Range finder for weapons

• US 8,240,077 B2
• Filed: 05/29/2009
• Issued: 08/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Larry Holmberg
• Original Assignee: Larry Holmberg
• Inventors: Holmberg, Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen M
• Application Number:
  US12/455,181
• Publication Number:
  US 20090255162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,173 Days
• Field of Search: 421/14, 421/15, 421/17, 421/42, 356/4.01, 356/5.01, 356/5.04
• US Class Current: 42/142
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/473 for lead-indicating or range-finding, e.g. for use with rifles or shotguns
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

A range finder includes housing, circuitry, a lens, a display, and a plurality of threaded apertures. The housing has a front end, a rear end, and a bottom portion extending between the front end and the rear end. The range finder circuitry is located within the housing. The lens is located at the front end of the housing. The display is located at the rear end of the housing. The plurality of threaded apertures are located in the bottom portion of the housing.

Claims

1. An optical range finder comprising:

a housing having a front end, a rear end, a side plate, and a bottom surface extending between the front end and the rear end;

range finder circuitry located within the housing;

a lens located at the front end of the housing;

a display located at the rear end of the housing;

a port extending into the side plate;

a plurality of threaded apertures extending upwardly into the bottom surface of the housing;

a stabilizing recess extending upwardly into the bottom surface of the housing for receiving a stabilizing nub on a weapon mount; and

screws extending upwardly through the weapon mount and into at least one of the plurality of attaching apertures thereby securing the range finder to the weapon mount.

2. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

buttons for controlling operation of the rangefinder located on the housing.

3. The range finder of claim 2, wherein the buttons are located on the rear end adjacent the display.

4. The range finder of claim 1, wherein the side plate extends perpendicularly between the front end and the rear end.

5. The range finder of claim 4, further comprising:

a battery compartment extending into the side plate.

6. The range finder of claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of screws extending into the side plate for attaching the side plate to the housing.

7. A range finder for a weapon, the range finder comprising:

a housing including a front end, a back end, a top, a bottom, a left side and a right side;

a lens mounted at the front end of the housing;

a signal generation circuit located within the housing for generating signals to project out of the front end of the housing;

a signal receiving circuit located within the housing for receiving the generated signals reflected off an object and back through the lens;

a range finding circuit located within the housing for processing the received signals and determining distance to the object;

a liquid crystal display for displaying the distance determined by the range finding circuit, the liquid crystal display mounted at the back end of the housing; and

at least one threaded attaching aperture extending upwards into the rangefinder from the bottom for attaching the range finder to a weapon mount having a mounting rail;

a stabilizing recess extending upwards into the rangefinder from the bottom for receiving a stabilizing nub on the weapon mount;

at least one screw extending upwards through the weapon mount into the at least one threaded attaching aperture, thereby securing the range finder to the weapon mount.

8. The range finder of claim 7, wherein the front end is parallel to the back end, the top is parallel to the bottom, and the left side is parallel to the right side.

9. The range finder of claim 7, further comprising:

buttons for controlling the operation of the range finder located below the display on the back end of the housing.

10. The range finder of claim 7, further comprising:

a battery compartment extending into the range finder from one side, the battery compartment having a circular, threaded cover.

11. The range finder of claim 7, further comprising:

a remote control port extending into the range finder from one side.

12. The range finder of claim of claim 11, further comprising:

a remote control electrically connected to the range finder circuit through the remote control port.

13. The range finder of claim 7, wherein the weapon mount comprises a scope ring.

14. The range finder of claim 7, wherein the weapon mount comprises a clamp.