Free diving, competitive or recreational, is a sport activity widely diffused among the population. Many people dive even to considerable depths. When wearing a traditional diving mask, after just few meters of depth the diver needs to blow additional air into the mask to avoid the suction effect on the face. In the past the problem of mask compensation has been overcome by developing particular masks filled with water. As these masks incorporate some lenses to compensate for the different refractive indexes of water and air, they are able to provide a correct eyesight only underwater. Consequently, when the diver re-emerges the vision in air is not satisfying and, more worrying, it is even inadequate for finding the diving partners (delegated to assist in case of deep dives), the support buoy or an incumbent danger. These drawbacks of traditional diving masks have addressed the research to develop an innovative mask, which can be flooded by water and is able to provide a correct sight both in air and underwater. The underwater telescope principle is applied to a new flooded scuba mask obtaining correct eyesight in both underwater and above-water conditions. Optical design analyses have demonstrated that the mask is able to provide a well corrected vision in both conditions. The development of the optical configuration for the mask is illustrated presenting various stages of the optical project. The device has been optically and mechanically designed and then realized. Beyond the optical requirements, the optical design takes into account compactness, low fragility, diver comfort and other practical aspects in view of a possible mass production.
Innovative flooded mask for a well-corrected vision both underwater and above-water
Mercatelli L;Sani E;Sansoni P;Francini F;Jafrancesco D;Fontani D
2010
Abstract
Free diving, competitive or recreational, is a sport activity widely diffused among the population. Many people dive even to considerable depths. When wearing a traditional diving mask, after just few meters of depth the diver needs to blow additional air into the mask to avoid the suction effect on the face. In the past the problem of mask compensation has been overcome by developing particular masks filled with water. As these masks incorporate some lenses to compensate for the different refractive indexes of water and air, they are able to provide a correct eyesight only underwater. Consequently, when the diver re-emerges the vision in air is not satisfying and, more worrying, it is even inadequate for finding the diving partners (delegated to assist in case of deep dives), the support buoy or an incumbent danger. These drawbacks of traditional diving masks have addressed the research to develop an innovative mask, which can be flooded by water and is able to provide a correct sight both in air and underwater. The underwater telescope principle is applied to a new flooded scuba mask obtaining correct eyesight in both underwater and above-water conditions. Optical design analyses have demonstrated that the mask is able to provide a well corrected vision in both conditions. The development of the optical configuration for the mask is illustrated presenting various stages of the optical project. The device has been optically and mechanically designed and then realized. Beyond the optical requirements, the optical design takes into account compactness, low fragility, diver comfort and other practical aspects in view of a possible mass production.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
