Locking adjustment device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12055365-B2
Application number	US-202217651789-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 18, 2022
Priority date	Jan 4, 2012
Publication date	Aug 6, 2024
Grant date	Aug 6, 2024

Abstract

A locking adjustment device for adjusting a setting of an aimed optical device, such as a riflescope, locks at a home or baseline position to provide expedient feedback regarding an adjustment position of the adjustable setting. The device includes a knob mountable for rotation about a rotational axis when the adjustment device is installed on the aimed optical device, where the knob is rotatable about the rotational axis. The device further includes a catch that automatically locks the knob in the home or baseline position and prevents further rotation of the knob until the catch is released. A lock-release mechanism carried by the knob is manually actuatable to disengage the catch and allow the knob to be manually rotated away from the locked position.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A sighting device for a weapon or other projectile launcher, the sighting device comprising:
a housing;
an optical element supported by the housing; and
a turret assembly mounted to the housing, the turret assembly including:
a knob manually rotatable relative to the housing about a rotational axis to change a setting of the sighting device, the optical element positioned in a first position of a continuous range of positions when the knob is positioned in a stopping position;
a catch defining the stopping position of the knob whereat the catch prevents rotation of the knob in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction; and
a lock-release mechanism arranged to disengage the catch in response to a manually-applied force, said disengagement allowing a user to rotate the knob from the stopping position and thereby to continuously move the optical element from the first position to a second non-discrete position of the continuous range of positions;
wherein a graspable portion of the knob includes an opening to expose an actuator that is part of the lock-release mechanism, and wherein the manually-applied force on the lock-release mechanism is applied to said actuator in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the knob.

2. The sighting device of claim 1 , the catch further including a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion is attached to the lock-release mechanism, is rotatable with the knob about the rotational axis, and is rotatable relative to the first portion.

3. The sighting device of claim 2 , wherein the first portion and the second portion of the catch cooperate to retain the knob at the stopping position.

4. The sighting device of claim 2 , wherein the first portion includes a catch opening or recess formed therein, wherein the second portion includes a catch member seated within the catch opening or recess when the knob is at the stopping position.

5. The sighting device of claim 4 , further comprising a biasing element that drives movement of the catch.

6. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the catch comprises a catch member and the manually-applied force drives movement of the catch member in the radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the knob.

7. The sighting device of claim 1 , further comprising a biasing element that biases the lock-release mechanism, wherein at least a portion of the lock-release mechanism protrudes outwardly relative to a surface of the knob when the knob is at the stopping position.

8. The sighting device of claim 1 , further comprising an indicator unit carried by the knob and visible on a surface thereof, wherein the indicator unit is at a first position when the knob is in the stopping position and at a second position when the knob is in an adjustment position.

9. The sighting device of claim 8 , wherein the indicator unit is movable in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis.

10. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the catch comprises a catch member, the catch member movable in a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the knob.

11. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the knob further includes a scale comprising indicia spaced apart on a circumference of the knob to facilitate fine adjustments.

12. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the lock-release mechanism is carried by the knob for rotation therewith.

13. The sighting device of claim 12 , the knob being rotatable about the rotational axis after removal of the manually-applied force from the lock-release mechanism, to thereby adjust the optical element and change the setting of the sighting device.

14. A scope for a firearm or other ranged device, the scope including the sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the optical element is located in a main tube of the scope, wherein the sighting device further comprises:
an elongated body having a first end extending into the housing and a second opposite end located outside the housing, wherein the first end of the elongated body is operably coupled to the optical element, and the second end of the elongated body is operably coupled to the turret assembly.

15. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the continuous movement of the optical element is performable without simultaneously applying the manually-applied force to the actuator.

16. The sighting device of claim 15 , wherein the lock-release mechanism remains in an unlocked state during the at least the portion of the continuous movement.

17. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the lock-release mechanism has plural states including at least one unlocked state and at least one locked state, wherein:
in a state of the plural states an external surface of the actuator is spaced apart from an exterior surface of the knob by a distance, and
in a different state of the plural states the external surface of the actuator is not spaced apart from the exterior surface by said distance.

18. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein, when the catch is disengaged, the knob is rotatable to a clockwise-most terminal position and to a counterclockwise-most terminal position, wherein the knob may not be rotated clockwise past the clockwise-most terminal position, and wherein the knob may not be rotated counterclockwise past the counterclockwise-most terminal position; and
wherein, from the clockwise-most terminal position, the knob may be rotated more than one full revolution counterclockwise before reaching the counterclockwise-most terminal position.

19. The sighting device of claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a depressible button.

20. A sighting device for a weapon or other projectile launcher, the sighting device comprising:
a housing;
an adjustable element supported by the housing; and
a turret assembly mounted to the housing, the turret assembly including:
a ring constrained from rotation relative to the housing, the ring including a catch opening or recess;
a knob mounted over the ring and graspable by a user, the knob being manually rotatable relative to the housing about a rotational axis, wherein rotation of the knob about the rotational axis adjusts the adjustable element to change a setting of the sighting device;
a catch member seated within the catch opening or recess when the knob is at a stopping position whereat the knob is prevented from rotating in a clockwise or counterclockwise direction about the rotational axis; and
a lock-release mechanism arranged to disengage the catch member from the catch opening or recess in response to a manually-applied force, said disengagement allowing the knob to be rotated from the stopping position,
wherein, when the catch member is disengaged, the knob is rotatable to a clockwise-most terminal position and to a counterclockwise-most terminal position, wherein the knob may not be rotated clockwise past the clockwise-most terminal position, and wherein the knob may not be rotated counterclockwise past the counterclockwise-most terminal position; and
wherein, from the clockwise-most terminal position, the knob may be rotated more than one full revolution counterclockwise before reaching the counterclockwise-most terminal position.

21. The sighting device of claim 20 , wherein the catch member is movable within the catch opening or recess along a radial direction relative to the rotational axis of the knob;
the lock-release mechanism further arranged to drive movement of the the catch member relative t

Assignees

• Leupold & Stevens Inc

Inventors

• Crispin Quint

Classifications

• F41G1/38

  Telescopic sights specially adapted for smallarms or ordnance (telescopic sights in general G02B); Supports or mountings therefor · CPC title

• G05G1/10

  Details, e.g. of discs, knobs, wheels or handles {(G05G1/085 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• G02B23/00

  Telescopes, e.g. binoculars; Periscopes; Instruments for viewing the inside of hollow bodies; Viewfinders; Optical aiming or sighting devices · CPC title

• G02B7/00

  Mountings, adjusting means, or light-tight connections, for optical elements · CPC title

• F41G1/545

  Tools for adjustment of sights · CPC title