Helmet mounted multispectral illumination device

Abstract

To provide a multispectral illumination device (MID) configured to be worn on the head of a user.SOLUTION: A multispectral illumination device includes an illuminator head that is configured to be secured to a helmet and includes a plurality of light sources, the light sources being operable to emit light in a plurality of spectral regions. A selector is located on a main housing for actuating one or more light sources within the plurality of light sources, which emit light in a selected one of the plurality of spectral regions. A stalk passes through an opening in the main housing and has a first end coupled to the illuminator head and a second end opposite the first end received within the main housing. The stalk is slidable within the opening in the main housing to extend and retract the illuminator head toward and away from the housing, the stalk being slidable between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] Cross - Reference to Related Applications This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 548,481, filed on November 14, 2023. The foregoing application is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety into this specification.

Background Art

[0002] The present invention relates to a helmet - mounted lighting device, and more particularly to a multi - spectral lighting device (MID) configured to be worn on a user's head.

Summary of the Invention

[0003] The multi - spectral lighting device according to the present disclosure is a head - worn light attached to an adjustable gooseneck fixture that can extend from and be retracted into a housing. The multi - spectral lighting device hosts a plurality of light sources that emit in different spectral regions. In certain embodiments, the multi - spectral lighting device has light sources that emit white light, red light, ultraviolet (UV) light, near - infrared (NIR) light, and short - wave infrared (SWIR) light. For example, white light is visible light that appears as a balanced combination of different colors across the visible spectrum, which can be achieved through various means including incandescent light sources and LEDs having red, green, and blue (RGB) components. White light promotes overall visibility. Red light provides visibility while maintaining dark adaptation at low lighting settings. UV light can be used for forensic imaging, fluorescence detection, or for tracking, identifying, or marking friendly forces, among tactical or operational purposes. NIR light and SWIR provide infrared illumination for night vision in the NIR and SWIR ranges respectively, whereby a soldier can maintain a low profile and avoid revealing their position.

[0004] The light sources in the illustrated embodiments are merely exemplary and non-limiting, and it will be recognized that a multi-spectral illumination device can be configured using emitters in various spectral regions to accommodate a wide variety of applications. The specific selection of spectral regions can be customized to match the requirements of a given application or mission. In an embodiment, control is achieved via a rotary knob with built-in safety features to reduce the risk of accidental emission. In an embodiment, the light sources actuated by selectable positions on the control knob are user-configurable using a related application on a smartphone or other mobile device.

[0005] In one aspect, a multi-spectral illumination device includes a main housing configured to be fixed to a helmet and an illuminator head including a plurality of light sources, the plurality of light sources being operable to emit light in a plurality of spectral regions. A selector is disposed in the main housing to activate one or more of the light sources within the plurality of light sources that emit light in a selected one of the plurality of spectral regions. A stalk has a first end coupled to the illuminator head passing through an opening in the main housing and a second end opposite the first end received within the main housing. The stalk is slidable within the opening of the main housing to extend and retract the illuminator head toward and away from the housing, and the stalk is slidable between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position.

[0006] In a further aspect, a helmet system is provided that includes a helmet combined with a multi-spectral illumination device according to the present disclosure.

[0007] Various features and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the following description of the preferred embodiments.

[0008] The present invention can take forms with various components and component arrangements, as well as various steps and step arrangements. The drawings are for the sole purpose of illustrating the preferred embodiments and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings

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DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Next, reference is made in detail to presently preferred embodiments of the present invention. One or more examples thereof are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Each example is shown for the purpose of explaining the present invention and is not a limitation of the present invention. The present invention can be embodied in various forms. Therefore, the specific structural and functional details disclosed herein should not be construed as limiting, but rather as a basis for the claims and as a representative basis for teaching those skilled in the art to use the inventive concept in any suitable detailed structure in fact. Further, the terms and phrases used herein are not intended to be limiting, but rather are intended to provide an understandable description of the development. In fact, as will be apparent to those skilled in the art, changes and modifications can be made to the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention. For example, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment may be used in another embodiment to yield still other embodiments. Accordingly, the present invention is intended to cover changes and modifications that fall within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.

