The invention relates to an ocular structure for observation apparatus, and more particularly to an ocular structure including an outer ring capable of moving axially and being positioned in different positions.
A conventional observation apparatus (e.g. rangefinder, binocular telescope or monocular telescope) includes an ocular structure which is provided with an eyecup. In operation, the eyecup that is made of rubber can be turned out to adjust a distance between user's eyes and an ocular lens unit. Specifically, the distance is shortened after the eyecup is turned out. However, the eyecup in such a design has a short lifespan due to frequent turning operation. Therefore, the eyecup is required to be made of durable material.
The invention provides an ocular structure for observation apparatus capable of moving an outer ring relative to a main body through means similar to mated threads, so as to adjust a distance between user's eyes and an ocular lens unit. Moreover, the ocular structure is provided with a concave-convex structure so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body in different positions.
The ocular structure for observation apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a first member, a second member and a main body. The first member includes at least one slot and a plurality of first limiting mechanisms. The second member includes at least one slider extending into the slot and a plurality of second limiting mechanisms. The main body includes an ocular lens unit, wherein the first member and the second member are mounted on the main body. The slider is moved in the slot when the first member and the second member are in relative rotation, and the first limiting mechanisms directly or indirectly match the second limiting mechanisms to position the first member with respect to the second member.
In another embodiment, the first member further includes an outer ring, the second member further includes an inner ring connected to the main body, the outer ring is disposed around the inner ring, the slider is disposed on outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring, the slot is formed on a wall of the outer ring, and the outer ring is axially moved relative to the main body when the slider is moved in the slot.
In yet another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of limiting grooves. Each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of positioning elements. The limiting grooves are formed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots. The positioning elements are disposed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring. One of the positioning elements is configured to engage with one of the limiting grooves so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In another embodiment, each of the positioning elements is softer than the outer ring. Each of the positioning elements is softer than the inner ring. Shore hardness of each positioning elements ranges from 50 to 80 degrees.
In yet another embodiment, the second member further includes a plurality of grooves, and the positioning elements are disposed in the grooves.
In another embodiment, the limiting grooves includes a first limiting groove and a second limiting groove, and a distance between the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove is 23 to 28 percent of a height of the first member.
In yet another embodiment, the limiting grooves includes a first limiting groove and a second limiting groove, and a distance between the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove is 15 to 20 percent of a height of the first member.
In another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of first magnetically attractable elements, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of second magnetically attractable elements, the first magnetically attractable elements are disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the second magnetically attractable elements are disposed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring, and one of the second magnetically attractable elements is configured to attract one of the first magnetically attractable elements so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In yet another embodiment, a distance between two of the first magnetically attractable elements is 23 to 28 percent of a height of the first member.
In another embodiment, a distance between two of the first magnetically attractable elements is 15 to 20 percent of a height of the first member.
In yet another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of positioning elements, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of limiting grooves, the limiting grooves are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the positioning elements are disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring, and one of the positioning elements is configured to engage with one of the limiting grooves so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In another embodiment, the limiting grooves include a first limiting groove and a second limiting groove, and a distance between the first limiting groove and the second limiting groove is 23 to 28 percent of a height of the first member.
In yet another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of second magnetically attractable elements, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of first magnetically attractable elements, the first magnetically attractable elements are disposed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the second magnetically attractable elements are disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring, and one of the second magnetically attractable elements is configured to attract one of the first magnetically attractable elements so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In another embodiment, a distance between two of the first magnetically attractable elements is 23 to 28 percent of a height of the first member.
In yet another embodiment, the first member further includes an inner ring connected to the main body, the second member further includes an outer ring, the outer ring is disposed around the inner ring, the slider is disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring, the slot is formed on a wall of the inner ring, and the outer ring is axially moved relative to the main body when the slider is moved in the slot.
In another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of limiting grooves, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of positioning elements, the limiting grooves are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the positioning elements are disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring, and one of the positioning elements is configured to engage with one of the limiting grooves so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In yet another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of first magnetically attractable elements, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of second magnetically attractable elements, the first magnetically attractable elements are disposed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the second magnetically attractable elements are disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring, and one of the second magnetically attractable elements is configured to attract one of the first magnetically attractable elements so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of positioning elements, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of limiting grooves, the limiting grooves are formed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the positioning elements are disposed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring, and one of the positioning elements is configured to engage with one of the limiting grooves so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
In yet another embodiment, each of the first limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of second magnetically attractable elements, each of the second limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of first magnetically attractable elements, the first magnetically attractable elements are disposed on inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring to provide a plurality of positioning spots, the second magnetically attractable elements are disposed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring, and one of the second magnetically attractable elements is configured to attract one of the first magnetically attractable elements so as to position the outer ring relative to the main body at one of the positioning spots.
