Helmet mount for night vision goggle

• US 5,914,816 A
• Filed: 11/04/1997
• Issued: 06/22/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Inventors: Crawford, Brian K., Hawman, Bret F., Soto, Ronald R., Prendergast, Jonathan R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US08/964,051
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 359/409, 359/410, 359/630, 359/632, 359/815, 345/8, 2/6.2, 2/6.3, 2/6.5, 2/6.8, 2/422, 2/424
• US Class Current: 359/630
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/04 Parts, details or accessories of helmets
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/002 Mounting on the human body

Abstract

A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device is disclosed. The flip-up helmet mount includes a position adjustment assembly for adjusting the position of the night vision device between a use and a stowed position, a tilt adjustment assembly for adjusting the tilt angle of the night vision device relative to a user'"'"'s eyes, and a focal adjustment assembly for adjusting the focus or location of the night vision device relative to the user'"'"'s eyes. The assemblies provided for position, tilt, and focus adjustment all permit one-handed adjustment of these features of the flip-up helmet mount. Additionally, the flip-up helmet mount includes an improved automatic shutdown assembly that provides reliable shutdown of the night vision device when not in the use position.

Claims

1. A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the flip-up helmet mount comprising:

a helmet block adapted to secure the flip-up helmet mount to a helmet;

a chassis adapted to receive the night vision device;

a bracket member, extending between the helmet block and the chassis adapted to rotationally couple the chassis to the helmet block;

a one-handed position adjustment assembly within the helmet block for adjusting the night vision device between a use position and a stowed position;

a one-handed tilt angle adjustment assembly for adjusting a tilt angle of the chassis relative to the bracket member; and

a one-handed focal adjustment assembly for adjusting a location of the night vision device relative to the chassis.

2. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 1 further comprising an automatic shutdown assembly adapted to influence a magnetically-responsive switching device on the night vision device, the magnetically-responsive switching device maintaining the night vision device switched on when under the influence of a sufficient magnetic field, and effecting shutdown of the night vision device when the switch is no longer under the influence of the sufficient magnetic field.

3. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 1 wherein the one-handed position adjustment assembly comprises a shaft rotationally received within a transverse bore of the helmet block, and a spring-biased ball and detent system located within the helmet block, the spring-biased ball and detent system including a plurality of springs and a plurality of balls, wherein the plurality of balls are biased by the plurality of springs toward the shaft.

4. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 3 wherein the spring-biased ball and detent system further includes a use detent and a stowed detent on the shaft, the detents extending transversely along a length of the shaft, and wherein the plurality of balls are biased into the use detent when the night vision device is in the use position and the plurality of balls are biased into the stowed detent when the night vision device is in the stowed position.

5. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 4 wherein the wherein the plurality of springs is three springs and the plurality of balls is three balls.

6. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 1 wherein the one-handed tilt angle adjustment assembly comprises a cam system, the cam system including a cam knob, and wherein rotation of the cam knob produces rotation of the chassis relative to the bracket member.

7. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 6 wherein the cam system further comprises a friction washer on a back side of a cam to prevent the chassis from slipping during normal operating conditions.

8. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 1 wherein the night vision device is slidably received on a pair of racks of the chassis and the focal adjustment assembly includes a release lever that is biased by a return spring to engage one of a plurality of notches on one of the racks to retain the night vision device in a selected location relative to the chassis.

9. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 8 wherein the release lever is hingedly connected to the chassis so that application of a substantially downward force on the release lever disengages the release lever from the one of a plurality of notches, permitting adjustment of the location the night vision device relative to the chassis.

10. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 2 wherein the automatic shutdown assembly comprises a magnet module adjacent the magnetically-responsive switch, the magnet module having a cavity with a substantially oval-shaped profile, the cavity including a use end adjacent the magnetically-responsive switch and a stowed end opposite the magnetically-responsive switch, and a bar magnet slidably received within the cavity, and wherein, as the night vision device is rotated between the use position and the stowed position, the magnet moves between the use end of the cavity, where the magnet provides the sufficient magnetic field required to keep the night vision device on, and the stowed end of the cavity, where the magnet does not provide the sufficient magnetic field to the switch.

11. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 10 wherein the bar magnet has a cylindrical shape with a length to diameter ratio of about 1:

4 to about 2;

1.

12. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 11 wherein the bar magnet has a length to diameter ratio of about 1:

1.

13. A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the flip-up helmet mount comprising:

a helmet block for securing the flip-up helmet mount to a helmet;

a chassis for receiving the night vision device;

a bracket member, extending between the helmet block and the chassis for rotationally coupling the chassis to the helmet block;

position adjustment means for adjusting the night vision device between a use position and a stowed position;

tilt angle adjustment means for adjusting a tilt angle of the chassis relative to the bracket member;

focal adjustment assembly for adjusting a location of the night vision device relative to the chassis; and

automatic shutdown means for influencing a magnetically-responsive switching device on the night vision device, the magnetically-responsive switching device maintaining the night vision device switched on when under the influence of a sufficient magnetic field, and effecting shutdown of the night vision device when the switch is no longer under the influence of the sufficient magnetic field,

wherein the position adjustment means, the tilt angle adjustment means, and the focal adjustment means are all designed to allow one-handed adjustment of the flip-up helmet mount.

