Hunting Visored Eye Shield with Opaque Segmented Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing camouflage eyewear for hunters is cumbersome, impairs vision in low light conditions, prone to snagging, and allows eye movement and light reflection to be detected by wildlife, leading to compromised hunting effectiveness.
Innovation Solution
A wrap-around eyewear device with elongated openings and a visor made of opaque molded plastic, providing unencumbered vision while concealing eyes from wildlife, and featuring a durable, lens-free design that prevents fogging and glare.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If camouflage netting is draped over the hunter's face, then the eyes are concealed from wildlife, but the device becomes cumbersome and adversely affects shooting accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the face covering into segmented sections: a rigid shield portion that provides structural stability and camouflage, and a flexible netting portion that can be positioned away from the shooting line. This segmentation allows the eyes to be concealed while maintaining shooting accuracy by directing the netting away from the barrel path.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extends the camouflage coverage into the temporal regions (sides of the face) and uses a wraparound configuration that covers the eyes from multiple angles. This multi-dimensional approach ensures complete eye concealment while the rigid shield provides a stable platform that doesn't interfere with shooting mechanics.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If loose camouflage netting is used, then the eyes are concealed, but the netting rustles and makes noises that impair the hunter's ability to hear animal sounds
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the rigid shield structure with the flexible netting into a single integrated unit. The netting is permanently attached to the shield, eliminating the need for separate loose netting that would rustle independently. This combination ensures the netting moves with the shield and hunter's head, reducing relative motion and associated noise.
Solution Approach 2:
The netting is pre-positioned and secured to the rigid shield before hunting, creating a stable configuration that moves as a unified structure. This preliminary positioning prevents the netting from flapping or rustling during hunting activities, as it is already in its optimal position relative to the shield and hunter's face.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If camouflage netting is used to conceal eyes, then wildlife cannot see the eyes, but light is decreased to the eye making it difficult to see in low light conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different optical properties to different parts of the device: the rigid shield has opaque or mirrored surfaces that reflect or block light to conceal the eyes from wildlife, while the elongated openings in the shield and the mesh structure of the netting allow sufficient light transmission to the hunter's eyes. This local differentiation of optical properties resolves the contradiction between concealment and vision.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If loose netting is used for camouflage, then eyes are concealed, but in bright sunlight the loose netting creates glare that greatly decreases visibility
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid shield is designed with curved surfaces that wrap around the hunter's face, following the contours of the head. This curvature allows the shield to reflect sunlight away from the hunter's eyes rather than creating direct glare, while still maintaining effective eye concealment from wildlife viewing from the front or sides.
5Reliability
If traditional lensed eyewear is used for eye protection, then eyes are protected, but the smooth lenses reflect light causing a shine or glint that game animals will be alerted to
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid shield is designed with opaque or mirrored surfaces that change how light interacts with the eye area. Instead of smooth clear lenses that reflect light, the shield uses surfaces that either absorb light (opaque) or reflect it in controlled patterns (mirrored), preventing the glint or shine that would alert wildlife to the hunter's presence while maintaining eye protection.
6Object-affected harmful factors
If tinted lenses are used in eyewear, then eyes are concealed and light reflection is reduced, but distance vision and vision in low light applications is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the visual field into different zones: the rigid shield with opaque or mirrored surfaces conceals the eyes and reduces glare, while the elongated openings provide unobstructed views for distance vision. The mesh netting allows ambient light to reach the eyes without the light-filtering properties of tinted lenses that would impair vision. This segmentation achieves both concealment and clear vision without the drawbacks of tinted lenses.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The eyewear effectively conceals eyes from wildlife in various light conditions, maintains unobstructed peripheral vision, and is durable and low-maintenance, addressing the limitations of previous designs.
Implementation Method 1
means for blocking direct light and ambient light from the wearer's eyes, said means comprising an opaque molded plastic that covers, shades, and shadows the wearer's eyes
Implementation Method 2
a visor integral to the shield, extending outward and spanning the elongated openings in the shield
Data Source
AI summary
An eyewear device for the primary purpose of concealing and camouflaging the wearer's eyes and eye movement during hunting activities. The eyewear device comprises an opaque shield and visor that covers, shades, and shadows the wearer's eyes and at the same time it greatly reduces ambient light that might be reflected from the eye so they are not visible to wildlife. The shield is designed with elongated openings that allow the wearer to have significantly unencumbered vision in a variety of daylight hunting conditions. The eyewear device's performance cannot be affected by fogging, scratching or precipitation. Furthermore the eyewear device's one-piece flexible design makes it durable enough to withstand the riggers of hunting.