Solid state reticle projector for a weapon sight

• US 4,794,430 A
• Filed: 04/29/1987
• Issued: 12/27/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Litton Systems Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Varo, Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Whittaker, Thomas F., Isbell, Wayne E., Sorensen, Peter III
• Primary Examiner(s): NOT, DEFINED
• Assistant Examiner(s): Koren, Matthew W.
• Application Number:
  US07/044,007
• Time in Patent Office: 608 Days
• Field of Search: 356/251, 356/252, 350/562, 350/565, 350/566, 340/705, 340/767, 340/782, 340/815.27
• US Class Current: 356/252
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 3/06 with rangefinder rangefinders per se G01C
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/10 reflecting into the field of view additional indications, e.g. from collimator
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/32 Fiducial marks and measuring scales within the optical system

Abstract

Disclosed is a reticle generator having an azimuth array (64) of light emitting diode filament lines and an elevation array (66) of orthogonal light emitting diode filament lines. The arrays (64, 66) are fixed by rigid bracket members (136, 144) with respect to the faces (74, 80) of a partially reflecting prism (76). An illuminated LED filament line projected into the prism (76) by azimuth array (64) is reflected by the partially reflecting surface (82), and emitted from prism face (84). A selected LED filament (78) from elevation array (66) is transmitted through the prism (76) and emitted from face (84) and thus superimposed with the azimuth filament line (72).

Claims

1. A reticle generator, comprising:

a first array including a plurality of elongate, closely spaced light emitting diode filaments formed on a first substrate;

a second array including a plurality of elongate closely spaced light emitting diode filaments formed on a second substrate;

said first and second arrays each being individually encapsulated and having a transparent window through which light from the respective arrays is emitted;

optical superimposing means comprising a prism structure with a first face oriented orthogonal to a second face thereof, a partially reflecting surface oriented at an angle with respect to said first and second faces, and a third face disposed in a plane parallel to one said first or second faces; and

means for fixing the windowed part of said first array with respect to said first face of said prism, and for fixing the windowed part of said second array with respect to said second face of said prism to provide a reticle image having superimposed filament images of said first and second arrays exiting said third prism face.

2. The reticle generator of claim 1 wherein said first array is arranged with respect to said second array such that said elongated lines of each said array are oriented substantially orthogonal with respect to each other.

3. The reticle generator of claim 1 wherein said optical superimposing means defines a first optical superimposing means, and further including a second optical superimposing means for superimposing an image with said reticle image.

4. The reticle generator of claim 1 further including an analog-to-digital converter for converting analog signals representative of the coordinates of a spatial location into associated digital signals, and means for decoding said digital signals to access said first and second arrays to illuminate one said filament in each said array so that the intersection of said accessed filaments corresponds to said spatial location.

5. The reticle generator of claim 1 further including means for varying the intensity of the light emitted from the selected filament of each said array.

6. The reticle generator of claim 5 wherein said means for varying the light intensity includes manual means for providing any desired light intensity between a minimum and a maximum.

7. The reticle generator of claim 6 wherein said manual means comprises a variable resistor for controlling a pulse width output of an astable multivibrator.

8. The reticle generator of claim 1 further including an optical table, and means for fixing to said table said first and second encapsulated arrays and said prism structure.

9. The reticle generator of claim 8 further including means for adjusting said first and second arrays with respect to said prism structure.

10. A reticle array device, comprising:

a semiconductor substrate;

a plurality of elongate, parallel spaced filament lines of material formed on said substrate which can be illuminated when a voltage is impressed thereacross;

a plurality of groups of said lines of material defined by an electrical short circuit at the end of each said group of lines;

a first plurality of access conductors connected to one end of ones of said lines, and a second plurality of access conductors each connected to one said short circuited group; and

encapsulating means for housing said substrate for protection from the environment;

a plurality of electrical terminals connected to said filament lines and extending from said encapsulating means; and

a transparent window cover sealed by said encapsulating means, and disposed adjacent to said filament lines so that light emitted from said lines can be transmitted through said window cover.

11. The reticle array of claim 10 wherein said filament lines are formed with a width of about 0.1 mils.

12. The reticle array of claim 10 wherein said filament lines are spaced about 0.5 mils apart.

13. A reticle generator, comprising:

a plurality of azimuth light emitting diode filament lines;

a plurality of elevation light emitting diode filament lines;

means for selectively driving one said azimuth filament line and one said elevation filament line at a time with a voltage; and

an illumination control for said azimuth and elevation filament lines, comprising means for varying a duty cycle of said voltage to obtain a continiuum of illuminations between a minimum and maximum, said control including a variable resistance for controlling the duty cycle of a multivibrator.

14. The reticle generator of claim 13 wherein said illumination control further comprises a demultiplexer with a control input adapted for activating a plurality of outputs connected to said azimuth and elevation filament lines, and means for cyclically driving said control input.