GB2284678A - Kit for making disposable binoculars - Google Patents

Abstract

A kit for making disposable binoculars comprises two blanks of semi-rigid material, the objective lens blank 2 being provided with preformed fold lines 14, 16, 18, 22, 24, and an integral lens support member 28 carrying objective lenses 26. Each blank may be folded to form a rectangular box structure, one box carrying eyepiece lenses, and the other carrying objective lenses. The two box structures (4, 58) are telescopically nestable so as to allow the distance between eyepiece lenses 76, 78 and objective lenses to be varied by a user to focus the binoculars. A V-shaped aperture between supports (74, 78) accommodates the viewer's nose. <IMAGE>

Description

KIT FOR MAKING DISPOSABLE BINOCULARS The present invention relates to a kit for making disposable binoculars, and to binoculars made from the kit.

Binoculars are used in many fields of human activity, including astronomy, ornithology, and spectating sports or the arts in a stadium, theatre, or other arena.

It is common for spectators at an event such as a pop concert or a football match in a stadium to discover two facts on the day of the event. These are that the event is too far away from where they are standing or seated to see as well as they would like, and that they have time on their hands waiting for the event to begin.

There is consequently a market for a kit from which a pair of robust but lightweight binoculars may be simply constructed, which may be sold at stadiums and other outlets. Construction of the binoculars may help to pass the time waiting for the event to start, and the binoculars, once constructed, aid the spectator in viewing the event.

Previous attempts at making foldable or collapsible binoculars have been directed towards rather complicated designs which may be difficult to construct at a venue.

Other limitations of known designs include designs in which the binoculars have only a fixed focus, for example as described in WO 87/05121, and binoculars in which focus is achieved by pressing the top and bottom surface together against a resilient bias, for example as described in WO 85/01121. This need to maintain a pressure is undesirable because it may lead to strain of the muscles of the hand that holds the binoculars; furthermore focus is lost if the binoculars are released temporarily.

Another known design, disclosed in US patent number 4 013 341, requires lenses and lens housings to be fitted to the binocular body after the body has been manufactured. This makes the construction difficult, and is therefore unsuitable for construction in a stadium.

It is an object of the present invention to reduce the above problems.

According to the present invention there is provided a kit for manufacturing a pair of binoculars, which kit comprises a first and a second blank of thin semi-rigid material, each provided with: a) pre-determined substantially parallel fold lines whereby each blank may be folded to form a substantially rectangular box structure; b) a lens support member on or adjacent to an edge of the blank at right angles to the pre-formed fold lines, the lens support member being integral with the blank and foldable to form a wall for the box structure; c) means for securing the folded blank and lens support member in the folded state; wherein the box structure formed from the first blank is adapted to carry eyepiece lenses for the binoculars, and the box structure formed from the second blank is adapted to carry objective lenses for the binoculars, the two box structures being telescopically nestable so as to allow the distance between the eyepiece and objective lenses to be varied by the user to focus the binoculars.

This kit allows a pair of binoculars to be readily manufactured from a flat pack. The invention therefore extends to a pair of binoculars made from the kit.

The binoculars may be focused by telescoping the two box structures, and the binoculars stay in focus without a need for the user to exert pressure.

The lenses may be provided separately, together with means for mounting the lenses on the lens support members. It is preferred, however, that the lenses are provided already fixed to the lens support members so that the binoculars may be assembled from only two blanks which are provided with integral lens support members and integral lenses. The lenses may be fixed to the lens support member by any suitable means. For example the lenses may be fixed by means of glue or adhesive tape, or by means of screws, staples or threads. Where the lens support member is made of a plastics material the lenses may be moulded integrally with this material. The lenses may be fixed to the surface of the lens support member which is to form the outside surface of the box structure, or to the surface of the lens support member which is to form the inner surface of the box structure.If the lens support member has a multi-layer structure, the lens may be housed between two layers of the structure.

