DESC:4. DESCRIPTION

Technical Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to an optical device. In particular, the device according to the invention makes it possible to substantially collimate an Integrated Laser Unit (ILU) holding device.

Background of the Invention

Even before the laser was invented, science ?ction writers told of incredible firearms and machines that emitted a bright saber of light, a death ray that disintegrated everything in its path. Even today, science ?ction movies and books place high emphasis on firearms that use light instead of bullets.

The laser beam is popularly thought of as a very powerful death ray which can be ?red from a handheld laser gun to vaporize soldiers, demolish building, and burn through target armors. In reality, the laser is a suitable tool for many military applications and can be turned into a deadly firearm but there are de?nitely limitations to what a laser can do.

The laser really is a ray firearm, and its light rays can damage some targets in a way that appeals to the most vivid imagination. It is important to take these somewhat speculative factors into consideration when studying the psychological effects of the use of laser firearms on the battle?eld. Otherwise, it will not be possible to get a complete and realistic picture of what using a laser really means to the combatants.

Optical assemblies like collimators have been employed with apparatus either in combination with a detector for the purpose of focusing of a radiant energy source or in combination with the radiant energy source directly to provide a defined radiation beam as produced from the radiant energy source.

The conventional radiation transmission systems utilize relatively strong source shielded by a container having a single collimating hole have been employed in a human unoccupied area for long distance signaling. One usual manner of assuring sufficient radiation intensity level in such systems is to provide strong radiation source. A stronger source is not the preferred solution. The provision of an energy source which when collimated should be a low intensity source for safety purpose and should yet provide a beam of sufficient strength to be easily detected at long transmission distance.

In some firearm combat simulation system, a laser signal and a radio signal are simultaneously sent towards the target such known systems are difficult to operate and prone to interference because of multiple signal transmission during communication operation.

The prior art US20040045209A1 discloses an apparatus for mounting a device, such as an illumination device or a collection device, to a weapon is provided. The apparatus comprises a mounting member configured to couple with the device and with the weapon in order to mount the device to the weapon.

The prior art US6318015B1 discloses a holder assembly for supporting a collimator of a field adjusting device on a weapon barrel includes a holder sled having a dovetail guide provided in the under face of the sled. The dovetail guide has lateral guide faces converging toward one another. A first groove is provided in the under­ face of the sled and extends transversely to the length of the dovetail guide. A dovetail receiver block is affixed to the weapon barrel in the muzzle region. The dovetail receiver block has lateral guide faces converging toward one another. A second groove, located on the weapon barrel, extends transversely to the barrel axis.
The prior art US5685105 discloses a flashlight module that can fit conventional handguns and rifles without requiring major modification of the weapons and yet fits within the profile of the weapons framework. The invention features a chassis containing a flashlight that can be mounted in various positions, depending on the weapon selected. For a handgun, the chassis mounts on the front face of the muzzle.

The prior art US5590484 discloses a universal mount for a rifle comprises an upper rail having a plurality of traverse ribs running from the back of the upper receiver to the gas block, and a hand guard surrounding the barrel. The hand guard has side mounts allowing the addition of accessory devices such as flashlights and laser sights. A lower rail, designed to accept a grenade launcher and a bayonet, resides between the barrel and the hand guard.

The prior art US6785997B2 discloses an accessory mount and a method for mounting accessories for a hand held firearm having a barrel and a mounting rail coupled beneath the barrel; the accessory mount including a frame having a cavity for receiving a light; and a bipod mount coupled adjacent the track and behind the light cavity and arranged to hold a bipod having legs Which can be folded substantially adjacent the barrel.

The prior art US4934086 discloses a laser sight for a firearm having a recoil spring guide mounts components on the spring guide so that a light beam is directed along the axis of the spring guide. This automatically makes light beam parallel with the barrel of firearm. Several mounting alternatives are possible, including a collimating lens arranged on the axis of the spring guide to receive light from a laser diode that is either mounted on the spring guide with the collimating laser mounted remotely and arranged for directing light to collimating lens via a fiber optic cable.

