Dual mount adapter

• US 8,238,045 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2009
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Norotos Incorporated
• Inventors: Prendergast, Jonathon R., Soto, Ronald R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ben, Loha
• Application Number:
  US12/559,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067126A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,058 Days
• Field of Search: 359/811, 359/812, 359/815, 359/816, 359/827, 359/480, 359/481, 2/62, 242/2, 242/4, 242/6, 242/8, 243/8, 243/9, 244/2, 244/3, 362/191, 313/524, 340/981
• US Class Current: 359/816
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted

Abstract

An adapter for night vision goggles includes a body including a first arm and a second arm each configured to receive a night vision goggle mount. A first night vision goggle mount is removably attached to the first arm or the second arm and a base extends from the body for attaching the adapter to night vision goggles.

Claims

1. An adapter for attaching night vision goggles to a goggle mount, the adapter comprising:

a body having a first arm and a second arm;

a base extending from the body and configured to attach the adapter to night vision goggles; and

a first insert removably attached to the first arm or to the second arm for attaching the adapter to the goggle mount, wherein the first arm and the second arm are oriented such that when the night vision goggles are attached to the goggle mount by the adapter, the night vision goggles are substantially aligned with a user'"'"'s left eye or right eye, respectively.

2. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the base and the body are integral with each other.

3. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first insert is a dovetail insert, a goggle horn insert or a hot shoe.

4. The adapter of claim 1, where the first insert comprises an engaging member for engaging the goggle mount and a stem extending from the engaging member and adapted to be attached to the first arm or to the second arm.

5. The adapter of claim 4, wherein the first arm and the second arm each have a recessed surface adapted to receive the stem.

6. The adapter of claim 5, wherein the recessed surface has substantially parallel opposing sidewalls that generally correspond to a cross-sectional shape of the stem and prevent relative rotation between the first insert and the body.

7. The adapter of claim 5, wherein the stem comprises a notch and wherein the recessed surface comprises a rib adapted to engage the notch.

8. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first insert is attached to the first arm or to the second arm by a fastener.

9. The adapter of claim 8, wherein the fastener is a screw, a bolt, or a rivet.

10. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the first insert is removably attached to the first arm and a second insert is removably attached to the second arm.

11. The adapter of claim 10, wherein the first insert and the second insert have different configurations.

12. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the base is adapted to be attached to the night vision goggles by a fastener.

13. The adapter of claim 12, wherein the fastener is a screw, a bolt, or a rivet.

14. The adapter of claim 1, wherein the body has a cavity housing a switch assembly for powering the night vision goggles attached to the adapter.

15. The adapter of claim 14, wherein the switch assembly is adapted to maintain an electrical connection with the attached night vision goggles when the adapter is in a use orientation and wherein the switch assembly is adapted to sever the electrical connection when the adapter is in a stowed orientation.

16. The adapter of claim 15, wherein the switch assembly is adapted to maintain the electrical connection for about 0.5 second in the stowed orientation before severing the electrical connection.

17. An adapter kit for attaching night vision goggles to a goggle mount, the adapter kit comprising:

an adapter comprising a body having a first arm and a second arm; and

a base extending from the body and configured to attach the adapter to night vision goggles, wherein the first arm and the second arm are oriented such that when the night vision goggles are attached to the goggle mount by the adapter, the night vision goggles are substantially aligned with a user'"'"'s left eye or right eye, respectively;

a plurality of inserts, each of the plurality of inserts removably attachable to the first arm or to the second arm to attach the adapter to the goggle mount; and

at least one fastener for removably attaching one of the plurality of inserts to the first arm or the second arm.

18. The adapter kit of claim 17, wherein the plurality of inserts comprises at least one of a dovetail mount, a goggle horn mount or a hot shoe.

19. The adapter kit of claim 17, wherein the at least one fastener is a screw, a bolt or a rivet.