Mounting device for night vision mount and goggle assembly

• US 5,226,181 A
• Filed: 01/17/1992
• Issued: 07/13/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Original Assignee: Gentex Corporation
• Inventors: Acker, Charles F., Polednak, Michael D., Kuna, Francis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NERBUN, PETER P
• Application Number:
  US07/822,601
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 2/422, 2/424, 2/410, 2/6, 2/8, 2/9, 2/10, 359/409, 359/410, 359/411, 359/815, 359/816, 224/181
• US Class Current: 2/422
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

Apparatus for detachably securing a night vision goggle mount to a protective helmet visor housing in which the heads of a pair of upper fasteners carried by the mount are adapted to be inserted through the head receiving portions of a pair of upper keyhole slots in a base plate on the housing against the action of a leaf spring on the plate. When the shanks of the fasteners are moved into the lower head-retaining portions of the upper slots, the upper fastener heads are held by ears on the leaf spring to lock the mount. A releasing element on the base plate is adapted to be actuated to flex the spring to a position at which the spring ears are clear of the upper fastener heads to permit the mount to be removed. Preferably, a pair of lower fasteners having heads and a pair of corresponding lower keyhole slots are provided to insure stability and alignment of the night vision goggle mount.

Claims

1. Apparatus for assembling a night vision goggle mount in an operative position on a protective helmet visor housing including in combination interengageable means on said mount and on said housing for guiding said mount into said operative position on said housing, automatic means responsive to movement of said mount into said operative position for locking said interengageable means against disengagement and manually operable means for disabling said locking means to permit said interengageable means to be disengaged, said interengageable means comprising a fastener having a head on one of said mount and said housing and means forming a keyhole slot on the other of said mount and said housing for receiving and retaining said head.

2. Apparatus for assembling a night vision goggle mount in an operative position on a protective helmet visor housing including in combination interengageable means on said mount and on said housing for guiding said mount into said operative position on said housing, automatic means responsive to movement of said mount into said operative position for locking said interengageable means against disengagement and manually operable means for disabling said locking means to permit said interengageable means to be disengaged, said interengageable means comprising a pair of fasteners having heads mounted in spaced relationship on one of said mount and said housing and means forming a pair of correspondingly spaced keyhole slots on the other of said mount and said housing for receiving and retaining said fastener heads.

3. Apparatus for assembling a night vision goggle mount in an operative position on a protective helmet visor housing including in combination interengageable means on said mount and on said housing for guiding said mount into said operative position on said housing, automatic means responsive to movement of said mount into said operative position for locking said interengageable means against disengagement and manually operable means for disabling said locking means to permit said interengageable means to be disengaged, said interengageable means comprising a pair of upper fasteners having heads mounted in spaced relationship to each other on one of said mount and said housing, a pair of lower fasteners having heads mounted in spaced relationship to each other on one of said mount and said housing, means forming a pair of upper keyhole slots in the other of said mount and said housing for receiving and retaining said upper fastener heads and means forming a pair of lower keyhole slots in the other of said mount and said housing for receiving and retaining said lower fastener heads.

4. Apparatus as in claim 3 including a backing plate for mounting said fasteners on said mount.

5. Apparatus as in claim 3 in which said means forming said slots comprises a base plate mounted over discrete openings in said housing.

6. Apparatus as in claim 3 including a backing plate for supporting said fasteners on said mount, said means forming said slots comprising a base plate mounted over discrete openings in said housing.

17. Apparatus as in claim 5 in which said base plate is formed with recessed areas around said keyhole slots to facilitate initial alignment of said fasteners with the keyhole slots.

7. Apparatus for assembling a night vision goggle mount in an operative position on a protective helmet visor housing including in combination interengageable means on said mount and on said housing for guiding said mount into said operative position on said housing, automatic means responsive to movement of said mount into said operative position for locking said interengageable means against disengagement and manually operable means for disabling said locking means to permit said interengageable means to be disengaged, said interengageable means comprising a fastener having a head and a shank carried by one of said mount and said housing and means forming a keyhole slot in the other of said mount and said housing, said keyhole slot having a first portion dimensioned to admit the fastener head and a second portion permitting movement of said shank therealong while retaining said head against removal, said locking means being responsive to movement of said shank into said second slot portion.

8. Apparatus as in claim 7 in which said interengageable means are first interengageable means, said locking means comprising a spring and second interengageable means on said spring and on said fastener operable in response to movement of said shank into said second slot portion.

9. Apparatus as in claim 8 in which said spring is a leaf spring having an ear adapted to move behind said fastener head as said shank moves into said second slot portion.

10. Apparatus as in claim 9 in which said leaf spring ear extends over said first portion of said keyhole slot whereby said head moves into said first portion of said keyhole against the action of said spring.

11. Apparatus as in claim 10 in which said manually operable means comprises means for flexing said leaf spring to a position at which said leaf spring ear is clear of said fastener head with said shank in said second slot portion.

12. Apparatus for readily detachably securing a night vision goggle mount to a protective helmet visor housing formed with a platform having an opening including in combination a fastener having a head and a shank, means securing said fastener to said mount with a portion of said shank exposed, a base plate attached to said housing platform over said opening, said base plate formed with a keyhole slot registering with said opening, said keyhole slot having a first portion dimensioned to admit the fastener head and a second portion dimensioned to permit movement of said fastener shank therealong while retaining said head against withdrawal, a leaf spring on the inside of said base plate, said leaf spring having an ear extending over said keyhole slot whereby said fastener head moves through said first portion of said keyhole slot against the action of said leaf spring, said ear dropping behind said fastener head as said shank moves into said second keyhole slot portion automatically to lock said mount to said housing, and manually operable means on said plate for flexing said leaf spring to a position at which said ear is clear of the fastener head with said shank in said second keyhole slot portion.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12 including a second fastener having a head and a shank secured to said mount in spaced relationship to said first-named fastener, said base plate being formed with a second keyhole slot similar to said first-named slot for cooperation with said second fastener, said leaf spring formed with a second ear adapted to drop behind the head of said second fastener with the second fastener shank in the second portion of the second keyhole slot.

14. Apparatus as in claim 12 in which said leaf spring has an upturned free end, said manually operable means comprising a member having a shoe, means mounting said member for movement between an actuated position at which said shoe extends under said upturned end to flex said spring and a retracted position and means for biasing said member to said retracted position.

15. Apparatus as in claim 13 including third and fourth fasteners, each having a head and a shank, said third and fourth fasteners being secured to said mount in spaced relationship, said base plate being formed with third and fourth keyhole slots for cooperation with said third and fourth fasteners.

16. Apparatus as in claim 15 in which said first and second fasteners are upper fasteners and said third and fourth fasteners are lower fasteners.