Any suitable lenses may be used for the binoculars, however it is preferred that the lenses are made from a plastics material, for example poly(methyl methacrylate) to reduce the weight of the kit and to avoid the danger of broken glass. The lenses may be of a conventional concave or convex profile, or they may be of a more planar profile, for example a Fresnel lens. The lenses may be colourless, or they may be tinted to reduce brightness or for aesthetic appeal.

In a preferred embodiment one of the blanks is provided with further pre-formed fold lines so that the resulting box structure, for example the eyepiece box structure, is provided with a strengthening member which vertically bisects the structure in a plane parallel to the direction of vision. This helps to provide rigidity for the binoculars, and helps to keep separate the light entering through the right hand lens and the light entering through the left hand lens.

It is preferred that the kit include printed instructions for manufacturing the binoculars. These instructions may be in the form of words or symbols or a combination of words and symbols. The instructions may be provided separately, but to minimise on material wastage it is preferred that the instructions are printed on one or both of the blanks.

Instead of, or additionally to, any instructions, the surfaces of the blank which are to form the outside of the binoculars may optionally be printed with advertising or other promotional literature. For example they may be printed in the colours of a football team, or with the name or logo of a pop group, or with advertisements for consumer products.

The blanks and the integral lens support members may be formed from card, paper, or a thin plastics material. In a preferred embodiment they are made from card, which is cheap to manufacture and provides a box structure which is sufficiently rigid. It is preferred that the card is 100 to 500 m thick, and it is particularly preferred that the card be 200 to 400 pm thick. The card may be of any suitable density, providing that it is sufficiently form-retaining.

We have found that card of around 300 grams per square metre works satisfactorily.

Although the binoculars are intended to be cheap and disposable, if it is desired to improve the useful life of the binoculars the card may optionally be coated with wax or a varnish, or laminated with a plastics film, to improve its resistance to rain.

To improve the optics of the binoculars, the surfaces of the card which are to become the inside surfaces of the binoculars may optionally be of a dark colour, for example matt black, to reduce internal reflections.

The eyepiece lens support member may, for simplicity of design, have a flat surface; however in order to accommodate part of the nose of the user it is preferred that the eyepiece lens support member is partially cut away. This allows the eyepiece lenses to be brought up close to the eyes of the user. To further facilitate this, the surface of the box member adjacent to the notch may also optionally be cut away, together with part of any strengthening member.

Each blank, and integral lens support member, may be provided attached to a sheet of card or the like by means of perforations, from which they may be detached by breaking the material along the perforations. Each blank may be attached to a separate sheet, or they may both be attached to the same sheet. Thus the invention may provide a single sheet of material from which a pair of binoculars may be simply manufactured.

The fold lines may take the form of printed lines along which the user is to fold the material. However it can be difficult accurately to fold card along a printed line, so it is preferred that the fold line be provided with a precrease, or other line of weakness, along which the user is readily able to make the intended fold.

The lens support member may be connected to the blank so that it forms an end wall which is flush with the opening in the box structure formed from one of the edges of the blank.

Alternatively the lens support member may be folded to form a wall which is recessed within the box structure. For example the lens support member may be an integral part of the blank, and secured on three sides by perforations.

Disconnection from the perforations on three sides permits the lens support member to be folded so as to provide a recessed wall. This may be beneficial in providing some protection for the lenses from rain or objects liable to scratch the lenses, and also to provide some shade from sun for the objective lenses.

Any suitable means may be used for securing the folded blank and the lens support member in the folded state. For example glue, adhesive tape, Velcro (TM), or tabs which engage in slots. In a preferred embodiment, the lens support member is provided with a tab which carries an adhesive. Part of the folded edge of the blank is secured to the adhesive on the tab, thereby forming the box structure. For convenience, the adhesive may be covered with a protective strip until the user comes to assemble the binoculars. Removal of the strip at the appropriate time allows the box structure to be secured. In a preferred embodiment, the adhesive and protective strip are provided by the use of double sided adhesive tape.

