CA1062402A

CA1062402A - Goggle and accessories therefor

Info

Publication number: CA1062402A
Application number: CA234,507A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Charles S. French; Charles D. Mcgee
Original assignee: SCOTT USA
Current assignee: SCOTT USA
Priority date: 1974-03-07
Filing date: 1975-09-02
Publication date: 1979-09-18
Also published as: DE2543457A1; DE2543457B2; US3945044A; DE2543457C3; GB1483558A

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A goggle frame includes air vents spaced along its periphery and covered with a fibrous lining to vent the goggle interior while preventing entry of foreign matter. A
detachable partial-face shield has snap-in posts which mate with apertures spaced along a bottom rim of the goggle frame.
When the shield is attached to the rim, a shield nose section rests on a nose bridge of the frame, and shield side sections curve behind adjacent air vents in the frame to force frontal air therethrough. A main lens has locking projections received in a peripheral groove around the frame. One or more auxiliary lenses have edge regions received in the same peripheral groove, each auxiliary lens having an offset tab to allow a wearer to detach the auxiliary lens while the goggle is being worn.

Description

~6Z402 BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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This invention relates to a goggle having accessories ~
such as a face-protecting shield and a detachable auxiliary lens. . : .
. Go~gles used for motorcycle racing and other activities . where foreign matter is directed toward the face of a wearer .
often include a detachable face shield, and a disposable or ~ ;
tear-off lens. Many detachable face shields include snap i ~.-.-., . .:
, fasteners which are received in male connections on the goggle i je~ frame to allow the shield to be detached, when desired. An i 10 example of such a detachable face shield, formed of self-support- :
i ing transparent plastic matexial, is shown in U.S. Patent 3,298,031 to Morgan. Detachable face shields have also been ~ ::
formed of fabric with metal screening protecting open brea~ling . :-.
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~i regions. :
,! To prevent fogging and allow a slow exchange of interior :
~ air, it h.as been well known to incorporate air-flow ventilation means in a goggle frame. Such ventilation means may take the ~;
~, form of apertures which. directly vent to atmosphere, or serpent-ine or covered passageways, which directly vent to atmosphere . .
but block. direct entry of foreign matter, or larger vent .~
apertures covered by a fibrous or foam ~aterial or liner. Some ~ :
, prior detach.able face shields have blocked the air-flow ventil~
ation means, or h.ave allowed moisture-laden air from th.e nose :`.
or mouth of the wearer to circ~late toward the air-flow ventilation ~.
I means and create a fogging condition~ Detachable face shields j formed of fabric h.ave been unsatisfactory in that fabric does not distribute stress over the shield, and allows flying gravel .~;
or the lik.e to penetrate at its point of impact.
When the goggle is to be used in an environment in which the lens may become muddy, scratched or otherwise damaged, ;1 .
auxiliary disposable lenses (.co~monly called tear-off lensesl are attached to the front of the go~gle frame. Extra snaps ~ .
and posts on the go~gle frame project forwardly and allow an ~. :
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~` :1062402 auxiliary or disposable lens to be attached in spaced relation to the goggle frame. Some auxiliary lenses have had side tabs extending outwardly beyond the goggle frame to allow the wearer to grasp the tab and tear off the auxiliary lens while the goggle is being worn. Any tear-off auxiliary lens must be easily detached using one hand and minimum effort without jarring or displacing the goggle or the main lens~
~j Prior goggles having tear-off lenses have been un-`' desirable in several respects. The auxiliary lens is ;~
attached to the goggle frame by posts and other protrusions on the goggle frame, and the auxiliary lens is oversized with protruding left and right tabs to allow the wearer to grasp , the lens. All of these features create gaps which allow , dirt, dust, mud and the like to enter the space between the auxiliary lens and the main lens. While some goggles have allowed attachment of more th-an one auxiliary lens, the ,~ tabs therefore overlie each other and care must be used in .; ~;~
; -~I separating and grasping the outermost tab. In addition to ' being impractical during motorcycle racing or the like 1 20 conditions, the additional tear-off lenses are liable to all become detached at the same time. To overcome dirt entering , between the lenses, goggles of a different type have used ;;
detachable auxiliary lenses which lie somewhat flat against , the main lens, such as shown in U.S. Patent 2,409,286 to , Joyce, but such auxiliary lenses are internally mounted and cannot be adapted to the tear-off type.
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i SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention in its broader claimed aspect pertains to a goggle including a main lens, and a frame having a top section, side sections and a bottom section which includes ;

