JP7725494B2 - Grip Textured Viewing Optics - Google Patents

Description

The present disclosure relates to viewing optics, particularly gun sights. In one embodiment, the present invention relates to viewing optics having at least one textured area.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority to and is a non-provisional application of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/992,586, filed March 20, 2020, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

Over the years, technological developments have been made in observation optics that allow users of small arms, such as rifles, muskets, revolvers, shotguns, machine guns, and pistols, to accurately align such weapons with respect to a target, thereby ensuring that projectiles (bullets) fired from the weapon strike the target. Such observation optics, aiming devices, or gun sights, are recognized as falling into two broad groups: "active" sights and "passive" sights.

Active sights typically illuminate a target with some form of radiation and use the reflected light from the target to ensure precise alignment of the weapon with the target. One example of an active sight is commonly known as a laser sight. A laser sight produces a beam of laser light that is projected onto the target field, resulting in the light beam actually illuminating the point of impact at a specific range. While such sights are very effective in certain situations, they suffer from a number of drawbacks. For example, in some situations, the target may be able to see the light beam or its reflection, and when there are multiple weapons illuminating the same target, it can be difficult for each user to know which reflection is associated with which firearm.

Passive sights typically utilize ambient illumination of the target and include conventional open sights or "iron sights" that include a front sight (e.g., a disport sight, blade, or tang located at the front end of the weapon's barrel) and a rear sight (e.g., a complementary notch, groove, or circular hole located at the rear end of the weapon's receiver or slide). Passive sights also include telescopic sights that use a set of adjustable crosshairs located inside a reticle, such as a magnifying or non-magnifying telescopic optic.

One type of passive sight, commonly known as a reflex sight, uses refractive or reflective optics to produce a collimated light beam projected toward the user to create an illuminated reticle. The resulting plane wave seen by the user appears as a small, approximately circular disk of light focused at infinity. In a standard open reflex sight, this illuminated reticle is projected so that it is superimposed on the field of view observed through the sight. This allows the user to simultaneously view the target field through both the sight and the illuminated reticle (e.g., an illuminated red dot) with one eye. This provides the user with a theoretically parallax-free image of the reticle superimposed on the field of view through the sight. An example reflex sight is the mini red dot sight (MRDS).

Another form of passive gun sight that is particularly advantageous in close combat and similar situations is often referred to as an "occluded eye gun sight" (OEG). A common form of OEG is essentially a closed reflex sight, in which the user's view through the sight is obstructed so that they see the reflex sight's illuminated dot superimposed on a blank background rather than an open-field view through the sight. When using such an OEG, the user's dominant eye is obstructed or occluded by the OEG, so that this eye cannot see the target and instead sees only the illuminated dot.

Regardless of the type of aiming device, shooters or users often attach the aiming device to a pistol, specifically the pistol's slide. In a pistol, the slide moves rearward to feed the round into the chamber and eject the shell after firing. In certain scenarios, a user may choose to operate the pistol slide with the aiming device. In many situations, the aiming device is significantly easier to grasp and manipulate compared to certain sections of the slide. Activating the slide using the aiming device provides a significantly larger, protruding object to hold, which requires less dexterity from the user and is considered a coarse movement. In a worst-case scenario, a user can still operate the slide using the aiming device if they lose the use of one of their hands.

Thus, there is a need for an aiming device that can be operated by a user in an effective and efficient manner.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides an observation optical instrument. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the observation optical instrument has at least one side surface, and at least a portion of the at least one side surface is textured.

In one embodiment, the at least one textured side is the front side. In another embodiment, the entire front side is textured. In another embodiment, only a portion of the front side is textured. In another embodiment, the observation optic further includes a rear side and left and right sides extending upwardly from the base.

In one embodiment, the texture comprises features selected from the group consisting of pyramids, dimples, lines, grooves, circles, squares, and combinations thereof. In another embodiment, the texture has a height of 0.001 mm to 10 mm. In yet another embodiment, the texture has a depth of 0.001 mm to 10 mm. In another embodiment, the texture comprises a plurality of pyramids.

In one embodiment, the viewing optics is a red dot sight.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a firearm and observation optics in any embodiment or combination of embodiments described herein.

In one embodiment, the present invention provides a system. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the system includes a firearm and observation optics, the observation optics having at least one side, and a portion of the at least one side being textured.

In one embodiment, the at least one textured side is the front side. In another embodiment, the entire front side is textured. In yet another embodiment, the firearm has a slide and the viewing optics are secured to the slide. In another embodiment, the firearm is a pistol.