[0011] As used herein, the term "a" or "an" is defined as one or more. As used herein, the term "another" is defined as at least a second or more. As used herein, the terms "including" and / or "having" are defined as comprising (i.e., an open transition). As used herein, the terms "coupled" or "operably coupled" are defined as being connected either indirectly or directly.

[0012] As used in this application, the terms "front", "rear", "top", "bottom", "above", "below", "left", "right", and other directional descriptors are intended to facilitate the description of exemplary embodiments (s) of the present invention and are not intended to limit the structure to any particular position or orientation.

[0013] All numbers in this specification are assumed to be modified by the term "about" unless otherwise noted. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).

[0014] Referring now to the drawings, like reference numerals refer to like or similar components throughout the several views, and FIG. 1 shows a multi - spectral illumination device 100 attached to the right side (left side of the user) of a helmet 104. It will be appreciated that the unit 100 can also be adapted for attachment to the left side (right side of the user) of the helmet 104. In the illustrated embodiment, the unit 100 is secured to the helmet 104 via a hook 108 that engages a lip portion 112 of the helmet 104. One or more fastener elements such as a threaded fastener that engages a tapped opening or insert on the helmet may also be used. The unit 100 includes a main housing 110.

[0015] As shown in FIG. 2, the unit 100 includes an illuminator head 116, which includes an illuminator head housing 120 that surrounds an illuminator head circuit board 124. The circuit board 124 includes a plurality (five in the illustrated embodiment) of light sources 130a - 130e, and associated driver circuitry, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art. In an embodiment, the light sources are LEDs, and an LED driver circuit may be provided to adjust the luminance or output intensity. In an embodiment, the driver is configured to adjust the luminance level, for example, by modulating the on - off duty cycle of the emitters using pulse width modulation (PWM).

[0016] In certain embodiments, light sources 130a - 130e include one or more white light emitters, one or more red light emitters, one or more UV light emitters, one or more NIR light emitters, and one or more SWIR light emitters. In a preferred embodiment, the light source is an LED light source. A rotary control knob assembly 132 is provided in the housing 110 to selectively activate a desired one of the light sources 130a - 130e. A transparent optical cover or lens 126 can be provided on the circuit board 124 and held on the housing 120 together with the vessel 134.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the illuminator head 116 is disposed at the distal end of the flexible stalk 140, which is slidable relative to the housing 110 through the opening 122 and is movable between a retracted or stowed position (see FIG. 3) and an extended or deployed position (see FIG. 4) as indicated by the arrow 138.

[0018] The control knob 132 assembly includes a knob member 160 that is rotatable as indicated by the arrow 144. The knob member 160 includes an indicator portion 142 and is rotatable to a selected one of a plurality of positions designated 136 - 0, 136 - 1, 136 - 2, 136 - 3, and 136 - 4. Marks can be printed on the housing 110 to assist in identifying the rotational position and its rotational selection by alignment with the indicator portion 142. In certain embodiments, positive stops or detents are incorporated to secure the knob member 160 at each position 136 - 0 to 136 - 4 to prevent inadvertent or accidental rotation.

[0019] In the illustrated embodiment, position 136-0 is designated as the "off" position where none of the light sources 130a - 130e are operating. Positions 136-1 to 136-4 are designated as positions 1 to 4 respectively, and each position is user-programmable to activate a desired one of the light sources 130a - 130e. In an embodiment, the programming process is executed through a mobile application where user-defined settings are stored in a memory associated with a processor on the circuit board 124.

[0020] An exemplary menu hierarchy of the programming interface is shown in FIG. 20. Each of positions 136-1 to 136-4 has an associated item. Each drop-down menu then has menu items 148a - 148e associated with their respective light sources 130a - 130e.

