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EP-4045867-B1 - WEAPON SIGHT WITH TAPERED HOUSING

EP4045867B1EP 4045867 B1EP4045867 B1EP 4045867B1EP-4045867-B1

Inventors

  • SCHULTE, MARK EDWIN
  • HEATH, ANTHONY

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20201116

Claims (20)

  1. A housing (140, 300) for a weapon sight (100, 400) comprising: an outer shell (305) that defines a first opening (365) and a second opening (355); a first window (360) located at the first opening (365), the first window (360) defining a first area; and a second window (350) located at the second opening (355), the second window (350) defining a second area, wherein the second area is greater than the first area such that the outer shell (305) is tapered outward from the first opening (365) to the second opening (355); and wherein the housing (140, 300) defines an upper portion (141, 310) configured to enclose an upper portion of an optical bench (120, 612) and a lower portion (143, 320) configured to enclose an adjuster assembly (130), a battery module (160), an electronics module (170), and a lower portion of the optical bench (120).
  2. The housing (140, 300) of claim 1, wherein the outer shell (305) defines a first wall (122, 312) and a second wall (144, 314) that extend between the first opening (365) and the second opening (355) on opposed sides of an optical path of the weapon sight (100, 400).
  3. The housing (140, 300) of claim 2, wherein the first wall (122, 312) and the second wall (144, 314) are slanted outward from the first window (360) to the second window (350).
  4. The housing (140, 300) of claim 3, wherein the first wall (122, 312) is a first distance D1 from the second wall (144, 314) at the first opening (365) and the first wall (122, 312) is a second distance D2 from the second wall (144, 314) at the second opening (355).
  5. The housing (140, 300) of claim 4, wherein D2 is greater than D1.
  6. The housing (140, 300) of claim 4, wherein the first area is configured based on D1, and wherein the second area is configured based on D2.
  7. The housing (140, 300) of claim 1, wherein the outer shell (305) is tapered at an angle that is determined based on a distance from a user's eye (450, 500) to the first window (360) and a horizontal field of view for the weapon sight (100, 400).
  8. The housing (140, 300) of claim 1, wherein the outer shell (305) is tapered such that an obscured portion of a horizontal field of view is below a predefined threshold for the horizontal field of view.
  9. The housing (140, 300) of claim 1, wherein the first window (360) is a rear window (148, 360) that faces a user of the weapon sight (100, 400).
  10. The housing (140, 300) of claim 1, wherein the second window (350) is a front window (146, 350) that faces a target.
  11. A weapon sight (100, 400) having a tapered housing (140, 300), the weapon sight (100, 400) comprising: a base (110, 626) that is configured to be releasably secured to a weapon; an optical bench (120, 612) attached to the base (110, 626); and the housing (140, 300) of claims 1to10 configured to enclose the optical bench (120, 612) and a portion of the adjuster assembly (130) within the weapon sight (100, 400).
  12. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, wherein the weapon sight (100, 400) is a holographic weapon sight (100, 400) that comprises a laser diode (610) that reconstructs a holographic reticle, the optical bench (120, 612) comprising a plurality of optical elements that define an optical path of the weapon sight (100, 400).
  13. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, wherein the housing (140, 300) is configured such that the weapon sight (100, 400) has a field of view of at least 13,7 m (15 yards) wide at 91,4 m (100 yards) away.
  14. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, wherein the first window (360) is a rear window (148, 360) that faces a user of the weapon sight (100, 400).
  15. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, wherein the second window (350) is a front window (146, 350) that faces a target.
  16. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, further comprising an adjuster assembly (130) that is attached to the base (110, 626), wherein the outer shell (305) comprises a first adjuster hole that receives a portion of the adjuster assembly (130).
  17. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 16, wherein the adjuster assembly (130) comprises: a first adjuster (132) received by the first adjuster hole, the first adjuster (132) configured to horizontally adjust a position of a holographic reticle; and a second adjuster (134) received by a second adjuster hole defined by the base (110, 626), the second adjuster (134) configured to vertically adjust the position of the holographic reticle.
  18. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, wherein the outer shell (305) defines a recess that receives an outer surface of the optical bench (120, 612).
  19. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 11, wherein the lower portion (143, 320) is configured to enclose a power source, an adjuster assembly (130), and a portion of the optical bench (120, 612).
  20. The weapon sight (100, 400) of claim 16, wherein the upper portion (141, 310) comprises the first adjuster hole, and wherein the upper portion (141, 310) is configured to enclose a portion of the optical bench (120, 612).

