THIS INVENTION relates to eyewear and more particularly to an improved article of eyewear, for use as spectacles, goggles, safety glasses, sporting glasses, fashion glasses and the like. The invention is however particularly suited for use in sporting activities. This is however by way of example only.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Up until this time, various articles of eyewear have been known. However, in all known forms of eyewear the side arms which are usually connected to a front frame by means of hinges and the like are required to hook over or rest on the top of the ears of a wearer. Further, in articles of eyewear known up until this time problems have arisen with losing such articles of eyewear, especially in water during water sports such as sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, boating and the like. This is however by way of example only.

It is an object of the present invention to go at least some way towards overcoming or minimising problems associated with articles of eyewear known up until this time.

It is a further object of this invention to provide straight¬ forward and efficient eyewear.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent from the following description.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

According to one aspect of this invention there is provided a frame for an article of eyewear, including a front portion formed and adapted to extend and essentially wrap around the

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

front of the head of a wearer, and including spaced apart side arms, attached thereto and extending rearwardly thereof, the side arms being so formed, profiled and biased that they are inherently biased inwardly towards each other and being formed such that in use they extend down each side and at least partially about the rear of a wearer's head.

According to a further aspect of this invention there is provided an article of eyewear, including a frame having a front portion which extends and essentially wraps around the front of a wearer's head; spaced apart side arms extending rearwardly from said front portion and being so formed, profiled and biased such that they are inherently biased inwardly towards each other, the side arms further being formed so that in use, they extend down each side and at least partially about the back of the head of a wearer; said front portion being formed with, or adapted to mount or locate lens means which substantially extend and wrap around the front of the face of a wearer.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

This invention will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a view of a frame for an article of eyewear according to one form of the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a view of a frame for an article of eyewear including a lens portion, according to one form of the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a view of a comfort/buoyancy means for use in conjunction with a frame of an article of eyewear according to the present invention.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

Fig. 3a is a sectional view through lines A-A of Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 3b is a sectional view through lines B-B of Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a clip portion according to one form of the present invention.

Fig. 5 is a side view of a frame according to one form of the present invention.

Fig. 6 is a plan view of a frame according to one form of the present invention.

Fig. 7 is a comfort/buoyancy arrangement for use in accordance with one form of the present invention and

Fig. 8 is a view of an article of eyewear including the comfort/buoyancy arrangement according to a further form of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

This invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. It should be appreciated however that the invention is described by way of example only and that improvements and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope or spirit thereof.

The article of eyewear according to the present invention is preferably formed of a plastics material. In a preferred form

1 SUBSTITUTE SHEET [

of the invention the article of eyewear is essentially formed of a polycarbonate plastics material. It should be appreciated however that other suitable plastics materials can be used. Further, polycarbonate materials are able to be used and are accepted as having optical qualities. It should be appreciated however that other plastics materials can be utilised. Further, and as will be described with reference to various forms of the invention, the visor or lens portion of the article of eyewear can be formed of a polycarbonate material, having optical qualities, whereas the remainder of the article of eyewear can, if desired, be formed of some other plastics material. In order to meet the requirements of users, the plastics materials used in the construction of the eyewear can be coloured or tinted as may be desired.

Referring firstly to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, a frame 1 for an article of eyewear is provided, the frame 1 having a front portion 2 which is generally curved so as to fit around the front of the face of a wearer, the front portion 2 then extending into or being attached to rearwardly extending side arm portions 3. The front portion 2 and the side arm portions 3 can be formed such as by unitary moulding or alternatively can be moulded separately and thereafter formed together, so as to form an integral unit. It should be appreciated however that the frame 1 shown by way of example only in Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings is not provided with hinges, connecting means and the like as are found in known articles of eyewear.

In the preferred form of the invention, as shown with reference to Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, the side arms 3 are elongate in formation and extend rearwardly from each side of the front portion 2, the side arms 3 being profiled, and formed in an appropriate material and so tensioned that they are biased inwardly towards each other.

SUBSTITUTESHEET

The distal ends 4 of the side arms 3 are curved inwardly towards each other so that when the frame 1 is placed about the head of a wearer, the inwardly biased and tensioned side arms 3 will hold to the sides of the head of a wearer and will then wrap around the rear of the head, so as to _b e spaced apart one from the other but so as to be at the rear of the head of a wearer. In this way, the frame 1 will _b e hel ^d in position about the head of a wearer without t _h e nee _d for the side arms to rest on the ears of a wearer as has been common and known up until this time.

