Enhanced night vision device

• US 6,088,165 A
• Filed: 04/28/1999
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 04/28/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elbit Systems of America LLC (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Crabtree, Ronald Croffard, Janeczko, Donald John, Vance, Gary Morgan
• Primary Examiner(s): Epps, Georgia
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spector, David N.
• Application Number:
  US09/300,995
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 250/214 VT, 250/330, 250/333, 359/353, 359/351, 359/407, 359/409, 359/410, 359/431, 359/618, 359/629, 359/634, 359/808, 359/815, 359/819, 359/894
• US Class Current: 359/629
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/011 comprising device for correcting geometrical aberrations, distortion
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0123 comprising devices increasing the field of view
• 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 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0172 characterised by optical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs

Abstract

A night vision device comprising a facemask housing assembly having a peripheral surface defined by a rear surface contoured to a user'"'"'s face and an open front surface, the housing assembly operative for encasing a pair of optical assemblies operative for receiving light from a viewed object via a first folded optical path and via a second direct optical path, combining the light from the first and second paths, and directing the combined light to a user'"'"'s eye for viewing the object; where each optical assembly detachably coupled to the housing assembly. Each optical assembly comprises an objective lens assembly for receiving and focusing visible and infrared light from a viewed object along the first folded optical path; image intensifier means responsive to the focused light from the objective lens assembly for converting the visible and infrared light to visible intensified light; and beam combining means responsive to the visible intensified light and to the direct path light for combining with one another and directing the combination to the user'"'"'s eye for viewing.

Claims

1. A night vision device comprising:

a facemask housing assembly having a peripheral surface defined by a rear surface contoured to a user'"'"'s face and an open front surface, said housing assembly operative for encasing a pair of optical assemblies, said optical assemblies operative for receiving light from a viewed object via a first folded optical path and via a second direct optical path, combining said light from said first and second paths, and directing said combined light to a user'"'"'s eye for viewing said object;

each said optical assembly detachably coupled to said housing assembly, wherein each optical assembly comprises;

an objective lens assembly for receiving and focusing visible and infrared light from a viewed object along said first folded optical path;

image intensifier means responsive to said focused light from said objective lens assembly for converting the visible and infrared light to visible intensified light;

and beam combining means responsive to said visible intensified light and to said direct path light for combining with one another and directing the combination to said user'"'"'s eye for viewing.

2. The night vision device according to claim 1, further comprising a protective visor lens attachable to said front surface of said housing assembly.

3. The night vision device according to claim 2, wherein said protective visor lens comprises a polycarbonate material for providing ballistic or laser protection.

4. The night vision device according to claim 3, wherein said protective visor lens has a thickness of substantially 2 millimeters.

5. The night vision device according to claim 2, wherein said protective visor lens is a 1 mm thick acetate lens.

6. The night vision device according to claim 1, wherein said face mask housing assembly is monolithic and comprised of a non-metallic material.

7. The night vision device according to claim 6, wherein said non-metallic material is carbon-filled.

8. The night vision device according to claim 1, wherein said housing assembly includes a chassis coupled to an interior surface opposite to said peripheral surface and operative for coupling said optical assembly with said housing assembly.

9. The night vision device according to claim 1, further comprising an infrared illumination device coupled to the interior of said housing assembly for providing forward projection illumination.

10. The night vision device according to claim 9, further comprising a photo-detector located on said interior surface of said housing assembly for detecting natural illumination and turning off said image intensifier means in response to said natural illumination exceeding a predetermined threshold.

11. The night vision device according to claim 10, further comprising optical adjustment means operative on said objective lens assembly and said ocular lens assembly for accommodating interpupilliary adjustment between a range of 51 mm to 73 mm.

12. The night vision device according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral surface of said housing assembly includes a transparent bottom portion for providing said user with the capability to view an area located below said transparent portion.

13. The night vision device according to claim 1, wherein said peripheral surface has a width of substantially 50 mm.

14. The night vision device according to claim 13, further comprising mounting means coupled to a top portion of said peripheral surface of said housing assembly for attaching to a peripheral unit, said peripheral unit selected from the group consisting of a user'"'"'s head or helmet.

15. The night vision device according to claim 1, wherein said objective lens assembly has an aperture of F/1.2 and a 40°

field of view.

16. The night vision device according to claim 15, wherein said image intensifier means includes an image intensifier tube having an active diameter of 16 mm.

17. The night vision device according to claim 1, further comprising means for insertion of symbology data into said first folded optical path for viewing of symbology data by said user.

18. A housing assembly for use with a night vision device for accommodating a pair of optical assemblies each associated with a respective eye comprising:

a frame contoured to engage a user'"'"'s face and having an open front portion for receiving a transparent visor to enable direct view of an object; and

attachment means within an interior surface of said frame for detachably coupling a respective one of said optical assemblies to said frame.

19. The housing assembly according to claim 18, wherein a bottom surface of said frame includes an open portion for receiving a transparent material to permit said user to view objects through said open portion, thereby providing said user an enhanced field of view.

20. The housing assembly according to claim 18, wherein each said optical assembly includes an objective lens for receiving and focusing light from a viewed objective, an image intensifier coupled to said objective lens for generating an intensified image of said viewed object and an ocular lens assembly coupled to said image intensifier for receiving said intensified image originating from said objective lens assembly and combining with light received directly through said housing for combining said paths to form an image of said viewed object to the eye of the user.