Carriage and Socket Assembly for a Night Vision Goggle Mount

• US 20090268288A1
• Filed: 03/05/2009
• Published: 10/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Inventors: Prendergast, Jonathon R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,239,971 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 359/480
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted

Abstract

A carriage for a headgear mount including a base having a top surface and a bottom surface, the carriage attachable to the headgear mount. At least one rail extends from the bottom surface, the rail adapted to receive night vision goggles and the rail being integral with the base.

Claims

1. A night vision goggle mount assembly comprising:

a carriage comprising a base and at least one rail integral with and extending along the base, the at least one rail having a substantially constant cross-sectional shape along a length thereof; and

a socket assembly comprising at least one channel configured to be attached to the at least one rail to permit sliding of the socket assembly along the at least one rail and a lock assembly for locking the socket assembly at an infinite number of positions along the at least one rail.

2. The night vision goggle mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the at least one rail has a generally T-shaped cross-section.

3. The night vision goggle mount assembly of claim 1, further comprising a first stop for preventing the socket assembly from disengaging from the carriage.

4. The night vision goggle mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the carriage comprises two rails and the socket assembly comprises two channels.

5. The night vision goggle mount assembly of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the at least one channel substantially corresponds to a cross-section of the at least one rail.

6. The night vision goggle mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the lock assembly comprises a cam shaft rotatable to engage the lock assembly with the at least one rail.

7. The night vision goggle mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the lock assembly locks the socket assembly by compression.

8. A carriage for a headgear mount comprising:

a base configured to be attached to the headgear mount such that the base is rotatable with respect to the headgear mount; and

at least one rail integral with and extending along the base, the at least one rail configured to receive a night vision goggle assembly and to position the night vision goggle assembly at an infinite number of positions along the rail.

9. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the at least one rail has a substantially identical cross-section along a length of the at least one rail.

10. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the at least one rail is configured to slidably receive the night vision goggle assembly.

11. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the at least one rail has a generally T-shaped cross-section.

12. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the at least one rail has a ledge onto which a night vision goggle assembly is attachable.

13. The carriage of claim 8, further comprising a first stop for preventing an attached night vision goggle assembly from disengaging from the carriage.

14. The carriage of claim 13, wherein the first stop is positionable to avoid interfering with attachment of the night vision goggle assembly onto the at least one rail.

15. The carriage of claim 13, further comprising a second stop for preventing an attached night vision goggle assembly from disengaging from the carriage.

16. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the at least one rail extends substantially along an entire length of the base.

17. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the carriage comprises two rails.

18. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the base comprises first and second side walls configured to attach the carriage to the headgear mount.

19. The carriage of claim 8, wherein the carriage is a single integral structure.