Tear-off lens capture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433790-B2
Application number	US-202318232550-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 10, 2023
Priority date	Sep 16, 2015
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

A tear-off capture system includes an eye protector with a base lens. The eye protector has a retention mechanism mounted on one side, and a support mechanism that supports the eye protector on the head of a wearer. A two-tabbed stack of laminated tear-off lenses mounts to the eye protector via an adhesive. The stack mounts so that the first tab of the stack aligns with the first side of the eye protector and the second tab engages with the retention mechanism. Via the second tab and the retention mechanism, released tear-off layers are directed toward the second side of the eye protector away from the base lens. A capturer helps hold the initially released tear-off layer to the eye protector. An exposed tacky surface on each released tear-off helps hold the subsequently removed tear-off layers.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A tear-off lens capture system for use with an eye protector having a base lens and a frame supporting the base lens, the system comprising:
a retainer configured to be mounted to an outward facing side of the eye protector so that the retainer extends away from the base lens, the retainer including an inner side facing towards the eye protector and an outer side; and
a lens stack configured to be mounted to the outward facing side of the eye protector, the lens stack formed of at least one releasable lens layer, the lens stack comprising:
a central viewing area;
a first tab extending from a first edge of the central viewing area; and
a second tab extending from a second edge opposite the first edge of the central viewing area, the second tab having an inner surface, a first portion of the inner surface facing the inner side of the retainer while a second portion of the inner surface faces the outer side of the retainer, the second tab folds over the outer side of the retainer when the lens stack is mounted to the eye protector and extends at least partly around the inner side of the retainer to retain the second tab on the eye protector when the first tab is released from the eye protector.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the second tab has a length configured to allow the second tab to be wound around at least a portion of the retainer so that the lens stack is placed in tension upon mounting to the eye protector.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lens stack comprises at least two releasable lens layers laminated together with an intermediary adhesive layer between each of the releasable lens layers.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the intermediary adhesive layer extends between the opposing first and second edges of the central viewing area so that no intermediary adhesive layer is applied between the releasable layers along either the first or second tab.

5. The system of claim 3 , wherein the intermediary adhesive layer is configured to remain with an inward facing surface of a lens layer that is released from the lens stack, and wherein the intermediary adhesive layer on the inward facing surface of the released lens layer is sufficiently tacky to adhere to an outward surface of a subsequently released layer of the lens stack.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lens stack comprises an upper lens layer and at least one intermediary layer, wherein the lens stack is configured so that each intermediary lens layer adheres to a previously released lens layer upon release from the lens stack.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein a lower-most layer of the lens stack is configured to mount to the base lens of the eye protector without using pins on the base lens.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lens stack comprises at least two releasable lens layers laminated together with an intermediary adhesive layer between each of the releasable lens layers, and wherein a lower-most layer of the lens stack comprises an attaching adhesive layer applied about a perimeter of the lower-most layer.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the attaching adhesive applied about the perimeter of the lower-most layer of the lens stack has a higher peel-strength than the intermediary adhesive layer between each of the releasable layers of the lens stack.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein the lens stack comprises an upper lens stack mountable to a lower lens stack, each of the upper and lower lens stack comprising a plurality of lens layers laminated together and an attaching surface on a lower surface, each of the upper lens stack and the lower lens stack having a first tab portion that forms a part of the first tab of the lens stack and a second tab portion that forms a part of the second tab of the lens stack.

11. An eye protector that captures released layers of a laminated tear-off lens stack that is mounted thereto, the laminated tear-off lens stack having at least one tab with an aperture, the eye protector comprising:
a base lens;
a frame supporting at least a portion of the base lens;
a support configured to hold the eye protector on a wearer;
a capturer positioned on an outer surface of the support, the capturer configured to hold a released tear-off lens layer released from the laminated tear-off lens stack along the support; and
a retainer mounted to and extending outwardly from the eye protector, the retainer including an inner surface facing towards the eye protector such that the at least one tab extends at least partially around the inner side of the retainer so that the capturer and retainer maintain the released tear-off lens layer on the eye protector.

12. The eye protector of claim 11 , wherein a released lens layer of the lens stack is biased toward the support.

13. The eye protector of claim 11 , wherein the released layer of the lens stack includes a tacky surface configured to hold a second released layer of the lens stack.

14. The eye protector of claim 11 , wherein the capturer comprises a tacky pad.

15. A tear-off lens capture system for use with an eye protector having a base lens and a frame supporting the base lens, the system comprising:
a retainer configured to be mounted to an outward facing side of the eye protector so that the retainer extends away from the base lens, the retainer including an inner side facing towards the eye protector and an outer side; and
a lens stack configured to be mounted to the outward facing side of the eye protector, the lens stack formed of a plurality of releasable lens layers, the lens stack including a central viewing area, an intermediary adhesive layer between each of the releasable lens layers, a first tab extending from a first edge of the central viewing area, and a second tab extending from a second edge opposite the first edge of the central viewing area, the second tab having an inner surface, a first portion of the inner surface facing the inner side of the retainer while a second portion of the inner surface faces the outer side of the retainer, the second tab folds over the outer side of the retainer when the lens stack is mounted to the eye protector and extends at least partly around the inner side of the retainer whereby the second tab and one of the intermediary adhesive layers maintain a released lens layer on the eye protector.

16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the second tab has a length configured to allow the second tab to be wound around at least a portion of the retainer so that the lens stack is placed in tension upon mounting to the eye protector.

17. The system of claim 15 , wherein the lens stack comprises at least three releasable lens layers laminated together with one of the intermediary adhesive layers between each of the releasable lens layers.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the intermediary adhesive layer extends between the opposing first and second edges of the central viewing area so that no intermediary adhesive layer is applied between the releasable layers along either the first or second tab.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein the intermediary adhesive layer is configured to remain with an inward facing surface of a lens layer that is released from the lens stack, and wherein the intermediary adhesive layer on the inward facing surface of the released lens layer is sufficiently tacky to adhere to an outward surface of a subsequently released layer of the lens stack.

20. The system of claim 17 further comprising an attaching adhesive applied about the perimeter of the lower-most layer of the

Assignees

• Racing Optics Inc

Inventors

• Wilson Bart E
• Wilson Stephen S
• Klein Maxwell C

Classifications

• A61F9/027

  Straps; Buckles; Attachment of headbands · CPC title

• A42B3/26

  with cleaning means, e.g. wipers {; Movable or interchangeable vision films or sheets} · CPC title

• A61F9/029

  Additional functions or features, e.g. protection for other parts of the face such as ears, nose or mouth; Screen wipers or cleaning devices · CPC title

• A61F9/025 Primary

  Special attachment of screens, e.g. hinged, removable; Roll-up protective layers · CPC title