Head-mounted flip-up night vision device with automatic turn-off upon flip-up
First Claim
1. A night vision device comprising:
- a head gear support structure supported on a user'"'"'s head and supporting a night vision viewer in a first position in front of at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes, the night vision viewer being movable on the support structure to a second position allowing the user natural vision unobstructed by the night vision viewer;
a magnetically responsive switch carried by the night vision viewer and responsive to magnetic flux to maintain said viewer turned on;
a magnetic flux source carried by said support structure and in said first position of said viewer being proximate to said switch to maintain said viewer turned on, movement of said viewer to said second position on said support structure separating said flux source from said switch to turn off the night vision viewer.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A night vision device with improved user safety includes a head gear support structure which suspends a night vision viewer relative to the head and eyes of the user. The head gear includes a flip up mount allowing the user to flip the night vision viewer up and out of the user'"'"'s line of sight for an unobstructed natural view of the environment. In order both to save battery power, and to prevent the user from inadvertently revealing his position by forgetting to turn off the night vision viewer before flipping it up, the support structure includes a magnetic flux source cooperable with a magnetically-responsive switch of the night vision viewer to maintain the viewer turned on only when the viewer is in its use position. When the viewer is flipped toward its upward position, the switch of the viewer is carried out of magnetic association with the flux source so that the viewer shuts off. Because the viewer remains mounted on the flip up mount during this series of events allowing the user an unobstructed view of the environment, the viewer is immediately available to be flipped downwardly to its use position back into operative association at its switch with the flux source, and to be turned on again for night vision viewing.
56 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A night vision device comprising:
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a head gear support structure supported on a user'"'"'s head and supporting a night vision viewer in a first position in front of at least one of the user'"'"'s eyes, the night vision viewer being movable on the support structure to a second position allowing the user natural vision unobstructed by the night vision viewer; a magnetically responsive switch carried by the night vision viewer and responsive to magnetic flux to maintain said viewer turned on; a magnetic flux source carried by said support structure and in said first position of said viewer being proximate to said switch to maintain said viewer turned on, movement of said viewer to said second position on said support structure separating said flux source from said switch to turn off the night vision viewer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method of improving user safety of a night vision device including a support structure supported on the user'"'"'s head and supporting a night vision viewer in a first position in front of at least one eye of the user, the night vision viewer being pivotal upwardly to a second position affording the user with natural vision unobstructed by said night vision viewer, the night vision viewer including a magnetically responsive switch which maintains said viewer turned on when supplied with sufficient magnetic flux, said method comprising the steps of:
- associating a magnetic flux source with said support structure so that said switch and flux source are in proximity to one another in said first position; and
separating said switch from said flux source in response to pivotal movement of said viewer to said second position on said support structure. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- associating a magnetic flux source with said support structure so that said switch and flux source are in proximity to one another in said first position; and
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21. A night vision device comprising a support structure including a support frame supporting on the head of a user, said support frame carrying a forwardly and upwardly extending clevis;
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a flip up mount hingably securing to said clevis for pivotal movement between a first position extending forwardly above said user'"'"'s eyes, and a second position extending upwardly of said clevis; said flip up mount including a coupling device for securing a night vision viewer to said flip up mount so that said viewer is suspended in front of at least one eye of said user in said first position, and in said second position said viewer does not obstruct the user'"'"'s natural vision, said viewer including a magnetically-responsive switch maintaining said viewer turned on when said switch is subjected to a sufficient magnetic flux; and said frame carrying a magnetic flux source with respect to which said flip up mount is relatively movable, said magnetic flux source being operatively associated with said magnetically-responsive switch in said first position to maintain said viewer turned on, and said flip up mount carrying said viewer and switch away from said flux source toward said second position to effect turning off said viewer. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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Specification