Optical equipment mounting device

• US 5,064,278 A
• Filed: 03/20/1989
• Issued: 11/12/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomsom-Csf Optronics Canada, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Alliedsignal Inc. (Honeywell International Inc.)
• Inventors: Thomanek, Walter
• Primary Examiner(s): Bovernick, Rodney B.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong
• Application Number:
  US07/325,748
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• Field of Search: 350/542-557, 350/145, 350/146, 350/139, 350/174, 350/319, 350/537-538, 350/567, 350/144, 2/5-6, 2/10, 2/410-422, 2/438
• US Class Current: 359/480
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/10 around a horizontal axis F16M11/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/2092 comprising means allowing depth adjustment, i.e. forward-backward translation of the head relatively to the undercarriage
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 11/24 changeable in height or length of legs, also for transport only, e.g. by means of tubes screwed into each otherF16M11/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/00 Other supports for positioning apparatus or articles heads thereof F16M11/02 ; undercarriages thereof F16M11/20 ; adapted to be stuck in the ground A45F3/44 ; sockets or holders for poles or posts E04H12/22; Means for steadying hand-held apparatus or articles supports for measuring instruments G01D11/30; supports for casings of remote control switching devices H01H9/025
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 13/04 for supporting on, or holding steady relative to, a person, e.g. by chains , e.g. rifle butt or pistol grip supports, supports attached to the chest or head apparatus or arrangements for taking photographs or for projecting or viewing them G03B
• CPC Class Codes: F16M 2200/028 by positive interaction, e.g. male-female connections
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/16 Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/165 Condition of cabin, cockpit or pilot's accessories
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/36 Simulation of night or reduced visibility flight

Abstract

A mounting device and head support structure for carrying optical equipment, such as night vision goggles, on the head of a person, and including a structure which permits ready mounting and dismounting of the mounting device and the optical equipment carried thereby and also easy adjustment of the optical equipment in a vertical direction as well as along the line of vision after mounting. The mounting device includes a lever mounted in a housing and engageable by the user'"'"'s hand when the mounting device and the optical equipment are grasped for mounting, and the lever is movable to a position to unlock engaging parts so as to permit the mounting device to move relative to the head support assembly and/or permit the part of the mounting device to which the optical equipment is attached to move relative to the housing. The single lever can be activated to accomplish both mounting, dismounting and adjustment in the two directions indicated above. Additionally, an adjustment member is provided to accomplish a desired tilt of the optical equipment relative to the normal line of vision. The head support assembly includes a main head piece which has a relatively rigid portion in the front and more flexible side and top pieces for fitting to a variety of head shapes.

Claims

1. A mounting device for adjustably positioning an optical equipment on a viewer'"'"'s head, said mounting device being mountable on a head support assembly worn by the viewer, said mounting device comprising a housing, first guide means disposed between said housing and mounting means connectable to said head support assembly for permitting movement of said housing relative to said head support assembly along a substantially vertical axis extending normal to a viewer'"'"'s normal line of vision, a base means having attachment means for connecting said optical equipment to said base means, a second guide means disposed between said base means and said housing for permitting movement of said base means relative to said housing along a horizontal axis extending substantially parallel to said line of vision, locking means associated with each said guide means for independently preventing said relative movement in each guide means, and a manually operable unlocking member mounted in said housing and being movable from a locking position to unlocking positions for selectively actuating each of said locking means to effect unlocking of said locking means.

2. A mounting device as defined in claim 1, and further including a pivot connection between said base means and said second guide means for allowing tilting motion of the optical equipment relative to said housing about an axis transverse to the normal line of vision, and manual adjustment means for setting the amount of tilt.

3. A mounting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said first guide means includes a track means and a slide member for longitudinal sliding relative to said track means, one of said track means and said slide member having connecting means for fastening to said head support assembly and the other being formed in said housing.

4. A mounting device as defined in claim 3, wherein said slide member is provided with said means for fastening to said head support assembly, and said track means is formed in said housing.

5. A mounting device as defined in claim 4, wherein said slide member and said track means of said first guide means are separable to permit said housing to be attached to and removed from said head support assembly.

6. A mounting device as defined in claim 4, wherein said slide member of said first guide means includes vertically oriented rail means and said track means is a vertically disposed channel in said housing for longitudinal reception of said rail means.

7. A mounting means as defined in claim 6, wherein said second guide means includes a track means which is a horizontal channel extending parallel to said line of vision and a slide member which includes a rail means which is longitudinally slideable in said channel, and including means attaching said base means to said rail means.

8. A mounting device as defined in claim 7, wherein said locking means includes locking pin means mounted in said housing and one each being movable into a locking position for engaging said rail means of said guide means for preventing movement of said slide member relative to said track means.

