Coincidence and stereoscopic type binocular rangefinder device with separable binocular
AssigneeVX Optronics
InventorAngus James Tocher
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A coincidence and stereoscopic binocular rangefinder is disclosed for measuring distance to sighted targets. The rangefinder preferably has three optical windows for receiving radiation from a sighted target allowing the user to use both his ability to align separated images in one of the eyepieces of the rangefinder, and his ability to stereoscopically sense and compare apparent target depths using both eyepieces of the rangefinder. The rangefinder also includes a novel feature whereby the binocular portion may be easily and conveniently detached from the rangefinder and used separately, and then easily reattached when distance measurement is again desired.
Claims16
A coincidence and stereoscopic binocular rangefinding device comprising:
- rangefinding receiver means for receiving target radiation from a sighted target of interest, said rangefinding receiver means further comprising as follows:
- first, second and third channel rangefinder entrance windows through which pass said target radiation;
- channel merging means for merging said target radiation from at least two of said first, second and third channel rangefinder entrance windows;
- means for causing a directional deviation of said target radiation received through at least one of said first, second and third channel rangefinder entrance windows;
- means for controlling degree of said deviation imposed by said means for causing on said target radiation;
- and means for sensing said degree of deviation imposed by said means for causing on said target radiation;
- said coincidence and stereoscopic binocular rangefinding device additionally comprising:
- binocular magnifier means having a first channel binocular entrance window for receiving said target radiation from said channel merging means, and having a second channel binocular entrance window for receiving target radiation from another of said first, second and third channel rangefinder entrance windows of said rangefinding receiver means, said binocular magnifier means also for presenting images formed from said target radiation to a viewer's eyes;
- and
- means for displaying data derived from said degree of deviation sensed by said means for sensing.
A binocular rangefinding device, comprising:
- rangefinding receiver means for receiving target radiation from a cited target of interest, said rangefinding receiver means including a plurality of rangefinder entrance windows through which target radiation passes;
- binocular magnifier means including first and second channel binocular entrance windows, wherein said first channel binocular entrance window receives target radiation from at least one of said plurality of channel rangefinder entrance windows and said second channel binocular entrance window receives target radiation from at least another one of said plurality of rangefinder entrance windows, said binocular magnifier means also for presenting images formed from target radiation to a viewer's eyes;
- and
- mounting means for detaching and re-attaching said binocular magnifier means from said rangefinding receiver means such that said binocular magnifier means can be used separately from said rangefinder receiver means.
A method for operating a device to separately perform rangefinding and binocular functions, comprising:
- providing rangefinding receiver means that includes a plurality of channel rangefinder entrance windows through which target radiation passes;
- providing detachable binocular magnifier means that includes first and second channel binocular entrance windows;
- attaching said binocular magnifier means to said rangefinding receiver means for operating the device in order to perform the rangefinding function;
- receiving target radiation through said plurality of rangefinder entrance windows;
- inputting target radiation through each of said first and second channel binocular entrance windows;
- determining a distance based on said target radiation received by said first and second channel binocular entrance windows;
- detaching said binocular magnifier means from said rangefinding receiver means;
- using said binocular magnifier means to perform a binocular function.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.