Patent ID: 12241720

Before explaining embodiments of the disclosure in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The technology of this present disclosure is capable of other embodiments or being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The numerical ranges in this disclosure are approximate, and thus may include values outside of the range unless otherwise indicated. Numerical ranges include all values from and including the lower and the upper values, in increments of one unit, provided that there is a separation of at least two units between any lower value and any higher value. As an example, if a compositional, physical or other property, such as, for example, molecular weight, melt index, temperature, etc., is from 100 to 1,000, it is intended that all individual values, such as 100, 101, 102, etc., and sub ranges, such as 100 to 144, 155 to 170, 197 to 200, etc., are expressly enumerated. For ranges containing values which are less than one or containing fractional numbers greater than one (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 digit numbers less than ten (e.g., 1 to 5), one unit is typically considered to be 0.1. These are only examples of what is specifically intended, and all possible combinations of numerical values between the lowest value and the highest value enumerated, are to be considered to be expressly stated in this disclosure. Numerical ranges are provided within this disclosure for, among other things, relative amounts of components in a mixture, and various temperature and other parameter ranges recited in the methods.

FIGS.1-4illustrate a viewing optic100, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. In the particular embodiment shown, the viewing optic100is an mini red dot sight (MRDS), and for purposes of this disclosure “viewing optic” and “MRDS” may be used interchangeably. When mounted to a firearm, the viewing optic100displays a reticle to facilitate alignment of a trajectory of the firearm with a target.

In the embodiment shown, the MRDS100has a housing10and a base20. The housing100has a front side12, rear side14, left side16, right side18and top side32. The front side12, rear side14, left side16, and right side18extend generally upwardly from the base20. The front side12and rear side14extend between the left side16and right side18. The top side32extends between the upper edges of each of the front side12, rear side14, left side16, and right side18. The resulting housing10contains the illumination system and other components which make the viewing optic functional at least in part. That is, in the embodiment shown, the MRDS100is shown as an open MRDS, meaning a portion of the light path of the MRDS is exposed. In this embodiment, a lens30is contained in the front side12, with no further lens or cover at the rear of the housing10. However, in further embodiments, the MRDS is a closed MRDS in which the entire light path is enclosed and a lens or cover is provided at the rear side of the housing. A plurality of screws, such as a mounting screw40and various adjustment screws42, are provided at the base20of the housing10. A battery (not shown) is also secured in the housing10.

Turning specifically to the base20, the base20has a front side22, rear side24, left side26, right side28and upper surface33. As shown inFIGS.3and4, the upper surface33of the base20occurs along the plane B, with each of the sides22,24,26,28occurring below the plane B and not extending above the plane B. As such, the left side16and right side18of the housing appear as legs extending upward from the left side26and right side28of the base, respectively.

As shown with reference toFIGS.1-4, the controls50aand50bare positioned on the left side26and right side28of the base20. While the contour52of the base20which forms the depression or recess into which the controls50a,50bare recessed may extend beyond the plane B, the functional portions of the controls50a,50bare entirely positioned below the plane B so as to be on the base20of the MRDS100. In the embodiment shown, each of the controls50a,50bis provided as two depressible buttons54,55. In a particular embodiment, one of the two depressible buttons (that is, button54or button55) is configured to increase the brightness of the MRDS100and the other is configured to decrease the brightness of the MRDS100. Moreover, in the particular embodiment shown, both controls50a,50bare identical, meaning they control the same property of the MRDS in the same manner. However, in further embodiments, the controls50a,50bmay be any type of adjustment means or combination of adjustment means, such as, for example, depressible buttons, toggles, knobs, slides, etc. Further, the control50may include any number of such adjustment means, including but not limited to a single control, or more than two controls. Similarly, one or more of the controls50a,50bmay be configured to adjust a property of the MRDS other than brightness, and the controls50a,50bmay be configured to control different properties.

In an embodiment, the controls50a,50bcomprise a portion of elastomeric material, or rubber-like material. As shown in the Figures, in such an embodiment, the controls50a,50beach comprise a portion of a rubber or silicone material contained a contour52on a respective side26,28of the base20. It will be appreciated that the recesses contain the mechanisms which are in electrical communication with the internal mechanisms that control the particular property being adjusted, which in the present embodiment is brightness.

By positioning controls50a,50bon both sides26,28of the base20, right-handed and left-handed users can equally utilize the MRDS without having to utilize a non-dominant hand. Furthermore, because the controls50a,50bas shown in the Figures each include two adjustment means, multiple directions of control or multiple properties may be adjusted with a single control50a,50b. This is in direct contrast to providing a single control on a side of the housing. Also, positioning the controls50a,50bon the sides26,28of the base20ensures that the controls50a,50bare not blocked or crowded by other structures, allowing a user to easily access the controls50a,50beven while wearing gloves.

Positioning a control50a,50bon both sides26,28of the base20of the housing10also allows a user to make adjustments with the firearm in its holster, which is not always possible with controls positioned on a single side of a MRDS. For example, if a competition shooter wants to make a brightness adjustment to compensate for some incoming cloud cover, the shooter is not able to remove the firearm from the holster to make this adjustment per the rules of the match, but would still be able to make the adjustment with the MRDS100disclosed herein.

Another environment in which ambidextrous control of an MRDS100is beneficial is when the MRDS is mounted offset, such as at a 45-degree angle, when used alongside a primary optic. If controls are provided on only a single side of the base20, the control will be obscured if on the same side as the primary optic. The present MRDS100, with controls50a,50bon each side26,28of the base20, allows the MRDS100to be used on either side of a primary optic.

Although the mounting system is described with reference to a MRDS, a variety of other viewing optics may be provided with controls on a top surface, as describe herein. As used herein, the term “viewing optic” refers to an apparatus used by a shooter or a spotter to select, identify or monitor a target. The “viewing optic” may rely on visual observation of the target, or, for example, on infrared (IR), ultraviolet (UV), radar, thermal, microwave, or magnetic imaging, radiation including X-ray, gamma ray, isotope and particle radiation, night vision, vibrational receptors including ultra-sound, sound pulse, sonar, seismic vibrations, magnetic resonance, gravitational receptors, broadcast frequencies including radio wave, television and cellular receptors, or other image of the target. The image of the target presented to the shooter by the “viewing optic” device may be unaltered, or it may be enhanced, for example, by magnification, amplification, subtraction, superimposition, filtration, stabilization, template matching, or other means. The target selected, identified or monitored by the “viewing optic” may be within the line of sight of the shooter, or tangential to the sight of the shooter, or the shooter's line of sight may be obstructed while the target acquisition device presents a focused image of the target to the shooter. The image of the target acquired by the “viewing optic” may be, for example, analog or digital, and shared, stored, archived, or transmitted within a network of one or more shooters and spotters by, for example, video, physical cable or wire, IR, radio wave, cellular connections, laser pulse, optical, 802.11b or other wireless transmission using, for example, protocols such as html, SML, SOAP, X.25, SNA, etc., Bluetooth™, Serial, USB or other suitable image distribution method. In one embodiment, the viewing optic is a MRDS, and more particularly an open MRDS.

While various embodiments of the MRDS have been described in detail, it should be apparent that modifications and variations thereto are possible, all of which fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the disclosed technology, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, 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 shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.