Optically decentered face shield

• Main Authors: CITEK KARL, REICHOW ALAN W
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 31.01.2012
• Subjects: AMUSEMENTS; APPARATUS FOR PHYSICAL TRAINING, GYMNASTICS, SWIMMING,CLIMBING, OR FENCING; ARMOUR; ARMOURED OR ARMED VEHICLES; ARMOURED TURRETS; BALL GAMES; BLASTING; CONTACT LENSES; GAMES; HATS; HEAD COVERINGS; HEADWEAR; HEATING; HUMAN NECESSITIES; LIGHTING; MEANS OF ATTACK OR DEFENCE, e.g. CAMOUFLAGE, IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; OPTICS; PHYSICS; SPECTACLES; SPORTS; SUNGLASSES OR GOGGLES INSOFAR AS THEY HAVE THE SAME FEATURESAS SPECTACLES; TRAINING EQUIPMENT; WEAPONS

A face protector includes a one piece shield in which an optical center is displaced away from the normal straight ahead line of sight toward an activity specific line of sight to minimize image shift that occurs when a direction of gaze passes across the edge of the shield. An apex of the shield is formed at a forwardmost point of the shield, or a virtual extension of the shield, when the shield is in an as worn position on a wearer. In particular examples, an optical axis extends through the optical center, at a non-zero angle to the normal straight ahead line of sight and substantially parallel to the activity specific line of sight, with the optical center being placed away from the apex. In particular examples, the optical axis is closer to (or coincident with) an activity specific line of sight of one of the right or left eye. The face protector is particularly useful in activities such as sports, for example hockey, football, or baseball which involve activity specific lines of sight. In one disclosed embodiment, the optical center is positioned at or below a bottom edge of the shield so that a hockey player can view an object on the ice below the lower edge of the shield with reduced image shift.