WO2021246986A1

WO2021246986A1 - On-weapon thermal imaging device with increased optical magnification

Info

Publication number: WO2021246986A1
Application number: PCT/TR2021/050470
Authority: WO
Inventors: Esin CAN; Alpay Furkan ÖZBEY; Uygar ÖZTÜRK
Original assignee: Aselsan Elektroni̇k Sanayi̇ Ve Ti̇caret Anoni̇m Şi̇rketi̇
Priority date: 2020-06-03
Filing date: 2021-05-20
Publication date: 2021-12-09
Also published as: TR202008577A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a thermal imaging device that provides an optical magnification, can be used with daytime sights or as a stand-alone sight, electronically increases the optical magnification without decreasing field of view of sight and without attaching additional apparatus, improves long-distance performance.

Description

ON-WEAPON THERMAL IMAGING DEVICE WITH INCREASED OPTICAL

MAGNIFICATION

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a thermal imaging device that provides imaging both during daytime and night in scopes that are positioned on the weapon.

The invention particularly relates to a thermal imaging device that provides one optical magnification, can be used with day sights or as a stand-alone sight, electronically increases the optical magnification without decreasing field of view and without attaching additional apparatus, improves long-distance performance.

State of the Art

Today, day sights and thermal sights are used in firearms so as to detect and to zoom the target during day and night. In firearms, sight means the tool that gives the required elevation angle to the barrel according to the distance to the target and the height of its location, is used for aiming the gun to this target.

In the state of the art, on-weapon day sights allow the user to identify the target more clearly and ensure ease of shooting by providing optical magnification opportunities with various values that are greater than 1 in weather conditions where daytime vision is sufficient. Daytime scopes shall not be removed from the weapon after mechanical alignment (boresight / zeroing) with respect to the weapon for various distances are made. Otherwise, their alignment will change and they will require to be realigned. However, thermal sights provide users sight and shooting opportunities, particularly in night conditions, where daytime scopes are insufficient. As in day sights, the optical magnification in thermal sights greater than 1 allows the user to see the target more easily and to shoot on target. The image is created electronically in thermal sights different from day sights and it is transferred to the user by being transmitted to the internal screen within the thermal sight. Thermal clip-on devices are attached in front of the day sights so as to allow the thermal images to be accessible without removing the day sight from the weapon. There is no change in the sight settings when the thermal clip-on device with a magnification of 1 is mounted in front of the daytime scope. The user starts seeing the thermal image of the scene that he/she has seen with the day sight previously.

The optical magnification must be 1 in known applications since thermal clip-on devices are used together with daytime scopes. This makes them difficult to be used stand alone as a sight and negatively affects their long-distance performance. A separate sight device with high optical magnification shall be provided so as to ensure sufficient sight performance at long distances.

As a result of the research carried out in the literature, a patent application numbered TR 2018/03050 with the title of “Recorded and unrecorded camera rifle sight with LCD or LED screen with night and day vision property" has been encountered in the same technical field as the subject of the invention. The said invention relates to recorded and unrecorded camera rifle sight with LCD or LED screen with night and day vision property that is mounted on rifles and other firearms used for hunting and military purposes. In said document there is no thermal clip-on device with increased optical magnification that can be used together with the day sight or alone.

As a result due to the abovementioned disadvantages and the insufficiency of the current solutions regarding the subject matter, a development is required to be made in the relevant technical field.

Aim of the Invention

The invention aims to solve the abovementioned disadvantages by being inspired from the current conditions.

The main aim of the invention is to add the thermal device with a magnification of 1 the ability to aim alone at long distances by increasing its optical magnification without decreasing the field of view of sight by means of the screen.

Another aim of the invention is to provide a thermal device that can be used in front of a day sight or stand alone.

In order to fulfill the aims mentioned above, the present invention is a thermal imaging device that can be used as clip-on with daytime scopes or as a stand-alone sight in firearms, and provides the opportunity to aim at long distances in both uses with the selection made in the device menu, characterized by comprising a screen that allows the optical magnification of the device to be increased without changing field of view of sight and without using further accessories.

The structural and characteristic features of the present invention will be understood clearly by the following drawings and the detailed description made with reference to these drawings and therefore the evaluation shall be made by taking these figures and the detailed description into consideration.

Figures Clarifying the Invention

Figure 1, is the view of using the thermal imaging device and daytime scopes together on the weapon.

Figure 2 is the screenshot of the thermal imaging device when used with daytime scopes.

Figure 3 is the image of the thermal imaging device in daytime scopes when used with daytime scopes.

