RU2327943C2 - Flare and targeting laser system - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: physics.

SUBSTANCE: flare and targeting laser system includes power supply unit, laser emitter, collimating objective lens and holographic optic element. Holographic optic element is placed after collimating objective lens to produce distinct blinding flare spot with targeting spot in its centre. The spot can be elliptic, oval or round, and holographic optic element may be placed on plastic or Dacron pad with thermal lacquer layer.

EFFECT: decreasing weight and size of the system and creation of distinct light spot with targeting mark in its centre at given distance from the laser system.

4 cl, 4 dwg

Description

Technical field

The invention relates to laser protection systems designed for light blinding and disorientation of the attacker, as well as aiming when firing from a firearm or other type of weapon.

The level of technology.

Currently used laser systems and protection devices consist, as a rule, of a laser diode and an optical system, which has the ability to move along the optical axis and creates a spot of illumination of the required size at the required distance. There are several ways to obtain the illumination spot of the required shape: the use of a cylindrical lens in the optical system, the creation of an aspherical optical system, the use of moving diaphragms of various shapes and several laser diodes, etc. To detect the object of illumination and for its temporary blindness, it is necessary to create spots of illumination of different sizes and different illumination in the spot. This is usually achieved by offsetting the optical system (or one of its components) and the diaphragm along the optical axis. Accurate aiming in systems of this type is either not provided at all, or is quite difficult to implement (creating a complex optical illumination and target designation system, installing an additional target designation channel in a system or device, etc.). This greatly increases the cost and complexity of laser systems and protective devices.

The use of holographic optical elements (GOE) in laser protection systems can significantly reduce the weight and dimensions of the system, as well as lower the cost of producing systems of this type. In addition, the use of GOE makes it possible to form a sharply defined spot of light at the required distance, as well as to form an aim point in the spot field, which facilitates the aiming process (if necessary).

There are several options for building laser systems and protection devices.

One of the first standalone portable laser protective lighting devices can be considered the device "The Laser Dissuader", developed on the basis of US patent (John D. German, Eye safe laser security device. Patent USA No. 5685636 of Nov.11, 1997, Int. Cl ^.6 F21K 7/00) and which is a laser emitter that impairs or temporarily impairs a person’s vision by exposure to bright light or a blinding flash that does not cause long-term loss of vision. In accordance with the patent, the device comprises a housing made in the form of, for example, a flashlight or a baton, and a power supply with a switch, a power supply circuit, a laser emitter, and a lens made with the possibility of its movement along the axis are sequentially installed in it. The lens movement allows the formation of a narrow laser beam of light or its expansion in order to illuminate and detect objects such as a person with it. The light spot at the exit of the lens has a circular shape. The device is intended for warning and protective actions taken by police, security and safety services or the military, as well as to illuminate objects, including people, in low light conditions. The main disadvantage of this device is that the circular shape of the light spot created by the device does not allow the efficient use of the radiation power generated by the device, since only a narrow part of the round light spot that “hits” the eyes and also requires a high-power laser diode to create illumination in the light spot needed to disorient a person.

Patent (John D. German, Eric J. Cramer, Michael D. Tocci, Brian K. Spielbusch, Steven J. Saggese, Self-contained laser illuminator module, Patent USA No. 6007218 of Dec.28, 1999, Int. Cl. ⁶ F21K 7/00; F21V 8/00) describes a self-contained laser lighting module, which is used as a protective device designed to weaken or temporarily impair a person's vision using bright light or a blinding flash. According to the patent, the device comprises a housing, a power supply unit located therein, a switch and a laser lighting module, including a laser emitter and a collimating lens mounted with the possibility of its movement relative to the laser. For the purpose of energy and geometric alignment of the shape and illumination of the laser mark between the semiconductor laser diode (emitter) and the lens installed fiber optic bundle, twisted loops. At the same time, radiation is formed in the form of a circular beam of light at the output of the device. The disadvantages of this device include the need to reconfigure the device in emergency situations and in poor lighting conditions, which leads to a loss of time and a decrease in the security of the defender, and in the light protective mode, only part of the round light spot that gets into the eyes of the intruder is used.

The patent (MV Silnikov; A.I. Mikhaylin; SL Kulakov, Method of defense against attack and an autonomous laser protective device for its implementation. Patent of the Russian Federation No. 2197008 of November 20, 2003) describes a laser device that contains a housing with a power supply unit, a laser emitter and a lens installed in series therein. The case is made in the form of a flashlight or in any other convenient form, of light metal or plastic. A semiconductor laser diode of continuous or pulsed action, or a small-sized laser module with a slit diaphragm at the output, can be used as a laser emitter in the device. The lens is mounted in the housing with the possibility of its longitudinal movement to create light spots of the required size when a person is detected and disoriented. The disadvantage of the device described in this patent is that the device does not provide accurate aiming at the target, and the hit of a light spot in the eyes is due to the reciprocating movement of the device.

