US2028984A - Eyecup - Google Patents

Description

c. D. LUKENS .FamZS, 1936.

EYECUP Filed June 24, 1933 9 CAARE/YCE D. Z. axe/vs,

Patented Jan. 28, 1936 I more srre I OFFICE 3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to eye cups and particularly to an eye cup arranged to seal itself against the orbital tissues so as to prevent leakage of the bath from the cup.

It has been heretofore a source of considerable annoyance in bathing the eyes with suitable solutions that the solution would inevitably escape from the usual eye cup and run down the face of the bather. The eye cups which have heretofore been provided have, as a general rule, been formed of glass, and although an effort has been made to conform the rim of the eye cup in a general way to the shape of the orbital tissues, it is well known that the shape of the rim of the ordinary eye cup is seldom such as will prevent the escape of the bath solution therefrom during use. Some efforts have also been made to provide rubber eye cups wherein the bath solution has been projected toward the eye as by syringe, but in these devices as in the case of the glass eye cups some of the bath inevitably escapes between the flesh and the rim of the device and trickles down the cheek.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide an eye cup adapted to readily conform itself to the orbit and to have the parts thereof pressed into sealing contact with the orbital tissues so as to prevent the escape of the bath.

A more specific object of this invention is to provide an eye cup having a flexible bowl portion and a relatively stiifer, although somewhat flexible, rim portion arranged to readily adapt itself to the contour of an orbit and to be pressed into sealing engagement therewith.

Other objects will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description is read in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure l is a view illustrating the position of the eye cup of the present invention when in use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the eye cup of the present invention looking into the bowl portion thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of the eye cup of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention generally stated an eye cup is formed of rubber and has a relatively flexible part so as to be operable to a slight extent in the same manner as the familiar vacuum cup. The eye cup of the present invention is, however, provided with a rim portion which is of heavier section so as to be considerably stiffer than the flexible part of the cup so that upon distortion of the flexible part the rim portion although being to a slight extent distorted is not distorted to a degree corresponding to the flexible portion. By thus providing the eye cup with a heavier or reenforced rim portion, it is apparent that elongation of the rim is sub- 5 stantially prevented, although the edge thereof may be pressed into continuous engagement with the orbital tissues so as to provide an effective seal.

Referring now to the drawing for an illustra- 1o tive embodiment of the eye cup of the present invention the cup may be of rubber comprising a bowl portion I having a crown 2 and a rim 3. As clearly shown in Figure 3 the rim portion 3 is substantially heavier in section than is the bowl I so that the bowl I and particularly the crown 2 thereof is more flexible and more readily distortable than the rim 3. From an inspection of Figure 2 it will be apparent that the cup is generally elliptical in shape and in accordance with the usual practice the major axis of the ellipse is arranged to extend in a transverse direction across the face as shown in Figure 1.

As clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3 the edge of the rim portion 3 is arranged to conform to the usual shape of an orbit or eye socket 4. It is evident, however, that the rim portion 3 is narrowed at 5 adjacent the ends of the minor axis of the ellipse and with this arrangement, it will be apparent that the rim portion 3 will be more flexible in the regions of 5 than in the regions 6 which are adjacent the ends of the major axis of the ellipse and where, as clearly shown, the rim 3 is wider.

In accordance with the present invention the rim 3 although of heavier section is, as clearly shown in Figures 2 and 3, continuous on the interior with the internal curvature of bowl I. This arrangement provides a maximum of sanitation and enables the cup to be readily cleansed since there are no ledges or other obstructions on the interior of the cup which might catch germs. Furthermore the cup may be invaginated for washing.

In the use of the eye cup of the present invention a suitable quantity of eye bath I may be poured into the cup, as illustrated in Figure 3, and the cup then placed in position in the orbit 4 in the manner illustrated in Figure 1. After the cup has been thus placed in position, pressure may be exerted upon the crown portion 2 of the bowl I as by pressure from a finger 8, shown in Figure l, to distort the crown portion, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 3. By thus distorting the crown portion 2 of the cup it will be apparent that the narro parts ,5 of rim 3 win be distorted to an extent sufficient to press the sameinto firm engagement with the orbital tissues While the heavy section of the rim 3 prevents elongation or' extreme distortion of the rim to an extent which would permit bath Ito escape; The crown '2- having been pressed into positi0n, shown in dotted lines, it will be apparent that the cup oper- 'skilled in the art "without departing from the ates to a slight extent in the manner of the well.

known vacuum cup, the edge of, the rim B'being in continuous engagement with the orbital tissues so as to seal the cup against the flesh and thus prevent escape of the bath.

7 From the foregoing description it is apparent that many modifications of I the eye cup hereinbefore described will present themselves to those spirit of this invention and it is" to be distinctly "understood, therefore, that the cup illustrated in the drawings and hereinbefore :spcifically de- I scribed is merely-an example of one practicalembodiment and that the invention is not limited n thereto.) It is to be distinctly understood, therefore, thatsuch modification of the use of such individual features, and subcombinations of features as do not depart'from the spirit of this invention are, although not specifically described herein, contemplated by and within the scope of the appended claims. 7 r

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is: r

1. A rubber eye cup comprising a generally elliptical bowl having a relatively thin, flexible crown portion arranged to be distorted,'and a rim portion substantially heavier than the crown, the, depth of said rim portion'decreasing progressively from the ends of the major axis'of the ellipse:

toward the ends of the minor axis thereof.

12. An eye cup, comprising, a shallow resilient, stemless cup of ovoid shape having an eye-receiving opening at the side of "the ovoid, said opening being provided withfla reinforced oval rim fitted to the contour of the orbit, the bottom of said cup being impressible toward the eye when in,

place thereon whereby to produce, by expelling air, suflicient suction upon its resilient return to normal shape, to retain the cup and its liquid content in place on the eye. y

j 3. An eye cup, comprising, a shallow resilient stemless cup of ovoid shape having an aye re-'- V ceiving opening at the side of the ovoid, said open- 7 ing being provided with a reinforced oval rim fitted to the contour of the orbit; said cup being constructed of soft rubber and having a flexible bottom impressible toward the eye when in place thereon whereby to, produce, by expelling air,

sufficient suction upon its resilient returnto normal shape to retain the cup and its liquid cone,

tent in place on the eye.

1 ,CLARENCE'D. LiIKENSJ

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