US20230100117A1

US20230100117A1 - Mask having a frontal positioning device

Info

Publication number: US20230100117A1
Application number: US17/953,911
Authority: US
Inventors: Chih-Cheng Shiue
Original assignee: QBAS Co Ltd
Current assignee: QBAS Co Ltd
Priority date: 2021-09-29
Filing date: 2022-09-27
Publication date: 2023-03-30
Also published as: CN115871896A; TW202330355A; TWI844969B

Abstract

A structure of an underwater sports mask includes a lens frame, a lens portion and a water sealing skirt. A central area of the lens frame is provided with a positioning device for connecting a frontal breathing tube, and the positioning device allows the breathing tube to move along the axial direction of the breathing tube.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application claims the benefit of U.S. Prov. Ser. No. 63/249,791 filed on Sep. 29, 2021, which is incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Field of the Invention

The present invention is an underwater sports mask, especially a mask structure used for snorkeling activities and equipped with a frontal breathing tube.

Descriptions of the Related Art

The snorkeling equipment currently on the market includes a mask 1 that covers the user's eyes and nose, and a breathing tube 2 that is provided for the user's mouth to contain. With such a design of breathing tube 2, if the user contains the mouthpiece 3 correctly, the breathing tube 2 will extend upward and backward at one side of the mask (usually at the left side of the user). There are various ways to be used to connect the breathing tube 2 to the mask 1 at that side of the mask 1. When the user is facing down under the water and snorkeling with his/her head up, the breathing tube 2 extends out of the water surface about right above, to achieve the best breathing effect. Also, the breathing tube 2 will not be affected by the water flow or buoyancy and disengaged with the mask 1. This not only avoids accidental loss, but also increases the stability in use, as shown in FIG. 1A.
However, the breathing tube 2 extending at one side of the mask 1 has several inherent disadvantages:

(1) The user may feel unbalanced in the overall configuration of the breathing tube and mask. Especially during water sports, the unbalanced feeling will aggravate the discomfort.
(2) The configuration of the snorkel extending on the left side is not very accustomed to users who tend to the right (such as right-handers).
(3) The breathing tube extending along one side of the mask must pass through the area with hair in front of and above the ear, which often makes the elastic head strap be easily entangled with hair, more easily tangled in the position where the breathing tube passes. This also makes it difficult for users to decide whether to fix the breathing tube and the mask first and then put on the mask, or to put on the mask first and then fix the breathing tube. If the breathing tube is fixed first and then the mask is worn, the breathing tube is usually not in the correct position, and a second position adjustment must be made to match the comfort of the mouthpiece in the mouth. At this time, it is easy to be pulled by the hair. It is very uncomfortable. And if you put on the mask first and then fix the breathing tube, it's a challenge just to find the right place for the breathing tube to join the mask unless there is a mirror around to assist. That is, no matter what, unless someone else assists, it is a very difficult job to wear a mask, adjust the snorkel to the best position, and complete the outfit, especially for beginners or those who do not often snorkel. Those will all reduce their willingness to do water activities.

In the existing design, there is a central frontal swimming tube 4, which is fixed to the head with an independent head strap 5, and is also matched with general swimming goggles 6 that also comes with another head strap, as being used together for breathing and core training (shown in FIG. 1B). On the other hand, the full-face snorkeling mask FFSM is also designed with a central breathing tube, but it must be customized and fixed with the mask to prevent water leakage. However, the general snorkeling mask that covers the eyes and nose does not have a frontal snorkel design. If a mechanism is provided so that the snorkeling mask can also be equipped with a central breathing tube, the desired purpose can be successfully achieved. This mechanism can not only be used for snorkeling activities, but also for swimming training that generally hopes to cover the user's nose.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is to provide a snorkeling mask provided with a positioning device at the center of the outer frame between two lenses, so that a frontal swimming snorkel can be fixed by the positioning device, without lateral displacement, to achieve the desired purpose.
Because the positioning device is disposed on the lens frame, the breathing tube is very close to the position of the two lenses, and the obstruction to the sight of the user's two eyes is limited. Because of a self-visual accommodation exists shortly, the user can ignore the trivial disturbance of symmetry, and enjoy snorkeling to the fullest.
When being sold, the product still just includes a mask and a snorkel in volume, its package will not change, and when being displayed, it can be easily advertised as “central snorkeling mask”, “diving masks that can be easily worn by yourself”, “up-and-down adjustable snorkel”, “Hair-entangled Free” or others, which obviously break away from traditional styles, are naturally eye-catching and greatly increase the degree of discussion and desire to purchase.
More specifically, the primary objective of the present invention is to provide a structure of an underwater sports mask, including a frame, a lens portion, and a water sealing skirt. The front of the water sealing skirt and a peripheral edge of the lens portion are waterproof and embedded in the lens frame, and the rear of the water sealing skirt has a gasket portion. When a user wears the mask, a rear peripheral edge of the gasket portion is capable of being covering at least the user's eyes and nose to be watertight from an outside. The invention is characterized in that the lens frame is provided with a positioning device at a central portion thereof for connecting a frontal breathing tube, and the positioning device allows the frontal breathing tube to be displaced along an axial direction of the breathing tube.
Another objective of the present invention is to make the positioning device and the lens frame detachable, to facilitate the storage of the positioning device and ensure the flatness of the outside of the mask.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram of the snorkeling equipment of the prior art.

