Method and Apparatus for Mounting a Vision System

Abstract

A vision system for mounting an imaging assembly to a helmet through a helmet adapter and a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly includes a receiver for removably mounting an imaging assembly. The receiver is coupled to a cross-slide assembly providing fore-aft and side-to-side movement of the imaging assembly relative to the helmet. A stow pivot/slide assembly is coupled between the cross-slide assembly and the helmet adapter for moving the imaging assembly between a stowed and a deployed position. The vertical position and tilt angle of the imaging assembly is also adjustable by the stow pivot/slide assembly.

1 . An attachment system for securing a mount to a helmet comprising:
 a front assembly configured to be coupled to a front portion of a helmet;   a rear assembly configured to be coupled to a rear portion of a helmet;   a first elongate member having a first end coupled to said front assembly and a second end coupled to said rear assembly; and   a second elongate member coupled to said first elongate member to establish a cable channel therebetween along at least a portion of said first elongate member between said first end and said second end.   
     
     
         2 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein the second elongate member is an upper strap and said first elongate member is a lower strap when the attachment system is coupled to a helmet. 
     
     
         3 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein said first elongate member and said second elongate members comprise textile materials. 
     
     
         4 . The attachment system of  claim 1 , wherein said front assembly comprises a helmet adapter plate, and a front hook coupled to said helmet adapter plate and configured for coupling to a front portion of a helmet; and wherein said rear assembly comprises a battery pack hub and buckle assembly and a rear hook coupled to said battery pack hub and buckle assembly, and configured for coupling to a rear portion of said helmet, said first elongate member extending between said adapter plate and said battery pack hub and buckle assembly. 
     
     
         5 . The attachment system of  claim 4 , wherein said battery pack hub and buckle assembly is coupled to said rear hook by an adjustable strap. 
     
     
         6 . The attachment system of  claim 4 , further comprising a power cable extending from said battery pack hub and buckle assembly toward said adapter plate at least partially disposed in said cable channel. 
     
     
         7 . The attachment system of  claim 4 , further comprising a battery pack for retaining at least one battery, said battery pack hub and buckle assembly configured to provide a mechanical interface to said battery pack. 
     
     
         8 . The attachment system of  claim 4 , wherein said rear hook comprises hook and loop fasteners on at least a portion of a front and a back surface thereof, said hook and loop fastener on said back surface configured to secure said rear hook to said helmet and said hook and loop fastener on said front surface configured to secure said rear hook to a helmet liner. 
     
     
         9 . An attachment system for securing a vision system to a helmet comprising:
 a first elongate member having a first end for coupling to a feature on a front of a helmet and a second end for coupling to a feature on a rear of the helmet; and   a second elongate member coupled to the first elongate member to establish a cable channel therebetween along at least a portion of the first elongate member between the first end and the second end.   
     
     
         10 . The attachment system of  claim 9 , wherein the second elongate member is an upper strap and said first elongate member is a lower strap, the lower strap maintained in contact with a top surface of a helmet along a substantial portion of its length. 
     
     
         11 . The attachment system of  claim 9 , wherein the first elongate member and the second elongate member comprise webbings that are at least partially sewn together. 
     
     
         12 . The attachment system of  claim 9 , wherein said feature on a front of the helmet comprises a hook on the front of the helmet and said feature on a rear of the helmet comprises a hook on the rear of the helmet. 
     
     
         13 . The attachment system of  claim 12 , wherein the first end of the first elongate member is coupled to said hook on the front of the helmet through a helmet adapter plate and the second end is coupled to said hook on the rear of said helmet through a battery pack hub and buckle assembly. 
     
     
         14 . A helmet adapter assembly for a vision system comprising:
 a helmet adapter plate;   a front hook coupled to said helmet adapter plate and configured for coupling to a front portion of a helmet;   a rear hook configured for coupling to a rear portion of said helmet;   a battery pack hub and buckle assembly coupled to said rear hook; and   a strap extending between said adapter plate and said battery pack hub and buckle assembly.   
     
     
         15 . A helmet adapter assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said battery pack hub and buckle assembly is coupled to said rear hook with an adjustable strap. 
     
     
         16 . A helmet adapter assembly according to  claim 14 , further comprising a power cable extending between said battery pack hub and buckle assembly and a connector coupled to said adapter plate. 
     
