Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Telescope
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-16
2002-10-22
Nguyen, Thong (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Telescope
C359S399000, C359S407000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06469828
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a panoramic night vision goggle system having at least an inner and outer optical channel per monocular subassembly and having a modified eyepiece that enables an improved field of view for at least the inner optical channel.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Panoramic Night Vision Goggle (PNVG) systems are known. One type of PNVG comprises two monocular subassemblies, each containing two image intensifier tubes. The subassemblies are mounted on a bridge assembly. Each subassembly has an inner tube and an outer tube. In one configuration, the inner tubes each have an optical axis that is substantially coaxial with one of the user's optical axes and have a partially overlapping field of view (FOV) (e.g., each may have approximately a 40 degree FOV or any other FOV). The outer tubes each have an optical axis that is angled with respect to the user's optical axes so that peripheral vision is used to see a greater field of view.
At least some prior systems design a monocular subassembly eyepiece to have two lens elements, both of which are ground relatively flat on the sides at which they contact. For example,
FIG. 1
shows an existing eyepiece configuration with anouter channel eyepiece element
100
and an inner eyepiece element
102
. Elements
100
and
102
contact each other along their respective flat sides as indicated at
104
. This design has various drawbacks, one of which is that it decreases the field of view for the inner eyepiece element, which is typically the element through which the major viewing activity takes place. These and other drawbacks exist.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the invention is to overcome these and other drawbacks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a PNVG system with one or monocular subassemblies each containing at least an inner optical channel and an outer optical channel that combine to form a single image and where the monocular subassembly comprises a combined eyepiece characterized by an outer eyepiece element being shaped to accommodate the profile of a substantially unmodified inner eyepiece element.
According to one embodiment, the inner eyepiece is generally circular and the outer eyepiece is generally circular except for the portion of an edge that abuts the inner eyepiece, such portion being complementary shaped with respect to the abutting portion of the inner eyepiece.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the monocular subassembly may comprise a combined eyepiece that allows the inner channel eyepiece element to remain whole. A portion of the outer eyepiece element may be cut in a circular fashion to accommodate the inner eyepiece and to allow for the perceived complete overlap of the image provided by both inner channels. Other configurations and geometries may be used. Designing the combined eyepiece in this way can improve the image resolution over the field of view.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4323298 (1982-04-01), Brennan
patent: 4757378 (1988-07-01), Hackett, Jr. et al.
patent: 5233458 (1993-08-01), Moffitt et al.
patent: 6075644 (2000-06-01), Filipovich
Insight Technology Inc.
Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC
Nguyen Thong
LandOfFree
Panoramic night vision goggle having multi-channel monocular... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Panoramic night vision goggle having multi-channel monocular..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Panoramic night vision goggle having multi-channel monocular... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2954794