Eyewear defogging ventilation system

Abstract

The present eyewear defogging system addresses lens fogging through a frame equipped with multiple ventilation vents which are positioned to create directed airflow across the lens's rear surface, significantly enhancing condensation removal. Unlike previous methods that relied on indirect air circulation or specific aperture placements, this system ensures a continuous, laminar airflow that effectively clears moisture across the entire lens surface. The strategic orientation and design of the vents, including their tangential alignment with the lens surface and the use of a constriction mechanism to increase air velocity, offer a superior defogging effect. This advancement provides eyewear users with clearer vision and a more reliable solution to combat lens fogging in various environmental conditions.

Description

Eyewear defogging ventilation systemField of the Invention

[0001] This invention relates generally to a type of defogging ventilation system for eyewear. More particularly, this invention relates to an eyewear defogging system featuring a frame with integrated vents that direct a curtain of airflow tangentially across the lens to efficiently remove condensation .Background of the Invention

[0002] Eyewear fogging occurs when water vapour from warm air condenses on the cooler surface of eyeglasses, forming tiny droplets that scatter light and reduce visibility through the lenses.

[0003] This phenomenon is most commonly experienced when moving from a cold environment to a warmer one, during physical exercise, or when wearing face masks that direct warm breath upwards towards the glasses. The temperature difference between the warm air near the face and the cooler surface of the eyewear causes moisture in the air to transition from a gaseous to a liquid state, creating a foggy layer.

[0004] This condensation effect can be a nuisance for eyeglass wearers, impairing their vision and requiring frequent cleaning of the lenses.

[0005] Various anti-fogging solutions and treatments are available to reduce or prevent fogging, enhancing the clarity of vision for eyeglass wearers in situations where temperature differences are unavoidable.

[0006] Some anti-fogging solutions for eyewear incorporate ventilation vents that facilitate air circulation including US10335317B2 (Carter et. al.) 2019-07-02 which, with reference Figure 2 has a nose bridge arrangement allowing ventilation around the nose.

[0007] US5610668A (Mage) 1997-03-1 1 proposes an alternative arrangement wherein the eyewear has side apertures 34 seen in Figure 3 wherein air escaping therethrough draws in air across rear surfaces of the lens. US5898468A (Mage) 1999- 04-27 has a similar arrangement but which also features a central inlet apertures.

[0008] US6550914B1 (Kopfer) 2003-05-01 proposes an arrangement which has a central ventilation inlet opening 18 and a series of outlet grooves 50 through which air escapes.

[0009] US6783235B1 (Lin) 2004-08-31 proposes a further arrangement having side drainage holes and guiding portions which encourage airflow via the drainage holes.

[0010] The present invention seeks to provide a way to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[0011] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.Summary of the Disclosure

[0012] The described eyewear defogging system features a frame equipped with multiple vents that facilitate airflow across the lens to prevent condensation.

[0013] These vents are designed with inlets on the frame's front and outlets positioned behind the lens, directing a curtain of air tangentially across the lens's rear surface to remove moisture effectively.

[0014] The system is particularly efficient when the wearer is moving forward, such as during running or cycling, where air pressure funnels through the inlets and out across the lens, ensuring a clear view by preventing fog formation.

[0015] The frame's design, which preferably engages the lens at the top edge while leaving the bottom edge exposed, allows for a continuous flow of air from top to bottom across the lens, creating a substantially laminar airflow curtain that enhances visibility by keeping the lens clear of condensation.

[0016] The vents preferably cover a significant portion of the lens width, ensuring widespread defogging.

[0017] The frame can be a single piece, often made from materials like injection- moulded plastic, featuring a slot at the top edge to securely hold the lens and possibly extending around the sides for additional support. This system optimises the spacebetween the outlets and the lens's surface, typically around 2mm, to maximise defogging efficiency without compromising the frame's sleek profile.

[0018] The vents may also be designed to narrow from the inlet to the outlet, increasing escape air velocity for a more effective defogging action.

