BACKGROUND

Sporting optics, such as binoculars or spotting scopes, are often used during sporting activities, such as hunting. The sporting optic has one or two eyepieces through which the user looks. Such eyepieces are typically circular or cylindrical, and a gap can be formed between the eyepiece and the user's face and/or eye(s). Such a gap can result in light interference on a lens in the eyepiece, obscuring visibility through the sporting optic. In addition, such a gap can permit debris, such as dirt or lint, to enter into the eyepiece, obscuring visibility through the sporting optic.

SUMMARY

An eyepiece shield for a sporting optic, such as binoculars, a rifle scope, or a spotting scope, blocks ambient light and weather, and reduces eye strain and improves visual acuity. The eyepiece shield comprises an irregular frusto-conical shell. The shell has a narrower end circumscribing at least one eyepiece hole to receive an eyepiece of the sporting optic. The shell also has a wider end circumscribing an oblong eye opening for receiving a user's eye. The eye opening is non-parallel with the eyepiece hole, and has a concave profile with respect to at least one viewing axis between the holes.

In one aspect, the shell can comprise a flexible and resilient, and/or an elastic, material. In addition, the shell can comprise a laminate with different inner and outer layers sandwiching an intermediate foam layer. Thus, for example, the inner layer can be plush and the outer layer can be moisture resistant.

In another aspect, the eyepiece shield is configured for a sporting optic with dual eyepieces, such as binoculars. Thus, the shell has a narrower end circumscribing a pair of eyepiece holes to receive the dual eyepieces, respectively, of the sporting optic. In another aspect, the eyepiece shield is configured for a sporting optic with a single eyepiece, such as a spotting scope. Thus, the shell has a narrower end circumscribing a single eyepiece hole to receive the single eyepiece of the sporting optic.

In another aspect, the shield comprises a fastener with first and second fastener portions carried on opposite sides of the shell at the eye opening, respectively. The shell has at least two configurations, including: 1) an open configuration, and 2) a closed configuration. In the open configuration, the eye opening is open and the fastener is unfastened with the first and second fastener portions separated. In the closed configuration, the opposite sides of the eye opening are folded in towards one another, and the fastener is fastened with the first and second fastener portions joined together.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention so that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and so that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. Other features of the present invention will become clearer from the following detailed description of the invention, taken with the accompanying drawings and claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention.