The prior art US5400540 discloses a aiming light assembly and mounting bracket therefor is disclosed. The bracket has a first portion which clamps to the barrel of a weapon, a second portion including a cut-out which fits over and abuts against the front sight post of the weapon, and a third portion on which the aiming light assembly is mounted. A switching assembly and the combination of integral and remote switching is provided. An improved steering mechanism is provided to facilitate bore sighting of the aiming light assembly once mounted on weapon.

The prior art 169/CHE/2015 discloses an laser adjustable assembly comprising a mounting plate, center lever is pivotally connected to the mounting plate guided over the projected portion of center lever and both are held rigid by the holding means. A base clamp pivotally connected to the center lever and is guided through the projected portion of center lever which is held rigid by the holding means, center lever and base clamp are arranged to adjust in another required desired orthogonal axis by the adjusting means.

The prior art US5282594 discloses a laser sight mounting device fastened to the trigger guard of a gun to hold a laser sight. The mounting device includes a mount having a gap defined between an arched block and a L-shaped frame thereof for receiving the trigger guard of a gun, a connecting plate fastened between the arched block and the L-shaped frame to retain the mount to the trigger guard, tightening up screw rods threaded into respective screw holes on the L-shaped frame against the trigger guard and tightened by respective locknuts to fix the mount in position, and a laser holder having a channel fastened to the L-shaped frame by screws.

In traditional firearm combat simulation systems when the simulator is fired and one observes how the hit falls on the target in relation to the direction of the firing of the firearm. If there is any deviation the direction of the firing of the simulator is adjusted by means of an adjustment device built into the simulator until the firearm and simulators are co-aligned. But the adjustment device used in such systems are quite complex and therefore poses a lot of mechanical hindrances.

Therefore, there exists a need for an optical assembly which would overcome these and other shortcomings or at least ameliorate shortcomings associated with the conventional systems and could be adapted for outputting a collimated radiant energy carrying an encoded data packets along an optical axis at a desired apparent distance.

Brief Summary of the Invention

The following presents a simplified summary of the disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding to the reader. This summary is not an extensive overview of the disclosure and it does not identify key/critical elements of the invention or delineate the scope of the invention. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts disclosed herein in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

According to an aspect of the present invention, an Integrated Laser Unit (ILU) holding device is disclosed.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention wherein the device comprises of the ILU, an azimuthal axis arrangement, an elevation axis arrangement coupled with plurality of holding brackets.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention, an elevation bracket, azimuthal bracket, and two holding brackets were connected mechanically and holds the ILU.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention, the holding bracket holds the ILU to a barrel of a simulated firearm (not shown) with the help of a central shaft.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention the said device comprises of an ILU, two holding brackets, a central shaft.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention the said device further comprises of an azimuthal bracket, an elevation bracket.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention the ILU is mounted on a firearm barrel by sandwiching it in between the holding brackets.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention wherein the holding bracket is hinged on the azimuthal bracket by means of a central shaft.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention the said elevation bracket is hinged on the said azimuthal bracket and the said holding bracket houses a azimuthal worm which meshes with a azimuthal worm gear.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention the said azimuthal bracket houses an elevation worm which meshes with the elevation worm gear mounted on the said elevation bracket for rotation.

In accordance with the aspect of the present invention said worm and worm gear mechanism for both azimuthal axis and elevation axis are mounted with the azimuthal spring and the elevation spring for holding with tension.

Further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be readily apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments thereof, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

Brief Description of the Drawings

Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself and manner in which it may be made and used may be better understood after a review of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numeral annotations are provided throughout.

FIG. 1 illustrates a perspective of an Integrated Laser Unit (ILU) holding device in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

Fig 2 illustrates the said azimuthal bracket arrangement with worm gear mechanisms in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

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

The use of “including”, “comprising” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. The terms “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items. Further, the use of terms “first”, “second”, and “third”, and the like, herein do not denote any order, quantity, or importance, but rather are used to distinguish one element from another.

