BINOCULAR BINOCULARS ADAPTABLE TO THE DOMINANT EYE
The mechanical system in night vision binoculars allows a single power supply and adapts to the user's dominant eye by reversing the bridge and rotating channels, addressing the need for separate power supplies and equipment types.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- FR · FR
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- PHOTONIS FRANCE
- Filing Date
- 2024-12-31
- Publication Date
- 2026-07-03
AI Technical Summary
Existing night vision binoculars require separate power supplies for each channel, necessitating two batteries to be charged separately, and are not adaptable to the user's dominant eye without requiring two distinct types of equipment.
A mechanical system allowing the bridge of the binoculars to be reversed and the channels to be rotated by 180 degrees, enabling a single power supply for both channels and adapting to the user's dominant eye by interchanging the position of the channels.
Enables the use of a single power supply for both channels and allows the binoculars to be adapted to the user's dominant eye without needing separate equipment types, simplifying operation and reducing the need for dual battery management.
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Abstract
Description
Title of the invention: BINOCULAR BINOCULARS ADAPTABLE TO THE DOMINANT EYE Scope of the invention
[0001] The present invention relates to binocular binoculars adaptable to the dominant eye of a user and, more particularly, binoculars with separate information on the two channels.
[0002] The invention finds a particularly advantageous application in the field of night vision. State of the art
[0003] As illustrated in figures 1 and 2, the binocular binoculars 100 are classically presented in the form of two channels 11 connected by a bridge 12. Each channel 11 is mobile in rotation about an axis of the bridge, so as to be able to adjust the spacing of said channels 11 according to the morphology of the user.
[0004] In addition, the bridge 12 is conventionally mounted in a removable manner on a claw 13 of the user's helmet 14, this claw 13 being configured to be movable between two positions: - a usage position, [Fig. 1], in which the binoculars 100 are positioned in front of the user's eyes; and - a retracted position, [Fig.2], in which the claw 13 is raised and the tracks 11 are placed against each other, and therefore in a non-operational position.
[0005] To limit the volume of the binoculars 100 in the retracted position, the channels 11 can be mounted on the rotation axis of the bridge 12 with a predetermined rotation amplitude having a rotation angle of up to 90 degrees.
[0006] The binoculars may incorporate night vision channels integrating several elements placed on the optical axis of the user's eye, in order to transform the image of the observed scene. More specifically, each night vision channel comprises, from the scene outside the user's eye, a lens, a light intensifier tube, and an eyepiece.
[0007] The objective lens conventionally comprises one or more lenses for capturing photons from the electromagnetic radiation of the observed scene. The eyepiece, similarly to the objective lens, comprises one or more lenses for capturing and, incidentally, visualizing photons from the light signal emitted by the image intensifier tube. The image intensifier tube conventionally comprises at least three distinct elements: a photocathode, an electron multiplier, and a phosphor screen.
[0008] Night vision binoculars, comprising several night vision channels, are particularly useful in very dimly lit operational environments and may incorporate means for regulating brightness to limit the risk of glare for the user. However, the electronic components integrated into these binoculars require a power supply, and it is recommended to use night vision binoculars with a common power supply for the different channels.
[0009] These power supply means are conventionally arranged between the two channels and under the bridge, in the space opposite that attached to the user's helmet clip. Furthermore, in this space provided under the bridge, it is also known to integrate specific sensors to implement image fusion on at least one of the binocular channels.
[0010] This fusion technique is more particularly described in documents US 10,419,691 and EP 2,679,000 and aims to provide, on one of the two channels, specific information on the observed scene, in particular to guide the user's firing.
[0011] However, the dominant eye of users can vary from one user to another, so it is often necessary to provide two distinct types of binoculars incorporating a specific channel with a fusion system. Thus, the channel with the fusion system is located on the left for users with a left dominant eye, and on the right for users with a right dominant eye.
[0012] To limit the need for two separate types of equipment, it is possible to use systems attached to conventional binoculars or generic bridges, also called "Bi-Mono". These binoculars or generic bridges are designed to accommodate interchangeable and self-contained channels that may or may not incorporate fusion systems. These interchangeable channels have the advantage of being able to be positioned on the left or right depending on the user's dominant eye.