Figure 4 is a screenshot of the condition where the thermal imaging device is used as a sight alone.

Description of the Part References

1 . Thermal imaging device

1 .1 Screen

1 .2 Image

2. Daytime scope

Detailed Description of the Invention

In this detailed description, the preferred embodiments of the inventive imaging device (1 ) are described by means of examples only for clarifying the subject matter.

The invention relates to a thermal imaging device (1) that provides optical magnification of one, can be used with daytime scopes (2) or as a stand-alone sight, electronically increases the optical magnification without decreasing field of view of sight and without attaching additional apparatus, improves long-distance performance. The rays received from the entrance optics fall on the thermal detector in thermal weapon scopes and the image (1.2) created therein is transferred electrically. The scene is transmitted to the user via the screen (1.1) and the eyepiece found within the scope. The eyepiece is such that the user can see the complete screen (1.1) and the rays that will enter the daytime scope are parallel such that they are coming from infinity. Said screen (1.1) is preferably OLED.

Changing the optical magnification without changing the field of view provided in the invention is ensured by changing the dimension of the image (1.2) printed on the screen (1.1). Thus, this ability is provided regardless of the optical properties of the device. Optical magnification is the ratio between the real dimensions of the object and its dimensions in the image (1.2). The thermal imaging device is configured to provide an optical magnification of 1 when used in clip-on mode, e.g., with daytime scope (2). In case the thermal imaging device (1) is used alone as a sight, the image shown on the screen (1.2) is extended equally in both dimensions, thus the magnification is increased (Figure 4).

The invention is a method that allows the thermal imaging device (1) that can be used with daytime scopes (2) as an clip-on or as a stand-alone sight in firearms to aim at long distances in both uses, characterized by comprising the following process steps;

• showing the image (1.2) on the screen (1.1),

• adjusting the magnification by changing the size of the shown image (1 .2) on the screen (1 .1).

The scenarios for using the inventive thermal imaging device alone or with a day sight are as follows:

Using daytime scopes alone

The scopes must be zeroized according to the bullet route after they are attached to the weapon so as to be able to aim correctly with weapon scopes during daytime. When the daytime scopes zeroing is being made, the correct position of the reticle inside the daytime scope is determined by shooting (2) and it is fixed when the zeroing is completed. Until the scopes are removed from the weapon after the zeroing, the user can aim at different distances without any problem and achieve accurate shots. The area on the screen (1.1) reaches the user as shown in Figure 3 due to the optical structure of the daytime scopes (2).

Using davtime scopes together with a thermal imaging device

Daytime weapon scopes do not provide observation and thus shooting opportunities under night conditions. It is required to remove the daytime scopes and replace with night vision or thermal weapon scopes under night conditions. However, assembling or disassembling the scopes to/from the weapon brings the need for repeating zeroing settings. This requirement is eliminated by using the daytime and night scopes in combination in this clip-on concept. A night vision or thermal weapon clip-on, namely a thermal imaging device (1), is attached in front of the daytime weapon sight (2) without removing the same from the weapon in the clip-on concept.

In case the clip-on sight is required to be used, it is possible to show the image dimension falling on the screen (1.1) of the device in small format by making selection from the menu (Figure 2). In this case, the optical magnification of the device is 1 (essential value for clip-on devices).

Use of the thermal device as a stand-alone slaht ( use of the solution provided bv the invention)

In the scenario with the present invention where the thermal imaging device will be used as a stand-alone sight without a day sights on the weapon, the dimension of the image (1.2) falling on the screen (1.1) is automatically increased by making a selection from the menu. The dimensions of the image (1.2) shown on the device screen (1.1) are increased horizontally and vertically (Figure 4). Therefore, optical magnification is increased and long-distance performance is also improved. The said menu is accessed and controlled by means of the buttons on the device. The menu is opened on the screen (1.1) when the menu button is pressed and then the menu is controlled by using the direction and confirmation buttons.

Claims

1. A thermal imaging device (1) that can be used with daytime scopes (2) or as a stand-alone sight in firearms, and provides the opportunity to aim at long distances in both uses with the selection made in the device menu, characterized by comprising;

• a screen (1.1) that allows the optical magnification of the image (1.2) fall on the thermal imaging device (1) to be increased without changing the field of view of sight and without using further accessories for different usage scenarios.

2. Thermal imaging device according to claim 1 , wherein; the said screen (1.1) is

OLED.

3. A method that allows the thermal imaging device (1) that can be used with daytime scopes (2) or as a stand-alone sight in firearms to aim at long distances in both uses, characterized by comprising; the following process steps;

• showing the image (1.2) on the screen (1.1),