Apparatus and method for aiming point calculation

• US 9,335,123 B2
• Filed: 01/15/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: HVRT Corp
• Original Assignee: Horus Vision LLC (Horus Vision Reticle Technologies)
• Inventors: Sammut, Dennis J.
• Primary Examiner(s): CLEMENT, MICHELLE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US14/156,206
• Publication Number:
  US 20140360083A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 421/22, 42/84, 89/411.4, 89/410.3, 89/411.5, 89/411.6, 89/411.7, 89/411.9, 892/00, 892/04
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/01 characterised by the visual combination effect of the respective geometrical forms of fore and rear sight F41G1/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/033 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/12 with line or mark other than notch
• 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: F41G 3/00 Aiming or laying means sighting devices F41G1/00; determining direction, distance or velocity by use of radio or other waves G01S; computers G06; antennas H01Q
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/08 with means for compensating for speed, direction, temperature, pressure, or humidity of the atmosphere measuring G01
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/12 with means for compensating for muzzle velocity or powder temperature with means for compensating for gun vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/12 with means for image conversion or intensification
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/14 Viewfinders for photographic apparatus G03B13/02
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/145 Zoom viewfinders

Abstract

The present invention relates to target acquisition and related devices, and more particularly to telescopic gunsights and associated equipment used to achieve shooting accuracy at, for example, close ranges, medium ranges and extreme ranges at stationary and moving targets.

Claims

1. A reticle, comprising:

a) a primary horizontal cross-hair;

b) a primary vertical cross-hair;

c) a plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs intersecting at evenly spaced distances said primary vertical cross-hair wherein said primary vertical cross hair and said secondary horizontal cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs wherein said plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs is a plurality of interrupted dot cross-hairs; and

d) a plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs intersecting at predetermined distances at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs wherein said secondary vertical cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs, wherein said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs is a plurality of dots wherein an intersection of at least one of said plurality of said secondary vertical cross-hair dot and at least one of said plurality of interrupted dot simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs provides an aiming point.

2. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair is a line.

3. The reticle of claim 2, wherein said line is a straight line.

4. The reticle of claim 3, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

5. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

6. The reticle of claim 5, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary horizontal cross-hair.

7. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair is a line.

8. The reticle of claim 7, wherein said line is a straight line.

9. The reticle of claim 8, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

10. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

11. The reticle of claim 10, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary vertical cross-hair.

12. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair and said primary vertical cross-hair physically cross at an intersection point.

13. The reticle of claim 12, wherein said intersection point comprises an open center.

14. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said dots vary in size.

15. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said dots are solid dots, hollow dots, or a combination of solid and hollow dots.

16. The reticle of claim 15, wherein said hollow dots are located at the end of at least one secondary horizontal cross-hair.

17. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of equal length.

18. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of unequal length.

19. The reticle of claim 1, wherein one or more of said dots is a circle.

20. The reticle of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs is shorter in length than said primary horizontal cross-hair.

21. The reticle of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs is located on at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs.

22. The reticle of claim 1, wherein one or more dots of said plurality of interrupted dot horizontal cross-hairs is a secondary vertical cross-hair dot.

23. The reticle of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs dots is located on said primary horizontal cross-hair.

24. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise identification numbers.

25. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise triangles, squares, straight lines, crosses, curved lines, arcs, solid shapes, or shapes in silhouette.

75. The reticle of claim 15, wherein said hollow dots are located at the end of at least one secondary horizontal cross-hair.

76. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of equal length.

77. The reticle of claim 1, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of unequal length.

78. The reticle of claim 1, wherein one or more of said dots is a circle.

79. The reticle of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs is shorter in length than said primary horizontal cross-hair.

80. The reticle of claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of lead markings is located on at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs.

26. A target acquisition device, comprising:

a) a housing mounted in a fixed, predetermined position relative to a firearm;

b) an objective lens mounted in one end of said housing;

c) an ocular lens mounted in the opposite end of said housing; and

d) a reticle, comprising;

     1) a primary horizontal cross-hair;

     2) a primary vertical cross-hair;

     3) a plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs intersecting at evenly spaced distances said primary vertical cross-hair wherein said primary vertical cross hair and said secondary horizontal cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs wherein said plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs is a plurality of interrupted dot cross-hairs; and

     4) a plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs intersecting at predetermined distances at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs wherein said secondary vertical cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs, wherein said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs is a plurality of dots wherein an intersection of at least one of said plurality of said secondary vertical cross-hair dot and at least one of said plurality of simultaneously visible secondary interrupted dot horizontal cross-hairs provides an aiming point.

27. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair is a line.

28. The target acquisition device of claim 27, wherein said line is a straight line.

29. The target acquisition device of claim 28, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

30. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

31. The target acquisition device of claim 30, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary horizontal cross-hair.

32. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair is a line.

33. The target acquisition device of claim 32, wherein said line is a straight line.

34. The target acquisition device of claim 33, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

35. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

36. The target acquisition device of claim 35, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary vertical cross-hair.

37. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair and said primary vertical cross-hair physically cross at an intersection point.

38. The target acquisition device of claim 37, wherein said intersection point comprises an open center.

39. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said dots vary in size.

40. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said dots are solid dots, hollow dots, or a combination of solid and hollow dots.

41. The target acquisition device of claim 40, wherein said hollow dots are located at the end of at least one secondary horizontal cross-hair.

42. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of equal length.

43. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of unequal length.

44. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein one or more of said dots is a circle.

45. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs is shorter in length than said primary horizontal cross-hair.

46. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs is located on at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs.

47. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein one or more dots of said plurality of interrupted dot horizontal cross-hairs is a secondary vertical cross-hair dot.

48. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary vertical cross-hairs dots is located on said primary horizontal cross-hair.

49. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise identification numbers.

50. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise triangles, squares, straight lines, crosses, curved lines, arcs, solid shapes, or shapes in silhouette.

51. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle further comprises rangefinder markings.

52. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle further comprises unique markings for identification purposes on at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs.

53. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured in a first focal plane.

54. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured in the second focal plane.

55. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured in a combination of the first focal plane and the second focal plane.

56. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured in a fixed power target acquisition device.

57. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured for shooting at a range of less than 500 yards.

58. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured for shooting at a range of 500 yards to 1000 yards.

59. The target acquisition device of claim 26, wherein said reticle is configured for shooting at a range greater than 1000 yards.

60. A reticle, comprising:

a) a primary horizontal cross-hair;

b) a primary vertical cross-hair;

c) a plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs intersecting at evenly spaced distances said primary vertical cross-hair wherein said primary vertical cross hair and said secondary horizontal cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs wherein said plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs is a plurality of interrupted dot cross-hairs; and

d) a plurality of simultaneously visible lead markings at predetermined distances along at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs wherein said lead markings are selected from the group consisting of etched lead markings, engraved lead markings, and printed lead markings, wherein said plurality of said simultaneously visible lead markings is a plurality of dots wherein at least one of said plurality of said simultaneously visible lead markings provides an aiming point.

61. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair is a line.

62. The reticle of claim 61, wherein said line is a straight line.

63. The reticle of claim 62, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

64. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

65. The reticle of claim 64, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary horizontal cross-hair.

66. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair is a line.

67. The reticle of claim 66, wherein said line is a straight line.

68. The reticle of claim 67, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

69. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

70. The reticle of claim 69, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary vertical cross-hair.

71. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair and said primary vertical cross-hair physically cross at an intersection point.

72. The reticle of claim 71, wherein said intersection point comprises an open center.

73. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said dots vary in size.

74. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said dots are solid dots, hollow dots, or a combination of solid and hollow dots.

81. The reticle of claim 60, wherein one or more dots of said plurality of interrupted dot horizontal cross-hairs is a lead marking.

82. The reticle of claim 60, wherein at least one of said plurality of lead markings is located on said primary horizontal cross-hair.

83. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise identification numbers.

84. The reticle of claim 60, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise triangles, squares, straight lines, crosses, curved lines, arcs, solid shapes, or shapes in silhouette.

85. A target acquisition device, comprising:

a) a housing mounted in a fixed, predetermined position relative to a firearm;

b) an objective lens mounted in one end of said housing;

c) an ocular lens mounted in the opposite end of said housing; and

d) a reticle, comprising;

     1) a primary horizontal cross-hair;

     2) a primary vertical cross-hair;

     3) a plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs intersecting at evenly spaced distances said primary vertical cross-hair wherein said primary vertical cross hair and said secondary horizontal cross-hairs are selected from the group consisting of etched cross-hairs, engraved cross-hairs, and printed cross-hairs wherein said plurality of simultaneously visible secondary horizontal cross-hairs is a plurality of interrupted dot cross-hairs; and

     4) a plurality of simultaneously visible lead markings at predetermined distances along at least some of said secondary horizontal cross-hairs wherein said lead markings are selected from the group consisting of etched lead markings, engraved lead markings, and printed lead markings, wherein said plurality of said simultaneously visible lead markings is a plurality of dots wherein at least one of said plurality of said simultaneously visible lead markings provides an aiming point.

86. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair is a line.

87. The target acquisition device of claim 86, wherein said line is a straight line.

88. The target acquisition device of claim 87, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

89. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

90. The target acquisition device of claim 89, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary horizontal cross-hair.

91. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair is a line.

92. The target acquisition device of claim 91, wherein said line is a straight line.

93. The target acquisition device of claim 92, wherein said straight line is an uninterrupted straight line.

94. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said primary vertical cross-hair has a predetermined thickness.

95. The target acquisition device of claim 94, wherein said predetermined thickness is a single thickness along said primary vertical cross-hair.

96. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said primary horizontal cross-hair and said primary vertical cross-hair physically cross at an intersection point.

97. The target acquisition device of claim 96, wherein said intersection point comprises an open center.

98. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said dots vary in size.

99. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said dots are solid dots, hollow dots, or a combination of solid and hollow dots.

100. The target acquisition device of claim 99, wherein said hollow dots are located at the end of at least one secondary horizontal cross-hair.

101. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of equal length.

102. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said simultaneously visible interrupted dot secondary horizontal cross-hairs are interrupted by spaces of unequal length.

103. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein one or more of said dots is a circle.

104. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs is shorter in length than said primary horizontal cross-hair.

105. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein at least one of said plurality of lead markings is located on at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs.

106. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein one or more dots of said plurality of interrupted dot horizontal cross-hairs is a lead marking.

107. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein at least one of said plurality of lead markings is located on said primary horizontal cross-hair.

108. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise identification numbers.

109. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said secondary horizontal cross-hairs further comprise triangles, squares, straight lines, crosses, curved lines, arcs, solid shapes, or shapes in silhouette.

110. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle further comprises rangefinder markings.

111. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle further comprises unique markings for identification purposes on at least one of said plurality of secondary horizontal cross-hairs.

112. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured in a first focal plane.

113. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured in the second focal plane.

114. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured in a combination of the first focal plane and the second focal plane.

115. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured in a fixed power target acquisition device.

116. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured for shooting at a range of less than 500 yards.

117. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured for shooting at a range of 500 yards to 1000 yards.

118. The target acquisition device of claim 85, wherein said reticle is configured for shooting at a range greater than 1000 yards.