Binocular bridge for thermal viewing device

• US 10,162,168 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2014
• Issued: 12/25/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Teetzel, James W., Mitchell, Travis S., Wright, Nathaniel G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rakowski, Cara E
• Application Number:
  US14/242,303
• Publication Number:
  US 20140327962A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,729 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A42B 3/042 Optical devices night vision goggles G02B23/12
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0138 comprising image capture systems, e.g. camera
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 2027/0156 with optionally usable elements
• 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 27/0176 characterised by mechanical features

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 viewing. An adjustment mechanism for adjusting the pupillary/interpupillary positioning of attached viewing device(s) moves the devices linearly from side-to-side. Multiple options are provided for moving attached devices 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. A mounting bracket on the viewing device allows the viewing device to be selectively attached to a helmet mount or firearm accessory mounting rail.

Claims

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

a center section, wherein said center section comprises a mounting shoe, wherein the mounting shoe is configured to slidably and removably mate with a mounting shoe receiver attached to the helmet;

a bridge mounting member removably attachable to the center section, the bridge mounting member configured to attach the viewing device to the bridge mount assembly, the bridge mounting member including a mounting shoe receptacle that is movable laterally along a horizontal axis; and

an adapter having a fastener and an adapter shoe, wherein the fastener provides rigid retention of the adapter on the viewing device, and wherein the adapter shoe is configured for removable and interchangeable attachment to the mounting shoe receptacle and to a rail mount adapter attached to a firearm rail interface;

wherein the bridge mounting member comprises a hinge member that allows rotation of the viewing device around a pivot axis and wherein the pivot axis is parallel to an optical axis of the viewing device.

2. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the hinge member includes a plurality of recesses spaced about the pivot axis, each recess configured to removably receive a resilient protrusion in the bridge mounting member to secure an attached viewing device at one of a corresponding plurality of fixed rotational positions about the pivot axis.

3. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, comprising first and second bridge mounting members for attachment of first and second viewing devices.

4. The bridge mount assembly of claim 3, wherein the first bridge mounting member includes a first mounting shoe receptacle and the second bridge mounting member includes a second mounting shoe receptacle, and wherein the first mounting shoe receptacle is movable laterally along a horizontal axis independently of the second mounting shoe receptacle.

5. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the center section is disposed in a central portion of the assembly and is adapted to mate with a bridge mounting member at the left and/or right side of the center section.

6. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the bridge mounting member includes a transversely-extending adjustment rod having external helical threads rotatably engaging an internally threaded opening, wherein rotation of the adjustment rod in a first direction of rotation causes transverse movement of the mounting shoe receptacle in a first transverse direction and rotation of the adjustment rod in a second direction of rotation opposite the first direction of rotation causes transverse movement of the mounting shoe receptacle in a second transverse direction opposite the first transverse direction.

7. The bridge mount assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting shoe receptacle is adapted to removably receive a mounting shoe on the viewing device.

8. The bridge mount assembly of claim 6, wherein the mounting shoe receptacle comprises a biased pressure foot that is pushed into a recess in the mounting shoe.

9. The bridge assembly of claim 8, wherein pressure is applied to the pressure foot via a spring received within the mounting shoe receptacle.

10. The bridge assembly of claim 9, further comprising a release lever mechanically coupled to the pressure foot for moving the pressure foot out of engagement with the recess against the bias of the spring.

11. The bridge assembly of claim 1, further comprising a viewing device, wherein said viewing device is selected from the group consisting of an optical device, opto-electronic device, sighting device, targeting device, night vision goggle device, enhanced night vision goggle device, thermal imaging device, infrared imaging device, short-wave infrared imaging device, helmet mounted display screen, and any combination thereof.

12. An optical bridge-helmet mount assembly comprising:

a bridge mount assembly for mounting a viewing device to a helmet, the bridge mount assembly comprising a center section, wherein said center section comprises a mounting shoe, and a bridge mounting member removably attachable to the center section, wherein the mounting shoe is configured to slidably and removably mate with a mounting shoe receiver attached to the helmet, the bridge mounting member configured to attach the viewing device to the bridge mount assembly, the bridge mounting member including a mounting shoe receptacle that is movable laterally along a horizontal axis, wherein the bridge mounting member comprises a hinge member that allows rotation of the viewing device around a pivot axis and wherein the pivot axis is parallel to an optical axis of the viewing device; and

an adapter having a fastener and an adapter shoe, wherein the fastener provides rigid retention of the adapter on the viewing device, and wherein the adapter shoe is configured for removable and interchangeable attachment to the mounting shoe receptacle and to a rail mount adapter attached to a firearm rail interface;

and

wherein the adapter also allows the viewing device to be attached to a firearm; and

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

13. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the helmet mount assembly comprises a pivot assembly for pivoting the bridge mount assembly to be pivoted between a lower position and an upper position for use and stowage, respectively, of a viewing device attached to the bridge mount assembly.

14. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the helmet mount assembly comprises a vertical adjustment mechanism.

15. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 12, wherein the helmet mount assembly comprises one or both of a tilt adjustment mechanism and a fore-and-aft adjustment mechanism.

16. The optical bridge-helmet mount assembly of claim 12, further comprising a breakaway connector which causes the helmet mount assembly to detach from the helmet upon the application of a predetermined force.

17. A system comprising:

a bridge mount assembly for mounting a viewing device to a helmet, the bridge mount assembly comprising a center section, wherein said center section comprises a mounting shoe, and a bridge mounting member removably attachable to the center section, wherein the mounting shoe is configured to slidably and removably mate with a mounting shoe receiver attached to the helmet, the bridge mounting member configured to attach the viewing device to the bridge mount assembly, the bridge mounting member including a mounting shoe receptacle that is movable laterally along a horizontal axis, wherein the bridge mounting member comprises a hinge member that allows rotation of the viewing device around a pivot axis and wherein the pivot axis is parallel to an optical axis of the viewing device;

an adapter having a fastener and an adapter shoe, wherein the fastener provides rigid retention of the adapter on the viewing device, and wherein the adapter shoe is configured for removable and interchangeable attachment to the mounting shoe receptacle and to a rail mount adapter attached to a firearm rail interface;

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

the viewing device.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the viewing device is selected from the group consisting of an optical device, opto-electronic device, sighting device, targeting device, night vision goggle device, enhanced night vision goggle device, thermal imaging device, infrared imaging device, short-wave infrared imaging device, helmet mounted display screen, and any combination thereof.