Abstract:
A headgear light comprising a light body removably securable to a headgear. The preferred embodiment of the light includes a mount assembly including a docking base that is removably attachable to a side of a helmet or other headgear, and provides visible light, invisible light, and friend-or-foe light signals. The light body is compact for easy storage and handling, and can be quickly and easily installed on and removed from the headgear with one hand and without visual reference.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention pertains to mountable light assemblies and more particularly to a light that may be removably secured to a headgear such as a helmet. 
   Lights mounted on helmets and headgear have been known and used in many different forms. Examples of helmet-mounted lights include patents to: Malm, U.S. Pat. No. 4,092,704; Johnston, U.S. Pat. No. 4,186,429; Barnett, U.S. Pat. No. 4,793,007; Hanabusa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,862,331; Hanabusa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,901,210; Becker, U.S. Pat. No. 5,408,393; Case, U.S. Pat. No. 5,608,919; Fischer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,439,733 B1; Fischer et al., U.S. Pat. No. 6,648,489 B2; and Appiah, U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,510 B1. These patents teach a visible light in combination with a helmet or headgear. The inventions disclosed in these patents have various operational characteristics and require varying degrees of effort to remove or install the lights. 
   A clamp that mounts on the brim of a helmet is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,684 to Baril et al. One end of this clamp is made for attachment to the front of a standard army issue helmet and the other end of this clamp is made to accept standard issue night vision goggles. A device for mounting night vision goggles on a helmet is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,689,834 to McCarthy et al. 
   What is needed and has not been found in the prior art or the foregoing patents, however, is a helmet or other headgear-mountable light that can be rigidly attached to the helmet or other headgear and includes a light body that can be readily removed or installed with one hand in a substantially continuous motion. Also not taught in the prior art is the ability to complete such installation and removal without visual reference while the helmet or headgear is being worn. There has also been a need for a helmet or other headgear in combination with a light that provides visible light, invisible light, and/or Identify Friend or Foe (“IFF”) light. Side mounting capability in combination with invisible light and/or IFF light is also not taught in the prior art. Also not taught in the prior art is such a combination that is small enough so that the light body can be readily manipulated with one hand and stored in a pants or shirt pocket. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   According to an aspect of the present invention, a helmet or headgear-mounted light includes a mount assembly and a light body. The light body provides one or more of the following in any combination: a visible light source, a night vision light source that may be in the visible or invisible range, and/or an IFF light source. In a preferred embodiment, the helmet to be used is standard government-issue to the armed forces. The mount assembly is designed to be securely attached to the brim of the helmet with the light sources facing generally forward. This enables the present invention to be mounted on the side of the helmet or headgear or in some other location where it will not interfere with other helmet-mounted devices such as night-vision goggles. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the light body includes a battery housing for a battery comprising at least one battery cell for supplying power as needed to energize the light sources. 
   According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the visible light source has three levels of intensity allowing the user to illuminate the area being faced with different levels of brightness. Depending upon the tactical situation, it may be desirable to use low levels of light for navigation purposes or for investigating dark areas without necessarily compromising security. In other situations, in which user security is not a consideration, higher levels of brightness may be used to illuminate areas that may conceal hazardous conditions. 
   A night vision light source, such as invisible infrared or visible red, can be used for area illumination in situations where night vision capability must be maintained and where night vision devices and/or infrared capable cameras may be in use. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the IFF light can be a blinking green LED with a predetermined repetition rate. In hostile environments where reliable audible communication is not feasible, the flashing green light signals the presence of an individual whose identity is that of a “friend,” assuming that the signaling device has not fallen into hostile hands. Alternatively, the IFF light can be infrared or other invisible light. 
   In the preferred embodiment, the mount assembly includes a mounting bracket, mounting screws, a docking base, and a resilient pad. The docking base serves as a quick-release platform upon which the light body can be quickly and rigidly attached and quickly removed. The mounting screws secure the docking base to the mounting bracket. In an alternative embodiment, the mounting screws secure the mounting bracket to the helmet or headgear. 
   The docking base includes attachment channels that engage complementary attachment rails that are part of the light body. The docking base also includes a quick-release lever that has a latch and a quick-release button. The latch engages a catch or slot on the light body to keep the light body attached to the docking base. 
   When a user depresses the quick-release button, the latch is disengaged from the slot, thereby allowing the light body to be removed from the docking base by a simple sliding motion. The quick-release lever is resilient and the latch is preferably tapered, so that together they act to allow the latch to automatically reengage the catch when the light body is slid back onto the docking base. 
