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US 6,978,569 B2Granted
Tilt indicator for firearms
AssigneeLong-Shot Products, Ltd.
InventorsWarren P. Williamson, IV, David C. Yates, Craig B. Berky
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A tilt indicator for use on a firearm includes a signal to indicate if the firearm is level or out of level. The signal is located to be viewed by a user via the user's peripheral vision and his secondary concentration so the user can maintain his primary concentration on the target.
Claims38
A tilt indicator for use on a firearm, in conjunction with a scope having optical elements therein comprising:
- a) an eyepiece configured to be coupled to the firearm behind all of the optics of the scope and through which the user views the target with a targeting display superposed on the target with the target being viewed via the user's primary concentration;
- and
- b) a firearm level indicating system including a fiber optic system carried by said eyepiece and having a firearm level indicator signal configured to be located behind all of the optical elements of the scope so as to be viewed by the user's secondary concentration while the viewer's primary concentration is on the target so the viewer's primary concentration on the target via the targeting display is uninterrupted and non-distracted by said firearm level indicating system.
A tilt indicator for use on a firearm, in conjunction with a scope having optical elements therein comprising:
- a) an eyepiece configured to be coupled to the firearm behind all of the optics of the scope and through which the user views the target with a targeting display superposed on the target with the target being viewed via the user's Primary concentration;
- and
- b) a firearm level indicating system carried by said eyepiece and having a firearm level indicator signal configured to be located behind all of the optical elements of the scope so as to be viewed by the user's secondary concentration while the viewer's primary concentration is on the target so the viewer's primary concentration on the target via the targeting display is uninterrupted and non-distracted by said firearm level indicating system;
- wherein said level indicating system includes a yellow display and a green display.
1 more element
A tilt indicator for use on a firearm comprising:
- a) an eyepiece for a firearm through which a user views a target with a targeting display superposed on the target, said targeting display lying with a perimeter of a primary circle having a perimeter diameter equal to approximately ML(X/E) where ML is the diameter of the macula lutea;
- X is the distance between a plane containing the cornea of the viewer's eye and a plane containing the targeting display;
- and E is the distance between a plane containing the viewer's retina and the plane containing the cornea of the viewer's eye;
- and
- b) a firearm level indicating system on the firearm and having a firearm level indicating signal located in a secondary circle having a diameter greater than the diameter of said primary circle and less than a diameter equal to approximately Ov(X/E) where Ov is the diameter of a circle projected from the plane containing the viewer's retina at the maximum limit of sight without movement of the eye through the viewer's cornea at a distance X from the cornea whereby the level indicating signal is located outside the primary circle but within the secondary circle.
2 more elements
A method of leveling a firearm during use comprising:
- a) focusing a user's central vision on a targeting display on a firearm;
- b) indicating a non-level orientation of the firearm outside the user's central vision;
- c) said step of indicating a non-level orientation of the firearm includes generating a first color of illumination for indicating a level orientation, and generating a second, different color of illumination for indicating the non-level orientation;
- and
- d) moving the firearm until a level orientation of the firearm is achieved while maintaining central vision focused on the targeting display.
2 more elements
Apparatus for indicating tilt of a firearm, comprising:
- a) an ocular housing adapted to be mounted on the firearm and having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator, wherein said signal indicator is configured to permit visual acquisition of said image through said display without obstruction by said signal indicator;
- b) tilt sensing circuitry adapted to be supported by the firearm and configured to generate a signal indicative of firearm tilt;
- and
- c) a controller responsive to said signal generated by said sensing circuitry and operable to illuminate said signal indicator according to the firearm tilt;
- wherein said signal indicator further comprises two differently colored lights for respectively indicating level and non-level orientations of the firearm.
