Eye shield

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12433791-B2
Application number	US-202017420863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 7, 2020
Priority date	Jan 8, 2019
Publication date	Oct 7, 2025
Grant date	Oct 7, 2025

Abstract

An eye shield for protecting a user's eye has a shield that includes an aperture. The aperture has a first central axis, a medial side, and a lateral side, and a gasket that is coupled to the shield and disposed within the aperture. The gasket has a second central axis. The first central axis is at an oblique angle relative to the second central axis.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An eye shield comprising:
a shield including an aperture, the aperture having a first central axis, a medial side, and a lateral side; and
a gasket coupled to the shield and compression fit within the aperture, the gasket having a second central axis, a rear medial end, and a front lateral end,
wherein the first central axis is at an oblique angle relative to the second central axis,
wherein the gasket includes a groove at least partially circumferentially disposed around the gasket and extending from the front lateral end of the gasket to the rear medial end of the gasket,
wherein the medial side and lateral side of the aperture are disposed within the groove such that the front lateral end is closer to the lateral side of the aperture than to the medial side of the aperture and the rear medial end is closer to the medial side of the aperture than to the lateral side of the aperture.

2. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the gasket includes a tab extending radially from the gasket, the tab disposed proximate to the medial side of the aperture.

3. The eye shield of claim 2 , wherein the tab of the gasket is disposed on a rear end of the gasket.

4. The eye shield of claim 2 , wherein the tab includes at least one ridge disposed on a surface of the tab.

5. The eye shield of claim 2 , wherein the tab is configured to be pushed by a user to move the second central axis toward alignment with the first central axis to remove the gasket from an eyepiece of an optical device.

6. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the gasket and the shield are composed of different materials.

7. The eye shield of claim 6 , wherein the shield is comprised of a resilient plastic.

8. The eye shield of claim 6 , wherein the gasket is comprised of an elastomeric material.

9. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the front end and a diameter of the rear end are smaller than a central diameter of the gasket.

10. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the shield extends further from the lateral side of the aperture than the medial side of the aperture and includes a tapered portion.

11. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the gasket includes a first side and a second side, the first side being proximate the medial side of the aperture and the second side being proximate the lateral side of the aperture.

12. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the gasket includes one or more radially projecting and longitudinally extending ribs disposed on a surface of the gasket.

13. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the shield that extends from the lateral side of the aperture curves convexly toward the first central axis.

14. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the shield is optically transparent.

15. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the gasket extends through both sides of the aperture.

16. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the gasket is configured to receive an eyepiece of an optical device, the optical device including one of night vision goggles, binoculars, monocular, scopes, spectacles, augmented reality displays, virtual reality displays, display devices, or cameras.

17. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the aperture is greater than all inner diameters of the gasket.

18. The eye shield of claim 2 , wherein the tab extends further from the medial side than the lateral side and includes a tapered portion.

19. The eye shield of claim 4 , wherein the tab includes a plurality of ridges disposed on a surface of the tab.

20. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the oblique angle is about 5 degrees to about 30 degrees.

21. The eye shield of claim 20 , wherein the oblique angle is about 15 degrees.

22. The eye shield of claim 1 , wherein the aperture includes a flat portion such that the aperture is non-circular.

23. An eye shield comprising:
a shield including an aperture, the aperture having a first central axis, a medial side, and a lateral side; and
a gasket coupled to the shield and disposed within the aperture, the gasket having a second central axis, a rear medial end, and a front lateral end,
wherein the first central axis is at an oblique angle relative to the second central axis,
wherein the gasket includes a groove at least partially circumferentially disposed around the gasket and extending from the front lateral end of the gasket to the rear medial end of the gasket,
wherein the medial side and lateral side of the aperture are disposed within the groove such that the front lateral end is closer to the lateral side of the aperture than to the medial side of the aperture and the rear medial end is closer to the medial side of the aperture than to the lateral side of the aperture,
wherein the gasket includes one or more radially projecting and longitudinally extending ribs disposed on a surface of the gasket,
wherein the gasket includes a tab extending radially from the gasket, the tab disposed proximate to the medial side of the aperture and including a plurality of ridges disposed on a surface of the tab.

24. An eye shield comprising:
a shield including an aperture, the aperture having a first central axis, a medial side, and a lateral side; and
a gasket coupled to the shield and disposed within the aperture, the gasket having a second central axis, a rear medial end, and a front lateral end,
wherein the first central axis is at an oblique angle relative to the second central axis,
wherein the gasket includes a groove at least partially circumferentially disposed around the gasket and extending from the front lateral end of the gasket to the rear medial end of the gasket,
wherein the medial side and lateral side of the aperture are disposed within the groove such that the front lateral end is closer to the lateral side of the aperture than to the medial side of the aperture and the rear medial end is closer to the medial side of the aperture than to the lateral side of the aperture,
wherein the gasket includes a tab extending radially from the gasket, the tab disposed on a rear end of the gasket and proximate to the medial side of the aperture.

Assignees

• Gentex Corp

Inventors

• Winters Nathan

Classifications

• G02C7/088

  Lens systems mounted to spectacles · CPC title

• G02C11/12

  Side shields for protection of the eyes · CPC title

• G02C7/16

  Shades; shields; Obturators, e.g. with pinhole, with slot {(G02C5/003 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B23/18

  for binocular arrangements {(focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12)} · CPC title

• G02B23/125 Primary

  head-mounted · CPC title