MODULAR SIGHTING ASSEMBLY AND METHOD

• US 20160010949A1
• Filed: 03/02/2015
• Published: 01/14/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Original Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp.
• Inventors: Teetzel, James W., Lemire, Gary M., Carter, Marvin S. III, Francis, Daryl, Killam, Dean B., Habrial, Jansen
• Granted Patent: US 9,506,723 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/473 for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/065 Structural association of sighting-devices with laser telemeters

Abstract

A laser sighting system can be used in combination with a range finder for determining a distance to a target. An onboard ballistics computer processor in the laser sighting system calculates a trajectory and automatically rotates a pointing laser to the proper angle for causing the trajectory path of a fired projectile to intersect with the position of the target. The laser sighting system can also be used in a standalone mode wherein target distance information is input manually by the user.

Claims

1. A laser sighting system, comprising:

a fixed section having a housing and a fastener for providing a rigid connection of the fixed section to a weapon;

a laser assembly including one or more lasers, the laser assembly rotatably attached to the fixed section and rotatable about an axis which extends in a direction which is generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of a barrel of the weapon;

a processor assembly including a processor and an associated computer readable memory encoded with executable instructions, the processor configured, upon execution of the executable instructions, to receive input representative of a distance to a target and calculate a trajectory angle of the weapon based on the distance to the target whereby the weapon will launch a projectile a distance that corresponds to the distance to the target;

a motor mount disposed within the fixed section and including a projecting portion which extends into a complimentary cavity in the laser assembly, wherein the laser assembly is rotatable with respect to the motor mount;

a motor received within the motor mount and having a drive shaft coupled to the laser assembly, the motor configured to operate under the control of the processor assembly;

the processor configured, upon execution of the executable instructions, to operate the motor to rotate the laser assembly relative to the fixed section such that the barrel of the weapon will be aligned with the trajectory angle when an optical axis of the one or more lasers is aligned with the target.

2. The laser sighting system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sight attached to the laser assembly and optically aligned with the one or more lasers, the sight selected from the group consisting of a mechanical sight, a reflex sight, a telescopic sight, or any combination thereof.

3. The laser sighting system of claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display the distance to the target in human viewable form.

4. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the distance to the target is a calculated distance received from an associated range finder, the range finder including an optical emitter for sending an optical signal to the target and an optical detector for detecting the optical signal reflected from the target.

5. The laser sighting system of claim 1, further comprising a laser range finder operatively coupled to the laser sighting system, the laser range finder configured to calculate the distance to the target.

6. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the processor is configured, upon execution of the executable instructions, to operate in a first mode wherein the input representative of a distance to a target is received from an associated range finder and a second mode wherein the input representative of a distance to a target is manually input by a user.

7. The laser assembly sighting system of claim 6, wherein the laser assembly is manually rotatable with respect to the fixed section and further wherein the processor is configured, upon execution of the executable instructions, to receive input representative of a distance to a target based on a degree of manual rotation of the laser assembly.

8. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the motor mount is movable within the housing.

9. The laser sighting system of claim 1, further comprising a windage adjustment assembly, the windage adjustment assembly including:

a windage adjustment rod having a first end rotatable by a user and a second end attached to the motor mount, wherein rotation of the windage adjustment rod in a first direction is configured to impart a side-to-side adjustment of an aiming direction of the laser assembly in a first side-to-side direction and rotation of the windage adjustment rod in a second direction is configured to impart a side-to-side adjustment of the aiming direction of the laser assembly in a second side-to-side direction.

10. The laser sighting system of claim 9, wherein the windage adjustment assembly includes a threaded rod rotatably engaging a threaded opening in the motor mount.

11. The laser sighting system of claim 10, further comprising a ball and socket joint joining the threaded rod and the windage adjustment rod.

12. The laser sighting system of claim 1, further comprising an elevation adjustment assembly, the elevation adjustment assembly including:

an elevation adjustment rod having a first end rotatable by a user and a second end coupled to the motor mount, wherein rotation of the elevation adjustment in a first direction is configured to impart an upward adjustment of an aiming direction of the laser assembly and rotation of the elevation adjustment in a second direction is configured to impart a downward adjustment of an aiming direction of the laser assembly.

13. The laser sighting system of claim 12, wherein the elevation adjustment assembly includes an eccentric cam attached to the elevation adjustment rod and received within an opening in the motor mount, the eccentric cam configured to impart vertical movement of the motor mount responsive to rotation of the elevation adjustment rod.

14. The laser sighting system of claim 1, further comprising a remote control unit operatively coupled to the processor assembly for controlling operation of the laser sighting system.

15. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein laser assembly includes one or more pointing lasers.

16. The laser sighting system of claim 15, wherein the laser assembly further includes at least one illumination laser.

17. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the laser assembly includes a first pointing laser which is operable to emit infrared radiation, a second pointing laser which is operable to emit visible radiation, and an illumination laser which is operable to emit infrared radiation, wherein the first pointing laser, the second pointing laser, and the illumination laser are optically aligned with each other to emit radiation in the same direction along parallel optical axes.

18. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the laser assembly includes a plurality of lasers and a plurality of adjustment set screws engaging each laser, each of the adjustment set screws rotatable to adjust an optical axis of such laser independently of the other lasers in said plurality of lasers.

19. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the weapon is a grenade launcher.

20. The laser sighting system of claim 1, wherein the fastener is a weapon accessory rail clamp.

21. The laser sighting system of claim 20, wherein the weapon accessory rail clamp is configured for removable attachment to a Picatinny accessory rail.

22. A method for aligning a barrel of a weapon with a trajectory angle in relation to a line of sight between the weapon and a target so that the weapon will launch a projectile a distance that corresponds to a distance to the target, said method comprising:

inputting data representative of the distance to the target to a processor having an associated memory encoded with executable instructions;

providing a fixed section having a housing, the fixed section rigidly connected to the weapon;

providing a laser assembly including one or more lasers, the laser assembly rotatably attached to the fixed section and rotatable about an axis which extends in a direction which is generally transverse to a longitudinal axis of the barrel of the weapon;

providing a motor mount disposed within the fixed section and including a projecting portion which extends into a complimentary cavity in the laser assembly, wherein the laser assembly is rotatable with respect to the motor mount;

providing a motor received within the motor mount and having a drive shaft coupled to the laser assembly, the motor configured to operate under the control of the processor;

executing the executable instructions to calculate a trajectory angle of the weapon based on the distance to the target, the trajectory angle being calculated to cause a projectile that is fired by the weapon to be launched a distance that corresponds to the distance to the target; and

executing the executable instructions to operate said motor to rotate the laser assembly relative to the fixed section such that the barrel of the weapon will be aligned with the trajectory angle when an optical axis of the one or more lasers is aligned with the target.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the processor is configured to receive the data representative of the distance to the target from one or both of:

an associated range finder; and

manual input by a user.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising one or both of:

aligning said optical axis of the one or more lasers with the target; and

attaching a sight to the laser assembly in optical alignment with said optical axis of the one or more lasers with the target and aligning the sight with the target.