Gunsight and reticle therefor

• US 6,681,512 B2
• Filed: 03/06/2002
• Issued: 01/27/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: HVRT Corp
• Original Assignee: Horus Vision LLC (Horus Vision Reticle Technologies)
• Inventors: Sammut, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Buckley, Denise J
• Application Number:
  US10/092,921
• Publication Number:
  US 20020124452A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 421/22, 421/19, 421/30, 421/33, 421/44, 332/65, 332/97
• US Class Current: 42/122
• 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: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/32 Fiducial marks and measuring scales within the optical system

Abstract

An improved optical device for use in aiming guns is provided by combining a conventional telescopic gunsight with a reticle having an optical center, an edge and one or more aiming points, and a ring which is positioned optically between the optical center and the edge whereby said ring can be visually centered in a field of view for aiding users in aligning their line of sight through the optical device. The optical device can be any conventional optical device used by shooters as an aid to aiming such as, for example, gunsights, riflescopes, spotting scopes, binoculars and the like.

Claims

1. A reticle for use in an optical device used for shooting, comprising:

a first substantially transparent disc having an optical center and an edge for mounting said disc in a housing, one or more aiming points positioned on said disc, and a ring positioned optically between said optical center and said edge, said ring spaced from said edge and circumscribing said optical center and one or more of said aiming points, whereby said ring can be visually centered in a field of view for aiding users in aligning their line of sight through the optical device, wherein one or more aiming points are formed by a primary vertical cross hair, a primary horizontal cross-hair intersecting said primary vertical cross-hair to form an upper right quadrant, an upper left quadrant, a lower left quadrant, and a lower right quadrant, a plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs evenly spaced a predetermined distance along said primary vertical cross-hair, a plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs evenly space a predetermined distance along at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs, unique markings identifying at least some of said secondary horizontal cross hairs, and wherein said reticle additionally includes rangefinding markings on said reticle.

2. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said ring is positioned on said transparent disc.

3. The reticle of claim 1, wherein at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs each include a unique marking for identification purposes.

4. The reticle of claim 1, additionally including an aiming dot of predetermined size positioned at said optical center to further assist users in aligning their line of sight.

5. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said optical device comprises:

a housing;

an objective lens mounted in said housing at one end thereof;

an ocular lens mounted in said housing at an opposite end thereof for creating with said objective lens a field of view;

said reticle mounted in said housing between said objective lens and said ocular lens, whereby said ring can be visually centered in a field of view for aiding users in aligning their line of sight through the telescopic gunsight.

6. The reticle of claim 5, wherein said optical device additionally includes variable power optics for permitting a user to select the optical power of the optical device within a predetermined range, and wherein said reticle is mounted between said variable power optics and said objective lens.

7. The reticle of claim 5, wherein said optical device is a gunshight and said housing is mounted in a fixed, predetermined position relative to a gun barrel.

8. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said ring is positioned on said disc.

9. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said reticle additionally includes some rangefinder markings.

10. A reticle for use in an optical device used for shooting, comprising:

a first substantially transparent disc having an optical center and an edge for mounting said disc in a housing, one or more aiming points positioned on said disc, and a ring positioned optically between said optical center and said edge, said ring spaced from said edge and circumscribing said optical center and one or more of said aiming points, whereby said ring can be visually centered in a field of view for aiding users in aligning their line of sight through the optical device, wherein said optical device comprises;

a housing;

an objective lens mounted in said housing at one end thereof;

an ocular lens mounted in said housing at an opposite end thereof for creating with said objective lens a field of view;

said reticle mounted in said housing between said objective lens and said ocular lens, whereby said ring can be visually centered in a field of view for aiding users in aligning their line of sight through the telescopic gunsight, wherein said ring is positioned between said reticle and said variable power optics.