(12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,297,173 B1 Teetzel Et Al
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US0082971 73B1 (12) United States Patent (10) Patent No.: US 8,297,173 B1 Teetzel et al. (45) Date of Patent: Oct. 30, 2012 (54) MODULAR WEAPON VIDEO DISPLAY 7,810,273 B2 * 10/2010 Koch et al. ...................... 42,111 SYSTEM 2008. O1074.14 A1* 5, 2008 Showalter ... ... 396/429 2010, 0154276 A1* 6, 2010 Kim .................................. 42.90 (75) Inventors: James W. Teetzel, York, ME (US); FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS Justin D. Harris, Dover, NH (US); WO WO 20060973 1.0 A1 * 9, 2006 Linwood B. Davis, Londonderry, NH (US); Marvin S. Carter, Rochester, NH OTHER PUBLICATIONS (US); Ferdinand N. Ahlberg, Hopkinton, NH (US); Dominic R. English translation of WO 20060973 10 A1 published Sep. 21, 2006.* Goupil, Kittery, ME (US) * cited by examiner (73) Assignee: Wilcox Industries Corp., Newington, NH (US) Primary Examiner — Lin Ye Assistant Examiner — John H Morehead, III (*) Notice: Subject to any disclaimer, the term of this (74) Attorney, Agent, or Firm — McLane, Graf, Raulerson & patent is extended or adjusted under 35 Middleton, Professional Association U.S.C. 154(b) by 882 days. (21) Appl. No.: 11/972,481 (57)57 ABSTRACT An improved modular video display system for a weapon 22) Filed: Jan. 10, 2008 having9. a video displavplay module that can accommodate mul tiple camera inputs. The video display module contains a Related U.S. Application Data Video control panel and human-viewable display screen, (60) Provisional application No. 60/879,777, filed on Jan. which enables the operator to switch between viewing and 10, 2007, provisional application No. 607879.897 controlling a thermal sight and a left and right rotating cam filedon Jan 1.2007 sy--- s era. The video display module and cameras are powered by a • us power Supply, which is electrically coupled to the weapons (51) Int. Cl. accessory devices, once each device is mounted on the modu F4IGI/00 (2006.01) lar rails. The cameras are connected to the video display F4IG5/06 (2006.01) module and the weapons operator may select either a thermal (52) U.S. Cl 89/4117: 89/41.05:42/11142A115 display using the thermal sight oran image display of the left Oa - - - - - - - - - - - - - - el f : 42/19.42/13 or right using the left and right rotating camera. The control (58) Field of Classification Search 89f41.05 panel enables the operator to personalize the display screen in 89/4117: 42A111 15.119.120 122 141 order to best suit their current situational needs with controls See application file for CO lete search histo s for camera select, reticle style, reticle color, reticle intensity, pp p ry. bore sight keys, black hot/white hot image select, digital (56) References Cited Zoom, and display brightness. In conjunction with the modu lar video display system additional accessory devices may be U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS used. Such as laser sights, spotting scopes, and handgrip units. 7.255,035 B2 * 8/2007 Mowers ....................... 89/41.05 7,661,348 B2* 2/2010 Murello ... 17 Claims, 8 Drawing Sheets U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 1 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 S U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 2 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 3 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 4 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 5 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 6 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 7 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 6 *** U.S. Patent Oct. 30, 2012 Sheet 8 of 8 US 8,297,173 B1 US 8,297,173 B1 1. 2 MODULAR WEAPON VIDEO DISPLAY Another advantage of the presently disclosed video display SYSTEM system is its ability to allow the operator to aim at targets while remaining covered and concealed. With the addition of RELATED APPLICATIONS the cameras and display Screens the operator's vision can be improved and enable them to use additional visual guides to This application claims the priority benefit under 35 U.S.C. aim at a target while maintaining their own safety. S119(e) of U.S. provisional patent application Nos. 60/879, Still further advantages and benefits of the present inven 777 filed Jan. 10, 2007; and 60/879,897 filed Jan. 11, 2007. tion will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art The aforementioned applications are herein incorporated by upon reading and understanding the following detailed reference in their entireties. 10 description of the preferred embodiments. BACKGROUND BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The present disclosure relates to a modular weapon video The invention may take form in various components and display system, useable with a floating rail system, which 15 may include an accessory mount interface Such as a Picatinny arrangements of components, and in various steps and type mounting rail structure (e.g., as per standard MIL-STD arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of 1913) of the type commonly employed with a military or illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be con tactical firearm. The rail system may be used for attaching all Strued as limiting the invention. manner of accessories, such as thermal sight systems, rotating FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a firearm using a floating rail left and right camera systems, video display systems, quick system with a thermal sight, a video display system, a left and changing power Supplies, optical scopes, tactical flashlights, right rotating camera, and a power Supply attached. Vertically extending handgrips, or other weapon-mounted FIG. 2 is a rear view of the floating rail system with an accessories. The floating rail system herein may be as attached thermal sight, power Supply, and a closed video described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 1 1/972.426 filed 25 display module. Jan. 10, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference in its FIG.3 is an isometric view of a firearm using a floating rail entirety. system with an attached laser sight, thermal sight, spotting Conventional weapon video display systems require addi Scope, left and right rotating camera, power Supply, and video tional equipment for their use. Such as a helmet-mounted display module. video display system to be worn by the operator. In addition 30 FIG. 4 is a bottom view of a closed video display module. conventional weapon video display systems typically only FIG. 5 is a right isometric view of a closed video display have one type of camera. Thus, it would be desirable to module. provide a video display system that would not require the FIG. 6 is a left isometric view of a closed video display operator to carry additional equipment while in combat. In module. addition it would be desirable to have multiple camera types 35 FIG. 7 is an exploded isometric view of the floating rail compatible with the same display system and an easy mecha system and unattached thermal sight, video display module, nism for the operator to switch between multiple camera power Supply, left and right rotating camera, and cable assem types. The present device contemplates an improved video bly. display system, which overcomes both of the above-refer FIG. 8 is a front view of the video control panel of the video enced limitations and others. 40 display module. FIG. 9 is a left view of the floating rail system with a SUMMARY thermal sight, left and right rotating camera, power Supply, and video display module attached. The present disclosure relates to an improved modular FIG. 10 is a bottom view of the left and right rotating Video display system for a weapon which can accommodate 45 camera showing the rotation of the left and right camera. multiple camera inputs. This video display system is adapted FIG. 11 is a left isometric view of the left and right rotating for use with a weapon mount interface Such as a Picatinny camera with the camera in the right position. mounting rail structure. The video display system includes a FIG. 12 is a right isometric view of the left and right Video display module containing a video control panel and rotating camera with the camera in the right position. human-viewable display screen. The video display module 50 enables both a thermal sight and a left and right rotating DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED camera to be selectively viewable via the display screen. The EMBODIMENTS video control panel enables the operator to select between the thermal and left and right rotating cameras and to control the Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3, the modular video display output displayed on the display Screen. The cameras and 55 module 26 is shown attached to firearm 10 which contains a video display module are powered by a removably attachable floating rail system 12, which may include Picatinny mount power Supply. Electrical couplings and internal floating rail ing rail structure (e.g., as per standard MIL-STD-1913). system wiring enables power and the camera images to be Floating rail system 12 is attached to firearm 10 via a rear transmitted between the power Supply, cameras, and video clamp (not shown) and a chassis 14, which extends out from display module. 60 the rear clamp. Modular rails 16 are attached to chassis 14 and One advantage of the video display system in accordance provide a Surface for all accessory devices to be attached, as with the present disclosure is that it enables the operator of the described in U.S.