Optical assembly comprising two monoculars and a connecting bridge

• US 9,250,435 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2011
• Issued: 02/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schmidt & Bender GmbH & Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Schmidt & Bender GmbH & Co. KG
• Inventors: Hagen, Christoph Hilmar Graf vom, Mueller, Sven Roman
• Primary Examiner(s): Allen, Stephone B
• Assistant Examiner(s): Washington, Tamara Y
• Application Number:
  US13/089,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20120069431A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,750 Days
• Field of Search: 359399-431
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/125 head-mounted
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/18 for binocular arrangements focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/06 Focusing binocular pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/12 Adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 23/18 with fade-in and fade-out effects

Abstract

An optical assembly includes a connecting bridge to link up two autonomous optical units. The optical units are electronically connected to an analyzer. The connecting bridge is fitted each time with at least one coupling for each optical unit, said coupling making it possible, besides a mechanical coupling action, for the transmission of electronic signals and/or setting up an electric connection.

Claims

1. An optical assembly (100) comprising:

a connecting bridge (10),

and two monoculars (110),

a first of the two monoculars (110) comprising an own first battery-based power unit and an own first drive elements, a second of the two monoculars (110) comprising an own second battery-based power unit and own second drive elements,

each of the two monoculars (110) fitted with a coupling (120) having mechanical coupling elements (122) that are designed for a mechanical coupling (20) of the connecting bridge (10),

the connecting bridge (10) further comprising an analyzer (40),

wherein both of the two monoculars (110), the two monoculars (110) still including respective own first and second battery-based power units and the respective own first and second drive elements, are coupled, using the mechanical coupling elements (122), to the mechanical coupling (20) of the connecting bridge (20) with the analyzer (40), and

both of the two monoculars (110) are connected electronically to the analyzer (40), the analyzer (40) is connected electronically to a regulator (50) for a purpose of exchanging signals and regulating, as a function of signals of the analyzer, at least one of the two monoculars (110) and

the two monoculars (110) are consolidated into one assembly such that when actuating one of the respectively own drive elements of one of the two monoculars (110), a corresponding same function in the other of the two monoculars (110) is switched on by means of the analyzer (40) and the regulator (50).

2. The optical assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the analyzer (40) rates signals received by the two monoculars (110) with respect to at least one of the following parameters:

battery status of the two monoculars;

operational situation of the two monoculars;

ambient parameters of the optical operational situation; and

low light-level intensity.

3. The optical assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the connecting bridge (10) comprises at least one coupling (20) for each monocular (110) to couple the particular monocular (110) to the connecting bridge (10), said coupling (20) comprising both mechanical coupling elements (22) and electronic coupling elements (24) which are configured in a way that the electronic coupling elements (24) set up electronic contact between the connecting bridge (10) and the particular monocular (110) when, by means of the mechanical coupling elements (22), mechanical contact between the particular monocular (110) and the connecting bridge (10) has been set up, a connector (30) extending at least segment wise between the couplings (20) and linking them mechanically, and in that the analyzer (40), which is electronically connected to the electronic coupling elements (24), is able to exchange electronic signals with said elements (24) and/or is able to set up an electric connection between the electronic coupling elements (24) of the couplings (20).

4. The optical assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the monoculars is fitted with an image intensifier tube.

5. The optical assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the monoculars is fitted with at least one switchable light source (130).

6. The optical assembly (100) as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that each monocular is fitted with an ocular and an objective lens designed in a manner they subtend a field of view larger than 40°

in the plane of observation.