U.S. patent application number 16/317284 was filed with the patent office on 2020-12-10 for red dot sight.
This patent application is currently assigned to FN Herstal S.A.. The applicant listed for this patent is FN Herstal S.A.. Invention is credited to Hugues Libotte, Kristof Verjans.
Application Number | 20200386517 16/317284 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005062214 |
Filed Date | 2020-12-10 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20200386517 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Libotte; Hugues ; et
al. |
December 10, 2020 |
RED DOT SIGHT
Abstract
The present invention relates to a movable red dot sight
comprising a fixed first light source (30) and a first reflective
plate (34, 53), the light source generating a collimated first
light beam that is projected onto the reflective plate (34, 53) in
order to create a red dot or reticle that may be seen by the
shooter via reflection from the reflective plate (34, 53), and the
first beam being projected onto the reflective plate (34, 53) by
way of a rotary mirror (32) the angle of inclination of which with
respect to the first light beam is adjustable.
Inventors: |
Libotte; Hugues; (Jalhay,
BE) ; Verjans; Kristof; (Tongeren, BE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
FN Herstal S.A. |
Herstal |
|
BE |
|
|
Assignee: |
FN Herstal S.A.
Herstal
BE
|
Family ID: |
1000005062214 |
Appl. No.: |
16/317284 |
Filed: |
July 11, 2017 |
PCT Filed: |
July 11, 2017 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2017/067432 |
371 Date: |
January 11, 2019 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 1/30 20130101; F41G
1/35 20130101; F41G 1/44 20130101; F41G 1/48 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41G 1/30 20060101
F41G001/30; F41G 1/35 20060101 F41G001/35; F41G 1/48 20060101
F41G001/48; F41G 1/44 20060101 F41G001/44 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jul 15, 2016 |
BE |
2016/5594 |
Claims
1. A movable red dot sight for attachment to a weapon, the movable
red dot sight comprising a first fixed light source and a first
reflective plate, the first fixed light source generating a first
collimated light beam that is projected onto the first reflective
plate in order to materialize a reticle or red dot that is visible
to a shooter of the weapon in reflection from the first reflective
plate and the first collimated light beam being projected onto the
first reflective plate by way of a rotatable mirror the angle of
inclination of which with respect to the first collimated light
beam is adjustable, wherein the movable red dot sight further
comprises a ballistic computer equipped with an inclinometer that
measures a cant of the weapon, the ballistic computer determining
an inclination of the weapon that corrects for the Magnus effect,
wherein indications in the movable red dot sight indicating when
said inclination is achieved.
2. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 1, further
comprising an illuminator/designator, wherein said movable red dot
sight comprises a second fixed light source that generates a second
collimated light beam that is initially parallel to the first
collimated light beam and that is steered by said rotatable mirror
toward a second reflective plate placed at an angle of 90.degree.
to the first reflective plate in order to illuminate/designate a
target.
3. The sight as claimed in claim 2, wherein the first and/or second
reflective plate includes a semi-transparent plate
beamsplitter.
4. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 3, further
comprising a device for adjusting an angle of inclination of the
rotatable mirror with respect to the first and second collimated
light beams, allowing the angle of inclination of the rotatable
mirror to be adjusted depending on a distance of the target and/or
a type of munition.
5. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
device for adjusting is equipped with a graduation representing the
distance of the target.
6. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 5, wherein the
device for adjusting is equipped with a plurality of graduations
specific to different types of munition.
7. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 4, wherein the
device for adjusting comprises a motor or mechanical actuator for
adjusting the angle of inclination of the rotatable mirror and and
wherein the ballistic computer controls said motor or actuator and
enables a required mirror angle to be calculated and instigated
depending on the distance of the target and on the type of
munition.
8. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 7, wherein the
ballistic computer is equipped with a rangefinder that
automatically communicates thereto the distance of the target when
the shooter triggers a measurement.
9. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
first and/or second fixed light source comprises a collimator with
a convergent lens and a light source placed at the focal point of
the convergent lens.
10. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 1, wherein the
red dot or reticle is point-like, with a diameter of about one
tenth of a millimeter to about one millimeter.
11. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 9, wherein the
first fixed light source includes a light emitting diode (LED)
located behind a mask that is located at the focal point of the
convergent lens and that is drilled with a hole in the location of
an optical axis of the first collimated light beam.
12. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 1, wherein a
lateral position of the reticle is automatically moved laterally by
a device controlled by the ballistic computer depending on a type
of munition used and a distance of a target, so as to correct for a
deviation in a trajectory of the munition used due to the Magnus
effect.
