Helmet mounting for night vision assembly
First Claim
1. A mounting device for selectively mounting a night vision apparatus to a helmet, the helmet having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a peripheral edge, said mounting device comprising:
- support means for supporting the night vision apparatus in a desired orientation;
clamping means, pivotably coupled to said support means, for selectively clamping onto the peripheral edge of the helmet above the eyes of a wearer, said clamping means including engaging means for engaging the interior surface and the exterior surface of the helmet with a releasable clamping action, said engaging means including at least one static surface for contacting the interior surface of the helmet and at least one moveable member for engaging the exterior surface of the helmet;
a pivot arm having a first end and a second end, said at least one moveable member being coupled to said first end of said pivot arm;
at least one lever having an end, said second end of said pivot arm being coupled to said end of said at least one lever, wherein movement of said lever in a first direction increases the clamping pressure provided by said at least one moveable member and said at least one static surface, and wherein movement of said lever in a second direction decreases the clamping pressure provided by said at least one moveable member and said at least one static surface, wherein said support means can be pivotably rotated about said clamping means to an operating position where the night vision apparatus is held in front of the eyes of the wearer, and a stowed position, wherein the night vision apparatus is held above the wearer'"'"'s field of view; and
locking means for selectively locking said support means in said stowed position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a mounting assembly for mounting a night vision apparatus onto a standard army issue helmet. The present invention includes a support member for retaining the night vision apparatus and a clamping assembly used to join the support member to the helmet. The clamping assembly is removably attachable to a standard army issue helmet above the eyes of the wearer. The support member is pivotably connected to the clamping assembly in a manner that enables the support member to be pivotably rotated about the clamping assembly between an operational position and a stowed position. At the operational position, the support member retains the night vision apparatus in front of the eyes of the wearer. At the stowed position, the night vision apparatus is "flipped up" to a position above the field of view of the wearer, where the night vision apparatus can be retained until again needed. A moveable magnet and an associated reed switch serves to deactivate the night vision device in the stowed position and enable activation of the night vision device in the operational position.
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Citations
14 Claims
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1. A mounting device for selectively mounting a night vision apparatus to a helmet, the helmet having an interior surface, an exterior surface and a peripheral edge, said mounting device comprising:
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support means for supporting the night vision apparatus in a desired orientation; clamping means, pivotably coupled to said support means, for selectively clamping onto the peripheral edge of the helmet above the eyes of a wearer, said clamping means including engaging means for engaging the interior surface and the exterior surface of the helmet with a releasable clamping action, said engaging means including at least one static surface for contacting the interior surface of the helmet and at least one moveable member for engaging the exterior surface of the helmet; a pivot arm having a first end and a second end, said at least one moveable member being coupled to said first end of said pivot arm; at least one lever having an end, said second end of said pivot arm being coupled to said end of said at least one lever, wherein movement of said lever in a first direction increases the clamping pressure provided by said at least one moveable member and said at least one static surface, and wherein movement of said lever in a second direction decreases the clamping pressure provided by said at least one moveable member and said at least one static surface, wherein said support means can be pivotably rotated about said clamping means to an operating position where the night vision apparatus is held in front of the eyes of the wearer, and a stowed position, wherein the night vision apparatus is held above the wearer'"'"'s field of view; and locking means for selectively locking said support means in said stowed position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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Specification