Tactical light with automated lighting controls and systems including the same
A light includes a housing, a first illumination assembly, a second illumination assembly, and a control unit. The housing defines a central axis. The first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the control unit are disposed within the housing. The first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly each have an on state in which a light beam is emitted and an off state. The control unit is configured to detect a first pitch and a second pitch of the central axis with respect to a direction of the force of gravity. The control unit is in signal communication with the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly such that in the first pitch the first illumination assembly is in the on state and in the second pitch the second illumination assembly is in the on the state.
1 . A light comprising:
a housing defining a central axis, the housing configured to mount to a weapons platform;
a first illumination assembly disposed within the housing, the first illumination assembly having an on state in which the first illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the first illumination assembly defining a first center illumination axis that is parallel with the central axis of the housing;
a second illumination assembly disposed within the housing, the second illumination assembly having an on state in which the second illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the second illumination assembly defining a second center illumination axis that is offset from the central axis of the housing; and
a control unit disposed within the housing, the control unit configured to detect a first pitch of the central axis with respect to a direction of the force of gravity and to detect a second pitch of the central axis with respect to the direction of the force of gravity, the control unit in signal communication with the first illumination assembly such that in the first pitch the first illumination assembly is in the on state and the second illumination assembly is in the off state, the control unit in signal communication with the second illumination assembly such that in the second pitch the second illumination assembly is in the on state and the first illumination assembly is in the off state, the first illumination assembly configured to illuminate a visual field of an operator in the first pitch and the second illumination assembly configured to illuminate the visual field of the operator in the second pitch.
2 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the housing includes a third illumination assembly having an on state in which the third illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the third illumination assembly defining a third center illumination axis that is offset from the central axis of the housing.
3 . The light according to claim 2 , wherein the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third illumination assembly are disposed within the housing such that the first center illumination axis, the second center illumination axis, and the third center illumination axis are coplanar.
4 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes a sensor, the sensor including an inclinometer configured to detect a pitch of the central axis of the housing with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.
5 . The light according to claim 4 , wherein the sensor includes an accelerometer configured to detect movement of the central axis.
6 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit includes a sensor, the sensor including a three-axis gyroscope configured to detect a pitch of the central axis of the housing with respect to the direction of the force of gravity.
7 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to detect radial movement of the light about the central axis, the control unit is in signal communication with the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly such that when the control unit detects that the light is rolled a first direction about the central axis the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly are in the on state.
8 . The light according to claim 7 , wherein the control unit is in signal communication with the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly such that when the control unit detects that the light is rolled a second direction, opposite the first direction, about the central axis the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly are in a strobe state in which the first illumination assembly and the second illumination assembly emit a flashing light.
9 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the light beam emitted by the first illumination assembly has a different brightness than the light beam emitted by the second illumination assembly.
10 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the control unit is configured to alter properties of the light beam emitted from the first illumination assembly or the second illumination assembly in response to movement of the housing, the properties of the light beam include beam brightness, beam angle, beam color, or combinations thereof.
11 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the first pitch is in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees.
12 . The light according to claim 1 , wherein the second pitch is in a range of 120 degrees to 165 degrees or in a range between 15 degrees to 60 degrees.
13 . A weapons system comprising:
a weapons platform defining an aiming axis; and
a light mounted to the weapons platform, the light comprising:
a first illumination assembly having an on state in which the first illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the first illumination assembly defining a first center illumination axis that is parallel to the aiming axis of the weapons platform;
a second illumination assembly having an on state in which the second illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the second illumination assembly defining a second center illumination axis that is angled with respect to the aiming axis of the weapons platform; and
a control unit configured to detect a position of the light that corresponds to a posture of the weapons system with respect to a direction of the force of gravity, the control unit in signal communication with the first illumination assembly such that when the aiming axis is at a first pitch with respect to the direction of the force of gravity the weapons system is in a target engagement posture and the first illumination assembly is in the on state, the control unit in signal communication with the second illumination assembly such that when the aiming axis is at a second pitch with respect to the direction of the force of gravity the weapons system is in a high ready posture or a low ready posture and the second illumination assembly is in the on state.
14 . The weapons platform according to claim 13 , wherein the light is configured to illuminate a visual field of an operator of the weapons platform in each posture.
15 . The weapons system according to claim 13 , wherein the light includes a third illumination assembly having an on state in which the third illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the third illumination assembly defining a third center illumination axis that is angled with respect to the aiming axis of the weapons platform, the control unit in signal communication with the third illumination assembly such that when the aiming axis is at a third pitch with respect to the direction of the force of gravity the weapons system is in the other of the high ready posture or the low ready posture and the third illumination assembly is in the on state.
16 . The weapons system according to claim 15 , wherein the control unit is configured to detect radial movement of the weapons system about the aiming axis, the control unit is in signal communication with the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third illumination assembly such that when the control unit detects that the weapons system is rolled a first direction about the aiming axis the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third are in the on state; and
wherein the control unit is in signal communication with the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third illumination assembly such that when the control unit detects that the weapons system is rolled a second direction, opposite the first direction, about the aiming axis the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third illumination assembly are in a strobe state in which the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third illumination assembly emit a flashing light.
17 . The weapons system according to claim 15 , wherein the first pitch is in a range of 60 degrees to 120 degrees, the second pitch is in a range of 120 degrees to 165 degrees, and the third pitch in a range of 15 degrees to 60 degrees.
18 . The weapons system according to claim 15 , wherein the weapons system has a vertical posture in which the aiming axis of the weapons platform is substantially parallel to the direction of the force of gravity, when the weapons system is in the vertical posture the first illumination assembly, the second illumination assembly, and the third illumination assembly are in the off state.
19 . A light comprising:
a housing defining a central axis;
a first illumination assembly disposed within the housing, the first illumination assembly having an on state in which the first illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the first illumination assembly defining a first center illumination axis that is parallel with the central axis of the housing;
a second illumination assembly disposed within the housing, the second illumination assembly having an on state in which the second illumination assembly emits a light beam and an off state, the second illumination assembly defining a second center illumination axis that is offset from the central axis of the housing; and
a control unit disposed within the housing, the control unit configured to detect a first pitch of the central axis with respect to a direction of the force of gravity and to detect a second pitch of the central axis with respect to the direction of the force of gravity, the control unit in signal communication with the first illumination assembly such that in the first pitch the first illumination assembly is in the on state, the control unit in signal communication with the second illumination assembly such that in the second pitch the second illumination assembly is in the on state, the first illumination assembly configured to illuminate a target in the first pitch and the second illumination assembly configured to illuminate the target in the second pitch.