Pliable frame for sunglasses in emergency survival kit

Mcbrayer, R. O.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION 
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20546 
R E R Y  TO 
ATTNOF GP March 29, 1971 
TO: USI/Scient i f ic  & Technical Xnformation Divis ion 
FROM 2 GP/Office of A s s i s t a n t  General 
At ten t ion :  M i s s  Winnie M. Morgan 
Counsel f o r  Patent Matters 
SUBJECT: Announcement of NASA-Owned 
U.S, Pa ten ts  i n  STAR 
I n  accordance wi th  t h e  procedures contained i n  t h e  Code GP 
t o  Code US1 memorandum on t h i s  subject, dated June 8 ,  1970, 
t h e  a t tached  NASA-owned U . S .  p a t e n t  i s  being forwarded f o r  
a b s t r a c t i n g  and announcement i n  NASA STAR. 
The following information i s  provided: 
U.S. Pa ten t  No. : 3,378,851 
Corporate Source : Banned SBacecraEt Center  
Supplementary 
Corporate Source 
NASA Paten t  C a s e  N o .  : -06064 
Gayfe Parker  
Enclosure : 
Copy of Pa ten t  
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R. 0. NcBRAYER 
SOFT FRAME ADJUSTAELE EYEGLASSES 
Filed July 6. 1966 
.-- 
3,378,85 United Patented Apr. 23, 1968 
x 2 
3,378,851 
SOFT FRAME ADJUSTA LE EYEGLASSES 
Robert 0. McBrayer, Houston, Tex., assignor to the 
United States of America as represented by the Ad- 
ministrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Ad- 
ministration 
Filed July 6, 1966, Ser. No. 563,646 
4 Claims. (Cl. 2-14) 
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE 
A plizble frame for sunglasses suitable for folding and 
efficient packaging in emergency survival kits may be con. 
structed from a laminate of nylon and “Velcro.” The sun- 
glasses are held in place by two elastic bands which extend 
from respective sides of the sunglass frame around the 
wearer’s head and are secured tagether by cooperating 
‘Telcro” tabs on respective terminating ends thereof. 
The invention described herein was made by an em- 
ployee of the United States Government and may be manu- 
factured and used by or for the Government for govern- 
mental purposes without the payment of any royalities 
thereon or therefor. 
This invention relates to improvements in soft frame 
glasses, and more particularly relates to a pair of adjustable 
glasses which can be folded into a small volume for 
storage. 
Whenever the possibility exists that personnel, e.g., avia- 
tors, seamen, ski patrols, forest rangers, etc., may become 
stranded in a hostile environment for long periods of 
time, it is now a standard practice to provide such per- 
sonnel with survival kits. An important item in such a kit 
is a pair of sunglasses which are used to protect the 
wearer’s eyes from harmful glare if he should happen to 
be stranded on a large body of water, sand, or snow. 
Since the space available for these glasses within such 
a kit is severely limited, it is desirable to provide a 
pair of glasses which can be folded into a minimal vol- 
ume, Also, since the kit may be subjected to rough han- 
dling it is necessary for the glasses to be virtually un- 
breakable. Furthermore, the glasses should be lightweight 
and should be adjustable so that a single pair of glasses 
will comfortably fit a wearer regardless of his particular 
facial configuration. 
In the past most of the glasses used in such kits have 
been of goggle-like construction, with the frame being 
made of soft rubber. Although these glasses could be 
folded, they were still relatively bulky and difficul to store 
in a small space. Also, this type of glasses utilized metal 
clips for securing a plastic head band thereto, and it was 
found that these metal clips had a tendency to break or 
scratch the lenses under certain conditions. 
Glasses having cloth frames have also been suggested 
for use in these kits. Such glasses can be folded into small 
volumes and present few problems in regard to breakage. 
However, these glasses have no means for adjustment, 
and accordingly are uncomfortable and do not, in most 
instances, provide a proper fit. This obviously reduces 
their efficiency. 
The present invention provides a pair of glasses that 
can be folded into a minimal space, are virtually unbreak- 
able, and which are quickly and easily adjustable at time 
of wearing to insure a proper fit regardless of the wearer’s 
facial features. The glasses are comprised of a heavy 
cloth frame having a pair of commercially available plas- 
tic lenses cemented therein. The frame has a pair of wing 
flaps, one at each end thereof, which cooperate with a 
strip of material on the frame to form a means for adjust- 
ing the glasses. The actual manner in which this means 
functions will be set out in detail below. A pair of elastic 
bands are attached to the glasses to hold them in posi- 
tion while they are being worn. Once the glasses are 
properly adjusted, they will remain rigidly in place even 
5 during periods of violent activity. Also, due to the light- 
ness of the glasses, they are extremely comfortable and 
eliminate the problem of heavy perspiration previously 
associated with tight fitting goggle-type glasses. 
