A Pair of Spectacles To Reduce Travel Sickness

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to the technical field of a device to reduce or prevent feelings of travel sickness in a user. In particular, a pair of spectacles is provided for the user to wear during a journey.

Background to the Invention

Travel sickness or kinetosis is a common condition which is typically caused by repeated lateral movements whilst travelling. So for example, a person afflicted with this condition may not suffer the symptoms - nausea or vomiting - whilst travelling in a straight line, but may suffer when the direction of travel changes at intervals, especially irregular or sudden intervals. The mode of transport causing the symptoms will vary between sufferers, but can be a car or a coach, a boat, aeroplane or by going on certain fairground rides such as a roller coaster or merry- go-round. In severe cases symptoms can persist for several hours following completion of the journey. In rare cases travel sickness can be brought on through watching moving images, particularly where the images show rapidly changing motion, on a television or at the cinema.

A number of remedies have been proposed to alleviate the symptoms or to remove them entirely. Medications are available either over the counter or by prescription. For example, antihistamines such as Promethazine are used but can cause significant drowsiness as a side effect. Also, alkaloids such as scopolamine are known to be used in the form of transdermal patches, but extreme care must be taken due to the side effects.

Non-chemical methods are also known which can be as simple as sleeping throughout the journey or keeping in the fresh air. Alternatively, sufferers from

car or coach sickness are advised simply to look through the front windscreen of the vehicle and to refrain from looking out through the side windows.

In the patent literature, two published patent specifications DE10337224 and US2005/0283879 disclose spectacles having added side pieces to restrict the visual field to either side of the wearer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide spectacles which substantially reduce or prevent the wearer from suffering the effects due to travel sickness.

Summary of the Invention

According to the invention there is provided a pair of spectacles having two lenses, a support element located between the lenses to engage the bridge of a wearer's nose and so maintain the spectacles in position;

one of said lenses being sufficiently opaque to light to prevent the wearer from perceiving images through said lens.

By this means the information entering an eye is considerably lowered, reducing the travel sickness suffered.

Preferably, opacity is caused by a liner, fitting across the inner or the outer surface of the lens. The liner allows for easy construction of the spectacles. The liner especially preferably comprises a plurality of layers, separable from one another, allowing only the minimum of light necessary to be cut out and yet allow the spectacles to function.

The liner is optionally removably attachable to the lens enabling the spectacles to be used as normal when the user is not travelling.

Optionally, the opacity of said opaque lens is complete.

Preferably opacity is achieved through pigmentation of the material itself from which the lens is formed. There is thereby reduced risk of removal of opacity

through wear or misuse.

Advantageously the spectacles include means to swap over opacity from one lens to the other.

The spectacles optionally include two support arms, each arm being hingably mounted at one end to opposite sides of the spectacles, the opposite end of each arm being so shaped to rest on a user' s ear.

Preferably, the spectacles are symmetric across a plane through the spectacles enabling the spectacles to be worn with the opaque and clear lens over either eye.

Advantageously, the support element is pivotally mounted to enable the support element to be usable irrespective of which way up the spectacles are worn.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawing which shows by way of example only two embodiment of spectacles. In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a pair of spectacles in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2a-2c are respectively a front, side and top view of a pair of spectacles in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the second embodiment; Figure 4a and 4b are front and side views of the central section of a first aspect of the second embodiment;

Figures 5 a and 5b are front and side views of the central section of a second aspect of the second embodiment;

Figure 6a illustrates a third aspect of the central section of the second embodiment; and

Figures 6b are exploded views of region A in Figure 6a.

Detailed Description Of The Invention

In its basics, the invention provides a pair of spectacles to be worn by a person suffering from travel sickness, which spectacles restrict the view of one eye to at most a peripheral image from around the edge of the spectacles. Without being bound to theory it is believed that travel sickness arises from a mismatch of the three dimensional image formed in the brain, together with sensory impulses received from the balance mechanism within the ear. By removing the ability of the user to perceive a three dimensional image, this mismatch is removed and the travel sickness resulting therefrom does not occur.

Referring initially to Figure 1, this depicts a set of spectacles according to the present invention. The invention however should not be understood to be suitable for use merely for the spectacles shown, but can be used in conjunction with all spectacles of whatever shape of lens or frame.

In addition, sunglasses can also be provided which are in accordance with the invention. Indeed sunglasses have an aesthetic advantage over spectacles having normal transparent lenses in that the invention can be so incorporated into the sunglasses that the invention's presence is not visible except to the user: a feature which may reduce self consciousness which the wearer may experience. Moreover, decorations can be added to the spectacles to, for example, increase the appeal of the spectacles to children, a group which is particularly prone to travel sickness. It is envisaged that in order to be most effective, the spectacles should be worn throughout the journey to prevent sickness from developing early in the journey.

In Figure 1, a pair of spectacles, generally referenced 10, is shown. As with standard spectacles a pair of lenses 11, 12 is held in spaced arrangement by a

bridging section 13, which bridging section 13 acts as a support for the spectacles 10 when worn. A further support 14 is attached to the edge of each lens 11, 12 in order to reduce irritation to the wearer. To enable the wearer to more easily keep the spectacles 10 in position a side arm 15, 16 is hingeably attached to the outside edge of each lens 11, 12.

