Quick release night vision goggle mounting bracket

• US 4,697,783 A
• Filed: 12/12/1985
• Issued: 10/06/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Varo, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Varo, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Kastendieck, William A., Isbell, Wayne, Hart, Richard T.
• Primary Examiner(s): REESE, RANDOLPH A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Williams, Todd G.
• Application Number:
  US06/808,092
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 248/900, 248/1, 248/222.1, 248/221.3, 248/298, 248/205.1, 250/213 VT, 2/10, 2/6, 2/15, 2/422, 2/438, 224/181, 128/207.11, 128/206.27, 403/315, 403/322, 403/321, 403/325, 403/326, 403/330
• US Class Current: 248/205.1
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 224/93 Attached to animate bearer
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/59 Manually releaseable latch type
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/60 Biased catch or latch

Abstract

A bracket (10) for releasably engaging a goggle (14) to a headgear (12). The bracket (10) includes a receptacle (52) with inside tapered sidewalls (124) matable with a goggle stud (55) having corresponding outer tapered sidewalls (125). A release lever (22) is housed in said stud (55) and includes a transverse notch (140) latchable with a lug (146) on a catch arm (144) adjustably fixed within the receptacle (52). The catch arm (144) is adjustable by an eccentric (162) while the goggle stud (55) is engaged within the receptacle (52).

Claims

1. A support for releasably supporting vision equipment to a headgear, comprising:

a tapered stud with a channel therethrough;

an elbow member connecting said stud to the vision equipment, and having a channel coaxial with the channel of said stud;

a tapered receptacle fixed to the headgear for receiving said stud;

a release lever disposed through the channel of said stud and the channel of said elbow an pivotally mounted within one of said channels, said release lever having a transverse notch near one end thereof;

a lug adjustably fixed within said receptacle and latchable with said transverse notch; and

bias means for biasing the notch of said lever into said latching engaement with said lug.

2. The support of claim 1 and further comprising:

eccentric adjustment means for moving said lug with respect to receptacle.

3. The support of claim 2 wherein said receptacle further includes an access opening to which said eccentric means can be adjusted.

4. The support of claim 3 wherein said eccentric adjustment means is disposed on one inside surface of said receptacle, and said access opening is disposed in a receptacle surface opposite said one inside surface, and further including a vertical groove in said stud aligned with said access opening and said adjustnent means.

5. The support of claim 2 wherein said eccentric adjustment means includes a screw with an offset shank part.

6. The support of claim 5 wherein said lug comprises a clamp arm with an upturned end and an elongate slot.

7. Apparatus for releasably attaching vision equipment to a headgear, comprising:

a male part fixed to one of the vision equipment or the headgear, said male part including a conduit therein and a tapered surface;

a female part fixed to the other of the vision equipment or the headgear, said female part having a tapered surface mating with the tapered surface of said male part for engaging the vision equipment to the headgear;

a catch mechanism mounted within said female part, said catch mechanism including a lug;

release means for releasably attaching said male and female parts together and thus for attaching the vision equipment to the headgear, said release means comprising a lever pivotally mounted within said male part conduit and including a notch and a tapered surface at an end of said lever, said notch being latchably engageable with said catch mechanism lug for latching the vision equipment to the headgear, said lever tapered surface being operative for camming over said lug when said male part is inserted into said female part;

bias means for biasing said lever to a position such that said lever tapered surface cams over said lug and is latched therewith;

eccentric adjustment means for adjusting said lug with respect to said lever notch so that said male part can be drawn into said female part;

a fastener for use with said eccentric adjustment means for fixing said lug within said female part; and

said female part including an access opening for accessing said fastener and said eccentric adjustment means while said male part is inserted into said female part.