Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Protection device for an optical apparatus of a vehicle, in particular of a
military vehicle
The invention concerns a protection device for an optical apparatus of a
vehicle, in particular of
a military vehicle. Such optical apparatuses can be for example a periscope, a
prism, a
telescopic sight, or a night vision device. During normal operation of the
vehicle there are
usually no protective elements disposed in front of the optics in order to
facilitate an
unobstructed view. If the vehicle is however exposed to a threat, it is known
to position a
protective element in front of the viewing window of the optical apparatus for
the purpose of
the protection of the optics from a stand-by position into a protective
position.
In order for the optical apparatus to be utilizable even with the protective
element in the
protective position, the protective element often features a small opening so
that the field of
view of the optical apparatus is diminished but reduced to zero. This is for
example useful in
the case of a periscope of a military vehicle during a combat mission, so that
the commander
can also continue to observe the surroundings.
By means of the protective element of the protection device a level of
protection is provided for
the optical apparatus. When the protective element is in the stand-by
position, the field of view
of the optical apparatus is not limited so that at the same time no protection
is provided for the
optical apparatus. If the protective element is positioned in front of the
viewing window of the
optical apparatus, a partial area of the viewing window is covered by the
protective element.
The level of protection therefore goes along with the degree of cover that is
achieved by means
of the position of the protective element. In the case of a degree of cover of
50% the level of
protection is also 50%. When the protective element is in the stand-by
position and is therefore
located away from the viewing window of the optical apparatus, there is also
no protection
provided for the optical apparatus so that in this case no level of protection
is provided for the
purpose of the invention.
In the case of other optical apparatuses, such as for example in the case of a
coupled optical
apparatus that encompasses an optical apparatus for a sun shield, for example
a telescopic sight,
as well as also an optical apparatus encompassing a night vision device, for
example an infrared
camera, it is possible in the case of a threat that an optical apparatus is
completely covered by a
protective element of a protective device because said protective device is
not required in the
case of a threat.
A coupled optical apparatus is for example described in DE 695 09 461 T2.
A protection device for an optical apparatus can be implemented in such a way
that a flap-
shaped protective element is pivoted in front of the viewing window of the
optical apparatus
that is not utilized, and covers the field of view completely. Consequently
the protective
element again provides only a level of protection for the optical apparatus.
A disadvantageous aspect of the known implementations is that in the
protective position of the
protective element the field of view of the optical apparatus is very severely
limited. This is in
particular of a disadvantage in the case when the observation of the threat is
of particular
interest. This can for example be the case if the vehicle is located, in the
case of peace-keeping
measures, in a crowd of people or observes a crowd of people during street
fighting. The
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danger in this case is that out of crowd of people a person attempts to
disable the optical
apparatus of the vehicle, for example by throwing with stones, paint bags or
such like at the
optical apparatus. In the case where the protective element of the protection
device is in the
stand-by position, in which case it is located away from the viewing window of
the optical
apparatus, no protection whatsoever is provided for the optical apparatus. If
the protective
element is however located in the protective position, then the field of view
is, because of the
small opening of the protection device of the optical apparatus, limited to
such an extent that a
comprehensive observation of a larger angular range is not possible because of
the high level
of protection.
The invention can provide the user of the optical apparatus, along with a
sufficient level of protection, a larger field of view of the optical
apparatus, wherein at the
same time not foregoing a higher level of protection in the case of a threat.
The invention relates to a protection device for an optical apparatus of a
vehicle with a first protective element and a second protective element that
can each be
adjusted by means of an adjustment apparatus from a respective stand-by
position located
away from a viewing window of the optical apparatus into a respective
protective position in
front of the viewing window of the optical apparatus, wherein two levels of
protection can be
set by means of the protective elements, wherein the two protective elements
overlap one
another at least partially when the protective elements are in their
respective protective
positions.
Further the invention relates to a protection device for an optical apparatus
of a
vehicle with a first protective element and a second protective element that
can each be
adjusted by means of an adjustment apparatus from a respective stand-by
position located
away from a viewing window of the optical apparatus into a respective
protective position in
front of the viewing window of the optical apparatus, wherein two levels of
protection can be
set by means of the protective elements, wherein the first and second
protective elements each
comprise comb-like structures that are complementary to each other such that
the second
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protective element engages the first protective element when the protective
elements are in
their respective protective positions.