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a central nose bridge for supporting the main lens in spaced relation to a wearer's face, the bottom section including at least a pair of frame connectors spaced on ::: .:
opposite sides of the central nose bridge. The goggle has a detachable shield with a nose section devoid of any ~` connector which shield has a pair of side sections extending from the shield nose section and formed of a self-supporting material for protecting a lower portion of . ' ,~:.
the wearer's face. Each of the shield side sections contains shield connectors for detachable mating engagement with the spaced frame connectors to attach the shield side ` sections to the bottom section of the frame with the shleld :.'.' ', .:
; nose section extending vertically and overlapping the central nose bridge to thereby deflect some of the frontal air up ; over the exterior of the main lens.
~, More particularly, as disclosed the partial-face shield is of simple construction and carries snap-in posts "
which are received in spaced apertures along a lower rim of the goggle frame. The resulting detachable connection curves the shield backward and behind air-flow ventilation means ` located in the bottom section of the frame to force frontal ~,i air through the bottom air-flow ventilation means, and : ,:
~'~ prevent moisture-laden air adjacent the wearer's face ' from entering the goggle interior. The lower rim carries i a padding which cushions the contact with the wearer's face, ;~, and also prevents contact with the snap-in posts.
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One or more tear-off auxiliary lenses are carried ; within the same peripheral groove w-hich mounts the main lens to the goggle Erame. The peripheral groove sealingly engages the auxiliary lens and prevents foreign matter from entering between the auxiliary lens and the main lens. The auxiliary lens has a different edge configuration t~an the main lens, and includes a single sided extending tab to allow easy detachment of the auxi-1 liary lens without jarring or dïsplacing the main lens. Two - auxiliary lenses may be carrïed by the goggle frame, each having a tab offset with respect to the other to allow quick detachment of only one auxiliary lens at a tirne.
Both the face shield and the auxiliary lenses are formed of simple, econom;cal componen-ts, and can be detached readily from the goggle frame to allow the goggle to be used ¦ by itself. When the accessories are detached, the goggle frame has no posts or other undesira~le projections.
One object of the present invention is the provision of a goggle having an improved extending shield w~ich cooperates ¦~ with air-flow ventilation means in a goggle frame to prevent fogging, and/or has novel connector means for easy detachment ~ ~ from the goggle frame.
I Another object of the present invention is the provision of a goggle having an improved tear-off auxiliary lens which sealingly engages a goggle frame to prevent entry of foreign matter, and/or has improved connector means for detaching the auxiliary lens while the goggle is being worn.
Other objects and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings.
While an illustrative embodiment of the invention is shown in the drawings and will be described in detail herein, the :~, .~

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i~i invention is suscepti~le of emhodiment in many different forms - and it should be understood that the present disclosure is to `
be considered as- an exemplification of the principles of the invention and is not intended to limit the invention to the ~ em~odiment illustrated.
;- BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
~ Figure 1 is a perspectïve view of the novel goggle ~ `
,- :with an attached face shield and two tear-off auxiliary lenses; -Figure 2 is an exploded view showing the goggle` `

frame, the main lens, two tear-off auxiliary lenses, and the detacha~le shield;

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~.? Figure 3 is a rear perspective view of the goggle 'ii`, ..
frame and detachable shield;

~' Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along lines ;iJ 4-4 of Fig. l; and ~;i Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view ,;.,1 .`: .. `.
taken along lines 5-5 of Fig. 1. ~`
i DESCRIPTI~ 0~ ~I~RI~ID EI~IODIMENT ~ .
Turning to the drawings, the novel goggle with ~' ~
~1 20 accessories (shown attached in Fig. 1) includes a goggle frame `
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10 which may be molded of one piece from a resilient flexible material such as a soft plastic or soft rubber. A face contact-ing flange or rim 12 is lined with a padding or cushion 14 of sponge-type material to seal the frame against the user's face.
A main lens 16 of transparent material, which may be colored if desired, has a peripheral edge 17 which is received within a peripheral groove 20 formed interiorly around a front section 22 of the frame 10. Main lens 16 may be flat and bent to an arcuate configuration which fits the frame, or may be curved and could, if desired, form a part of the structural support ~;
to maintain the shape of the goggle.

~ ~62402 Goggle frame 10.has a plurality of air-flow ventilation means spaced around an intermediate sect~on o~
the rim 12. Illustratively, the air-flow ~entilation means . -. .
comprises a plurality of large ~ent openings 30 formed by ribs .-32 which join the rim 12 to the forward section 22. On the . :
exterior s~de, the ribs define with the rim 12 and forward r section 22 a channel 34 for a fibrous or foam-type lining 36 which covers the openings to allow a slow exchange of atmosphere between the goggle exterior and the generally confined interior space located between the main lens 16 and the wearer's face.
Other conventional air-flow ventilation means, however, may be utiliæed in place of the Illustrated vent apertures covered by a :
fibrous strip.
To secure the goggle to the wearer's head, an elastic headband or strap 40-has folded, stitched ends which are received in slots 42 formed by posts 44 spaced from the remainder of the front frame section 22. ~ slide buckle 46 allows ad~ustment of the length of the elastic strap 40. The . ~ .
goggle structure described above is well known, and various modifications may be made thereto as desired~
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, a partial-face shield 50 is detachable with a lower portion of the goggle frame 10. The shield 50 may be formed . of a generally hard plastic material, opaque or translucent, having sufficient resiliency to be self-supporting, and molded . of one piece. The shield 50 includes a nose section 52 ; and integral side ~sectio.ns 54 extending from the nose section.
A pair of notches 58 are formed between the sides of the nose section 52, and the upper edges of the side sections 54. The base of the guard has a central arcuate edge 60 which curves ```1` ~.0~;~40;;~ -towards a pair of lowermost protubexances 62 which curve slightly up~ard to form the bottom edge of the side sections 54. On the rear plane or back of the shield 52, along the upper edges of ; only the sides 54, are a plurality of snap-in posts 64.
To detachably connect the partial-face shield 50 -to the goggle frame 10, the face contacting rim 12 extends downwardly belo~ the bottom edge of the front frame section 22 :: j (see Fig. 4), and carries in the extension or base 72 a plurality ~
of apertures or holes 70. To attach s-hield 50 to the goggle ;

frame 10, the nose section 52 is placed in front of a central nose bridge 76, formed by a central depression in the goggle frame. The shield side sections 54 are then bent rearwardly and . ., - ..
the snap-in posts 64 are urged through the receiving holes 70 in the lower rim base 72.
; As seen in Fig. 5, the snap-in posts 64 have a head larger than a neck portion, with the head also being of larger diameter than the diameter of the receiving holes 70. Since the entire goggle frame 10 is formed of a resilient plastic, ~I the hole diameter will expand as the head portion of the post 64 . , .
~ 20 is urged through the hole, and then retract around the neck '~ portion so as to form a detachable connector. Although the above construction is preferred in that it allows the entire shield 50 to be formed of rigid plastic, it will be understood that the snap-in posts 64 could be formed of a resilient material, and the rim base 72 could be formed of a more rigid material.
~, When the posts 64 are snapped in place, the cushion ,1 or padding 14 prevents the posts 64 from coming in contact with !I the wearer's face. The padding 14 may be cemented or otherwise secured to the rim 12, and should have a sufficient width to cover the receiving holes 70 and a sufficient thickness, greater than the head of the posts 64, so as to prevent the wearer's face ~7~

