INTEGRATED LOW-PROFILE SIGHT

Abstract

Methods and systems are provided for an integrated low-profile reflex sight for a firearm. In one example, a system for a sight includes a housing including a collimating lens positioned before a front lens and an illumination assembly projecting a reticle on the collimating lens. A plurality of trajectory adjustment elements are coupled to the illumination assembly and a single side of the housing. The housing is shaped such that a slide of a firearm coupled to the sight may be removed without removing the sight from the slide, and a reticle of the sight and iron sights of the firearm may be co-witnessed.

Description

FIELD

The present description relates generally to methods and systems for optical sighting devices, and in particular, to optical sighting devices for use with firearms.

BACKGROUND/SUMMARY

A system for adjusting a trajectory of a projectile fired from a firearm may include an optical sight adapted to align a firing direction of the projectile with a target. One example of an optical sight for a firearm is a reflex sight, also referred to as a dot sight. Dot sights may include an aiming reticle formed by light projected onto an objective lens. The objective lens may reflect a portion of the projected light as collimated light. The collimated light results in the reticle appearing superimposed onto the field of view of an operator viewing a target through the dot sight. In some examples a reflex sight may include a single lens, and in other examples a reflex sight may include more than one lens. A reflex sight including at least two lenses is sometimes referred to as a tube reflex sight or tube sight.

One example approach for an optical sight is shown by Paige in U.S. Pat. No. 6,327,806. Therein, Paige describes an optical sight configured to couple to a slide of a firearm. The optical sight includes a single lens protruding above the slide when the optical sight is coupled with the slide. Another example approach for an optical sight is shown by Crispin in U.S. Patent 2015/0198421. Therein, a sight mount system for a removable aiming sight is disclosed. The sight mount system includes a sight mount shoe configured to couple with a firearm such as a pistol. The removable aiming sight is removably coupled with the sight mount shoe. The sight mount shoe includes pitch and yaw adjustment mechanisms for adjusting a position of the removable aiming sight relative to the sight mount shoe and firearm.

Yet another example approach for an optical sight is shown by Crispin in U.S. Pat. No. 9,453,706. Therein, a low-profile sighting device configured to be mounted onto a slide of a handgun is disclosed. The low-profile sighting device is a tube reflex sight configured such that an operator of the sighting device may co-witness a reticle of the sighting device and iron sights of the handgun while viewing a target through the sighting device. In order to illuminate a front lens with the reticle, the sighting device must have a long length to create a clear optical path for illumination generated by an aiming mark display device to reach the front lens and allow the shooter to view the reticle while looking through the optical lens of the sighting device. This long length required that the sighting device hang over the back of the handgun (see column 3 lines 14-31). Further, a rear section of a body of the sighting device projects downwardly and fits against a rear wall of the handgun. The rear section serves as the housing for a power source of the sighting device and includes an elevation adjustment mechanism.

However, the inventors herein have recognized potential issues with such systems. As one example, an optical sight including a single lens may have an increased sensitivity to variations in ambient lighting, and a firearm coupled with the optical sight may be difficult to conceal and/or holster. Additionally, the single lens protruding above a slide of the firearm may partially or completely obscure iron sights of the firearm when an operator of the firearm views a target through the optical sight. As another example, a sight adapted to couple with a sight mount shoe, such as disclosed in the Crispin '421 patent, does not include pitch and/or yaw adjustment mechanisms disposed within the sight. Instead, the pitch and/or yaw of the sight is adjusted via the adjustment mechanisms of the sight mount shoe when the sight is coupled with the sight mount shoe. As a result, pitch and/or yaw settings are not retained within the sight and an operator of the sight may not retain the same settings without re-adjustment when coupling the sight with a different firearm. Additionally, the sight mount shoe may increase a height of the sight relative to the firearm, thereby resulting in the concealment difficulty and/or obscured iron sights described above. As yet another example, a long tube sight including a rear section shaped to fit against a rear wall of a firearm, such as disclosed in the Crispin '706 patent, may not be suitable for firearms that include a hammer protruding from the rear wall. The hammer would prevent the sight from coupling with the slide of the firearm. Additionally, the shape of the rear section would prevent the slide from moving in a direction toward a front of the handgun, thereby preventing removal of the slide from the handgun for cleaning without first removing of the sight from the slide. The long sighting device length needed for projection of the reticle on the front lens also results in a more cumbersome handgun.

In one example, the issues described above may be addressed by an optical sight comprising: a housing including a collimating lens positioned before a front lens and an illumination assembly projecting a reticle on the collimating lens; and a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element positioned respectively in face-sharing contact with a first end of the illumination assembly and in face-sharing contact with a second end of the illumination assembly. By use of the collimating lens in proximity to the front lens, the illumination device may be placed closer to the front lens than heretofore possible resulting in a shorter optical sight than in prior approaches thereby eliminating the need to place the illuminating device further back beyond the back of the handgun. The subject optical device is therefore suitable for use with handguns having external hammers. Further, the subject optical device, unlike the device of prior approaches, will not extend so far downwardly over the back of the gun as to block removal of the handgun slide. In one example, a power source of the optical sight may be positioned within the housing of the sight and located vertically above a top surface of a slide of a firearm when the firearm is coupled to the sight. In this configuration no portion of the sight is positioned against a rear wall of the firearm, and an overall size of the sight is thereby reduced. In this way, an iron sight of the firearm and a reticle produced by the reticle illumination assembly of the optical sight may be co-witnessed by an operator of the sight when the operator views a target through the sight. Additionally, because no portion of the sight is positioned against the rear wall when the sight is coupled to the firearm, the slide of the firearm may be more easily removed for cleaning and/or maintenance. In another example suitable for handguns without external hammers, the optical sight may include the power source battery and electronics board positioned within a removable tailcap. The removable tailcap is positioned at the rear wall of the firearm and may be removed from the sight in order to: replace the battery or electronics board; and, increase access to the slide of the firearm for cleaning and/or maintenance. Further, the removable tailcap would have only a short downward extension from the back of the handgun so that the tailcap would not interfere with movement of the handgun slide.

It should be understood that the summary above is provided to introduce in simplified form a selection of concepts that are further described in the detailed description. It is not meant to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, the scope of which is defined uniquely by the claims that follow the detailed description. Furthermore, the claimed subject matter is not limited to implementations that solve any disadvantages noted above or in any part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a first side view of a first embodiment of an integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to a firearm.

FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight and a slide of the firearm.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight with a lower body of the sight removed.

FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to the firearm.

FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view of a fastener configuration of the first embodiment of the low-profile reflex sight coupled to the firearm through a first cross-sectional plane shown by FIG. 7.

FIG. 6 shows a rear view of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to the firearm.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to the firearm.

FIG. 8 shows a cross-sectional view of a carrier block assembly of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight through a second cross-sectional plane shown by FIG. 7.

FIGS. 9A-9B each show perspective views of the carrier block assembly removed from the integrated low-profile reflex sight.

FIG. 10 shows a cross-sectional view of the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight through a third cross-sectional plane shown by FIG. 7.

FIG. 11 shows a side view of a second embodiment of an integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to a firearm.

FIG. 12 shows a top view of the second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to a firearm.

FIG. 13 shows an exploded view of the second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight and a slide of the firearm.

FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to the firearm.

FIG. 15 shows a cross-sectional view of a carrier block assembly and control switch of the second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight through a fourth cross-sectional plane shown by FIG. 12.

FIG. 16 shows a cross-sectional view of the second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight through a fifth cross-sectional plane shown by FIG. 12.

FIGS. 1-16 are shown to scale, though other relative dimensions may be used.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The following description relates to systems and methods for particular embodiments and their detailed construction and operation for an integrated low-profile reflex sight for a small handheld firearm, such as a pistol. It will be appreciated that the configurations and routines disclosed herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations, and other features, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein. An integrated low-profile reflex sight comprising the features described herein may be utilized with other appropriate firearms. In alternate embodiments, other appropriate materials, mounting methods, light sources, or power sources may be used.

An optical sight, such as the integrated low-profile reflex sight shown by FIG. 1, may be coupled to a top surface of a slide of a firearm. The integrated low-profile reflex sight includes a housing which may be formed of an upper body and a lower body, as shown by FIGS. 2-3. The housing may be secured to one or more bosses of the slide via a plurality of fasteners, as shown by FIG. 2 and FIG. 5. A downward protrusion of the housing of the sight is shaped to couple with a groove formed by the slide of the firearm, as shown by FIG. 2 and FIG. 4. The housing includes an elevation adjustment element and a windage adjustment element positioned on a same side of the sight as shown by FIG. 4 and FIGS. 8-9, with the elevation adjustment element coupled to the downward protrusion. Coupling the downward protrusion with the groove of the slide decreases a height of the sight relative to the top surface of the slide so that an iron sight of the firearm and a reticle of the reflex sight may be co-witnessed, as shown by FIG. 6. In one example (as shown by FIGS. 1-10), the sight is shaped such that no portion of the sight is positioned against a rear wall of the firearm and an entirety of the sight does not extend beyond the slide in a direction of a central firing axis of the firearm when the sight is coupled to the slide. In another example (as shown by FIGS. 11-16), the sight includes a rearward protrusion extending in a direction perpendicular to a central viewing axis of the sight. The rearward protrusion is positioned adjacent to the rear wall of the slide when the sight is coupled to the firearm (as shown by FIGS. 14-16) and extends beyond the slide in the direction of the central firing axis (as shown by FIGS. 11-12). A removable tailcap is coupled to the rearward protrusion and a removal axis of the tailcap is arranged perpendicular to the central viewing axis (as shown by FIG. 13). An operator of the sight may remove the tailcap to increase access to the slide and the rear wall of the firearm. In this way, the operator may access the slide for cleaning and/or maintenance without removing the sight from the slide.