A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.
The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
Referring to
In the first embodiment, the main body is the main part of an observation apparatus (e.g. rangefinder, binocular telescope or monocular telescope) and includes an ocular lens unit. The main body has a first end portion and a second end portion which is closer to the ocular lens unit than the first end portion. The inner ring 30 is connected to the second end portion, and the outer ring 20 is rotatably disposed around the inner ring 30.
Referring to
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Each of the positioning elements 38 is softer than the outer ring 20 and softer than the inner ring 30. In this embodiment, the positioning elements 38 are made of rubber (e.g. Nitrile butadiene rubber or Fluororubber), which has Shore hardness ranges from 50 to 80 degrees. When the outer ring 20 is rotated relative to the inner ring 30 and moves the positioning elements 38 away from any of the limiting grooves 28a-28d (e.g. limiting grooves 28b), the positioning elements 38 are compressed between the inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring 20 and the grooves 34 since the positioning elements 38 are softer than the outer ring 20 and the inner ring 30. When the outer ring 20 is further rotated and moves the positioning elements 38 to the next limiting grooves (e.g. the limiting grooves 28c), the compressed positioning elements 38 are released and engage with the next limiting grooves (the limiting grooves 28c) and generate a “click” which is a tactile feedback to the user.
In a second embodiment of the invention, an inner ring (not shown) does not include the grooves 34 shown in
Referring to
Briefly speaking, the limiting mechanisms can have different numbers of limiting grooves so that the positioning elements cooperating with the limiting mechanisms can be changed in number during operation. That is, the positioning elements engaged with the limiting grooves are different in number when the outer ring is positioned in different positions (e.g. the reference position, the first position, the second position or the third position). The number of the positioning elements cooperating with the limiting grooves affects not only the level of engagement of the inner ring 30 with the outer ring 20, but the force required to rotate the outer ring 30. By such arrangement, both the position of the outer ring 20 relative to the main body and the distance between the user's eyes and the ocular lens unit can be recognized through judging the force required to rotate the outer ring (or tightness during rotation), thereby providing the tactile feedback to the user in different levels and stable rotation of the outer ring. The arrangement of other elements and operation of the third embodiment are similar to those of the above embodiments, and therefore the descriptions thereof are omitted.
It is understood that the locations of the slots 26 and those of the sliders 36 can be exchanged. That is, the slots are formed on a wall of the inner ring, and the sliders are disposed on the inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring. Such arrangement enables the sliders to move in the slots and enables the outer ring to axially move relative to the main body and therefore is feasible. Further, the locations of the limiting mechanisms 28 and those of the positioning elements 38 can be exchanged. That is, the limiting mechanisms are formed on the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring, and the positioning elements are disposed on the outer ring. Such arrangement enables the positioning elements to engage with the limiting mechanisms so as to position the outer ring 20 relative to the main body and therefore is also feasible.
As described above, the positioning elements 38 and the limiting mechanisms 28 are engaged with each other through concave-convex structure. However, besides concave-convex structure, magnetism can be used to position the outer ring 20 relative to the inner ring 30. For example (a fourth embodiment), the positioning elements 38 and the limiting mechanisms 28 are respectively replaced with first magnetic limiting mechanisms (not shown) and second magnetic limiting mechanisms (not shown). Each of the first magnetic limiting mechanisms includes a first magnetically attractable element, and each of the second magnetic limiting mechanisms includes a second magnetically attractable element. More specifically, the first magnetically attractable element is a magnetic element having a first polarity, and the second magnetically attractable element is a magnetic element having a second polarity opposite to the first polarity, or the first magnetically attractable element is a magnetic element, and the second magnetically attractable element is an element (e.g. ferromagnetic element) which can be attracted by the magnetic element. For another example (a fifth embodiment), the first magnetically attractable element protrudes from the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring 30, and the inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring 20 are provided with a hole in which the second magnetically attractable element is disposed. Alternatively, the outer circumferential surfaces of the inner ring 30 are provided with a hole in which the first magnetically attractable element is disposed, and the second magnetically attractable element protrudes from the inner circumferential surfaces of the outer ring 20. For another example (a sixth embodiment), each of the first magnetic limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of first magnetically attractable elements, and each of the second magnetic limiting mechanisms includes a plurality of second magnetically attractable elements. When there are four second magnetically attractable elements, distances therebetween are similar to the distances d1, d2 and d3 as shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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201710189110.0 | Mar 2017 | CN | national |