IP Library Granted Patent US 11,480,781
Granted Patent B2
US 11,480,781 · App. 16/390,804 · Granted Oct 25, 2022

Viewing optic with direct active reticle targeting

Inventors: Samuel Hamilton (Barneveld, WI); Calen Havens (Barneveld, WI); Ian Klemm (Barneveld, WI); David M. Hamilton (Barneveld, WI); Will Lowry (Barneveld, WI); Garrison Bollig (Barneveld, WI); Craig Schultz (Barneveld, WI); Andrew Carlson (Barneveld, WI)
Assignee: SHELTERED WINGS, INC.
G02B23/04F41G1/345F41G1/38G02B27/0101G02B27/0189G02B2027/0141
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,480,781
App. No.
16/390,804
Granted
Oct 25, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

The disclosure relates to a viewing optic. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a viewing optic having an integrated display system. In one embodiment, the disclosure relates to a viewing optic having an integrated display system for generating images that are projected into the first focal plane of an optical system.

Claims (20)

1. A viewing optic comprising: a main body having an objective lens system and an ocular lens system; an erector tube with an erector lens assembly located between the objective lens system and the ocular lens system; a cam sleeve coupled to the erector tube and having a material with at least two areas, wherein each of the at least two areas has a different optical absorption or reflectance; a beam combiner located between the objective lens system and the erector lens assembly; an active display for generating an image; a reflective material for directing the generated image to the beam combiner for simultaneous overlaid viewing of the generated image and an image of an outward scene in a first focal plate of the optical system, a sensor for detecting the presence of a user and a processor in communication with the sensor and capable of controlling a power state of the viewing optic.

2. The viewing optic of claim 1 , wherein the beam combiner is located approximately beneath an elevation knob of the viewing optic.

3. The viewing optic of claim 1 , wherein the reflective material is a mirror that is angled.

4. The viewing optic of claim 3 , wherein the mirror is angled from about 40° to about 50° relative to the emitted light of the display.

5. The viewing optic of claim 3 , wherein the mirror is angled at about 45° relative to the emitted light of the display.

6. The viewing optic of claim 1 , further comprising a collector lens system to collect light from the active display and having an inner lens cell and an outer lens cell.

7. The viewing optic of claim 1 , further comprising a collector lens system to collect light from the active display, wherein the collector lens system is a five lens system.

8. The viewing optic of claim 1 , further comprising a collector lens system to collect light from the active display, wherein the collector lens system has a first lens within 2 mm of the active display.

9. The viewing optic of claim 1 , wherein the active display is selected from the group consisting of: a transmissive active matrix LCD display (AMLCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) display, a e-ink display, a plasma display, a segment display, an electroluminescent display, a surface-conduction electron-emitter display, and a quantum dot display.

10. A viewing optic comprising:

a main body having an objective lens system and an ocular lens system; an erector tube with an erector lens assembly located between the objective lens system and the ocular lens system; a cam sleeve coupled to the erector tube and having a material with at least two areas, wherein each of the at least two areas has a different optical absorption or reflectance a beam combiner between the objective lens system and the erector lens assembly; a first reticle at a first focal plane between the beam combiner and the erector lens assembly; an active display that generates an image and a collector lens system that collects the light from the active display; a reflective material that directs the generated image to the beam combiner where the generated image and the target image from the objective lens system are combined into the first focal plane for simultaneous overlaid viewing of the generated image and an image of an outward scene; a sensor for detecting the presence of a user and a processor in communication with the sensor and capable of controlling a power state of the viewing optic.

11. The viewing optic of claim 10 , wherein the lens system is a five lens system.

12. The viewing optic of claim 10 , wherein the lens system has a first lens within 2 mm of the active display.

13. The viewing optic of claim 10 , wherein the active display is selected from the group consisting of: a transmissive active matrix LCD display (AMLCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a Light-Emitting Diode (LED) display, a e-ink display, a plasma display, a segment display, an electroluminescent display, a surface-conduction electron-emitter display, and a quantum dot display.

14. The viewing optic of claim 10 , wherein the image generated by the active display is selected from the group consisting of: text, alpha-numeric, graphics, symbols, video imagery, icons, active target reticles, range measurements, wind information, GPS and compass information, firearm inclination information, target finding, recognition and identification (ID) information, external sensor information, temperature, pressure, humidity, real time ballistic solutions, and next round ballistic correction through in-flight tracer round detection and tracking.

15. The viewing optic of claim 10 , wherein the beam combiner is located from 5 to 25 mm from the objective assembly.

16. An viewing optic comprising: a main body having an objective lens system and an ocular lens system; an erector tube with an erector lens assembly located between the objective lens system and the ocular lens system; a cam sleeve coupled to the erector tube and having a material with a gradient grayscale and having at least two areas, wherein each of the at least two areas has a different optical absorption or reflectance; an active display for generating an image, wherein the generated image is combined into an image of an outward scene in a first focal plane between the objective lens system and the erector lens assembly, a sensor for detecting the presence of a user and a processor in communication with the sensor and capable of controlling a power state of the viewing optic.

17. The viewing optic of claim 16 , wherein the image generated by the active display is selected from the group consisting of: active target reticles, firearm inclination information, target finding, recognition and identification (ID) information, real time ballistic solutions, and next round ballistic correction through in-flight tracer round detection and tracking.

18. The viewing optic of claim 16 , wherein the image generated by the active display is a real time ballistic solution.

19. The viewing optic of claim 16 , wherein the image generated by the active display is a ballistic correction through in-flight tracer round detection and tracking.

Assignments (2)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 14, 2022
From: SHELTERED WINGS, INC., D/B/A VORTEX OPTICS, A WISCONSIN CORPORATION
To: PNC BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION
Reel/Frame 059364/0670 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 10, 2019
From: HAMILTON, SAMUEL; HAVENS, CALEN; KLEMM, IAN; HAMILTON, DAVID M; LOWRY, WILL; BOLLIG, GARRISON; SCHULTZ, CRAIG; CARLSON, ANDREW
To: SHELTERED WINGS, INC. D/B/A VORTEX OPTICS
Reel/Frame 050326/0581 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 62660688 · Apr 20, 2018
Related Publication 20190324260A1 · Oct 24, 2019
Cited By (5)
US 12,468,168 US 12,480,743 US 12,560,409 US 12,566,585 US 12,645,783