FIGS. 1-10 each show a first embodiment of an integrated low-profile reflex sight (and components of the integrated low-profile reflex sight) from different perspectives and cross-sectional views. For example, FIGS. 1, 4, 5, 6 and 7 each show the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight coupled to a handheld firearm (e.g., pistol), while FIGS. 2, 3 and FIGS. 8-10 each show the integrated low-profile reflex sight or its components uncoupled from the firearm. A second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight is shown coupled to a firearm by FIGS. 11-16 in various perspective and cross-sectional views. For example, FIGS. 11-14 each show different perspective views of the integrated low-profile reflex sight, and FIGS. 15-16 show cross-sectional to illustrate components internal to the integrated low-profile reflex. Reference axes 140 are included in each of FIGS. 1-16 in order to compare each of the views shown.

In the following description with reference to the sights and firearms shown by FIGS. 1-16, a front view of a firearm may refer to a view of the firearm at its barrel end (e.g., an end of the firearm from which a projectile is fired) and a rear view of the firearm may refer to a view at a handle end of the firearm (e.g., an end opposite to the barrel end to be gripped by an operator of the firearm). A z-axis of reference axes 140 is aligned with the central firing axis of the firearm and the central viewing axis of the integrated low-profile reflex sight (as described below). A top view or “top” may refer to a view of the firearm from vertically above the firearm in a direction of a y-axis of reference axes 140. A bottom view or “bottom” may refer to a view from vertically below the firearm in the direction of the y-axis (and opposite to the top view). The cross-sectional view shown by FIG. 5 corresponds to a view along a first cross-sectional plane 782 shown by FIG. 7, the cross-sectional view shown by FIG. 8 corresponds to a view along a second cross-sectional plane 783 shown by FIG. 7, and the view shown by FIG. 10 corresponds to a view along a third cross-sectional plane 781 shown by FIG. 7. Similarly, with reference to the second embodiment shown by FIGS. 11-16 and described further below, a view shown by FIG. 15 corresponds to a view along a fourth cross-sectional plane 1200 shown by FIG. 12, and a view shown by FIG. 16 corresponds to a view along a fifth cross-sectional plane 1202 shown by FIG. 12.

With reference to the first embodiment shown by FIGS. 1-10, a first side view of an integrated low-profile reflex sight 100 (which may be referred to herein as a sight, optical sight, or reflex sight) shown by FIG. 1 includes the sight 100 directly coupled to a retractable slide 12 (also referred to herein as a slide) of a firearm 10. In the examples shown by FIGS. 1-10 and described below the firearm 10 is a pistol. However, in other examples the firearm 10 may be a different type of firearm (e.g., a small rifle). The integrated low-profile reflex sight 100 is directly coupled to a rear portion 11 of the slide 12 (e.g., coupled in face-sharing contact with the slide 12 such that a bottom surface 310 of a housing 150 of the sight 100 is in direct contact with a top surface 20 of the slide 12), with the rear portion 11 of the slide 12 being opposite to a front portion 13 of the slide 12 in a direction of a central firing axis 180 of the firearm 10 (e.g., an axis extending in a direction parallel with a firing chamber 22, referred to herein as projectile barrel 22, of the firearm 10). The front portion 13 of the slide 12 is proximate to a muzzle 15 at a first end (e.g., an end from which a projectile is fired from the firearm and exits the firing chamber of the firearm) of the firearm 10 and the rear portion 11 is proximate to a handle 9 of the firearm 10. A rear wall 120 of the firearm 10 is positioned opposite to the muzzle 15 along the central firing axis 180 at a second end of the firearm opposite to the first end. The rear wall 120 forms a rearmost exterior surface of the firearm along the central firing axis 180. In the example shown by FIG. 1, the firearm 10 includes an external hammer system 16. In other examples, firearm 10 may not include the external hammer system 16. The reflex sight 100 includes an upper body 200 and a lower body 300 which together form the housing 150 of the integrated low-profile reflex sight 100. The housing 150 includes a first trajectory adjustment element 430 and a second trajectory adjustment element 420 (which may be referred to herein as windage adjustment screw and elevation adjustment screw, respectively), described in further detail below.

The slide 12 of the firearm 10 includes a groove 28 shaped to couple with a downward protrusion 312 of the integrated low-profile reflex sight 100 when the sight 100 is mounted to the slide 12. By coupling the downward protrusion 312 with the groove 28, a distance 8 of a top surface 234 of the sight 100 from the top surface 20 of the slide 12 may be reduced (e.g., a distance between an axis 122 parallel to the top surface 234 and the top surface 20 may be decreased). The slide 12 may include additional mounting features such as one or more internally threaded slide bosses 17 and 18 (which may be referred to herein as bosses or slide bosses, shown by FIG. 2) configured to couple the sight 100 to the slide 12 of the firearm 10 and reduce a movement of the sight 100 relative to the slide 12.

The housing 150 of the sight 100 includes the upper body 200 and the lower body 300 (as shown by FIG. 2). A bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 is coupled to a top surface 314 of the lower body 300 of the sight 100 (as shown by FIG. 3). In this configuration, the lower body 300 is positioned vertically above (e.g., in a direction parallel to the y-axis of reference axes 140) the slide 12 and below the upper body 200 when the sight 100 is coupled with the firearm 10. The upper body 200 is coupled with the lower body 300 via a first pin 302 and a second pin 304 as shown in FIG. 2. The first pin 302 fits within a first aperture 516 (e.g., hole) of the upper body 200 as shown in FIG. 3 and a first aperture 306 of the lower body 300 as shown in FIG. 2. The second pin 304 fits within a second aperture 518 of the upper body 200 as shown in FIG. 3 and a second aperture 308 of the lower body 300 as shown in FIG. 2. In the example shown by FIGS. 2-3, the sight 100 includes two pins (e.g., first pin 302 and second pin 304). In other examples, the upper body and lower body (e.g., the housing) of the sight may be coupled together via a different number of pins (e.g., three, four, etc.) and/or may be coupled together in a different way (e.g., coupled via one or more threaded fasteners, fused/welded together, etc.). In yet other examples, the upper body and lower body may be formed together as one piece (e.g., molded together). The pins 302, 304 may increase an alignment of the upper body 200 with the lower body 300 when the upper body 200 and lower body 300 are coupled together.

The upper body 200 is removably coupled with the slide 12 via a third pin 210 inserted into an aperture (e.g., hole) 26 located on a first side 25 of a recessed surface 24 of the slide 12 as shown in FIG. 2. The third pin 210 couples with a recessed slot 212 of the upper body 200 shaped to receive the third pin 210. The recessed slot 212 is positioned along a bottom edge 505 of a front surface 245 of the upper body 200 (as shown by FIG. 3) and extends in a direction away from the bottom surface 500 and the front surface 245. Together, the downward protrusion 312 (coupled with the groove 28 of the slide 12 as shown in FIG. 4) and the third pin 210 (positioned between the upper body 200 and the slide 12) each increase an amount of alignment of the sight 100 with the slide 12. Fasteners 214 and 216 (e.g., bolts, screws) are included to couple the sight 100 directly to the slide 12 in order to reduce an amount of movement of the upper body 200 relative to the slide 12. The examples shown by FIGS. 1-10 include two fasteners 214 and 216. Alternate embodiments may include a different number of fasteners (e.g., three, four, etc.).

Fasteners 214, 216 are inserted into the upper body 200 from the top surface 234 of the upper body 200. In order to secure the sight 100 to the firearm 10, the upper body 200 of the sight 100 includes recessed slots 222 and 224 shaped to receive the fasteners 214 and 216. The fasteners 214 and 216 are inserted through apertures 218 and 220 formed by the upper body 200 and extend into bosses 17 and 18 formed by the recessed surface 24 of the slide 12. The bosses 17 and 18 formed in the slide 12 are shaped to fit within apertures 510 and 512 of the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200. A diameter 511 and 513 of each of the apertures 510 and 512 may be slightly larger than a diameter 27 and 29 of each of the bosses 17 and 18, respectively. By fitting the bosses 17 and 18 within the upper body 200, the distance 8 between the top surface 234 of the sight 100 and the top surface 20 of the slide 12 may be reduced. A head 277 and 279 of each of the fasteners 214 and 216 may be positioned below top surfaces 264, 266 (which may be referred to herein as horizontal shoulders) of elongated side rails 226, 228 located on each side (e.g., a first side 160 and a second side 170) of the sight 100 as shown by FIG. 5. FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view through the fasteners 214 and 216 (e.g., along the first cross-sectional plane 782 shown by FIG. 7). The insertion of the fasteners 214 and 216 through the apertures 510 and 512 and into the bosses 17 and 18 reduces an amount of protrusion of the fasteners 214 and 216 from the sight 100 and increases a visibility of the horizontal shoulders 264, 266. An operator of the sight 100 may utilize the horizontal shoulders 264 and 266 to align a trajectory of a projectile fired from the firearm 10 with a desired target. In some examples, the horizontal shoulders 264 and 266 may be utilized in conjunction with (or separately from) the front sight 14 of the firearm 10 and/or a reticle 404 of the sight 100.

