Loupe hinge for magnification viewer

• US 6,667,832 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2002
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kerr Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kerr Corporation (Envista Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Caplan, Charles H., Bain, Charles E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sikder, Mohammad
• Application Number:
  US10/166,889
• Publication Number:
  US 20030142263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 560 Days
• Field of Search: 359/409, 359/410, 359/411, 359/407, 359/408, 359/417, 359/418, 359/480, 359/481, 359/482, 359/382, 351/158, 351/41, 351/57, 362/26, 362/32, 362/105, 362/106, 362/804
• US Class Current: 359/409
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 25/004 having binocular arrangement
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/002 Mounting on the human body
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 11/04 Illuminating means
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 7/088 Lens systems mounted to spectacles
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 9/00 Attaching auxiliary optical parts auxiliary optical parts per se G02C7/08 - G02C7/16
• CPC Class Codes: G02C 9/02 by hinging

Abstract

A magnification viewer includes magnification loupes, which may be attached to the bridge of a pair of spectacles by a hinge/bridge mount. A main hinge tab is pivotally connected to mount, whereby the magnification loupes may be raised and lowered from the field of vision in front of the spectacles as desired. A hinge tab saddle slidably mounted to the main hinge tab permits adjustment of the loupes along the longitudinal length of the main hinge tab to thereby adjust the distance between the lenses of the spectacles and the loupes. Loupes are suspended by pylons from a pair of loupe mount bars and are pivotally adjustable about axes through the pylons to vary the convergence angle of the pair of loupes. Mount bars are adjustable via a thumbscrew attached to the hinge tab saddle, whereby the lateral spacing of the loupes may be varied to thereby accommodate a range of interpupillary distances. Magnification viewer may further include a light mount adapter provided on hinge tab saddle for attaching a light. A pivotal attachment between light mount adapter and light permits adjustment of light to illuminate a desired area within the field of vision of magnification viewer.

Claims

1. An apparatus for mounting optical loupes to spectacles having a pair of lenses joined by a bridge, said apparatus comprising:

a bridge mount configured to be attached to the spectacles proximate the bridge of the spectacles;

an elongate support member extending along a direction substantially normal to the bridge of the spectacles and pivotally coupled to said bridge mount for pivotal movement about a first axis substantially parallel to the bridge, wherein said support member positionable in any orientation about said first axis, forward of the lenses of the spectacles;

a saddle slidably received on said support member and movable along a longitudinal direction of said support member;

a pair of elongate mount bar extensions slidably coupled to said saddle and extending in opposite directions along a second axis substantially transverse to said longitudinal direction of said support member, said mount bar extensions movable along said second axis to thereby vary an interpupillary distance of the optical loupes; and

a pair of loupe support members pivotally coupled to respective distal ends of said mount bar extensions for rotational movement about respective third and fourth axes substantially perpendicular to said second axis to thereby permit adjustment of a convergence angle of the optical loupes.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said mount bar extensions are coupled to said saddle for rotational movement about said second axis to thereby permit adjustment of a declination angle of the optical loupes.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a light mount adapter coupled to said saddle and configured to receive a light for illuminating at least a portion of a viewing area of the optical loupes.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said light mount adapter is configured to permit pivotal movement of the light about an axis substantially parallel to said first axis.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a grip removably received on said support member proximate a distal end of said support member opposite said bridge mount.

6. An magnification viewer for use with a pair of spectacles having a pair of lenses joined by a bridge, the magnification viewer comprising:

an optical loupe mounting apparatus, including;

a bridge mount configured to be attached to the spectacles proximate the bridge of the spectacles;

an elongate support member extending along a direction substantially normal to the bridge of the spectacles and pivotally coupled to said bridge mount for pivotal movement about a first axis substantially parallel to the bridge, whereby said support member may-be positioned in any orientation about said first axis, forward of the lenses of the spectacles;

a saddle slidably received on said support member and movable along a longitudinal direction of said support member;

a pair of elongate mount bar extensions slidably coupled to said saddle and extending in opposite directions along a second axis substantially transverse to said longitudinal direction of said support member, said mount bar extensions movable along said second axis to thereby vary an interpupillary distance of the optical loupes; and

a pair of loupe support members pivotally coupled to respective distal ends of said mount bar extensions for rotational movement about respective third and fourth axes substantially perpendicular to said second axis to thereby permit adjustment of a convergence angle of the optical loupes; and

a pair of optical loupes coupled to said mounting apparatus proximate said loupe support members.

7. A viewer system comprising:

a pair of spectacles including a pair of lenses joined by a bridge extending therebetween;

an optical loupe mounting apparatus, including;

a bridge mount configured to be attached to the spectacles proximate said bridge,

an elongate support member extending along a direction substantially normal to the bridge and pivotally coupled to said bridge mount for pivotal movement about a first axis substantially parallel to the bridge, whereby said support member may be positioned, in any orientation about said first axis, forward of the lenses of said lenses,

a saddle slidably received on said support member and movable along a longitudinal direction of said support member,

a pair of elongate mount bar extensions slidably coupled to said saddle and extending in opposite directions along a second axis substantially transverse to said longitudinal direction of said support member, said mount bar extensions movable along said second axis to thereby vary an interpupillary distance of the optical loupes associated with the viewer, and

a pair of loupe support members pivotally coupled to respective distal ends of said mount bar extensions for rotational movement about respective third and fourth axes substantially perpendicular to said second axis to thereby permit adjustment of a convergence angle of the optical loupes associated with the viewer; and

a pair of optical loupes coupled to said mounting apparatus proximate said loupe support members.