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US 6,327,806 B1Granted
Optical sighting devices
AssigneeFirearms Research Limited
InventorClive Rawlinson Paige
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An optical device for aiming at a target wherein an optical element of the optical device has a surface that reflects a source of light to create a sighting image for alignment with the target. The optical element has aspherical surface to minimize aberrations of the target.
Claims36
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element of transparent material having a first surface to be in use directed towards the target and a second surface in which the user views an image of the target, and
- a source of light directed at and reflected back from the second surface to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the optical element is a thick meniscus optical element—namely one having a thickness at least approximately 25% of the effective diameter of the optical element—and is composed of a base element which
- (a) provides said second surface as a parabolic aspherical surface and defines it as one of short focal length, namely less than 5 cm (2 inches), and which
- (b) has an aspherical correcting surface that constitutes said first surface and is to minimize aberrations in the image of the target as viewed by the user.
2 more elements
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element in which the user views an image of the target, and a source of light directed at and reflected back from the optical element to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the device includes a cover movable from a covering condition—in which it reduces the power consumption of the light source towards zero and thus acts as though effectively switching off illumination from the light source—and an uncovering condition in which it permits the sighting device to be used.
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element in which the user views an image of the target, and a source of light directed at and reflected back from the optical element to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the optical element is one of a pair of optical elements formed from one originating element of transparent material by a method including the step of dividing the originating element in two parts to leave each of said parts with a “dividing” edge created by the dividing method step, the said dividing edge of each part being utilized as a lowermost base edge of that optical element.
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element of transparent material having a first surface to be in use directed towards the target and a second surface in which the the user views an image of the target, and
- a source of light directed at and reflected back from the second surface to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the optical element is a “thick” meniscus optical element—which is to say that it has a thickness at least approximately 25% of the effective diameter of the optical element—and is composed of a base element which
- (a) provides said second surface as a parabolic aspherical surface and defines it as one of short focal length of the order of 2.5 cm (1 inch), and which
- (b) has an aspherical correcting surface that constitutes said first surface and is to minimize aberrations in the image of the target as viewed by the user.
2 more elements
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element of transparent material having a first surface to be in use directed towards the target and a second surface in which the the user views an image of the target, and
- a source of light directed at and reflected back from the second surface to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the optical element is a “thick” meniscus optical element—which is to say that it has a thickness at least approximately 25% of the effective diameter of the optical element—and is composed of a base element which provides said second surface as a parabolic aspherical surface and defines it as one of short focal length, namely less than 5 cm, and which
- (b) has an aspherical correcting surface that constitutes said first surface and is to minimize aberrations in the image of the target as viewed by the user,
- and wherein the second, reflecting, surface of the optical element has a Dichroic coating whereby it reflects selectively a narrow band width of light from the light source eliminates all of these.
2 more elements
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element of transparent material having a first surface to be in use directed towards the target and a second surface in which the the user views an image of the target, and
- a source of light directed at and reflected back from the second surface to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the optical element is a “thick” meniscus optical element—which is to say that it has a thickness at least approximately 25% of the effective diameter of the optical element—and is composed of a base element which
- (a) provides said second surface as a parabolic aspherical surface and defines it as one of short focal length, namely less than 5 cm, and which
- (b) has an aspherical correcting surface that constitutes said first surface and is to minimize aberrations in the image of the target as viewed by the user;
- and further comprising means to mount the sighting device in place of the rear sight of a hand gun and in registry with an existing feature on the gun whereby original alignment can be maintained if the device is removed and replaced.
3 more elements
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising:
- an optical element of transparent material having a first surface to be in use directed towards the target and a second surface in which the the user views an image of the target, and
- a source of light directed at and reflected back from the second surface to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element,
- wherein the optical element is a thick meniscus optical element—namely one having a thickness at least approximately 25% of the effective diameter of the optical element—and is composed of a base element which
- (a) provides said second surface as a parabolic aspherical surface and defines it as one of short focal length, namely less than 5 cm, and which
- (b) has an aspherical correcting surface that constitutes said first surface and is to minimize aberrations in the image of the target as viewed by the user,
- wherein the light source is an LED aligned with the optical axis of the optical element and has an emitting area shaped to provide an emitted beam of predetermined recognizable form,
- and wherein the LED and electronic components associated therewith are encapsulated and, together with battery contacts, provide a single unit.
4 more elements
An optical device for sighting a target to be aimed at in the line of sight of a user, comprising an optical element of transparent material, and a source of light;
- wherein the optical element
- (A) is a t hick meniscus optical element, namely one having a thickness at least approximately 25% of the effective diameter of the optical element,
- (B) is selected from a pair of optical elements formed from one originating element of transparent material by a method including the step of dividing the originating element in two parts to leave each of said parts with a dividing edge created by the dividing method step, the said dividing edge of each part being utilized as a lowermost base edge of that optical element,
- (C) has a first surface for facing the target and a second surface in which the user views an image of the target, and
- (D) has its said second surf ace of short focal length, namely less than 5 cm;
- and wherein the said source of light is directed at and reflected back from the second surface to create a sighting image for the user to align with the image of the target as viewed in the optical element.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.