Embodiments of the present invention are disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are for illustrative purposes only. The invention is not limited in its application to the details of the construction or arrangement of components shown. The invention can be realized in other embodiments or can be practiced or implemented in various other ways. Like reference numerals are used to refer to like components.

1 is a schematic diagram of a firearm, specifically a pistol, according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram of a firearm embodying the present invention, specifically a pistol with a rear-mounted aiming device. FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of a portion of FIG. 2. 1 illustrates an aiming device with at least one textured surface according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a side view of an aiming device having at least one textured surface according to an embodiment of the present invention; FIG.

Before describing embodiments of the present invention in detail, it should be understood that the present invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The techniques of the present invention may be embodied in other embodiments or may be practiced or carried out in various ways. It should also be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

The devices and methods disclosed herein will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show embodiments of the disclosure. However, the devices and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments shown herein. Rather than being limiting, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fully convey the scope of the disclosure to those skilled in the art.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the set of features and/or functions can be readily adapted within the technical context of stand-alone observation optics, such as weapon sights, front- or rear-mounted clip-on weapon sights, and other replacements for field-deployed optical weapon sights. Additionally, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various combinations of features and functions can be incorporated into add-on modules to retrofit any type of existing fixed or adjustable weapon sight.

Numerical ranges in this disclosure are approximations and, therefore, may include values outside the range unless otherwise specified. Numerical ranges include all values (unless otherwise specified) from the lower limit to the upper limit, inclusive, in increments of one unit, provided that there is a separation of at least two units between any lower limit and any upper limit. As an example, if a compositional characteristic, physical property, or other characteristic, such as distance, speed, velocity, etc., is from 10 to 100, it is intended to explicitly recite all individual values such as 10, 11, and 12, as well as subranges such as 10 to 44, 55 to 70, and 97 to 100. In ranges containing decimal numbers less than 1 or greater than 1 (e.g., 1.1, 1.5, etc.), one unit is considered to be 0.0001, 0.001, 0.01, or 0.1, as appropriate. For ranges containing single digits less than 10 (e.g., 1 to 5), one unit is generally considered to be 0.1. These are merely examples of what is specifically intended, and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest and highest values listed should be considered to be expressly included in this disclosure. Numerical ranges are provided within the scope of this disclosure, particularly for distances from the device user to the target.

Spatial-relative terms such as "below," "belower," "lower side," "upper," and "above" may be used herein for ease of description to describe the relationship of one element or feature shown in the figures to another element or feature. It will be appreciated that these spatial-relative terms are intended to encompass various orientations of the device in use or orientations other than those depicted in the figures. For example, if the device in the figures were inverted, elements described as being "below" or "below" other elements or features would then be oriented "above" those other elements or features. Thus, the exemplary term "below" can encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device can be otherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations), and the spatial-relative descriptors used herein can be interpreted accordingly.

As used herein, the term "and/or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the items described in association with this term. For example, the term "and/or" used with a phrase such as "A and/or B" is intended to include both A and B, A or B, A (only), and B (only). Similarly, the term "and/or" used with a phrase such as "A, B, and/or C" is intended to include A and B and C, A or B or C, A or C, A or B, B or C, A and C, A and B, B and C, A (only), B (only), and C (only).

When an element or layer is described as being "on" or "connected to" or "coupled to" another element or layer, it is understood that the element or layer may be directly on, connected to, or coupled to the other element or layer. Alternatively, intervening elements or layers may be present. In contrast, when an element is described as being "directly on" or "directly connected to" or "directly coupled to" another element or layer, no intervening elements or layers are present.

As used herein, "texture" (sometimes referred to as a pattern) refers to a series of depressions and/or raised areas relative to the average height of a flat surface, such as the flat surface of an aiming device. Flat surfaces of an aiming device that may have texture include, but are not limited to, the front side, first side, second side, and rear side. In one embodiment, texture refers to any three-dimensional pattern. Textures may vary and/or have different patterns.

As used herein, the terms "user" and "shooter" apply interchangeably to both the operator who performs the shooting and the individual who cooperates with the operator who performs the shooting and observes the shooting.