FIG. 1B is a schematic diagram of the swimming training equipment of the prior art.

FIG. 2A shows an embodiment of the mask of the present invention.

FIG. 2B is a diagram showing the user wearing the mask of FIG. 2A and installing the frontal breathing tube.

FIG. 3A is a front schematic view of an embodiment of a lens frame with a positioning device of the present invention.

FIG. 3B is a rear schematic view of FIG. 3A.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of three alternative embodiments of the detachable structure of the positioning device of the present invention.

FIG. 5A is a schematic diagram of one embodiment of the quick-release structure of the positioning device of the present invention.

FIG. 5B is a schematic diagram of the assembly process of another embodiment of the quick-release structure of the positioning device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 shows the arrangement angle relationship between the holding portion and the lens frame, and the pivotable state thereof.

FIG. 7A shows an embodiment of the positioning device (only the holding portion is shown) stored in the mask.

FIG. 7B shows embodiments of various possible positions for the positioning device to be received on the outer periphery of the lens frame.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, a structure of an underwater sports mask 10 includes a lens frame 11, a lens portion 12, and a water sealing skirt 13. The front of the water sealing skirt 13 and a peripheral edge of the lens portion 12 are coupled in a watertight fit and embedded into the lens frame 11 altogether. The rear of the water sealing skirt 13 has a gasket portion 131. When a user wears the mask 10, the rear peripheral edge of the gasket portion 131 can cover at least the user's eyes and nose to be watertight from the outside. A central portion of the lens frame 11 is provided with a positioning device 20 for connecting a frontal breathing tube 4, and the positioning device 20 allows the breathing tube 4 to be displaced along the longitudinal axis A-A of the breathing tube 4. The frontal breathing tube has a mouthpiece 40 for the user's mouth (M) to contain for breathing.
Preferably, the lens frame 11 has a left lens frame 111, a right lens frame 112, and a bridge 113 connected between the left lens frame 111 and the right lens frame 112. The lens portion 12 has two independent lenses 121, 122, in which the front of the water sealing skirt 13 and two peripheral edges of the two lenses 121, 122 are embedded in a watertight fit into the left lens frame 111 and the right lens frame 112, respectively. The positioning device 20 is disposed on the bridge 113.
More preferably, as shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B, the positioning device 20 and the bridge 113 are detachably connected with each other. Specifically, the positioning device 20 includes a holding portion and a fixing portion, wherein the holding portion is a C-shaped collar 21 having an opening 211 smaller than the diameter of the breathing tube 4. The breathing tube 4 is received from the opening 211 in a manner of elastically expanding the C-shaped collar 21 and is restrained therein. The fixing portion is connected, preferably is detachably connected, with the bridge 113. More specifically, the bridge 113 is provided with two parallel rails 114, and the fixing part is provided with two parallel sliders 22 which can be slidably engaged with the two rails 114, respectively.
The way of engagement between the positioning device 20 and the bridge of the lens frame is not limited to the above. In the detachable connection, FIG. 4 shows another sliding engagement with three shape alternatives. Specifically, one of the bridge (not shown) and the fixing portion connected with the C-shaped collar 21 is provided with a sliding rail 41, 43, 45, and the other is provided with a slider 42, 44, 46 which can be engaged with the sliding rail 41, 43, 45. For further alternatives, the positioning device and the bridge (not shown in the figure) can also be detachably connected by a quick-release device, such as the quick-release device 51 as used for a luggage tightening belt, as shown in FIG. 5A, or the quick release device 52 generally used in the water sports mask between its lens frame and the head strap by using a male tongue 521 to match a female socket 522, as shown in FIG. 5B. That is, using any type of male fastener which is connectable and detachable with any type of female fastener, with an unlimited number of fasteners is a viable alternative.
After the user puts on the mask 10 installs the breathing tube 4, and faces down to enter the water for snorkeling, in order to have the top of the breathing tube 4 surface as much as possible and the user inhale fresh air as much as possible, In the above-mentioned various embodiments, the angle between the axial direction A-A of the C-shaped collar 21 and the plane where the lens frame 11 lies is preferably between 0 degrees (that is, parallel to each other) to 80 degrees, preferably between 20 degrees and 60 degrees. If a pivot mechanism 60 is added between the C-shaped collar 21 and the lens frame 11, that is, between the fixed part of the positioning device 20 and the bridge 113 of the lens frame 11, for the user to do a free angle adjustment, that would be more flexible, as shown in FIG. 6 .
After snorkeling and the breathing tube is separated from the mask 10, when the user wants to store the mask 10, in order to prevent the positioning device 20 from protruding forward and being accidentally broken or causing injury, in the detachable mode, the positioning device 20 can be easily removed from the bridge 113, and then the C-shaped collar 21 can clip-on between the inner edges of the left lens frame 111 and the right lens frame 112 from the rear of the mask 10, thereby completing the storage of the C-shaped collar 21 inside the mask 10. Because the C-shaped collar 21 is generally made of a hard material (such as polycarbonate plastic, PC), which has a little elasticity that is enough to clip well inside the mask 10 without being lost, as shown in FIG. 7A. Of course, the method of receiving and storing the positioning device 20 is not limited to this. Any other positions on the outer periphery 115 of the lens frame 11, as shown in FIG. 7B, can also be provided with a rail 41, 43, 45, just like that disposed on the bridge 113 for the slider 42, 44, 46 to detachably engaging therewith, as shown in FIG. 4 , or the like. FIG. 4 and other descriptions suffice to disclose the engagement relation between the male and female structures, which is fully understandable, so FIG. 7B does not depict the details of the sliding rails on the outer periphery 115 of the lens frame 11.
It is fully described in the above-mentioned preferred embodiments for the structure and operation mode of the technical means of the present invention, which helps to realize the technology and its equivalents, such as the alternatives as addressed below; however, should not limit the claims as set forth in the last paragraph.
1. The positioning device 20 can be designed in any form that can be engaged with the center of the lens frame 11, as long as the breathing tube 4 can be coupled with the lens frame 11, and the lateral displacement of the breathing tube 4 can be well restricted.
2. When the axial (i.e., longitudinal) displacement of the breathing tube 4 is not restricted, the user can easily adjust the breathing tube 4 up and down along the axial direction without the need of others help. In addition, if the axial (i.e., longitudinal) displacement of the breathing tube 4 is less restricted (i.e., the breathing tube 4 is loosely fitted with the holder of the breathing tube holder), when the user performs the head-up or head-down action of snorkeling, the breathing tube 4 can move up and down slightly to achieve the most comfortable wearing experience, without pulling the mask, let alone pulling the hair, which is impossible for the traditional side snorkel. In addition, the axial (i.e., longitudinal) movement of the breathing tube 4 can be limited for purpose. For example, the breathing tube 4 is provided with several dents marked at equal distances on the outer surface thereof, and the inner surface of the C-shaped collar 21 is provided with bumps corresponding to the dents, so that the breathing tube 4 can be adjusted in stages along its axial direction. This is also an acceptable design.
The holding portion is not limited to the C-shaped collar with the opening 211. Any measures that can fix the body of the breathing tube 4, such as elastic clips, two independent elastic pieces, and elastic rubber rings, etc., are feasible alternatives.
The way the positioning device 20 is engaged with the lens frame 11 may be permanently fixed or detachable, as long as the holder of the breathing tube 4 can be well fixed on the lens frame 11 when in use.

