GB2290454A

GB2290454A - Headgear incorporating viewing arrangements

Info

Publication number: GB2290454A
Application number: GB8806712A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Stafford Malcolm Ellis
Original assignee: GEC Marconi Ltd; Marconi Co Ltd
Current assignee: BAE Systems Electronics Ltd
Priority date: 1987-03-24
Filing date: 1988-03-21
Publication date: 1996-01-03
Anticipated expiration: 2008-03-21
Also published as: GB8806712D0; GB2290454B; GB8706943D0

Abstract

A headgear comprising: a helmet part (11); a vizor part (13) mounted on the helmet part; and a viewing arrangement (15) incorporating an eyepiece (17) and mounted on the helmet part so as to lie generally between the vizor and helmet parts; the viewing arrangement being moveable with respect to the helmet part between operative and inoperative positions (PO, PL) such that the eyepiece moves between a position before an eye of the headgear wearer and a position displaced outwardly sideways from its position before the wearer's eye. The viewing arrangement is typically a night vision viewing arrangement. <IMAGE>

Description

Headgear incorporating viewing arrangements This invention relates to headgear incorporating viewing arrangements.

More particularly the invention relates to headgear comprising: a helmet part; a vizor part mounted on the helmet part; and a viewing arrangement incorporating an eyepiece and mounted on the helmet part so as to lie generally between the helmet part and the vizor part.

It is an object of the present invention to provide such headgear wherein the viewing arrangement is moveable between operative and inoperative positions without undesired interference with the helmet part or vizor part.

According to the invention there is provided a headgear comprising: a viewing arrangement incorporating an eyepiece and mounted on said helmet part so as to lie generally between the helmet part and the visor part; said viewing arrangement being moveable with respect to said helmet part between an operative position in which said eyepiece is held before a design eye position defined by said helmet part, and an inoperative position in which said eyepiece is displaced outwardly sideways from its position when the viewing arrangement is in said operative position.

Preferably said viewing arrangement is moveable with respect to said helmet part by way of pivotal motion about an axis which extends generally vertically with respect to said helmet part.

In one particular embodiment of the invention the headgear includes two said viewing arrangements, one for each eye of a wearer of the headgear.

In a headgear according to the invention wherein the vizor is displaceably mounted on said helmet part for movement between operative and inoperative positions, said headgear preferably further includes coupling means between said vizor part and the or each said viewing arrangement whereby movement of said vizor part between its operative and inoperative positions causes movement of the or each said viewing arrangement between its operative and inoperative positions.

The coupling means suitably comprises a cam and follower arrangement.

In an alternative embodiment of the invention wherein there are two viewing arrangements, one for each eye of the headgear wearer, said viewing arrangements are connected via coupling means such that movement of either one of said viewing arrangements between its operative and inoperative positions causes corresponding movement of the other said viewing arrangement.

Where the viewing arrangements are mounted for pivotal movement about respective axes extending generally vertically with respect to the helmet part, one at each side of the helmet part, said coupling means suitably comprises a pin projecting from one of the viewing arrangements into a receiving slot on the other viewing arrangement.

Two headgear in accordance with the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a first headgear; Figure 2 is a half schematic cross-section on the line II-II in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic front view of viewing arrangements of a second headgear; and Figure 4 is a view of a plan view of a detail of the viewing arrangements of Figure 3.

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the first headgear comprises a helmet part 11; a vizor part 13 displaceably connected to the helmet part 11 for rotation about an axis I-I; and first and second night vision viewing arrangements 15 one for each eye of the headgear wearer, each incorporating an eyepiece 17 and both mounted on the helmet part 11 so as to lie between the helmet part 11 and the vizor part 13. Only one night vision viewing arrangement 15 is depicted in Figures 1 and 2. The other night vision viewing arrangement effectively comprises a mirror image of the illustrated arrangement about the fore and aft plane of symmetry PS of the helmet and vizor parts 11, 13.

The viewing arrangements 15 are mounted on the helmet part 11 for angular displacement about respective pivot axes Y-Y which extend generally vertically with respect to the helmet part 11, one at each side of the helmet part 11. For each viewing arrangement 15 such angular displacement is between an operative position P0 at which its eyepiece 17 is held at a position before a respective design eye position E defined by the helmet part 11 and an inoperative position PL wherein its eyepiece 17 is displaced outwardly sideways from its position when the viewing arrangement 15 is in its operative position PO, i.e. from its position before its respective design eye position.This displacement of the viewing arrangements 15 is caused by movement of the vizor part 13 between a lowered position VL and a raised or headgear doffing and donning position VD. For this purpose two coupling means 19 are provided, one for each viewing arrangement 15.

Each coupling means 19 comprises a cam in the form of a slot 25 in a plate 21 secured to the vizor part 13 and a cam follower in the form of a projection 27 from the associated viewing arrangement 15, which projection 27 engages in the slot 25. The cam slots 25 are so shaped that, as the vizor part 13 is raised, movement of the cam slots 25 constrains the projections 27, and hence the viewing arrangements 15 to pivot in opposite senses about their respective pivot axes Y-Y from their operative positions P0 to their inoperative positions PL thus causing each of the eyepieces 17 to be displaced outwardly sideways as required.