[0013] However, these interchangeable channels are not connected to each other, so it is necessary to provide two power supply systems for the two autonomous channels and the user must ensure that both batteries of the two autonomous systems are charged before any operation, unlike integrated systems which have the advantage of having only one battery to control.
[0014] Thus, there is a need for binoculars that allow the integration of adaptable fusion systems for the user's dominant eye, preferably with an integrated power supply for both channels. Description of the invention
[0015] To address this technical problem, the invention proposes a mechanical system for interchanging the position of the tracks by mounting the tracks with an axis of large amplitude rotation and also allowing the bridge to be reversed, so that it can be fixed on a claw on two separate faces of the bridge.
[0016] To this end, the invention relates to binocular binoculars comprising two channels with distinct information on each channel; each channel being mounted on a bridge via a rotation axis with a predetermined rotation amplitude, the bridge having a first and a second opposite face.
[0017] The invention is characterized in that the bridge incorporates fastening means on said two opposite faces configured to allow the bridge to be fixed with a claw using either of these opposite faces. Thus, the fastening means and said predetermined amplitude of rotation are adapted so that the binoculars have a first configuration in which the channels are placed opposite the first face while said fastening means are implemented on the second face, and a second configuration in which the channels are brought by pivoting around the axes of rotation opposite the second face while said fastening means are implemented on the first face.
[0018] The invention thus allows a user with a dominant left or right eye, who notices that their headset has binoculars that are not adapted to their dominant eye, to rotate the bridge 180 degrees. Following this first rotation, both channels are also rotated so that the two channels are reversed for the user. For example, the predetermined rotation range has an angle strictly greater than 90°, preferably greater than 120°, and even more preferably greater than 160°.
[0019] Preferably, the two channels correspond to night vision channels integrating electronic elements placed on the optical axis of the user's eye and the electronic elements of the two channels are powered by a single power supply fixed on one or the other of the two channels.
[0020] Furthermore, binoculars preferably incorporate a system for fusing two different optical images, allowing information to be inserted onto a channel associated with the user's dominant eye. The fusion system preferably includes an optical sensor positioned below the channel associated with the user's dominant eye such that the central position of the bridge is free on both the upper and lower surfaces of the bridge.
[0021] Indeed, these two faces can be used to fix the bridge to the claw depending on the position of the track associated with the fusion system. To this end, the fixing means can incorporate two fixing supports attached to the two opposite faces of the bridge so that the bridge can be fixed to a claw by either of the two fixing supports.
[0022] Alternatively, the fastening means incorporate a removable fastening support cooperating with the bridge so that the bridge can be fixed onto a claw by moving the removable fastening support.
[0023] Thus, the invention makes it possible to provide binocular binoculars with two separate channels in which the position of the channel associated with the user's dominant eye can be interchanged without the need to dismantle the channels on the bridge and while allowing the use of a single power supply between the different channels.
[0024] Switching from one track located on one of the guiding eyes to the other is possible with two rotational movements: a complete reversal of the bridge and a second reversal of the tracks by at least 160 degrees. Preferably, this track reversal is between 170 and 190 degrees so as to simultaneously adapt to the user's eye spacing. Brief description of the figures
[0025] The invention will be better understood upon reading the following description, given solely by way of example, and carried out in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which identical reference numerals designate identical or analogous elements, and in which:
[0026] The [Fig. 1] is a perspective view of prior art binoculars in a position of use;
[0027] [Fig.2] illustrates the prior art binoculars of [Fig.1] in a retracted position;
[0028] The [Fig.3] is a schematic cross-sectional view of binocular binoculars according to a first embodiment of the invention and in a first position;
[0029] The [Fig.4] is a schematic representation of the twins of the [Fig.3] in a first transformation stage;
[0030] The [Fig.5] is a schematic representation of the twins of the [Fig.3] in a second transformation step;
[0031] The [Fig.6] is a schematic representation of the binoculars of the [Fig.3] in a second position;
[0032] The [Fig.7] is a schematic representation of binocular binoculars according to a second embodiment of the invention;
[0033] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the twins of Figure 7 in a first transformation stage; and
[0034] Fig. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional representation of the binocular twins of Fig. 7 in a second position. Detailed description of the invention
[0035] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], the invention relates to binocular binoculars 10a for which two channels 11a and 11b are fixed to a bridge 12a. The bridge may be a substantially parallelepiped-shaped metal or plastic part. Above this bridge 12a, fastening means 15a are conventionally fixed so as to attach a clip 13 of a user's helmet 14, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.
