User-zeroable adjustment knobs for an aiming device include a rotating member that is rotated to change a setting of the aiming device, a dial selectively couplable to the rotating member via a clutch for co-rotation therewith, and a locking mechanism that prevents the dial and rotating member from rotating relative to the aiming device when the locking mechanism is locked. The clutch is disengagable without the use of tools to allow the dial to rotate relative to the rotating member for zeroing the aiming device. The locking mechanism may include a lock release that is accessible from outside of the dial and movable relative to the dial and the rotating member to release the locking mechanism. Methods of zeroing locking adjustment knobs are also disclosed.
An optic assembly may include: an environmentally isolated cavity defined by at least a front lens and a housing; a light source located inside the environmentally isolated cavity, the light source to project a reticle on the front lens; and a carrier assembly located inside the environmentally isolated cavity, wherein the light source is mounted on a carrier of the carrier assembly, and the carrier assembly includes: at least one boss fixably located with respect to a bottom interior surface of the environmentally isolated cavity; and a carrier lift slidingly movable along the at least one boss to raise or lower the light source relative to the front lens; wherein the carrier is slidably movable relative to the carrier lift to laterally adjust a position of the light source relative to the front lens. Other embodiments may be disclosed and/or claimed.
F41G 1/30 - Reflecting sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance
G02B 23/10 - Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices involving prisms or mirrors reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator
G02B 23/16 - Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight
F41G 1/34 - Night sights, e.g. luminescent combined with light source, e.g. spot light
3.
ADJUSTMENT ASSEMBLY FOR AN OPTICAL DEVICE WITH OVERLAPPING LEFT-HANDED AND RIGHT-HANDED THREADS
An adjustment assembly for an optical device, such as an adjustable diopter device 100 for a riflescope or binoculars, includes a first tubular member 110 having overlapping left-handed and right-handed external threads 120, a second tubular member 130 having internal threads 132 mated with either the left-handed or right-handed external threads of the first tubular member, and a stop nut 140 threaded onto the first tubular member via internal threads 144 that are of opposite handedness as the internal threads of the second tubular member. A diopter lens 122 or other component of an optical device may be mounted in one of the first and second tubular members and movable therewith relative to the other of the first and second tubular members. Because the internal threads of the stop nut and the second tubular member have opposite handedness, the stop nut provides improved resistance to inward movement of the first tubular member.
An illuminated reticle system (100) for use with an optical viewing device, such as a riflescope, includes a light source (110), a transparent substrate (130) carrying a reticle (200), such as a diffraction grating, and a Fresnel lens (120) interposed between the light source and an entry surface (140) into the transparent substrate through which light from the light source propagates toward the reticle along a converging beam path (160). The Fresnel lens provides strong positive optical power in a very small, lightweight and inexpensive package to thereby cause light diverging from the light source to converge toward the reticle, which then redirects at least some of the light toward a viewer along an optical path of the optical viewing device as a diverging bundle of output light (240) to fill an exit pupil of the optical viewing device.
Disclosed are techniques for determining an aiming adjustment amount, in terms of both vertical and horizontal aiming adjustments, to shoot a target at a target range by iteratively solving for the projectile trajectory (e.g., projectile drop or path and deflection) such that the iteratively calculated projectile trajectory is determined to pass through the target location within a predetermined threshold amount (e.g., at a projectile path calculation of about zero). Also disclosed are techniques for indicating whether a projectile has supersonic, transonic, or subsonic speed at a given range.
Optical aiming systems having a primary direct view optical system (20) and an accessory optical system (200) are arranged to provide a user with distinct views of a primary image and accessory image display without head movement. The primary optical system may be a riflescope and the accessory optical system may include an electronic image display device that directs light through a side wall of the riflescope toward an optical combiner (100) or mirror within a housing of the riflescope. The optical combiner or mirror reflects the accessory display light through an eyepiece (24) of the riflescope to form an exit pupil that is distinct from an exit pupil of the riflescope. The optical path of the accessory optical system may be angularly displaced relative to the optical path of the riflescope so that the accessory image display does not occlude aiming points within the field of view of the riflescope.
A sighting device (5, 90, 92), such as a riflescope, a reflex sight, or a spotting scope, having a display device including an addressable, emissive collection of micro display elements (155, 180) for generating a finely pixelated, high-resolution aiming mark (160, 165, 170, 185, 225). The sighting device includes a controller (80) coupled to the display device to selectively power one or more of the display elements to generate the aiming mark. The micro display elements may be inorganic light-emitting diodes (LEDs) having a pixel size of 25 µm or less, and the display elements may be arranged at a pixel pitch of 30 µm or less.
A locking adjustment device for changing an adjustable setting of a device such as a riflescope locks in a baseline position to provide expedient feedback regarding an adjustment position of the adjustable setting. The device includes a guideway extending around an axis and a knob mountable for rotation about the axis. The guideway includes a notch and a curved slide surface sized to slidably receive a guide tab. The guide tab is biased so as to urge at least a portion of the guide tab into the notch when the knob is rotated to a locked position, thereby preventing inadvertent rotation of the knob from the locked position. A button carried by the knob is depressible to urge the guide tab out of the notch and thereby allow the knob to be manually rotated away from the locked position.
