Vision assist assembly for a single eye vision device

• US 6,141,160 A
• Filed: 03/17/1999
• Issued: 10/31/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 03/17/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITL Optronics Ltd. (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: InterDigital, Inc.
• Inventors: Pniel, Zeev
• Primary Examiner(s): MACK, RICKY LEVERN
• Application Number:
  US09/270,782
• Time in Patent Office: 594 Days
• Field of Search: 359/630, 359/632, 359/822
• US Class Current: 359/822
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/16 Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs

Abstract

A vision assist assembly, is provide, for selectable positioning of a one eye vision device in front of an eye of a wearer. The vision assist assembly includes a head cover mounting element for mounting on a head cover, such as a helmet and a positioning element having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion being directly or indirectly connected to the head cover mounting element via the proximal end portion. The positioning element includes an extended arm having a shaft being connected to, or integrally formed with, the distal portion. The shaft serves for mounting thereon the one eye vision device. The arm being capable of rotational movement with respect to the head cover mounting element in front of, and sideways, across the face of the wearer, such that when the head cover mounting element is mounted at a central location of the head cover, the one eye vision device is positionable in front of an eye of the wearer while, at the same time, the shaft is positioned external to the interpupillary distance of the wearer.

Claims

1. A vision assist assembly for selectable positioning of a one eye vision device in front of an eye of a wearer comprising:

(a) a head cover mounting element for mounting the vision assist assembly on a head cover;

(b) a positioning element having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion being directly or indirectly connected to said head cover mounting element via said proximal end portion, said positioning element including an extended arm having a shaft being connected to or integrally formed with said distal portion, said shaft being for mounting thereon the one eye vision device, said arm being for rotating a rotational movement with respect to said head cover mounting element in front of and sideways across the face of the wearer, such that when said head cover mounting element is mounted at a central location of the head cover, the one eye vision device is positionable in front of an eye of the wearer while, at the same time, said shaft is positioned external to the interpupillary distance of the wearer; and

(c) a connector assembly being connected to said head cover mounting element, said proximal end portion of said positioning element being engaged in said connector assembly, said connector assembly being constructed so as to enable said rotational movement in front and sideways across the face of the wearer and further so as to enable an additional rotational movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to said rotational movement and away from or closer to the face of the wearer, so as to enable the wearer to comfortably change a position of said one eye vision device from one eye to the other pulling said positioning element away from the face while rotating said positioning element sideways across the face.

2. The vision assist assembly of claim 1, wherein, when said head cover mounting element is mounted at the central location of the head cover, said positioning element is rotatable to a position in which the one eye vision device is positioned in at least one non-use position external to the interpupillary distance of the wearer.

3. The vision assist assembly of claim 1, wherein said head cover mounting element includes a dovetail construction for mounting the vision assist assembly on a matching construction of the head cover.

4. The vision assist assembly of claim 1, wherein said head cover mounting element includes an interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism, whereas said positioning element being directly or indirectly connected to said head cover mounting element via said interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism.

5. The vision assist assembly of claim 1, wherein said arm is substantially Z-shaped.

6. The vision assist assembly of claim 1, wherein said connector assembly includes a chamber engaging said proximal end portion of said positioning element, said chamber houses a biasing mechanism which serves for biasing said proximal end portion of said positioning element against a rear wall of said chamber, thereby enabling pulling said positioning element away from the face while rotating said positioning element sideways across the face.

7. The vision assist assembly of claim 6, wherein said connector assembly includes at least two securing mechanisms for securing said positioning element at one of said securing mechanisms at a time.

8. The vision assist assembly of claim 6, wherein said connector assembly includes a locker for locking said positioning element at a desired position.

9. A vision assist assembly for selectable positioning of a one eye vision device in front of an eye of a wearer comprising:

(a) a head cover mounting element for mounting the vision assist assembly on a head cover, said head cover mounting element including a dovetail construction for mounting the vision assist assembly on a matching construction of the head cover; and

(b) a positioning element having a proximal end portion and a distal end portion being directly or indirectly connected to said head cover mounting element via said proximal end portion, said positioning element including an extended arm having a shaft being connected to or integrally formed with said distal portion, said shaft being for mounting thereon the one eye vision device, said arm being for rotating a rotational movement with respect to said head cover mounting element in front of and sideways across the face of the wearer, such that when said head cover mounting element is mounted at a central location of the head cover, the one eye vision device is positionable in front of an eye of the wearer while, at the same time, said shaft is positioned external to the interpupillary distance of the wearer.

10. The vision assist assembly of claim 9, wherein said arm is substantially Z-shaped.

11. The vision assist assembly of claim 9, wherein, when said head cover mounting element is mounted at the central location of the head cover, said positioning element is rotatable to a position in which the one eye vision device is positioned in at least one non-use position external to the interpupillary distance of the wearer.

12. The vision assist assembly of claim 9, wherein said head cover mounting element includes an interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism, whereas said positioning element being directly or indirectly connected to said head cover mounting element via said interpupillary distance adjusting mechanism.

13. The vision assist assembly of claim 9, further comprising a connector assembly being connected to said head cover mounting element, said proximal end portion of said positioning element being engaged in said connector assembly, said connector assembly being constructed so as to enable said rotational movement in front and sideways across the face of the wearer, and further so as to enable an additional rotational movement in a direction substantially orthogonal to said rotational movement and away from or closer to the face of the wearer, so as to enable the wearer to comfortably change a position of said one eye vision device from one eye to the other by pulling said positioning element away from the face while rotating said positioning element sideways across the face.

14. The vision assist assembly of claim 13, wherein said connector assembly includes a chamber engaging said proximal end portion of said positioning element, said chamber houses a biasing mechanism which serves for biasing said proximal end portion of said positioning element against a rear wall of said chamber, thereby enabling pulling said positioning element away from the face while rotating said positioning element sideways across the face.

15. The vision assist assembly of claim 14, wherein said connector assembly includes at least two securing mechanisms for securing said positioning element at one of said securing mechanisms at a time.

16. The vision assist assembly of claim 14, wherein said connector assembly includes a locker for locking said positioning element at a desired position.