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US4670912A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Adjustable night vision goggle mounting bracket

Assignee: Northrop Grumman Guidance and Electronics Co Inc
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Filing: 1985-12-12
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Granted: 1987-06-09
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Expires: 2005-12-12
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Abstract

Abstract An adjustment mechanism for adjusting headgear-mounted vision equipment with respect to the viewer's eyes. A goggle (14) is mounted to a carriage (20) which is slideable on a frame (10) mounted to the headgear (12). The carriage (20) is slideable on a rail (16) by a tongue and groove arrangement (48), and slideable on a rod (42). The carriage (20) includes a cavity (62) with a coil spring (64) therein encircling the rod (42). In its relaxed state, the coil spring (64) firmly engages the rod (42) and prevents movement of the carriage (20) on the rod (42). The coil spring ends (66, 68) are compressible together to release the engagement of the coil spring (64) about the rod (42). A finger-operated plunger assembly (28) includes a slotted end (118) for engaging one spring end (68). When the plunger button (116) is depressed, the spring ends (66, 68) are pressed together, thereby permitting adjustment of the carriage (20) on the rod (42).

Inventors

  • 👤 Richard T. Hart

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 14:58
CPC Classifications
A; A42; A42B; A42B3/00; A42B3/04; A42B3/0406; A42B3/042; G; G02; G02B; G02B23/00; G02B23/12; G02B23/125