     
         17 . A helmet adapter assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said strap comprises a cable channel for covering at least a portion of said power cable extending between said battery pack hub and said helmet adapter plate. 
     
     
         18 . A helmet adapter assembly according to  claim 14 , further comprising a battery pack for retaining at least one battery, said battery pack hub and buckle assembly configured to provide a mechanical interface to said battery pack. 
     
     
         19 . A helmet adapter assembly according to  claim 18 , wherein said battery pack hub and buckle assembly is configured to provide an electrical interface to said at least one battery. 
     
     
         20 . A helmet adapter assembly according to  claim 14 , wherein said rear hook comprises hook and loop fasteners on a front and a back surface thereof, said hook and loop fasteners configured to secure said rear hook to said helmet and to a helmet liner. 
     
     
         21 - 60 . (canceled) 
     
     
         61 . A vision system mount assembly comprising:
 a receiver configured to be removably coupled to an imaging assembly;   a cross-slide assembly coupled to said receiver and configured for adjusting said imaging assembly in a first plane;   a stow pivot/slide assembly configured to pivot said imaging assembly between a first position and a second position, and configured for adjusting said imaging assembly in a second plane; and   a mount arm extending between said stow pivot/slide assembly and said cross-slide assembly.   
     
     
         62 . A vision system mount assembly according to  claim 61 , wherein said cross-slide assembly comprises a first set of slidably cooperating features and a first lead screw for moving said receiver in a first direction. 
     
     
         63 . A vision system mount assembly according to  claim 62 , wherein said cross-slide assembly comprises a second set of slidably cooperating features and a second lead screw for moving said receiver in a second direction generally transverse to the first direction. 
     
     
         64 . A vision system mount according to  claim 61 , wherein said receiver comprises a hot-shoe arrangement for electrically coupling to said imaging assembly. 
     
     
         65 . A vision system mount according to  claim 61 , wherein said stow pivot/slide assembly comprises a set of slidably cooperating features for adjusting said imaging assembly in said second plane. 
     
     
         66 . A vision system mount according to  claim 65 , wherein said stow pivot/slide assembly comprises a pawl and at least one cooperating slot for releasably maintaining said imaging assembly in a first position in said second plane. 
     
     
         67 . A vision system mount according to  claim 61 , wherein said stow pivot/slide assembly comprises a pivot drum and a detent for pivotally moving said imaging assembly between said first position and said second position. 
     
     
         68 . A vision system mount according to  claim 61 , wherein said cross-slide assembly is coupled to said mount arm to provide an adjustable tilt angle of said imaging assembly relative to said mount arm. 
     
     
         69 . A vision system mount according to  claim 61 , further comprising a retainer configured to removably retain said imaging assembly to said receiver. 
     
     
         70 . A vision system mount according to  claim 61 , wherein said receiver is configured to selectively dispose said imaging assembly in front of one of a left and a right eye when the vision system mount assembly is coupled to a helmet. 
     
     
         71 . A receiver for mounting an imaging assembly comprising:
 a body portion;   first and second mounting features capable of removably coupling an imaging assembly to said body portion; and   a retainer configured to releasably retain said imaging assembly to said body portion, said retainer biased toward an engaged position.   
     
     
         72 . A receiver according to  claim 71 , further comprising a plurality of electrical contacts capable of electrically coupling to corresponding contacts of said imaging assembly when said imaging assembly is coupled to said receiver. 
     
     
         73 . A receiver according to  claim 72 , wherein said plurality of electrical contacts are disposed on said first and second mounting features. 
     
     
         74 . A receiver according to  claim 71 , wherein said first and second mounting features are symmetrically opposed on said body portion for alternatively coupling said imaging assembly on either a first or a second side of said receiver. 
     
     
         75 . A receiver according to  claim 71 , wherein said first and second mounting features comprise dovetail slots configured to mate with cooperating dovetail features on said imaging assembly. 
     
     
         76 . A receiver according to  claim 71 , wherein said retainer comprises a lever pivotally coupled to said body portion. 
     
     
         77 . A receiver according to  claim 76 , wherein said lever comprises a detent configured to engage a detent opening defined in said imaging system. 
     
     
         78 . A receiver according to  claim 76 , wherein said lever comprises first and second arms associated with said first and second mounting features. 
     