Lowering the vizor part 13 similarly produces a reverse movement of the viewing arrangements, and hence the eyepieces 17.

It will be understood that in addition to the eyepieces 17, the night vision viewing arrangements 15 include further components such as objectives 29, image intensifier means 31, and other optical elements, e.g. coherent fibre optic elements (not shown), all of which components undergo pivotal movement In sympathy with the eyepieces 17, during pivotal movement of the vizor part.

Referring now to Figures 3 and 4, the second headgear to be described is largely similar to the headgear shown in Figures 1 and 2 except that movement of the viewing arrangements 15 between their operative and inoperative positions PO, PL is effected directly instead of by movement of the vizor part 13.

To this end the coupling means 19 between the vizor part 13 and the viewing arrangements 15 are omitted. Instead the viewing arrangements 15 are coupled together by means comprising transverse arm portions 33, 35 of the viewing arrangements 15 oppositely extending across the helmet and vizor parts plane of symmetry Ps. One 35 of the arm portions carries a pin 37 and the other arm portion 33 has a slot 39 therein which receives the pin 37.

With the vizor part 13 at the headgear doffing and donning position VD, the viewing arrangement 15 may be pivotally moved in opposite senses from their operative positions P0 to their inoperative positions PL by hooking a finger behind the arm portions 33, 35 and pulling either one or both arm portions 33, 35 forwards.

Conversely, on donning the helmet, pressure towards the wearer's face position applied to either one or both arm portions 33, 35 causes the viewing arrangements 15 to pivot in opposite senses from their inoperative positions PL to their operative positions PO. Following such pivotal movement of the viewing arrangements 15 the vizor part 13 may be lowered to the position VL.

Detent means in the form of two spring-loaded pins 41 protruding into the slot 39 in the arm portion 33, one towards each end of the slot 39, serve to define the operative and inoperative positions PO, PL of the viewing arrangements 15.

It is pointed out that the viewing arrangements 15 instead of being night vision viewing arrangements could alternatively be other kinds of viewing arrangements mounted on the helmet part 11 and including eyepieces. One example of such alternative viewing arrangement is a viewing arrangement of a head-up display system.

It will be understood that whilst both the headgear described above by way of example incorporate two viewing arrangements, in other arrangements in accordance with the invention only one viewing arrangement may be provided.

Claims

1. A headgear comprising: a helmet part; a vizor part mounted on said helmet part; and a viewing arrangement incorporating an eyepiece and mounted on said helmet part so as to lie generally between the helmet part and the visor part; said viewing arrangement being moveable with respect to said helmet part between an operative position in which said eyepiece Is held before a design eye position defined by said helmet part, and an inoperative position in which said eyepiece is displaced outwardly sideways from its position when the viewing arrangement is in said operative position.

2. A headgear according to Claim 1 wherein said viewing arrangement is moveable with respect to said helmet part by way of pivotal motion about an axis which extends generally vertically with respect to said helmet part.

3. A headgear according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 including two said viewing arrangements, one for each eye of a wearer of the headgear.

4. A headgear according to Claim 3 when dependent on Claim 2 wherein each said viewing arrangement is moveable about a respective one of two said axes, one at each side of said helmet part.

5. A headgear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said vizor is displaceably mounted on said helmet part for movement between operative and inoperative positions and said headgear further includes coupling means between said vizor part and the or each said viewing arrangement whereby movement of said vizor between its operative and inoperative positions causes movement of the or each said viewing arrangement between its operative and inoperative positions.

6. A headgear according to Claim 5 wherein said operative and inoperative positions of said vizor are respectively lowered and raised positions of said vizor part with respect to said helmet part.

7. A headgear according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein said coupling means comprises a cam and follower arrangement.

8. A headgear according to Claim 7 wherein said cam and follower arrangement comprises a cam in the form of a slot in said vizor part and a follower in the form of a projection from a said viewing arrangement which engages said slot.

9. A headgear according to Claim 7 or Claim 8 when dependent on Claim 3 including two said cam and follower arrangements one in respect of each said viewing arrangement.

10. A headgear according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 wherein said viewing arrangements are connected via coupling means such that movement of either one of said viewing arrangements between its operative and inoperative positions causes corresponding movement of the other said viewing arrangement.

11. A headgear according to Claim 10 when dependent on Claim 4 wherein the said coupling means comprises a pin projecting from one of the viewing arrangements into a receiving slot on the other viewing arrangement.

12. A headgear according to Claim 11 wherein said pin is carried by an arm portion of one said viewing arrangement which extends generally transversely and straddling the fore and aft plane of symmetry of said helmet part and said slot is formed in an arm portion of said other viewing arrangement.

13. A headgear according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the or each viewing arrangement is a night vision viewing arrangement.

14. A headgear substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to Figures 1 and 2 or Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows CLAIMS 1. A headgear comprising: a helmet part; a vizor part mounted on said helmet part; and a viewing arrangement incorporating an eyepiece and mounted on said helmet part so as to lie generally between the helmet part and the visor part when the viewing arrangement and the vizor part are both in use, said viewing arrangement being moveable with respect to said helmet part between an operative position ,in which said eyepiece is held before a design eye position defined by said helmet part, and an inoperative position,in which said eyepiece is displaced outwardly sideways from its position when the viewing arrangement is in said operative position.