# US 2019/0170998 A1 · Method For Producing A Long Range Optical Apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2019/0170998 A1 - Document ID: US20190170998A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 16/159,207 - Filed: 2018-10-12 - Published: 2019-06-06 - Earliest claimed: 2017-10-12 - Assignees: Swarovski-Optik KG. - Applicants: Swarovski-Optik KG. - Inventors: Peter Öttl; Andreas Zimmermann; Christoph Frech; Florian Schletterer; Dale Forbes; Daniel Nindl; Martin Leitner - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190170998A1 ## CPC - G02B 23/18: for binocular arrangements {(focusing binocular pairs G02B7/06; adjusting pupillary distance of binocular pairs G02B7/12)} - B29C 64/00: Additive manufacturing, i.e. manufacturing of three-dimensional [3D] objects by additive deposition, additive agglomeration or additive layering, e.g. by 3D printing, stereolithography or selective laser sintering - B33Y 80/00: Products made by additive manufacturing - G02B 23/14: Viewfinders (for photographic apparatus G03B13/02) - G02B 7/022: {lens and mount having complementary engagement means, e.g. screw/thread} - G02B: OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS OR APPARATUS - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B33Y: ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING ## Abstract The invention relates to a long range optical apparatus, an operating part of a long range optical apparatus, an accessory part of a long range optical apparatus and a method for producing a long range optical device, in particular, a binocular or monocular telescope, spotting scope, rifle scope, night vision device or range finder, and/or at least one accessory part and/or at least one operating part and/or at least one housing part of the long range optical apparatus, wherein the long range optical apparatus comprises at least one housing, characterized in that the long range optical apparatus and/or the at least one accessory part and/or the at least one operating part and/or the at least one housing part is/are produced at least partially with at least one 3D printing method. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for producing at least one of a long range optical apparatus, an accessory part, an operating part, and a housing part of the long range optical apparatus, wherein the long range optical apparatus comprises at least one housing, wherein at least one of the long range optical apparatus, the accessory part, and the operating part is produced at least partially with at least one 3D printing method. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein at least one model of at least one basic element of the long range optical apparatus, the at least one accessory part, or the at least one operating part that is to be printed is stored in electronic form, wherein a 3D printing apparatus is controlled by means of the at least one model stored in electronic form. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method, according to claim 2, wherein the model of the at least one basic element of the long range optical apparatus, or the at least one accessory part or the at least one operating part that is to be printed is created by determining a surface geometry of at least one part of the long range optical apparatus that is used as a reference or an accessory part that is used as a reference. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method, according to claim 3, wherein the surface geometry is determined by scanning, in particular, by contact-free scanning or by means of a triangulation method or by means of a molding apparatus. ### Claim 5 (depends on 2) The method, according to claim 2, wherein the model of the basic shape of the at least one element of the long range optical apparatus/or the at least one accessory part/or the at least one operating part that is to be printed is created as a CAD model and is stored. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein in a step i) at least one value of at least one parameter of a surface condition of the at least one operating part or other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be printed or the at least one accessory part or at least one value of at least one parameter of the geometry of the at least one operating part or the other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be printed or the at least one accessory part is selected; and in a step ii) the at least one of the at least one operating part or the at least one other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be printed or the accessory part is printed with the 3D printing method. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The method, according to claim 6, whereby means of the parameters selected in step i) a preview of the appearance of the at least one operating part or the at least one other part of the long range optical apparatus or the at least one accessory part is outputted on a screen. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method, according to claim 7, whereby means of the parameters selected in step i) and the at least one model of the basic element of the long range optical apparatus a preview of a combination of at least the basic element and the at least one operating part to be produced or at least one other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be produced or the at least one accessory part is outputted. ### Claim 9 (depends on 6) The method, according to claim 6, wherein step i) the at least one value is selected over a graphics user interface. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein the housing of the long range optical apparatus is produced at least in sections by means of the 3D printing method. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein an armoring, in particular, a casing, for the housing of the long range optical apparatus is produced by means of the 3D printing method. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method, according to claim 11, wherein an armoring is produced in at least two pieces and is assembled in a releasable and non-releasable manner via the housing to form one part. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method, according to claim 11, wherein the armoring is produced as a covering part and is pulled over the housing at least in certain sections. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method, according to claim 11, wherein the armoring is connected to the housing in a force fitting or shape fitting manner. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein at least one add-on part for the housing of the long range optical apparatus is printed and connected to the housing. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method, according to claim 15, wherein at least one first interface element, which is designed for connecting to the add-on part, is disposed on the housing, wherein at least one second interface element, which can be connected to the at least one first interface element, is printed in accordance with the shape of the at least one first interface element on the add-on part. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method, according to claim 15, wherein the at least one operating part is printed as an add-on part, wherein the operating part is designed for changing an optical adjustment of the long range optical apparatus, in particular, for changing a diopter adjustment, a focus or a magnification of the long range optical apparatus. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method, according to claim 15, wherein the at least one operating part is printed as an add-on part in the form of a push button or a rotary knob or a switch or a ballistic turret or component of a ballistic turret. ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein at least one anatomically shaped contact part or holding part, in particular, an eye cup or a grip or a grip shell, of the long range optical apparatus is produced for a user, wherein in order to produce the contact part an actual anatomical shape of a body part of the user that comes into contact with the long range optical apparatus is determined; and a contact section of the contact part that rests against the body part when the long range optical apparatus is used is printed according to the actual anatomical shape. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The method, according to claim 19, wherein a surface geometry of the body part is determined, in order to ascertain the actual anatomical shape. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The method, according to claim 20, wherein the surface geometry of the body part is determined by scanning, in particular, by contact-free scanning or by means of a triangulation method or by means of a molding apparatus. ### Claim 22 (depends on 4) The method, according to claim 4, wherein the molding apparatus for molding the body part or the at least one basic element of the long range optical apparatus or the at least one accessory part or the at least one operating part or the at least one other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be printed comprises an irreversibly deformable impression body, in particular, a molding foam, gel cushion or a gypsum cushion, wherein the impression body is reshaped into a negative shape of the actual shape. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The method, according to claim 22, wherein the surface geometry of the at least one body part or the at least one basic element of the long range optical apparatus or the accessory part or the at least one operating part or the at least one other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be printed takes place by scanning the impression body. ### Claim 24 (depends on 22) The method, according to claim 22, wherein the surface geometry is determined by scanning the impression body in a contact-free manner, in particular, by means of a light slit method. ### Claim 25 (depends on 22) The method, according to claim 22, wherein the molding apparatus comprises a force sensitive impression body, in particular, an impression body with a force sensor, which converts the force, acting on the force sensor, into an electrical parameter, in particular, a piezoelectric or resistive or capacitive force sensor. ### Claim 26 (depends on 22) The method, according to claim 22, wherein the molding apparatus comprises an arrangement of touch elements. ### Claim 27 (depends on 22) The method, according to claim 22, wherein the impression body comprises a transparent, elastically deformable volumetric body, wherein triangulation points of the inner surface geometry of the impression body are recorded by an optical scanning apparatus, arranged in the impression body interior. ### Claim 28 (depends on 22) The method, according to claim 22, wherein the force sensitive impression body comprises a transparent, non-deformable volumetric body, wherein an impression image of the outer surface of the impression body is recorded by an optical imaging apparatus disposed in the impression body interior. ### Claim 29 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein the housing is printed on directly by means of the 3D printing method. ### Claim 30 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein a mounting interface for a further component is printed at or on the housing. ### Claim 31 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein the 3D printing method is a free space method or a powder bed method. ### Claim 32 (depends on 1) The method, according to any claim 1, wherein the 3D printing method is a free space method with a volume variable material. ### Claim 33 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein the at least one 3D printing method comprises a laser beam melting method or an electronic beam melting method or a stereolithography method or a digital light processing method or a polyjet modeling method or fused deposition modeling method or a multi-jet modeling method or a binder jetting method or a laser deposition welding method or a cold gas spraying method. ### Claim 34 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein the whole long range optical apparatus is produced by the at least one 3D printing method. ### Claim 35 (depends on 1) The method, according to claim 1, wherein the 3D printing method is carried out in a closed region under different atmospheric conditions, such as pressure, temperature, humidity, gas composition, than those of an ambient atmosphere. ### Claim 36 A long range optical apparatus, in particular, binocular or monocular telescope, spotting scope, rifle scope, or range finder, with at least one housing, comprising at least one part that is produced by at least one 3D printing method. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The long range optical apparatus, according to claim 36, wherein the at least one part that is produced by the 3D printing method is at least one operating element, in particular, for changing an optical adjustment or for changing an operating state of the long range optical apparatus. ### Claim 38 (depends on 36) The long range optical apparatus, according to claim 36, wherein the at least one part that is produced by the 3D printing method is at least one contact element that comes into contact with a body section of a user when the long range optical apparatus is used, as intended. ### Claim 39 (depends on 38) The long range optical apparatus, according to claim 38, wherein the at least one contact element is an eye cap, a grip section or a support for a region of the forehead of a user. ### Claim 40 (depends on 36) The long range optical apparatus, according to claim 36, wherein the at least one part that is produced by the 3D printing method is an armoring, in particular, a casing, for the housing of the long range optical apparatus. ### Claim 41 (depends on 36) The long range optical apparatus, according to claim 36, wherein the housing is produced at least partially by means of the 3D printing method. ### Claim 42 An Accessory part for a long range optical apparatus, in particular, carrying strap, bag, protective case, objective lens cover or eyepiece cover, a holding frame, in particular, anatomically shaped holding fame for attaching the long range optical apparatus to the head of a user, characterized in that the accessory part is produced at least partially with a 3D printing method. ### Claim 43 An Operating part, in particular, focus adjustment element, magnification adjustment element, diopter compensation adjustment element, ballistic turret or switch, wherein the operating part is produced at least partially with a 3D printing method. ### Claim 44 A 3D printing apparatus with at least one printer controller and at least one electronic memory, wherein the printer controller is configured, by means of data stored in the electronic memory, to control at least one print head for producing an object, wherein at least one 3D model of at least one basic element of a long range optical apparatus or at least one accessory part or at least one operating part or at least one other part of the long range optical apparatus that is to be printed is stored in electronic form in the electronic memory.