[0036] More specifically, the fixing means 15 a are fixed on a first face Fl of the bridge while the tracks 11 a and 11 b are placed opposite a second face F2 of the bridge 12 a. Furthermore, the tracks 11 a and 11 b are fixed on the bridge 12 a with an axis of rotation A r so that the tracks 11 a and 11 b are mobile in rotation around this axis A r.
[0037] Preferably, channels 11a and 11b correspond to night vision channels incorporating means for transforming the observed image in order to increase its brightness. To this end, these channels conventionally incorporate an objective lens followed by a light-intensifying tube and an eyepiece. The objective lens generally comprises several lenses for capturing photons from the electromagnetic radiation of the observed scene. The eyepiece also comprises one or more lenses for capturing and visualizing photons from the light signal emitted by the light-intensifying tube. As for the light-intensifying tube placed between the objective lens and the eyepiece, it conventionally comprises a photocathode, an electron multiplier, and a phosphor screen.
[0038] The photocathode is in the form of a semi-transparent photosensitive layer that receives electrons from the incident electromagnetic radiation, i.e., the photons transmitted by the lens. The interaction of the photons from the incident electromagnetic radiation of the observed scene with the photocathode produces, by the photoelectric effect, the emission of electrons called primary electrons. The primary electrons are then subjected to a first electric field within a first acceleration zone, which directs the primary photons towards the electron multiplier. This electric field is created by applying a voltage between the photocathode and the electron multiplier. The electron multiplier typically comprises a wafer of microchannels covered by electrodes. The microchannels pass completely through the body of the electron multiplier wafer and are parallel to each other.Furthermore, these microchannels have an axis of revolution inclined by a few degrees relative to the normal of the surface of the electron multiplier so as to introduce multiple collisions of primary electrons in the microchannels.
[0039] In the electron multiplier, a second electric field is applied between the two faces of the electron multiplier by means of electrodes placed on either side of the microchannel wafer. This second electric field allows an electric current to be introduced into each microchannel, enabling the multiplication of primary electrons during the multiple collisions within the microchannels. Thus, a large number of secondary electrons are generated at the output of the microchannel wafer. These secondary electrons are also accelerated in a second acceleration zone until they reach the phosphorescent screen, which transforms these secondary electrons into photons transmitted to the eyepiece.
[0040] To power the various acceleration zones or the microchannel wafer, a power supply is required. This power supply is not shown in Figures 3 to 9, but it can typically be integrated into the bridge 12a illustrated in [Fig. 3] so as to power both channels 11a and 11b with a single battery.
[0041] As illustrated in [Fig. 3], it should be noted that the two channels are not identical. Indeed, channel 11a corresponds classically to a night vision channel, while channel 11b corresponds to a night vision channel preferably equipped with a fusion system. In the example of [Fig. 3], this fusion system is adapted to fuse the images from the image intensifier tube described above and an optical sensor 16 located under the channel associated with the user's dominant eye. Of course, this fusion system can also be placed in other locations and, for example, integrated into the bridge 12a.
[0042] Since the fusion system is integrated on only one of the channels, channel 11b in the example of [Fig. 3], the invention proposes a mechanical system to allow the inversion of this channel 11b for a dominant eye that is not positioned in the same configuration as that of [Fig. 3]. Indeed, in [Fig. 3], the dominant eye corresponds to the user's right eye, considering that the user is looking through channels 1a and 11b.
[0043] To ensure that channel 11b is positioned on the left for a user whose dominant eye is their left eye, the invention proposes a first step of relocating the mounting bracket 15a of the claw. Thus, in the embodiment shown in Figures 3 to 6, the mounting bracket 15a is removed from the bridge 12a and placed on the second face F2, as illustrated in [Fig. 4]. As illustrated in [Fig. 5], the bridge 12a can then be completely rotated through an angle of 180 degrees so that the second face F2 is positioned at the top and the first face F1 at the bottom. The mounting bracket 15a is then positioned at the top and can be attached to the claw 13 of a headset 14.