A width 301 of the lower body 300 may be approximately a same amount as a base width 201 of the upper body 200, and a length 303 of the lower body 300 may be a smaller amount of length than a length 203 of the upper body 200 as shown in FIG. 3. The lower body 300 includes an approximately rectangular-shaped recessed cavity 316 formed by the top surface 314 and shaped to accommodate a control board 600 that may include a control board electrically coupled with a battery 620 and the control switch 282. Actuation of the control switch 282 may adjust an operating mode of a reticle illumination assembly 401. For example, the control switch 282 may allow the user to adjust settings, brightness, reticle color, or other appropriate settings on the sight 100. A cavity 318 (e.g., passage) shown in FIG. 2 forms a lower chamber 319, the lower chamber 319 being a portion of an interior of the housing 150 referred to herein as inner chamber 400 (shown by FIG. 10). The lower chamber 319 is positioned proximate to a rear edge 317 of the top surface 314 of the lower body 300 and is centered at a point 315 between the first side 160 and second side 170 of the lower body 300. The cavity 318 is separate and distinct from the recessed cavity 316. The lower chamber 319 is positioned toward the rear edge 317 of the lower body 300 (e.g., toward the rear portion 11 of the slide 12 when the sight 100 is coupled with the slide 12). Located for forward of the recessed cavity 316, that is, in a direction moving away from the rear edge 317 on the top surface 314 of the lower body 300, the lower body 300 includes a narrow neck 320. The narrow neck 320 fits between the mounting apertures 510 and 512 of the upper body 200. A shallow passageway 322 runs along a top surface 324 of the narrow neck 320 and connects the recessed cavity 316 with a circular cavity 522 located on the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200. A bottom surface 326 of the narrow neck 320 includes a groove 328 shaped to match a shape of a complementary annular groove 514 in the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 when the lower body 300 is coupled with the upper body 200. In one example, a gasket 630 (e.g., an o-ring) may be positioned vertically between (e.g., in a direction of the y-axis of reference axes 140) the groove 328 and annular groove 514. The gasket 630 may be shaped to fit within both of the groove 328 and annular groove 514. The gasket 630 is shown in FIG. 10.

The first side 160 of the lower body 300 includes the downward protrusion 312. The downward protrusion 312 extends downward into the slide 12 beyond the bottom surface 310 of the lower body 300. The downward protrusion 312 includes an aperture 342 shaped to couple with the elevation adjustment screw 420. In the embodiment of the sight 100 shown by FIGS. 1-10 a first surface 332 (e.g., surface) of the downward protrusion 312 extends vertically (e.g., in a direction of the y-axis shown by reference axes 140) such that the first surface 332 is approximately parallel with a first side surface 30 of the slide 12 when the sight 100 is coupled to the slide 12. The first surface 332 does not extend beyond the first side surface 30 of the slide 12 when the sight 100 is coupled to the slide 12. The downward protrusion 312 is a triangularly shaped extrusion along the z-axis, with the downward protrusion 312 formed by the vertical first surface 332 arranged approximately parallel with the first side surface 30 of the slide 12, a second horizontal surface formed by the bottom surface 310 of the lower body 300, and a sloped inner surface 334 extending between the vertical first surface 332 and second horizontal bottom surface 310 at a first angle 336 relative to the vertical first surface 332. The front surface 333 and rear surface 335 of the downward protrusion 312 are vertical. The sloped inner surface 334 of the downward protrusion 312 has a slight step 340 at the location where the aperture 342 (e.g., a passage) for the elevation adjustment screw 420 transitions from a counter bore 344 to a thread 346. The step 340 is shown in FIG. 8. The step 340 enables the downward protrusion 312 and the elevation adjustment screw 420 to be mounted closely onto the slide 12 and separate from the projectile barrel 22.

The aperture 342 for the elevation adjustment screw 420 is located on the first side of the downward protrusion 312 on the lower body 300, vertically below a windage adjustment screw hole 286 (e.g., passage) on the first side 160 of the upper body 200. Aperture 342 is oriented at an angle similar to the angle 336, the angle 336 being the angle between the sloped inner surface 334 of the downward protrusion 312 and the vertical first surface 332 of the downward protrusion 312. The outer portion of the aperture 342 is counter bore 344 that is unthreaded, and the inner portion of the aperture 342 is threaded 346 until it reaches in the lower chamber 319.

The top surface 314 of the lower body 300 (e.g., on the first side 160 and above the downward protrusion 312) includes a shallow semi-circular notch 348 extending downward in the direction of the y-axis as shown in FIG. 2. An adjustment screw detainer pin 350 (which may be referred to herein as a detainer pin) also passes through a detainer pin hole 352 located this semi-circular notch 348. In one example, a tool (e.g., pry bar, screwdriver, etc.) may be inserted into the semi-circular notch 348 in order to remove the lower body 300 from the upper body 200. In other examples (e.g., examples in which the upper body 200 and lower body 300 are formed together as a single piece), the housing 150 may not include the semi-circular notch 348.

The upper body 200 comprises the sight tube 232 with the central viewing axis 185 positioned above and parallel to the z-axis. Along a front surface 258 (e.g., front end) of the sight tube 232 is a front step 244, a portion of the upper body 200 that is formed to approximately coincide with the original top surface 20 of the slide 12. A rear surface 260 (e.g., rear end) of the sight tube 232 is approximately flush with a rear surface 248 of the upper body 200. The outer surface 233 of the sight tube 232 may be chamfered along the length 203 to reduce a weight of the sight 100 and increase the holster ability. A passage known as a viewport 202 is positioned internal to the sight tube 232 and extends between the front surface 258 of the sight tube 232 and the rear surface 260 of the sight tube 232. The viewport 202 is located on the central viewing axis 185 that is above and parallel to the central firing axis 180 as shown in FIG. 1. An operator of the sight 100 may look into the viewport 202 in order to align the reticle 404 with a target. The viewport 202 contains a vertically-oriented first front lens 250 mounted near a front surface 258 of the sight tube 232 which is held in place by a retainer 251. A similar vertically-oriented second rear lens 252 is positioned toward the rear surface 260, known as the rear lens 252. In one example, the retainer 251, front lens 250, and/or rear lens 252 may be coupled to the sight tube 232 via an adhesive (e.g., glue) in order to create a watertight seal. The front lens 250 and rear lens 252 may be recessed slightly to ensure that the outer surface of the lenses 250 and 252 do not extend past the front surface 258 and rear surface 260, respectively, of the sight tube 232. In some examples, the front lens 250 and rear lens 252 may be non-magnifying lenses.

A collimating lens 254 is coupled to a retainer 256. In one example, the collimating lens 254 may be coupled to the retainer 256 and the retainer 256 may be coupled to the sight tube 232 by an adhesive (e.g., glue). The collimating lens 254 is mounted slightly behind (e.g., before, in a direction away from the rear lens 252) the front lens 250. In other words, the collimating lens 254 is located toward the front of the viewport 202 and is positioned between the front lens 250 and rear lens 252 in the direction of the central viewing axis 185. In some examples, adhesive may secure the front lens 250 to its respective retainer 251, may secure the collimating lens 254 to its respective retainer 256, and may secure the rear lens 252 to the sight tube 232. In other examples, other appropriate attachment methods (e.g., fasteners, gaskets, etc.) may be used.

A viewport groove 262 along the bottom interior surface 261 of the viewport 202 enables the recessed reticle illumination assembly 401 to maintain line of sight with the collimating lens 254. As shown in FIG. 10, the reticle illumination assembly 401 projects light in an upward direction at a reticle angle 403 toward the collimating lens 254 (e.g., along projection axis 1000). The light projected by a light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401 produces an illuminated reticle on the collimating lens 254 near the central viewing axis 185, with the central viewing axis extending through an optical center 1052 of the front lens 250 and an optical center 1050 of the rear lens 252 (as shown by FIG. 10). By positioning the collimating lens 254 between the front lens 250 and the rear lens 252 as shown by FIG. 10, a distance between the reticle illumination assembly 401 and the front lens 250 may be reduced in a direction of the central viewing axis 185. Reducing the distance between the reticle illumination assembly 401 and the front lens 250 enables an overall length of the sight 100 to be reduced relative to sights that do not include the collimating lens 254. In this way, the sight 100 may be positioned entirely forward of the rear wall 120 of the firearm 10. In this embodiment, the interior surface of the view port 263 is smooth but in alternate embodiments may be finished in other suitable ways (e.g., may be textured, reflective, light-absorbent, etc.)

On the first side 160 and second side 170 of the sight tube 232 are elongated side rails 226, 228 that extend the length 230 of the sight tube 232. The elongated side rails 226 and 228 (shown by FIG. 6) include horizontal shoulders 264 and 266 (respectively), as well as outward sloping outer surfaces 268 and 270 (respectively) extending the length 230 as shown in FIG. 4. The horizontal shoulders 264 and 266 of the elongated side rails 226 and 228 are narrower than (e.g., have a width 267 that is less than the base width 201 of the upper body 200 as shown in FIGS. 3-5. The horizontal shoulders 264, 266 of the elongated side rails 226, 228 sit below the central viewing axis 185 of the viewport 202. By sloping the outer surfaces 268 and 270 of the elongated side rails 226 and 228, a profile of the integrated low-profile reflex sight 100 more closely contours the slide 12. In addition, the front corners 272 and 274 on the first and second sides of the elongated side rails 226 and 228, respectively, are chamfered to remove sharp corners. These features reduce a weight and size of the sight 100 and may increase a concealment and/or holstering ability of the firearm 10 relative to other types of sights.

