ASSEMBLY / DISASSEMBLY SYSTEM FOR LENSES OF DIVING MASKS

Description

This application is the U.S. national phase of International Application No. PCT/EP2023/058852 filed Apr. 4, 2023 which designated the U.S. and claims priority to FR 2204488 filed May 12, 2022, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The present invention relates to an assembly/disassembly system for lenses of swimming or diving masks.

Diving masks can be classified into two categories: those made by overmoulding and those assembled.

The overmoulding diving masks are industrially constructed with an injection process of one or more soft materials, silicone or thermoplastic rubbers, around a transparent element, which we will call a lens, the latter constructed of glass or transparent thermoplastic material. The transparent part naturally serves to ensure vision, the soft and elastic part to ensure the watertight seal of the mask on the swimmer's face and thus avoid water contact with the eyes. This type of mask is not significant.

The assembled diving masks consist of a set of rigid and elastic parts assembled with various mechanical systems around two or one single lens. The masks of this type, being assembled, allow the user to disassemble and reassemble. It is common in these assembled solutions that the system consists of the following parts: a main frame, an inner frame, lenses, a skirt, buckles and a strap.

This feature, in the case of two-lens masks, makes it possible to replace the lenses.

In all cases, the compression of the lenses and the soft gasket of the skirt between the inner frame and the outer frame makes the mask watertight. There are basically two assembly systems between the outer frame and the inner frame.

The first involves the adoption of assembly screws between the parts. The inner frame is connected and tightened to the main frame with the aforementioned screws, compressing the gasket. This assembly system works well but has the disadvantage of being laborious due to the number of screws required to guarantee watertight integrity.

The second provides for an assembly system between the parts by means of hooking teeth which engage in suitable seats thanks to the elastic deformation of the components. It has the disadvantage of being difficult to disassemble because it requires considerable effort or tools that damage the delicate plastic parts, especially if the operation is repeated more than once. The need to replace lenses is linked to the possibility of adopting corrective optical lenses for those with visual defects, or to the desire to use colored or mirrored lenses capable of filtering or modifying the light spectrum like a common sunglasses.

The disassembly, replacement, and reassembly of the masks that we will define as interchangeable lenses, is carried out by the end user who will purchase the corrective or colored lenses according to his needs or wishes. In particular, for corrective lenses, it is common for the user to need different correction than the right and left eye and therefore will customize their mask by purchasing the replacement lenses separately.

It becomes essential since the user is not an expert in the assembly and disassembly of masks to propose an assembly system that is simple and easy to use.

On the market there are various assembly/disassembly systems, as described above, of the parts which, however, have the disadvantage of either hurting the user's fingers because it takes a considerable effort to operate them, or having to use a screwdriver to leverage the parts, they damage the plastic parts of the mask.

The difference between the present invention and the prior art is that the locking/unlocking means (6) is a cam which, by rotation, produces an elastic deformation of the inner frame (2) releasing the outer frame (3) from the inner frame (2).

The technical effect of the previously mentioned difference is that the assembly and disassembly of diving masks is simpler and easier to use, without damaging the lenses, without damaging the frames of the diving masks and without damaging the hands of the operator.

The problem to be solved is that the former assembly/disassembly systems of diving masks by the end user are impractical, often damage the product or cause physical effort or risk producing pain or even minor injuries to the operator. Another problem to be solved is to find an alternative device, i.e. an improved assembly/disassembly system for lenses of diving masks.

The diving masks of the prior art do not disclose that the locking/unlocking means (6) is a cam (an eccentric) which, by rotation, produces an elastic deformation of the inner frame (2) releasing the outer frame (3) from the inner frame (2).

The present invention relates to a swimming or diving mask comprising:

• • a pair of side-by-side symmetrical removable lenses (1A,1B) with respect to a vertical axis Y-Y, said lenses being distinct from each other or formed in one piece, wherein said lenses have an inner surface (1C) and an outer surface (1D),
  • an inner frame (2) on which the periphery of the inner surface (1C) of the lenses (1A,1B) rests on,
  • an outer frame (3) configured to be removed from the swimming or the diving mask and localized on the periphery of the outer surface (1D) of said lenses (1A,1B),
  • a skirt (4),
  • at least one sealing means (5) located on said inner frame (2) and sealingly connected to the periphery of the inner surface of said lenses (1A, 1B) and adapted to be applied in a watertight fashion onto said lenses (1A,1B),
  • at least one locking/unlocking means (6) located on said outer frame (3), said locking/unlocking means (6) being configured to engage with said inner frame (2) and, when engaged, to secure the lenses (1A,1B) between said outer frame and said inner frame, characterized in that:
  • the locking/unlocking means (6) comprises a cam (6A) which, by rotation, produces an elastic deformation of the inner frame (2), said produced elastic deformation enabling a releasing of the outer frame (3) from the inner frame (2).