Although the invention has, for convenience, been described in terms of two pairs of lenses and a generally rectangular box structure, it will be understood that the invention may equally well be used with a single eyepiece and objective lens, and a generally square box structure.

The invention therefore also extends to a kit for manufacturing a monocular, which kit comprises a first and a second blank of thin semi-rigid material, each provided with: a) pre-determined fold lines whereby each blank may be folded to form a substantially rectangular box structure; b) a lens support member on or adjacent to one or more sections of an edge of the blank at right angles to the pre-formed fold lines, the lens support member being integral with the blank and foldable to form a wall for the box structure; c) means for securing the folded blank and lens support member in the folded state; wherein the box structure formed from the first blank is adapted to carry an eyepiece lens for the monocular, and the box structure formed from the second blank is adapted to carry an objective lens for the monocular, the two box structures being telescopically nestable so as to allow the distance between the eyepiece and objective lenses to be varied by the user to focus the monocular.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the following drawings in which: Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank for making an objective box structure for a pair of binoculars in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the blank of Figure 1 in the process of being folded to make the objective box structure; Figure 3 is a view of the objective box structure from the blank of Figures 1 and 2; Figure 4 is a plan view of a blank for making an eyepiece box structure for a pair of binoculars in accordance with the invention; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the eyepiece box structure made from the blank of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a perspective view of a pair of binoculars made by telescopically nesting the eyepiece box structure of Figure 5 in the objective box structure of Figure 3; and Figure 7 is a plan view of an alternative embodiment of an blank for making an objective box structure for a pair of binoculars in accordance with the invention.

The blank 2 shown in Figure 1 is made from 300 pm card and comprises a series of pre-creased fold lines 14, 16, 18, 22, 24, which divide the member into sections 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 28, 30. The section 28 functions as a lens support member, and it has glued to it lenses 26 which overly apertures in the card. The section 30 is provided with a strip of double sided adhesive tape which is covered by a protective strip.

By folding the blank 2 through 90 , into the plane of the paper, along the fold lines as shown in Figure 2 the blank is transformed into a rectangular box structure as shown in Figure 3. This structure is secured in place by the user removing the protective strip from the section 24, and causing a lateral edge from sections 8 and 12 to adhere to section 24. The lenses 26 are to be used as objective lenses in the binoculars; however they could also function as eyepiece lenses if required.

The blank 80 shown in Figure 4 is made from 300 pm card and comprises a series of pre-creased fold lines 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, 50, 90 which divide the blank into sections 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62, 64, 66, 68, 70, 72, 74, and 84. Sections 72 and 74 function as lens support members which have glued to them lenses 76 and 78 respectively. The lenses overlie apertures in the card.

Sections 52 and 64 are to function together as a strengthening member when the eyepiece box structure shown in Figure 5 is assembled. Sections 66 and 84 function as tabs which will be used to secure the sections 66 and 84 to the section 58, which will be the top of the box structure, by passing them through a slot 82 in the section 58.

Sections 68 and 70 are provided with double side adhesive tape which will be used to secure the box structure once formed.

To make the eyepiece box structure shown in Figure 5, the blank is folded through 900 into the plane of the paper along the fold lines so as to bring the tabs 66 and 68 together through the slot 82. By folding each tab, the sections 52 and 64 are secured to the top section 50, thereby strengthen and rigidify the eyepiece box structure.

The adhesive tape on sections 68 and 70 secures those sections to sections 62 and 54 respectively in the final eyepiece box structure.

Figure 6 shows a pair of binoculars which has been assembled by telescopically nesting the eyepiece box member shown in Figure 5, within the objective box member shown in Figure 3.

A V-shaped aperture between the two lens support members 72 and 74 allows the user's nose to be at least partially accommodated when viewing through the binoculars, and the binoculars may be focused by telescoping the eyepiece box structure into or out of the objective box structure. Once the correct focus has been set, that focus will be maintained until the user chooses to vary it. The outer surfaces of the binoculars may be printed with advertising, promotional, or other material.