As used herein, the term "spotting optics" refers to devices used by a shooter or spotter to select, identify, or monitor a target. Spotting optics may rely on visual observation of the target or on sensors such as infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), radar, thermal, microwave, or magnetic imaging; radiation, including x-rays, gamma rays, isotope radiation, and particle radiation; night vision; ultrasound; sound pulses; sonar; seismic vibrations; vibration sensors, including magnetic resonance; gravity sensors; broadcast frequencies, including radio waves; television and cellular sensors; or other images of the target. The target image presented to the user/shooter/spotter by the spotting optics may be unmodified or improved, for example, by magnification, amplification, subtraction, overlap, filtering, stabilization, template matching, or other means. Targets selected, identified, or monitored by the spotting optics may be within the shooter's line of sight or tangential to the shooter's field of view. In other embodiments, the shooter's line of sight may be obstructed while the target acquisition device presents a focused target image to the shooter. The target image acquired by the observation optics may be, for example, analog or digital, and may be shared, stored, preserved, or transmitted within a network of one or more shooters and observers, for example, by video, physical cable or wire, IR, radio waves, cellular connection, laser pulse, light, 802.11b, or other wireless transmission, for example, using protocols such as html, SML, SOAP, X.25, SNA, Bluetooth, serial, USB, or other suitable image distribution methods. The term "observation optics" is used interchangeably with "optical sight."

As used herein, a "firearm" is a handheld gun, a barreled weapon that fires one or more projectiles or bullets, often propelled by the action of explosive force. As used herein, the term "firearm" includes handguns, long guns, rifles, shotguns, carbines, automatic weapons, semi-automatic weapons, machine guns, light machine guns, automatic rifles, and assault rifles.

As used herein, the term "external scene" refers to a real-world scene that includes, but is not limited to, a target.

As used herein, "zeroing" (sometimes referred to as "zeroing in") refers to the alignment of the point of aim (what the shooter is aiming at) with the point of impact (where the bullet actually hits after being fired from the firearm). In one embodiment, zeroing is the process of adjusting a riflescope or other viewing optic to settings after precise tolerances have been taken for both windage and elevation for a specified range.

In one embodiment, the aiming device can be cured, molded, stamped, engraved, or otherwise imparted with a desired textured surface to the aiming device. The texture, when applied, can have a plurality of indentations and/or raised areas, which can be patterned and/or randomly arranged. The indentations can be in the form of lines or grooves, for example, and the depth of such indentations can vary. In one embodiment, the indentations have a depth, measured from the average height of the textured flat surface, of about 0.001 mm to about 10 mm, or alternatively, about 0.001 mm to about 0.1 mm, alternatively, about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm, or alternatively, about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm. The texture can be visible without a visual aid, for example, a magnifying glass or microscope set at a 10x or 100x magnification setting.

In one embodiment, the invention relates to an assembly including a sight body, an optic, and a textured surface on the sight body. In one embodiment, the textured surface is provided on at least a portion of the front side of the sight body. In another embodiment, the invention relates to an assembly including a sight body having a right side, a left side, a front side, a rear side, and a top side, an optic, and a textured surface on the front side of the sight body. In yet another embodiment, the textured surface is provided on at least two sides of the sight body.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exemplary firearm 100 to which observation optics can be mounted. In the illustrated embodiment, the exemplary firearm 100 is a pistol. As shown in FIG. 1, the firearm 100 has a frame 10, which in the illustrated embodiment is a polymer frame that, together with the backstrap 12, forms a grip, and a magazine well 28 into which bullets are loaded. Also shown are a trigger guard 36, a trigger with a trigger safety 38, and a takedown lever 35. A slide 20 is located at the upper portion of the frame 10, which includes a frame rail 15. The slide 20 moves rearward to load a cartridge or bullet into the chamber and eject the shell or casing after the firearm 100 is fired. A bullet cartridge is loaded into the chamber and ejected through the muzzle 29. An extractor 22 removes the casings of previously fired cartridges, which are ejected from the firearm at ejection port 25. Also shown are the iron sights of firearm 100, consisting of front sight 30 and rear sight 32.

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary observation optic or aiming device 200 mounted to the rear of the firearm 100. FIG. 3 shows a portion of FIG. 2 in more detail. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the aiming device 200 is secured to the slide 20 of the firearm 100 at its rear end. Specifically, the aiming device 200 is secured to the slide 20 so that it moves with the slide 20. In certain scenarios, a user may choose to use the aiming device 200 to manipulate the slide 20 due to its convenient placement and size. When a user manipulates the slide 20 using the aiming device 200, the typical surface to do so is the nearly vertical front side 210. The hard, wide surface is easy to find, even in low lighting conditions, and allows a hand, object, or auxiliary item to contact the surface and move the slide 20 rearward. The front side 210 is also larger than other surfaces of the aiming device 200 and even some portions of the slide 20 itself. As a result, using the aiming device 200 to actuate the slide 20 requires less dexterity and is considered a coarse movement by the user. In a worst-case scenario, if a user loses use of one of their hands, they can still operate the slide using the aiming device.

