Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F41—WEAPONS
  • F41G—WEAPON SIGHTS; AIMING
  • F41G3/00—Aiming or laying means
  • F41G3/22—Aiming or laying means for vehicle-borne armament, e.g. on aircraft

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a sight which is rotatable vertically and laterally and comprises a first essentially spherical, hollow body which interacts with a second essentially rotationally symmetrical body.
• the bodies are rotatable in relation to one another about a first axis of rotation.
• the spherical body accommodates one or more electro-optical sensors with associated apertures, which sensors are rotatable about a second axis of rotation at right angles to the first axis of rotation.
• the sight according to the above is suitable as a panning sight and can be mounted on, for example, the turret roof of a combat vehicle in order to serve as the principal sight or as another observation system.
• the sight can also be used at sea, for example on a combat boat. It can also be supplemented with a missile locator and be used for missile control.
• One object of the present invention is to construct a sight which makes the sight more difficult to detect visually, optronically or by means of radar than is the case in known constructions with, for example, fork mounting. Another object is to produce a sight which is easy to mount and which is suitable for upgrading already existing equipment in the form of, for example, vehicles, such as combat vehicles. A further object is to produce a versatile sight which can be used for observation, target location and missile control.
• a sight according to the first paragraph which is characterized in that the first body is, along the second axis of rotation, divided into a central section arranged rigidly relative to the second axis of rotation, and a first and a second peripheral section, which first and second peripheral sections are arranged one on each side of the central section and are arranged rotatably about the second axis of rotation and interconnected so as to follow the rotational movements of one another, at least one peripheral section comprising at least one electro-optical sensor with associated aperture.
• a sight is produced which, irrespective of vertical and lateral orientation, has a visual outer contour which is virtually identical in all directions. This results in low probability of visual detection even if the sight is panned.
• the construction also affords the possibility of keeping the radar echoing area essentially constant in different directions irrespective of vertical and lateral manoeuvring.
• optical apertures which are formed in the peripheral sections are made in such a manner that they reflect electromagnetic radiation of the radar frequency concerned.
• the optical apertures can be protected by virtue of being rotated down into the protection of the second body.
• the embodiment is characterized in that the peripheral sections are arranged rotatably about the second axis of rotation into a protection position in which optical apertures, arranged in the peripheral sections, for normal sensors are protected by the second body.
• the sight can be provided with an extra sensor behind a small aperture.
• This aperture is oriented in a different direction from other apertures .
• the sight according to this development is characterized in that it comprises an extra sensor for use when normal sensors are located in protection position, which extra sensor is provided with an aperture which is small in relation to the apertures of other sensors and is oriented in a different direction from other apertures.
• small aperture means that its aperture area is at most 5% of the area of an aperture of normal size.
• the different direction is advantageously located in a direction which, relative to the direction of other apertures, corresponds to a rotation of the order of 90° about the second axis of rotation. This means that if the normal apertures are oriented vertically downwards in the protection position, the extra sensor with its aperture will be oriented essentially horizontally.
• the sight is designed to communicate with the equipment on which it is arranged via an electrical connection.
• the equipment in the form of, for example, a combat vehicle via only an electrical channel, no separate direct optical channel is required.
• the solution makes mounting of the sight easy, and it is not necessary to make a hole to allow the passage of a direct optical channel.
• the solution also means that the observer has better protection. He has complete protection against the action of disruptive or destructive laser radiation. Only the detector itself is affected and risks being damaged.
• At least one electro-optical sensor is arranged in each peripheral section.
• the spaces can be utilized optimally at the same time as the construction is balanced.
• the central section can be positioned slightly asymmetrically relative to the peripheral sections.
• the embodiment is characterized in that the central section is designed asymmetrically relative to the peripheral sections.
• the second body of the sight is advantageously designed to have a circular cylindrical shape. This proposed shape has a favourably concealing effect.
• the sight is suitable for accommodating many different types of electro-optical sensor.
• at least one electro-optical sensor which can be selected from the types TV, IRV, laser rangefinder and laser illuminator, can be arranged in at least one of the two peripheral sections .
• a rate gyro is arranged, which stabilizes the sight by correcting rotational movements about the first and second axes of rotation.
• the rate gyro stabilization effectively isolates the sight line from the movements of the supporting surface .
• the outer surfaces of the sight can be constructed so as to allow control of the surface temperature by means of, for example, liquid coolant.
• Figure 1 shows diagrammatically a sight according to the invention mounted on a combat vehicle
• Figure 2 shows a sight according to the invention in perspective, at an angle from the front
• Figure 3 shows a sight according to the invention in perspective, at an angle from the front, with the outer casing partly removed, and
• Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a sight according to the invention in perspective, at an angle from the front, with the outer casing partly removed.
• a sight 1 is mounted on the turret 2 of a combat vehicle 3.
• the sight can function as a panning principal sight or as another observation system.
• the sight is gyro-stabilized by a biaxial rate gyro (not shown) mounted on the same structure as the electro-optical sensors and with the measuring, axes at right angles to the sight line.
• the sight 1 is shown mounted on a combat vehicle here, many other types of equipment are possible, and mention may be made in particular of use at sea on a combat boat. .
• the sight is now described in greater detail with reference to Figures 2-4.
• the sight 1 comprises an essentially spherical body 4 adjacent to one end of a rotationally symmetrical body 5, preferably of circular cylindrical shape.
• the spherical body 4 comprises a central section 6 surrounded by a peripheral section 7 and, respectively, 8 on each side.
• the peripheral section 7 is provided with one aperture 9, while the peripheral section 8 has two apertures 10, 11.
• the spherical body 4 is rotatable in relation to the body 5 about an axis of rotation 12. By rotation about the axis of rotation 12, it is possible to bring about complete rotation, that is to say 360°.
• the two peripheral sections 7, 8 are rigidly mechanically interconnected in a manner which will be discussed in greater detail below and are arranged rotatably so as to be capable of being rotated about an axis of rotation 13.
• the rotation can be limited to a range in which the apertures of the sight are, in one end position, oriented at an angle downwards relative to the horizontal plane and, in the other end position, oriented at an angle upwards relative to the horizontal plane .
• FIG 3 shows how the electro-optical sensors are arranged in the two peripheral sections 7, 8.
• the peripheral section 7 is provided with one electro- optical sensor 14, while the peripheral section 8 has two electro-optical sensors 15, 16.
• the electro-optical sensors can be selected from possibilities including, for example, TV, IRV, laser rangefinder and laser illuminator.
• the electro-optical sensors 14-16 are mounted on circular plates 17, 18 which are bearing- mounted rotatably about the axis of rotation 13 and are rigidly mechanically interconnected.
• a servomotor (not shown) , which is controlled by information from the equipment on which the sight is mounted, is accommodated in the central section.
• the embodiment shown in Figure 4 has a different arrangement of electro-optical sensors in the peripheral section 8.
• the peripheral section 8 accommodates three electro-optical sensors 15, 16 and 19.
• the sensors 14-16 face in essentially the same direction, while the sensor 19 faces in a direction which is rotated by roughly 90° about the axis of rotation 13. It can also be observed that the sensor 19 has a small aperture.
• a sight is produced in which the ordinary normal sensors can be protected by being rotated down into the protection of the body 5. At the same time, a certain monitoring of the situation is still permitted by the sensor 19 which has a small aperture and is thus not so vulnerable.
• Stabilization of the sensor 19 requires a third measuring axis at right angles to the measuring axes previously mentioned, and the sight is suitably supplemented with a uniaxial rate gyro (not shown) . It may be pointed out here that the embodiment shown in Figure 3 also allows normal sensors to be protected in the body 5. In the protection position, however, there is then no back-up for the sight in order to find out what is happening in the surroundings .
• the information from the sensors consists of only video signals or other digital signals. These are conducted to one or more monitors inside the turret via an electric cable. Signals from an aiming device inside the turret to the vertical and lateral servos can also be conducted via the same cable.
• the outer casings of the sight apart from the optical apertures, can be provided with a possibility for controlling n the surface temperature by means of, for example, liquid coolant.
• the possibility for cooling also exists in the event that the outer casing is designed to withstand fragments and firing.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Optical Radar Systems And Details Thereof (AREA)
• Portable Nailing Machines And Staplers (AREA)
• Transition And Organic Metals Composition Catalysts For Addition Polymerization (AREA)
• Radar Systems Or Details Thereof (AREA)
• Laminated Bodies (AREA)
• Vehicle Step Arrangements And Article Storage (AREA)
• Pivots And Pivotal Connections (AREA)
• Measurement Of The Respiration, Hearing Ability, Form, And Blood Characteristics Of Living Organisms (AREA)
• Viewfinders (AREA)

Priority Applications (4)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=20282778

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (7)

Cited By (1)

Citations (2)

Family Cites Families (1)

• 2001
  • 2001-01-31 SE SE0100275A patent/SE519115C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2002
  • 2002-01-14 WO PCT/SE2002/000045 patent/WO2002061364A1/en not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2002-01-14 AT AT02737641T patent/ATE521870T1/de active
  • 2002-01-14 DK DK02737641.7T patent/DK1356249T3/da active
  • 2002-01-14 ES ES02737641T patent/ES2369881T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2002-01-14 EP EP02737641A patent/EP1356249B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 2003
  • 2003-07-30 NO NO20033405A patent/NO327374B1/no not_active IP Right Cessation

Patent Citations (2)

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