Approximately midway between the front surface 245 of the front step 244 and rear surface 248 of the upper body 200 along the elongated side rails 226, 228 there are two recessed slots 222, 224 oriented vertically (e.g., parallel with the y-axis shown by reference axes 140) as shown in FIGS. 2-3. These recessed slots 222, 224 are formed by the outer surface 233 of the sight tube 232 and continue downward to create apertures 510, 512 through the elongated side rails 226, 228. The fasteners 214 and 216 pass through these apertures 510, 512 and the threaded shanks 276, 278 of the fasteners 214 and 216 contact the threaded inner walls 19 and 23 of the slide bosses 17 and 18 formed from the original slide material. The bottom diameters 511 and 513 of apertures 510 and 512, respectively, are larger than the top diameters 507 and 509, respectively as shown in FIG. 5. The diameters 511 and 513 allow the bosses 17 and 18 to fit within them upon assembly. That is, the diameters 27 and 29 of bosses 17 and 18, respectively, may be smaller than the diameters 511 and 513 of the upper body. This method of coupling the integrated low-profile reflex sight 100 to the slide 12 decreases the height between the top surface 234 of the sight tube 232 and the top surface 20 of the slide 12. In addition, by recessing the mounting screw pathways partially into the sidewalls of the sight tube 232, the fasteners 214 and 216 may be moved more toward the central firing axis 180 of the firearm 10 and the compact nature of the design is maintained. Recessing the recessed slots 222, 224 in this manner does not affect the viewport 202.

An additional, vertical recessed slot 280 for housing a control switch 282 exists on the first side 160 of the sight tube 232. It is located adjacent to, but farther from, the front portion 13 of the slide 12 than the fastener 214. The recessed slot 280 forms a hole 284 (not shown) in the elongated side rail 226 on the first side 160 for the control switch 282, which serves as the user interface for controlling power to the light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401. Recessing the control switch 282 in recessed slot 280 in this manner does not affect the viewport 202. When assembled, the topmost surfaces of both the fasteners 214, 216 and the control switch 282 are below the horizontal shoulders 264, 266 of the elongated side rails 226, 228. Recessing the fasteners 214, 216 and the control switch 282 as described above may increase a durability of the fasteners 214, 216 and the control switch 282. In addition to controlling the power to the sight 100, the control switch 282 may also control a plurality of features of the integrated low-profile reflex sight 100. In one example, the control switch 282 may allow the user to adjust settings, brightness, reticle color, or other appropriate settings on the sight 100.

The hole 286 for the windage adjustment screw 430 is located on the first side 160 of the rear section of the upper body 200, below the horizontal shoulder 264. The hole 286 is oriented horizontally, that is, along an axis parallel with the x-axis and it passes from the sloped outer surface 268 of the elongated side rail 226 to an upper chamber 520 in the upper body 200. An insertion direction of the windage adjustment screw 430 into the hole 286 is parallel to the x-axis shown by reference axes 140 and is toward the upper body 200. An outer portion 288 of the hole 286 is unthreaded, and an inner portion 290 of the hole is threaded until it reaches in the upper chamber 520 of the upper body 200 as shown in FIG. 3.

A hole 294 for a biasing guide rod assembly 440 is located on the second side 170 of the rear section of the upper body 200, below the horizontal shoulder 266 of the elongated side rail 228. The hole 294 is oriented at a slight angle that passes from the sloped outer surface 270 of the elongated side rail 228 to the center of the carrier block 406 in the upper chamber 520 of the upper body 200. In some examples, the biasing guide rod assembly 440 may be press fit into the hole 294 of the upper body 200 in order to couple the biasing guide rod assembly 440 with the upper body 200. In other examples, a different type of coupling (e.g., fasteners, gaskets, etc.) may be used.

Slightly toward the front portion 13 of the slide 12 from the windage adjustment screw hole 286 on the first side 160 of the upper body 200 is a pin hole 242 for an adjustment screw detainer pin 240. The pin hole 242 is oriented vertically, that is, along an axis that is parallel with the y-axis. This pin hole 242 is unthreaded and extends vertically from the horizontal shoulder 264 of the elongated side rail 226 on the first side 160 to the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200.

The inner chamber 400 is a space positioned between the inner walls of the upper chamber 520, located in the upper body 200, and the lower chamber 319, located in the lower body 300, when the upper body 200 is coupled with the lower body 300. The upper chamber 520 is a vertically-oriented cylindrical cavity located on the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200, near the rear, and slightly forward of the rear lens 252. It extends up to the viewport 202 and viewport groove 262. This area serves as the housing for the carrier block 406, and the windage adjustment screw 430, biasing guide rod assembly 440, and elevation adjustment screw 420 enter their respective holes in the upper body 200 and lower body 300 and protrude into the inner chamber 400.

The viewport groove 262 is an angled groove located along the bottom interior surface 261 of the viewport 202. The viewport groove is aligned at an angle approximately a same amount of angle as the reticle angle 403 shown in FIG. 10. It tapers from a recessed radius of curvature at the front side of the inner chamber 400 to the original curvature of the bottom interior surface 261 of the viewport 202 toward the collimating lens 254 as shown in FIG. 10. Because of this feature, the reticle illumination assembly 401 can be deeply recessed yet still able to maintain line of sight with the collimating lens 254.

The bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 comprises a plurality of cavities and protrusions for the purpose of housing componentry and other features, for providing mounting capabilities, and for accommodating a close and efficient fit of the lower body 300. A protruded surface 502 extends downward from the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200, and a recessed surface 504 extends upward from the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 as shown in FIG. 3. The protruded surface 502 contacts the top surface 20 of the slide 12 upon assembly. The recessed surface 504 contacts the top surface 314 of the lower body 300. The protruded surface 502 also includes two standoffs 506, 508 that extend downward at the bottom, rear corners as shown in FIG. 2. These standoffs 506, 508 serve both to stabilize the upper body 200 and to align the lower body 300 with the upper body 200. The cavities are intended to accommodate various components used to operate the reticle illumination assembly 401. Along the lower front surface 245 of the upper body 200, under the front step 244, a vertically-oriented recessed slot 212 extends from the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 to a point below the upper surface of the front step 244. This slot serves as the receptacle for the third pin 210 from the slide 12. To the rear of the recessed slot 212 is the centered circular cavity 522 that houses the battery 620. In this embodiment, the battery 620 is rounded but alternate battery shapes and sizes could also be used. Other appropriate power sources may also be used. The battery 620 and control board 600 may each be positioned a greater distance from the central viewing axis 185 than the distance 899 between the top surface 414 of the carrier block 406 and the central viewing axis 185. A narrow passageway 524 connects the circular cavity 522 to an approximately rectangular cavity 526 that houses the control board 600. This rectangular cavity 526 is located between the circular cavity 522 and the upper chamber 520 as shown in FIG. 3. The hole 584 (not shown) for the control switch 282 enters the rectangular cavity 526. An additional shallow passageway 528 connects the rectangular cavity 526 and the upper chamber 520. The passageways 524, 528 mentioned herein allow the placement of power connection straps/wires to pass between the battery 620, control board 600, and the reticle illumination assembly 401. By having designated, tightly fitting passageways 524, 528 for the power/circuitry connections, a space occupied by the power/circuitry connections may be reduced and a durability of the connections may be increased. Additionally, the recessed surface 504 on the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 is configured to fit the lower body 300 upon assembly. In this way, when the upper body 200 and lower body 300 are coupled together the bottom surface 310 of the lower body 300 is co-planar with the bottom protruded surface 502 of the upper body 200. In other words, the lower body 300 is nested into the upper body 200 so that mounting the lower body 300 to the upper body 200 does not increase the overall dimensions of the upper body 200. The annular groove 514 surrounding the circular cavity 522 includes the gasket 630 (e.g., o-ring) that will contact the recessed surface 24 of the slide 12 when the upper body 200 is coupled with the lower body 300 as shown in FIG. 10. The narrow passageway 524 between the apertures 510, 512 allows the narrow neck 320 of the lower body 300 to rest therein, aligning the annular groove 514 in the upper body 200 with the groove 328 in the lower body 300. Once assembled, the annular grooves 514 and the groove 328 fully encompass the battery to accommodate the gasket 630. On the bottom surface 500 of the upper body 200 there exists a recessed semi-circular notch 530 that extends to a shallow depth into the upper body 200. It is located below the hole 294 for the biasing guide rod assembly 440. This semi-circular notch 530 does not contain a hole like the corresponding semi-circular notch 348 on the lower body 300. In some examples (e.g., in which the upper body 200 and lower body 300 are not formed together as a single piece), the semi-circular notches 348 and 530 may be used as tooling-insert locations to assist with disassembly of the upper body 200 and the lower body 300.

The reticle illumination assembly 401 (which may be referred to herein as a carrier block assembly, illumination device, illuminating device, or illumination assembly) shown by FIGS. 9A-9B is contained within the inner chamber 400 that is created by the joining of the upper chamber 520 and the lower chamber 319 when assembled. The carrier block 406 is shaped approximately as a rectangular prism as shown in FIGS. 9A-9B. The carrier block 406 includes planar front and rear surfaces 408, 410, respectively, as well as a planar first side surface 412 that faces and contacts the windage adjustment screw 430. A top surface 414 (e.g., top end) of the carrier block 406 is positioned a distance 899 from the central viewing axis 185 of the sight 100. A bottom surface 416 of the carrier block 406 has a semi-circular groove 418 across the entire bottom surface 416. In other words, there is a semi-circular groove 418 across the bottom surface 416 that is oriented in a direction parallel with the x-axis. The carrier block 406 includes a triangular-shaped voided extrusion that creates a wedge surface 413 between the top surface 414 and the second side 415 as shown in FIGS. 9A-9B. These voided extrusions 418 and 413 provides grooved/notched elements to sufficiently support contact of the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the biasing guide rod assembly 440, respectively. The elevation adjustment screw 420 fits within the upward-sloping aperture 342 located on the first side 160 of the downward protrusion 312 and extends inward and upward to contact the semi-circular groove 418 on the bottom surface 416 of the carrier block 406. The windage adjustment screw 430 fits within the horizontal windage adjustment screw hole 286 located in the first side of the upper body 200 and extends inward to contact the planar first side surface 412 of the carrier block 406. The biasing guide rod assembly 440 fits within the slightly downward-sloping hole 294 located on the second side 170 of the upper body 200. The biasing guide rod assembly 440 extends inward until a conical tip 448 of the plunger 447 contacts the wedge surface 413 of the carrier block 406.

