Variable optical power telescopic sight with side focus control

• US 6,005,711 A
• Filed: 01/21/1998
• Issued: 12/21/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Leupold & Stevens Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Leupold & Stevens Incorporated
• Inventors: Mai, Neil T., Thomas, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, THONG Q
• Application Number:
  US09/010,305
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 359/399-402, 359/410, 359/422, 359/424-428, 359/432, 359/693, 359/694, 359/705, 33/233, 33/245-248, 33/297-298, 42/101, 42/103
• US Class Current: 359/424
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 15/1421 the first group being positive
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/145 Zoom viewfinders
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/10 by relative axial movement of several lenses, e.g. of varifocal objective lens

Abstract

A variable optical power telescopic sight with adjustable focus control includes a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, an interior and exterior, and first and second ends. The housing holds an eyepiece positioned at the second end and an erector positioned in the interior of the housing medially of the first end and the eyepiece. To enable side focus control in the telescopic sight, an objective lens system includes a stationary portion positioned in the interior of the housing near the first end and a movable portion positioned in the interior of the housing between the stationary portion and the erector for movement generally along the longitudinal axis to adjust the focus of the telescopic sight. A manually adjustable focus control device projects outwardly from the exterior of the housing in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and is connected to the movable portion of the objective lens system. The side mounted focus control device allows a marksman to change the position of the movable portion of the objective lens along the longitudinal axis to adjust the focus of the telescopic sight. A slidable lens carrier, positioned within the housing and coupled to the focus control device, holds the movable portion of the objective lens system for movement along the longitudinal axis of the housing. In an alternative embodiment, the movable portion of the objective lens system is operably connected to a pivotable erector lens system for increasing a windage and holdover adjustment of the telescopic sight.

Claims

1. A telescopic sight with variable optical power and an adjustable focus, the telescopic sight including a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, an interior and exterior, and first and second ends, the housing holding an eyepiece positioned at the second end and an erector positioned in the interior of the housing medially of the first end and the eyepiece, comprising:

a movable mounting member for mounting the erector;

a manually adjustable magnification control device having a range of adjustment and operatively connected to the mounting member to move the erector generally along the longitudinal axis and thereby vary the optical power of the telescopic sight;

a pivot mount positioned within the interior of and operatively connected to the housing for pivotal movement within the housing about a pivot point, the pivot mount operatively connected to the erector for pivotal movement of the erector about the pivot point;

a manually adjustable windage control device projecting outwardly from the exterior of the housing in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and positioned opposite a manually adjustable focus control device, the windage control device in operative association with the pivot mount for movement of the erector transversely of the longitudinal axis;

a manually adjustable holdover control device projecting outwardly from the exterior of the housing in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and transverse to the windage control device, the holdover control device in operative association with the pivot mount for movement of the erector transversely of the longitudinal axis and transversely of the movement imparted to the erector by the windage control device;

an objective lens system including a stationary portion positioned in the interior of the housing near the first end and a movable portion positioned in the interior of the housing between the stationary portion and the erector, the movable portion operatively connected to the pivot mount so that adjustment of the windage and holdover control devices imparts pivotal movement to the movable portion transversely of the longitudinal axis; and

the manually adjustable focus control device projecting outwardly from the exterior of the housing in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the focus control device operatively connected to the movable portion of the objective lens system to move the movable portion generally along the longitudinal axis and thereby adjust the focus of the telescopic sight.

2. The telescopic sight of claim 1, further comprising a slidable lens carrier and a coupling mechanism located within the interior of the housing, the lens carrier holding the movable portion of the objective lens system and the coupling mechanism coupling the focus control device to the lens carrier to cause it to move generally along the longitudinal axis in response to an adjustment of the focus control device.

3. The telescopic sight of claim 2 wherein the focus control device is rotatable about a focus control axis and includes a key for orbital movement within the housing about the focus control axis, and wherein the coupling mechanism includes a slot oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis for receiving the key such that orbital movement of the key imparts movement to the lens carrier generally along the longitudinal axis.

4. The telescopic sight of claim 1 wherein the movable portion includes a positive lens.

5. The telescopic sight of claim 1 wherein the movable portion includes a Barlow lens.

6. The telescopic sight of claim 1 wherein the objective lens system projects an image at a first focal plane located medially of the movable portion and the erector, the telescopic sight further comprising:

a reticle positioned within the interior of the housing medially of the eyepiece and the erector; and

a collector positioned within the interior of the housing and between the first focal plane and the erector, the first focal plane, collector, and erector defining a second focal plane located medially of the eyepiece and the erector, the collector responsive to the magnification control device for movement generally along the longitudinal axis to maintain the focus at the second focal plane of the image of the first focal plane during movement of the erector.

7. The telescopic sight of claim 6 wherein the collector and erector are responsive to the magnification control device such that the collector and the erector move at independent rates.

8. A telescopic sight for viewing distant objects, the telescopic sight having a variable optical power setting, an adjustable focus setting, an adjustable windage offset, and an adjustable holdover offset, the telescopic sight including a tubular housing having a longitudinal axis, an interior and exterior, and first and second ends, the housing holding an eyepiece at the second end, a pivot mount pivotally mounted within the interior of the housing and positioned medially of the first end and the eyepiece, an erector operatively connected to the pivot mount for pivotal movement therewith, the erector movable generally along the longitudinal axis to vary the optical power setting of the telescopic sight, a reticle positioned medially of the erector and the eyepiece, the erector forming an image near the reticle of a distant object being viewed, and a pair of adjustable aiming control devices in operative association with the pivot mount for pivotally moving the erector within the housing and thereby shifting laterally the image formed by the erector in relation to the reticle to adjust the windage and holdover offsets, the telescopic sight comprising:

an objective lens system including a stationary portion positioned in the interior of the housing near the first end and a movable negative lens portion positioned in the interior of the housing between the stationary portion and the erector, the movable negative lens portion operatively connected to the pivot mount so that adjustment of the aiming control devices imparts pivotal movement to the movable negative lens portion, thereby laterally shifting the image formed by the erector and increasing the windage and holdover offsets; and

a manually adjustable focus control device operatively connected to the movable negative lens portion of the objective lens system to move the movable negative lens portion generally along the longitudinal axis and thereby adjust the focus setting of the telescopic sight.

9. The telescopic sight of claim 8 wherein the movable negative lens portion includes a Barlow lens.

10. The telescopic sight of claim 8 wherein the focus control device projects outwardly from the exterior of the housing in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis.

11. The telescopic sight of claim 8, further comprising a slidable lens carrier and a coupling mechanism located within the interior of the housing, the lens carrier operatively connected to the pivot mount for holding the movable negative lens portion of the objective lens system and the coupling mechanism coupling the focus control device to the lens carrier to cause the lens carrier to move generally along the longitudinal axis in response to an adjustment of the focus control device.

12. The telescopic sight of claim 11 wherein the focus control device is rotatable about a focus control axis and includes a key for orbital movement within the housing about the focus control axis, and wherein the coupling mechanism includes a slot oriented transversely of the longitudinal axis for receiving the key such that orbital movement of the key imparts movement to the lens carrier generally along the longitudinal axis.