Figure 7 shows an alternative blank for making an objective box structure in accordance with an alternative embodiment of the invention. The lens support member 28 is provided with perforations 86 and 88, by the breaking of which the user may partially separate the lens support member 28 from sections 6 and 10. The objective box structure is then assembled as earlier described, to provide a structure in which the lenses 26 are partially recessed within the box structure so that the lateral edges of sections 6, 8, 10 and 12 extend beyond the lenses. This helps to shelter the lenses from rain or from sun, and may help to prevent scratching of the lenses.

The invention therefore provides a simple and inexpensive kit to manufacture a pair of disposable binoculars. The manufacture is easy enough to be carried out without tools in a crowded stadium or other venue.

Although the invention has, for convenience, been illustrated with reference to blanks for making eyepiece and objective box structures, it will be appreciated that each illustrated structure could also be used either to make an eyepiece or an objective box structure. Similarly the strengthening member which was illustrated with reference to an eyepiece box structure could equally well be used with an objective box structure, in which case the objective box structure would be telescopically nested within the eyepiece box structure in the binoculars.

Claims (15)

1. A kit for manufacturing a pair of binoculars, which kit comprises a first and a second blank of thin semi-rigid material, each provided with: a) pre-determined substantially parallel fold lines whereby each blank may be folded to form a substantially rectangular box structure; b) a lens support member on or adjacent to an edge of the blank at right angles to the pre-formed fold lines, the lens support member being integral with the blank and foldable to form a wall for the box structure; c) means for securing the folded blank and lens support member in the folded state; wherein the box structure formed from the first blank is adapted to carry eyepiece lenses for the binoculars, and the box structure formed from the second blank is adapted to carry objective lenses for the binoculars, the two box structures being telescopically nestable so as to allow the distance between the eyepiece and objective lenses to be varied by the user to focus the binoculars.

2. A kit as claimed in claim 1, wherein lenses are fixed to the lens support members.

3. A kit as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein each lens support member has a multi-layer structure which houses a lens between two layers of the structure.

4. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the blanks is provided with further preformed fold lines so that the resulting box structure is provided with a strengthening member which vertically bisects the structure in a plane parallel to the direction of vision.

5. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein assembly instructions are printed on at least one of the blanks.

6. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one of the blanks or the lens support member is made from card.

7. A kit as claimed in claim 6, wherein the surfaces of the card which are to become the inside surfaces of the binoculars are of a dark colour.

8. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein part of the eyepiece support member is partially cut away to accommodate part of the nose of a user.

9. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein each blank and integral lens support member is provided attached to a sheet of card or the like by means of perforations, from which they may be detached by breaking the material along the perforations.

10. A kit as claimed in claim 9, wherein both blanks are attached to the same sheet.

11. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lens support member is foldable to form a wall which is recessed within the box structure so that the lenses in the binocular may be provided with some protection from sun, rain, or objects liable to scratch tthe lenses.

12. A kit as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the lens support member is provided with a tab which carries adhesive for securing the lens support member to part of the folded edge of the tab.

13. A kit as claimed in claim 12, wherein the adhesive is covered with a protective strip.

14. A kit for manufacturing a monocular, which kit comprises a first and a second blank of thin semi-rigid material, each provided with: a) pre-determined fold lines whereby each blank may be folded to form a substantially rectangular box structure; b) a lens support member on or adjacent to one or more sections of an edge of the blank at right angles to the pre-formed fold lines, the lens support member being integral with the blank and foldable to form a wall for the box structure; c) means for securing the folded blank and lens support member in the folded state; wherein the box structure formed from the first blank is adapted to carry an eyepiece lens for the monocular, and the box structure formed from the second blank is adapted to carry an objective lens for the monocular, the two box structures being telescopically nestable so as to allow the distance between the eyepiece and objective lenses to be varied by the user to focus the monocular.

15. A pair of binoculars made from a kit as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13.

16 A kit for manufacturing a pair of binoculars substantially as herein described with reference to any one of the drawings.