The elevation adjustment screw 420 comprises a head 421 with an annular groove 422 to accommodate an o-ring 423, a shank 424, a thread 425, and a tapered end 426 with a blunt tip 427. The elevation adjustment screw 420 enters the aperture 342 and is threaded into the lower body 300. The elevation adjustment screw 420 passes into the lower chamber 319 and the tapered end 426 contacts the corresponding grooved bottom surface 416 of the carrier block 406. The end of the elevation adjustment screw 420 has a tapered end 426 with a blunt tip 427, which allows the tapered end 426 to travel smoothly along the semi-circular groove 418 it mates with on the bottom surface 416 of the carrier block 406 without a shard tip to bind its motion. Once installed, the elevation adjustment screw 420 may be retained by inserting the detainer pin 350 into the vertical detainer pin hole 352 that passes adjacent to the aperture 342. The detainer pin hole 352 and the aperture 342 interfere with one another. In this manner, when the detainer pin 350 is put into place in the detainer pin hole 352, the detainer pin 350 will protrude through and partially block the aperture 342 for the elevation adjustment screw 420. In this way, the detainer pin 350 prevents the elevation adjustment screw 420 from being excessively or inadvertently loosened.

The windage adjustment screw 430 comprises a head 431 with an annular groove 432 to accommodate an o-ring 433, a shank 434, a thread 435, and a planar tip 436. The windage adjustment screw 430 enters the windage adjustment screw hole 286 and is threaded into the upper body 200. The windage adjustment screw 430 passes into the inner chamber 400 and the planar tip 436 mates smoothly with the corresponding planar first side surface 412 on the carrier block 406. Once installed, the windage adjustment screw 430 may be retained by inserting the detainer pin 240 into the pin hole 242 that passes adjacent to the windage adjustment screw hole 286. The vertical detainer pin hole 242 and the windage adjustment screw hole 286 interfere with one another. In this manner, when the detainer pin 240 is put into place in the detainer pin hole 242, the pin 298 will protrude through and partially block the windage adjustment screw hole 286. In this way, the detainer pin 240 prevents the windage adjustment screw 430 from being excessively or inadvertently loosened.

The biasing guide rod assembly 440 comprises an unthreaded insert 441. A head 442 of the unthreaded insert 441 has an annular groove 443 to accommodate an o-ring 444, a shank 445, a biasing member 446 (e.g., a spring), and a plunger 447 with conical tip 448. The biasing guide rod assembly 440 may be press fit into hole 294 in the upper body 200. A diameter of the o-ring 444 (e.g., gasket) positioned within the annular groove 443 of the head 442 of the unthreaded insert 441 may be slightly larger than a diameter of the hole 294 such that the o-ring 444 contacts (e.g., presses against) the inner wall of hole 294 and is compressed by the inner wall to prevent debris from entering hole 294. The plunger 447 of the biasing guide rod assembly 440 passes into the inner chamber 400 and the conical tip 448 of the plunger 447 contacts the corresponding wedge surface 413 of the carrier block 406. The conical tip 448 of the plunger 447 is nested in the wedge surface 413 and restrains the carrier block 406 from moving to the front or rear direction. The biasing member 446 provides a counter force that offsets the forces exerted on the carrier block 406 by the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430. In this manner, the carrier block 406 is restrained from unintended motion.

The light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401 is directly mounted to the front surface 408 of the carrier block 406. In this embodiment, light-producing element 402 is a light-emitting diode (LED), but alternate embodiments another appropriate light source may be used. The light-producing element 402 is oriented such that it projects light forward and slightly upward onto the back surface of the collimating lens 254. As stated previously, by recessing the reticle illumination assembly 401 into the sight 100 and adding the viewport groove 262, the reticle 404 can still be projected onto the collimating lens 254 from below the optical line of sight while maintaining a low profile as shown in FIG. 10. The user may calibrate the aiming of the light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401 in order to align the reticle 404 with a front sight 14 or to adjust the location of the reticle 404 for environmental conditions. For example, the user may wish to make aiming adjustments based on wind conditions, an elevation difference between the user and the target, or other conditions. By manipulating the reticle illumination assembly 401 via the adjustment mechanisms a position of the reticle 404 as it appears on the field of view of the user may be adjusted. In this way, the user may increase the accuracy of the sight 100 by accounting for various environmental conditions (e.g., different elevations, wind conditions, etc.). When the reticle 404 is visually aligned with a target by the operator, the trajectory of the projectile will be appropriately affected to increase a likelihood of hitting the target with the projectile. The ability to adjust the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430 increases the accuracy of the trajectory. Because of the plurality of environmental conditions that an operator may encounter, fine adjustment of the position of the reticle illumination assembly 401 is desired. The user may aim the light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401 by adjusting a position of the carrier block 406 via the elevation adjustment screw 420 and/or the windage adjustment screw 430. Because the light-producing element 402 is fixed to the carrier block 406, adjusting a position of the carrier block 406 also adjusts a position of the light-producing element 402 relative to the collimating lens 254. When assembled, the carrier block 406 is simultaneously contacted by the elevation adjustment screw 420, the windage adjustment screw 430, and the biasing guide rod assembly 440 as previously described. The biasing guide rod assembly 440 serves to maintain a force on the adjustment carrier block 406 that opposes the forces created by the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430. That is, it can offer a counterforce in both the horizontal (x-axis) and the vertical (y-axis) directions. The restoring force of the biasing member 446 within the biasing guide rod assembly 440 presses the conical tip 448 of the plunger 447 against the wedge surface 413 of the carrier block 406. In other words, the biasing member 446 ensures that the planar tip 436 of the windage adjustment screw 430 and the tapered end 426 of the elevation adjustment screw 420 remain in contact with their respective contact surfaces, 412 and 418, of the carrier block 406.

By threading the windage adjustment screw 430 in or out, the user may manipulate the reticle 404 in a left/right (e.g., horizontal dimension along the x-axis). That is to say that as the windage adjustment screw 430 is threaded inward, in a first direction 852 as shown in FIG. 8 (e.g., a direction parallel to the x-axis of reference axes 140), it will exert a force on the planar first side surface 412 it contacts on the carrier block 406 that is greater than an opposing force exerted on the wedge surface 413 of the carrier block 406 from the biasing guide rod assembly 440. This will cause the carrier block 406 and the coupled light-producing element 402 to move together in the first direction 852. The motion of the light-producing element 402 will cause the reticle 404, as it appears superimposed onto the field of view of an operator, to also move in the first direction 852. Likewise, as the windage adjustment screw 430 is threaded outward, in a second direction 854 as shown in FIG. 8 (e.g., in a direction opposite to the first direction 852), the force of the biasing guide rod assembly 440 will overcome the opposing force of the windage adjustment screw 430. This will cause the carrier block 406 and the coupled light-producing element 402 to move in the second direction 854. The motion of the light-producing element 402 will cause the reticle 404, as it appears superimposed onto the field of view of an operator, to also move in the second direction 854.

By threading the elevation adjustment screw 420 in or out, the user may manipulate the reticle 404 in an up/down (e.g., vertical dimension along the y-axis). Because the elevation adjustment screw 420 enters the inner chamber 400 at an angle, this angular motion is translated to a vertical motion by means of the tapered end 426 of the elevation adjustment screw 420. The tapered end 426 of the conical tip is configured such that it has a horizontal surface (e.g., in a plane parallel with the x-axis) in contact with the horizontal semi-circular groove 418 of the carrier block 406. Consequently, as the elevation adjustment screw 420 is threaded inward or outward, the elevation adjustment screw 420 travels at an angle relative to the windage adjustment screw 430 but the tapered end 426 that contacts the carrier block 406 remains horizontal. As the elevation adjustment screw 420 is threaded inward, its tapered end 426 will travel in a third direction 856 as shown in FIG. 8. It will exert a force on the surface of the semi-circular groove 418 on the bottom surface 416 of the carrier block 406 that is greater than the opposing force exerted on the wedge surface 413 of the carrier block 406 by the biasing guide rod assembly 440. This will cause the carrier block 406 and the coupled light-producing element 402 to move together in a fourth direction 857 (e.g., a direction parallel with the y-axis of reference axes 140). The motion of the light-producing element 402 will cause the reticle 404, as it appears superimposed onto the field of view of an operator, to also move in the fourth direction 857 Likewise, as the elevation adjustment screw 420 is threaded outward, its tapered end 426 will travel in a direction opposite to the third direction 856. The force of the biasing guide rod assembly 440 will overcome the opposing force of the elevation adjustment screw 420. This force will cause the carrier block 406 and the coupled light-producing element 402 to move together in a fifth direction opposite to the fourth direction 857 (e.g., a downward direction parallel to the y-axis of reference axes 140). The motion of the light-producing element 402 will cause the reticle 404, as it appears superimposed onto the field of view of an operator, to also move in the fifth direction. The semi-circular groove 418 on the bottom surface 416 of the carrier block 406 is designed so that the elevation adjustment screw 420 may slide along it as it is adjusted. The blunt tip 427 prevents any snagging or marring of the surface of the semi-circular groove 418.

The elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430 are located on the first side 160 of the sight 100. As a result, when the sight 100 is coupled to the firearm 10, the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430 are located at a same side of the firearm 10. Locating these features at the same side of the firearm 10 allows for increased ease of handling when calibrating the reticle illumination assembly 401 as the user may manipulate both adjustment screws 420 and 430 with one hand. This ease of use may also decrease an amount of time to calibrate the reticle illumination assembly 401.

