Monocular/binocular bridge for viewing device and helmet mount employing same

• US 9,625,699 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2015
• Issued: 04/18/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Teetzel, James W., Harris, Justin D., Mitchell, Travis S.
• Primary Examiner(s): FONT, FRANK G
• Application Number:
  US14/802,004
• Publication Number:
  US 20150323779A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 359409, 359817, 2 62, 2422
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/16 Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/18 for binocular arrangements focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12

Abstract

An improved monocular/binocular bridge and helmet mounting device employing same for an optical device are provided. The mounting device herein includes a mount with a bridge attachment for providing multiple options for a monocular or binocular optical device and multiple options for moving the attached optical device to any of multiple stowed positions out of the user'"'"'s line of sight when the optical device is not in use. The bridge attachment and multiple stow positions also allow the unit to be adapted for a variety of viewing devices.

Claims

1. A bridge mount assembly for mounting an optical device to a helmet, the assembly comprising:

a mounting shoe member disposed between and interconnecting left and right bridge mounting members, wherein the mounting shoe member comprises a first mounting shoe that mates with a mounting shoe receiver attached to the helmet, each of the left and right bridge mounting members attaches the optical device to the bridge mount assembly, and each of the left and right bridge mounting members comprises a pivot arm that is pivotal about a pivot axis and that allows rotation of the optical device around the pivot axis.

2. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting shoe member is disposed in a central portion of the assembly.

3. The bridge mount assembly of claim 2, wherein the mounting shoe member comprises left and right channels that mate with a corresponding protrusion on the left and right bridge mounting members, respectively.

4. The bridge mount assembly of claim 3, wherein the channels and protrusions are angled and each of the left and right bridge mounting members is secured to the mounting shoe member with a threaded knob to prevent wobbling when in use.

5. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting shoe is complementary in shape to a receptacle in the mounting shoe receiver.

6. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the left bridge mounting member comprises a second mounting shoe and the right bridge mounting member comprises a third mounting shoe, each of the second and third mounting shoes configured to slide into a complementary shaped mounting shoe receiver on the optical device.

7. The bridge mount assembly of claim 6, wherein each of the second and third mounting shoes comprises a pressure foot configured to be pushed into a base surface in the mounting shoe receiver upon application of pressure to the pressure foot.

8. The bridge assembly of claim 7, further comprising a camshaft attached to a rotating knob, the rotatable knob rotatable between a locked position and an unlocked position, the camshaft configured to apply pressure to the pressure foot when the knob is rotated to the locked position.

9. The bridge assembly of claim 6, wherein the pivot arm of the left bridge mounting member is attached to a first pivot sleeve;

wherein the pivot arm of the right bridge mounting member is attached to a third pivot sleeve;

wherein the second mounting shoe is attached to a second pivot sleeve;

wherein the third mounting shoe is attached to a fourth pivot sleeve;

wherein the first and second pivot sleeves rotate around a first central rod that is coaxial with the pivot axis of the left bridge mounting member;

wherein the third and fourth pivot sleeves rotate around a second central rod that is coaxial with the pivot axis of the right bridge mounting member;

wherein the rotation of the first and/or third pivot sleeve provides a tilt angle adjustment of the optical device for pupillary and/or interpupillary distance and rotation of the second and/or fourth pivot sleeve provides rotation of the optical device around the pivot axis of the left and/or right bridge mounting member, respectively.

10. The bridge assembly of claim 9, wherein the first central rod is attached to a first arm that rotates the first pivot sleeve around the first central rod, and wherein the second central rod is attached to a second arm that rotates the third pivot sleeve around the second central rod.

11. The bridge assembly of claim 10, wherein each of the first and second arms comprises a magnet movable into and out of proximity of a sensor on the optical device, the sensor configured to switch off the optical device when the optical device is in a stowed position.

12. The bridge assembly of claim 6, further comprising a first rotational set stop with a first opening and first oblong opening, wherein the first central rod passes through the first opening and a first threaded fastener passes through the first oblong opening to a threaded hole in the first pivot arm, and wherein the first threaded fastener can be used to lock the position of the first pivot arm and to set the pupillary and/or interpupillary distance.

13. The bridge assembly of claim 12, further comprising a second rotational set stop with a second opening and a second oblong opening, wherein the second central rod passes through the second opening and a second threaded fastener passes through the second oblong opening to a threaded hole in the second pivot arm, and wherein the second threaded fastener can be used to lock the position of the second pivot arm and to set the pupillary and/or interpupillary distance.

14. The bridge assembly of claim 1 adapted for mounting to one or more optical devices selected from the group consisting of monoculars, binoculars, sighting devices, targeting devices, night vision devices, enhanced night vision goggles, thermal imaging devices, infrared imaging devices, short-wave infrared imaging devices, and helmet mounted display screens.

15. An optical bridge-helmet mount assembly comprising:

a bridge mount assembly for mounting an optical device to a helmet, the assembly comprising a mounting shoe member disposed between and interconnecting left and right bridge mounting members, wherein the mounting shoe member comprises a mounting shoe that mates with a mounting shoe receiver attached to the helmet, each of the left and right bridge mounting members attaches the optical device to the bridge mount assembly, and each of the left and right bridge mounting members comprises a pivot arm that is pivotal about a pivot axis and that allows rotation of the optical device around the pivot axis; and

a helmet mount assembly that connects the bridge mount assembly to the helmet.

16. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 15, wherein the helmet mount assembly comprises a pivot pin assembly that allows the bridge mount assembly to be pivoted between a lower position and an upper position for use and stowage, respectively, of the optical device when attached to the bridge mount assembly.

17. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 15, wherein the helmet mount assembly comprises a vertical adjustment mechanism for adjusting a vertical position of the optical device in relation to a wearer'"'"'s eye position.

18. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 15, wherein the helmet mount assembly comprises a tilt adjustment mechanism.

19. A system comprising:

a bridge mount assembly for mounting an optical device to a helmet, the assembly comprising a mounting shoe member disposed between and interconnecting left and right bridge mounting members, wherein the mounting shoe member comprises a mounting shoe that mates with a mounting shoe receiver attached to the helmet, each of the left and right bridge mounting members attaches the optical device to the bridge mount assembly, and each of the left and right bridge mounting members comprises a pivot arm that is pivotal about a pivot axis and that allows rotation of the optical device around the pivot axis;

a helmet mount assembly that connects the bridge mount assembly to the helmet; and

the optical device.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the optical device is selected from the group consisting of monoculars, binoculars, sighting devices, targeting devices, night vision devices, enhanced night vision goggles, thermal imaging devices, infrared imaging devices, short-wave infrared imaging devices, and helmet mounted display screens.