The actual construction and the apparent advantages 
of the invention will be better understood by referring 
to the drawings in which like numerals identify like parts 
in the different figures and in which: 
FIG. 1 is a rear view of a pair of glasses made in 
accordance with the present invention; 
FIG. 2 is a top view of the glasses of FIG. 1; 
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the glasses of FIG. 1 
in position on a wearer; 
FIG. 4 is a rear view of the glasses of FIG. 1 in a 
partially folded position; and 
FIG. 5 is a front view of the glasses of FIG. 1 in a 
fully folded position. 
Referring more specifically to FIG. 1, glasses 10 com- 
prise a frame 11 which is made from cloth, or like mate- 
rial, preferably heavy nylon cloth. Frame 11 has a wing 
25 flap 12 at either end thereof which forms an integral 
part of the frame. A pair of openings 13 (FIGS. 3 and 
5) are provided in frame 11 to which lenses 14 are fitted. 
Preferably these lenses are tinted and are of the plastic, 
unbreakable type commonly used in several commercially 
30 available sunglasses. However, it should be recognized 
that other types of lenses could be used without depart- 
ing from the invention. Lenses 14, which are larger than 
openings 13, are positioned over said openings from the 
rear side of frame 11 and are held in place by cloth 
35 rings 15 which are cemented, sewed, or otherwise secured 
to frame 11. 
Pads 16 of pile material, cut in the same configuration 
as flaps 12, are secured to said flaps by cementing or the 
like. This pile material comprises a backing of a dimen- 
1.0 sionally stable woven nylon fabric having on one side 
thereof a large plurality of tiny, upstanding loops of very 
fine thread or other filamentary material, this side being 
the pile side. A strip 17 of this pile material having sub- 
stantially the same thickness as pads 16 is cemented or 
45 otherwise secured to frame 11 along the upper rear edge 
thereof between flaps 12 (see FIG. 2). 
A composite strip element 18 is secured along a portion 
of its length to strip 17 by cementing or the like (see 
15 
20 
50 
66 
eo 
65 
70 
FIGS. 2 and 4). Strip element 18 is comprised of a strip 
19 of pile material and a strip 20 of hook material which 
have their respective backings cemented together. Hook 
strip 20 is comprised of material which has the same 
backing material as the pile material and has a plurality 
of tiny hooks extending outwardly from one side of the 
backing, this side being the hook side. The pile and hook 
material described herein is commonly referred to as 
hook tape, and is known commercially as Velcro. 
Strip element 18 is secured to strip 17 so that the pile 
side of strip 19 is exposed outwardly. Those portions of 
element 18 which are not secured to strip 17 form a pair 
of loose tabs 22, one at  each end of element 18. It can 
be seen from FIGS. 2 and 4 that the hook side of strip 
20 will be exposed on that side of tabs 22 which face the 
flaps 12. When the glasses are to be worn, the hook side 
of tabs 22 cooperates with the pile material 16 on flaps 
12 to provide means for adjusting the glasses, as will be 
more fully explained below. If desired, strip 17, element 
18, and frame 11 can be sewed along their common 
length to insure better integrity of the glasses. A pad 24 
of pile material is secured to frame 11 as shown in FIG. 
1 to provide a cushion for the nose when the glasses are 
in place. 
3,378,851 
3 4 
Individual elastic bands 25 are secured to each of tabs While a particular embodiment of the glasses has been 
22, and each have an elongated composite tip 26 secured illustrated and described, it will be obvious that changes 
to  its outer end. Tips 26 are formed from a strip 27 of and modifications can be made without departing from 
pile material and a strip 28 of hook material having their the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended 
respective backings secured together in the same manner 5 claims. 
