Modular day/night weapon aiming system
First Claim
1. A modular weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, the system comprising:
- an aiming portion having a light source, a combining mirror, and means for mounting said aiming portion to said weapon to produce a virtual image of said light source at an infinite distance in substantial linear alignment with said barrel, said virtual image providing a reticle; and
a removable night vision portion for intensifying a received image and means for removably mounting said night vision portion to said weapon in substantial linear alignment behind said aiming portion to provide said reticle visible through said night vision portion.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The improved day/night weapon sight comprises a red dot aiming portion having a light emitting diode, a combining mirror, and an apparatus for mounting the LED and the mirror on a weapon to produce a virtual image of the LED at an infinite distance in alignment with the bore sight of the weapon, and a removable night vision portion having an objective lens, an eyepiece, and an image intensification tube for intensifying a received image intermediate the objective lens and the eyepiece, wherein the virtual image is visible to the operator at night through the eyepiece, and the night vision portion is removed for use of the red dot aiming portion during the day.
108 Citations
42 Claims
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1. A modular weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, the system comprising:
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an aiming portion having a light source, a combining mirror, and means for mounting said aiming portion to said weapon to produce a virtual image of said light source at an infinite distance in substantial linear alignment with said barrel, said virtual image providing a reticle; and a removable night vision portion for intensifying a received image and means for removably mounting said night vision portion to said weapon in substantial linear alignment behind said aiming portion to provide said reticle visible through said night vision portion. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having barrel, the system comprising:
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an aiming means for producing in a viewing field a virtual image of a light source at an infinite distance in substantial linear alignment with said barrel for providing a reticle for the operator of said weapon, said aiming means comprising a single combining mirror having a generally concave surface facing said light source to define said viewing field in a rearward direction relative said weapon; a removable night vision means for intensifying a received image and having a field of view which includes said viewing field provided by said combining mirror; and whereby alignment of said night vision means to said weapon is unnecessary. - View Dependent Claims (12)
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13. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, said system comprising:
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an aiming means for producing in a viewing field a virtual image of a light source at an infinite distance in substantial linear alignment with said barrel capable of providing a reticle for the operator of said weapon, said aiming means comprising a single combining mirror having a generally concave surface facing said light source to define said viewing field in a rearward direction relative said weapon, and means for mounting said aiming means to said weapon; and a night vision means having a field of view for intensifying a received image and at least partially including said viewing field for providing said reticle within the field of view of said night vision means. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, the system comprising:
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an aiming means for producing a virtual image of a light source at an infinite distance in substantial linear alignment with said barrel for providing a reticle for the operator of said weapon; a removable night vision means for intensifying a received image and having a field of view which includes the field of view of said aiming means, said night vision means further comprising an eyepiece, an objective lens, an image intensification tube, and a housing; and means for mounting said aiming means and said night vision means on said weapon in substantial linear alignment with said barrel and with said night vision means behind said aiming means relative said weapon to provide said reticle visible to said operator through said eyepiece; whereby alignment of said night vision means to said weapon is unnecessary. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, said system comprising:
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an aiming means for producing a virtual image of a light source at an infinite distance in substantial linear alignment with said barrel capable of providing a reticle for the operator of said weapon, and means for mounting said aiming means to said weapon; a night vision means for intensifying a received image and for providing said reticle within the field of view of said night vision means; and means for mounting said night vision means on said weapon in substantial linear alignment with said barrel and behind said aiming means relative said weapon.
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30. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, said system comprising:
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a aiming means for producing an image of a light source in substantial linear alignment with said barrel capable of providing a reticle for the operator of said weapon, said aiming means comprising a single reflecting element having a generally concave surface facing said light source in a rearward direction relative said weapon; and a night vision means for intensifying a received image and for providing said reticle within a field of view of said night vision means, said night vision means being mounted to the head of the operator and detached from said aiming means.
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31. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, said system comprising:
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a means for projecting an image of a reticle into an input of a night vision receiver, said projecting means comprising a single reflecting element having a generally concave surface facing in a rearward direction relative said weapon; and said night vision receiver being mounted to the head of the operator and detached from said projecting means.
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32. A modular weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon, the system comprising:
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an aiming means for projecting an image of a reticle for said weapon, and means for mounting said aiming means to said weapon; and a night vision means for intensifying a received image including an objective lens, and means for removably mounting said night vision means to said weapon to provide said reticle image visible through said night vision means. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34)
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- 35. The aiming system of 34, wherein said light source is of a predetermined color, and said mirror transmits light of other colors.
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37. An aiming system for a weapon operable during night and day, and capable of producing an intensified image of a scene under night conditions, comprising:
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a night vision portion capable of producing said intensified image of said scene, said night vision portion having an objective lens; an aiming means for projecting an image of a reticle for said weapon, said aiming means including a light source of a predetermined color, and a combining mirror formed of a transparent material having a concave surface which reflects light of said predetermined color and transmits light of other colors, said concave surface capable of defining and projecting in a viewing field rearwardly of said weapon a virtual image of said reticle image into said objective lens; means for mounting said aiming means to said weapon; and wherein said aiming means and said night vision portion are so disposed that at least a portion of light from said scene is transmitted through said concave combining mirror in said viewing field and into said objective lens. - View Dependent Claims (38, 39, 40, 41)
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42. A weapon aiming system operable during day and night conditions for a weapon having a barrel, said system comprising:
a means for projecting an image of a reticle into an input of a night vision receiver, said projecting means comprising a single reflecting element having a generally concave surface facing in a rearward direction relative said weapon, and said night vision receiver being detached from said projecting means.
Specification