METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MOUNTING A VISION SYSTEM

• US 20080020720A1
• Filed: 07/11/2007
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ciccone, Ronald W., Barber, Ross F.
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,967 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 455/90.3
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/04 Parts, details or accessories of helmets
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 17/561 Support related camera accessories

Abstract

A bridge assembly couples a vision system to a helmet or headgear to allow a user to alternatively align an eyepiece of the vision system in front of a left or right eye of a user. The bridge assembly includes a receiver for removably mounting the vision system. The receiver is coupled to a slide assembly providing side-to-side movement of the vision system relative to the helmet.

Claims

1. A bridge assembly for securing a vision system to a helmet or headgear, comprising:

a helmet mount sized to cooperate with a helmet or headgear receiver;

an adjustment assembly coupled to the helmet mount, the adjustment assembly having a pair of parallel rails and a rotatable shaft parallel to the rails; and

a receiver assembly having a receiver having a pair of receiver rails slidably cooperating with the rails on the adjustment assembly, a threaded portion extending parallel to the receiver rails, a first jaw coupled to the receiver, an actuator fixed to a second jaw and slidable in a direction generally perpendicular to the receiver rails, and a spring for biasing the second jaw towards the first jaw.

2. The bridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver has an upper lip and a lower extending generally perpendicular to the receiver rails.

3. The bridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw have a profile that cooperates with a vision mount on a vision system.

4. The bridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotatable shaft has an externally threaded portion that cooperates with the threaded portion of the receiver.

5. The bridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotatable shaft has a first knob at a first end for allowing a user to move the receiver assembly relative to the adjustment assembly.

6. The bridge assembly of claim 5, wherein the rotatable shaft has a second knob at a second end for allowing a user to move the receiver assembly relative to the adjustment assembly.

7. The bridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the adjustment assembly has a first and a second end stop coupled to a middle structure with fasteners.

8. The bridge assembly of claim 7, wherein the first and the second end stops each have an opening through which the rotatable shaft extends.

9. The bridge assembly of claim 1, wherein the receiver has a third jaw coupled to the receiver and a fourth jaw fixed to the actuator.

10. A bridge assembly for securing a vision system to a helmet or headgear, comprising:

a helmet mount sized to cooperate with a helmet or headgear receiver;

a slide assembly coupled to helmet mount and configured for adjusting said vision system in a first direction; and

a receiver assembly having a receiver slidably coupled to the slide assembly, a first jaw, an actuator fixed to a second jaw and slidable in a direction generally perpendicular to the first direction, and a spring for biasing the second jaw towards the first jaw.

11. The bridge assembly of claim 10, wherein the slide assembly comprises a first set of slidably cooperating rails and a first lead screw for moving said receiver assembly in a first direction.

12. The bridge assembly of claim 10, wherein the receiver has an upper lip and a lower lip extending generally perpendicular to the receiver rails.

13. The bridge assembly of claim 10, wherein the first jaw and the second jaw have a profile that cooperates with a vision mount on a vision system.

14. The bridge assembly of claim 10, wherein the adjustment assembly has a first and a second end stop coupled to a middle structure with fasteners.

15. The bridge assembly of claim 14, wherein the first and the second end stops each have an opening through which the rotatable shaft extends.

16. The bridge assembly of claim 10, wherein the receiver has a third jaw coupled to the receiver and a fourth jaw fixed to the actuator.

17. A vision system securable to a helmet or headgear receiver, comprising:

a vision system housing having a first vision mount fixed to a first side of the housing, a second vision mount fixed to a second and opposing side of the housing, and an eyepiece disposed between the first and second mounts;

a helmet mount sized to cooperate with the helmet or headgear receiver;

an adjustment assembly coupled to the helmet mount, the adjustment assembly having a pair of parallel rails and a rotatable shaft parallel to the rails; and

a receiver assembly having a receiver having a pair of receiver rails slidably cooperating with the rails on the adjustment assembly, a threaded portion extending parallel to the receiver rails, a first jaw and a third jaw coupled to the receiver, an actuator fixed to a second jaw and a fourth jaw and slidable in a direction generally perpendicular to the receiver rails, and a spring for biasing the second and fourth jaws towards the first and the third jaws, wherein the first vision mount may be coupled between the first jaw and the second jaw to align the eyepiece assembly with a left eye of a user and the second vision mount may be coupled between the third jaw and the fourth jaw to align the eyepiece assembly with a right eye of a user.

18. The vision system of claim 17, wherein the first and the second vision mounts are symmetrically opposed on the vision system housing for alternatively coupling the vision system on either a first or a second side of the receiver.

19. The vision system of claim 17, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth jaws have a profile that cooperates with a vision mount on the vision system housing.

20. The vision system of claim 17, wherein the receiver has an upper lip and a lower lip extending generally perpendicular to the receiver rails.