or the like. A preferred material is an expanded vinyl with a knit back. This preferred material is available in bright colors such as yellow, red, brown, blue, etc. which can be selected to match the color scheme of the user.

The sheet 20 has an outer face 22, an inner face 24, and includes base portion 25 and a shield portion 26 extending away from the base portion. Shield portion 26 has an inwardly convex forehead edge 27, an inwardly convex cheek edge 28, and rounded apex edge 29 and has a generally bell-shaped profile. Forehead edge 27 and cheek edge 28 are curved to fit the forehead and cheek of the wearer, respectively, when the side shield 10 is in place on the eyeglasses. The base portion 25 shown has slightly convexly curved base edge 30 and has three spaced slits 31, 32 and 33 directed through the base edge into the shield portion 26. Outer slits 31 and 32 are preferably on an incline to converge inwardly toward the center of the sheet to narrow the width of the material to be torn. The slits are located to the porehead side of center of the base portion. The weakened material between the slits 31 and 32 may be torn out by hand leaving a slot 34, having tear edge 35, for fitting the eyeglass 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6 .

In use, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the slot 34 receives a bow 14 so that the sheet 20 extends along both sides of the bow and along the inside of the bow. The shield functions to substantially close the space between the lens and the face of the wearer to wind, dirt, sun and the like and folds against the lens when the bows are folded. Providing three slits allows the wearer to select the position of the slot relative to a particular style of eyeglass to achieve the best fit between the side shield and the bow and to provide maximum comfort for the wearer. Alternative slot selections for differing eyeglass styles are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

As best seen in FIG. 5, a fastening means in the form of a layer of adhesive 36 is located on the inner face 24 along the base portion 25 is covered by a removable backing 38 prior to use. To attach the side shield 10 to the eyeglasses 11 the wearer tears out material between two selected slits 31 and 32, forming a slot 34 in the desired position. The adhesive backing 38 may then be removed and the base portion 25 adhesively attached along the top, side and bottom of a lens frame 16, with the shield portion 26 positioned so that the sheet 20 straddles a bow 14 of the eyeglasses 11. Advantageously, holes 40 for receiving a strap 42 may be provided, allowing the eyeglasses to be secured to the wearer. Preferably, there is a hole 40 on the vertical center line of the shield portion adjacent edge 29 and a hole on each side of the center hole intermediate edge 29 and the base portion with one hole 40 being adjacent edge 27 and the other hole 40 being adjacent edge 28.

This invention has been described in detail with reference to a particular embodiment thereof, but it will be understood that various other modifications can be effected within the spirit and scope of this invention.