[0021] FIG. 21 shows an exemplary user interface for programming the light sources associated with each of selector positions 136-1 to 136-4 via a dedicated app on, for example, a smartphone, mobile device, smartwatch, or other computer-based information processing system, through a wireless interface such as Bluetooth or Wi-Fi. Each selector position has an associated drop-down menu 146-1 to 146-4 respectively. For each of the drop-down menus 146-1 to 146-4, there is a list of menu items 148a - 148e corresponding to the illumination sources 130a - 130e respectively. The exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 21 includes additional menu levels 150-1 to 150-4 for programming the brightness level of the light source selected for a given knob position. Each of the menu levels 150-1 to 150-4 then includes a plurality of n user-selectable brightness levels 152a, 152b, ~152n, where n is any number.

[0022] As best shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the stalk 140 is flexible, allowing the stalk 140 to be bent or articulated and enabling the illumination head 120 to be targeted at a desired angle. FIG. 5 shows the unit 100 with the stalk 140 angled upward. FIG. 6 shows the unit 100 with the stalk 140 angled downward. As best shown in FIG. 7, the stalk 140 is nestedly received within an opening 122 formed within the housing 110. Advantageously, the stalk 140 is formed from an elongated, hollow, and flexible gooseneck structure, i.e., a coiled or helical tubular structure as known in the art.

[0023] As best shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the illustrated knob assembly 132 is configured to prevent inadvertent rotation, which could inadvertently cause the emission of light that could reveal the presence or location of the operator. The knob assembly 132 includes a knob member 160, which includes a first cylindrical channel 164 formed in the inward-facing surface of the knob member 160. The first cylindrical channel 164 is aligned with a similarly sized second cylindrical channel 168 on the housing 110. Bottom springs 172 are received within the first and second cylindrical channels 164 and 168, respectively. The bottom springs bias the knob member 160 away from the housing 110. The knob member 160 further includes a knob track guide member 176 that travels within a knob track 180 formed within the housing 110.

[0024] The knob positioning barrel 184 passes through a central opening 188 of the knob member 160. The knob positioning barrel 184 includes a distal end 192 that is received within a seat groove 196 formed within the housing 110. The knob positioning barrel 184 also includes a proximal end 200 with a flange or enlarged diameter, and the knob member 160 is held between the housing 110 and the enlarged diameter proximal end 200 of the knob positioning barrel 184.

[0025] The third cylindrical channel 204 is concentric with the first cylindrical channel 164 and the central opening 188. The third cylindrical channel 204 is formed in the outward-facing surface of the knob member 160. The upper spring 208 is received within the third cylindrical channel 204 and presses against the enlarged diameter proximal end 200 of the knob positioning barrel 184. The knob assembly mounting screw 212 passes through the central opening 216 of the knob positioning barrel 184 and threads into the threaded bore 220 of the housing 110 to securely attach the knob positioning barrel 184 to the housing 110.

[0026] The upper spring 208 presses or biases the knob member 160 toward the housing 110. The bottom spring 172 and the upper spring 208 move the knob member 160 to a natural position midway between the housing 110 surface and the enlarged diameter proximal end 200 of the knob positioning barrel 184 when the knob member 160 is in the "off" position. The knob member 160 can be displaced along the central axis 202 from the natural position by pushing the knob member 160 toward the housing 110 and compressing the bottom spring 172. Additionally, the knob member 160 can also be displaced from the natural position by pulling the knob member 160 away from the housing 110 and compressing the upper spring 208. Knob rotation detents 224 are provided at each of the positions 136-1 to 136-4 to fix the knob member 160. As best seen in FIGS. 12 and 13, the knob detents 224 axially fix the knob member 160 at each of the user-selectable positions. The leaf bar spring 228 acts on a flat 232 formed on the knob positioning barrel 184.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 9 - 11, when the knob member 160 is in the "off" position and the knob member 160 is in its natural position, the knob track guide 176 is axially offset from the knob track 180. The knob track 180 is three - dimensional such that movement in either clockwise or counter - clockwise movement is prevented when the knob member 160 is in the "off" position and the knob member 160 is in its natural position. To rotate the knob member 160 to position 1 or 2, by pushing in the knob member 160, it becomes possible to rotate the knob member 160 in the clockwise direction to position 1 or 2. To rotate the knob member 160 to position 3 or 4, by pulling up the knob member 160, it becomes possible to rotate the knob member 160 in the counter - clockwise direction to position 3 or 4. In an embodiment, as best seen in FIG. 10, the knob member 160 has an outward flange 210 to assist the user in pulling the knob member 160 away from the housing 110.