The lens 12 is of a standard type known in the art which is transparent to visible light (shown as travelling in direction A in Figure 1). The lens 12 can be profiled such that the lens 12 is suitable for the wearer. In other words, the lens 12 is either a planar section of glass (for those wearers who do not normally wear spectacles) or is curved to focus images in accordance with the wearer's normal prescription.

The other lens 11 is opaque to visible light to such an extent that the user cannot perceive an image through the lens 11. It is therefore understood that although the lens 11 can be fully opaque there is no necessity for it to be completely so; only that insufficient light passes through to allow the eye and brain to discern individual objects. When wearing the above spectacles 10 therefore the user's eye behind the transparent lens 12, receives a normal image therethrough but the eye behind the opaque lens 11 only receives light from around the periphery of the spectacles 10. The user is thereby rendered less susceptible to travel sickness.

The lens 11 can be rendered opaque by a number of means. Firstly a liner (not illustrated) can be secured across the surface of the lens 11. Normally this is done across the inner surface as the liner is then less likely to be damaged accidentally such as may occur when the spectacles are put down. The liner can be removeably attachable to the surface of the lens 11 in order for the spectacles 10 to be used when the user is not travelling. Alternatively, the liner can be permanently attached to the lens 11 giving the user a dedicated pair of spectacles

for travelling.

The liner can itself be formed of a single layered piece of material, such as a plastics material, which material can have an adhesive layer on one side, for example Fablon™. The liner can alternatively be multi-layered wherein the individual layers can be separated from one another. Spectacles 10 can thereby be so designed by the user or a third party so that as little light as is necessary is cut out in order to achieve the desired result. Furthermore, multiple layers of material which allow light of only a certain predetermined polarisation can be used to cut out light transmitted through the lens.

As an alternative to liners, the lens 11 itself can be formed of a pigmented material such that light is not transmissible through the lens 11. It will then be recognised that the eye which is being covered by the lens will always be the same one as there will be no possibility of swapping over; without the physical features of the spectacles being such as to allow the spectacles to be worn either way up.

A further means of effecting the invention is to partially mirror the lens 11 so that light is prevented from passing through to the wearer, yet is at least partially reflected back from the lens. The person talking to the wearer therefore would not perceive anything unusual about the spectacles being worn.

In Figures 2a-2c and Figure 3 a second embodiment of spectacles is shown. The second embodiment is most suitable for use for wearers who do not normally wear prescription spectacles and hence will have a planar lens in the spectacles.

However, wearers who do have prescription lenses may also use spectacles in accordance with this embodiment, for example those whose prescription lens is substantially symmetric about a horizontal and a vertical reflection axis about the middle of each of the lenses.

Figures 2a-2c and 3 show a pair of spectacles which are symmetric in many features, which symmetry allows them to be worn in one of two ways, with a particular lens over either the right or the left eye. This feature enables the user to change at will which eye they choose to cover. Fatigue in one of the eyes where the spectacles are worn for a long period is thereby mitigated.

The Figures 2a-2c show a pair of spectacles 20 having an opaque lens 21 and a transparent lens 22. Depending hingeably from each lens 21, 22 is a side arm 23a, 23b. The side arms 23a, 23b are horizontally symmetric along a horizontal line C and have a bulbous portion 24 at their free end to enable the spectacles to be supported by the wearer's ears. The lenses 21, 22 are also horizontally symmetric through the horizontal line D.

The symmetric nature of the elements described above enables the spectacles 20 by rotation about axis A, to be worn either way round with the opaque lens 22 in front of either eye. In order to further support the spectacles 20, nose supports 25,

26 are provided on the upper and lower edges of the lens 21, 22.

Further examples of possible nose supports which can be used, particularly in conjunction with the embodiment shown in Figure 2 are shown in Figures 4-6.

In Figures 4 and 5 supports known from the prior art are illustrated. For example in Figures 4a, 4b a nose support comprising moulded plastic pieces 40a, 40b is located on the sides of the lenses 41, 42. As shown, the lenses 41, 42 are connected by a bridging section 43. The moulded plastic piece 40a, 40b are so formed to comfortably sit on the bridge of the wearer' s nose.

In Figures 5a, 5b, the nose supports 50a, 50b comprise conventional plastic support members 51, 52 held to the spectacles by wires 53,54.

The nose support 60 shown in Figures 6a, 6b is particularly suited to the second embodiment, in that a support is provided which pivots between the two required positions. The nose support 60 comprises a central, substantially cylindrical portion 61 having two wings 62, 63 extending therefrom to rest on the nose, in use and thereby support the spectacles. The cylindrical portion 61 has a throughbore which in use passes over a spigot 64 mounted to the bridging section 65. Enabling the support 60 to pivot on the spigot 64. As the user therefore switches the spectacles around the nose support 60 rotates in the direction A into the correct position.

The use of so-called smart glass technology, which renders normally clear glass opaque is also applicable in the current invention. Such smart glass employs for example, liquid crystals, electronic devices or suspended particles. These experience a reversible change in physical state on application of an electric potential. The materials can be used therefore in either one or both lenses to cause one or the other lens to be opaque, or alternatively to both be clear when the spectacles are to be used for their normal function.

It will of course be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details described herein, which are given by way of example only, and that various modifications and alterations are possible within the scope of the appended claims.