Alternatively the invention relates to a protection device for an optical
apparatus of a vehicle with a first protective element and a second protective
element that can
each be adjusted by means of an adjustment apparatus from a respective stand-
by position
located away from a viewing window of the optical apparatus into a respective
protective
position in front of the viewing window of the optical apparatus, wherein two
levels of
protection can be set by means of the protective elements, wherein one of the
protective
elements is movable from a position in which it is disposed perpendicularly to
the viewing
window of the optical apparatus into a position in which it is disposed
parallel to the viewing
window.
The invention also relates to a protection device for an optical apparatus of
a
vehicle with a first protective element and a second protective element that
can each be
adjusted by means of an adjustment apparatus from a respective stand-by
position located
away from a viewing window of the optical apparatus into a respective
protective position in
front of the viewing window of the optical apparatus, wherein two levels of
protection can be
set by means of the protective elements, wherein both protective elements are
movable from a
position in which they are disposed perpendicularly to the viewing window of
the optical
apparatus into a position in which they are disposed parallel to the viewing
window.
A central idea of the invention is to provide, besides the first protective
element that can be positioned in particular from a stand-by position located
away from the
viewing window of the optical apparatus into a protective position in front of
the viewing
window of the optical apparatus, a second protective element that likewise can
be positioned
in particular from a stand-by position into a protective position, wherein by
means of the
protective elements at least two levels of protection can be adjusted.
Preferably the second protective element can be positioned in the protective
position in addition to the first protective element. It is according to the
invention also
possible that the second protective element can be positioned in the
protective position instead
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of the first protective element. In an advantageous embodiment the second
protective element
can however be positioned in the protective position instead of the first
protective element as
well as also additionally to the first protective element, so that a third
level of protection for
the optical apparatus is provided.
The first level of protection in this case is achieved due to the fact that
only the
first protective element is in the protective position.
The second level of protection is achieved due to the fact that only the
second
protective element is in the protective position. The third level of
protection is achieved due
to the fact that both protective elements are in the protective position.
The protection device can be implemented such that in the case of a higher
level of protection the field of view of the optical apparatus is diminished.
In addition the
field of view can be completely covered in the case of the highest level of
protection by the
first protective element and/or by the second protective element. This
corresponds to a
completely closed position of the protection device.
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The positioning of the protective elements takes place by means of an
adjustment apparatus that
can in particular encompass an electromotive drive. In a possible
implementation the protective
elements can be positioned independently of one another in the protective
position. Preferably
the protection device features only one adjustment apparatus for both
protective elements. This
can be accomplished due to the fact that the protective elements are coupled
with one another.
In the protective position the protective elements can overlay one another at
least partially. In
order for the field of view of the optical apparatus to not be reduced
completely to zero, the first
and/or the second protective element can encompass at least one opening with a
prescribed
aperture area. By means of the openings the field of view of the optical
apparatus can be
established.
In a particularly preferred implementation the aperture areas of the first and
second protective
element are different.
By these means two levels of protection can be provided for the optical
apparatus in a simple
manner. If the protective elements overlay one another at least partially in
the protective
position, provision can in addition be made that an opening of the first
protective element, in
the protective position, is located above or below an opening of the second
protective element.
As a result the user of the optical apparatus can see through the overlaying
openings.
Preferably the protection device is designed in such a manner that the second
protective element
in the protective position covers at least one opening of the first protective
element in the
protective position. As the result the field of view can be varied by means of
the protective
elements, whereby at the same time the level of protection is modified.
Preferably the first and/or the second protective element are implemented flap-
shaped. The
openings of the first and/or second protective element can be implemented grid-
shaped with an
arbitrary grid structure. Preferably the openings are implemented slit-shaped.
In a particularly preferred implementation the protective elements are
constructed
complementary to one another in regard to their openings.
By means of the complementary implementation it is achieved that in an area
where the first
protective element features openings, the other element does not feature
openings, and the
reverse. By these means it is in particular possible that the second
protective element engages,
in the protective position, the first protective element in the protective
position in a comb-like
manner.
=
As a result the protection device can feature a closed surface to the outside
so that the
protection device is advantageously implemented in the protective position of
the two
protective elements from a ballistic point of view.
The protection device can according to the invention also be implemented for
the protection of
two neighboring optical apparatuses, wherein in this case at least one
protective element is
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positioned in the protective position in front of the viewing windows of the
two optical
apparatuses.
In the case of an implementation of the protection device one, preferably all,
protective
elements can be disposed on a support device in a pivotable manner. The
support device is
preferably disposed on the optical apparatus in a torsionally rigid manner. By
these means it
can be achieved that the support device rotates with the protective elements
during the rotation
of the optical apparatus, for example a telescope, so that in every rotational
position the
protection continues to be provided for the optical apparatus.