4 and 5 illustrate a targeting device 200, which in the illustrated embodiment is an MRDS. The targeting device 200 has a base portion 205. A front side 210, a rear side (not shown), a left side 208, and a right side 208 extend generally upwardly from the base portion 205. A top side 209 extends between the upper edges of the front side 210, the rear side, the left side 208, and the right side 208. The front side 210, the rear side, the left side 208, the right side 208, and the top side 209 together house an illumination system and other components that make the targeting device functional. Optical elements (not shown), such as a lens, may be housed within the front side 210. In some embodiments, a rear transparent cover (not shown), such as glass, may be housed within the rear side. If only the optical elements in the front side 210 are present, the MRDS is an "open" MRDS. If a rear transparent cover is also present, the MRDS is a "closed" MRDS. The base 205 further includes mounting means (e.g., mounting screws) and various adjustment devices (e.g., adjustment screws) that are not shown in the drawings for clarity. Similarly, a battery is also secured within the aiming device 200, and the battery is protected by a battery cap, although the battery and battery cap are not shown for clarity.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 , at least one of the left and right sides 208, or in some embodiments, both the left and right sides 208, 208, house a control 220 for controlling one or more characteristics of the aiming device, such as brightness. While the illustrated control 220 is a depressible button located partially on the left side 208 and partially on the base 205, in other embodiments, the control 220 can be any type of adjustment or combination of adjustments, such as a depressible button, a toggle, a knob, a slide, etc. The control can also be located differently on the left and/or right sides 208, the base 205, or other portions of the aiming device 200. Furthermore, the control can include any number of such adjustments, including a single control or three or more controls. Similarly, one or more of the controls can be configured to adjust a characteristic of the viewing optics other than brightness, and the controls can be configured to control different characteristics.

With further reference to Figures 4 and 5, the front side 210 has a texture 215 along at least a portion of its surface. In particular, in the illustrated embodiment, the front side 210 has the texture 215 over most, or preferably the entire, of its surface. The texture 215 helps to keep the aiming device 200 in place and prevent slippage. The texture 215 also helps the user maintain a grip on the aiming device 200 by providing the user with a sense of knowing that a precise surface is being grasped.

In the particular embodiment shown, the texture 215 is a plurality of pyramidal structures having peaks that extend away from the plane of the front side 210 and valleys between the pyramids that extend deeper than the plane of the front side 210. In other embodiments, the texture 215 can have a different geometric shape or form, including dimples, lines, grooves, circles, squares, or any feature or combination of these and other features that provides a tactile sensation to the user and helps keep the aiming device 200 in place.

While the illustrated embodiment shows the texture 215 only on the front side 210 of the aiming device 200, and specifically only on the entire front side 210, it will be understood that in other embodiments, only a portion or portions of the front side 210 may have the texture and/or one or more additional sides (e.g., the rear side, the left and/or right side 208, and the top side 209) may have the texture applied to all or one or more portions. In one embodiment, the aiming device 200 has the texture 215 applied to at least a portion of the front side 210, the rear side, the left and/or right side 208, and/or the top side 209. In one embodiment, the aiming device 200 has at least two textured sides. In one embodiment, the aiming device 200 has at least three textured sides. In one embodiment, the aiming device 200 has at least four textured sides. In such embodiments, the textures on the different sides may be the same or different. In one embodiment, the aiming device 200 has at least two sides, with the same texture on at least a portion of the at least two sides.

In one embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210 and a textured rear side. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210 and a textured left side 208. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210 and a textured right side 208. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210 and a textured top side 209. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured rear side, and a textured left side 208. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured rear side, and a textured right side 208. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured rear side, and a textured top side 209. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured left side 208, a textured right side 208, a textured rear side, and a textured top side 209.

In yet another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured left side 208, and a textured right side 208. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured left side 208, and a textured rear side. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured left side 208, and a textured top side 209. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured left side 208, a textured rear side, and a textured top side 209.

In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured right side 208, and a textured rear side. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured right side 208, and a textured top side 209. In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured right side 208, a textured rear side, and a textured top side 209.

In another embodiment, the aiming device has a textured front side 210, a textured rear side, and a textured top side 209.