14. A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the flip-up helmet mount comprising:

a helmet block for securing the flip-up helmet mount to a helmet;

a chassis for slidably receiving the night vision device;

a bracket member, extending between the helmet block and the chassis for rotationally coupling the chassis to the helmet block;

a one-handed position adjustment assembly within the helmet block for adjusting the night vision device between a use position and a stowed position, the position adjustment assembly including a spring-biased ball and detent system, wherein a plurality of balls are biased by a plurality of springs toward a shaft in a transverse bore of the helmet block, and wherein the shaft includes a pair of transverse detents extending along a length of the shaft, the detents corresponding to the use position and the stowed position of the night vision device;

a one-handed tilt angle adjustment assembly for adjusting a tilt angle of the chassis relative to the bracket member, the tilt angle adjustment assembly including a cam system having a cam knob, wherein rotation of the cam knob produces rotation of the chassis;

a one-handed focal adjustment assembly for adjusting a location of the night vision device relative to the chassis, the focal adjustment assembly including a pivotal release lever biased by a return spring to engage one of a plurality of notches on a rack of the chassis, wherein application of a substantially downward force on the release lever disengages the release lever from the one of a plurality of notches to permit adjustment of the location of the night vision device relative to the chassis; and

an automatic shutdown assembly for influencing a magnetically-responsive switching device on the night vision device, the magnetically-responsive switching device maintaining the night vision device switched on when under the influence of a sufficient magnetic field, and effecting shutdown of the night vision device when the switch is no longer under the influence of the sufficient magnetic field, wherein the automatic shutdown assembly comprises a magnet module adjacent the magnetically-responsive switch, the magnet module having a cavity with a substantially oval-shaped profile, the cavity including a use end adjacent the magnetically-responsive switch and a stowed end opposite the magnetically-responsive switch, and a bar magnet slidably received within the cavity, and wherein, as the night vision device is rotated between the use position and the stowed position, the magnet moves between the use end of the cavity, where the magnet provides the sufficient magnetic field required to keep the night vision device on, and the stowed end of the cavity, where the magnet does not provide the sufficient magnetic field to the switch.

15. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 14 wherein the plurality of springs is three springs and the plurality of balls is three balls.

16. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 14 wherein the bar magnet has a cylindrical shape with a length to diameter ratio of about 1:

4 to about 2;

1.

17. A position adjustment assembly adapted for use in a flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the position adjustment assembly comprising:

a helmet block having a transverse bore therein;

a shaft rotationally received within the transverse bore of the helmet block; and

a spring-biased ball and detent system located within the helmet block, the spring-biased ball and detent system including a plurality of balls biased against the shaft by a plurality of springs,

wherein the position adjustment assembly is designed to allow one-handed adjustment of the position of the night vision device.

18. The position adjustment assembly according to claim 17 wherein the spring-biased ball and detent system further includes a use detent and a stowed detent on the shaft, the detents extending transversely along a length of the shaft, and wherein the plurality of balls are biased into the use detent when the night vision device is in a use position, and the plurality of balls are biased into the stowed detent when the night vision device is in a stowed position.

19. The position adjustment assembly according to claim 18 wherein the plurality of springs is three springs and the plurality of balls is three balls.

20. A tilt angle adjustment assembly adapted for use in a flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the tilt angle adjustment assembly comprising:

a cam system, the cam system including a cam knob, wherein rotation of the cam knob produces rotation of the night vision device relative to a user'"'"'s eyes, and

wherein the tilt angle adjustment assembly is designed to allow one-handed adjustment of the tilt angle of the night vision device.

21. A focal adjustment assembly adapted for use in a flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the focal adjustment assembly comprising:

a chassis including a pair of racks adapted to slidably receive the night vision device; and

a single release lever that is biased by a return spring to engage one of a plurality of notches on one of the racks to retain the night vision device in a selected location relative to the chassis,

wherein the focal adjustment assembly is designed to allow one-handed adjustment of the location of the night vision device.

22. The focal adjustment assembly according to claim 21 wherein the release lever is hingedly connected to the chassis so that application of a substantially downward force on the release lever disengages the release lever from the one of a plurality of notches, permitting adjustment of the location of the night vision device relative to the chassis.

23. An automatic shutdown assembly adapted for use in a flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device, the automatic shutdown assembly comprising:

a magnet module adapted to influence an adjacent magnetically responsive switching device on the night vision device, the magnet module having vertically extending cavity with a substantially oval-shaped profile, the cavity including a use end adjacent the magnetically-responsive switch and a stowed end opposite the magnetically-responsive switch, and a bar magnet slidably received within the cavity,

wherein as the night vision device is rotated between a use position and a stowed position, the magnet moves between the use end of the cavity, where the magnet provides a magnetic field sufficient to keep the night vision device on, and the stowed end of the cavity, where the magnet does not provide the magnetic field sufficient to keep the night vision device on.

24. The automatic shutdown assembly according to claim 23 wherein the bar magnet has a cylindrical shape with a length to diameter ratio of about 1:

4 to about 2;

1.

25. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 23 wherein the bar magnet has a length to diameter ratio of about 1:

1.