Helmet mount for night vision device

• US 6,472,776 B1
• Filed: 03/30/2000
• Issued: 10/29/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Inventors: Soto, Ronald R., Robinson, David A., Prendergast, Jonathan R., Crawford, Brian K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tso, Edward H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUK, LAWRENCE W
• Application Number:
  US09/538,828
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 307/140, 307/415, 307/400, 307/406, 359/409, 359/410, 359/815, 359/630
• US Class Current: 307/400
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/04 Parts, details or accessories of helmets
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted

Abstract

A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device with a goggle horn for attachment to the helmet mount is disclosed. The flip-up helmet mount includes an adjustable socket assembly for mounting goggle horns with varying dimensions therein, and an improved automatic shutdown assembly that provides for reliable shutdown of the night vision device when not operational. Additionally, 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.

Claims

1. A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device having a goggle horn with variable dimensions, 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 to adjust the night vision device between a use position and a stowed position;

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

a one-handed focal adjustment assembly to adjust a location of the night vision device relative to the chassis,

wherein the chassis includes an adjustable socket assembly having an upper socket, and a lower socket coupled with and movable relative to the upper socket to accommodate the goggle horn with variable dimensions between the upper and lower sockets.

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 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.

4. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 3 wherein a damping fluid is enclosed with the magnet in the magnet module to dampen the movement of the magnet from one of the use and stowed positions to the other of the positions so as to substantially eliminate noise associated with contact of the magnet against the magnet module.

5. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 4 wherein the damping fluid has a viscosity in the range of 5 cs to 15 cs.

6. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 4 wherein the damping fluid is a dimethyl silicone fluid and has a viscosity of about 10 cs, wherein the viscosity of the damping fluid remains substantially the same through a temperature range of −

60°

F. to 158°

F.

7. The flip-up helmet mount according to claim 3 wherein a damping means for damping the movement of the magnet in the magnet module when the magnet moves between one of the use and stowed positions to the other of the positions so as to substantially eliminate noise associated with contact of the magnet against the magnet module.

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 1 wherein the lower socket has a smooth hole with a tapered entrance end and another end with reduced cross-sectional area for receipt of a screw with a threaded end and a head end, wherein the upper socket has a threaded hole for receipt of the threaded end of the screw,

wherein the screw is surrounded by a spring in the hole of the lower socket, wherein the spring is bounded on one end by the end with reduced cross-section area and on the other end by the head end of the screw,

wherein the threaded end of the screw fastens into the threaded hole of the upper socket such that there is a distance between the head end of the screw and the tapered entrance of the smooth hole,

wherein the spring tensions the lower socket to render the lower socket substantially immobile relative to the upper socket,

wherein the lower socket moves relative to the upper socket with the attached screw when the goggle horn is inserted between the upper and lower sockets such that goggle horn of variable dimensions fit into the adjustable socket assembly.

11. A flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device having a goggle horn with variable dimensions, 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, wherein the chassis has an adjustable mounting means for receiving the goggle horn for connection of the night vision device to the helmet mount;

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 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, wherein a damping means for damping the movement of the magnet in the magnet module when the magnet moves between one of the use and stowed positions to the other of the positions so as to substantially eliminate noise associated with contact of the magnet against the magnet module,

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.

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

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

a chassis slidably receiving the night vision device;

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

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

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

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

an automatic shutdown assembly 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 includes 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,

wherein a damping fluid is in the cavity with the magnet to dampen the magnet movement when the magnet moves between one of the use and stowed positions to the other of the positions so as to substantially eliminate noise associated with contact of the magnet against the magnet module.

13. 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,

wherein a damping fluid is in the cavity with the magnet to dampen the magnet movement when the magnet moves between one of the use and stowed positions to the other of the positions so as to substantially eliminate noise associated with contact of the magnet against the magnet module.

14. An adjustable mounting. device for use in a flip-up helmet mount for a night vision device having a goggle horn with variable dimensions, the adjustable mounting device comprising:

a chassis adapted to receive the night vision device,

wherein the chassis includes an adjustable socket assembly having an upper socket, and a lower socket coupled with and movable relative to the upper socket to accommodate the goggle horn with variable dimensions between the upper and lower sockets.