Line of sight adjustment for night vision binoculars

• US 6,924,931 B1
• Filed: 09/03/2003
• Issued: 08/02/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Exelis Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ITT Manufacturing Enterprises, Inc. (ITT, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lam, Brian C., Flora, Lapthe C., Nelson, John C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mack, Ricky
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Brandi
• Application Number:
  US10/653,768
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 359/822, 359/404, 359/405, 359/407, 359/409, 359/480, 359/481, 359/417, 359/433, 359/180
• US Class Current: 359/404
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs

Abstract

A support for adjusting the line of sight of a night vision monocular. The support has a shelf that is supported relative to a user'"'"'s eyes and a flange that is coupled to the shelf and rotatable relative to the shelf. The support also has a shaft supporting the monocular. The shaft is coupled to the flange for tilting the monocular relative to the shelf concurrently with a rotation of the flange. The support also has a tilt control means coupled to the flange for applying an axial force to the flange to control the rotation of the flange and the tilting of the monocular.

Claims

1. A support for adjusting the line of sight of a night vision monocular, the support comprising:

a shelf for being supported relative to a user'"'"'s head and eyes;

a flange coupled to the shelf, the flange being rotatable relative to the shelf;

a shaft supporting the monocular, the shaft being coupled to the flange for tilting the monocular relative to the shelf concurrently with a rotation of the flange;

a tilt control means coupled to the flange for applying an axial force to the flange to control the rotation of the flange and the tilting of the monocular.

2. The support of claim 1, wherein the shelf includes a wall between the monocular and the tilt control means, and the tilt control means includes a threaded nut and a washer disposed on the flange, the washer being located between the nut and the wall.

3. A support for adjusting the line of sight of night vision binoculars including a pair of night vision monoculars, the support comprising:

a shelf for being supported relative to a user'"'"'s eyes;

a flange coupled to the shelf, the flange being rotatable relative to the shelf

a pair of shafts, each shaft supporting a respective one of the pair of monoculars and being coupled to the flange for tilting the pair of monoculars

a tilt control means for applying an axial force to the flange to control the rotation of the flange and the tilting of the pair of monoculars.

4. The support of claim 3, wherein the shelf includes a wall between one monocular of the pair of binoculars and the tilt control means, and the tilt control means includes a threaded nut and a washer disposed on the flange, the washer being located between the nut and the wall.

5. A device for adjusting the line of sight of a monocular, the device comprising:

a support for the monocular, the support including a shelf and a first shaft coupled to the monocular for tilting the monocular relative to the shelf;

a rotatable flange positioned in an aperture in the shelf, the rotatable flange having a second aperture for receiving the first shaft;

a second shaft coupled to the flange for rotating the flange;

a tilt control means for controlling the rotation of the flange, the first shaft, and the monocular relative to the support by applying an axial force to the flange.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein the flange is threaded, the tilt control means includes a threaded nut, and the threaded nut is threaded onto the threaded flange.

7. The device of claim 5, wherein the rotatable flange has a first threaded portion positioned in the aperture in the shelf and a second threaded portion protruding from the shelf, the tilt control means being coupled to the second threaded portion.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the tilt control means is threaded onto the second threaded portion.

9. A support for adjusting the line of sight of a night vision monocular, the support comprising:

a shelf supported relative to a user'"'"'s head and eyes;

a flange coupled to the shelf, the flange being rotatable relative to the shelf;

a shaft supporting the monocular, the shaft being coupled to the flange for tilting the monocular relative to the shelf concurrently with a rotation of the flange;

a tilt controller coupled to the flange applying an axial force to the flange to control the rotation of the flange and the tilting of the monocular.

10. A support for adjusting the line of sight of night vision binoculars including a pair of night vision monoculars, the support comprising:

a shelf supported relative to a user'"'"'s eyes;

a flange coupled to the shelf, the flange being rotatable relative to the shelf

a pair of shafts, each shaft supporting a respective one of the pair of monoculars and being coupled to the flange for tilting the pair of monoculars

a tilt controller applying an axial force to the flange to control the rotation of the flange and the tilting of the pair of monoculars.

11. A device for adjusting the line of sight of a monocular, the device comprising:

a support for the monocular, the support including a shelf and a first shaft coupled to the monocular for tilting the monocular relative to the shelf;

a rotatable flange positioned in an aperture in the shelf, the rotatable flange having a second aperture for receiving the first shaft;

a second shaft coupled to the flange for rotating the flange;

a tilt controller for controlling rotation of the flange, the first shaft, and the monocular relative to the support by applying an axial force to the flange.