Mounting apparatus for night vision system

Abstract

An improved weapon mount system for night vision system includes a cage-like structure receiving the body of a night vision system, such as a night vision monocular. A mounting shoe is attached to the base and cage halves secure the body of the night vision system. The mounting shoe of the present mount provides a lower profile than an integral mounting member on the night vision system that is used to attach the night vision system to a helmet/head worn mount. In one aspect, by lowering the weapon mounting height of the night vision device, the night vision system can be mounted at an appropriate height for use in front of an optical scope. In another aspect one aspect, lowering the weapon mounting height of the night vision device allows the night vision system to be mounted at an appropriate height for use on a helmet mounting system in a binocular system having a thermal camera or other type of viewing device.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mounting apparatus for mounting a night vision system, the night vision system being of a type having an elongated housing and a first mounting fastener on the housing, the mounting apparatus comprising:
 a first shell member having a first base portion and a first generally upstanding side portion;   a second shell member having a second base portion removably attached to the first base portion to define a bottom end and a second generally upstanding side portion which is spaced apart from and opposes the first generally upstanding side portion;   a second mounting fastener attached to an exterior surface of the bottom end;   the first shell member and the second shell member cooperating to define a compartment for receiving the elongated housing, the compartment having an open top opposite the bottom end, the open top configured to allow a protruding portion of the elongated housing having the first mounting fastener to protrude from the compartment.   
     
     
         2 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting fastener is a mounting receptacle. 
     
     
         3 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second mounting fastener is a mounting shoe. 
     
     
         4 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the mounting shoe has a generally dovetail shape. 
     
     
         5 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more threaded fasteners for removably securing the first base portion to the second base portion. 
     
     
         6 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the first base portion and the second base portion each have a complementary keyed feature for interlocking the first base portion to the second base portion. 
     
     
         7 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the first base portion includes a protuberance which extends into a complementary recess on the second base portion. 
     
     
         8 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a first front retention tab attached to a distal end of the first generally upstanding side portion and extending toward the second upstanding side portion;   a second front retention tab attached to a distal end of the second generally upstanding side portion and extending toward the first upstanding side portion;   a first rear retention tab attached to a distal end of the first generally upstanding side portion and extending toward the second upstanding side portion;   a second rear retention tab attached to a distal end of the second generally upstanding side portion and extending toward the first upstanding side portion;   the first front retention tab and the first rear retention tab disposed at opposite axial ends of the first generally upstanding side portion;   the second front retention tab and the second rear retention tab disposed at opposite axial ends of the second generally upstanding side portion;   the first front retention tab and the second front retention tab configured to bear against a forward facing surface of the protruding portion of the elongated housing;   the first rear retention tab and the second rear retention tab configured to bear against a rearward facing surface of the protruding portion of the elongated housing.   
     
     
         9 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 at least one of the first front retention tab and the first rear retention tab including a first set screw rotatably received within a first threaded opening; and   at least one of the second front retention tab and the second rear retention tab including a second set screw rotatably received within a second threaded opening.   
     
     
         10 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a rail clamp having a clamping member configured to be removably attached to a firearm accessory rail coupled to a third mounting fastener removably attachable to the second mounting fastener.   
     
     
         11 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the rail clamp has a first height and the base portion has a second height, the first and second heights cooperating to position an optical axis of the night vision system at a desired height above the accessory rail when night vision system is received in compartment, when the second mounting fastener is attached to the third mounting fastener, and when the rail clamp is attached to the accessory rail. 
     
     
         12 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 11 , further comprising the night vision system. 
     
     
         13 . The mounting system of  claim 12 , wherein the night vision system is a MINI N/SEAS night vision monocular. 
     
     
         14 . The mounting system of  claim 12 , wherein the protruding portion of the elongated housing has a third height which is greater than the desired height. 
     
     
         15 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 11 , wherein the desired height is substantially equal to a fourth height, the fourth height equal to a height above the accessory rail of an optical axis of an optical device mounted to the accessory rail. 
     
     
         16 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the third mounting fastener is pivotally attached to the clamping member, the third mounting fastener pivotable between an operative position wherein the night vision system is in optical alignment with the optical device mounted to the accessory rail and a non-operative position wherein the night vision system is moved out of optical alignment with the optical device mounted to the accessory rail. 
     
     
         17 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein the third mounting fastener is pivotally attached to the clamping member, the third mounting fastener pivotable between an operative position and a non-operative position. 
     
     
         18 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the second mounting fastener is configured to be attached to a helmet mount of a type configured to support the night vision system before an eye of a user. 
     
     
         19 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the base portion has a height selected to suspend the night vision system at a desired vertical position beneath the helmet mount. 
     
     
         20 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the height is selected so that an optical axis of the night vision system attached to the helmet mount will be at substantially the same vertical position beneath the helmet mount as an optical axis of an adjacent attached viewing device attached to the helmet mount. 
     
     
         21 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the adjacent attached viewing device is a thermal camera.