Passive Reflex Sight With Integral Rear Sight for Compact Firearms
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing artificially illuminated reflex sights are expensive and bulky, making them impractical for smaller concealed carry firearms, and there is a need for an affordable and compact reflex sight option.
Innovation Solution
A passively illuminated reflex sight system that uses ambient light to generate a reticle, eliminating the need for onboard artificial illumination sources, with a housing design that maximizes light collection from multiple directions and uses a fiber optic element to absorb and transmit ambient light.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If an artificially illuminated reflex sight system is used, then fast target acquisition and high contrast reticle are achieved, but the housing becomes bulky and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the artificial illumination source (LED and battery) from the sight system, extracting only the necessary optical components (lens and reticle) that can function with natural ambient light. This extraction eliminates the bulky housing requirements while maintaining the core reflex sight functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The sight system utilizes natural ambient light from the environment to illuminate the reticle, making the system self-sufficient without requiring external power sources. The lens and reticle are designed to work passively with available light, eliminating the need for artificial illumination components.
2Speed
If an artificially illuminated reflex sight system is used, then fast target acquisition is achieved, but the cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs simple, inexpensive optical components such as a basic lens and reticle that can be manufactured at low cost. By eliminating expensive electronic illumination systems, the overall manufacturing cost is significantly reduced while maintaining the essential fast target acquisition capability through passive optical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the electronic/mechanical illumination system (LED, battery, circuitry) with a purely optical passive system using natural light. This substitution eliminates complex electronic components and reduces manufacturing complexity and cost while preserving the reflex sight's primary function.
3Volume of moving object
If a compact reflex sight is designed for concealed carry firearms, then the housing size is reduced, but artificial illumination becomes impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the artificial illumination components (power source and light emitter) from the system, allowing the housing to be minimized to only the essential optical elements. This extraction enables compact housing design suitable for concealed carry firearms while the passive optical system maintains adequate reticle illumination through natural light.
Solution Approach 2:
The compact sight system is designed to harvest and utilize natural ambient light directly, making it self-illuminating without requiring external power. This self-service approach to illumination allows for minimal housing size while maintaining functional reticle visibility in various lighting conditions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system provides a cost-effective and compact reflex sight suitable for both larger and smaller firearms, offering a clear reticle in various lighting conditions without the bulk of traditional battery-powered sights.
Implementation Method 1
a fiber optic element supported in the housing and configured and designed to collect and absorb only available ambient light
Implementation Method 2
the element is configured and designed to collect and utilize only available ambient light from the environment (e.g., solar) surrounding the firearm alone to generate the dot reticle on the lens
Data Source
AI summary
A passively and naturally illuminated optical reflex sighting system for a firearm in one embodiment includes a housing configured for detachable coupling to the firearm, an optical lens supported by the housing, a fiber optic element, and a light-transmissible cover enclosing the fiber optic element. The cover and fiber optic element are in visual communication with ambient light which is collected by fiber optic element through the cover. In operation, the fiber optic element absorbs ambient light and generates a reticle on the lens for aiming the firearm. A red or other colored dot reticle may be projected on the lens in some embodiments. No onboard artificial light is used to illuminate the fiber optic element. The housing may include an integrally-formed rear sight which is alignable with a front sight to aim the firearm independently of the fiber optics generated reticle.