As previously mentioned, adjustment screw detainer pins 240, 350 are located adjacent to the windage adjustment screw 430 and the elevation adjustment screw 420. The adjustment screw detainer pins 240, 350 retain a position of the adjustment screws 420, 430 in order to increase a precision of adjustments of the position of the carrier block 406 by the adjustment screw 420, 430. As previously mentioned, because the light-producing element 402 is fixed to the front surface 408 of the carrier block 406, any motion of the carrier block 406 translates to motion of the reticle 404. By utilizing the detainer pins 240 and 350 as well as the biasing guide rod assembly 440, the reticle illumination assembly 401 is further secured into position.

In the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 1-10, the light-producing element 402 may be a battery-powered light emitting diode (LED) light source. In other examples another appropriate light source may be used. This includes, but is not limited to, holographic, laser, fiber optic light collectors, or tritium capsules.

The control board 600 may include non-transitory memory (e.g., read-only memory) including instructions for adjusting an operation mode of the light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401 in response to actuation (e.g., pressing) of the control switch 282. For example, actuation of the control switch 282 may transmit an electrical signal (e.g., electrical pulse) to the control board 600 from the battery 620, and the control board 600 may adjust the operation mode (e.g., cycle through modes) based on the number and/or width of the pulses received.

A second embodiment of an integrated low-profile reflex sight is described below with reference to FIGS. 11-15. Description of elements already shown in the first embodiment will not be duplicated. The second embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight shown by FIGS. 11-16 may be coupled to a firearm that does not include a hammer, as one example. When the sight is coupled to a slide of the firearm, a rear portion of the sight is positioned adjacent to a rear wall of the firearm (as described below). A power source of the sight may be included within a removable tailcap of the rear portion and may be removable from the sight without decoupling the sight from the firearm. In this way, the power source of the sight and a control board of the sight may be accessed by the user without dismounting the sight from the slide. In addition, removal of the tailcap provides sufficient clearance that the slide of the firearm may be removed with the sight device still mounted to it. This embodiment maintains several of the benefits of the first embodiment, including a low-profile design that, when mounted, does not increase the overall width of a firearm 910 and reduces an amount of extension of the sight from the firearm 910 so that ease of use is not decreased. In addition, the front sight 914 and the illuminated aiming mark, or reticle 404, may be co-witnessed by the operator through the viewport 702.

Although a second embodiment of an integrated low-profile reflex sight 900 (which may be referred to herein as sight or reflex sight) shares many of the same components as the first embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight 100, it shall be distinguished for clarity of discussion. This embodiment of the integrated low-profile reflex sight 900 is suitable for use on a firearm that does not include the external hammer system 16 as shown in FIG. 1. Rather, sight 900 is suitable for use on the example of the firearm 910 as shown in FIG. 11. However, in other examples the firearm 910 may be a different type of firearm. As shown in FIG. 11, the second embodiment does not include the lower body 300. Instead, the upper body 700 is joined with a rear portion 701. The rear portion 701 is an approximately vertically-oriented cylindrical appendage that protrudes downward adjacent to the rear surface 921 of the slide 912, to the rear of the firearm 910 as shown in FIG. 11. As previously stated, several components of the second embodiment sight 900 are similar to those shown by the sight 100 and have been described above with reference to FIGS. 1-10. For example, sight 900 includes a sight tube 732, a viewport 702, a viewport groove 762, optical lenses 750, 752 and 754, and elongated side rails 726, 728 (e.g., similar to the sight tube 232, viewport 202, viewport groove 262, lenses 250, 252, and 254 and elongated side rails 226 and 228, respectively, as described above with reference to FIGS. 1-10). As an example, the aforementioned features may vary slightly in length or width or slope angles but the function of the features remains the same. The location of the above mentioned features in the second embodiment of the sight 900 differs with respect to the firearm 910 from the first embodiment of the sight 100. In this embodiment, the integrated low-profile reflex sight 900 is located farther to the rear portion 911 of the slide 912 as shown in FIG. 11. That is to say, the integrated low-profile reflex sight 900 is located farther away from the front portion 913 of the slide 912. Detailed descriptions of the aforementioned features were offered previously, and as such will not be duplicated here.

Here, the carrier block assembly 401, including the carrier block 406 and the associated adjustment screws 420 and 430, and the biasing guide rod assembly 440 are translated to a location behind the rear surface 921 of the slide 912 but remain below the operator's line of sight through the viewport 202. By housing the carrier block assembly 401 in the downward protruding rear portion 701, the height of the top surface 733 of the sight tube 732 with respect to the top surface 920 of the slide 912 may be decreased. That is to say, the distance 901 as shown in FIG. 11 may be reduced, thereby maintaining the low-profile nature of the sight 900.

In the embodiment of the sight 900 shown by FIGS. 11-16, a control switch 767 is positioned within the tailcap 760. The control switch 767 includes a flexible rubber cover 769 which conceals a spring plate 765 in the bottom of the tailcap 760 as shown in FIGS. 14-15. Actuation of the control switch 767 occurs when the operator of the sight presses the flexible rubber cover 769 inward toward the spring plate 765, thereby pressing the spring plate 765 against the control board 740. Actuation of the control switch 767 adjusts an operating mode of the light-producing element 402 of the reticle illumination assembly 401. For example, the control switch 767 may energize and/or de-energize the light-producing element 402 (e.g., turn the light-producing element on or off). In some examples, the control board 740 may include instructions stored in non-transitory computer memory to adjust a brightness, light emission color, or other appropriate setting of light-producing element 402 in response to actuation of the control switch 767. In one example, the operator of the sight may press the control switch 767 once to switch the reticle illumination device from a non-operational mode (e.g., a mode in which the illumination device is not powered and/or producing light) to a first mode in which the illumination device projects a reticle on the collimating lens at a first brightness level (e.g., intensity). In another example, the operator may press the control switch 767 twice to switch the reticle illumination device from the non-operational mode to a second mode in which the illumination device projects the reticle on the collimating lens at a second brightness level, with the second brightness level being less bright or brighter than the first brightness level. Additional modes of operation are also possible.

In this embodiment, the elevation adjustment screw 420, the windage adjustment screw 430, and the biasing guide rod assembly 440 enter apertures 742, 786, and 794, respectively, in the upper body 700 and rear portion 701. The elevation adjustment screw 420, the windage adjustment screw 430, and the biasing guide rod assembly 440 enter the inner chamber 764 to contact the carrier block assembly 401 as in the first embodiment. Adjustment (e.g., calibration) of the carrier block assembly 401 and the light-producing element 402 was discussed previously. As in the first embodiment, the elevation adjustment screw 420 and windage adjustment screw 430 each enter the sight 900 at the first side 160 of the sight 900 such that the elevation adjustment screw 420 and windage adjustment screw 430 are positioned at a same side of the firearm 910 when the sight 900 is coupled to the firearm 910. The biasing guide rod assembly 440 enters the sight 900 from the second side 170 of the firearm 910. The adjustment method of the carrier block assembly 401 was shown earlier, and as such will not be duplicated here.

A nitrogen fill port 712 is located below the aperture 794 for the biasing guide rod assembly 440 in the upper body 700. In one example, nitrogen may be pumped into the sight via the nitrogen fill port 712 in order to remove air from the interior of the sight. Filling the interior with nitrogen may reduce an amount of moisture (e.g., water vapor) within the sight and thereby reduce a likelihood of fogging of one or more lenses of the sight during sudden temperature changes (e.g., moving the sight from a warm environment to a cold environment). The nitrogen fill port 712 may be sealed via a fill plug 710 in order to retain the nitrogen within the interior of the sight and reduce a likelihood of moisture from entering the sight. In some examples a cover 713 may conceal the nitrogen fill port 712 and fill plug 710.

The rear portion 701 includes a removable tailcap 760 as shown in FIG. 13 that allows access to the plurality of internal components contained within, including the control board 740 and a battery 780. The tailcap 760 is removably coupled to the threaded inner surface 730 of the bottom surface 738 of the rear portion 701. The tailcap 760 and rear portion 701 are aligned with a tailcap axis 795 as shown in FIG. 13. The tailcap axis 795 is perpendicular to the central axis 785 of the sight 900 and the central axis 980 of the firearm. The tailcap 760 removal direction is a direction away from the sight tube 732 and the sloped transition surface 734. In other words, the removal direction is vertically downward relative to the slide 912 (e.g., in a direction parallel to the y-axis of reference axes 140 and away from the slide 912 and sight 900).

Removal of the tailcap 760 allows the user to remove and or replace the battery 780 without dismounting the entire sight 900 from the slide 912. Removal of the tailcap 760 also reduces the size of the protrusion adjacent to the rear of the slide 912. In this manner, the sight 900 does not need to be detached from the slide 912 in order for the user to detach the slide 912 from the firearm 910. That is to say, by removing the tailcap 760 from the sight 900, the sight 900 may remain attached to the slide 912 when being dismounted from the firearm 910. By providing this appropriately sized tailcap 760, an amount of time to clean and/or maintenance the slide 912 may be reduced. Additionally, by not removing the reflex sight 900 from the slide 912 of the firearm 910, an amount of time to recalibrate the sight 900 may be decreased following cleaning and/or maintenance of the slide 912.

