Patent Document

BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The invention relates generally to adjustable binocular devices, and more particularly, to adjustable binocular loupes.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     In some adornable binocular devices a user may need to adjust the inter-pupillary distance (“IPD”) between the telescopes or the convergence between the telescopes of the binocular device. It is desirable that such adjustments are simple and stable. The present invention provides simple and stable IPD and convergence adjustment systems for adornable binocular devices.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The present invention includes improving an adornable binocular device having a telescope pair and an adjustable inter-pupillary distance (IPD). In the device both telescopes move simultaneously and substantially the same distance when the IPD is adjusted. The improvement includes a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional adjustment of the IPD. In an embodiment where the device has an IPD adjustment mechanism, the improvement may include a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional activation of the IPD adjustment mechanism.  
         [0006]     In an embodiment the IPD adjustment mechanism may be activated by a rotational force. In this embodiment, the improvement may include a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional rotation of the IPD adjustment mechanism. In an embodiment, the IPD adjustment mechanism may be coupled to housing. In this embodiment the improvement may include a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional rotation of the IPD adjustment mechanism by releasably applying a compressive force from the IPD adjustment mechanism to the housing. In an embodiment the improvement mechanism may include a spring. Further in an embodiment the IPD adjustment mechanism and housing may include matable teeth.  
         [0007]     In an embodiment the device may have two moveable arms with one of the telescope pair attached to each arm. In this embodiment the improvement may include a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional displacement of the moveable arms. In an embodiment the device may have a housing that holds at least a portion of two moveable arms. In this embodiment the improvement may include a mechanism for releasably preventing unintentional displacement of the moveable arms by releasably applying compressive force from the least a portion of the two moveable arms to the housing. In an embodiment the mechanism may include a cam.  
         [0008]     The present invention also includes improving an adornable binocular device having a telescope pair where each telescope is pivotally mounted to an arm to permit convergence adjustment. In this embodiment, the improvement may include a first releasably pivoting coupling between each telescope and arm. The improvement may also include a second releasably slidable coupling between each telescope and arm. In an embodiment, the second coupling may be located one of more forward or more rearward on the telescope than the first coupling. In an embodiment the second releasably slidable coupling may include a partial radial slot in the arm. In an embodiment the partial radial slot in the arm may be dimensioned to permit at least 4 degrees of movement of telescope relative the first releasably pivoting coupling. In an embodiment, the first releasably pivoting coupling may include a mechanical element extending from the arm into the telescope.  
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The features, objects, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which like reference characters identify correspondingly throughout and wherein:  
         [0010]      FIG. 1A  is an isometric view of a binocular system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0011]      FIG. 1B  is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in  FIG. 1A  taken along the line AA.  
         [0012]      FIG. 1C  is a top view of the binocular system shown in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0013]      FIG. 2A  is an isometric view of a binocular system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0014]      FIG. 2B  is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in  FIG. 2A .  
         [0015]      FIG. 3A  is an isometric view of a binocular system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0016]      FIG. 3B  is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in  FIG. 3A .  
         [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a view of a binocular system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention.  
         [0018]      FIG. 4B  is a sectional view of the binocular system shown in  FIG. 4A .  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0019]     Throughout this description, embodiments and variations are described for the purpose of illustrating uses and implementations of the invention. The illustrative description should be understood as presenting examples of the invention, rather than as limiting the scope of the invention.  
         [0020]      FIG. 1A  is an isometric view of a binocular system or loupes  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 1B  is a sectional view of the binocular loupes  10  shown in  FIG. 1A  taken along the line AA.  FIG. 1C  is a top view of the binocular loupes  10  shown in  FIG. 1A . The binocular loupes  10  include a telescope or barrel pair  20 , a housing  50 , a right barrel to housing arm  30 , a left barrel to housing arm  40 , an IPD adjustment mechanism  60 , and a mount  80 . The loupes  10  may adorned by a user via the mount  80  where the mount  80  is coupled to device(s) that enable the user to place the loupes  10  in their vision pathway, e.g., the devices may include spectacles or a head band. The mount  80  is coupled the housing  50 . In an embodiment the mount  80  may be incorporated in the housing  50 .  
