Patent Publication Number: US-2015059225-A1

Title: Sighting Device and Method

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a sighting device and a sighting method. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , in shooting, a sighting device  30  is usually matched with a gun  20  to enhance the hit accuracy. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the sighting device  30  includes a main body  31 , an optical element (such as lens)  32 , and a light source  33  (such as red light-emitting diode). The optical element  32  and the light source  33  are installed in the main body  31 . 
     In operation, light is emitted from the light source  33  and reflected by the optical element  32  to user&#39;s eyes  40  so that the user can see a red dot on the optical element  32 . Then, the user aims the red dot at a distant target  10 , pulls the trigger, and fires the gun  20 . 
       FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3B , and  FIG. 3C  illustrate the producing procedure of the optical element  32 . As shown in  FIG. 3A , a round lens  60  is cut along its diameter to obtain two pieces of semicircle lens wherein reference numeral  61  represents the cutting line. As shown in  FIG. 3B , each of the semicircle lenses is cut along cutting lines  62  to obtain the optical element  32  shown in  FIG. 3C . 
     The round lens  60  has a center C. After cutting, the center C is located at the bottom of the optical element  32 . Referring to  FIG. 2 , during assembly of the sighting device  30 , the light source  33  is located to aim at the center C. 
     Conventionally, the light source  30  of the sighting device  30  and user&#39;s eye  40  are on the same side of the optical element  32 . As a result, too much light emitted from the light source  33  goes into user&#39;s eyes that is uncomfortable for the user. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides a sighting device, in which the light source and user&#39;s eyes are on different sides of the optical element. The light source is installed on the object side, which is different from the conventional light source installed on the image side. Therefore, the assembly and aiming operation of the sighting device of the invention can be accomplished in different situations to meet different demands. The assembly and aiming operation of the sighting device of the invention are more flexible. User&#39;s eyes are effectively protected because light into user&#39;s eyes is reduced. 
     The sighting device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the invention includes an optical element and a light source. The light source is disposed on an object side of the optical element to generate light which passes through the optical element and arrives at an image side of the optical element. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the optical element includes a first surface and a second surface, the first surface faces the object side, and the second surface faces the image side. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, the first surface is convex and the second surface is concave. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the optical element further includes a reflecting coating disposed on the first surface. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, the sighting device further includes a lens attached to the reflecting coating. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the first surface is aspheric. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, the second surface is aspheric. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the first surface and the second surface are aspheric. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, the light source is located at a focus of the optical element. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the sighting device further includes a main body which houses the optical element and the light source. 
     In yet another exemplary embodiment, the main body includes an upright part and an extended part, the extended part extends from the upright part toward the object side, and the light source is disposed in the extended part. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, the main body includes an upright part and an extended part, the extended part extends from the upright part toward the object side, and the optical element is disposed in the upright part. 
     The invention further provides a sighting method, including the steps of providing a sighting device which comprises an optical element, an extended part, and a light source disposed in the extended part; mounting the sighting device on a gun, with the extended part extending towards a muzzle of the gun; using an eye to observe an object through the sighting device, wherein the eye and the light source are on different sides of the optical element. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, the sighting device further comprises an upright part with the optical element disposed in therein, and the extended part extends from the upright part towards the muzzle of the gun. 
     A detailed description is given in the following embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention can be more fully understood by reading the subsequent detailed description and examples with references made to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a conventional sighting device mounted on a gum; 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic view of the conventional sighting device; 
         FIGS. 3A ,  3 B, and  3 C depict the producing procedure of an optical element of the conventional sighting device; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a sighting device in accordance with the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     The following description is of the best-contemplated mode of carrying out the invention. This description is made for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention and should not be taken in a limiting sense. The scope of the invention is best determined by reference to the appended claims. 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , a sighting device  50  in accordance with an embodiment of the invention includes a main body  51 , an optical element (such as lens)  52 , and a light source  53  (such as red light-emitting diode). 
     In operation, light is emitted from the light source  53 , pass through the optical element  52 , and enters user&#39;s eyes  40  so that the user can see a red dot on the optical element  52 . Then, the user aims the red dot at a distant target  10 , pulls the trigger, and fires the gun  20 . 
     The optical element  52  includes a first surface  521  and a second surface  522 . The first surface  521  faces the object side of the optical element  52 , and the second surface  522  faces the image side of the optical element  52 . 
     The first surface  521  of the optical element  52  can be convex, and the second surface can be concave; that is to say, the shape of the optical element  52  is meniscus. 
     The first surface  521  of the optical element  52  can be aspheric, or the second surface can be aspheric, or both first surface  521  and second surface  522  are aspheric. 
     A reflecting coating (not shown) can be coated on the first surface  521  to reduce the light penetrating the optical element  52  thereby avoiding the damage to user&#39;s eyes caused by intense light. Furthermore, a piece of lens (not shown) can be attached to the reflecting coating for providing protection. 
     The main body  51  includes an upright part  511  and an extended part  512 . The extended part  512  extends from the upright part  511  toward the object side of the optical element  52 . The optical element  52  is installed in the upright part  511 , and the light source  53  is installed in the extended part  512 . During assembly, the light source  53  is located to aim at the center C′ of the uncut optical element  52 . Therefore, the light source  53  is located on the focus of the optical element  52 . 
     The light source  53  of the sighting device and user&#39;s eye  40  are on the different sides of the optical element  52 . The light source  53  is installed on the object side, which is different from the conventional light source  33  installed on the image side. Therefore, the assembly and aiming operation of the sighting device of the invention can be accomplished in different situations to meet different demands. The assembly and aiming operation of the sighting device of the invention are more flexible. User&#39;s eyes are effectively protected because light into user&#39;s eyes is reduced.