In addition the second protective element can be displaceable and/or can be
disposed on the
first protective element such that it can swivel. Consequently the adjustment
apparatus can be
implemented in a simple manner. In addition the protection device can thereby
be more
compact from a construction point of view.
The protection device can be implemented such that at least one, in particular
all, protective
elements are movable from a position in which they are disposed
perpendicularly to the
viewing window of the optical apparatus into a position in which they are
disposed parallel to
the viewing window of the optical apparatus.
Preferably the protection device is additionally implemented in such a manner
that the level of
protection is continuously adjustable.
The optical apparatus can encompass a periscope, a prism, a telescopic sight
and/or a night
vision device.
Possible embodiment examples of the invention are described in regard to the
figures 1 to 21.
The drawings show:
Figure 1, a protection device for a periscope with a first and a second
protective element
respectively in the protective position;
Figure 2, the protection device disposed on a periscope according to figure 1;
Figure 3, the protection device according to figure 1 with a second protection
element in the
stand-by position;
Figure 4, a section of the the protection device according to figure 3;
Figure 5, the protection device disposed on a periscope according to figure 3;
Figure 6, the protection device according to figure 1 in the stand-by position
of the two
protective elements;
Figure 7, the protection device disposed on a periscope according to figure 6;
Figure 8, a second implementation of a protection device for a coupled optical
apparatus with
the two protective elements in the stand-by position;
Figure 9, the protection device according to figure 8 with the second
protection element in the
protective position;
Figure 10, the protection device according to figure 8 with the first
protection element in the
protective position;
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Figure 11, the protection device according to figure 8 with both protection
elements in the
protective position;
Figure 12, a third implementation of a protection device for a coupled optical
apparatus with
both protective elements in the stand-by position;
Figure 13, the protection device according to figure 12 with the first
protection element in the
protective position;
Figure 14, the protection device according to figure 12 with the second
protection element in
the protective position;
Figure 15, the protection device according to figure 12 with both protection
elements in the
protective position;
Figure 16, a fourth implementation of a protection device for a coupled
optical apparatus with
both protective elements in the stand-by position;
Figure 17, the protection device according to figure 16 with the first
protection element in the
protective position;
Figure 18, the protection device according to figure 16 with the first
protection element in the
protective position;
Figure 19, the protection device according to figure 16 with both protection
elements in the
protective position;
Figure 20, a fifth implementation of a protection device disposed on a prism,
with all protective
elements in the partial protective position and
Figure 21, the protection device according to figure 20 with all protection
elements in the
protective position;
Figures 1 to 7 present a protection device 1 for a commander's periscope P
that is disposed on
the roof D of a military vehicle that is not further represented. The
protection device 1
encompasses two protective element 2 and 3 that are disposed on a support
device 5. The
support device 5 is disposed on the periscope P in a torsionally rigid manner.
The protection
device 1 encompasses an adjustment apparatus 4 by means of which the two
protective
elements 2 and 3 can be pivoted from a stand-by position into the protective
position that is
represented in figure 1 and 2.
In the case of the position represented in the figures 3 to 5 the second
protective element 3 is
located in the stand-by position and the first protective element 2 is in the
protective position in
front of the viewing window of the periscope. The first protective element 2
features several,
evenly distributed, slit-shaped openings 6.
By means of the first protective element 2, which according to figure 3 is
positioned in the
protective position, a first level of protection is provided for the optical
apparatus. In the case
of this first level of protection the field of view provided for the user of
the optical apparatus is
sufficiently large in order to be able to observe the surroundings well. At
the same time
sufficient protection is also provided against more minor threats such as
stones or similar. In
case of a larger threat the second protective element 3 can be pivoted in
front of the viewing
window of the optical apparatus in addition to the first protective element 2.
In this position,
which is represented in figure 1, the protection for the optical apparatus is
significantly
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increased, wherein the protection device thereby provides a second level of
protection for the
optical apparatus.
The second level of protection therefore also provides protection for example
against
projectiles.
The second protective element 3 features only a slit-shaped opening 7. It is
positioned above an
opening 6 of the protective element 2 so that the user of the optical
apparatus can see through
both openings that overlap one another. Due to the increased level of
protection the field of
view of the optical apparatus is however significantly diminished.
Figures 6 and 7 present the protection device with the two protection elements
2 and 3 in the
stand-by position. The view through the periscope P is thereby not obstructed.