   The light body typically includes a visible light source, a night vision light source, and an IFF light source. The night vision light source preferably provides light such as invisible infrared, but may instead be a visible red light that is compatible with night vision devices while providing low level area illumination. In the preferred embodiment, LED&#39;s are the light sources because of their low power consumption and long life. The visible light source and the night vision light source are typically controlled by a single three-position switch that either activates (1) only visible lighting, (2) only night vision lighting, or (3) neither. The IFF light source is typically controlled by a separate, dedicated on/off switch. The light body of the preferred embodiment is also provided with a brightness control for varying the brightness of the visible light. 
   Accordingly, a light according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises: a mount assembly removably attachable to a headgear such as a helmet, the mount assembly including a docking base adapted to lockably engage a light body; and a light body adapted to lockably engage the docking base, the light body including at least one light source. 
   According to another aspect of the present invention a preferred light embodiment comprises: a mount assembly removably attachable to a headgear and including a docking base; a light body including at least one light source; and a first attachment device carried by the docking base and a second attachment device carried by the light body, the first attachment device and the second attachment device adapted for cooperatively attaching the light body to the mount assembly when the light body is applied to the docking base and displaced in a predetermined direction with respect thereto. 
   According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided light apparatus comprising: a mount assembly removably attachable to a headgear such as a helmet and including a docking base; a light body including at least one light source; and the mount assembly and the light body adapted to be automatically locked to one another when the light body is applied to the docking base and displaced in a predetermined direction along the docking base. One of the mount assembly and the light body includes an actuator for unlocking the light body from the docking base; and the mount assembly and the light body are adapted to be detached from one another when the actuator is actuated and the light body is displaced in a direction opposite the predetermined direction along the docking base. In a preferred example, one of the docking base and the light body includes a channel and the other of the docking base and the light body includes a rail complementary to the channel for slidably engaging the light body along the docking base. 
   According to yet another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a light apparatus comprising: a headgear; a docking base secured to the headgear; a light body including at least one light source; and the docking base and the light body adapted to be automatically locked to one another when the light body is applied to the docking base and displaced in a predetermined direction along the docking base. 
   A preferred manner of practicing the present invention is provided by a method of attaching a light to a headgear, comprising: providing a headgear with a docking base; providing a light body including at least one light source; placing the headgear on a user&#39;s head; the user grasping the light body with one hand and, in a substantially continuous motion of that one hand, aligning the light body with the docking base, sliding the light body onto the docking base, and releasably locking the light body to the docking base. When the user desires to remove the light body from the headgear, the method continues by the user grasping the light body with one hand, and in a substantially continuous motion of that one hand, unlocking the light body from the docking base and sliding the light body off the docking base. The sliding and locking steps during installation of the light body to the docking base, and the unlocking and sliding steps during removal of the light body from the docking base, may be performed without visual reference by the user. 
   The step of providing the headgear with the docking base may include: providing a headgear; providing a mount assembly including the docking base; and securing the mount assembly to a side of the headgear. During the headgear providing step, the headgear may comprise a helmet. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The novel features which are characteristic of the invention, both as to structure and method of operation thereof, together with further advantages thereof, will be understood from the following description, considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which the preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for illustration and description only and not as a definition of the limits or scope of the invention. 
       FIG. 1  is a front view of a preferred embodiment of a light assembly according to the instant invention installed on the brim of a helmet as worn by an individual; 
       FIG. 2  is a front view of the preferred light of  FIG. 1  shown in increased scale as mounted on the brim of a helmet; 
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the preferred light embodiment of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of a mount assembly included in the light of  FIG. 2 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a sectional view of the mount assembly of  FIG. 4  taken along the line  5 - 5  and viewed in the direction of the appended arrows; 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of the docking base and resilient pad of the mount assembly; 
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the helmet mounting bracket of the mount assembly of  FIG. 5 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a rear perspective view of the light body of the light of  FIG. 2 ; and 
       FIG. 9  is a top view of the light of  FIG. 2 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   In the following description, a specific arrangement, construction, and other details are set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the instant invention. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the instant invention may be practiced without these specific details and that other embodiments are within the scope of the instant invention. 
     FIGS. 1-9  show a preferred embodiment of a light apparatus or light  20  of the instant invention.  FIG. 1  shows an individual wearing a helmet  19  with a light  20  of the present invention mounted on the helmet. As best seen in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 ,  6 , and  7 , the preferred embodiment of the light  20  includes a mount assembly  22  comprising a mounting bracket  24  with mounting prongs  29  spaced from an opposing plate  21 , mounting screws  26  threaded through threaded apertures in the opposing plate  21 , a docking base  30 , and a resilient pad  28 . The resilient pad  28  is preferably of an elastomeric material such as neoprene, and has a contact surface  23  that contacts the outer surface of a helmet  19  or headgear. In an alternative embodiment, the resilient pad  28  is optional and need not be included in the mount assembly  22 . 