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. from coming in contact with the posts. It wlll be understood that the male portion of th.e connectors could be formed on the . .
~.......... goggle frame, and the female portion could be formed in the .. shield 50, although such construction ïs not preferred since it would leave a series of protruding posts on the goggle frame when the shield w-as not ïn place.
,:, Shield notches 58 allow the side sections 54 to be tucked under and ~ent rearwardly to attach to the rim base 72 .~ while the nose section 52 res-ts agaïnst and covers the nose :,, bridge 76 of the goggle frame. As a result of this construction, the side sections 54 are located behind the air-flow ventilation ~:
means formed in the bottom section of the goggle frame. As seen 1, in Figs. 1 and 5, this allows frontal air, illustrated by the ; arrows, to strike the shield and be deflected upwardly throuyh ~j the foam liner 36 and vent holes 30 into the interior of the ',~! goggle~ Frontal air flowing toward the center of the shield is deflected by the nose section upwardly and across the exterior .
face of the goggle. Since air near the center may carry addition-~
.j al moisture, because it is in the vicinity of the nose and mouth ~ 20 regions of the ~earer's face, it is deflected and flows on the t,i~ outside of the goggle. ~ .
When attached by the snap connectors, the shield 1 50 is self-supporting and is spaced away from the wearer's face J a sufficient distance to fit over a football or joffa-type I mouth protector. The width or span of the goggle frame 10 is ;.:
1' preferably less than the opening between conventional racing `. .;.
helmets,. so as to:allow the use:of:~hè~ goggle within the racing helmet.... It should be noted that the detachable shield 50 is .:.
;( located over only the frontal section of the goggle frame, and . `
does not extend around or to the side of the goggle frame, for ~ `
ease of using the shield within the racing helmet~.:or similar ` .~:headgear protector. ~.
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Also in accordance wi.th. the present invention, one ` or more teax-off or detacha~le auxi.liary lenses 80 may be tem- .. ~
` porarily attached to the goggle frame 10, and detached for :~ .
disposal when mud or other foreign materIal covers the lenses. . : -. .
' Each auxilïary lens 80 may be molded of transparent plastic and ~ ---~ has a flat, bendable body 82 and one extending tab 84. Around .. -a peripheral edge 86 of the transparent body, a pair of bottom : :;
ears 88 and a pair of top ears 90 protrude for reasons to be explained. A single die-cut blank may form both auxiliary lenses ~ :
by flipping one die-cut blank by 180~so:as to cause the tab . .
., .
; therefore to extend from the opposite side of the body. -~ Goggle frame 10 includes means spaced around the ~ -.~ periphery of the frame for engaging at least a portion of the ', edge surface 86 of the auxiliary lens 80 to form a detachable seal between the disposable lens 80 and the frame 10. While the detachable seal means may take various forms including a separate peripheral groove, herein it is formed by the same peripheral groove 20 as mounts the main lens 16. As seen in Fig. 4, the peripheral groove 20 is formed by a two-depth channel with the deeper channel being formed around the majority of the periph2ry of the frame, and the lesser channel formed by upper r-~dges 94, which have an undercut 96 to the deeper channel, and a nose ridge 98, ha.ving an undercut 99.
The peripheral edge 17 of the main lens carries ..
pairs of pointed protrusions 102 which mate with the projection :
receiving recesses or undercuts 96. The edge 17 includes a pair of pointed protrusions 104 which mate with the nose undercuts 99. .
Finally, the edge 17 includes a pair of ears 106 which extend ..
into a pair of side slots 108 which may be formed through the ~.
entire frame 10. The main lens 16 may be changed to a different .:.
color, or replaced, by manipulation of the flexible frame 10 so : ~

as to detach the pointed protuberances from the undercuts, and .:

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to detach. the ears from the s.ide ~lots.. Once the main lens 16 i is properl~ positi.oned wi.thi:n the peripheral groove 20, the -~ pointed protu~erances and ears lock the maïn lens in place, and prevent its detachment except when the goggle is off the head ; of the wearer and the frame is properly manipulated.
~ .
The peripheral edge 86 of the auxiliary lens 80 is different than the peripheral edge 17 of the main lens 16, and . is designed for easy release from the groove 20. The majority .
of the peripheral edge 86 is just barely received within the .~ 10 peripheral slot 2a ~ as seen in Fig. 4. The top ears 90 and ~ i `~ bottom ears 88 of the auxiliary lens correspond in height with i~ the height of corresponding locati.ons along the main lens 16 when the lenses 16 and 80 are superimposed. The auxiliary lens ~ 80 also lacks the ears 106 of the main lens, which ears extend ,~ into the side slots 108. Due to this construction, the wearer ;~
:~, may grasp one of the tabs 84 and yank the auxiliary lens 80 outwardly and out of attachment with the groove 20. Because the ;~ auxiliary lens 80 and thé main lens 16 are substantially in ~ sealing engagement with the goggle frame and with each other, .~ 20 it is very difficult for dirt, dust, mud or the like to enter -. .
~: between the lenses.
The second tear-off lens is flipped and inserted within the groove so that its tab 84 does not overl~e, and is ~.
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i~l substantially spaced from, the first mentioned tab 84. Thus, ...
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a pair of tear-off auxiliary lenses 80 may be inserted in the ~ goggle frame at one time, each ha~ng a separate left or right .I tab which allows the wearer to easily grasp the correct tab, ::.
even with a gloved hand, and yank out the desired auxiliary lens .~
.I with a simple hand motion and without displacing the main lens .:.:
16. Desirably, the tabs are located in front of the shield side sections 54, since this shield curves:-rearward and thereby `~
creates the maximum finger space between the shield and the tabs when the tabs are located as illustrated. ~ ~.
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.. '.: It will be appreci.a*ed that the tear-off auxi.li.ary : 1~
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lenses or the detachable shieId may be s.eparately incorporated ~:.
in a goggle frame. Also, the detach.able shield may be perma- .
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; nently affixed to the bottom of the goggle frame, if so desired. .
Wh.ile the main lens 16 has been illustrated as being a single lens, a sealed dou~le thermal lens could be s~stituted therefore.
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Other modifïcations and changes may be made following the above teachings.
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Claims

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:

1. A goggle comprising:
a main lens, a frame having a top section, side sections and a bottom section which includes a central nose bridge for supporting the main lens in spaced relation to a wearer's face, the bottom section including at least a pair of frame connectors spaced on opposite sides of the central nose bridge, a detachable shield with a nose section devoid of any connector and a pair of side sections extending from the shield nose section and formed of a self-supporting material for protecting a lower portion of the wearer's face, each of the shield side sections containing shield connectors for detachable mating engagement with the spaced frame connectors to attach the shield side sections to the bottom section of the frame with the shield nose section extending vertically and overlapping the central nose bridge to thereby deflect some of the frontal air up over the exterior of the main lens.

2. The goggle of Claim 1 wherein at least the bottom section of the frame includes air-flow ventilation means for allowing frontal air to flow through the bottom section into an interior space, the at least pair of frame connectors being located behind the air-flow ventilation means to expose the air-flow ventilation means to frontal air flowing towards the goggle when on the wearer's face and the detachable shield is connected to the bottom section of the frame.

3. The goggle of Claim 1 wherein the detachable shield is substantially flat when detached from the frame, the self-supporting material allowing the substantially flat shield to be bent for attachment so that the shield side sections curve back from the shield nose section which overlaps the central nose bridge when the shield connectors are inserted into the frame connectors.

4. The goggle of Claim 1 including an auxiliary lens having an extending tab, said frame includes means spaced around the periphery thereof for detachably engaging the auxiliary lens, the tab extending downwardly and spaced in front of the shield side section.