         [0021]     In an embodiment each barrel  20  has a front  22 , a back  24 , and a housing arm extension  26 , and screw openings  28 . The barrel or telescope  20  may include one or more lens located between, near, or at the barrel or telescope front  22  and back  24 . In  FIG. 1A , a lens  21  is shown in right barrel front  22  and in  FIG. 1B  a lens  23  is shown in the right barrel rear  23 . Lens are not shown in the left barrel in these figures for the sake of clarity. The right barrel to housing arm  30  moveably couples a barrel  20  via its extension  26  to the housing  50 . The left barrel to housing arm  30  moveably couples the other barrel  20  via its extension  26  to the housing  50 . In an embodiment the right arm  30  includes a rail having an end  32 , a gear rack  38 , a partial radial screw slot  34 , and a pivot screw slot  36 . In this embodiment the left arm  40  also includes a rail having an end  42 , a gear rack  48 , a partial radial screw slot  44 , and a pivot screw slot  46 . In this embodiment  10  the barrel extension  26  includes a rear and a front screw hole  28 .  
         [0022]     As shown in  FIG. 1C , the right rail  30  partial radial screw slot  34  is oriented to a barrel front  22  to engage the barrel  20  extension  26  front screw hole  28 . The right rail  30  pivot screw slot  36  is oriented to a barrel rear  24  to engage the barrel  20  extension  26  rear screw hole  28 . Similarly, the left rail  40  partial radial screw slot  44  is oriented to a barrel front  22  to engage the barrel  20  extension  26  front screw hole  28 . The left rail  40  pivot screw slot  46  is oriented to the barrel rear  24  to engage the barrel  20  extension  26  rear screw hole  28 . In another embodiment the pivot screw slot  36 ,  46  may be oriented to a barrel front  22  or adjacent the slot  34 ,  44  to engage the barrel  20  extension  26  front screw hole  28  and the partial radial screw slot  34 ,  44  may be oriented to a barrel rear  22  or adjacent the slot  36 ,  46  to engage the barrel  20  extension  26  rear screw hole  28 . In an embodiment different mechanical elements may be employed in the slots  34 ,  36 ,  44 ,  46  and the extension  26  holes  28  including a threaded bolt and the screw or bolt could be coupled to a cam based element that is rotated from a free, non-compressive state to an active, compressive state.  
         [0023]     The radial section of the slot  34  and  44  of the arms  30 ,  40  is selected to permit about 4 to 8 degrees of movement of the barrel front  22  relative the barrel rear  24  via the pivot slot  36 ,  46 . This enables a user to adjust or set the convergence angle between the barrel or telescope pair  20  and then stably lock each barrel  20  via its extension  26  to an arm  30 ,  40  via a first screw passing the arm  30 ,  40  pivot screw slot  36 ,  46  into the barrel extension  26  screw hole  28  and a second screw passing through the arm  30 ,  40  partial radial screw slot  34 ,  44  into the barrel extension  26  other screw hole  28 .  
         [0024]     In an embodiment the binocular loupes  10  IPD adjustment mechanism  60  includes an adjustment knob  62  having a plurality of teeth  74 , a pinion gear  64  coupled to the knob  62 , spring  66 , washer  68 , and spring retaining screw  72 . The pinion gear  64  simultaneously engages the right arm  30  gear rack  38  and the left arm  40  gear rack  48 . In an embodiment the right and left gear racks have the same gear spacing. In this embodiment rotation of the pinion gear  64  via the knob  62  in either direction causes both arms  30 ,  40  to move approximately equal distances relative to the knob, inward to outward to change the distance between the barrels and effective IPD for a user adorning the loupes  10 . In this embodiment both the housing  50  and knob  62  have mating teeth  56 ,  74  respectively. In an embodiment each have 20 teeth spaced 18 degrees apart. In the loupes  10  the spring  66  is biased against the housing  50  bottom  54  and washer  68  where the washer is coupled to the knob  62  via the retaining screw  72 .  