[0019] The present eyewear defogging system offers several significant advantages over previous anti-fogging solutions by incorporating an approach to ventilation that enhances air circulation across the lens, thereby effectively preventing condensation. Unlike prior art such as US10335317B2 by Carter et aL, which relies on a nose bridge arrangement for air ventilation around the nose, the current system employs a frame with integrated vents that direct a curtain of air tangentially across the rear surface of the lens. This design ensures a more effective removal of moisture compared to the indirect methods of air circulation found in earlier patents.

[0020] In contrast to the side apertures proposed by Mage in US5610668A and the similar arrangement with additional central inlet apertures in US5898468A, the present system allows for a continuous, substantially laminar flow of air across the entire surface of the lens. This is a significant improvement over the piecemeal approach of drawing air across the lens's rear surfaces through specific apertures, which may not provide uniform defogging.

[0021] Furthermore, the present invention improves upon the central ventilation inlet and outlet grooves system of Kopfer's US6550914B1 , by offering a more streamlined and effective method of directing airflow across the lens to remove fog. The present system's design ensures that air is not just escaping through grooves but is actively pushed across the lens's surface, enhancing the defogging effect.

[0022] Lastly, compared to Lin's US6783235B1 , which utilises side drainage holes and guiding portions to induce airflow, the present invention's method of directly channelling air across the lens via a well-designed series of vents and outlets provides a more direct and efficient mechanism for preventing lens fogging. By overcoming or substantially ameliorating the deficiencies of the prior art, this system offers a superior alternative that ensures clearer vision for eyewear users under varying environmental conditions.

[0023] According to one aspect, there is provided an eyewear defogging ventilation system comprising a frame engaging a lens, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of vents therealong, each vent exposing an inlet through a front face of the frame leading to an outlet behind the lens, wherein the outlets of the vents are orientated to direct a curtain of air across a rear surface of the lens.

[0024] In accordance with an embodiment, the outlets are orientated substantially tangentially with respect to the rear surface of the lens to maximise the airflow efficiency in removing condensation.

[0025] Preferably, the frame bridges across a top edge of the lens, wherein the outlets of the vents are directed downwardly to facilitate a continuous flow of air across the lens surface.

[0026] In an embodiment, the frame only engages the top edge of the lens, leaving a bottom edge exposed, allowing unobstructed airflow across the rear surface of the lens.

[0027] The vents may be positioned across more than half the width of the lens and, preferably, more than three-quarters of the width of the lens to ensure widespread defogging coverage.

[0028] According to an embodiment, the frame may be integrally formed as a single piece, defining a slot for engaging an edge of the lens, wherein the vents transition internally within the frame around the slot.

[0029] Preferably, an inlet section of each vent is positioned closer to a top edge of the slot, while an outlet section is positioned nearer to a rear edge of the slot to optimise airflow direction.

[0030] In some embodiments, at least one vent is constricted from an inlet to an outlet thereof to increase air velocity, thereby enhancing the defogging effect.

[0031] According to another aspect, the eyewear defogging ventilation system may comprise a lens that is removably secured within the slot of the frame, allowing for easy replacement or interchangeability. In accordance with an embodiment, removal of the lens does not obstruct or interfere with the function of the vents, ensuring continuous operation of the defogging system.

[0032] The lens may be secured within the slot by an interference fit, a clip mechanism, or other suitable retention means.

[0033] In another aspect, the eyewear defogging ventilation system may comprise a locking mechanism configured to retain the lens securely within the frame while allowing tool-free removal for replacement or cleaning.

[0034] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.Brief Description of the Drawings

[0035] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0036] Figure 1 shows a perspective disassembled view of an eyewear defogging ventilation system in accordance with an embodiment;

[0037] Figures 2 and 3 shows a cross-section of a vent of a frame of the eyewear; and

[0038] Figure 4 shows a cross-section of a lens and the frame of the eyewear.Description of Embodiments

[0039] Figure 1 shows an eyewear defogging ventilation system 100 comprising a frame 101 engaging a lens 102. With further reference to Figure 2, the frame 101 comprises a plurality of vents 103 therealong.

[0040] Each vent 103 exposes an inlet 104 through a front face 105 of the frame 101 and leads to an outlet 106 behind the lens.

