International Telephone and Telegraph Corporation

James H Burbo

Louis P Hartman

Paul J Mulhauser

Douglas M Spranger

Malcolm J Brookes

There is disclosed a night vision imaging system for mounting on a helmet. The helmet contains a visor having a slot into which is inserted a helmet mount assembly which can be vertically adjusted within the slot by means of a control mechanism including a rotatable knob. The mount assembly is an arcuate planar member conforming to the surface of the helmet and contains two 'U' shaped receptacles for receiving two pivots located on a central fork support frame. The fork frame has two adjacent tines which are secured within two slots contained in a gear box. Coupled to the gear box are right and left carriage assemblies which interface with the gear box by means of a first threaded shaft to afford eye relief adjustment and a second rod assembly to afford tilt adjustment. Each carriage assembly is symmetrically positioned on the right and left sides of the gear box assembly and are coupled to a first and a second unity power image intensifier telescope housing containing an image intensifier tube. The carriage assembly is coupled to the tube housing to move in a horizontal plane for eye relief by contacting either a right or left knob coupled to the threaded shaft at right and left sides. The gear box, carriage assemblies, and intensifier housing as supported by the fork frame, can be 'flipped-up' and away from the eyes of a user when the night vision system is not in use or can be 'flipped-down' in front of the user's eyes when in use.

Night vision imaging system adapted for helmet mounting

Aviator night vision imaging apparatus or similar article

A filter arrangement is described which is incorporated with a night vision device. The filter arrangement consists of a variable density polaroid filter array and a blue-green filter all contained in a common housing and directed along a given optical path. The filter arrangement serves to control the amount of light directed to an input port of a night vision device such as a pair of goggles. In this manner, a user can be trained to employ the night vision device under direct supervision in daylight conditions and by variation of the polarizing plates is enabled to simulate nighttime conditions.

Growing community of inventors

Roanoke, VA, United States of America

James H Burbo