Optical system with cant indication

• US 10,480,900 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2016
• Issued: 11/19/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sig Sauer Incorporated (SIG Sauer US Holding LP)
• Original Assignee: Sig Sauer Incorporated (SIG Sauer US Holding LP)
• Inventors: York, Andrew W., Smith, Gregory Scott
• Primary Examiner(s): Freeman, Joshua E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cochran, Bridget A
• Application Number:
  US15/220,254
• Publication Number:
  US 20170138698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,211 Days
• Field of Search: 42123
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/345 for illuminating the sights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/38 Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance telescopic sights in general G02B; Supports or mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/387 Mounting telescopic sights on smallarms
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/44 Spirit-level adjusting means, e.g. for correcting tilt; Means for indicating or correcting tilt or cant
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/34 illuminated

Abstract

An electronic indicator on a see-through optical scope indicates whether an optical system is canted. The indicator may include illuminable visual indicators positioned on opposite sides of a field of view through the optical scope. The indicator may be visual, haptic, or aural. The visual indicator may include one or more LEDs positioned on the periphery of the field of view, and may be optically coupled to an appropriate position on the face of the reticle using a suitable waveguide. The LEDs are coupled to a microprocessor which is, in turn, coupled to a solid-state electronic inclinometer that is incorporated into the internal structure of the optical system. The microprocessor is configured to selectively illuminate one or more of the visual indicators based on the output of the inclinometer, thereby indicating how the reticle is canted, if at all.

Claims

1. A direct, see-through optical system having a main optical axis extending from an ocular end to an objective end of the optical system, the main optical axis of the optical system structured to be fixedly aligned with a long axis of a shooting device, the see-through optical system comprising:

an electronic inclinometer structured to determine a cant of the shooting device relative to a vertical transverse axis of the main optical axis of the optical system; and

an electronic indicator structured to provide an indicator signal to a user related to the determined cant, including;

a first light indicator disposed adjacent a periphery of the optical system structured to be selectively illuminated to indicate a cant in a first direction; and

a second light indicator disposed adjacent the perimeter of the optical system structured to be selectively illuminated to indicate a cant in a second direction, the first and second light indicators each located on opposite sides of the vertical transverse axis and along a horizontal axis of the optical system.

2. The see-through optical system of claim 1, further comprising a third indicator for indicating a vertical alignment of the shooting device with the optical system.

3. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the optical system is housed in a telescopic sighting device having a front focal plane and a rear focal plane, and in which the first or second indicator is located proximate the front focal plane of the telescopic sighting device.

4. The see-through optical system of claim 3, in which the telescopic sighting device includes an eyepiece, and in which the first or second indicator is located proximate the eyepiece.

5. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the optical system is housed in a telescopic sighting device having a front focal plane and a rear focal plane, and in which the first or second indicator is located proximate the rear focal plane of the telescopic sighting device.

6. The see-through optical system of claim 5, in which a reticle is disposed proximate the front focal plane, and in which the first or second indicator is located on a field stop proximate the rear focal plane.

7. The see-through optical system of claim 2, in which the third indicator is disposed between the first indicator and the second indicator.

8. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the electronic indicator comprises more than two individual indicators.

9. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the electronic indicator is structured to indicate a direction of cant and a relative amount of cant.

10. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the relative amount of cant is indicated by a flashing rate of the electronic indicator.

11. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the relative amount of cant is indicated by a light intensity of the electronic indicator.

12. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the electronic indicator is structured to indicate a vertical alignment of the shooting device with the optical system by illuminating both the first and second indicator.

13. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the electronic indicator includes a haptic indicator.

14. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the electronic indicator includes an aural system.

15. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the electronic inclinometer is an accelerometer.

16. The see-through optical system of claim 1, in which the first direction is clockwise and the second direction is counter-clockwise.