     
         79 . A cross-slide assembly for coupling a vision system to a helmet, comprising:
 a fore-aft slide configured to be coupled to the helmet;   a fore-aft shuttle slidably coupled to said fore-aft slide and comprising at least one rail; and   a side-side shuttle slidably coupled to said rail, said side-side shuttle configured to be coupled to an imaging assembly.   
     
     
         80 . The cross-slide assembly of  claim 79 , wherein the fore-aft shuttle is configured to provide movement of the imaging assembly toward and away from the helmet and said side-side shuttle is configured to provide movement of the imaging assembly to the left and right of the helmet. 
     
     
         81 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , wherein said fore-aft slide and said fore-aft shuttle comprise nested dovetail features slidably coupling said fore-aft shuttle to said fore-aft slide. 
     
     
         82 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , wherein said side-side shuttle comprises a guide and wherein said rail and said guide comprise nested dovetail features slidably coupling said side-side shuttle to said rail. 
     
     
         83 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , further comprising a fore-aft lead screw coupled between said fore-aft slide and said fore-aft shuttle, rotation of said fore-aft lead screw slidably moving said fore-aft shuttle relative to said fore-aft slide. 
     
     
         84 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , further comprising a forward stop and an aft stop disposed adjacent to opposed ends of said fore-aft slide, said forward stop and said aft stop limiting sliding movement of said fore-aft shuttle relative to said fore-aft slide. 
     
     
         85 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , further comprising an interpupillary lead screw coupled between said fore-aft shuttle and said side-side shuttle, rotation of said interpupillary screw slidably moving said side-side shuttle relative to said rail. 
     
     
         86 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , further comprising first and second stops disposed adjacent to opposed ends of said fore-aft shuttle, said first and second stops limiting sliding movement of said side-side shuttle relative to said rail. 
     
     
         87 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , wherein said fore-aft slide is configured to be coupled to a helmet via a stow pivot/slide. 
     
     
         88 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 87 , wherein said fore-aft slide is configured to be coupled to said stow pivot/slide by an eccentric cam, said eccentric cam configured to tilt said fore-aft slide relative to said stow pivot/slide. 
     
     
         89 . A cross-slide assembly according to  claim 79 , wherein said side-side shuttle is configured to be coupled to said imaging assembly via a receiver. 
     
     
         90 . A stow pivot/slide assembly comprising:
 a slide assembly coupled to a helmet; and   a pivot assembly comprising a pivot housing slidably coupled to said slide assembly and a pivot drum, said pivot assembly further comprising a detent configured to releasably secure said pivot drum in at least a first and a second position relative to said pivot housing.   
     
     
         91 . A stow pivot/slide assembly according to  claim 90 , wherein said detent comprises a biased member coupled between said pivot housing and said pivot drum, said member configured to releasably engage a lateral groove in said pivot drum. 
     
     
         92 . A stow pivot/slide assembly according to  claim 91 , wherein said biased member is a ball biased by a spring. 
     
     
         93 . A stow pivot/slide assembly according to  claim 90 , wherein said detent is configured to releasably secure an imaging assembly coupled to said pivot drum in one of a stowed and a deployed position. 
     
     
         94 . A stow pivot/slide assembly according to  claim 90 , wherein said slide assembly and said pivot assembly comprise cooperating dovetail profiles slidably engaged to one another. 
     
     
         95 . A stow pivot/slide assembly according to  claim 90 , further comprising a slide release assembly coupled between said pivot housing and said slide, said slide release assembly configured to releasably secure said pivot assembly in at least one of a first and second position relative to said slide assembly. 
     
     
         96 . A stow pivot/slide assembly according to  claim 95 , wherein said slide release assembly comprises a release tab coupled to said pivot housing, said release tab having a pawl configured to releasably engage at least one slot in said slide assembly for releasably maintaining a position of said pivot assembly relative to said slide assembly. 
     
     
         97 . A system for attaching a vision system to a helmet comprising:
 a helmet interface coupled to said helmet; and   a mount assembly coupled to an imaging system, said mount assembly comprising a latch plate, said latch plate releasably coupled to said helmet interface.   
     
     
         98 . A system according to  claim 97 , wherein said helmet interface comprises an adapter plate of a helmet adapter assembly. 
     
     
         99 . A system according to  claim 97 , wherein said latch plate comprises a stationary tab and a spring loaded latch for releasably engaging cooperating features of said helmet interface. 
     
     
         100 . A system according to  claim 97 , further comprising an elastomeric member between said helmet interface and said latch plate, said elastomeric member providing a preload.