as strip element 18. It can easily be seen that the hook What is claimed and desired to be secured by Letters 
material of one tip can cooperate with the pile material 
on the other to secure the elastic bands 25 together to 1. A pair of adjustable eyeglasses capable of being 
form a continuous, adjustable headband for holding the 
glasses in place. It should be noted that by using elongated a frame of soft, pliable material having two eye open- 
tips 26 and two bands 25 instead of a single elastic band, ings therethrough, and having a foldable flap extend- 
that the actual length of the headband can be adjusted ing from each end thereof; 
without relying solely upon the stretch of the elastic a pair of lenses secured to said frame and covering 
which in some cases cause discomfort when stretched too said eye openings; 
far. With the glasses in an unfolded position, as shown l5 a pair of elongated adjustment tabs, each of said tabs 
in FIG. 1, they are ready to be worn. The glasses can being secured respeotively to opposite ends of said 
be adjusted at that time by moving tabs 22 from the frame so that each tab is attached at one of its ends 
position shown by the solid lines in FIG. 1 to a second to said frame and extends loosely over the foldable 
position shown by the dotted lines in FIG. 1. By merely flap at the same respective end of said frame, said 
pressing the hook side of tab 22 into the pile material of 20 tabs being positioned so that the longitudinal axes 
flap 12, tab 22 can be locked at an angle a with respect of said tabs will normally be substantially parallel 
to the top of flap 12 (FIG. 3).  The actual angle a at to the top edges of said frame and said flaps; 
which tabs 22 will be set will depend upon the individual means attached to said tabs for securing said eyeglasses 
facial contour, since by increasing the angle the bottom on the head of a wearer; and 
of the glasses can be canted more and more toward the 25 cooperable means on said flaps and said tabs for re- 
cheeks of the wearer (see arrows in FIG. 3). To insure leasably securing said tabs ,to said flaps in any of a 
the right cant for a particular wearer, it is best to don plurality of different positions wherein the longitudi- 
the glasses before adjusting same. This is done by posi- nal axes of the tabs will form a different angle with 
tioning the glasses and coupling tips 26 together to  adjust respect to the top edges of said flaps in each of said 
the elastic bands 25 which hold the glasses in place. It 30 positions to  thereby provide a means for easily ad- 
is then a simple and easy task for wearer to manipulate justing said eyeglasses to the particular facial contour 
the tabs 22 to different positions with respect to flaps of an individual wearer. 
12 until a comfortable fit is obtained. As explained briefly 2. A pair of adjustable eyeglasses as described in claim 
below, the hook and pile material when pressed together 1 wherein said cooperable means on said flaps and said 
forms a strong union which can be easily released and 35 tabscomprises: 
reused almost indefinitely. This makes the glasses ex- hook material having a plurality of tiny, upstanding 
tremely durable and for all intents and purposes un- hooks thereon, said hook material secured to >either 
breakable, the latter depending only on the lenses used. said tabs or said flaps; and 
The hook and pile material, as explained above, is pile material having a plurality of tiny, upstanding loops 
commercially available under the trademark Velcro, and 40 thereon, said pile material m u r e d  to the other of said 
functions as follows. When the hook material which con- tabs or said flaps whereby said hooks on said hook 
tains tiny hooks of stiff but flexible plastic is pressed into material will cooperate with said loops on said pile 
the pile material which contains a large plurality of loops material to thereby form a releasable connection be- 
of plastic filamentary material having a relatively high tween said tabs and said flaps wherever said hook and 
tensile strength, a large number of hooks engage the 45 pile materials are pressed together. 
loop causing an interlocking t o  occur between the hook 3. A pair of adjustable eyeglasses as described in claim 
and the pile material. The hooks and loops interlock SO 2 wherein the soft pliable material of which the frame 
strongly that a substantial force is required to  separate is comprised is heavy, nylon cloth. 
the two. The relative strength of the hooks and the loops 4. A pair of adjustable eyeglasses as described in claim 
are so proportioned that when a force sufficient to pull 50 2 wherein said means for securing said eyeglasses in place 
them apart is exerted, the hooks and loops disengage comprises an elastic band. 
without pulling either the hooks or loops from their 
respective backings. This allows the fastening action be- 
tween the hook and pile material to be"renewed indefi- 
nitely. 
To fold the glasses for storage tabs 22 are pulled loose 55 1*161,061 11/1915 ------------- 2-14.4 
from flaps 12 and are folded back, as shorn FIG. 4. 2,323,518 7/1943 Cochran _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _  351-63 X 
The pile side of tips 26 are then pressed onto the exposed 2~527,027 10/1950 ---------------- 2-14.1 
hook side of tabs 22. Next, flaps 12 are folded over tabs 299079041 10/195g Finn ---------------- 2-14.4 
22 and tips 26 and the glasses are folded at their mid- 60 39235$882 2/1966 
point (pad 24). Elastic bands 25 are then stretched FOREIGN PATENTS 
around the folded glasses to hold them in the position 
shown in FIG. 5. In this position the glasses occupy sub- 
stantially less volume than an ordinary package of ciga- 
rettes, and can easily be carried in a shirt pocket without 65 HERBERT F. ROSS prim,.,, ~ ~ ~ ~ i ~ ~ ~ .  
inconvenience. 
Patent is: 
folded into a minimal volume, comprising: 
References Cited 
UNITED STATES PATENTS 
363,594 12/1931 Great Britain. 
579,754 8/1946 Great Britain. 
, 


Soft frame adjustable eyeglasses Patent

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