In the patent (Silnikov M.V .; Mikhaylin A.I .; Kulakov S.L .; Kulakova A.F. Autonomous laser protective device and method of its use for protection against attack. Patent of the Russian Federation No. 2197009 of November 20, 2003 ) describes a laser device, which is a modification of the device described in the previous patent. The laser protective device comprises a housing with a power supply unit, a laser emitter, and a lens installed in series therein. In addition, a cylindrical lens is installed in the housing behind the lens on its optical axis with the possibility of rotation through an angle multiple of 90 ° relative to the initial position. The initial position of the cylindrical lens is one such that its main section is aligned with a plane perpendicular to the smaller side of the radiating end of the body of the laser emitter and passing through the center of its output window. The cylindrical lens can structurally be made round, square or rectangular. To ensure the convenience of its rotation, it is fixed in a frame mounted on the body with the possibility of its rotation around the axis of the lens and fixation when turning through 90 ° relative to the initial position, for example, using ball spring clips mounted through 90 ° on the frame or on the body. The main disadvantage of this device is that in addition to the lens, a cylindrical lens is used to form the required light spot. This leads to the complication of the device, its cost and increase in weight and dimensions.

The closest of the analogues to the proposed laser system of illumination and target designation is a portable laser protective device described in the patent (Silnikov M.V .; Mikhaylin A.I .; Kulakov S.L .; Kulakova A.F. Portable laser protective device. Patent Russian Federation No. 2197010 dated November 20, 2003) and adopted as a prototype.

This patent describes a laser device that includes a housing, a power supply, a semiconductor laser diode, and a lens mounted to move along the optical axis. The device is equipped with a cylindrical lens element made of at least two cylindrical lenses, one of which is rigidly fixed in the housing, and the other is mounted with the possibility of rotation by an angle multiple of 90 °, relative to the initial position, for which it is accepted that in which the main sections are first and the second lens having the same profile are perpendicular to each other, and the main section of the second lens is aligned with a plane perpendicular to the smaller side of the radiating end of the body of the laser emitter and passing through the center of its output window. The front focus of the lens is combined with the radiating end of the body of the glow. Through the use of a cylindrical element, the effectiveness of security measures and protection against attack is ensured due to a more accurate and directed impact.

The disadvantages of this portable laser protective device are:

1) the use of a cylindrical lens element made of at least two cylindrical lenses significantly complicates and increases the cost of a portable laser protective device;

2) the use of a cylindrical lens element made of at least two cylindrical lenses increases the dimensions and weight of the device;

3) when using the above-described portable laser protective device, it is impossible to carry out precise aiming due to the fact that the blinding region is a light spot without a targeting spot;

4) the distribution of illumination in the light spot depends on the intensity distribution in the cross section of the laser beam. When using a semiconductor laser diode and lens systems, it is usually not possible to equalize the laser radiation intensity in the beam cross section, which in this case leads to different illumination in different zones of the light spot (brighter in the center and less bright to the edge of the light spot).

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objectives of the present invention are:

- creation of a laser illumination system and at the same time target designation;

- reducing the size and weight of the system compared to the prototype;

- reducing the price of the system compared to the prototype.

The technical result of the present invention are: reducing the weight and dimensions of the laser system of illumination and target designation; creating a sharply defined light spot with an aim mark in the center at a given distance from the laser system; building an optical circuit with a minimum number of optical parts and reducing the cost of the entire laser illumination and target designation system.

The technical result is achieved due to the fact that in the laser illumination and target designation system, which includes a power supply, a laser emitter and a collimating lens, a holographic optical element is installed after the collimating lens, which forms a blinding region in the form of a sharply outlined uniformly illuminated light spot with a spot target designation in the center of this spot.

The holographic optical element can be made on a plastic substrate (polymethylmethacrylate or polycarbonate) or on a lavsan substrate with a thermal varnish layer.

The light spot may be in the form of an oval, circle, or ellipse (preferred). The use of a holographic optical element instead of a cylindrical lens element (as in the prototype) makes it possible to form a blinding region in the form of a sharply defined uniformly illuminated light spot in the form of an ellipse with a target spot in the center of this ellipse.

Description of the invention and drawings.

