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US-20260123697-A1 - EYE PROTECTION DEVICE

US20260123697A1US 20260123697 A1US20260123697 A1US 20260123697A1US-20260123697-A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to an eye protection device comprising: a visor and a transparent material that is a film of transparent material mounted and deployed from a first spool and received by a second spool so that a layer of film is arranged over an outer face of the visor; a guide for guiding the transparent material over the visor from the first spool to the second spool; and a securement mechanism to secure at least part of the transparent material to the visor.

Inventors

  • James Dallas

Assignees

  • James Dallas

Dates

Publication Date
20260507
Application Date
20251105
Priority Date
20241106

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . An eye protection device comprising: a visor and a transparent material deployed from a first spool and received by a second spool so that when the transparent material is deployed a layer of the transparent material is arranged over an outer face of the visor; at least one guide guides the transparent material over the outer face of the visor from the first spool to the second spool; and a securement mechanism is operative to temporarily secure at least part of the transparent material to the outer face of the visor.
  2. 2 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 wherein the eye protection device is supported by a frame which includes a head attachment means.
  3. 3 . An eye protection device according to claim 2 wherein the first and second spools are mounted on the frame and/or the visor.
  4. 4 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 wherein the securement mechanism is adjustable.
  5. 5 . An eye protection device according to claim 4 wherein the securement mechanism includes a resiliently deformable layer.
  6. 6 . An eye protection device according to claim 4 wherein the securement mechanism comprises an inflatable gasket that is inflated by an inflation device, whereby when inflated the gasket urges the transparent material to contact the outer face of the visor.
  7. 7 . An eye protection device according to claim 6 wherein the inflation device is a manually operable pump.
  8. 8 . An eye protection device according to claim 6 wherein the inflation device includes a motorised pump.
  9. 9 . An eye protection device according to claim 6 wherein the inflatable gasket is arranged in an open channel.
  10. 10 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 includes at least one motor which drives at least one of the spools.
  11. 11 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 wherein the first spool receives a displaceable cartridge that includes the transparent material wrapped thereon.
  12. 12 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 wherein the first and second spools are arranged on lateral sides of the visor either side of a wearer's viewing region.
  13. 13 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 including a blade to wipe an outer face of the transparent material prior to winding it onto the second spool.
  14. 14 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 including at least one fin to assist with pressing the transparent material against the outer face of the visor.
  15. 15 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 including at least one vent to release air from between the transparent material and the outer face of the visor.
  16. 16 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 including a vacuum device, such as a plenum, for extracting air from a space between the transparent material and the outer face of the visor.
  17. 17 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 wherein the at least one guide has a groove for receiving and guiding a long edge of the transparent material.
  18. 18 . An eye protection device according to claim 6 wherein the at least one guide has a groove for receiving and guiding a long edge of the transparent material, and the guide includes the groove for the transparent material and a channel for the inflatable gasket.
  19. 19 . An eye protection device according to claim 1 wherein the inflation device includes a motorized pump and includes at least one motor which drives at least one of the spools, the eye protection device further including a controller operatively connected to a processor which issues a command signal to the spool motor and to the motorised pump in response to a signal detected by at least one sensor that indicates that a new section of transparent material is required.
  20. 20 . A method of using the eye protection device according to claim 1 having an automated system of operation including the steps of: receiving a signal to initiate changing a region of the transparent material; deflating the gasket to release the transparent material; initiating the second spool to rotate so as to deploy a clean region of the transparent material from the first spool; receiving a soiled region of the transparent material on the second spool; and reinflating the gasket by activating the motorised pump to create a seal between the transparent material and the visor.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an eye protection device, in particular a device for protecting vision through a visor. BACKGROUND In many societies across the world there is increasingly a need for safe and effective industrial processes. In industrial cleaning, medical, and scientific fields, workers are exposed to hazardous substances, which can compromise their safety as current protective face visors often become dirty or fogged, reducing visibility and effectiveness. Additionally, the process of cleaning or replacing these visors can be cumbersome and time-consuming. Splashes of liquid or debris may soil a visor and block or smear vision, so a user has to stop their activity, such as jet washing and clean the visor to continue. This is very time consuming and unsafe as the user's eyes may be exposed whilst the visor is cleaned. The present invention overcomes these problems. PRIOR ART GB2601665 (YOUNG) discloses a mud shield for a goggle, the mud shield comprising: a shield body configured to be disposed over at least a portion of a goggle. WO2008037493 (KNIGHT et al) discloses a visor assembly comprising a lens and a transparent strip overlying one face of the lens and displaceable longitudinally across the lens, wherein the strip is located in a guideway mounted to the said one face of the lens, the guideway having opposite longitudinal guide rails between which the strip is received and which laterally retain the strip during displacement across the lens, and wherein the assembly further includes a cover releasably mounted to the guideway to retain the strip in the guideway, the guideway and cover being arranged to allow viewing through the lens. U.S. Pat. No. 4,748,697 HODNETT face mask with interchangeable lenses, comprising a substantially flexible cowl shaped to substantially cover at least the eyes of a user; an open window provided in said cowl; a pair of spaced, curved, substantially rigid tracks removably carried by said cowl, said tracks spanning said window in spaced relationship for slidably receiving said lenses in end-to-end relationship and positioning said lenses sequentially in said window; and canister means carried by one end of said tracks for enclosing said lenses in rolled configuration and dispensing said lenses in said window responsive to manual and sequential extension of said lenses along said tracks. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an eye protection device comprising: a visor and a transparent material deployed from a first spool and received by a second spool so that when the transparent material is deployed a layer of the transparent material is arranged over an outer face of the visor; at least one guide guides the transparent material over the outer face of the visor from the first spool to the second spool; and a securement mechanism is operative to temporarily secure at least part of the transparent material to the outer face of the visor. In this way a transparent material is arranged over the visor to provide a protective outer layer and a clean layer can be arranged over the visor at any time by unwinding the transparent material from the first spool onto the second spool. This allows soiled transparent material to be removed from the viewing region and wound on to the second spool and a clean part of the transparent material replaces the soiled transparent material so that the viewing region remains clear. Advantageously the wearer does not therefore need to remove the visor to clean it and therefore safety is enhanced as the wearer's eyes remain protected at all times. It is appreciated that there are multiple uses for a visor where it may become soiled and require cleaning, such as when jet washing, driving some vehicles, cycling, working in a laboratory, operating machinery, or tools such as when welding, cutting, or when working in humid conditions, or transition from hot to cold environments which may cause a visor to accumulate condensation. For example, a wearer may protect their eyes with a visor when jet washing. When spray or debris builds on the visor it may need to be removed for cleaning because the wearer cannot see properly through the visor, but with the present invention the transparent material over the visor can simply be replaced with minimal effort by a wearer. The securement mechanism acts to secure the transparent material against the visor to form a seal so that particles or moisture cannot enter between the transparent material and the visor, in particular the viewing region of the visor. In this way the viewing region of visor is always protected from being soiled or scratched. The securement mechanism may be around parts of the edges of the transparent material, such as in segments along the edges, or along the long edges of the transparent material or may be a continuous loop around the viewing region. In a preferred embodiment the eye protection d