Optical firearm sight

Abstract

Optical firearm sights have a frame having a base configured for attachment to a firearm, an optical element configured to transmit a view of a target located forward of the sight to a viewer located rearward of the sight, an illuminated element connected to the frame rearward of the optical element, the optical element being configured to reflect an image of the illuminated element to the viewer in an apparent location associated with the target, the illuminated element having a plurality of illumination states, a first state displaying a first aiming point at a first position associated with the target, and a second aiming point at a different second position associated with the target, a second state displaying the first aiming point at the first position associated with the target, and a third aiming point at a third position associated with the target different from the first and second positions.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An optical firearm sight comprising:
 a frame having a base configured for attachment to a firearm;   an optical element configured to transmit a view of a target located forward of the sight to a viewer located rearward of the sight;   an illuminated element connected to the frame rearward of the optical element;   the optical element being configured to reflect an image of the illuminated element to the viewer in an apparent location associated with the target;   the illuminated element having a plurality of illumination states;   a first state displaying a first aiming point at a first position associated with the target, and a second aiming point at a different second position associated with the target;   a second state displaying the first aiming point at the first position associated with the target, and a third aiming point at a third position associated with the target and different from the first position and the second position.   
     
     
         2 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the second and third aiming points are displaced from the first aiming point by different amounts. 
     
     
         3 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the second and third aiming points are vertically displaced from the first aiming point. 
     
     
         4 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the second and third aiming points are displaced below the first aiming point. 
     
     
         5 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  including a third state displaying the first aiming point at the first position associated with the target, and a fourth aiming point at a fourth position associated with the target and different from the first position, the second position, and the third position. 
     
     
         6 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the first aiming point is associated with a target at a limited distance less than a selected threshold, and the second and third aiming points are positioned to compensate for bullet drop for targets at different distances greater than the selected threshold. 
     
     
         7 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  including a movable carrier having a different position in each of the first and second states, and in each position locating the associated aiming points at a focal location of the optical element. 
     
     
         8 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 7  wherein the movable carrier defines a plurality of apertures, each associated with an aiming point. 
     
     
         9 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 8  including a light source behind the movable carrier. 
     
     
         10 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 9  wherein the light source is fixed to the frame. 
     
     
         11 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 7  wherein the movable carrier is rotatably mounted to the frame. 
     
     
         12 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the illuminated element is fixed to the frame. 
     
     
         13 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the illuminated element has a plurality of illuminable elements, one associated with each of the first, second, and third aiming points. 
     
     
         14 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the illuminated element is operable to display a pair of aiming points displaced from each other by a selectable spacing. 
     
     
         15 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 14  including a controller operable to establish the spacing. 
     
     
         16 . The optical firearm sight of  claim 1  wherein the illuminated element is a monolithic chip having a plurality of individually addressable segments.