     FIG. 1  shows the overall size of the preferred embodiment of the light  20 . In this preferred embodiment, the overall size is less than 2.5 inches by 2.5 inches by 1.5 inches. This size is well-suited for achieving an objective of the instant invention which is to provide a helmet-mountable light that can be readily installed to or removed from a helmet or other headgear with only one hand and without visual reference. 
   As shown in  FIG. 5 , in the preferred embodiment the headed attachment screws  26  attach the docking base  30  to the opposing plate  21  of the mounting bracket  24 , the screws  26  extending through bores  25  in the docking base  30  with the screw heads restrained by the annular ledge of the counterbores  25   a . The docking base  30  and the resilient pad  28  are secured together, with portions  35  of the docking base  30  being fitted into slots  37  in the pad  28  ( FIG. 6 ). The screws  26  are short enough so that they do not contact the helmet  19  in this embodiment, and the gap  33  between the mounting prongs  29  and the pad contact surface  23  produces a loose fit with the helmet  19  when the mount assembly  22  is applied to the helmet  19 . It may be appreciated that tightening of the screws  26  into the threaded apertures  31  of the plate  21  pulls the prongs  29  against the inner surface of the helmet  19 . Further tightening of the screws  25  urges the docking base  30  and its secured resilient pad  28  inwardly toward the helmet  19 , compressing the secured resilient pad  28  against the outer surface of the helmet  19  and clamping the helmet  19  between the prongs  29  and the pad  28 . In this manner, the mount assembly  22  is securely mounted to the helmet  19  or other headgear. 
   To install the preferred embodiment of the mount assembly  22  on the helmet  19 , a user pushes the mount assembly  22  onto the brim of the helmet  19  with the triangularly arranged bracket prongs  29  facing the inner surface of the helmet  19  and the resilient pad&#39;s contact surface  23  facing the helmet&#39;s outer surface, and with the lower bracket portion  27  facing and preferably engaging the edge of the helmet&#39;s brim. The user thereupon tightens the screws  26  as described above, securing the mount assembly including the docking base  30  to the helmet  19 . 
   The resilient nature of the resilient pad  28  allows it to compressively fit differing helmet  19  or other headgear thicknesses, as well as to accommodate irregularities in the outer surface of the helmet  19  or other headgear. This resilient nature further enables the resilient pad  28  to conform to differing curvature due to differing mounting locations or differing sizes of helmet  19  or other headgear. 
   To install an alternative embodiment of the mount assembly  22  having screws  26 ′ that are long enough to contact the helmet  19  or headgear, the mount assembly  22  is installed by first loosening the screws  26 ′ until the distance between the mounting prongs  29  and the tips of the screws  26 ′ is large enough to clear the brim of the helmet  19 . The mount assembly  22  is then pushed onto the brim of the helmet  19  with the prongs  29  facing the helmet&#39;s inner surface and the ends of the screws  26 ′ facing the helmet&#39;s outer surface, with the lower bracket portion  27  facing and preferably engaging the edge of the brim. The screws  26 ′ are then tightened until they contact the helmet&#39;s outer surface, forcing the prongs  29  against the helmet&#39;s inner surface and clamping the mount assembly  22  to the helmet  19 . In this alternative embodiment, the securement function of the resilient pad  28  is decreased, and the resilient pad may be omitted from this embodiment if desired. 
   The docking base  30 , best seen in  FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6 , includes a first attachment device on a side of the docking base  30 , for cooperating with a second attachment device on a side of the light body  50  as shown in  FIG. 8 , for quickly and rigidly installing the light body  50  on the docking base  30  and for quickly removing the light body  50  therefrom. In the preferred embodiment, the docking base attachment device includes an attachment guide  32 , an attachment channel  34 , and a quick-release latching lever  36  with latch  38  and quick-release button  40 . A “vertical” landing area  41  and a “horizontal” landing area  42  may also be included in the docking base  30 . 
   The preferred attachment device of the light body  50 , for rigidly attaching the light body  50  to the docking base  30 , includes an attachment rail  52  on the light body  50  that engages the attachment channel  34  in the docking base  30 . The attachment rail  52  comprises two parallel spaced-apart attachment rails  52   a  and  52   b  that are joined together at one end with a continuous U-shaped rail  52   c  and that are open at their other end. 
   The attachment channel  34  comprises two parallel spaced-apart attachment channels  34   a  and  34   b  joined together at one end with a continuous U-shaped channel  34   c  and that are closed at their other end. Once the attachment rails  52  are fully engaged with the attachment channels  34 , the light body  50  is held in full engagement by a locking device preferably comprising the latching lever  36  with the latch  38  that automatically engages a catch or slot  54  in the light body  50 . Once the latch  38  has automatically engaged the slot  54 , the light body  50  is in locked engagement with the docking base  30 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, the light body  50  has a visible light source  56 , e.g., a high luminous flux LED, a night vision light source  58 , e.g., an invisible infrared LED or a visible red LED, and an IFF light source  60 . A single three-position toggle switch  62  typically controls the visible light source  56  and the night vision light source  58 . A separate switch  64  typically controls the IFF light source  60 . 