[0041] The outlets 106 are orientated to direct air across a rear surface of the lens 102 thereby removing condensation. Each outlet 106 is preferably orientated substantially tangentially with respect to a rear surface 107 of the lens 102.

[0042] With reference to Figure 4, when moving forward, such as when running, cycling or the like, air pressure causes directed air flow 117 to enter the inlets 104 which is directed from the outlets 106 as a curtain of air across the rear surface 107 of the lens 102, thereby removing condensation.

[0043] According to the preferred embodiment shown, the frame 101 bridges across a top edge 108 of the lens 102 and wherein the outlets 106 are directed downwards. Preferably, the frame 101 only engages the top edge 108 of the lens 102 and wherein a bottom edge 109 of the lens 102 is exposed.

[0044] As can be appreciated from Figure 4, this preferred arrangement creates a continual downward moving curtain of substantially laminar airflow 1 10 which is thereby able to freely flow from top to bottom across the entire surface of the lens 102 and escape from the lower edge 109 without interruption . In other words, there is no obstruction or impediment to the smooth flow of air from the outlets 106 across the rear surface 107 of the lens 102.

[0045] Preferably, the vents 103 take up more than half the width of the lens 102, preferably more than three quarters or more, so as to cover substantially the entire width of the lens 102 to the fog substantially the entire interior surface of the lens 102.

[0046] With reference Figure 2, the frame 101 may be integrally formed as one piece, such as from injection moulded plastic.

[0047] The frame 101 may define a slot 1 1 1 which accepts the top edge 108 of the lens 102. As can be appreciated from Figure 1 , the slot 1 1 1 may transition around the sides of the frame 101 to engage the sides 1 12 of the lens also.

[0048] In embodiments, the lens 102 is engaged by the frame 101 by an interference fit in the slot 1 1 1 , clip mechanism or the like so as to be removable and wherein removing of the lens 102 does not interfere with the vents 104 which run through the frame 101 .

[0049] With reference to Figure 2, the integrally formed vents 103 transition around the slot 1 1 1 . As is further shown in Figure 2, an inlet section 1 13 of the vent 103 is preferably closer to a top edge 1 14 of the slot 1 1 1 as an outlet section 1 15 is to a rear edge 1 16 of the slot 1 1 1. This arrangement minimises the height of the frame 101 and spaces the outlets 106 appropriately from the rear surface 107 of the lens 1024 defogging, such as approximately 2 mm.

[0050] In a preferred embodiment, the vent 103 is constricted from the inlet 104 to the outlet 106. This constriction increases the velocity of air passing through the vent 103, thereby increasing the velocity of air across the rear surface 107 of the lens 102 for enhanced defogging effect.

[0051] In alternative embodiments, the frame 101 may engage around the bottom edge of the lens 102 and further preferably a bottom section of the frame 101 along the bottom edge of the lens is substantially flush with a rear surface of the lens .

[0052] In use, the eyewear defogging ventilation system 100 operates effectively to mitigate lens fogging under various conditions. With reference to Figures 1 and 4, when a wearer places the eyewear on their face, the frame 101 engages the top edge 108 of the lens 102, leaving the bottom edge 109 exposed. The vents 103 positioned along the frame 101 remain unobstructed, allowing unrestricted airflow.

[0053] When the wearer moves forward, such as while walking, running, or cycling, ambient air enters the inlets 104 located on the front face 105 of the frame 101 . This air is channelled through the constricted vents 103, where it accelerates before exiting via the outlets 106 behind the lens 102. The directed airflow 1 17 forms a substantially laminar curtain that travels tangentially across the rear surface 107 of the lens 102, removing any condensation that may have formed due to temperature differentials.

[0054] In an exemplary scenario, a cyclist wearing the eyewear system 100 encounters rapid temperature changes when transitioning from a cool outdoor environment to a warm, humid setting. Without adequate ventilation, the lenses 102 may fog, impairing visibility. However, the integration of the vents 103 ensures that as the cyclist gains speed, the increased air pressure enhances the defogging effect by funnelling more air through the system. The velocity of the airflow across the lens 102 surface increases due to the constriction within each vent 103, further improving moisture removal.

