Optical: systems and elements – Compound lens system – Telescope
Reexamination Certificate
2000-07-20
2002-09-03
Henry, Jon (Department: 2872)
Optical: systems and elements
Compound lens system
Telescope
C356S247000, C042S113000, C042S119000, C042S122000, C089S041190
Reexamination Certificate
active
06445497
ABSTRACT:
The present invention relates to an optical sighting system.
Said optical sighting system, for example military observation goggles, which may, within the framework of the present invention, be an exclusively optical system or an optoelectric system, comprises in a known manner at least one optical channel, with which there is associated at least one reticle. Such a reticle makes it possible, in particular, to visualize a predetermined direction of observation, which generally corresponds to the central axis or optical axis of said optical channel. For this purpose, said reticle usually comprises an indicator in the shape of a cross, which is positioned such that the intersection of the axes of the cross signals said predetermined direction of observation.
It is known that, in particular by reason of physical features of the eyes, certain portions of the field of vision of a human being are not visible or are visible with difficulty. This drawback is of course always present when an observer uses an optical sighting system for observation. This problem of vision can be particularly bothersome or unfortunate, especially when the observer is for example somebody from the military and when said optical sighting system corresponds to observation goggles or forms part of a target detection and/or weapons (missiles, rockets, etc.) guidance device of a weapons system, since in this case it may happen that an enemy target (infantryman, tank, etc.) located in an invisible portion of this kind is not detected by the observer, the consequences of such a situation possibly being very serious.
This problem of vision is all the more considerable since the human eye carries out visual adaptations or corrections which are such that the field of vision appears continuous to the human being and that the latter does not consider the existence of an invisible portion of this kind and is therefore unable to locate it.
The present invention relates to an optical sighting system which makes it possible to remedy these drawbacks.
For this purpose, according to the invention, said optical sighting system comprising at least one optical channel with which there is associated at least one reticle is noteworthy in that said reticle comprises at least one mark which is visible to an observer using said optical sighting system and which is centered approximately about a centering point, said centering point being situated substantially at a distance which is representative of a sighting angle of between 13° and 18°, with respect to a predetermined direction of observation, according to a first direction, said first direction being representative on said optical sighting system of the direction passing substantially by the centers of the eyes of an observer who is using said optical sighting system.
Thus, said reticle makes it possible to alert any observer using said optical sighting system of the existence of a problem of vision in the directions of observation situated level with and/or in proximity to the mark visualized by virtue of the invention.
More precisely, said mark makes it possible to show up a <<blind spot>> existing for any human eye. This blind spot which represents a portion of the field of vision of the eye, inside which no vision is possible, is due to the absence, within the retina, of light-sensitive nerves cells where the optic nerve arrives in said retina.
Consequently, by virtue of the invention, any observer using said optical sighting system is warned about whatever is at risk of not being seen by him when looking fixedly at the center of the reticle and is continually informed of the position of the image of this blind spot in the scene observed. In particular, a military observer is thus alerted that an invisible potential target might be situated in his field of vision, in alignment with said mark.
Advantageously, said reticle is formed in at least one focusing plane of said optical sighting system. For this purpose, said optical sighting system comprises known means for forming said reticle, for example means carrying out a projection of said mark into a reticular plane.
Moreover, in a simplified embodiment, said reticle comprises a single mark which is situated, with respect to said direction of observation and according to said first direction, on the same side as the eye used by an observer looking along said optical channel.
In another embodiment, said reticle comprises two marks situated on either side of said direction of observation along said first direction. Thus, sighting by means of the optical sighting system may be performed equally by the right eye and the left eye. Said optical sighting system, for example a field glass, can consequently be used equally well by an observer whose dominant eye is the right eye, as by an observer whose dominant eye is the left eye.
Furthermore, in a particular embodiment relating to a sighting system, for example binoculars, which comprises two optical channels, a first optical channel intended for the right eye of an observer and a second optical channel intended for the left eye of this observer, advantageously, said first optical channel comprises a reticle comprising a mark which is situated to the right of said direction of observation according to said first direction, and said second optical channel comprises a reticle comprising a mark which is situated to the left of said direction of observation along said first direction.
Within the framework of the present invention, said mark can of course exhibit various shapes.
In a first embodiment, said mark exhibits the shape of an ellipse:
whose minor axis is oriented along said first direction and exhibits a length representative of a sighting angle of 7°; and
whose major axis is oriented along a second direction orthogonal both to said first direction and to said direction of observation and exhibits a length representative of a sighting angle of 8°.
In a second embodiment, said mark exhibits an oblong shape provided at each of its ends along said first direction with a semicircle, the distance between the centers of said semicircles is representative of a sighting angle of 5°, and said mark exhibits a width representative of a sighting angle of 8°, according to said second direction which is orthogonal both to said first direction and to said direction of observation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4018533 (1977-04-01), Haines
patent: 4540238 (1985-09-01), Edwards
patent: 5214285 (1993-05-01), Metivier
patent: 5784182 (1998-07-01), Francoeur et al.
patent: 5946075 (1999-08-01), Horn
French Novelty Search Report, dated Mar. 10, 2000.
Aerospatiale Matra Missiles
Henry Jon
Stevens Davis Miller & Mosher LLP
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