According to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention, an Integrated Laser Unit (ILU) holding device is disclosed.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, the device comprises of the ILU, an azimuthal axis arrangement, an elevation axis arrangement coupled with plurality of holding brackets which consists of elevation bracket, azimuthal bracket, and two holding brackets were connected mechanically and holds the ILU.

Referring now to the drawings, Fig 1 illustrates a perspective of the Integrated Laser Unit (ILU) holding device (1) in accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention. Wherein said device (1) comprises of an ILU (2), two holding brackets (3, 4), a central shaft (6), an azimuthal bracket (5), an elevation bracket (7), an azimuthal worm (8), an azimuthal worm gear (9), an elevation worm (10), an elevation worm gear (11), a knurl (13), an azimuthal spring (16), and elevation spring (17). The said ILU (2) is mounted on a firearm barrel by sandwiching it in between the holding brackets (3, 4), wherein the holding bracket (4) is hinged on the azimuthal bracket (5) by means of a central shaft (6).

The said elevation bracket (7) is hinged on the said azimuthal bracket (5), wherein the said holding bracket (4) houses an azimuthal worm (8) which meshes with an azimuthal worm gear (9). The said azimuthal bracket (5) houses an elevation worm (10) which meshes with the elevation worm gear (11) mounted on the said elevation bracket (7) for rotation and the said worm and worm gear mechanism for both azimuthal axis (15) and elevation axis (14) are mounted with the azimuthal spring (16) and the elevation spring (17) for holding with tension.

Fig 2 illustrates the said azimuthal bracket arrangement with worm gear mechanisms in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The said azimuthal bracket arrangement comprises of wherein the said azimuthal worm (8) and elevation worm (10) are rotated using the knurl (13) provided at the end to rotate the said azimuthal worm gear (9) and elevation worm gear (11) respectively. Wherein, the said motion is converted into angular displacement of the azimuthal bracket (5) and/or the elevation bracket (7) so that the position of the said ILU (2) is adjusted.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention wherein, in elevation axis (14) turning the said knurl (13) clockwise moves the ILU (2) downwards, and turning it counter clockwise causes an upward movement. And wherein, in azimuthal axis (15), rotating the knurl (13) in clockwise moves the ILU (2) towards right and rotating it counter clockwise will shift to left. Wherein the said azimuthal spring (16) and elevation spring (17) one for azimuthal axis (15) and another for elevation axis (14) respectively and used to pull the said worm gear in each direction so that their teeth are always in contact with the worm. The direction of rotation of the said knurl (13) provided on the worms will decide the direction of rotation of the said ILU (2).

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention the clockwise and anti-clockwise motion of the said knurl (13) moves the said ILU (2). When the device is subjected to shock loads and relative displacement the said springs (16, 17) pull back the gears to the present position using the worms. The said worm and worm gear mechanism can achieve very high gear ratios without much effort requirement and hence suits the current requirement.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention as this mechanism is non-reversible i.e. power transmission is done only in one direction from worm to worm gear, which will provide an inherent advantage of locking the mechanism. The worm and worm gear mechanism has good meshing effectiveness as the geometry of the gear teeth and the helix profile are calculated in order to ensure proper meshing and the accuracy of the system is further increased.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention when gears are used, backlash may occur in between the worm and the worm gears in both azimuth and elevation due to the play between the driven and the driver gear. This can lead to not only inaccuracies in position during adjustment but also deviation of position when subjected to shocks. Therefore the said springs used in the mechanism apply a constant torque on the parts which ensures constant contact between the worm and the worm gear, which will eliminate the backlash.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention due to the high gear ratio and zero backlashes, the mechanism will provide high accuracy in both azimuth and elevation. The said device (1) has zero kinematically admissible degrees of freedom, for the mass of an ILU about 157 grams and mechanical parts weigh around 55 grams made of aluminum material.

In accordance with the exemplary embodiment of the present invention the said unit (2) is kept on the barrel of firearm for zeroing and setting the target which needs two degrees of freedom on azimuth axis (15) and elevation axis (14) were mounted with plurality of azimuthal spring (16) and elevation spring (17) for strong holding purpose.

The described exemplary embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. Variations in the arrangement of the structure are possible falling within the scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

It is therefore submitted that the instant invention has been shown and described in what is considered to be the most practical and preferred embodiments. It is recognized, however, that departures may be made within the scope of the invention and that obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art. With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, 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.
,CLAIMS:5. CLAIMS
I/We Claim
1. An Integrated Laser Unit (ILU) holding device (1), wherein the device (1) comprises of:
an ILU (2), two holding brackets (3, 4), a central shaft (6), an azimuthal bracket (5), an elevation bracket (7), an azimuthal worm (8), an azimuthal worm gear (9), an elevation worm (10), an elevation worm gear (11), a knurl (13), an azimuthal spring (16), and elevation spring (17);
the ILU (2) is mounted on a firearm barrel by sandwiching it in between the holding brackets (3, 4), wherein the holding bracket (4) is hinged on the azimuthal bracket (5) by means of a central shaft (6);
the said elevation bracket (7) is hinged on the said azimuthal bracket (5), wherein the said holding bracket (4) houses a azimuthal worm (8) which meshes with a azimuthal worm gear (9);
the said azimuthal bracket (5) houses an elevation worm (10) which meshes with the elevation worm gear (11) mounted on the said elevation bracket (7) for rotation;
said worm and worm gear mechanism for both azimuthal axis (15) and elevation axis (14) are mounted with the azimuthal spring (16) and the elevation spring (17) for holding with tension;
Characterized in that
the said azimuthal worm (8) and elevation worm (10) are rotated using the knurl (13) provided at the end to rotate the said azimuthal worm gear (9) and elevation worm gear (11) respectively;
wherein, the said motion is converted into angular displacement of the azimuthal bracket (5) and/or the elevation bracket (7) so that the position of the said ILU (2) is adjusted;
wherein, in elevation axis (14) turning the said knurl (13) clockwise moves the ILU (2) downwards, and turning it counter clockwise causes an upward movement;
wherein, in azimuthal axis (15), rotating the knurl (13) in clockwise moves the ILU (2) towards right and rotating it counter clockwise will shift to left;
wherein the said azimuthal spring (16) and elevation spring (17) one for azimuthal axis (15) and another for elevation axis (14) respectively and used to pull the said worm gear in each direction so that their teeth are always in contact with the worm; and
the direction of rotation of the said knurl (13) provided on the worms will decide the direction of rotation of the said ILU (2).

2. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the clockwise and anti-clockwise motion of the said knurl (13) moves the said ILU (2).

3. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein when the device is subjected to shock loads and relative displacement the said springs (16, 17) pull back the gears to the present position using the worms.

4. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the said worm and worm gear mechanism can achieve very high gear ratios without much effort requirement and hence suits the current requirement.

5. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, as this mechanism is non-reversible i.e. power transmission is done only in one direction from worm to worm gear, which will provide an inherent advantage of locking the mechanism.

6. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, worm and worm gear mechanism has good meshing effectiveness as the geometry of the gear teeth and the helix profile are calculated in order to ensure proper meshing and the accuracy of the system is further increased.

7. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, the said springs used in the mechanism apply a constant torque on the parts which ensures constant contact between the worm and the worm gear, which will eliminate the backlash.

8. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein due to the high gear ratio and zero backlashes, the mechanism will provide high accuracy in both azimuth and elevation.

9. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device (1) has zero kinematically admissible degrees of freedom, for the mass of an ILU about 157 grams and mechanical parts weigh around 55 grams made of aluminum material.

10. The device (1) as claimed in claim 1, the said unit (2) is kept on the barrel of firearm for zeroing and setting the target which needs two degrees of freedom on azimuth axis (15) and elevation axis (14).

6. DATE AND SIGNATURE

Dated this 12th day of April 2022.
Signature

(Mr. Srinivas Maddipati)
IN/PA 3124 – In-house Patent Agent
For., Zen technologies Ltd