Method and apparatus for mounting a vision system

• US 7,810,168 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2005
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Insight Technology Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Reed, Matthew, Loring, Tim
• Primary Examiner(s): Hurley; Shaun R
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sutton; Andrew W
• Application Number:
  US11/175,005
• Publication Number:
  US 20060143764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,925 Days
• Field of Search: 242/2, 2/66, 2/62, 2/63, 2/67, 359/409, 359/815, 359/632, 224/181
• US Class Current: 2/6.2
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

Abstract

An adjustable mounting arrangement is provided for mounting a vision system to a helmet. The mounting system includes a mount assembly having a latch pivot that can be removably affixed to a helmet mount. The mounting assembly further includes a base that is rotatable about the latch pivot. The base includes a tilt adjustment mechanism positioned to bear against a paddle portion extending from the latch pivot for adjusting the tilt angle of the base relative to the helmet mount.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a helmet including a helmet mount,

a mount assembly removably affixed to said helmet mount, said mount assembly comprising a latch pivot having an outwardly extending paddle portion, and a base rotatable about said latch pivot relative to said helmet mount, said base including a tilt adjustment mechanism bearing against said paddle portion for pivotally adjusting an angle of said base relative to said helmet mount;

a rail assembly affixed to said mount assembly,

and a vision system coupled to said rail assembly.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said base further comprises a counterforce assembly bearing against said paddle portion and pivotally biasing said base toward a first direction.

3. A system according to claim 2, wherein said counterforce assembly comprises at least one spring engaged with said base and applying a spring force against said paddle portion.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said tilt adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded shaft positioned to engage said paddle portion, said threaded shaft threadably movable towards and away from said paddle portion.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein said latch pivot comprises a cross slot positioned to engage a cross member on said helmet mount.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein said rail assembly and said mount assembly comprise cooperating rails, and wherein said rail assembly is slidably affixed to said mount assembly through said cooperating rails.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein said mount assembly comprises at least one detent and said rail assembly comprises a catch releasably engageable with said at least one detent for fixing a position of said rail assembly relative to said mount assembly.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the base comprises a first post and a second post, each post having an opening aligned with an axis of rotation of said latch pivot.

9. A system according to claim 8, wherein said first post and said second post each comprise a slot alignable with a cross slot in said latch pivot, said slots configured to limit angular rotation of said base relative to said latch pivot.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein said latch pivot is disposed between said first and said second posts and rotatable about a latch assembly at least partially disposed in said openings in said first and second posts.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein said latch assembly comprises a compression spring and at least one outwardly extending ball plungers.

12. A vision system mount comprising:

a pivot assembly comprising a latch pivot having a paddle portion extending therefrom; and

a base rotatable about said latch pivot, said base comprising a tilt adjustment mechanism positioned to bear against said paddle portion to pivot said base relative to said pivot assembly.

13. A vision system mount according to claim 12, wherein said base comprises a counterforce assembly bearing against said paddle portion and pivotally biasing said base about said latch pivot toward a first direction.

14. A vision system mount according to claim 13, wherein said counterforce assembly comprises at least one compression spring applying a spring force against said paddle portion.

15. A vision system mount according to claim 13, wherein said tilt adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded shaft threadably movable toward said paddle portion to pivot said base in a first direction against said pivotal bias of said counterforce assembly and threadably movable away from said paddle portion to pivot said base in a second direction under said pivotal bias of said counterforce assembly.

16. A vision system mount according to claim 12, wherein said pivot assembly further comprises a latch assembly, said latch assembly comprising a latch core and a first and second ball plunger, said first and second ball plunger being outwardly biased relative to said latch core and releasably engageable with a helmet mount.

17. A vision system mount according to claim 12, wherein said latch pivot comprises a cross slot for rotationally fixing said latch pivot relative to a helmet mount.

18. A vision system mount according to claim 12, wherein said base is slidably affixed to a rail assembly through cooperating rails disposed on said base and said rail assembly.

19. A vision system mount according to claim 18, wherein said base comprises at least one detent and said rail assembly comprises a catch releasably engageable with said detent for securing said base relative to said rail assembly.

20. A vision system mount according to claim 19, wherein said catch is biased toward an engaged position with said at least one detent.

21. A system according to claim 12, wherein the base comprises a first post and a second post, each post having an opening aligned with an axis of rotation of said latch pivot.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein said first post and said second post each comprise a slot alignable with a cross slot in said latch pivot, said slots configured to limit angular rotation of said base relative to said latch pivot.

23. A method of adjustably mounting a vision system to a helmet comprising:

removably mounting a latch pivot comprising a paddle portion to a helmet mount;

pivotally coupling a base to said latch pivot, said base coupled to said vision system, and said base comprising a tilt adjustment mechanism positioned to bear against said paddle portion;

pivotally biasing said base about said latch pivot in a first direction; and

moving said tilt adjustment mechanism relative to said paddle portion to adjust a tilt angle of said base relative to said helmet mount.

24. A method according to claim 23, wherein said tilt adjustment mechanism comprises a threaded shaft, and wherein said moving said tilt adjustment comprises at least one of threadably advancing said tilt adjustment against said paddle portion or threadably withdrawing said tilt adjustment away from said paddle portion.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said base comprises a counterforce assembly for pivotally biasing said base about said latch pivot.

26. A method according to claim 25, wherein said counterforce assembly comprises at least one compression spring for applying a spring force against said paddle portion.

27. A method according to claim 23, further comprising slidably affixing a rail assembly to said base and slidably positioning said rail assembly relative to said base.