13. The movable red dot sight as claimed in claim 2, wherein the
second collimated light beam has one of a visible wavelength or an
infrared wavelength.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a targeting system for
firearms for munitions having a parabolic trajectory.
PRIOR ART
[0002] It is known from document EP 1 818 645 to superpose on a
target a red dot that is movable to a target in order to improve
the targeting of a parabolic shot. By parabolic shot, what is meant
here is a ballistic shot for which the difference between the
direct angle of sight and the angle of elevation of the weapon
correcting for the effect of gravity is large, in particular, in
excess of 5 to 10.degree.. Document EP 2 221 571 proposes a similar
solution in which a two-prism beamsplitter plays the role of
reflective surface for steering the image of the red dot to the
desired position. In these two documents, elevation is set by
rotating a movable mirror.
[0003] It is sometimes necessary, besides superposition of a
movable red dot, to designate or illuminate the target. These two
documents have nothing to say on this subject.
AIMS OF THE INVENTION
[0004] A first aspect of the invention aims to provide a targeting
system combining illumination and movable red dot into a single
synchronous device.
[0005] A second aspect of the invention aims to provide a targeting
system allowing the user to correct for azimuthal drift of a
munition due to the Magnus effect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0006] The present invention relates to a movable red dot sight
comprising a first fixed light source and a first reflective plate,
the light source generating a first collimated light beam that is
projected onto the reflective plate in order to materialize a red
dot or reticle that is visible to the shooter in reflection from
the reflective plate and the first beam being projected onto the
reflective plate by way of a rotatable mirror the angle of
inclination of which with respect to the first light beam is
adjustable.
[0007] By parabolic shot, what is meant in the present description
is a shot for which the difference between the angle of elevation
of the target and the angle of elevation for the shot is larger
than 10.degree..
[0008] According to preferred embodiments of the invention, the
movable red dot sight of the invention includes at least one, or a
suitable combination, of the following features: [0009] the sight
comprises an illuminator/designator in which said sight comprises a
second fixed light source that generates a second collimated light
beam that is initially parallel to the first light beam and that is
steered by said rotatable mirror toward a second reflective plate
placed at an angle of 90.degree. to the first reflective plate in
order to illuminate/designate a target; [0010] the first and/or
second reflective plate is a semi-transparent plate beamsplitter;
[0011] the sight comprises a device for adjusting the angle of
inclination of the rotatable mirror with respect to the light
beams, allowing the angle of the mirror to be adjusted depending on
the distance of the target and/or the type of munition; [0012] the
adjusting device is equipped with a graduation representing the
distance of the target; [0013] the adjusting device is equipped
with a plurality of graduations specific to different types of
munition; [0014] the adjusting device comprises a motor or
mechanical actuator for adjusting the angle of the rotatable mirror
and a ballistic computer that controls said motor/actuator and that
allows the required mirror angle to be calculated and instigated
depending on the distance of the target and on the type of munition
used; [0015] the ballistic computer is equipped with a rangefinder
that automatically communicates thereto the distance of the target
when the shooter triggers the measurement; [0016] the first and/or
second light source comprises a collimator with a convergent lens
and a light source placed at the focal point of the lens of the
collimator; [0017] the diameter of the generated light beam is
small, preferably about 15 mm or smaller; [0018] the light source
of the beam of the red dot is point-like, preferably with a
diameter of about one tenth of a millimeter or of about one
millimeter; [0019] the light source of the red dot is formed by an
LED placed behind a mask that is located at the focal point of the
lens of the collimator and that is drilled with a hole in the
location of the optical axis of the generated light beam; [0020]
the lateral position of the reticle is automatically moved
laterally by a device controlled by the ballistic computer
depending on the type of munition used and the distance of the
target, so as to correct for the deviation in the trajectory of the
munition due to the Magnus effect; [0021] the sight comprises a
ballistic computer equipped with an inclinometer that measures the
cant of the weapon, the computer determining the cant of the weapon
that corrects for the Magnus effect, indications in the sight
indicating when this inclination is achieved.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES
[0022] FIG. 1 shows the general parameters of a parabolic shot.
[0023] FIGS. 2 and 3 show a side view of a targeting system
according to the invention.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a top view of a targeting system according to
the invention.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows an example of a display of a targeting system
according to the invention.
REFERENCE NUMBERS USED IN THE FIGURES
[0026] 1. User [0027] 2. Target [0028] 3. Shooting distance [0029]
4. Axis of sight [0030] 5. Weapon [0031] 6. Trajectory [0032] 7.
Sighting scope [0033] 10. Illuminating light beam [0034] 11. Light
beam of the red dot [0035] 12. Reticle or red dot [0036] 13. Bore
axis [0037] 20. Indicator of actual inclination [0038] 21. Visual
inclination objective indicators [0039] 30. Red dot (reticle) light
source [0040] 31. Collimating device (lens) [0041] 32. Movable
mirror [0042] 33. Axis of rotation of the movable mirror [0043] 34.