[0028] As best seen in FIGS. 14 - 17, the anti - rotation guide key 240 includes a collar portion 244 for engaging the stalk 140 and an anti - rotation arm 248 that is slidably received within an elongated anti - rotation track 252 formed within the housing 110. The arm 248 and the track 252 cooperate to ensure that the user cannot twist or rotate the stalk 140 when it is in the extended or deployed position.

[0029] FIG. 18 shows a bridge device 260 attached to one or more batteries 264. In the illustrated embodiment, the battery pack 264 is a small tactical universal battery (STUB). The bridge 260 provides communication between devices associated with a helmet, such as one or more helmet accessory devices, a host computer system or central controller, or other computer-based information processing systems associated with the helmet. In the illustrated embodiment, the bridge 260 functions as a link for both power transfer and data transfer to the multi-spectral lighting device 100. The bridge 260 utilizes the connected battery 264 to power the multi-spectral lighting device 100. In an embodiment, a user can configure the multi-spectral lighting device 100 via a mobile app interface and input preferred light source and brightness settings, which are transmitted to the multi-spectral lighting device 100 via the bridge 264. In embodiments where the bridge 264 is operatively coupled to a host computer system, the multi-spectral lighting device 100 can be integrated with a broader computing network.

[0030] As shown in FIG. 19, the multi-spectral lighting device 100 includes a main circuit board 270. Knob position sensors or contacts 272-0, 272-1, 272-2, 272-3, and 272-4 are disposed on the circuit board 270 to detect the position of the control knob assembly 132. A power and data connector 276 is provided to electrically couple the circuit board 270 to the bridge 260 (or alternatively, to a stand-alone battery or battery pack or other controller system). A power and data connector 280 is provided to electrically couple the circuit board 270 to the circuit board 124 within the illuminator head 116. A wire or cable 284 (see FIG. 17) passes through the stalk 140 and extends between the connector 280 and the connector 288 on the illuminator head circuit board 124.

[0031] The number of selectable positions for the knob assembly 132 may be less than the number of available light sources, and as a result, it may be recognized that at least one light source option is not conveniently available to the user. During operation, the operator will need to select the light sources that are expected to be required. It will also be recognized that the same light source can be selected for multiple positions of the control knob assembly 132. For example, two of the knob positions can be used for the same light source, for example, at different brightness levels, to enable better performance for certain expected needs. For example, by utilizing multiple knob positions for the same illumination source at different brightness levels, the user can consider the battery life versus the illumination intensity. Similarly, by using multiple knob positions for the same light source, the user can easily select a brightness level suitable for a given task, such as long-distance illumination for illuminating distant objects, indoor illumination for illuminating indoor spaces, and close-up illumination nearby for inspections or other precision inspections where excessive brightness can have a negative effect.

[0032] The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Upon reading and understanding the foregoing detailed description, modifications and variations will occur to others. The present invention is intended to be construed as including all such modifications and variations as fall within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof.

Claims

1. 1. A multispectral lighting device, comprising: a main housing configured to be secured to a helmet; an illuminator head including a plurality of light sources operable to emit light in a plurality of spectral regions; a selector disposed in the main housing for activating one or more of the light sources in the plurality of light sources operable to emit light in a selected one of a plurality of spectral regions; a stalk passing through an opening in the main housing, the stalk having a first end coupled to the illuminator head and a second end opposite the first end received within the main housing, the stalk slidable within the opening in the main housing to extend and retract the illuminator head toward and away from the housing, the stalk being slidable between a fully extended position and a fully retracted position; The multi-spectral lighting device.