In a non-limiting example, as the term functions as texture 215, it is beneficial for texture 215, as that term is used herein, to extend in a particular direction away from front side 210 and/or extend a particular distance into front side 210. For purposes of discussion, the distance the texture extends outward from the surface is referred to as "height," and the distance the texture extends into the surface is referred to as "depth." In one embodiment, the texture has a height of about 0.001 mm to about 10 mm, or alternatively, about 0.001 mm to about 0.1 mm, alternatively, about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm, or alternatively, about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm, as measured from the average height of the textured flat surface. In one embodiment, the texture has a height of about 0.001 mm, 0.01 mm, or 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 5 mm, or 10 mm. In one embodiment, the texture has a depth of about 0.001 mm to about 10 mm, or alternatively about 0.001 mm to about 0.1 mm, alternatively about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm, or alternatively about 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm, as measured from the average height of the flat surface to which the texture is applied. In one embodiment, the texture has a depth of about 0.001 mm, 0.01 mm, or 0.1 mm to about 0.5 mm, 1 mm, 5 mm, or 10 mm.

In one embodiment, the texture 215 is applied to the front side 210 and any other side surfaces using injection molding, casting, machining, or any other method suitable in the art.

While described with reference to the MRDS mounting system, various other viewing optics may have texture on at least a portion of their front side as described herein. In some embodiments, the aiming device is an "active" sight. In some embodiments, the aiming device is a "passive" sight. In some embodiments, the aiming device includes, but is not limited to, a laser sight, an open sight, an iron sight, a reflector sight, and a red dot sight. In one embodiment, the aiming device is a red dot sight. In a specific embodiment, the aiming device is an MRDS. In one embodiment, the MRDS is an open MRDS. In another embodiment, the MRDS is a closed MRDS.

While various embodiments of the aiming device have been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations to these embodiments are possible, all of which are within the true spirit and scope of the present invention. With regard to the foregoing description, it should be understood that the optimum dimensional relationships of the various portions of the present invention, including variations in size, material, shape, form, function, and mode of operation, assembly, and use, will be readily apparent and considered to be obvious to those skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to the embodiments shown in the drawings and described herein are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. The foregoing is therefore considered merely as illustrative of the principles of the present invention. Furthermore, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation as shown and described, and therefore, all suitable modifications and equivalents are intended to be embraced within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (19)

An observation optical instrument,
With the base,
a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side extending upward from the base;
an upper side surface extending from edges of the front side surface, the rear side surface, the left side surface, and the right side surface;
at least one texture on at least a portion of the front side and at least a portion of the top side;
and
The at least one texture is a three-dimensional pattern . 2. The viewing optics of claim 1 , wherein the front surface has the texture throughout. The viewing optics of claim 1 , further comprising a texture on at least a portion of at least one of the rear side, the left side, and the right side . 4. The viewing optical instrument of claim 3 , wherein the texture of at least one of the rear side, the left side, and the right side is the same as the texture of at least a portion of the front side and at least a portion of the top side . The viewing optics of claim 1 , wherein the texture comprises features selected from the group consisting of pyramids, dimples, lines, grooves, circles, squares, and combinations thereof. The viewing optics of claim 1 , wherein the texture comprises a plurality of pyramids. 10. The viewing optics of claim 1 , wherein the viewing optics is a red dot sight. 10. A system comprising a firearm and the observation optics of claim 1 . An observation optical instrument,
With the base,
a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side extending upward from the base;
an upper side surface extending from edges of the front side surface, the rear side surface, the left side surface, and the right side surface;
at least one texture on at least a portion of the front side and at least a portion of the top side;
The texture has a height of 0.001 mm to 10 mm and a depth of 0.001 mm to 10 mm . 10. The viewing optical instrument of claim 9, further comprising a second texture on at least a portion of at least one of the rear side, the left side, the right side, and the top side. The viewing optics of claim 10 , wherein the second texture is the same as the texture of at least a portion of the front side. 10. The viewing optics of claim 9, wherein the at least one texture comprises a feature selected from the group consisting of pyramids, dimples, lines, grooves, circles, squares, and combinations thereof. The viewing optics of claim 9 , wherein the texture comprises pyramids. 1. A system comprising a firearm and observation optics;
The observation optical instrument comprises:
With the base,
a front side, a rear side, a left side, and a right side extending upward from the base;
an upper side surface extending from edges of the front side surface, the rear side surface, the left side surface, and the right side surface;
at least one texture on at least a portion of the front side and at least a portion of the top side;
The system wherein the texture has a height of 0.001 mm to 10 mm and a depth of 0.001 mm to 10 mm. 15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the firearm has a slide, and the observation optics are secured to the slide. 16. The system of claim 15 , wherein the firearm is a pistol. 17. The system of claim 16, wherein the viewing optics is a red dot sight. 2. The observation optical instrument of claim 1, wherein the texture has a height of 0.001 mm to 10 mm. 10. The viewing optics of claim 1, wherein the texture has a depth of 0.001 mm to 10 mm.