Monocular mounting for multi-channel panoramic night vision goggle having an angled mounting shoe

• US 6,462,867 B2
• Filed: 02/16/2001
• Issued: 10/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Insight Technology Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Choinere, Michael Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/784,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20020135872A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 359/399-409, 359/429, 359/630, 359/480-482, 359/896, 2/62, 2/66, 242/2, 351/37-63, 351/158
• US Class Current: 359/409
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted

Abstract

There is disclosed a multi-channel panoramic night vision goggle (PNVG) system having two monocular subassemblies, each having a first channel and a second channel, each channel having an optical axis. A mounting structure, having a right and a left side, and having two angled mounting shoes may be used to mount the monocular subassemblies. The angled mounting shoes permit a single monocular subassembly to be attached to either side of the mounting structure, yet permit an optical axis of one of the first or second channels to be substantially coaxial with a user'"'"'s optical axis and permits the other of the first and second channels to be at an angle not coaxial or parallel with the user'"'"'s optical axis.

Claims

1. A multi-channel Panoramic Night Vision Goggle (PNVG) system comprising:

a plurality of monocular subassemblies each comprising a first channel and a second channel, each channel having an optical axis; and

a mounting structure having a right and a left side, the mounting structure comprising two angled mounting shoes, the angled mounting shoes permitting a single monocular design to be attached to either side of the mounting structure, yet permit an optical axis of one of the first or second channels to be substantially coaxial with a user'"'"'s optical axis and permits the other of the first and second channels to be at an angle not coaxial or parallel with the user'"'"'s optical axis.

2. The multi-channel PNVG system of claim 1, wherein the optical axis of the first optical channel and the optical axis of the second optical channel form a first angle with respect to one another;

and

wherein the two angled mounting shoes form a second angle, with respect to one another, that is substantially equal to the first angle.

3. The multi-channel PNVG system of claim 2, wherein the first angle is in the range of 27-30°

.

4. The multi-channel PNVG system of claim 2, wherein the first angle is approximately 28.5°

.

5. The multi-channel PNVG system of claim 1, further comprising:

wherein the mounting structure has a central axis; and

wherein the optical axis of the first optical channel and the optical axis of the second optical channel form a first angle with respect to one another; and

wherein at least one of said two angled mounting shoes is angled, with respect to the central axis, at a second angle that is substantially half of the first angle.