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 34
Claim 1
Independent Claim 136 words
A device mountable to a viewer's head for adjustably positioning vision equipment with respect to the viewer's line of sight, comprising: a frame member for being mounted stationary with respect to the viewer's head; a carriage slideably fixed to said frame member for adjusting said carriage to any desired position with respect to said frame member; apertured locking means adjustable with said carriage and encircling a portion of said frame member and including means for opening the aperture for allowing adjustment of said carriage with respect to said frame member and for restricting the aperture to thereby lock said carriage in said any desired position with respect to said frame member; and means for mounting the vision equipment to said carriage to thereby align the vision equipment with the viewer's line of sight by said adjustment.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 136 words
A device mountable to a viewer's head for adjustably positioning vision equipment with respect to the viewer's line of sight, comprising: a frame member for being mounted stationary with respect to the viewer's head; a carriage slideably fixed to said frame member for adjusting said carriage to any desired position with respect to said frame member; apertured locking means adjustable with said carriage and encircling a portion of said frame member and including means for opening the aperture for allowing adjustment of said carriage with respect to said frame member and for restricting the aperture to thereby lock said carriage in said any desired position with respect to said frame member; and means for mounting the vision equipment to said carriage to thereby align the vision equipment with the viewer's line of sight by said adjustment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 22 words
The device of said claim 1 wherein said carriage and said frame member are slideably attached by a tongue and groove arrangement.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 41 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said frame member includes a rod, and said carriage further includes a bore slideable over said rod for supporting said carriage and for allowing adjustable positioning of said carriage with respect to said frame member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 2 wherein said carriage and said frame member are slideably attached by a bore and rod arrangement.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 1 wherein said locking means includes detentless friction means for locking said carriage to said frame member.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 16 words
The device of claim 3 wherein said locking means includes friction means engagable with said rod.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 16 words
The device of claim 6 wherein said friction means comprises a spring engagable with said rod.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 29 words
The device of claim 7 wherein said spring comprises a coil spring disposed around said rod and locked thereto when relaxed, and expandable around said rod for movement thereon.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 39 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said carriage includes a cavity in communication with said bore, and said coil spring is disposed in said cavity so that said rod disposed in said first bore passes through said coil spring.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 8 wherein said coil spring includes plural coils, the inside surface of each said coil being flattened.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 14 words
The device of claim 10 wherein each coil of said spring is cross-sectionally square.
Claim 13
Independent Claim 85 words
A device mountable to a viewer's head for adjustably positioning vision equipment with respect to the viewer's line of sight vision, comprising: a frame member; an elongate rod fixed to said frame member; a carriage having a bore for slideably receiving therein said rod so that said carriage is supported by said rod; means for fixing the vision equipment to said carriage; and means encircling and expandable and retractable radially about said rod for frictionally locking said carriage at any desired position along said rod.
Claim 14
Independent Claim 85 words
A device mountable to a viewer's head for adjustably positioning vision equipment with respect to the viewer's line of sight vision, comprising: a frame member; an elongate rod fixed to said frame member; a carriage having a bore for slideably receiving therein said rod so that said carriage is supported by said rod; means for fixing the vision equipment to said carriage; and means encircling and expandable and retractable radially about said rod for frictionally locking said carriage at any desired position along said rod.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 20 words
The device of claim 12 further including a tongue and groove arrangement slideably fixing said carriage to said frame member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 33 words
The device of claim 12 wherein said locking means includes means attached to said carriage and movable transversely to said rod for releasing the locking engagement of said carriage to said frame member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 15 words
The device of claim 12 further including a headgear molded integral with said frame member.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 21 words
The device of claim 12 wherein said locking means includes detentless friction means for locking said carriage to said frame member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 15 words
The device of claim 16 wherein said detentless friction means is engagable with said rod.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 16 words
The device of claim 16 wherein said friction means comprises a spring engagable with said rod.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 11 words
The device of claim 18 wherein said spring encircles said rod.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 204 words
An adjustable night vision goggle mounting bracket, comprising: a carriage with a bore therethrough, a cavity in communication with said bore, and a threaded barrel in communication with said cavity; means for mounting the goggle to said carriage; a rod slideable through the bore of said carriage; a coil spring with hairpin ends disposed in said cavity, and spring coils encircling said rod and being frictionally engagably therewith, one said hairpin end being engagable with the sidewall of said cavity, and the other hairpin end being disposed adjacent said threaded barrel; a finger-operated plunger assembly including: a sleeve with threads engagable with the threads of said barrel, said sleeve having a first and second bore with different diameters, a spring engaging member slideable in the larger diameter bore of said sleeve, said member having a threaded hole, and a slot for capturing therein said other hairpin end, a plunger having a threaded end engagable with the threaded hole of said spring engaging member, a shank slideable within the smaller diameter bore in said sleeve, and finger means for pressing on said plunger to force the hairpin ends of said spring coil together to release the engagement of said spring coils from around said rod.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 204 words
An adjustable night vision goggle mounting bracket, comprising: a carriage with a bore therethrough, a cavity in communication with said bore, and a threaded barrel in communication with said cavity; means for mounting the goggle to said carriage; a rod slideable through the bore of said carriage; a coil spring with hairpin ends disposed in said cavity, and spring coils encircling said rod and being frictionally engagably therewith, one said hairpin end being engagable with the sidewall of said cavity, and the other hairpin end being disposed adjacent said threaded barrel; a finger-operated plunger assembly including: a sleeve with threads engagable with the threads of said barrel, said sleeve having a first and second bore with different diameters, a spring engaging member slideable in the larger diameter bore of said sleeve, said member having a threaded hole, and a slot for capturing therein said other hairpin end, a plunger having a threaded end engagable with the threaded hole of said spring engaging member, a shank slideable within the smaller diameter bore in said sleeve, and finger means for pressing on said plunger to force the hairpin ends of said spring coil together to release the engagement of said spring coils from around said rod.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 24 words
The goggle mounting bracket of claim 20 wherein siad cavity includes a width substantially the same as the axial length of said coil spring.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 24 words
The goggle mountig bracket of claim 20 wherein said cavity is transverse to said bore, and said threaded barrel is transverse to said cavity.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 14 words
The goggle mounting bracket of claim 20 wherein said coil spring includes four coils.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 49 words
The goggle mounting bracket of claim 20 wherein said coil spring includes a coil with an inside diameter smaller then the diameter of said rod when said spring is relaxed, and an inside diameter larger than the rod diameter when the hairpin ends of said spring are pressed together.
Claim 28
Independent Claim 126 words
A device mountable to a viewer's head for adjustably positioning vision equipment with respect to the viewer's line of sight, comprising: a frame member for being mounted stationary with respect to the viewer's head, said frame member including a rod; a carriage slideably fixed to said frame member and including a bore through which said rod is slideable for adjusting said carriage to any desired position with respect to said frame member; a locking apparatus including a coil spring disposed around said rod and locked thereto when relaxed, and expandable around said rod for adjusting said carriage to said any desired position; and means for mounting the vision equipment to said carriage so that the vision equipment can be aligned with the viewer's line of sight.
Claim 29
Independent Claim 126 words
A device mountable to a viewer's head for adjustably positioning vision equipment with respect to the viewer's line of sight, comprising: a frame member for being mounted stationary with respect to the viewer's head, said frame member including a rod; a carriage slideably fixed to said frame member and including a bore through which said rod is slideable for adjusting said carriage to any desired position with respect to said frame member; a locking apparatus including a coil spring disposed around said rod and locked thereto when relaxed, and expandable around said rod for adjusting said carriage to said any desired position; and means for mounting the vision equipment to said carriage so that the vision equipment can be aligned with the viewer's line of sight.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 23 words
The device of claim 25 wherein said coil spring includes free ends compressible to effect the expansion of said spring around said rod.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim 16 words
The device of claim 26 further including a manually actuated mechanism for compressing said free ends.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim 19 words
The device of claim 27 wherein said manually actuated mechanism is fixed to said carriage and thus moves therewith.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim 35 words
The device of claim 27 wherein said manually actuated mechanism comprises a slotted plunger for receiving therein one said free end, and movable longitudinally toward the other free end for compressing said free ends together.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim 42 words
The device of claim 29 wherein said plunger comprises a sleeve with a bore having a first and second section with different inside diameters, a finger-operable pin slideable in the smaller diameter bore, said slotted stud being fastened to said finger-operable pin.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

GB877194A Cited
US3425769A Cited
US3631540A Cited
US4457461A Cited
US4463252A Cited
US4592096A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1990-06-08 1990-12-08 1991-06-09 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1994-06-08 1994-12-08 1995-06-09 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1998-06-08 1998-12-08 1999-06-09 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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