Binocular night vision device and method of making and using the device

• US 5,703,354 A
• Filed: 02/28/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications Corporation (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Litton Systems Incorporated (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Cwiakala, James M. Jr., Goebel, Timothy R., Keepers, Curtis Brent, Wannagot, Gary A., Connors, Clifford J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Westin, Edward P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): PYO, KEVIN K
• Application Number:
  US08/607,947
• Time in Patent Office: 671 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214 VT, 359/409, 359/410, 359/411, 359/412, 359/413
• US Class Current: 250/214.0VT
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs

Abstract

A binocular night vision device (BNVD) includes a pair of night vision monocular scopes which pivotally and adjustably depend from a central housing portion. The central housing portion and the two night vision monocular scopes cooperatively define a singular gas envelope, which allows the entire BNVD to be purged of moist air and back filled with dry nitrogen gas to prevent fogging while requiring only a single purging port. Further, the central housing portion contains a single battery and a single voltage step up circuit powering both image intensifier tube modules of the two monocular night vision scopes. In order to provide for interpupillary distance adjustment, the central housing portion and each of the monocular night vision scopes defines a sealed pivot mechanism which also allows for electrical connection between the central housing portion and each of the night vision scopes.

Claims

1. A binocular night vision device (BNVD) comprising:

a pair of monocular night vision scopes each having a respective one of a pair of image intensifier tube modules, a central housing portion carrying said pair of night vision scopes, said central housing portion defining an outwardly-opening recess configured to receive a single battery providing the only source of power for said pair of image intensifier tube modules, said central housing portion and said pair of image intensifier tube modules cooperatively defining a closed chamber separate from ambient and communicating within said central housing portion and said pair of image intensifier tube modules and also sealingly separated from said outwardly-opening recess of said central housing portion, a single voltage step-up circuit received in said central housing portion within said chamber, said voltage step-up circuit receiving power from said single battery at a first voltage and providing power to said pair of image intensifier tube modules at a second voltage higher than said first voltage.

2. The BNVD of claim 1 wherein said battery is a single-cell nominal 1.5 volt battery.

3. The BNVD of claim 2 wherein said battery is a single AA-size battery.

4. The BNVD of claim 1 wherein each of said central housing portion and said pair of monocular night vision scopes defines cooperating structure for adjustably connecting pivotally one to the other.

5. The BNVD of claim 4 wherein cooperating structure for adjustably connecting said central housing portion and said pair of night vision scopes to one another includes said central housing portion defining a pair of outwardly protruding ears, each of said night vision scopes similarly defining a respective outwardly extending ear congruent with a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion, and a pair of pivot shaft members each respectively received through a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and pivotally extending through the congruent ear of one of said pair of night vision scopes.

6. A binocular night vision device (BNVD) comprising:

a pair of monocular night vision scopes each having a respective one of a pair of image intensifier tube modules, a central housing portion carrying said pair of night vision scopes, said central housing portion defining an outwardly-opening recess configured to receive a single battery providing the only source of power for said pair of image intensifier tube modules, a single voltage step-up circuit received in said central housing portion receiving power from said single battery at a first voltage and providing power to said pair of image intensifier tube modules at a second voltage higher than said first voltage;

wherein each of said central housing portion and said pair of monocular night vision scopes defines cooperating structure for adjustably connecting pivotally one to the other;

wherein cooperating structure for adjustably connecting said central housing portion and said pair of night vision scopes to one another includes said central housing portion defining a pair of outwardly protruding ears, each of said night vision scopes similarly defining a respective outwardly extending ear congruent with a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion, and a pair of pivot shaft members each respectively received through a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and pivotally extending through the congruent ear of one of said pair of night vision scopes;

further including a pair of sealing members each interposed between a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and the respective ear of a night vision scope, and said pair of pivot shaft members each including sealing means for pivotally and sealingly engaging said ear of the respective one of said pair of night vision scopes, whereby a substantially closed chamber of said central housing portion is communicated via said ears with a substantially closed chamber within each of said pair of night vision scopes.

7. The BNVD of claim 6 wherein said central housing portion defines a singular purge port, and said substantially closed chambers of pair of night vision scopes communicate with ambient only via said singular purge port of said central housing portion, whereby said pair of night vision scopes may be purged of moist air and back filled with dry gas while said singular purge port is open and are sealed from ambient when a plug member is sealingly inserted into said purge port.

8. A binocular night vision device (BNVD) comprising:

a pair of monocular night vision scopes each having a substantially closed chamber receiving a respective one of a pair of image intensifier tube modules, a central housing portion carrying said pair of night vision scopes and defining a substantially closed cavity, each of said central housing portion and said pair of monocular night vision scopes defining cooperating means both for adjustably connecting one to the other and for communicating said substantially closed cavity with each of said substantially closed chambers.

