Low-profile optical mounting assembly

Abstract

In an ocular support assembly material present in the forward-looking cross-section of the outwardly extending support arms is removed, thereby reducing visual obscuration and enhancing peripheral vision. In the preferred embodiment, the top of each outwardly extending support arm is at or below the middle of the height of the housing, thereby resulting in a low-profile design. At the same time, the support arms are received by the housing with sliding engagement on all sides, thereby eliminating the need for ball bearings or spacers to counteract twisting. The result is a lightweight yet highly stable ocular mounting assembly.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a drawing of an older style ocular mounting assembly;

FIG. 2 is a drawing of a relatively new ocular mounting assembly;

FIG. 3 is a drawing of a mounting assembly configured in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4A is a top-view drawing of the ocular mounting assembly of FIG. 3 with the support arms retracted, showing the way in which gear meshing occurs; and

FIG. 4B is a top-view drawing of the ocular mounting assembly of FIG. 3 with the support arms extended.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Having discussed FIGS. 1 and 2, the reader's attention is directed to FIG. 3, which shows an ocular mounting assembly constructed in accordance with the invention. The housing is shown at 320, including an outwardly extending portion 334 having side pins that engage with a hinged pivot assembly (not shown), which may be similar to, if not identical to, prior-art hinge assemblies facilitating an eyeglass or head-band mount. The adjustment knob is shown at 324, and the oculars are shown at 314.

Importantly, according to the invention, the top surface 350 of each support arm 322 has material removed, allowing the top of the support arm to be at or below the horizontal centerline 352 of the housing 320. This removed material decreases visual obscuration and enhances peripheral vision for the user. In the preferred embodiment, the dimension between the top of the arms major length to the area directly above the ocular is 0.099″+/−0.010″ (2.51+/−0.25 mm). The dimension from the top of the rack housing to the area directly above the ocular is 0.149″+/−0.015″ (3.78+/−0.38 mm).

FIG. 4A is a top-view drawing illustrating the inner workings of the invention, with support arms 322 each having narrower portions 402, 404 including teeth with mesh gear 406. The gear 406 is, in turn, coupled to the adjustment valve 324 to facilitate interpupillary distance adjustment. Another important aspect of the invention, however, is that the portions of the support arms between the ocular mounting pads and the portions 402, 404 with teeth are substantially rectangular, such that all four side surfaces of the support arms are slidingly engaged by the rectangular openings of the housing 320, thereby preventing twisting. Although portions X are relieved to reduce weight, the anti-twisting design is not defeated.

Note that the oculars may be independently rotatable about axes 332, or they may be fixed at a particular convergence angle as disclosed in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. No. 6,704,141. The dipvergence adjustments of U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,714 may also be employed.

Claims

1. An ocular mounting assembly, comprising: a housing having a back surface and a hollow through-bore with a height and opposing open ends, each with an inner wall;a pair of support arms, each slidingly received by a respective one of the open ends;each support arm having an outer portion extending from the housing;each outer portion having a bottom surface adapted for coupling to an ocular loupe and an upper surface; andwherein the upper surface of each support arm is approximately half the height of the housing.

2. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein each support arm includes a central portion with an outer surface that is substantially flush with the inner surface of the housing to minimize twisting.

3. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein each support arm includes an inner portion disposed entirely within the housing, each inner portion including a plurality of teeth that engage with a central gear coupled to an external knob to adjust for interpupillary distance.

4. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein back surface of the housing includes an extension adapted for pivotal coupling to a spectacle or headband mount.

5. An ocular mounting assembly, comprising: a housing having a back surface and a hollow through-bore with a height and opposing open ends, each with an inner wall;a pair of support arms, each slidingly received by a respective one of the open ends;each support arm including: an inner portion including a plurality of teeth that engage with a central gear coupled to an external knob to adjust for interpupillary distance,an outer portion having a bottom surface adapted for coupling to an ocular loupe and an upper surface, anda central portion having upper and lower surfaces between the inner and outer portions; andwherein the upper surface of the central portion transitions downwardly to the upper surface of the outer portion.

6. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the central portion are substantially flush with the inner surface of the housing to minimize twisting.

7. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the back surface of the housing includes an extension adapted for pivotal coupling to a spectacle or headband mount.

8. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 5, wherein the upper surface of each support arm is approximately half the height of the housing.

9. An ocular mounting assembly, comprising: a housing having a back surface and a hollow through-bore with a height and opposing open ends, each with an inner wall;a pair of ocular loupes;a pair of support arms, each slidingly received by a respective one of the open ends;each support arm including: an inner portion including a plurality of teeth that engage with a central gear coupled to an external knob to adjust for interpupillary distance,an outer portion outer portion having an upper surface and a bottom surface coupled to a respective one of the ocular loupes, anda central portion having upper and lower surfaces between the inner and outer portions; andwherein the upper surface of the central portion transitions downwardly to the upper surface of the outer portion.

10. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the upper and lower surfaces of the central portion are substantially flush with the inner surface of the housing to minimize twisting.

11. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein back surface of the housing includes an extension adapted for pivotal coupling to a spectacle or headband mount.

12. The ocular mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the upper surface of each support arm is approximately half the height of the housing.