NIGHT VISION VIEWING SYSTEMS

Assignee

GEC-MARCONI LIMITED, THE, A BRITISH COMPANY

Filed

Mar 10, 1988

Granted

Dec 28, 1999

Location

E. PRESTON EN GB

Abstract

A night vision viewing system (13a or 13b) suitable for mounting on an observer's headgear (11) wherein light rays from a forward scene pass to the observer's eye (E) via a path comprising a forward looking objective lens (19), a first inclined reflector (23) which directs the rays upwardly onto the input face of a downward-looking image intensifier (25). Intensified rays from the image intensifier pass, in turn, via a fibre optic stub image rotator (27), a second inclined reflector (29), a relay lens arrangement (31) and third and fourth inclined reflectors (33) and (35), the fourth reflector directing the rays downwardly into an eyepiece (15) which is in the observer's forward line of sight. The eyepiece (15) incorporates an internal surface (39) having both light reflective and light transmissive properties which directs rays entering the eyepiece (15) from the intensifier (25) to the observer's eye. The fibre optic stub serves to effect rotation of the intensified image to present an intensified image of correct orientation to the observer. The configuration of the system allows the possibility of achieving an optimal position for the centre of gravity of the system in relation to the neck pivot position of the observer.

Source: Google Patents