In order not to obstruct visibility through the viewport 702, placement of the rear portion 701 shall be lower than the sight tube 732. As such, a sloping transition surface 734 connects the bottom rear edge 704 of the sight tube 732 to the outer wall 706 of the rear portion 701 as shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 16. In addition, the sloping transition surface 734 accommodates the sloped, approximately cylindrical orientation of the inner chamber 764 and allows the rear portion 701 and the plurality of components within to reside below the optical line of sight of the operator without creating an obtrusive structure adjacent to the rear sight lens 752. This helps to maintain a low profile and reduce weight of the sight 900.

The slide 912 includes a dovetail slot 934 formed by the top surface 920 of the slide 912. This dovetail slot 934 is oriented along an axis parallel with the x-axis toward the rear portion 911 of the slide 912 as shown in FIG. 13 and FIG. 16. A top surface 936 of the dovetail slot 934 (e.g., a surface parallel to the top surface 920 of the slide 912) is narrower than a recessed bottom surface 938 of the dovetail slot 934, which is recessed into the slide 912. By recessing the mounting hardware into the slide 912, a profile of the reflex sight 900 may be reduced.

In this embodiment, the at least one fastener 714, 716 passes vertically through the at least one fastener aperture 718,720 on the upper body 700 and couples to a dovetail mounting bar 940 by way of two threaded apertures 942, 944 in the mounting bar 940 as shown in FIG. 13. The top of the dovetail mounting bar 940 fits into an appropriately recessed slot 766 in the bottom surface 736 of the upper body 700. The bottom surface 948 of the dovetail mounting bar 940 fits into an appropriately recessed dovetail slot 934 in the top surface 920 of the slide 912. In addition, the dovetail mounting bar 940 is slightly undersized in relation to the dovetail slot 934. In this manner, as the at least one fastener 714, 716 is threaded into the top surface 946 of the mounting bar 940, it draws the dovetail mounting bar 940 upward to exert a tightening force against an upper inner surface 939 of dovetail slot 934 in the slide 12 as shown in FIG. 16. It shall be noted that while the dovetail mounting bar 940 has some relative motion within, it is too large to pass vertically though, the dovetail slot 934. When assembled, a bottom surface 948 of the dovetail mounting bar 940 may not contact the bottom surface 938 of the dovetail slot 934 as shown in FIG. 16. While a dovetail joint of assembly is used here, it shall be recognized that another appropriate mounting method may be used.

Once assembled, the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430 may be retained by a singular detainer pin 770 into a vertical detainer pin hole 772 that passes adjacent to the aperture 742 for the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the aperture 786 for the windage adjustment screw 430. The central axis of the detainer pin hole 772 is perpendicular to the central axis of the aperture 786 for the windage adjustment screw 430 and is located in a direction parallel with the y-axis. The vertical detainer pin hole 772 interferes with the elevation adjustment screw aperture 742 and the aperture 786 for the windage adjustment screw 430. In this manner, when the detainer pin 770 is put into place in the detainer pin hole 772, the detainer pin 770 will protrude through and partially block the elevation adjustment screw aperture 742 and the aperture 786 for the windage adjustment screw hole 430. In this way, the detainer pin 770 prevents the elevation adjustment screw 420 and the windage adjustment screw 430 from being excessively or inadvertently loosened. In shall be noted that in this embodiment, the detainer pin 770 is sufficiently long to trespass the diameters of the elevation adjustment screw aperture 742 and the aperture 786 for the windage adjustment screw 430 simultaneously. Because the windage adjustment screw 430 and the elevation adjustment screw 420 are both located in the upper body 700 in this embodiment, a singular detainer pin hole 772 for the adjustment screw detainer pin 770 can be used.

The inner chamber 764 shall be known as the space formed by the interior surface 768 located in the upper body 700 as shown in FIG. 16. In this embodiment, the inner chamber 764 is contained entirely within the upper body 700 and rear portion 701 and comprises a sloped cylindrical cavity that extends from the lower cavity 708 on the bottom surface 738 of the rear portion 701 to the viewport 702 and viewport groove 762. The inner chamber 764 serves as the housing for the LED carrier block assembly 401 and control board 740. The windage adjustment screw 430, biasing guide rod assembly 440, and elevation adjustment screw 420 enter their respective holes in the upper body 700 and protrude into the inner chamber 764.

In the configurations described above, a profile of the sight (e.g., a height of the sight relative to a surface at which the sight couples to a slide of a firearm) may be reduced. For example, by recessing the downward protrusion of the sight into the slide, the central viewing axis of the slide may be lowered toward the firearm such that irons sights of the firearm and the reticle of the sight may be co-witnessed by an operator of the sight. In this way, the housing of the sight is shaped such that the low profile of the sight does not reduce a holstering and/or concealment ability of the firearm. Additionally, in some examples (such as the examples shown by FIGS. 1-10) the sight may be coupled with firearms including an external hammer system or firearms that do not include the external hammer system. In examples in which the firearm does not include an external hammer system, the sight may include a removable tailcap. The removable tailcap is positioned along a rear of the firearm when the sight is coupled to the slide of the firearm and may be removed in order to enable an operator of the firearm to remove the slide from the firearm without removing the sight from the slide. This increases an ease of use of the firearm and sight by decreasing an amount of time to remove the sight for cleaning and/or maintenance.

FIGS. 1-16 show example configurations with relative positioning of the various components. If shown directly contacting each other, or directly coupled, then such elements may be referred to as directly contacting or directly coupled, respectively, at least in one example. Similarly, elements shown contiguous or adjacent to one another may be contiguous or adjacent to each other, respectively, at least in one example. As an example, components laying in face-sharing contact with each other may be referred to as in face-sharing contact. As another example, elements positioned apart from each other with only a space there-between and no other components may be referred to as such, in at least one example. As yet another example, elements shown above/below one another, at opposite sides to one another, or to the left/right of one another may be referred to as such, relative to one another. Further, as shown in the figures, a topmost element or point of element may be referred to as a “top” of the component and a bottommost element or point of the element may be referred to as a “bottom” of the component, in at least one example. As used herein, top/bottom, upper/lower, above/below, may be relative to a vertical axis of the figures and used to describe positioning of elements of the figures relative to one another. As such, elements shown above other elements are positioned vertically above the other elements, in one example. As yet another example, shapes of the elements depicted within the figures may be referred to as having those shapes (e.g., such as being circular, straight, planar, curved, rounded, chamfered, angled, or the like). Further, elements shown intersecting one another may be referred to as intersecting elements or intersecting one another, in at least one example. Further still, an element shown within another element or shown outside of another element may be referred as such, in one example.

In one example, an optical sight includes: a housing including a collimating lens positioned before a front lens and an illumination assembly projecting a reticle on the collimating lens; and a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element positioned respectively in face-sharing contact with a first end of the illumination assembly and in face-sharing contact with a second end of the illumination assembly. In a first example of the optical sight, the optical sight further includes wherein the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element are housed in a first side of the housing and extend into an interior of the housing, and a biasing member coupled to a second side of the housing opposite to the first side and extending into the interior of the housing, the biasing member biased against a third end of the reticle illumination assembly opposite to the first end. A second example of the optical sight optionally includes the first example, and further includes wherein the second trajectory adjustment element is angled relative to the first trajectory adjustment element in , and wherein the reticle illumination assembly includes a carrier block, the carrier block including: a first surface positioned at the first end, the first surface arranged perpendicular to an insertion direction of the first trajectory adjustment element into the interior of the housing; a second surface positioned at the second end, the second surface arranged perpendicular to the first surface and including a groove shaped to receive the second trajectory adjustment element, the second trajectory adjustment element angled relative to the first adjustment element; and a third surface positioned perpendicular to the first surface and second surface, the third surface coupled with a light-emitting element of the reticle illumination assembly. A third example of the optical sight optionally includes one or both of the first and second examples, and further includes a battery and a control board positioned within the interior of the housing, the battery and the control board each electrically coupled to the reticle illumination assembly. A fourth example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through third examples, and further includes wherein a fourth end of the reticle illumination assembly opposite to the second end is positioned a first distance in a radial direction relative to a central viewing axis of the housing, and wherein the battery and control board are each positioned a greater distance from the central viewing axis in the radial direction than the first distance. A fifth example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, further comprising a control switch electrically coupled with the battery and control board, the control switch housed in the first side of the housing or a second side of the housing opposite to the first side.

In another example, an optical sight includes: a housing including a sight tube, the sight tube including a first end, a second end, and a central viewing axis extending between the first end and the second end; a first lens coupled to the sight tube at the first end and a second lens coupled to the sight tube at the second end, the first lens positioned opposite to the second lens in a direction of the central viewing axis; a collimating lens positioned between the first and second lenses and an illumination device projecting a reticle onto the collimating lens; a first trajectory adjustment element coupled to the illumination device and housed in a first side of the housing and extending into an interior of the housing; a downward protrusion of the housing positioned at the first side between the first end and second end of the sight tube in the direction of the central viewing axis and vertically below the central viewing axis, the downward protrusion extending from a bottom surface of the housing; and a second trajectory adjustment element coupled to the illumination device and housed in the downward protrusion and extending into the interior of the housing. In a first example of the optical sight, an entirety of the downward protrusion is positioned between the first lens and the second lens in the direction of the central viewing axis. A second example of the optical sight optionally includes the first example, and further includes wherein the second trajectory adjustment element extends into the interior of the housing at an angle relative to the first trajectory adjustment element. A third example of the optical sight optionally includes one or both of the first and second examples, and further includes wherein the reticle illuminates the collimating lens near a central viewing axis extending through an optical center of the first and second lenses. A fourth example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through third examples, and further includes wherein a direction of light emitted by the illumination device is adjustable relative to the housing by a position of the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element. A fifth example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through fourth examples, and further includes a biasing member housed in a second side of the housing and extending into the interior of the housing. A sixth example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through fifth examples, and further includes wherein the biasing member extends into the interior of the housing at an angle relative to the first trajectory adjustment element. A seventh example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through sixth examples, and further includes wherein the downward protrusion includes: a first surface extending in a direction away from the bottom surface of the housing and perpendicular to the bottom surface, the first surface including an aperture shaped to receive the second trajectory adjustment element; and a second surface extending between the first surface of the downward protrusion and the bottom surface of the housing, the second surface angled by a first angle relative to the first surface. A eighth example of the optical sight optionally includes one or more or each of the first through seventh examples, and further includes wherein the second surface forms a step in a direction parallel with the first surface, a length of the step being less than a length of the first surface in a direction perpendicular to the central viewing axis.