Referring now to Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, this shows a further form of the invention wherein the frame 1 is formed into an article of eyewear by a wrap around lens or visor portion 6 being integrally formed with the frame 1 and extending downwardly from the front portion 2 thereof, the wrap around visor or frame 6 then being tapered and exten _d ing rearwardly into the rearwardly extending side arms 3. The wrap around visor or lens portion 6 is preferably formed of an appropriate material having optical qualities, such as for example polycarbonate. To enable the article of eyewear to be located around the front of the face of a wearer, an appropriate recess 7 is provided to enable the location of the article of eyewear over the bridge of the nose of a wearer. In preferred forms of the invention nose insert saddle means 8 can be inserted and clipped (or otherwise engaged) thereinto (such as for example being of varying colours and configurations) to allow for the eyewear to fit over the bridge of the nose of a wearer.

As with other forms of the present invention, it is preferred that the front or visor portion 6 of the frame, forming the lens, be formed of an appropriate material having optical qualities (such as for example polycarbonate), and while the rearwardly extending side arms 3 can also be formed of that

T HEET

material, the side arms 3 can be formed of other materials if desired. The resultant article of eyewear, as shown for example in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, is however of an integral construction.

Referring now to Figures 3, 3a and 3b of the accompanying drawings, these Figures show a comfort/buoyancy attachment 10 for use in conjunction with a frame 1, such as for example shown with reference to Figs 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

The present invention provides for such a comfort/buoyancy arrangement or attachment 10 which can be clipped on or if desired integrally formed with the article of eyewear. It is particularly advantageous to provide articles of eyewear with features of buoyancy and flotation such that when they are dropped in the water, such as during water sports (or indeed due to other circumstances), they will float. Such an arrangement is not known in association with known articles of eyewear. Further, in some forms of the invention it is desirable to provide a comfort strip, or material between the frame, and the head of a wearer, such a comfort material for example being in the form of a foam, or some other soft and pliable material. Thus, appropriate attachment means can be provided whereby the buoyancy and/or comfort material can be attached and mounted to the frame of the article of eyewear, to impart these properties to the resultant article of eyewear.

Referring therefore to Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings, the attachment means 10 includes a clip 11 which is adapted to b attached to an upper surface 2a of the front portion 2 of the frame 1 so as to engage thereover, such as shown in Fig. 3a of the drawings.

S ^U BSTITUTESHEET

Referring therefore to Figs 3 and 3a of the drawings, a front clip 11 is provided which is provided with a recess or channel 12 which is adapted to engage over the upper part 2a of the front portion 2 of the article of eyewear such as shown in Figs 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings. In a preferred form of the invention, the recess 12 engages over the upper portion 2a of the wrap around visor 2, as shown in Fig. 2 of the accompanying drawings, and raised portions or nipples 14 on the inner surfaces of the recess engage with spaced apart recesses or indents 15 (see Fig. 2 of the drawings) extending along the upper part 2a of the front portion of the frame 1 and visor. This is shown by way of example only with reference to Figures 3 and 3a of the accompanying drawings. On the inner surface of the clip 11 is an appropriate flotation or buoyancy material 17 while to the inner surface of the flotation or buoyancy material 17 may be attached an appropriate comfort material 18 such as a soft plastics or foam material.

It should be appreciated that if desired only the flotation and buoyancy material 17 may be provided, whereas in other form of the invention, if desired, only the comfort material 18 may provided. It is however preferred, as shown with reference to the accompanying drawings that both buoyancy and comfort material be provided on the inner surface of the clip. The materials can be attached to the clip 11 in any appropriate manner such as by friction clipping, bonding, sealing and the like.

Referring now to Figs 3 and 3b of the accompanying drawings, clips 20 are also provided for attachment to the side arms 3 of the frame. Such clips 20 are provided with an outer groove or recess 21 and are adapted to engage with the side arms 3 so that buoyancy and/or comfort material 17, 18 may be provided on the inner surface thereof. That is, on the inner

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

surface of the side arms 3 of t*"h"e ^e f ^ιr ra ^aι m ⁿ _e ^e _l . A _ _a s s _h_ _n own in Figs 3 an ^d 3 ^b of the accompanying drawings, such clips can fictionally engage with the side arms or can be secured thereto ^b y bonding, sealing and the like.

If desired, buoyancy material can be attached to an inner surface of the clip and if desired (or alternatively ₎ , comfort material can also be provided. This depends upon the desires of a user.

Generally speaking however, it is considere _d to be helpful if there is a comfort material attached to the inner surface of the cl ⁱ p attaching to the front portion 2 of the frame an _d art ⁱ cle of eyewear ⁽ such as described with reference to Fi _gs 3 and 3a of the drawings) to allow for comfort across the forehead of the wearer.

