Power on indicator for sight system

Abstract

An aiming device is provided including a body, an optical element joined with the body that has selectively displayed thereon a dot visible to a user along a first line of viewing, and a power indicator distal from the optical element, where the power indicator emits illumination along a second line of viewing, offset from the first line of viewing. The power indicator can alert the user via the illumination that the dot is or is not displayed on the optical element, without the user needing to directly view the dot along the first line of viewing. The illumination emitted by the power indicator can be of a first visible wavelength range, e.g., blue, and the dot can illuminate in a second visible wavelength range different from the first visible wavelength range, e.g., green or red, so the likelihood of confusing the power indicator with the dot can be reduced.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of using a reflex sight aiming device, the method comprising:
 providing a body including a front and a rear, the rear configured to face toward a user during use of the aiming device to aim at a target, the body including a longitudinal axis, an illumination device, an optical element joined with a protective frame such that the protective frame extends at least partially around the optical element, and a power indicator distal from the optical element, and not displayed thereon, the power indicator joined with at least one of the body and the protective frame;   displaying a dot on the optical element, the dot visible to a user along a first line of viewing within a first field of view from the rear of the body when the aiming device is aimed at a target;   emitting illumination from the power indicator along a second line of viewing that is offset from the first line of viewing such that the user cannot view the emitted illumination from the power indicator while the user is viewing the dot along the first line of viewing from the rear of the body and aligning the dot with the target distal from the aiming device;   maintaining the second line of viewing out of the first field of view so that the emitted illumination along the second line of view is not viewable within the first field of view when the user is viewing the dot along the first line of viewing; and   disposing the longitudinal axis of the body in a generally vertical orientation, when the reflex sight aiming device is disposed on a firearm located within a holster, such that the power indicator emits illumination along the second line of viewing so that the user confirms the dot is displayed on the optical element without the user actually viewing the dot along the first line of viewing within the first field of view, and without the user drawing the firearm from the holster,   whereby the user is assured that the dot will be displayed on the optical element along the first line of viewing in the first field of view when the reflex sight aiming device is reoriented away from the generally vertical orientation when the firearm is drawn from the holster.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 disposing the power indicator on the protective frame above the dot on the optical element.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 emitting with the power indicator a first illumination therefrom, the first illumination being in a first visible wavelength range; and   displaying the dot on the optical element in a second visible wavelength range different from the first visible wavelength range.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 drawing the firearm from the holster after the user is assured that the dot will be displayed on the optical element along the first line of viewing in the first field of view.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the power indicator emits illumination that cannot be seen while viewing the dot while the firearm is in the holster and the rear of the body is facing upward.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the power indicator is disposed in a bore that includes a bore longitudinal axis,   wherein the bore longitudinal axis is offset at an angle between 1° and 179° inclusive, relative to a longitudinal axis of the body when viewed from a top view of the aiming device.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 moving the reflex sight aiming device from the generally vertical orientation to a generally horizontal orientation to align the dot with the target.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 detecting with a position sensor when the body is in at least one of a generally horizontal orientation and the generally vertical orientation.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , comprising:
 illuminating the power indicator in response to the position sensor detecting the body is in the generally vertical orientation; and   not illuminating the power indicator in response to the position sensor detecting the body is in the generally horizontal orientation.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the dot is not visible to the user when the user is viewing illumination from the power indicator from the second line of viewing.   
     
     
         11 . A method of using a reflex sight aiming device, the method comprising:
 providing a body including a front, a rear and a longitudinal axis, a frame joined with a forward portion of the body, the frame extending upward from the body adjacent the front of the body, an optical element in the frame adjacent the front of the body, and a power indicator distal from the optical element;   displaying a dot on the optical element such that the dot is visible to a user along a first line of viewing from a rear of the body, and within a first field of view;   emitting illumination with the power indicator along a second line of viewing that is offset from the first line of viewing, so that the second line of viewing is out of the first field of view so that the emitted illumination along the second line of view is not viewable within the first field of view when the user is viewing the dot along the first line of viewing within the first field of view; and   wherein when the longitudinal axis of the body is disposed in a generally vertical orientation, when the reflex sight aiming device is disposed on a firearm located within a holster of the user, the power indicator emits illumination along the second line of viewing so that the user confirms the dot is displayed on the optical element without the user actually viewing the dot along the first line of viewing within the first field of view, and without the user drawing the firearm from the holster,   whereby the user is assured that the dot will be displayed on the optical element along the first line of viewing in the first field of view when the reflex sight aiming device is reoriented away from the generally vertical orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 offsetting the second line of viewing from the first line of viewing such that the user cannot view the displayed illumination from the power indicator while the user is viewing the dot along the first line of viewing within the first field of view from the rear of the body after the firearm is drawn from the holster.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 emitting a first illumination with the power indicator to indicate that the dot is displayed on the optical element while the firearm is in the holster.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first illumination is in a first visible wavelength range,   wherein the dot is displayed on the optical element via a second visible wavelength range that is different from the first visible wavelength range.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the optical element is a lens,   wherein the dot is displayed as at least one of a circular shaped dot, a pattern, a reticle and a sight indicia.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 disposing the power indicator on at least one of an arm and a roof that extends over the optical element distal from the rear of the body.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 11 , comprising:
 moving the aiming device after confirming the dot is illuminated from the generally vertical orientation to a generally horizontal orientation to align the dot with a target.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 losing sight of the power indicator along the second line of sight; and   gaining sight of the dot along the first line of viewing after the firearm is transitioned from the holster.   
     
     
         19 . A method of using a reflex sight aiming device, the method comprising:
 providing a body including a front, a rear and a longitudinal axis, a frame joined with a forward portion of the body, the frame extending upward from the body adjacent the front of the body, an optical element having selectively displayed thereon a dot that is visible to the user along a first line of viewing and within a first field of view, and a power indicator located distal from the optical element and not displayed thereon, the power indicator operable to emit illumination along a second line of viewing that is offset from the first line of viewing; and   emitting illumination with the power indicator along the second line of viewing, when the reflex sight aiming device is disposed on a firearm located within a holster of the user, so that the user confirms the dot is displayed on the optical element without the user actually viewing the dot along the first line of viewing within the first field of view, and without the user drawing the firearm from the holster,   whereby the user is assured that the dot will be displayed on the optical element along the first line of viewing in the first field of view when the reflex sight aiming device is reoriented.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising:
 losing sight of the power indicator along the second line of sight; and   gaining sight of the dot along the first line of viewing after the firearm is transitioned from the holster.