The basic principles used to solve the problems considered in the present invention are illustrated by the accompanying figures.

Figure 1 presents the optical diagram of a laser system of illumination and target designation with a holographic optical element in accordance with the claimed invention.

Figure 2 shows the assembly drawing of a laser illumination system and target designation in accordance with the claimed invention.

Figure 3 presents the stand for monitoring the illumination in the spot flare and target designation, which is formed by the laser system.

Figure 4 presents a view of the resulting spot light and target designation with affixed geometric dimensions in millimeters.

Below is a detailed description of the proposed solutions to the problems and principles of operation of the devices shown in the figures.

The optical part of the laser illumination and target designation system (Fig. 1) consists of a diaphragm 5 installed between the semiconductor laser diode 1 and the collimating lens 2 along a semiconductor laser diode 1, a collimating lens 2, and a holographic optical element 3.

In accordance with the invention, the laser illumination and target designation system operates as follows.

The laser beam from the semiconductor laser diode 1 is limited to the diaphragm 5, collimated by the lens 2, which is made in the form of a single-lens aspherical lens. Next, the collimated beam of rays falls on the holographic optical element 3, which forms a spot of illumination and target designation in the aiming plane 4 (at a distance of 4.5 m).

An example of the design of a laser illumination system and target designation is presented in figure 2. The laser illumination and target designation system consists of two parts: an optical module and a power supply unit of a semiconductor laser diode. The optical module includes a semiconductor laser diode (laser emitter) 1 mounted in the housing of the optical module 7 and mounted along the optical axis 1 in the housing 6, a collimating lens 2, a tightened sleeve 11 and a holographic optical element 3, closed by a cap 12. The housing 6 is locked relative to the housing of the optical module 7 using the pin 9. The power supply 8 of the semiconductor laser diode may be a set of batteries. The optical module and power supply 8 are mounted in a single housing 10.

The device operates as follows.

When you turn on the device, the electric current from the power supply 8 is supplied to a semiconductor laser diode 1 (laser emitter). The radiation from the laser diode 1 passing through the diaphragm 5 and the collimating lens 2 hits the holographic optical element 3, through which the illumination region is obtained in the form of a spot with a brighter spot of small diameter in cent.

For more effective blinding, it is necessary that the resulting spot light was as uniform as possible. To control the uniformity of illumination in the aiming plane (in the area limited by the spot of exposure), a stand was developed for monitoring the illumination in the spot of exposure and target designation, presented in figure 3.

The stand for controlling the illumination in the spot flare and target designation works as follows. The laser illumination and target designation system forms a spot of exposure and target designation at a distance of 4.5 meters in the plane of the field diaphragm. The diameter of the field diaphragm is 3 mm, which corresponds to the smallest size of the pupil of the human eye. The field diaphragm scans the spot of light and target designation, and readings are taken from the photodiode and the illumination at each point of the target spot is calculated.

The appearance of the spot light and target designation, as well as its main geometric parameters are presented in figure 4. The distance between the points (discrete) in the spot of illumination is about 1 mm, the size of the points is 1 ... 2 mm. This allows you to effectively blind a person at any time of the day, since it is known that the diameter of the pupil of the eye is 3 ... 8 mm. In addition, the presence of a targeting spot in a light spot allows you to aim more efficiently and spend less time on this process.

It should be noted that the holographic optical element of the laser illumination and target designation system is a thin digital hologram operating in the zero diffraction order. Due to the use of a holographic optical element in a laser illumination and target designation system, it was possible to reduce the weight and dimensions of the system compared to the prototype, due to the fact that the holographic optical element can be made not only on a glass substrate or on a plastic substrate (for example, polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate ), but also on films of lavsan with a thermo-varnish layer. Lavsan films have a very small thickness and mass. In addition, in the serial production of a laser illumination system and target designation, the cost of a holographic optical element on plastic or dacron substrates is lower than the cost of cylindrical lenses that are used in the prototype. This is due to the specific technology for the production and replication of holographic optical elements.

Claims (4)

1. A laser illumination and target designation system comprising a power supply unit, a laser emitter and a collimating lens, characterized in that it contains a holographic optical element mounted after the collimating lens to form a blinding region in the form of a sharply defined uniformly illuminated light spot with a target spot in the center this spot. 2. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the holographic optical element is made on a plastic substrate - polymethyl methacrylate or polycarbonate. 3. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the holographic optical element is made on a lavsan substrate with a thermal varnish layer. 4. The system according to claim 1, characterized in that the spot light has the shape of an ellipse, oval or circle.

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