Identifying and focusing on an object located at a distance may be facilitated by use of a sight. A sight may be employed, for example, with small arms such as bows, rifles, shotguns, and handguns, etc. and large arms such as mounted machine guns, grenade launchers, etc., and may assist an operator to locate and maintain focus on a target.
Sights have been developed in many different forms and utilizing various features. For example, sights have been developed that present the operator with a hologram which may assist the operator with locating and focusing on an object.
Methods and systems are disclosed for a weapon sight with a tapered housing. A weapon sight may include a base, an optical bench, an adjuster assembly, and/or a housing. The base may be configured to be releasably secured to a weapon. The optical bench may be configured to be attached to the base. The optical bench may include a plurality of optical elements attached to a unibody chassis. The weapon sight may be a holographic weapon sight. The plurality of optical elements may include a laser diode, a mirror, a collimating optic, and/or a diffractive grating. The laser diode may be configured to reconstruct a holographic reticle. The adjuster assembly may be configured to be attached to the base. The adjuster assembly may include a first adjuster configured to horizontally adjust a position of the holographic reticle. The adjuster assembly may include a second adjuster configured to vertically adjust the position of the holographic reticle.
The housing may be configured to enclose the optical bench and/or a portion of the adjuster assembly within the weapon sight. The housing may include an outer shell, a first window, and a second window. The first window may be a rear window that faces a user of the weapon sight. The second window may be a front window that faces a target. The outer shell may define a first opening and a second opening. The first window may be located at the first opening and the second window may be located at the second opening. The first window may define a first area. The second window may define a second area. The second area may be greater than the first area, for example, such that the outer shell is tapered outward from the first opening to the second opening. The outer shell may be tapered at an angle that is determined based on a distance from a user’s eye to the first window and a horizontal field of view for the weapon sight. The outer shell may be tapered such that an obscured portion of the horizontal field of view (e.g., obscured by the housing) is below a predetermined threshold for the horizontal field of view.
The outer shell may define a first wall and a second wall that extend between the first opening and the second opening on opposed sides of an optical path of the weapon sight. The first wall and the second wall may be slanted outward from the first window to the second window. The first wall may be a first distance D1 from the second wall at the first opening. The first wall may be a second distance D2 from the second wall at the second opening. D2 may be greater than D1. The first area may be configured based on D1. The second area may be configured based on D2.
The outer shell may include a first adjuster hole that receives a portion of the adjuster assembly. The outer shell may define a recess that receives an outer surface of the optical bench. The outer shell may include a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion may be configured to enclose a power source, the adjuster assembly, and/or a portion of the optical bench. The upper portion may include the first adjuster hole. The upper portion may be configured to enclose a portion of the optical bench.
Methods and systems are disclosed for a weapon sight with a tapered housing. Holographic sights may employ a series of optical components to generate a hologram for presentation to the operator. For example, a holographic sight may employ a laser diode that generates a light beam, a mirror that deflects the light beam, a collimating optic that receives the deflected light beam and reflects collimated light, a grating that receives the collimated light and diffracts light toward an image hologram that has been recorded with an image and which displays the image to the operator of the sight.
Holographic sights may position optical components relative to each other by affixing them to structures in a holographic sight. For example, optical components such as, for example, the collimating optic and the hologram image may be affixed to an interior of a holographic sight housing. The mirror may be positioned on a podium extending from a mount to which the sight housing is attached. The grating may be affixed to a moveable plate configured to rotate relative to the sight housing.
The sight housing may determine a field of view. The field of view may be defined as a width of view and/or a height of view at a predefined distance from the weapon sight. The walls of the sight housing may be slanted from the operator-side to the target-side. The size of the windows in the sight housing may be configured to achieve a certain field of view (e.g., horizontal and/or vertical). For example, a size of the windows in the sight housing may be adjusted to achieve a desired field of view (e.g., horizontal and/or vertical) of the weapon sight.
Applicant discloses herein a weapon sight that employs a tapered housing. The housing may be tapered such that the view area closest to the operator is smaller than the view area closest to the target. Stated differently, a profile of the housing (e.g., outer walls) may be tapered out from a rear window (e.g., operator-side window) to a front window (e.g., target-side window) such that the field of view is larger than if the profile of the housing was straight (e.g., not tapered). For example, walls of the housing may be angled to follow the field of view. Stated differently, the walls of the housing may be farther apart at the front window than at the rear window. The front window of the housing may be larger than the rear window of the housing. For example, when the front window of the housing is larger than the rear window of the housing, the field of view may be larger than if the rear window and the front window were the same size. The tapered housing may minimize obscuration of the scene that an operator of the weapon is observing. The tapered housing may result in an increased view of the downfield theater and faster target acquisition by an operator of the weapon. The tapered housing may provide a view with more awareness of the surrounding environment.