In one example, a system includes: a firearm including: a firing chamber including a muzzle formed by a first end surface and a rear wall formed by a second end surface, the firing chamber extending between the muzzle and the rear wall in a direction of a central firing axis; a handle coupled to the firing chamber and extending in a direction away from the firing chamber; and a retractable slide surrounding the firing chamber, the retractable slide including a first slide end positioned at the muzzle and a second slide end positioned at the back wall; and an optical sight coupled to a top surface of the retractable slide and positioned between the muzzle and the rear wall of the firing chamber in the direction of the central firing axis, the optical sight including: a housing including a first side and a second side, the first side positioned opposite to the second side across a central viewing axis of the optical sight; a sight tube formed by the housing and positioned between the first side and the second side; a collimating lens positioned between the first and second sides and an illuminating device projecting a reticle onto the collimating lens; and a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element housed in the housing and coupled to the illuminating device. In a first example of the system, the system further includes a first lens coupled to the sight tube at a first tube end and a second lens coupled to the sight tube at a second tube end. A second example of the system optionally includes the first example and further includes wherein the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element are both housed in the first side of the housing and extend into an interior of the housing. A third example of the system optionally includes one or both of the first and second examples, and further includes a biasing member housed in the housing at the second side of the housing, the biasing member extending into an interior of the housing. A fourth example of the system optionally includes one or more or both of the first through third examples, and further includes wherein the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element are each threaded fasteners, and wherein the biasing member includes a spring biased in a direction toward the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element.

In another example, an optical sight includes: a housing including: a first portion positioned between a first housing side and a second housing side, the first portion including a first lens positioned at a first end and a second lens positioned at a second end; a central viewing axis extending between a midpoint of the first lens and a midpoint of the second lens; a second portion of the housing extending from a bottom surface of the housing in a first direction perpendicular to the central viewing axis and away from the central viewing axis, the second portion positioned partially between the first lens and second lens and partially away from the first lens and second lens in a direction of the central viewing axis; and a battery compartment removably coupled with the second portion, a removal axis of the battery compartment positioned perpendicular with the central viewing axis and extending away from the first portion and second portion; a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element coupled to the first housing side and extending into an interior of the housing; and a biasing member coupled to the second housing side and extending into the interior of the housing.

In another example, a system includes: a retractable slide of a firearm, the retractable slide including a first end positioned at a muzzle of the firearm and a second end positioned at a rear wall of the firearm; an optical sight coupled to a top surface of the slide and partially surrounding the rear wall of the firearm, the optical sight including: a sight tube extending between a first end of the optical sight and a second end of the optical sight; a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element coupled to the optical sight at a first side of the optical sight; a biasing element coupled to the optical sight at a second side of the optical sight opposite to the first side; and a battery housing of the optical sight positioned at the rear wall of the firearm and below the top surface of the slide, the battery housing including a removable battery insert.

It will be appreciated that the configurations and routines disclosed herein are exemplary in nature, and that these specific embodiments are not to be considered in a limiting sense, because numerous variations are possible. The subject matter of the present disclosure includes all novel and non-obvious combinations and sub-combinations of the various systems and configurations, and other features, functions, and/or properties disclosed herein.

The following claims particularly point out certain combinations and sub-combinations regarded as novel and non-obvious. These claims may refer to “an” element or “a first” element or the equivalent thereof. Such claims should be understood to include incorporation of one or more such elements, neither requiring nor excluding two or more such elements. Other combinations and sub-combinations of the disclosed features, functions, elements, and/or properties may be claimed through amendment of the present claims or through presentation of new claims in this or a related application. Such claims, whether broader, narrower, equal, or different in scope to the original claims, also are regarded as included within the subject matter of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. An optical sight comprising:

a housing including a collimating lens positioned before a front lens and an illumination assembly projecting a reticle on the collimating lens; and

a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element positioned respectively in face-sharing contact with a first end of the illumination assembly and in face-sharing contact with a second end of the illumination assembly.

2. The optical sight of claim 1, wherein the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element are housed in a first side of the housing and extend into an interior of the housing, and further comprising a biasing member coupled to a second side of the housing opposite to the first side and extending into the interior of the housing, the biasing member biased against a third end of the illumination assembly opposite to the first end.

3. The optical sight of claim 2, wherein the second trajectory adjustment element is angled relative to the first trajectory adjustment element, and wherein the illumination assembly includes a carrier block, the carrier block including:

a first surface positioned at the first end, the first surface arranged perpendicular to an insertion direction of the first trajectory adjustment element into the interior of the housing;

a second surface positioned at the second end, the second surface arranged perpendicular to the first surface and including a groove shaped to receive the second trajectory adjustment element; and

a third surface positioned perpendicular to the first surface and the second surface, the third surface coupled with a light-emitting element of the reticle illumination assembly.

4. The optical sight of claim 1, further comprising a battery and a control board positioned within an interior of the housing, the battery and the control board each electrically coupled to the illumination assembly.

5. The optical sight of claim 4, further comprising a control switch electrically coupled with the battery and the control board, the control switch housed in a first side of the housing or a second side of the housing opposite to the first side.

6. The optical sight of claim 4, wherein a fourth end of the illumination assembly opposite to the second end is positioned a first distance in a radial direction relative to a central viewing axis of the housing, and wherein the battery and the control board are each positioned a greater distance from the central viewing axis in the radial direction than the first distance.

7. The optical sight of claim 6, wherein the battery and the control board are housed within a removable portion of the housing, the removable portion being removable from the housing in the radial direction and coupled to the housing below the central viewing axis and the illumination assembly.

8. An optical sight comprising:

a housing including a sight tube, the sight tube including a first end, a second end, and a central viewing axis extending between the first end and the second end;

a first lens coupled to the sight tube at the first end and a second lens coupled to the sight tube at the second end, the first lens positioned opposite to the second lens in a direction of the central viewing axis;

a collimating lens positioned between the first and second lenses and an illumination device projecting a reticle onto the collimating lens;

a first trajectory adjustment element coupled to the illumination device and housed in a first side of the housing and extending into an interior of the housing;

a downward protrusion of the housing positioned at the first side between the first end and the second end of the sight tube in the direction of the central viewing axis and vertically below the central viewing axis, the downward protrusion extending from a bottom surface of the housing; and

a second trajectory adjustment element coupled to the illumination device and housed in the downward protrusion and extending into the interior of the housing.

9. The optical sight of claim 8, wherein an entirety of the downward protrusion is positioned between the first lens and the second lens in the direction of the central viewing axis.

10. The optical sight of claim 8, wherein the second trajectory adjustment element extends into the interior of the housing at an angle relative to the first trajectory adjustment element.

11. The optical sight of claim 8, wherein the reticle illuminates the collimating lens near the central viewing axis extending through an optical center of the first and second lenses.

12. The optical sight of claim 8, wherein a direction of light emitted by the illumination device is adjustable relative to the housing by a position of the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element.

13. The optical sight of claim 8, further comprising a biasing member housed in a second side of the housing and extending into the interior of the housing.

14. The optical sight of claim 13, wherein the biasing member extends into the interior of the housing at an angle relative to the first trajectory adjustment element.

15. The optical sight of claim 8, wherein the downward protrusion includes:

a first surface extending in a direction away from the bottom surface of the housing and perpendicular to the bottom surface, the first surface including an aperture shaped to receive the second trajectory adjustment element; and

a second surface extending between the first surface of the downward protrusion and the bottom surface of the housing, the second surface angled by a first angle relative to the first surface.

16. The optical sight of claim 15, wherein the second surface forms a step in a direction parallel with the first surface, a length of the step being less than a length of the first surface in a direction perpendicular to the central viewing axis.

17. A system comprising:

a firearm including: a firing chamber including a muzzle formed by a first end surface and a rear wall formed by a second end surface, the firing chamber extending between the muzzle and the rear wall in a direction of a central firing axis; a handle coupled to the firing chamber and extending in a direction away from the firing chamber; and a retractable slide surrounding the firing chamber, the retractable slide including a first slide end positioned at the muzzle and a second slide end positioned at the back wall;

an optical sight coupled to a top surface of the retractable slide and positioned between the muzzle and the rear wall of the firing chamber in the direction of the central firing axis, the optical sight including: a housing including a first side and a second side, the first side positioned opposite to the second side across a central viewing axis of the optical sight; a sight tube formed by the housing and positioned between the first side and the second side; a collimating lens positioned between the first and second sides and an illuminating device projecting a reticle onto the collimating lens; and a first trajectory adjustment element and a second trajectory adjustment element housed in the housing and coupled to the illuminating device.

18. The system of claim 17, further comprising a first lens coupled to the sight tube at a first tube end and a second lens coupled to the sight tube at a second tube end.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element are both housed in the first side of the housing and extend into an interior of the housing.

20. The system of claim 18, further comprising a biasing member housed in the housing at the second side of the housing, the biasing member extending into the interior of the housing, and wherein the biasing member includes a spring biased in a direction toward the first trajectory adjustment element and the second trajectory adjustment element.