The adjustment apparatus 4 and the adjustment process are described based on
figure 5: The
two protective elements 2 and 3 are connected on both sides of the support
device 5 by means
of respectively one slide 14 with the support device 5, wherein the slide 14
is supported in a
guide 15 in a displaceable manner. The slide 14 is moved by means of a
spindle, which is
respectively supported in a rotatable manner within the support device 5, and
by means of drive
belts that are driven via an electric motor. The protective element 3 is
connected with the slide
14, via an oblong hole 11 and a pin 12 that is guided through the oblong hole
11, in such a
manner that a swivel movement of the protective element 3 is possible. The
protective element
2 is disposed on the slide 14 via a support pin 13 in a manner such that is
can pivot so that the
protective element 2 can be pivoted into the stand-by position.
When both protective elements 2 and 3 are located in the stand-by position
(figure 6), the slide
14 is moved in the guide 15 until the stop pins 8, which are disposed on the
protective element
2, engage the corresponding recesses 9 on the support device 5 so that the
adjustment
movement is limited and a positional lock is reached.
Figures 8 to 19 present three implementations of protection devices for a
coupled optical
apparatus that encompasses an infrared camera as a night vision device and a
telescopic sight as
a sun shield.
Figures 8 to 11 present a protection device 21 with two protective element 22
and 23 that are
disposed on a support device 25. The second protective element 23 is
implemented in a flap-
shaped manner and features no opening. It covers, in the protective position
presented in figure
9, the telescopic sight completely. The first level of protection is therefore
provided for the sun
shield by means of the second protective element 23 in the protective
position.
The first protective element 22 is likewise implemented in a partial area in a
flap-shaped
manner so that it covers the night vision device completely in the protective
position that is
represented in figure 10. In addition the first protective element 22 features
a grid-shaped
section which, in the protective position (figure 10), is positioned in front
of the viewing
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window of the sun shield. Thereby a second level of protection is provided for
the sun shield
by means of the protective element 22.
In figure 11 it is presented that both protective elements can also be
simultaneously positioned
in front of the optical apparatus so that the night vision device as well as
also the sun shield is
completely closed.
In figures 12 to 16 a further implementation of a protection device 41 is
represented that can be
utilized in the same manner as the protection device 21 that is represented in
figures 8 to 11.
The protection device 41 that is disposed on the support device 45 in turn
features two
protective elements 42 and 43. In contrast to the previous implementation the
second protective
element 43 is implemented in regard to the openings in a complementary manner
to the first
protective element 42. Consequently a first level of protection according to
the position
represented in figure 13 can be achieved for the sun shield. A second level of
protection is
provided by means of the second protective element 43 that is represented in
figure 14. A third
level of protection finally is provided for the sun shield according to the
position of the two
protective elements 42 and 43 represented according to figure 15.
An additional implementation of a protection device 61 is represented in
figures 16 to 19 that
can be utilized for the same application purpose as the previous protection
devices 21 and 41.
The protection device 61 encompasses again two protective element 62 and 63
that are disposed
on a support device 65 in a manner that they can be pivoted. The two
protection devices 62 and
63 are in regard to their openings constructed in a complementary manner and
can be adjusted
independently of one another. Consequently there are three levels of
protection, which are
respectively represented in the figures 14, 15, and 16, for the night vision
device as well as also
for the sun shield.
Figures 20 to 21 present a fifth implementation according to the invention of
a protection
device 81 that is disposed via a support device 85 on the prism W on top of
the roof D of a
military vehicle that is not further represented.
The protection device 85 features two outer protective elements 82 and a
center protective
element 83 that are coupled mechanically by means of struts 89 and can be
pivoted, by means
of a lever 88 that is manually activated, into the protective position
represented in figure 21.
The protective elements 82 and 83 feature recesses 86 that represent in the
protective position
(figure 21) circular openings that permit a minimal view through the prism in
the case of a high
level of protection. In the case of opened protective elements 82 and 83
according to figure 20
=
a better view is provided, wherein by means of the center protective element
82, which as
before is positioned in front of the viewing window of the prism W, a basic
protection is
provided at a lowered level of protection. Consequently the protective
elements 32 and 33 in
figure 20 are in a partial protective position.
By means of the adjustment apparatus 85, which encompasses the struts 89, the
protective
elements 82 and 83 can be pivoted out of the protective position according to
figure 21, in
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which they are disposed parallel to the viewing window S of the optical
apparatus, into the
partial protective position according to figure 20 in which they are disposed
perpendicularly to
the viewing window S of the optical apparatus. Intermediate positions are
therefore also
possible in which the protective elements 82 and 83 are disposed obliquely to
the viewing
window S. Consequently in the case of this advantageous embodiment a
continuous adjustment
of the level of protection is possible.