9. A mounting device as defined in claim 8, wherein each rail means has a rack providing a series of teeth therealong, and each pin means has teeth means for engagement with the teeth in one of a series of positions of said rack in the locking position.

10. A mounting device as defined in claim 9, and including means biasing each pin means into the locking position.

11. A mounting device as defined in claim 10, and including a cam member having independent camming surfaces engagable, on movement of said cam member from a locking position, with an inner end of each pin means for urging each pin means against said biasing means to an unlocking position for permitting relative movement between said slide member and said track means.

12. A mounting device as defined in claim 11, and wherein said unlocking member includes a manually operable lever means carried by said housing for moving said cam member from the locking position to at least one unlocking position.

13. A mounting device as defined in claim 12, wherein said cam member is movable to a first unlocking position for moving one pin means to an unlocking position and to at least one addition position in which the other pin means is moved to an unlocking position.

14. A mounting device as defined in claim 13, wherein said pin means associated with the second guide means is moved to the unlocking position in the first unlocking position of said cam member, and both the pin means associated with the first and second guide means are moved to the unlocking position in the one additional position of the cam means.

15. A mounting device for adjustably positioning optical equipment on a viewer'"'"'s head, said mounting device being mountable on a head support assembly worn by the viewer, said mounting device comprising a pair of guide means each including a slide member and track means for permitting relative back and forward movement of the slide member along a single axis in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the track means, a housing member, a base means having attachment means for connecting to said optical equipment, a first of said guide means being disposed between said housing member and said head support assembly, and a second of said guide means being disposed between the housing member and said base means, one of said first and second guide means being oriented to permit relative movement on a vertical axis normal to a line of vision of the viewer and the other being oriented to permit relative movement on a horizontal axis parallel to said line of vision, and releasable locking means associated with each guide means for preventing the relative movement in said guide means whereby on release of said lock means a level of the optical equipment and the distance of the optical equipment in front of the viewer may be selectively adjusted.

16. A mounting device as defined in claim 15, and further including a pivot connection between said base means and said second guide means for allowing tilting motion of the optical equipment relative to said housing about an axis transverse to the normal line of vision, and manual adjustment means for setting the amount of tilt.

17. A mounting device as defined in claim 16 and wherein said adjustment means includes a screw means connected between the base means and the second guide means, and a adjustment wheel fixed to said screw means and accessible to the wearer for turning the screw means and thereby varying the amount of tilt of the optical equipment about the transverse axis.

18. A mounting device as defined in claim 15, wherein one of the slide member and track means of said first guide means is adapted to be fixed to said head support assembly and the other is formed in said housing, said slide member and said track means of said first guide means being separable to permit said housing to be attached to and removed from said head support assembly.

19. A mounting device as defined in claim 18, wherein said slide member of the first guide means has means for fastening to said head support means and the associated track means is formed in said housing.

20. A mounting device as defined in claim 19, wherein said slide member of the first guide means includes vertically oriented rail means and said associated track means is a vertically disposed channel in said housing for longitudinal reception of said rail means.

21. A mounting means as defined in claim 20, wherein said second guide means includes a track means which is a horizontal channel extending parallel to said line of vision and a slide member which includes a rail means which is longitudinally slidable in said channel, and further comprising connecting means attaching said base means to said rail means.

22. A mounting device as defined in claim 21, wherein said connecting means between said rail means of said second guide means and said base means includes a horizontal pivot pin extending transverse to said line of vision, and further including means for adjustably holding the optical equipment carried by said base means at an angle of tilt relative to the normal line of vision.

23. A mounting device as defined in claim 21, wherein said releasible locking means includes locking pin means mounted in said housing and one each being movable into a locking position for engaging said rail means of said guide means for preventing movement of said slide member relative to said track means.

24. A mounting device as defined in claim 23, wherein each rail means has a rack providing a series of teeth therealong, and each pin means has means for engagement with the teeth in one of a series of positions of said rack in the locking position.

25. A mounting device as defined in claim 24, and including means biasing each pin means into the locking position.

26. A mounting device as defined in claim 25, and including a cam member having independent camming surfaces engagable, on movement of said cam member from a locking position, with an inner end of each pin means for urging each pin means against said biasing means to an unlocking position for permitting relative movement between said slide member and said track means.

27. A mounting device as defined in claim 26, and including a manually operable lever means carried by said housing for moving said cam member from the locking position to at least one unlocking position.

28. A mounting device as defined in claim 27, wherein said cam member is movable to a first unlocking position for moving one pin means to an unlocking position and to at least one addition position in which the other pin means is moved to an unlocking position.

29. A mounting device as defined in claim 28, wherein said pin means associated with the second guide means is moved to the unlocking position in the first unlocking position of said cam member, and both the pin means associated with the first and second guide means are moved to the unlocking position in the one additional position of the cam means.