Semi-reflective plate for steering the red dot [0044] 35.
(Semi-)reflective plate for steering the designating/illuminating
beam [0045] 36. Designating/illuminating light source [0046] 51,
52. Beamsplitter cubes [0047] 53, 54. Reflective surfaces of the
beamsplitter cubes
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0048] The idea behind the invention consists in using one and the
same movable part to define, on the one hand, the position of a
movable red dot, and on the other hand, the angle between an
illuminating/designating beam and the bore axis of the weapon.
[0049] This system comprises two separate sources 30, 36 that
illuminate the same reflective movable plane 32 (mirror). These two
separate sources are collimated and/or focused by optical means 31,
37 and the obtained beams are parallel to each other. These two
sources are vertically fixed.
[0050] The light source 30 that serves for the movable red dot is
steered by the movable mirror 32 toward a first semi-reflective
surface 34, 53 that steers it toward the eye of the user 1. The
semi-reflective surface then allows the movable red dot to be
superposed on the target. The angle at which this red dot is seen
is adjusted via the position of the movable mirror 32.
[0051] The light source 30 that serves for the movable red dot is a
point-like source of low brightness. It may for example form part
of a screen of good resolution, so as to allow other information to
be displayed.
[0052] The light source 36 that serves for the illumination is
steered by the same movable mirror 32 toward a second reflective
surface 35, 54 that is perpendicular to the first, which steers it
toward the target 2. The angle at which the illuminating beam is
then emitted is parallel to the beam of the movable red dot, but,
oriented at 180.degree.. This second reflective surface may
optionally be semi-reflective. Specifically, it may be sufficiently
offset laterally in order not to obstruct the field of view of the
user. Nevertheless, in order not to obstruct the field of view of
the user, this surface is, preferably, semi-reflective.
[0053] The steering angle of the movable mirror may for example be
modified by a piezoelectric, electromagnetic or electrical
actuator, or any other suitable means.
[0054] The illuminating source is sufficiently bright to illuminate
a distant target. It may furthermore have a wavelength outside of
the visible, for example in the case of use of a night-vision
device (IR).
[0055] So as to obtain beams of plane waves (collimated or parallel
beam) the light sources are, for example, placed in the focal plane
of an optical system 31, 37. In the case of certain types of laser
pointers, the laser beam is already collimated and no additional
optics are required.
[0056] Such as described in document EP 2 221 571, which is
incorporated herein by reference, the fixed mirrors, or one
thereof, may advantageously be replaced by prisms. In this case,
specifically, refraction induces a decrease in the movement of the
light beams over the reflective surfaces 53, 54, this allowing the
length thereof, and therefore the bulk of the system, to be
decreased. These prisms are preferably integrated into two
beamsplitter cubes 51, 52 allowing the image of the target to be
superposed on the reticle.
[0057] Lastly, when the Magnus effect is to be taken into
consideration, the luminous red dot and the designating beam may
advantageously be moved to correct the azimuthal direction by
moving the corresponding light sources laterally in their
respective focal planes. This movement may either be obtained by an
actuator or by lateral movement of the reticle over a screen.
[0058] Another way of taking into account the Magnus effect is to
take advantage of the azimuthal error introduced by a non-zero
cant. Advantageously, the sighting scope of the invention then
comprises an inclinometer that measures the cant of the weapon and
an optical display projected from the focal plane of the lens 31 of
the red dot. In this case, the light source of the red dot
advantageously comprises a screen of good resolution, allowing both
inclination (cant) information and the red dot to be displayed.
[0059] Preferably, depending on the distance of the target, a cant
correcting for the Magnus effect is determined, the optical display
indicating to the user when this cant is achieved. For example, the
reticle may flash when the cant is achieved.
[0060] FIG. 5 shows a display comprising cant indications. In this
figure, visual indicators 21 define the ideal angle, and a
straight-line segment 20 indicates the actual inclination of the
weapon. FIG. 5(a) shows the situation in which a cant of zero is
sought, for example in the case where the azimuthal correction is
obtained by moving the reticle. FIG. 5(b) shows the situation in
which the visual indicators have been inclined to inform the
shooter that he must incline the weapon to correct for the Magnus
effect. In FIG. 5(c), the inclination has been corrected and the
weapon is in firing position (i.e. the inclination indicator 20 is
aligned with the visual indicators 21). This aspect of the
invention may be used in combination with the simultaneous use of
an illuminator, or independently thereof.
* * * * *