Turning „o„ to Pig. 4 of the accompanying drawing-, this show- an alternative clip construction, for use with the frame as described with reference to Fig. i _o£ the accompanying drawings. In such a form of the invention it is envisage ^d that the clip 30 can be provi _d ed to engage a _b out the upper part 2a of the front portion 2 of the frame 1, the upper portion 30a of the clip 30 also mounting _b uoyancy/ flotat-.cn and/or comfort means if desire _d . The lower recess 3O ^b port-on of the clip 30 is adapted to friction.!!, engage w ⁱ th a lens port ⁱ on 6 of an article of eyewear such as for example a wrap around lens. Any other appropriate means of engag ⁱ ng a lens in the lower recess 30 _b of the clip 30 can be used, if des ⁱ red, such lens portions can be replaceable w ⁱ thin the recess 30b of the clip, m this way the clip 30 can be engaged to the front portion of the frame an _d the recess 30b on the lower portion thereof can be used for the locat ⁱ on of varying and alternative front visor portions or lenses.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

We refer now to Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8 of the accompanying drawings. These figures of the drawings show a further embodiment of the invention, wherein the frame 1 is provided with a plurality of spaced apart voids or recesses 40 extending thereabout. These voids or recesses 40 are spaced apart one from the other. As shown in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings, a comfort and/or buoyancy insert strip member 50 is provided, formed of an appropriate base material such as a plastics material, preferably having buoyancy properties and also being relatively soft (as at 51) so that, if necessary it can be used as a comfort strip. The strip shown in Fig. 7 of the accompanying drawings has a plurality of raised portions or pillows 54 on the outer surface thereof, spaced apart one from the other, which are adapted to engage (such as frictionally engage) within the recesses or voids 40 formed in the frame 1. In this way, the strip 50 can be engaged with the inner surface of the frame 1 to add comfort and/or buoyancy properties to the frame 1. The strip 50 and raised portions or pillows 54 can be secured to, or engaged with the frame 1, by other means, such as clipping, bonding, sealing and the like.

In this form of the invention the raised portions or pillows 54 of material are formed from a material which is buoyant or which floats and which therefore preferably absorb little or no water. This may for example be an outer skin of material such as a foam rubber or foam plastic encapsulating an inner foam flotation material. Alternatively, the flotation or buoyancy material can be an appropriate plastics material such as for example EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate).

In the present invention it should be appreciated that the buoyancy or flotation and/or comfort attachments can be colour coordinated or provided in various contrasting colours

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

or shades to change the effect presented by the present invention.

The present invention provides for a particularly improved article of eyewear and a frame for use in such eyewear. The present invention provides excellent peripheral protection against wind, water, glare, foreign bodies (such as grit), ultraviolet radiation and the like. The article of eyewear is particularly comfortable to wear as there are no pressure points or "point-loads" on the wearer's ears or temples, as so often happens with conventional eyewear such as sunglasses. The comfort means, when utilised, provides for substantial comfort in the wearing of the eyewear and the tensioned and biased side arms which extend against and around the back of the head of a wearer allow for the preferred wrap around visor to be held against the front of the face of a user in a straight-forward and efficient manner without utilising such pressure points or "point-loads" as referred to above. In addition, the comfort means of the present invention, in particular when utilised on the inner surface of the front of the frame of an article of eyewear, allows for a correct spacing distance from the face of the wearer so that the eyewear is not pressed against the face of a wearer during use.

The article of eyewear of the present invention has excellent aerodynamic design and in that the construction is an integral construction, there are no metal parts such as hinges to become damaged, to break or corrode.

As referred to and described hereinbefore, the side arms extend down the side of a wearer's head and around the back thereof (such as shown in the accompanying drawings) to thereby essentially pull the visor or lens portion towards the wearer's face to provide a close fit. However, again as

SUBSTITUTE SHEET

referred to hereinbefore, the comfort means provided allows for sufficient spacing between the frame of the eyewear and the forehead or face of the wearer, as to avoid discomfort. This close fitting feature prevents or at least greatly diminishes wind turbulence. By way of example only, a prototype of the present invention has been tested at a wind speed of 110km an hour. The visor portion was pushed back onto the wearer's face and there was no turbulence behind it. Furthermore, given the high degree of elasticity, having regar _d to the plastic material from which the eyewear is constructed, and having regard in particular to the construction and formation of the side arms, the article of eyewear fits "snugly" around the head and does not depend on attachment to the ears.

This invention has been described by way of example only and improvements and modifications may be made to the invention without departing from the scope thereof, as defined by the appended claims.

SUBSTITUTE SHEET