Night vision goggle adapter

• US 10,288,865 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2018
• Issued: 05/14/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Inventors: Prendergast, Jonathon R., Soto, Ronald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): McKinnon, Terrell L
• Assistant Examiner(s): McDuffie, Michael
• Application Number:
  US16/057,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20180348501A1
• Time in Patent Office: 280 Days
• Field of Search: 2422, 2 66, 224181, 248689, 2482202, 24822213, 24822341, 248902
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/0406 Accessories for helmets
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 1/04 Protection helmets crash helmets A42B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/16 Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight

Abstract

A night vision goggle adapter, the adapter includes a knob, a yoke, the yoke includes an attachment portion operably connected to a helmet mount, a spring operably placed between the knob and yoke, a shaft, the shaft includes a first end operably connected with the knob, and a second end, a head, the head receives a portion of the shaft and is attached to a night vision google, and a cam pivotally mounted to the second end of the shaft for movement between a release and clamped position to respectively disengage and engage the adapter to the head.

Claims

1. A night vision goggle adapter, the adapter comprising:

a first knob;

a yoke, wherein the yoke comprises an attachment portion operably connected to a helmet mount;

a spring operably placed between the first knob and yoke;

a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises;

a first end operably connected with the first knob, and

a second end;

a head, wherein the head receives a portion of the shaft and is attached to a night vision goggle; and

a cam pivotally mounted to the second end of the shaft for movement between a release and clamped position to respectively disengage and engage the adapter to the head,

wherein the first knob can be adjusted to apply an adjustable force between the spring, yoke, head, and cam when the cam is moved to the clamped position.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein a surface of the first knob is knurled or castellated.

3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is a rail.

4. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the attachment portion is a dovetail plate.

5. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the head comprises an attachment arm, wherein the attachment arm attaches to the night vision goggle.

6. The adapter of claim 5, wherein the attachment arm comprises a second knob that attaches the night vision goggle to the attachment arm.

7. The adapter of claim 5, wherein the attachment arm comprises a magnetic gravity switch.

8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the head comprises a counter bore portion.

9. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the shaft comprises a wider diameter portion.

10. The adapter of claim 9, wherein a cross pin is fixed into the wider diameter portion of the shaft, the ends of the pin extend outwardly beyond the diameter of the wider diameter portion of the shaft, wherein the ends of the pin are received into notches about an opening at a bottom of the yoke.

11. A method of attaching from an adapter for a night vision goggle, the adapter comprising:

a first knob;

a yoke, wherein the yoke comprises an attachment portion operably connected to a helmet mount;

a spring operably placed between the first knob and yoke;

a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises;

a first end operably connected with the first knob, and

a second end;

a head, wherein the head receives a portion of the shaft and is attached to a night vision goggle; and

a cam pivotally mounted to the second end of the shaft for movement between a release and clamped position, comprising the step of;

disengaging; and

engaging the adapter to the night vision goggle,

wherein the first knob can be adjusted to apply an adjustable force between the spring, yoke, head, and cam when the cam is moved to the clamped position.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a surface of the first knob is knurled or castellated.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the attachment portion is a rail.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the attachment portion is a dovetail plate.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the head comprises an attachment arm, wherein the attachment arm attaches to the night vision goggle.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the attachment arm comprises a second knob that attaches the night vision goggle to the attachment arm.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the attachment arm comprises a magnetic gravity switch.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the head comprises a counter bore portion.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the shaft comprises a wider diameter portion.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein a cross pin is fixed into the wider diameter portion of the shaft, the ends of the pin extend outwardly beyond the diameter of the wider diameter portion of the shaft, wherein the ends of the pin are received into notches about an opening at a bottom of the yoke.

21. A night vision goggle adapter, the adapter comprising:

a first knob;

a yoke, wherein the yoke comprises an attachment portion operably connected to a helmet mount;

a spring operably placed between the first knob and yoke;

a shaft, wherein the shaft comprises;

a first end operably connected with the first knob, and

a second end;

a head, wherein the head comprises an opening and receives a portion of the shaft and is attached to a night vision goggle; and

a cam pivotally mounted to the second end of the shaft for movement between a release and clamped position to respectively disengage and engage the adapter to the head,

wherein the head is separable from the shaft through the opening when the cam is moved to the release position.