A reticle system (60) for a variable optical power sighting device includes front and rear reticles (80, 70) proximate respective front and rear focal planes of the device. Range-compensating features are provided, such as a scale (82) and a pair of bracketing marks (72, 76) formed in the rear reticle which cooperate with an indicator mark (88) formed in the front reticle. The indicator mark is radially offset from the optical axis and appears to move in the field of view along the scale in response to adjustment of the optical power to thereby indicate a measurement corresponding to a size of a distant target subtended in the field of view by the bracketing marks. A two-part electronic reticle system is also disclosed utilizing similar principles of operation. The rear reticle and scale may be electroformed to reduce cost and improve light transmission relative to a glass reticle.
G02B 27/32 - Fiducial marks or measuring scales within the optical system
G02B 23/10 - Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices involving prisms or mirrors reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator
F41G 1/38 - Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance; Supports or mountings therefor
10.
VARIABLE RETICLE FOR OPTICAL SIGHTING DEVICES RESPONSIVE TO OPTICAL MAGNIFICATION ADJUSTMENT
An optical sighting device (5) includes an electronic controller (85) that is responsive to changes in an optical magnification of the sighting device to resize at least a portion of a reticle produced by an electronic display (55) or other means proximate a focal plane of the sighting device. In some embodiments, the reticle is located proximate a rear focal plane (50) of the sighting device and may be scaled by the electronic controller in concert with changes in optical magnification to simulate a front focal plane reticle. A functional pattern of the reticle may also be automatically changed at different magnification settings to provide multiple different types of reticles, such as a close quarters battle (CQB) reticle and a sniper reticle, in a single optical device.
F41G 1/387 - Mounting telescopic sights on smallarms
F41G 1/30 - Reflecting sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance
G02B 23/06 - Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices involving prisms or mirrors having a focusing action, e.g. parabolic mirror
Illumination in an optical device (10) is provided via a light conductor (44) combined with a light source (70) or light collecting device detachably mounted to the optical device (10). A seal (94) between the light conductor (44) and the optical device housing (14) prevents moisture and other contaminants from entering the housing (14). The light source (70) or light collecting device may be removable and interchangeable to allow various types of illumination sources to be selected, installed, and replaced without affecting the integrity of the optical device (10).
According an embodiment, a projectile weapon aiming system includes a computer-controllable reticle (10) with crosshairs (22, 24) or other aiming marks (20) having a color and/or illumination that can be selectively changed to provide feedback to a shooter to indicate when the projectile weapon aiming system (and hence the projectile weapon itself) is accurately aimed to compensate for a particular range, inclination, crosswind, and/or other ballistic conditions.
A method for shooting a projectile weapon involves determining the inclination of a line of sight from a vantage point VP to a target T and a line-of-sight range R2 to the target, then predicting a trajectory parameter (such as bullet path BP2) at the line-of-sight range, for a preselected projectile P. Using the trajectory parameter, an equivalent horizontal range EHR2 may then be determined, wherein the equivalent horizontal range EHR2 is the range at which the trajectory parameter would be expected to occur if the projectile P were shot from the vantage point VP toward a theoretical target Tth located in a horizontal plane intersecting the vantage point VP. The equivalent horizontal range may be utilized to compensate for ballistic drop when shooting the projectile weapon. The method may be embodied in a handheld laser rangefinder including a memory for storing ballistic data. Systems for automatic hold over adjustment in a weapon aiming device are also disclosed.
A device (50) comprises a rangefinder (54), memory (420), display (100), and processor (410). The rangefinder 54 can measure a distance (615) between a user and a target (605) on a course. The memory (420) stores data concerning a plurality of clubs including a hitting distance for each of the golf clubs. The processor (410), which is connected to the rangefinder 54, memory (420), and display (100), is configured to select, based on the measured distance (615), a recommended golf club and to determine a recommended swing speed for a golfer to hit a golf ball with the recommended golf club. The processor (410) is further configured to cause the display (100) to indicate (140, 150) the recommended golf club and swing speed. The device (50) may alternatively or additionally comprise an inclinometer and calculate an adjusted distance based on tilt and the distance (615), and select the recommended golf club based on the adjusted distance.
A riflescope (100) includes an objective optic assembly (106) with a bottom surface (118) that defines a scoop (120). Upon mounting the riflescope, the scoop receives a portion of a firearm (102). The scoop eliminates interference between the objective optic assembly and the firearm and allows a centerline of the riflescope to be placed in closer proximity to a centerline of the firearm.
A lens cover 500 includes a cap 530 adapted to be pivotably supported on an optical device 100. A stop 580 may be positioned to interfere with spring-driven movement of the cap and to brake the cap at an intermediate position between closed and open positions thereof. The cap may then be manually moved to the fully open position, where it may be releasably retained by optional detent structure 588, 589. A mounting ring assembly 510 of the lens cover may include a first threaded ring member 610 for attachment to the optical device and a second ring member 620 rotatably coupled to the first ring member for facilitating alignment of a hinge 520 that pivotably attaches the cap to the second ring member, relative to the optical device 100. Magnets 660, 668 may be included to retain the cap in the closed position. The mounting ring assembly and cap may be formed of aluminum or another metal for durability and fit.
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