The base 110 may be configured to attach to a weapon (e.g., such as a hand gun, a rifle, a shotgun, a bow, etc.). For example, the base 110 may be configured to attach (e.g., removably attach) to an upper surface (e.g., a rail) of the weapon. The base 110 may include a lever arm 112 that is mounted (e.g., pivotally mounted) to the base 110. The lever arm 112 may be configured to be operated between an open position and a closed position such that the base 110 is configured to be removably attached to the weapon. For example, the lever arm 112 may be configured to engage a complementary feature on the upper surface of the weapon. The base 110 may define an upper surface 114. The optical bench 120 and the adjuster assembly 130 may be secured to the upper surface 114 of the base 110.
The base 110 may define a first extension 116 and a second extension 118. The first extension 116 and the second extension 118 may be on opposed sides of the base 110. The first extension 116 may include a first aperture 111. The first aperture 111 may be configured to receive a portion of the adjuster assembly 130. For example, the portion of the adjuster assembly 130 may be accessible via the first aperture 111. The second extension 118 may include a plurality of second apertures 113. The plurality of second apertures 113 may be configured to receive respective buttons 172 of an electronics module 170. For example, the buttons 172 may be accessible via the plurality of second apertures 113.
The weapon sight 100 may include a battery module 160. The battery module 160 may be configured to store a battery (not shown) that is configured to power a laser (e.g., such as laser diode 534 shown in
The weapon sight 100 may be a holographic weapon sight. The optical bench 120 may include a plurality of optical elements. The optical bench 120 (e.g., the plurality of optical elements) may be configured to reconstruct a holographic reticle. For example, the plurality of optical elements may include a laser diode, a mirror, a collimator, a grating, and/or a hologram plate. The optical bench 120 (e.g., the plurality of optical elements) may define an optical path. For example, a relative position of the plurality of optical elements may define the optical path.
The optical bench 120 may include an optical bench base 125, a support member 121, and a unitary optical component carrier 127. The support member 121 may be integrally formed with the optical bench base 125 and may extend upward from the optical bench base 125. The unitary optical component carrier 127 may be integrally formed with the support member 121. The optical bench base 125 may be secured to the base 110. For example, the optical bench base 125 may be secured to the base 110 using screws that extend through openings in the optical bench base 125 and into corresponding receptacles in the base 110. The support member 121 and/or the unitary optical component carrier 127 may be suspended relative to the base 110 by the optical bench base 125.
The optical bench 120 may include one or more portions that are flexible (e.g., compliant) such that the unitary optical component carrier 127 may be moveable in a horizontal and/or a vertical direction relative to the optical bench base 125 and/or the base 110. The one or more flexible portions of the optical bench 120 may include a flexible member 123, a first horizontal member 126, a second horizontal member 128, and/or a joint member 129. The one or more flexible portions of the optical bench 120 may be compliant so as to allow for adjustment of the position of the unitary optical component carrier 127 relative to the optical bench base 125 and/or base 110 and thereby allow for adjusting a position of a hologram in a viewing area of the weapon sight 100. For example, the flexible member 123 may be configured to flex (e.g., twist and/or rotate) to enable horizontal movement (e.g., adjustment) of the unitary optical component carrier 127. The joint member 129 may flex to enable vertical movement (e.g., adjustment) of the unitary optical component carrier 127. The optical bench 120 may include one or more portions that are non-compliant (e.g., inflexible). The one or more non-compliant portions of the optical bench 120 may include the support member 121, a first wall 122, and a second wall 124.
The adjuster assembly 130 may be configured to adjust a positioning of the optical bench 120. For example, the adjuster assembly 130 may include a first adjuster 132 and a second adjuster 134. The first adjuster 132 may be configured to horizontally adjust a position of a holographic reticle. For example, rotation of the first adjuster 132 may result in a horizontal adjustment of the holographic reticle. The second adjuster 134 may be configured to vertically adjust the position of the holographic reticle. For example, rotation of the second adjuster 134 may result in a vertical adjustment of the holographic reticle. The first adjuster 132 may be accessible (e.g., to rotate) through the base 110. The second adjuster 134 may be accessible (e.g., to rotate) through the housing 140.