Description

BACKGROUND Identifying and focusing on an object located at a distance may be facilitated by use of a sight. A sight may be employed, for example, with small arms such as bows, rifles, shotguns, and handguns, etc. and large arms such as mounted machine guns, grenade launchers, etc., and may assist an operator to locate and maintain focus on a target. Sights have been developed in many different forms and utilizing various features. For example, sights have been developed that present the operator with a hologram which may assist the operator with locating and focusing on an object. For example, the US 2016/377 377 A1 refers to a compact holographic weapon sight with a viewing end and an opposing target end featuring a view path from the viewing end to the target end. The EP 3 537 090 A1 is directed to a reflex sight with an elongated sight housing featuring an inner tube being pivotally secured with an outer tube. The WO 2008/153 741 is directed to an optical gun sight for use with a firearm, wherein a housing is formed by a main body and an eyepiece being both attached to each other. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Methods and systems are disclosed for a weapon sight with a tapered housing. A weapon sight may include a base, an optical bench, an adjuster assembly, and/or a housing. The base may be configured to be releasably secured to a weapon. The optical bench may be configured to be attached to the base. The optical bench may include a plurality of optical elements attached to a unibody chassis. The weapon sight may be a holographic weapon sight. The plurality of optical elements may include a laser diode, a mirror, a collimating optic, and/or a diffractive grating. The laser diode may be configured to reconstruct a holographic reticle. The adjuster assembly may be configured to be attached to the base. The adjuster assembly may include a first adjuster configured to horizontally adjust a position of the holographic reticle. The adjuster assembly may include a second adjuster configured to vertically adjust the position of the holographic reticle. The housing may be configured to enclose the optical bench and/or a portion of the adjuster assembly within the weapon sight. The housing may include an outer shell, a first window, and a second window. The first window may be a rear window that faces a user of the weapon sight. The second window may be a front window that faces a target. The outer shell may define a first opening and a second opening. The first window may be located at the first opening and the second window may be located at the second opening. The first window may define a first area. The second window may define a second area. The second area may be greater than the first area, for example, such that the outer shell is tapered outward from the first opening to the second opening. The outer shell may be tapered at an angle that is determined based on a distance from a user's eye to the first window and a horizontal field of view for the weapon sight. The outer shell may be tapered such that an obscured portion of the horizontal field of view (e.g., obscured by the housing) is below a predetermined threshold for the horizontal field of view. The outer shell may define a first wall and a second wall that extend between the first opening and the second opening on opposed sides of an optical path of the weapon sight. The first wall and the second wall may be slanted outward from the first window to the second window. The first wall may be a first distance D1 from the second wall at the first opening. The first wall may be a second distance D2 from the second wall at the second opening. D2 may be greater than D1. The first area may be configured based on D1. The second area may be configured based on D2. The outer shell may include a first adjuster hole that receives a portion of the adjuster assembly. The outer shell may define a recess that receives an outer surface of the optical bench. The outer shell may include a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion may be configured to enclose a power source, the adjuster assembly, and/or a portion of the optical bench. The upper portion may include the first adjuster hole. The upper portion may be configured to enclose a portion of the optical bench. Accordingly the invention relates to a housing according to claim 1 and to a weapon sight having such a housing according to claim 11. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an example modular weapon sight.FIG. 2 is a rear perspective view of the example modular weapon sight shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 3 is a partially exploded view of the example modular weapon sight shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 4 is a side view of the example modular weapon sight shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 5 is another side view of the example modular weapon sight shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 6 is a front view of the example modular weapon sight shown in FIG. 1.FIG. 7 is a rear view of the example modular weapon sight shown