Gun sight

• US 8,448,373 B2
• Filed: 01/27/2012
• Issued: 05/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Matthews, John W., Buczek, Mark, Squire, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Eldred, J. Woodow
• Application Number:
  US13/359,925
• Publication Number:
  US 20120186132A1
• Time in Patent Office: 487 Days
• Field of Search: 421/14, 421/23, 421/31, 421/32, 421/40, 421/22, 421/30, 421/13
• US Class Current: 42/114
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/00 Adaptations for training adaptations of barrels for recoil reinforcement F41A21/26; Gun simulators teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26 ; shooting games A63F9/02; military simulation G09B9/003
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/16 Adjusting mechanisms therefor; Mountings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/26 screw
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/30 Reflecting-sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance reflecting-sights in general G02B
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/004 Mountings with clamping means on the device embracing at least a part of the firearm, e.g. the receiver or a dustcover F41G11/003 takes precedence

Abstract

Various gun sights for firearms and related methods of use are provided. In one embodiment, the sight includes an apparatus adapted to be mounted at a rear end of a firearm and arranged to occlude one eye of a user of the firearm and to generate an illuminated dot that is disposed such that it is generally centered on the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm. The gun sight produces a collimated beam of light that creates an image of an illuminated dot by either a refractive method or a reflective method. In use, a dominant eye of the user is occluded by the sight and the other eye of the user is focused on the target. The user then adjusts the position of the gun relative to the target such that the user perceives the illuminated dot of the sight to be positioned on the target.

Claims

1. A method of operating a sight for a firearm, the method comprising:

generating light from a light source; and

passing the light from the light source by an optical device to provide a reticle substantially co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of a barrel of the firearm for use in aiming the firearm.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising mounting the sight substantially behind the barrel of the firearm.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the firearm is a pistol comprising a hammer, wherein the mounting comprises mounting the sight substantially behind the hammer.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the firearm is a hammerless pistol, wherein the mounting comprises mounting the sight to a slide of the firearm.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the passing comprises collimating the light.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the optical device is a substantially parabolic mirror; and

the passing comprises focusing the light by a surface of the substantially parabolic mirror.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the optical device is a lens; and

the passing comprises focusing the light by the lens.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the reticle is a red dot.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

positioning a user'"'"'s first eye behind and substantially co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm while the user'"'"'s second eye views a target;

receiving, at the user'"'"'s first eye, the reticle; and

aiming the firearm using the reticle.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the sight is a first sight, the method further comprising:

repositioning the user'"'"'s first eye to view a second sight; and

aiming the firearm using the second sight, wherein the first sight does not obscure the aiming of the firearm using the second sight.

12. A sight adapted to be operated in accordance with the method of claim 1.

13. A firearm comprising:

a barrel; and

a sight adapted to be operated in accordance with the method of claim 1.

14. A method comprising:

providing a light source;

providing an optical device; and

assembling a sight comprising the light source and the optical device, wherein;

the light source is adapted to generate light, and

the optical device is adapted to pass the light from the light source to provide a reticle substantially co-axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the barrel of a firearm for use in aiming the firearm.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising mounting the sight substantially behind the barrel of the firearm.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the firearm is a pistol comprising a hammer, wherein the mounting comprises mounting the sight substantially behind the hammer.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the firearm is a hammerless pistol, wherein the mounting comprises mounting the sight to a slide of the firearm.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical device is adapted to collimate the light.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical device is a substantially parabolic mirror adapted to focus the light.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the optical device is a lens adapted to focus the light.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode (LED).

22. The method of claim 14, wherein the reticle is a red dot.

23. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

positioning a user'"'"'s first eye behind and substantially co-axial with the longitudinal axis of the barrel of the firearm while the user'"'"'s second eye views a target;

receiving, at the user'"'"'s first eye, the reticle; and

aiming the firearm using the reticle.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the sight is a first sight, the method further comprising:

repositioning the user'"'"'s first eye to view a second sight; and

aiming the firearm using the second sight, wherein the first sight does not obscure the aiming of the firearm using the second sight.

25. A sight adapted to be assembled in accordance with the method of claim 14.

26. A firearm comprising:

a barrel; and

a sight adapted to be assembled in accordance with the method of claim 14.