[0055] The eyewear system 100 is also effective in static or low-movement conditions. When the wearer is stationary, natural convection currents and minor head movements induce sufficient airflow to initiate passive ventilation. This allows thesystem to function even in conditions where external wind forces are minimal, such as when waiting in a queue, wearing a face mask, or engaging in light activity. In such cases, the airflow facilitated by the inlets 104 and outlets 106 ensures that minor condensation is continuously dissipated, maintaining clear vision.

[0056] For users engaging in high-intensity activities such as skiing or mountain biking, where moisture accumulation is more pronounced due to body heat and perspiration, the eyewear defogging system 100 provides a consistent and automatic solution. The airstream facilitated by the vents 103 prevents fog from forming, even in extreme conditions. The wearer does not need to manually wipe the lenses 102 or apply anti-fog treatments, making the system highly practical for prolonged use.

[0057] The eyewear system 100 may be used in combination with prescription or nonprescription lenses 102, and its design allows for easy removal and replacement of the lens 102 without interference with the integrated venting system. As noted with reference to Figure 2, the lens 102 may be secured in a slot 1 1 1 within the frame 101 , allowing for straightforward interchangeability.

[0058] The preferred configuration of the frame 101 , engaging only the top edge 108 of the lens 102, ensures that airflow moves uninterrupted from top to bottom, optimising the defogging effect. This arrangement, in conjunction with the carefully designed vent geometry, offers superior performance compared to prior art solutions relying on isolated vent placements or passive diffusion methods.

[0059] The eyewear defogging system 100 thus provides a reliable, maintenance-free, and effective solution for reducing fogging in various real-world scenarios, significantly enhancing user experience and visual clarity.

[0060] The foregoing description, for purposes of explanation, used specific nomenclature to provide a thorough understanding of the invention. However, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art that specific details are not required in order to practise the invention. Thus, the foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the invention are presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed as obviously many modifications and variations are possible in view of the aboveteachings. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the following claims and their equivalents define the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims1 . An eyewear defogging ventilation system comprising a frame engaging a lens, wherein the frame comprises a plurality of vents therealong, each vent exposing an inlet thought a front face of the frame leading to an outlet behind the lens wherein outlets of the vents are orientated to direct a curtain of air across a rear surface of the lens.

2. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the outlets are orientated substantially tangentially with respect to the rear surface of the lens.

3. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame bridges across a top edge of the lens and wherein outlets of the vents are directed downwardly.

4. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the frame only engages the top edge of the lens and wherein a bottom edge of the lens is exposed.

5. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vents are across more than half the width of the lens.

6. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the vents are across more than three quarters the width of the lens.

7. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the frame is integrally formed as one piece, defines a slot for engaging the edge of the lens and wherein the vents transition internally within the frame around the slot.

8. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 7, wherein an inlet section of the vent is closer to a top edge of the slot as an outlet section of the vent is to a rear edge of the slot.

9. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one vent is constricted from an inlet to an outlet thereof.

10. The eyewear defogging ventilation system as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the lens is removably secured within the slot.1 1. A method of reducing fogging on an eyewear lens using an eyewear defogging ventilation system, the method comprising: providing an eyewear frame engaging a lens, the frame comprising a plurality of vents having inlets on a front face of the frame and outlets positioned behind the lens; directing ambient air into the inlets as the wearer moves forward; and discharging the air from the outlets to create a curtain of airflow tangentially across a rear surface of the lens to remove condensation.

12. The method as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the outlets are positioned to direct the airflow substantially tangentially with respect to the rear surface of the lens.

13. The method as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the airflow is generated passively as a result of forward motion of the wearer.

14. The method as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the frame bridges across a top edge of the lens and the outlets direct air downwardly across the lens.

15. The method as claimed in claim 1 1 , further comprising the step of removing and replacing the lens within a slot in the frame without obstructing the function of the vents.

16. The method as claimed in claim 1 1 , wherein the airflow created by the vents is substantially laminar to enhance defogging efficiency.

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