In order to clarify the wording “watertight fashion”, this means that the compression of the lenses on the inner frame (2) and the compression of the outer frame (3) on the lenses makes the swimming or mask watertight.

Preferably, the at least one clipping means (7) located on said outer frame (3) is cooperating with at least one notch located on said inner frame (2) to secure the lenses (1A,1B) between said outer frame (3) and said inner frame (2).

Preferably, the locking/unlocking means (6) is located laterally from the inner frame (2) and laterally from the outer frame (3), on a periphery of said outer frame (3), i.e. on an external edge of said outer frame (3).

Preferably, the outer frame (3) and inner frame (2) are made of rigid plastic.

Preferably, the outer frame (3) covers integrally the periphery of the outer surface (1D) of the lenses (1A,1B).

Preferably, the outer frame (3) covers partially the periphery of the outer surface (1D) of the lenses (1A,1B).

The present invention relates also to a screwdriver (8) specially adapted for the assembling or the disassembling of the swimming or diving mask as defined in claims 1 to 6, said screwdriver being configured to cooperate with the locking/unlocking means (6) for releasing the outer frame (3) from the periphery of the outer surface (1D) of the lenses (1A,1B), or said screwdriver being adapted for securing the lenses (1A,1B) between the outer frame (3) and the inner frame (2).

The use of said screwdriver reduces considerably the force required for assembly compared to a manual operation.

The present invention relates also to a swimming or diving kit comprising the swimming or diving mask according to claim 1 and the screwdriver according to claim 7.

The present invention relates also to a method of assembling at least one or two removable lenses (1A,1B) in a swimming or diving mask as defined in claim 1, comprising the following steps:

• • a) placing the periphery of an inner surface (1C) of one or two lenses (1A,1B) onto an inner frame (2) of the mask, said inner frame (2) having at least one sealing means (5),
  • b) placing a removable outer frame (3) on the periphery of the outer surface (1D) of said lenses (1A,1B),
  • c) locking at least one lock means (6) located on said removable outer frame (3)
  • d) clipping at least one clipping means (7) located on said removable outer frame (3) and engaging with the inner frame (2),
  • e) firmly maintaining said lenses (1A,1B) between the inner frame (2) and the outer frame (3) with the at least one locking means and/or the at least one clipping means.

The present invention relates also to a method of disassembling at least one or two removable lenses (1A,1B) in a swimming or diving mask as defined in claim 1, comprising the following steps:

• • a) unlocking at least one locking/unlocking means (6) located on a removable outer frame (3),
  • b) de-clipping at least one clipping means (7) located on said removable outer frame (3) and engaging with the inner frame (2),
  • c) removing an outer frame (3) from the periphery of the outer surface (1D) of said lenses (1A,1B),
  • d) removing said lenses (1A,1B).

The present invention is represented by the following figures:

FIG. 1 shows the locking/unlocking means (6) fixed on the outer frame (3) and on the inner frame (2).

FIG. 2 shows how to unlock the locking/unlocking means (6) fixed on the outer frame (3) and on the inner frame (2).

FIG. 3 shows lenses (1A,1B) placed between an outer frame (3) and an inner frame (2) secured using two cams (6). It also shows a pair of side-by-side symmetrical removable lenses (1A,1B), said lenses being symmetrical with respect to a vertical axis (Y-Y).

FIG. 4 shows a cam (6) and its location hole, an outer frame (3) and an inner frame (2).

FIG. 5 shows also the front view of a cam (6) in place in an outer frame (3) and an inner frame (2).

FIG. 6 shows the rear view of a cam (6) and a clipping means (7).

FIG. 7 shows also the rear view of a cam (6) and a clipping means (7).

FIG. 8 is a photograph of the present invention showing the outer surface of the lenses (1A, 1B), an outer frame (3) and an inner frame (2). The C shaped screwdriver used to locking/unlocking the cam from the outer and inner frame is also shown on the left part of the photograph.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the diving mask of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the diving mask of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a top view of the diving mask of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a front view of the diving mask of the present invention.

FIG. 13 shows how to assemble the lenses (1A, 1B), the outer frame (3) and the inner frame (2) with a screwdriver.

The present invention provides for an assembly/disassembly system of the outer frame (3) from the inner frame (2) by means of a lock/unlock system operated by means of an eccentric (also called a cam) which, by rotation, produces an elastic deformation of the inner frame (2) which, thanks to this action, releases the outer frame (3) from the inner frame (2).

A cam is a sliding piece in a mechanical linkage used especially in transforming a rotary motion into a linear motion.

This operation of assembly/disassembly, is to be carried out with a tool supplied or commonly purchased at a hardware store, which does not require effort and does not cause damage to the system. The effort is achieved thanks to the rotation of a cam integrated in the system (in the case presented inserted in the inner frame (2), but the same system could also be achieved by reversing the concept and integrating it into the outer frame (3) which opens and closes the coupling/releasing mechanism smoothly in a simple and repeatable way several times without damaging the system.

It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination.