Patents Represented by Attorney Milton W. Lee
  • Patent number: 5833195
    Abstract: A retaining mechanism that includes an arcuate shaped securing arm rotatiy coupled to at a pivot point to a fixedly mounted arcuate retaining member. The retaining mechanism allows for releasably securing a cylindrically shaped object until selectively released.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 11, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 10, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: David H. Haynes
  • Patent number: 5815316
    Abstract: A protection system and technique for a set adjustable brightness control vel regardless of previous deactivation of system display component in a thermal weapon sight (TWS) when a lens cap is utilized for covering optics of the TWS.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 29, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Melvin H. Friedman, Lesley R. Condiff
  • Patent number: 5812319
    Abstract: An arrangement and technique for reduced laser induced damage threshold (T) of a sacrificial optical element within an electro-optical system without increased system reflectivity. A sacrificial optical element including input and output surfaces is located normal to the optical axis at an intermediate focal plane of the system and a micro-prism structure is also present on at least one of the surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by The Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Jaime Sonstroem
  • Patent number: 5806378
    Abstract: A releasable securing knob assembly including a biased leaf spring element hich securely locks a knob onto a shaft, so that removal can only be effected by accessing and debiasing the leaf spring through a slot within the knob.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Melvin H. Friedman
  • Patent number: 5805623
    Abstract: A solid-state dye laser and technique for achieving multiple output wavelength laser emission from a single solid-state dye laser media containing multiple dyes without tuning elements. When the multiple dyes within the single solid-state host are excited with a single wavelength pump source to lase, there results simultaneous multi-spectral output proportional to dye concentration ratios.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1997
    Date of Patent: September 8, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Richard Utano, Suresh Chandra, Toomas H. Allik, Timothy R. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5798862
    Abstract: A viewing device adaptor, hatch insert, and overall mounting system allows viewing device to be releasably mounted through an existing vehicle opening of a vehicle. The viewing device includes a mounted periscope assembly extending from a body of a viewing device, with a collar bearing surface contiguous inbetween. A viewer adaptor releasably and rotatively mounts about the collar bearing surface. A hatch insert releasably mountable within a vehicle hatch opening including an opening for the releasable mounting of the viewer adaptor therewithin. When the viewing device adaptor is coupled about the collar bearing surface, and releasably mounted within the hatch insert that has been releasably mounted within the hatch opening, there results a substantially unobstructed field of view, with the viewing device within the vehicle rotatable from inside the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: August 25, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Edward A. Antesberger
  • Patent number: 5796523
    Abstract: An optical assembly and technique for magnified viewing which includes innal damaging laser energy protection. An objective lens subassembly is positioned on the focal axis which focuses incoming light energy over an entire field of view. An optical prism accepts the focused light energy and reorients the focused light energy which is split by a beamsplitter onto a power limiter at the intermediate focal plane so that only energy under an approximate damage threshold is allowed to pass onward. The optical assembly can provide from 4.times. to a 10.times. power magnification with up to a 60 millimeter entrance pupil diameter with internal, multi-spectral damaging laser energy protection.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 18, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: John M. Hall
  • Patent number: 5790241
    Abstract: A system and technique for a laser rangefinder which uses a low peak power aser, scanner, and beam scanning device with a linear detector where target range corresponds to individual detector elements to enhance signal-to-noise ratio and maximum target range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1996
    Date of Patent: August 4, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charlie W. Trussell, Jr.
  • Patent number: 5784191
    Abstract: Combining a tristimulus filter, two lenses, and a crystalline colloidal ay filter in an arrangement resulting in a visible optical limiter without substantial color distortion that can be used for eye or sensor protection. Only three nonlinear colloidal arrays are needed to Bragg reflect over the pass bands of the tristimulus filter. The nonlinear colloidal array is arranged so that the band reflected (at the least) completely overlaps the pass band of the tristimulus filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 21, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Gary L. Wood
  • Patent number: 5739950
    Abstract: A trilaminar semiconductor device is placed at an intermediate focus is an optical instrument having a sensitive photodetector. The layers of the device are successively in the form of a two-photon absorber, a sacrificial layer, and a multiple quantum well. The composition of the semiconductor is varied in the layers to achieve the desired bandgap and function.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Inventors: Gary L. Wood, William W. Clark, III, Byong H. Ahn, Edward J. Sharp
  • Patent number: 5739947
    Abstract: Incident radiation is focussed by a lens into a non-linear optical material whose index of refraction increases with increased radiation intensity. For normal radiation, the radiation freely passes through the nonlinear optical and an optically-switchable material to an other lens. This other lens directs the radiation onto a photodetector. High-intensity radiation, however, is self-trapped in the nonlinear material to form a columnar beam which falls on the optically-switchable material, causes this material to switch, and is reflected thereby.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 1985
    Date of Patent: April 14, 1998
    Inventors: Gary L. Wood, Edward J. Sharp, Richard R. Shurtz
  • Patent number: 5734495
    Abstract: A device and technique for the passive real-time control of effective emivity, color, and camouflage, the device utilizing surfaces which are interposed between a target and an observer at a viewing position with a predetermined angular resolution. Effective surfaces are utilized, including at least one set of movable surfaces, the effected surfaces having a predetermined surface characteristic, such as emissivity, color, or camouflage pattern. An assembly contains all surfaces relative to each other such that the front and back surfaces are seen by the viewing position as stationary. A drive assembly allows movable surfaces to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 31, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Melvin H. Friedman
  • Patent number: 5729376
    Abstract: An optical assembly using a centrally-obscured catadioptric optical objece that provides two different focal planes using the same set of optics. Both optical paths share the same optic axis and common line-of-sight. One focal plane is optimized for use with a high performance GEN II image intensifier tube, and the other is used for either laser receiver or emitter devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 17, 1998
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John M. Hall, Dallas N. Barr, Richard Utano
  • Patent number: 5691410
    Abstract: A water dispersible low-reflectance coating composition which is a CARC cosition and results in a coating that is flexible at ambient and sub-zero temperatures. The composition is a three component system, where the first component includes: hydroxyl-functional polyurethane, pigments, polymeric beads, emulsion of hydrophobic solids, micro-milled calcium carbonate, anti-settling agent, dispersing agent, water solvent, and non-ionic emulsion. The second component includes polyisocyanate and a solvent, while the third component is water solvent.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1996
    Date of Patent: November 25, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John A. Escarsega, Kestutis G. Chesonis
  • Patent number: 5648868
    Abstract: An optical system is provided for a FLIR mounted in a cylindrical turret ch has five folding mirrors, two doubling as scanning mirrors, numerous lenses with aspherical surfaces and different refractive indices, and a rotatable head mirror. Some of the lenses and mirrors being mounted on remote controlled electrically powered focusing or scanning means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 15, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John M. Hall, Richard A. Wright, Philip Perconti
  • Patent number: 5638162
    Abstract: An optical scheme and system involving a probe laser with simple analog pessing to detect an optical echo. This allows verification that a transmitter has hit a target receiver or will allow synchronized firing with another laser transmitter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 1995
    Date of Patent: June 10, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: John E. Nettleton, Dallas N. Barr, Brian C. Redman
  • Patent number: 5629807
    Abstract: A head-mounted vision enhancement system which provides crash survivabili weight, and center of gravity superior to the currently fielded image intensifier goggle arrangements. This is accomplished by positioning the goggle objective lens assembly and intensifier tube closer in around the head and then using an eyepiece to bring the image back around into the eye. Hypersteropsis is thus avoided by folding the intensifier objective lenses from the center of the forehead.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 31, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: John M. Hall
  • Patent number: 5629520
    Abstract: A system and technique to incorporate threat detectors within the FLIR's ical train and use the radiation reflected off of insertable protective filters, or a coated clear window, to determine if the threat is still present. If there has been some change in laser threat status then there is allowed the removal or insertion of the protective filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Jaime Sonstroem
  • Patent number: 5563409
    Abstract: An automated test system and method for infrared focal plane detector arr which utilize X-Y positioning of a focused laser spot scanning individual detector array elements Detector element outputs are processed for the entire focal plane array resulting in crosstalk measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Khoa V. Dang, Christopher L. Kauffman, Zenon I. Derzko
  • Patent number: 5561541
    Abstract: In order to protect a delicate photodetector from high-intensity radiation, such as from a laser, a device for limiting optical power to the detector is interposed between the radiation and the detector. This device has an optical interface that totally reflects high-intensity radiation, but which freely transmits normal (low intensity) radiation to the detector. The interface is between two optical materials, one with a linear index of refraction with respect to radiation intensity, and the other with a non-linear index. At low intensity radiation levels, the two materials have the same indices of refraction, and such radiation is freely transmitted through the interface, but with high-intensity radiation, a mismatch of indices of refraction allows total reflection at the interface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 5, 1984
    Date of Patent: October 1, 1996
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Edward J. Sharp, Gary L. Wood, Richard R. Shurtz, II, Juergen L. W. Pohlmann