9. The BNVD of claim 8 wherein cooperating means for adjustably connecting said central housing portion and said pair of night vision scopes to one another includes said central housing portion defining a pair of outwardly protruding ears, each of said night vision scopes similarly defining a respective outwardly extending ear congruent with a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion, and a pair of pivot shaft members each respectively received through a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and pivotally extending through the congruent ear of one of said pair of night vision scopes.

10. The BNVD of claim 9 wherein said means for communicating said substantially closed cavity with each of said substantially closed chambers includes a pair of sealing members each interposed between a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and the respective ear of a night vision scope, and said pair of pivot shaft members each including sealing means for pivotally and sealingly engaging said ear of the respective one of said pair of night vision scopes.

11. The BNVD of claim 8 wherein said central housing portion defines an outwardly-opening recess configured to receive a single battery providing the only source of power for said pair of image intensifier tube modules, a single voltage step-up circuit received in said central housing portion receiving power from said single battery at a first voltage and providing power to said pair of image intensifier tube modules at a second voltage higher than said first voltage.

12. The BNVD of claim 11 wherein said battery is a single-cell nominal 1.5 volt battery.

13. The BNVD of claim 12 wherein said battery is a single AA-size battery.

14. The BNVD of claim 11 wherein said pair of pivot shaft members each define a passage passing an electrical cable between said central housing portion and the respective one of said pair of night vision scopes, said electrical cable carrying electrical power from said single voltage step-up circuit to an image intensifier tube module.

15. A binocular night vision device (BNVD) comprising:

a pair of monocular night vision scopes;

each monocular night vision scope including one of a respective pair of monocular housing portions each having an objective lens and an eyepiece lens, each defining a substantially closed chamber therein, and each having an outwardly-protruding monocular housing ear defining a singular opening from said substantially closed chamber therein;

a pair of image intensifier tube modules received respectively one in each substantially closed chamber of said pair of monocular housing portions;

a central housing portion defining an outwardly-opening recess and a substantially closed cavity, said central housing portion further defining a pair of opposite outwardly-extending central housing portion ears, each one of said pair of central housing portion ears defining a respective opening from said cavity and including means for pivotally coupling sealingly with a respective one of said pair of monocular housing portions at said monocular housing portion ear thereof to communicate said cavity of said central housing portion with each substantially closed chamber of said pair of monocular housing portions;

a voltage step-up circuit received in said central housing portion cavity for providing power to said pair of image intensifier tube modules, said recess being configured to accept a single battery powering said voltage step-up circuit, and means for electrically connecting power from said battery to each of said pair of image intensifier tube modules via said voltage step-up circuit;

whereby said central housing portion both pivotally carries and electrically powers said pair of monocular night vision scopes with pivotal movement of the monocular night vision scopes providing for interpupillary distance adjustment.

16. The BNVD of claim 15 further including a pair of pivot shaft members each respectively received through a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and pivotally extending through the congruent ear of one of said pair of night vision scopes.

17. The BNVD of claim 16 including a pair of sealing members each interposed between a respective one of said pair of ears of said central housing portion and the respective ear of a night vision scope, and said pair of pivot shaft members each including sealing means for sealingly engaging said ear of said central housing portion and said ear of said night vision scope.

18. The BNVD of claim 15 wherein said recess is configured to receive a single single-cell AA-type battery of nominal 1.5 volt output.

19. The BNVD of claim 18 wherein said recess is configured to receive a single lithium battery of nominal 3.5 volt output as an alternative to said AA-type battery.

20. A method of making a binocular night vision device (BNVD), said method comprising steps of:

providing a pair of monocular night vision scopes each having an image intensifier tube module;

providing a central housing portion, and using said central housing portion to carry said pair of night vision scopes;

providing an outwardly opening battery recess on said central housing portion, which battery recess is configured to receive a single battery providing the only source of power for said pair of image intensifier tube modules;

configuring said central housing portion and said pair of monocular night vision scopes to cooperatively defining a closed chamber communicating within said central housing portion and said pair of night vision scopes and separate from ambient and also sealingly separated from said outwardly-opening battery recess of said central housing portion;

providing a single voltage step-up circuit received in said central housing portion and within said chamber and receiving power from said single battery at a first voltage and providing power to said pair of image intensifier tube modules at a second voltage higher than said first voltage.

21. A method of making a binocular night vision device (BNVD), said method comprising steps of:

providing a pair of monocular night vision scopes each having a substantially closed chamber;

providing a pair of image intensifier tube modules each received into one of said chambers of said monocular night vision scopes;

providing a central housing portion carrying said pair of night vision scopes and defining a substantially closed cavity, defining an outwardly-opening recess on said central housing portion which recess is configured to receive a battery providing power for said image intensifier tube modules;

providing each of said central housing portion and said pair of monocular night vision scopes with cooperating means for adjustably connecting one to the other; and

providing each of said central housing portion and said pair of monocular night vision scopes with means for communicating said substantially closed cavity with each of said substantially closed chambers of said of said pair of monocular night vision scopes.