A distal portion 131 of the first adjuster 132 may abut the optical bench 120. A distal portion 133 of the second adjuster 134 may abut the optical bench 120. The distal portion 131 of the first adjuster 132 may be configured to move a portion of the optical bench 120, for example, without altering a relative position of the plurality of optical elements with respect to one another. Stated differently, operation of the first adjuster 132 may adjust a position of the holographic reticle without affecting the optical path of the optical bench 120.
The housing 140 may be configured to enclose the optical bench 120, the adjuster assembly 130, the battery module 160, and/or an electronics module 170. The housing 140 may define an upper portion 141 and a lower portion 143. The lower portion 143 may be configured to enclose the adjuster assembly 130, the battery module 160, the electronics module 170, and a lower portion of the optical bench 120. The upper portion 141 may be configured to enclose an upper portion of the optical bench 120. The housing 140 (e.g., the lower portion 143) may define a first aperture (e.g., such as the first aperture 330 shown in
The housing 140 (e.g., the upper portion 141) may define a front window 146 and a rear window 148. The front window 146 may represent the target-side window of the weapon sight 100. The rear window 148 may represent the operator-side window of the weapon sight 100. For example, a user of the weapon sight 100 may look through the rear window 148 and then through the front window 146 when using the weapon sight 100. A hologram of the weapon sight 100 may appear to be projected through the front window 146 of the weapon sight 100. The housing 140 may define the viewing area of the weapon sight 100. For example, the front window 146 and the rear window 148 may define the viewing area of the weapon sight. Stated differently, respective sizes of the front window 146 and the rear window 148 may define the viewing area of the weapon sight.
The hood 150 may be configured to protect the housing 140 (e.g., the upper portion 141 of the housing 140). For example, the hood 150 may be secured to the base 110. When the hood 150 is secured to the base 110, the hood 150 may surround the upper portion 141 of the housing 140.
The outer shell 305 may include an upper portion 310 (e.g., such as upper portion 141 shown in
The housing 300 (e.g., the upper portion 310) may include a front window 350 (e.g., such as front window 146 shown in
The housing 300 may be tapered. The housing 300 (e.g., the upper portion 310) may include a first wall 312 and a second wall 314. The first wall 312 and the second wall 314 may extend between the front window 350 and the rear window 360, for example, on opposed sides of the optical path. The first wall 312 and the second wall 314 may be slanted (e.g., angled) outward from the rear window 360 to the front window 350. At the rear window 360, the first wall 312 may be a distance D1 from the second wall 314. At the front window 350, the first wall 312 may be a distance D2 from the second wall 314. D2 may be greater than D1. Stated differently, the first wall 312 and second wall 314 may be farther apart at the front window 350 than at the rear window 360.
The housing 300 may be tapered at an angle A1. For example, the first wall 312 and the second wall 314 may be tapered by the angle A1. The angle A1 may be determined based on a distance between a user’s eye (e.g., user’s eye 500 shown in
The front window 350 may determine the field of view for the weapon sight. For example, a size of the front window 350 may be correlated with the field of view of the weapon sight. The front window 350 may be larger than the rear window 360. For example, the front window 350 may be wider than the rear window 360. A length of the rear window 360 may be configured based on D1. A length of the front window 350 may be configured based on D2. The length of the front window 350 may be greater than the length of the rear window 360. The front window 350 and the rear window 360 may have the same height. When the front window 350 is larger than the rear window 360, obscuration from the walls 312, 314 may be reduced when compared to when the front window 350 is the same size as the rear window 360.
The housing 300 may be configured to protect the weapon sight. The housing 300 may be configured to be installed, adjusted, and/or replaced without affecting an optical path of the weapon sight. For example, the housing 300 may be a replacement housing for the weapon sight.
A horizontal adjuster 616 may be physically connected to the optical bench 612 and a housing 622. A vertical adjuster 618 may be physically connected to the optical bench 612 and the housing 622. One or more windows 620 may be physically connected to (e.g., only) the optical bench 612. A spring plunger 624 may be physically connected to the optical bench 612 and/or a base 626. The housing 622 may be physically connected to the base 626.
The electronics module 630 may be physically connected to the base 626, a user interface 628, and a battery insert 636. The user interface 628 may be physically connected to the housing 622. Although
The terms used herein should be seen to be terms of description rather than of limitation. It is understood that those of skill in the art with this disclosure may devise alternatives, modifications, or variations of the principles of the invention. It is intended that all such alternatives, modifications, or variations be considered as within the spirit and scope of this invention, as defined by the following claims.
This application is a continuation of U.S. Pat. Application No. 16/690,706, filed Nov. 21, 2019, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated by reference herein.
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 16690706 | Nov 2019 | US |
Child | 18046234 | US |