2. a first circuit board disposed within the main housing; a second circuit board disposed within the illuminator head, the plurality of light sources being mounted on the second circuit board; a conductor passing through an interior of the stalk electrically coupling the first circuit board and the second circuit board; The device of claim 1 further comprising:

3. an electrical connector coupled to the first circuit board, the electrical connector configured for connection to one or both of the first and second circuit boards; An external power source; an external computer-based information processing system; The device of claim 2 , comprising:

4. The selector includes a rotatable knob rotatable to a plurality of positions to control operation of the plurality of light sources, the rotatable knob having at least: an off position where the light source is not illuminated; a first on position configured to operate a first subset of the light sources in the plurality of light sources, the first subset of the light sources in the plurality of light sources emitting light in a same spectral region; and a second on position configured to operate a second subset of the light sources in the plurality of light sources, the first subset of the light sources in the plurality of light sources emitting light in a same spectral region; is rotatable with respect to the first subset is the same as or different from the second subset; The device of claim 1 .

5. The device of claim 4 , further comprising a detent element for securing the rotatable knob in each of the off position, the first on position, and the second on position.

6. The main housing comprises: one or more threaded fasteners; one or more hooks for engaging a rim of the helmet; The device of claim 1 , configured to be attached to the helmet via one or both of the following:

7. The plurality of light sources are one or more white light emitters; one or more red light emitters; one or more UV light emitters; one or more NIR emitters; one or more SWIR emitters; The device of claim 1 , comprising:

8. The device of claim 1 , wherein the stalk is an elongated, flexible gooseneck structure that is maneuverable to target the irradiation head.

9. the selector being a knob assembly, A manually rotatable knob; a bottom spring disposed between the manually rotatable knob and the main housing, the bottom spring urging the manually rotatable knob away from the main housing; a knob positioning barrel attached to the main housing and passing through an opening in the manually rotatable knob, the knob positioning barrel including an enlarged diameter portion; an upper spring disposed between the manually rotatable knob and the enlarged diameter portion that presses the manually rotatable knob toward a front main housing, the upper spring and the bottom spring cooperating to position the manually rotatable knob at a predetermined distance from the main housing; a knob track guide member formed on the manually rotatable knob and configured to run within a knob track formed on the main housing, the knob track comprising: blocking the manually rotatable knob from rotating when the manually rotatable knob is at the predetermined distance from the main housing; allowing the manually rotatable knob to rotate only in a first direction when the manually rotatable knob is pulled against the bias of the upper spring away from the main housing a distance from the housing that is greater than the predetermined distance; allowing the manually rotatable knob to rotate only in a second direction opposite to the first direction when the manually rotatable knob is pushed against the bias of the second spring to a distance toward the housing that is less than the predetermined distance from the main housing. the knob track guide member; The device of claim 1 , comprising the knob assembly comprising:

10. an anti-rotation guide key in the main housing, the anti-rotation guide key including a collar coupled to the stalk and an arm extending from the collar into an elongated anti-rotation section, the anti-rotation arm and the anti-rotation track cooperating to prevent rotation of the stalk relative to the main housing; The device of claim 1 further comprising:

11. further comprising a processor and associated memory disposed within the main housing, the processor being operatively coupled to the associated memory; the associated memory is configured to store one or more user presets; the processor controls the operation of the light head based on the one or more user presets. The device of claim 1 .

12. 12. The device of claim 11, wherein the selector has an off position and a plurality of operable positions, and further wherein the one or more user presets include a set of user presets that are activated for each operable position within the plurality of operable positions.

13. Each set of user presets is - settings for selecting one or more light sources from the plurality of light sources to be activated; a setting for a brightness level of one or more light sources from within the plurality of light sources to be activated; The device of claim 12 , comprising one or both of:

14. The device of claim 11 , wherein the user presets are configured to be programmed by connection to an external computer-based information processing system.

15. 16. The device of claim 15, wherein the user presets are configured to be programmed via a dedicated app running on a computer-based information processing system selected from the group consisting of a smartphone, a smartwatch, and a handheld computing device.

16. A helmet system comprising in combination a helmet and a multi-spectral lighting device according to claim 1.

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