Binocular

• US 5,526,178 A
• Filed: 01/25/1994
• Issued: 06/11/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Pinchas Goldstein
• Original Assignee: Front Row Products, Inc.
• Inventors: Goldstein, Pinchas, Miller, Harry S., Naiman, Charles S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thong Q.
• Application Number:
  US08/186,335
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 359/399, 359/400, 359/408-411, 359/480, 359/481, 351/57, 351/155, 2/10, 2/199, 2/422, 2/209.1
• US Class Current: 359/407
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 1/247 Means for attaching eyewear arrangements for supporting by headgear G02C3/02
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0132 comprising binocular systems
• 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 2027/0178 Eyeglass type eyeglass details G02C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0196 having transparent supporting structure for display mounting, e.g. to a window or a windshield
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/16 Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/18 for binocular arrangements focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 25/004 having binocular arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/017 Head mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/002 Mounting on the human body

Abstract

A binocular mountable on a headgear, includes two optical systems, one for each eye of the user. Each system includes at least an objective lens and an eyelens. The binocular is pivotably attached to the headgear. When the headgear is in position on the user'"'"'s head, the objective lenses and the eye lenses can be quickly swiveled out of the way to facilitate free and unaided vision, and returned to the position of binocular-aided vision. The binocular optical systems can be configured to provide either telescopic or microscopic effects. Moreover, the mounts of the lenses are transparent and integrally formed with the respective lenses. Thus, a continuity of visual field without "tunnel" vision is achieved. Hook and loop type fasteners can be used to attach the optical systems to the headgear, which can be either a cap or a visor. Additionally, a laser light/sun light shield can be provided. The optical systems can define bifocal optical systems. A single optical system (i.e., for one eye of the user) can also be mounted to a headgear.

Claims

1. A binocular mountable on a headgear, said binocular comprising:

two optical systems, one for each eye of a user, each system defining an optical axis and comprising at least an objective lens and an eye lens;

means for attaching said optical systems to the headgear, said attaching means including pivot means about which, with the headgear in position on a user'"'"'s head, said objective lenses and said eye lenses can be swiveled out of the way to a first position for facilitating free and unaided vision, and returned to a second position for providing binocular-aided vision; and

means for mounting each said objective lens and each said eye lens of said optical systems to said attaching means, said mounting means comprising means for enabling a continuity of vision between a central field of view and a peripheral field of view in the binocular aided vision position, said mounting means comprising transparent frames integrally securing to each of said objective lenses to each other and each of said eye lenses to each other.

2. The binocular according to claim 1, said attaching means comprising a hook and loop type fastener.

3. The binocular according to claim 1, further comprising means for enabling said binocular to be worn by a user wearing eyeglasses.

4. The binocular according to claim 1, wherein the headgear to which said binocular is mountable, comprises a visor.

5. The binocular according to claim 1, wherein the headgear to which said binocular is mountable, comprises a cap.

6. The binocular according to claim 1, further including a handle extending from said optical systems to facilitate movement of said binocular between said first and second positions by a person other than a user.

7. The binocular according to claim 1, further comprising shield means for shielding a user from laser light, said shield means introducible into and removable from the optical axes of said optical systems.

8. The binocular according to claim 7, wherein said laser light shield means includes side protective shields.

9. The binocular according to claim 1, further comprising shield means for shielding a user from sunlight, said shield means introducible into and removable from the optical axes of said optical systems.

10. The binocular according to claim 1, said objective lenses and said eye lenses of said optical systems comprising plastic lenses.

11. The binocular according to claim 1, wherein said objective lenses and said eye lenses of said optical systems are mounted in lens mounts, said lens mounts comprising said mounting means.

12. The binocular according to claim 11, wherein said lens mounts are transparent.

13. The binocular according to claim 12, wherein said objective lenses and said lens mounts for said objective lenses, said eye lenses and said lens mounts for said eye lenses, are integrally molded plastic components.

14. The binocular according to claim 1, said attaching means comprising a mechanism for sequentially moving said objective lenses and said eye lenses of said optical systems between said first and second positions for enabling selection of free and unaided vision or binocular-aided vision.

15. The binocular according to claim 14, said sequential moving mechanism enabling, upon movement of one of said objective lenses and said eye lenses, automatic movement of the other of said objective lenses and said eye lenses.

16. The binocular according to claim 1, further comprising means attached to the headgear, for enabling said headgear and said optical systems to be retained about a neck of a user, when not in use.

17. The binocular according to claim 1, each of said optical systems comprising a telescopic viewing system.

18. The binocular according to claim 1, each of said optical systems comprising a microscopic viewing system.

19. The binocular according to claim 1, each of said optical systems comprising a bifocal viewing system.

20. The binocular according to claim 1, said pivot means comprising a cam groove and a follower engaged in said cam groove for swiveling said objective lenses and said eye lenses between said first and second positions.

21. A binocular mountable to a headgear, said binocular comprising:

two optical systems, one for each eye of the user, each system defining an optical axis and comprising at least an objective lens and an eye lens;

means for attaching said optical systems to the headgear, said attaching means including pivot means, about which, with the headgear in position on a user'"'"'s head, said objective lenses and said eye lenses can be swiveled out of the way to a first position for facilitating free and unaided vision, and returned to a second position for providing binocular-aided vision;

means for biasing said objective lenses and said eye lenses to said first position for facilitating free and unaided vision; and

a pivotally mounted spacing member, said spacing member being mounted for pivotal movement between a position in which said biasing means moves said objective lenses and said eye lenses to said first position, and a further position in which said spacing member is interposed between said objective lenses and said eye lenses to overcome said biasing means and to move said objective lenses and said eye lenses to said second position for providing binocular aided vision.

22. An optical instrument mountable on a headgear, said optical instrument comprising:

at least one optical system for an eye of a user, said optical system defining an optical axis and comprising at least an objective lens and an eye lens;

means for attaching said at least one optical system to the head gear, said attaching means comprising pivot means about which, with the headgear in position on a user'"'"'s head, said objective lens and said eye lens can be swiveled out of the way to a first position for facilitating free and unaided vision, and returned to a second position for providing optical system-aided vision, said attaching means comprising a mechanism for sequentially moving said objective lens and said eye lens of said at least one optical system between said first and second positions for enabling selection of free and unaided vision or optical system-aided vision, said sequential moving mechanism comprising means for causing automatic movement of either of said objective lens or of said eye lens, upon movement of the other one of said objective lens or eye lens.