         [0025]     In stasis the spring  66  causes the knob teeth  74  to stably mate to the housing teeth  56  to lock the IPD between the barrel or telescope pair  20 . To change the IPD, a user pulls the knob axially upward relative to the spring  66  axis to disengage the knob teeth  74  from the housing teeth  56 , rotates the knob  62  about the axis in a direction to cause the arms  30 ,  40  to move inward or outward approximately equal distances simultaneously, and then releases the knob  62 . The spring  66  bias then exerts sufficient axial downward force to reengage the knob teeth  74  to the housing teeth  56 , securing the selected IPD distance and preventing unintentional IPD modification. In an embodiment the spring constant is about 9 to 11 pounds per inch.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2A  is an isometric view of a partial binocular system  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 2B  is a sectional view of the partial binocular system or loupes  100  shown in  FIG. 2A . The binocular system  100  includes an IPD mechanism  160  and housing  150  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The barrel pair  20  is not shown for clarity. In this embodiment the IPD mechanism  160  includes a locking lever  166  with at least one locking tab  168 . The housing  150  includes support arms for rotatably holding the locking lever  166  and at least one housing opening  159  that corresponds with the at least one locking tab  168 . In this embodiment the arms or rails  30 ,  40  each include sleeves  39 ,  49  where arms  30 ,  40  may slide within each other. Similar to the IPD mechanism  60 , the mechanism  160  also includes a pinion gear  164  coupled to a knob  162 . The IPD mechanism  160  may also include teeth and the housing  150  corresponding mating teeth such as shown in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0027]     When the locking lever  166  of the IPD mechanism  160  is engaged by moving toward the barrel rear  24 , the tabs  168  engage the lower, right arm  30  causing the right arm to move upward and compress against the upper, left arm  40  and housing  150 . In this embodiment, after lever  166  engagement the IPD between the arms  30 ,  40  is stably fixed. The adjustment knob  162  would also be substantially immovable. When the locking level  166  of the IPD mechanism  160  is disengaged by moving it toward the barrel front  22 , the tabs  168  via the housing  150  openings  159  release their compression force against the arms  30 ,  40 . A user may then adjust the IPD via the adjustment knob  162  and lock the IPD by moving the lock lever  166  toward the rear.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3A  is an isometric view of another partial binocular system  200  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 3B  is a sectional view of the partial binocular system or loupes  200  shown in  FIG. 3A . The binocular system  200  includes an IPD mechanism  260  and housing  250  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The barrel pair  20  is not shown for clarity. In this embodiment the IPD mechanism  260  includes a radially activated locking lever  268 . The housing  250  includes a radial cam  258  that engages the radially activated locking lever  268 . The locking lever  268  is coupled to the pinion gear  264  via a retaining screw  272 . The IPD mechanism  260  may also include teeth and the housing  250  corresponding mating teeth such as shown in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0029]     When the locking lever  268  of the IPD mechanism  260  is engaged by rotating the lever about the pinion gear axis, the lever  268  engages the housing cam  258  causing a downward force on the retaining screw  272  and thereby compressing the adjustment knob  262  against the housing  250  top  252 . After lever  268  engagement, the adjustment knob  262  is substantially immovable. When the locking level  268  of the IPD mechanism  260  is disengaged by radially moving lever  268  away from the housing cam  258 , the compression against the adjustment knob  262  is released. A user may then adjust the IPD via the adjustment knob  262  and lock the IPD by radially moving the lock lever  268  toward the housing cam  258 .  
         [0030]      FIG. 4A  is a view of a partial binocular system  300  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention and  FIG. 4B  is a sectional view of the partial binocular system or loupes  300  shown in  FIG. 4A . The binocular system  300  includes an IPD mechanism  360  and housing  350  according to another embodiment of the present invention. The barrel pair  20  is not shown for clarity. In this embodiment the IPD mechanism  360  includes a locking cam lever  368  and rail locking member  376 . The housing  350  includes support arms  358  for rotatably holding the locking cam lever  368 . In this embodiment the arms or rails  30 ,  40  each include sleeves  39 ,  49  where arms  30 ,  40  may slide within each other. Similar to the IPD mechanism  60 , the mechanism  360  also includes a pinion gear  364  coupled to a knob  362 . The IPD mechanism  360  may also include teeth and the housing  350  corresponding mating teeth such as shown in  FIG. 1A .  
         [0031]     When the locking lever  368  of the IPD mechanism  360  is engaged by moving toward the right arm  30 , the cam lever  368  pushes the rail locking member upward against the lower, right arm  30  causing the right arm to move upward and compress the upper, left arm  40  against the housing  350 . In this embodiment, after cam lever  368  engagement the distance between the arms  30 ,  40  is stably fixed and thus, the IPD. The adjustment knob  362  would also be substantially immovable. When the locking cam level  368  of the IPD mechanism  360  is disengaged by moving toward the left arm  40 , the rail locking member  376  is released, releasing its compression force against the arms  30 ,  40  and housing  350 . A user may then adjust the IPD via the adjustment knob  362  and lock the IPD by moving the locking cam lever  368  toward the right arm  30 .  
         [0032]     While this invention has been described in terms of a best mode for achieving the objectives of the invention, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that variations may be accomplished in view of these teachings without deviating from the spirit or scope of the present invention. For example in another embodiment a single user rotatable screw may be coupled to the housing top  52  or bottom  54  so that upon rotation the screw tip may engage the right or left rail  30 ,  40  with sufficient force to prevent accidental movement of the rails  30 ,  40 .

Technology Category: 3