   For security purposes, the IFF light source  60  is preferably invisible but may be of any color and may blink at any frequency or in any pattern. Such blinking constitutes an intermittent operation and the interval and duration of intermittence may be varied in any manner to achieve any desired blinking pattern. 
   In the preferred embodiment, a brightness control button  66  controls the brightness of the visible light source  56 . Each instance of depressing the brightness button  66  activates, in fixed sequence, one of three levels in a brightness cycle, namely, low, medium, and high. The visible light source  56 , night vision light source  58 , and IFF light source  60  are all typically powered by a single battery, e.g., a 3 volt lithium battery, carried in the light body  50 . 
   Once the mount assembly  22  is secured to the brim of the helmet  19 , preferably along a side of the helmet  19 , an individual wearing the helmet  19  can readily install the light body  50  on, or remove the light body  50  from, the mount assembly  22  in a substantially continuous one-handed motion, using the hand at the same side of the helmet on which the mount assembly  22  is mounted. An individual can complete such installation and removal of the light body  50  in total darkness without the need to make any visual contact with the light  20  or the helmet  19 . 
   To install the light body  50  on the mount assembly  22 , the light body  50  is held in one hand and the attachment rails  52  are aligned with the attachment channels  34 . The battery housing  90  may assist the user in orienting the light body  50  so that the attachment rails  52  are roughly aligned with the attachment channels  34 . 
   The U-shaped guide  32  of the attachment channels  34  acts as an automatic self-centering mechanism to ensure easy engagement of the attachment rails  52  with the attachment channels  34 . This U-shaped guide  32  is large enough so that a user can locate it by feel with a single hand and without the need for visual reference or assistance. A “vertical” landing area  41  and a “horizontal” landing area  42  are both located near the U-shaped guide  32  and each such area provides a tactile reference point that can assist the user in properly aligning the attachment rails  52  with the attachment channels  34 . 
   Once the user aligns the attachment rails  52   a ,  52   b  with the attachment channels  34   a ,  34   b , the light body  50  can then be installed on the docking base  30  by simply pushing the light body  50  toward the quick-release button  40  (i.e., in a rearward direction) until the light body  50  can be pushed no further. The light body  50  is stopped from making contact with the quick-release button  40  because the attachment rails  52  are prevented from further movement by the presence of the U-shaped rail  52   c  coming into contact with the U-shaped channel  34   c . The light body  50  is further stopped from making contact with the quick-release button  40  because the attachment rails  52  are prevented from further movement by the presence of the closed end of the attachment channels  34   a  and  34   b . As the light body  50  reaches this position, the light body  50  trips the latch  38  of the resilient latching lever  36  to engage the catch or slot  54 , automatically and releasably locking the light body  50  to the docking base  30 . 
   As previously noted, the latch  38  and quick-release button  40  are both located on the quick-release latching lever  36  that is part of the docking base  30 . The quick-release lever  36  is resilient so that when the quick-release lever  36  is operated, the quick-release lever  36  automatically returns toward the position it was in prior to being actuated. The latch  38  is tapered so that as the light body  50  is pushed onto the docking base  30 , the light body  50  moves across the taper of the latch  38  thereby displacing the latch  38 . 
   When the light body  50  reaches the point where the attachment rails  52  fully engage the attachment channels  34 , the catch or slot  54  on the light body  50  is then in a position such that the latch  38  automatically springs into engagement with the slot  54 . This engagement keeps the light body  50  rigidly attached to the docking base  30  and, in turn, the mount assembly  22 . The taper of the latch  38  and the raised position of the latch  38  in its normal state can be seen in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . 
   The latch  38  is disengaged from the slot  54  by depressing the quick-release button  40  and simultaneously sliding the light body  50  in a direction away from the quick-release button  40 . Depressing the quick-release button  40  causes the latch  38  to move away from the slot  54  until the latch  38  is completely clear of the slot  54 . At this point, the light body  50  can be pulled free and clear of the docking base  30 . 
   The location of the quick-release button  40  with respect to the light body  50  and mount assembly  22  is best seen in  FIG. 9 . It may be appreciated that, to remove the light body  50  from the docking base  30 , the user may grasp the light body with one hand while, with the thumb or a finger of the same hand, simultaneously depress the quick-release button  40  and slide the light body  50  forward along the channels  34   a ,  34   b  of docking base  30  until the light body  50  is removed from the docking base  30 . 
   The foregoing description is for illustrative purposes only. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made to the instant invention without departing from the overall spirit and scope of the instant invention. It is in that context that the following claims are made.