Night vision monocular

• US 6,310,721 B2
• Filed: 12/11/1998
• Issued: 10/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ITL Optronics Ltd. (Elbit Systems Limited)
• Original Assignee: International Technologies Lasers Ltd.
• Inventors: Makmal, Levi, Carmi, Jacob
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/209,680
• Publication Number:
  US 20010022685A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 359/425, 359/429, 359/433, 359/643, 359/720, 359/399, 359/407, 359/813
• US Class Current: 359/399
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification

Abstract

A night vision monocular having an optical axis is provided which includes a housing having a distal end and a proximal end; an objective lens assembly having at least one objective lens, the objective lens assembly being engaged within the housing at the distal end; an eyepiece lens assembly having at least one eyepiece lens, the eyepiece lens assembly being engaged within the housing at the proximal end; and an image intensifying tube being engaged within the housing between the objective lens assembly and the eyepiece lens assembly and optically communicating with the objective lens assembly and the eyepiece lens assembly, such that light entering the night vision monocular via the objective lens assembly is intensified via the image intensifying tube and further such that the intensified light is focused via the eyepiece lens assembly onto an eye of a viewer. At least one of the objective lens assembly and the eyepiece lens assembly includes at least one eccentrically rotatable eccentric element, whereas the objective lens assembly and the eyepiece lens assembly include, in combination, a minimum of two eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements, so as to enable to self collimate the optical axis of the night vision monocular within a predetermined image offset range, so as to enable to combine two night vision monoculars at random into an adjustment-free night vision binocular.

Claims

1. A night vision monocular having an optical axis comprising:

(a) a housing having a distal end and a proximal end;

(b) an objective lens assembly having at least one objective lens, said objective lens assembly being engaged within said housing at said distal end;

(c) an eyepiece lens assembly having at least one eyepiece lens, said eyepiece lens assembly being engaged within said housing at said proximal end; and

(d) an image intensifying tube being engaged within said housing between said objective lens assembly and said eyepiece lens assembly and optically communicating with said objective lens assembly and said eyepiece lens assembly, such that light entering the night vision monocular via said objective lens assembly is intensified via said image intensifying tube and further such that said intensified light is focused via said eyepiece lens assembly onto an eye of a viewer;

wherein at least one of said objective lens assembly and said eyepiece lens assembly includes at least one eccentrically rotatable eccentric element, whereas said objective lens assembly and said eyepiece lens assembly include, in combination, a minimum of two eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements, the optical axis of the night vision monocular is self collimated via said eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements within a predetermined image offset range, such that two night vision monoculars are combinable at random into an adjustment-free, stereoscopically operable, night vision binocular.

2. The night vision monocular of claim 1, wherein at least one of said objective lens assembly and said eyepiece lens assembly includes at least two independently eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements engaged within one another.

3. The night vision monocular of claim 2, wherein said eyepiece lens assembly includes said at least two independently eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements.

4. The night vision monocular of claim 3, wherein said eyepiece lens assembly includes a lens holder engaging said at least one eyepiece lens, whereas one of said at least two independently eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements is integrally formed with said lens holder and further whereas the other independently eccentrically rotatable eccentric element of said at least two independently eccentrically rotatable eccentric element engages said independently eccentrically rotatable eccentric elements integrally formed with said lens holder.

5. The night vision monocular of claim 1, further comprising a mount connected to said housing, said mount serves for removably connecting the night vision monocular to a head mount.

6. The night vision monocular of claim 1, wherein said image intensifying tube includes a photocathode and a phosphoranode operatively engaged within a holder.

7. The night vision monocular of claim 6, wherein said image intensifying tube further includes a multi channel plate disposed between said photocathode and said phosphoranode.

8. The night vision monocular of claim 6, further comprising a fiber optic inverter optically communicating with said phosphoranode.

9. The night vision monocular of claim 6, wherein said photocathode is a Gallium-Arsenide photocathode.