Patent Application
20200191516
The present invention relates in general to the field of firearm accessories. More specifically, the present invention relates to devices designed to assist in the stabilization of firearms.
When using a rifle or pistol in tactical situations, it is always the goal of the soldier, police officer, or sportsman to have precision aim and hit its target. Often, rifle users will incorporate some form of a support tool that stabilizes their weapon while in use. This is especially true for rifles, which often are heavier and more difficult to hold steady while taking aim at a given target.
These stabilizing tools are well known in the prior art. For example, tripods and bipods have been used by rifle users for quite some time to stabilize their weapon. These free-standing supports allow the rifle user to easily adjust his aim by freely rotating the rifle on multiple axes. However, these tools are often bulky and contain several mechanical parts, which can be cumbersome and require significant time to put together.
Another example in the prior art is a replacement magazine base that clips onto the bottom of the rifle magazine. These devices are manufactured with a substantially flat bottom which is meant to be stabilized on a substantially flat surface. Although these devices are more manageable to carry and easier to use than the tripods and bipods, their utility is limited. Due to the flat surface of the boot, stabilization is greatly reduced—if not lost entirely—when the rifle user is forced to take aim on rougher, uneven terrain. Furthermore, the flat bottom surface restricts the user's ability to freely adjust his aim to account for multiple targets.
Additionally, when a rifle user is loading his magazine, he should ensure that the magazine is engaged. Generally, this requires the rifle user to forcefully hit the bottom of the magazine with the open palm of his hand. Since the base of rifle magazines traditionally consist of sharp angles, the base causes the rifle user discomfort during this process.
As such, there is a need for an easy-to-use, comfortable, and highly portable stabilization device that attaches to the base of the magazine and allows the user to steady his rifle on rough terrain while also providing the user with the flexibility to freely adjust his aim on different downfield targets.
The present invention comprises a device that attaches to the bottom of a rifle or pistol magazine to provide stability and support while in use.
One embodiment comprises a front wall, a bottom, opposing side walls with grooves, and an open top end, which collectively form a pocket operable to receive and lock in place an ammunition magazine. For this embodiment, each groove is operable to receive the base of a typical ammunition magazine.
A second embodiment comprises a front wall, a back wall, a bottom, and opposing side walls, which collectively form a pocket operable to receive a bottom portion of an ammunition magazine. In order to allow the magazine to be inserted into the pocket and for the device to retain a secure hold on the magazine, it is anticipated that the walls of the device be manufactured using materials with elastic properties.
For both embodiments, the bottom of the device is preferably curved and may include a tread pattern to improve traction and stabilization while in use.
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The preferred embodiment of the device preferably has a curved bottom 90, as shown in the figures. The curved bottom 90 of the device allows the rifle to be stabilized on any terrain, while also giving the rifle user the flexibility to freely adjust his aim to account for multiple or moving downfield targets. Additionally, when the magazine 60 is installed, it is customary for the user to secure the magazine 60 into the rifle or pistol by forcefully slapping the base 80 of the magazine 60, usually with the open palm of his or her hand. By making the bottom 20 of the device curved 90, it provides a pleasant surface for the user's hand during this process.
Additionally, the bottom 20 surface may further comprise a tread pattern 100 to further increase stability and traction between the device and the external terrain.
This device is primarily manufactured using rigid polymers or plastics through the process of injection molding, however, other known processes and materials of similar properties can be used to give the device its rigid shape.
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Another embodiment of the present device is shown in
Similar to the other embodiment, the bottom 160 is preferably curved 200 and may include a tread pattern 210. The bottom 160 may be integrally formed with the walls to form a unitary piece or may be attached separately using an adhesive or other means of attachment known in the art. The bottom 160 is preferably manufactured using materials having properties that are slip-resistant and rigid or semi-rigid, e.g. synthetic or natural rubbers and polymers.
For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference has been made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings, and specific language has been used to describe these embodiments. However, this specific language intends no limitation of the scope of the invention, and the invention should be construed to encompass all embodiments that would normally occur to one of ordinary skill in the art. The particular implementations shown and described herein are illustrative examples of the invention and are not intended to otherwise limit the scope of the invention in any way. For the sake of brevity, conventional aspects of the system (and components of the individual operating components of the system) may not be described in detail. Furthermore, the connecting lines, or connectors shown in the various figures presented are intended to represent exemplary functional relationships and/or physical or logical couplings between the various elements. It should be noted that many alternative or additional functional relationships, physical connections or logical connections may be present in a practical device. Moreover, no item or component is essential to the practice of the invention unless the element is specifically described as “essential” or “critical”. Numerous modifications and adaptations will be readily apparent to those skilled in this art without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/720,017 filed Aug. 20, 2018. The entire contents of the above application are hereby incorporated by reference as though fully set forth herein.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62720017 | Aug 2018 | US |