5. The goggle of Claim 1 further including a disposable tear-off lens having a peripheral edge surface and an extending tab, said main frame having a peripheral groove extending around the periphery of the frame with at least portions of the edge surface of the disposable tear-off lens extending into the peripheral groove to form a detachable seal therewith, the tab of the disposable tear-off lens extending beyond the frame when the edge surface of the dis-posable tear-off lens is engaged in the peripheral groove to allow a wearer to grasp the tab and yank outwardly to disengage the seal and release the disposable tear-off lens from the frame while the goggle is being worn.

6. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the frame has a face contacting rim and a lens mounting section which supports the main lens in spaced relation to a wearer's face and defines a generally confined interior space, the frame includes air-flow ventilation means located between the rim and the lens mounting section to vent the interior space to external air, the peripheral groove extending around the inner periphery of the lens mounting section and in front of the main lens with the edge surface of the disposable tear-off lens extending into the peripheral groove to thereby detach-ably seal the disposable tear-off lens in front of the main lens.

7. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the main lens has a peripheral edge surface which is received in the peripheral groove to maintain the main lens attached to the frame, whereby the peripheral groove mounts both the main lens and the auxiliary lens.

8. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the peripheral edge surface of the main lens includes a plurality of locking projections which mate with lock receiving recesses in the peripheral groove, and the peripheral edge surface of the auxiliary lens is different than the peripheral edge surface of the main lens and lacks the locking projections.

9. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the peripheral edge surface of the auxiliary lens includes a plurality of extending ears which extend into the peripheral groove a distance corresponding to the peripheral edge surface of the main lens.

10. The goggle of Claim 5 including a second dis-posable tear-off lens having a second peripheral edge surface and a second extending tab, the first named edge surface extending into the peripheral groove with the tab of the first named disposable tear-off lens extending beyond the frame at one side thereof and the second edge surface extending into the peripheral groove with the second tab of the second disposable tear-off lens extending beyond the frame at an opposite side to prevent the tabs from being located adjacent each other.

11. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the first named disposable tear-off lens and the second disposable tear-off lens are formed of identical shapes, one of the disposable tear-off lenses being flipped 180° when its edge surface extends into the peripheral groove to thereby space the tabs at opposite sides of the goggle frame.

12. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the frame includes a face contacting rim, a main lens engaging section located at the front of the frame, and an intermediate section for spacing the main lens engaging section from the rim, the peripheral groove being located in the lens engaging section to locate the tab of the disposable tear-off lens in front of the lens engaging section of the frame and in front of a shield side section to thereby create a space corresponding to the intermediate section to allow easy grasping of the tab when the tear-off lens is to be detached.

13. The goggle of Claim 5 wherein the edge surface of the disposable tear-off lens includes a plurality of ears which extend fully into the peripheral groove of the frame with the remaining extent of the edge surface having dimensions to extend only partially into the peripheral groove to allow easy detachment from the frame when the tab is yanked outwardly.

14. The goggle of Claim 1 wherein said frame has a face contacting rim with the top section, side sections and a bottom section extending from the face contacting rim to a main lens mounting section which supports the main lens in spaced relation to a wearer's face, said frame including air-flow ventilation means located in the sections for venting the interior space to external air, a pair of frame connectors including a series of spaced connector receiving apertures formed in the bottom section of the rim, a padding secured to substantially the entire periphery of the rim to cushion the frame against the wearer's face, said padding extending over the series of spaced connector receiving apertures in the bottom section of the rim, said side shield connectors being a series of snap-in connectors receivable within the series of spaced connector receiving apertures to detachably connect the shield to the bottom section of the frame with the padding preventing the snap-in connectors from contacting the wearer's face.

15. The goggle of Claim 14, wherein at least the bottom section of the frame is formed of a resilient material, the snap-in connectors including a neck portion connecting an enlarged head being formed of a rigid material of greater width than the diameter of the apertures to cause each aperture to expand as the enlarged head is urged into the aperture and then contract around the neck portion to thereby form a snap-in connector.