[0044] To achieve the complete reversal of the two tracks 1a and 11b, they can then be rotated about the axis of rotation Ar so that the two tracks 1a and 11b are positioned opposite the first face Fl of the bridge 12a, as illustrated in [Fig. 6]. Thus, the predetermined amplitude of rotation of the axis of rotation Ar is typically at least greater than 90 degrees, preferably greater than 120 degrees, and even more preferably greater than 160 degrees. Typically, in the example of Figures 3 to 6, this angle of rotation is between 170 and 190 degrees.
[0045] Alternatively, as illustrated in Figures 7 to 9, bridge 12b can be smaller and, in the first position, the two channels 1a and 11b can already be inclined relative to bridge 12a to adjust the user's eye spacing. Thus, when bridge 12b is reversed, as illustrated in [Fig. 8], and channels 1a and 11b are moved, as illustrated in [Fig. 9], the angle of rotation of the channels is much smaller, typically between 120 and 160 degrees.
[0046] Furthermore, the embodiment shown in Figures 7 to 9 illustrates the use of two fastening means 15b fixed on either side of the bridge 12b, so that it is not necessary to remove the fastening means 15b before turning the bridge 12b over. This embodiment of Figures 7 to 9 is therefore quicker to implement for changing the dominant eye of the binoculars 10b, but it requires two fastening supports 15b fixed on the two faces Fl and F2 of the bridge 12b, whereas the embodiment of Figures 3 to 6 requires only one removable fastening support 15a.
[0047] In conclusion, the invention provides mechanical means for switching the dominant eye of binoculars 10a, 10b by rotating the bridge 12a, 12b and the channels 11a, 11b. This invention is particularly suitable for night vision binoculars, especially binoculars with separate information on each channel, typically using a fusion system.
Claims
Demands
1. Binocular binoculars (10a, 10b) comprising two channels (lia, 11b) with distinct information on each channel (lia, 11b); each channel (lia, 11b) being mounted on a bridge (12a, 12b) via a rotation axis (Ar) with a predetermined amplitude of rotation, the bridge having a first and a second opposite face (Fl, F2); characterized in that the bridge (12a, 12b) incorporates fastening means (15a, 15b) on said two opposite faces (Fl, F2) configured to permit fastening of the bridge (12a, 12b) with a claw (13) using either of these opposite faces (Fl, F2);the fixing means (15a, 15b) and said predetermined amplitude of rotation being adapted so that the binocular binoculars (10a, 10b) have a first configuration in which the channels (lia, 11b) are placed opposite the first face (F1) while said fixing means (15a, 15b) are implemented on the second face (F2), and a second configuration in which the channels (lia, 11b) are brought by pivoting around the axes of rotation opposite the second face (F2) while said fixing means (15a, 15b) are implemented on the first face (F1).;
2. Binocular binoculars according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined rotation amplitude has an angle strictly greater than 90°, preferably greater than 120° and even more preferably greater than 160°.
3. Binoculars according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the two channels (lia, 11b) correspond to night vision channels integrating electronic elements placed on the optical axis of the user's eye.
4. Binocular binoculars according to claim 3, wherein the electronic elements of both channels are powered by a single power supply fixed to one or the other of the two channels (lia, 11b).
5. Binoculars according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the binoculars (10a, 10b) incorporate a system for fusing two different optical images, allowing information to be inserted on a channel (11b) associated with the user's dominant eye.
6. Binocular binoculars according to claim 5, wherein the fusion system comprises an optical sensor (16) disposed under said channel (11b) associated with the user's dominant eye.
7. Binoculars according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fixing means incorporate two fixing supports (15b) fixed on the two opposite faces (F1, F2) of the bridge (12a, 12b).
8. Binocular binoculars according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the fixing means incorporate a removable fixing support (15a) cooperating with the bridge (12a, 12b).
9. Binocular binoculars according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the rotation axis of each channel (lia, 11b) is configured to permit rotation with an angle between 170 and 190 degrees.