Method and apparatus for internally zeroing a sight

• US 7,440,185 B1
• Filed: 12/15/2005
• Issued: 10/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Canada Limited (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: Thorpe, Michael David, Jarinov, Victor
• Primary Examiner(s): FINEMAN, LEE A
• Application Number:
  US11/303,127
• Time in Patent Office: 1,041 Days
• Field of Search: 359/429
• US Class Current: 359/429
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/02 involving prisms or mirrors G02B23/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/004 Manual alignment, e.g. micromanipulators

Abstract

A sight includes a housing with first and second openings, and includes an optics section that is disposed within the housing, that has image erecting optics and eyepiece optics, and that optically influences radiation received through the first opening from a scene, so as to deliver through the second opening a viewable image that is a function of the radiation. An adjusting section facilitates adjustment of the position of the image erecting optics and the eyepiece optics within the housing.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising a sight that includes:

a housing with first and second openings;

an optics section that is disposed within said housing, and that optically influences radiation from a scene received through said first opening so as to deliver through said second opening a viewable image that is a function of the radiation, said optics section including image erecting optics and eyepiece optics;

an optics support section supporting said optics section within said housing, said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics being supported by said optics support section for movement relative to said housing; and

an adjusting section cooperable with said optics support section so as to facilitate adjustment of the position of said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics relative to said housing;

wherein said optics support section includes a member supported for movement relative to said housing and having said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics supported thereon, said adjusting section effecting movement of said member relative to said housing;

wherein said movement of said member relative to said housing is pivotal movement; and

wherein said optics section includes objective optics stationarily supported on said housing, said member being pivotal about a pivot point located in the region of said objective optics.

2. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting section can move said optics support section relative to said housing between first and second positions that are different, and can selectively maintain said optics support section in either of said first and second positions.

3. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said housing and said member each have a partial spherical surface thereon, said partial spherical surfaces slidably engaging each other to effect said pivotal support of said member relative to said housing.

4. An apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein said objective optics include an objective lens having a nodal point;

and

wherein said pivot point is located approximately at said nodal point.

5. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optics section includes an aperture stop spaced from said objective optics, said optics support section supporting said aperture stop for movement relative to said housing, and said adjusting section facilitating adjustment of the position of said aperture stop relative to said housing.

6. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said optics section includes reticle inserting optics that adds a reticle image to radiation traveling through said optics section, said reticle inserting optics including a part that is supported by said optics support section for movement relative to said housing, and said adjusting section facilitating adjustment of the position of said part relative to said housing.

7. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said image erecting optics includes an image erecting prism, and said eyepiece optics includes an eyepiece lens.

8. An apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said adjusting section facilitates selective adjustment of said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics to any of a plurality of different operational positions relative to said housing, said adjusting section maintaining said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics stationary with respect to said housing in each of said operational positions.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said adjusting section facilitates adjustment of said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics to a selected one of said operational positions in which a chief ray of a true zero field associated with said sight is centered with respect to said image erecting optics and said eyepiece optics.

10. An apparatus comprising a sight that includes:

a housing having means defining first and second openings;

optics means disposed within said housing for optically influencing radiation from a scene received through said first opening so as to deliver through said second opening a viewable image that is a function of the radiation, said optics means including image erecting means for erecting an image in said radiation, and eyepiece means for finalizing said viewable image;

optics support means for supporting said optics means within said housing, said optics support means supporting said image erecting means and said eyepiece means for movement relative to said housing; and

adjusting means cooperable with said optics support means for facilitating adjustment of the position of said image erecting means and said eyepiece means relative to said housing;

wherein said optics support means includes a member supported for movement relative to said housing and having said image erecting means and said eyepiece means supported thereon, said adjusting means effecting movement of said member relative to said housing;

wherein said optics support means supports said member for pivotal movement relative to said housing;

wherein said optics means includes objective means for collecting radiation from the scene; and

wherein said optics support means supports said member for pivotal movement about a pivot point located in the region of said objective means.

11. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said adjusting means is configured for moving said optics support means relative to said housing between first and second positions that are different, and for selectively maintaining said optics support means in either of said first and second positions.

12. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said optics support means includes said housing and said member each having a partial spherical surface thereon, and includes said partial spherical surfaces slidably engaging each other to effect said pivotal support of said member relative to said housing.

13. An apparatus having means defining first and second openings;

optics means disposed within said housing for according to claim 10,

wherein said optics means includes means defining an aperture stop spaced from said objective means;

wherein said optics support means supports said aperture stop for movement relative to said housing; and

wherein said adjusting means facilitates adjustment of the position of said aperture stop relative to said housing.

14. An apparatus according to claim 10,

wherein said optics means includes reticle inserting means for adding a reticle image to radiation traveling through said optics means, said reticle inserting means including a part supported by said optics support means for movement relative to said housing;

and

wherein said adjusting means facilitates adjustment of the position of said part relative to said housing.

15. An apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said adjusting means facilitates selective adjustment of said image erecting means and said eyepiece means to any of a plurality of different operational positions relative to said housing, said adjusting means maintaining said image erecting means and said eyepiece means stationary with respect to said housing in each of said operational positions.

16. An apparatus according to claim 15, wherein said adjusting means facilitates adjustment of said image erecting means and said eyepiece means to a selected one of said operational positions in which a chief ray of a true zero field associated with said sight is centered with respect to said image erecting means and said eyepiece means.