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. Structure of an underwater sports mask, comprising:

a lens frame;

a lens portion, having at least one peripheral edge;

a water sealing skirt, a front of the water sealing skirt and the at least one peripheral edge of the lens portion being coupled in a watertight fit into the lens frame, and a rear of the water sealing skirt having a gasket portion, when a user wears the mask, a rear peripheral edge of the gasket portion is capable of being covering at least the user's eyes and nose to be watertight from an outside;

characterized in that:

the lens frame is provided with a positioning device at a central portion thereof for connecting a frontal breathing tube, and the positioning device allows the frontal breathing tube to be displaced along an axial direction of the breathing tube.

2. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 1, wherein the frontal breathing tube has a mouthpiece for being contained in the user's mouth for breathing.

3. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 2, wherein the lens frame has a left frame, a right frame, and a bridge connected between the left frame and the right frame, and the lens portion includes two mutually independent lenses which are formed with two peripheral edges, in which the front of the water sealing skirt and the two peripheral edges of the two lenses are watertight and fitted into the left frame and the right frame, respectively, and the positioning device is disposed on the bridge.

4. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 3, wherein the positioning device and the bridge are detachably connected.

5. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 3, wherein the positioning device comprises a holding portion and a fixing portion, wherein the holding portion has an opening smaller than a diameter of the breathing tube, and is suitable for holding and restraining the breathing tube received from the opening, and wherein the fixing portion is connected with the bridge.

6. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 5, wherein the fixing portion and the bridge are detachably connected.

7. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 6, wherein one of the bridge and the fixing portion is provided with two rails, and the other is provided with two sliders being capable of engaging with the rails.

8. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 6, wherein one of the bridge and the fixing portion is provided with a rail, and the other is provided with a slider being capable of engaging with the rail.

9. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 6, wherein the fixing portion and the bridge are quick-release engaged with each other.

10. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 5, wherein an included angle between an axial direction of the holding portion and a plane on which the lens frame lies ranges from 0 to 80 degrees.

11. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 10, wherein the included angle ranges between 20 degrees and 60 degrees.

12. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 5, wherein the fixing portion and the bridge are pivotally connected.

13. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 5, wherein the lens frame has an outer periphery, and the positioning device is detachably connected to the outer periphery.

14. The structure of an underwater sports mask according to claim 13, wherein one of the outer periphery of the lens frame, and the fixing portion is provided with a rail, and the other is provided with a slider being capable of engaging with the rail.