2 more elements
Apparatus for indicating tilt of a firearm, comprising:
- a) an ocular housing adapted to be mounted on the firearm and having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least first and second signal indicators, wherein said signal indicators are configured to permit visual acquisition of said image through said display without obstruction by said signal indicators;
- b) tilt sensing circuitry adapted to be supported by the firearm and configured to generate a signal indicative of firearm tilt:
- and
- c) a controller responsive to said signal generated by said sensing circuitry and operable to illuminate said signal indicators according to the firearm tilt;
- wherein said controller initiates activation of the first signal indicator when said ocular housing is oriented within a first tilt range relative to said zero reference point, and the second signal indicator when said ocular housing is oriented within a second range relative to said zero reference point and a size of said first tilt range for a first resolution mode is smaller than said size of said first tilt range while operating in a second resolution mode.
2 more elements
Apparatus for indicating tilt of a firearm, comprising:
- a) an ocular housing adapted to be mounted on the firearm and having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator, wherein said signal indicator is configured to permit visual acquisition of said image through said display without obstruction by said signal indicator;
- b) tilt sensing circuitry adapted to be supported by the firearm and configured to generate a signal indicative of firearm tilt;
- c) a controller responsive to said signal generated by said sensing circuitry and operable to illuminate said signal indicator according to the firearm tilt;
- wherein said tilt sensing circuitry includes an accelerometer.
1 more element
Apparatus for indicating tilt of a firearm, comprising:
- a) an ocular housing adapted to be mounted on the firearm and having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator, wherein said signal indicator is configured to permit visual acquisition of said image through said display without obstruction by said signal indicator;
- b) tilt sensing circuitry adapted to be supported by the firearm and configured to generate a signal indicative of firearm tilt;
- c) a controller responsive to said signal generated by said sensing circuitry and operable to illuminate said signal indicator according to the firearm tilt;
- wherein said ocular housing includes an interface configured to set a parameter selected from the group consisting of:
- brightness, resolution mode, reference zero, and some combination thereof.
2 more elements
Apparatus for indicating tilt of a firearm, comprising:
- a) an ocular housing adapted to be mounted on the firearm and having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator, wherein said signal indicator is configured to permit visual acquisition of said image through said display without obstruction by said signal indicator;
- b) tilt sensing circuitry adapted to be supported by the firearm and configured to generate a signal indicative of firearm tilt;
- c) a controller responsive to said signal generated by said sensing circuitry and operable to illuminate said signal indicator according to the firearm tilt;
- wherein said controller initiates storage of a setting selected from the group consisting of:
- brightness, zero reference, resolution mode, and some combination thereof.
2 more elements
A method for indicating tilt within an ocular housing having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator for relating tilt positioned on the periphery of said display in such a manner as to permit visual acquisition of said image, comprising:
- a) generating a signal in response to sensing a tilt relative to a zero reference point;
- b) activating at least one signal indicator in response to said signal, wherein said signal indicator is configured so as to permit visual acquisition of said image;
- and
- c) configuring a parameter selected from the group consisting of:
- brightness, resolution mode, reference zero, and some combination thereof.
2 more elements
A method for indicating tilt within an ocular housing having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator for relating tilt positioned on the periphery of said display in such a manner as to permit visual acquisition of said image, comprising:
- a) generating a signal in response to sensing a tilt relative to a zero reference point;
- b) activating at least one signal indicator in response to said signal, wherein said signal indicator is configured so as to permit visual acquisition of said image:
- and
- c) storing a setting selected from the group consisting of:
- brightness, zero reference, resolution mode, and some combination thereof.
2 more elements
A method for indicating tilt within an ocular housing having a display through which an image is viewable, wherein said display includes at least one signal indicator for relating tilt positioned on the periphery of said display in such a manner as to permit visual acquisition of said image, comprising:
- a) generating a signal in response to sensing a tilt relative to a zero reference point;
- b) activating at least one signal indicator in response to said signal, wherein said signal indicator is configured so as to permit visual acquisition of said image;
- c) activating a first signal indicator of a first color when said ocular housing is oriented within a first tilt range relative to said zero reference point, and
- d) activating a second signal indicator of a second, different color when said ocular housing is oriented within a second tilt range relative to said zero reference point.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.