Patent Application
20220341708
The present invention relates to laser accessory devices for firearms or other weapons and modular safety cover systems for such laser accessory devices.
In embodiments, a laser accessory device comprises a housing having a front side having a port, a rear side opposite the front side, a left side, a right side opposite the left side, a top side, and a bottom side opposite the top side. One or more laser emitters are disposed within the housing and are configured to emit a beam through the port. A first cover assembly is positioned on the front side and includes a first safety cover and a first frame securing the first safety cover to the housing. The first safety cover is movable between a closed position covering the port and an open position not covering the port.
In a more limited aspect, the first safety cover juts out beyond the front side to form a visor above the port when the first safety cover is in the open position.
In another more limited aspect, the first safety cover is stowed on the housing when the first safety cover is in the open position.
In yet another more limited aspect, the first safety cover is stowed on the top side of the housing when the first safety cover is in the open position.
In still another more limited aspect, the first cover assembly is removable from the housing, and the laser accessory device further comprises a second cover assembly for positioning on the front side in place of the first cover assembly. The second cover assembly includes a second safety cover and a second frame for securing the second safety cover to the housing, the second safety cover being movable between a closed position covering the port and an open position not covering the port.
In yet another more limited aspect, the first safety cover juts out beyond the front side to form a visor above the port when the first cover assembly is attached to the housing and the first safety cover is in the open position, and the second safety cover is stowed on the top side of the housing when the second cover assembly is attached to the housing and the second safety cover is in the open position.
In yet another more limited aspect, the one or more laser emitters comprises one or more laser diodes.
In yet another more limited aspect, the laser accessory device further comprises a power supply received within the housing and operably connected to the laser diode for energizing the one or more laser emitters.
In yet another more limited aspect, the power supply comprises a battery disposed within a battery compartment in the housing.
In yet another more limited aspect, the laser accessory device further comprises a battery compartment cover configured to releasably cover the battery compartment.
In yet another more limited aspect, the bottom side comprises a clamp for coupling the laser accessory device to a weapon accessory rail.
In yet another more limited aspect, the laser accessory device further comprises one or more activation switches on the top side which are configured to operate the one or more laser emitters.
In yet another more limited aspect, the one or more laser emitters comprises one or more aiming lasers, one or more illumination lasers, or a combination thereof.
In yet another more limited aspect, the one or more laser emitters includes multiple laser emitters.
In yet another more limited aspect, each of the one or more laser emitters emits at one or more wavelengths within a spectrum selected from the group consisting of ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectra.
In yet another more limited aspect, the one or more laser emitters comprise one or more of a visible light laser for aiming, a visible light laser for illumination, an infrared light laser for aiming, and an infrared light laser for illumination.
In yet another more limited aspect, the first cover assembly is configured to block laser beam emissions from the one or more laser emitters when the first safety cover is in the closed position.
In yet another more limited aspect, the first cover assembly is configured to attenuate laser beam emission intensity from the one or more laser emitters when the first safety cover is in the closed position.
The invention may take form in various components and arrangements of components, and in various steps and arrangements of steps. The drawings are only for purposes of illustrating preferred embodiments and are not to be construed as limiting the invention.
Firearms and other weapon systems commonly utilize laser emitters for a number of purposes. For example, aiming lasers having one or more laser emitters bore-sighted to the barrel of a firearm or other weapon are used as weapon sights for aiming the weapon. Similarly, laser illuminators emit a beam to illuminate a target area and are often paired with aiming lasers. Laser emitters are also used to mark or designate enemy targets to pinpoint the location of enemy targets and reduce the chance that friendly forces are mistaken as an enemy target. Commonly, laser accessory devices will employ a lens cap or cover to cover the laser emitters when the unit is not in use, e.g., to keep the laser lenses clean and/or dry as well as preventing accidental laser emissions. The present development contemplates a new and improved cover system for laser accessory devices.
Referring now to the drawings,
As used herein, terms denoting direction or orientation, such as left, right, front, rear, upper, lower, horizontal, vertical, etc., refer to the orientation of the units 10, 100, and 200 as they appear in the drawings, wherein the laser lens port 14 is considered to be disposed on the front of the unit 10, the controls as described below are considered to be disposed on the top of the unit 10, and the rail grabber assembly 18 is considered to be disposed on the bottom of the unit 10.
The terms “a” or “an,” as used herein, are defined as one or more than one. The term “another,” as used herein, is defined as at least a second or more. The terms “including” and/or “having” as used herein, are defined as comprising (i.e., open transition). The term “coupled” or “operatively coupled,” as used herein, is defined as indirectly or directly connected. All numbers herein are assumed to be modified by the term “about,” unless stated otherwise. The recitation of numerical ranges by endpoints includes all numbers subsumed within that range (e.g., 1 to 5 includes 1, 1.5, 2, 2.75, 3, 3.80, 4, and 5).
In certain embodiments, the operational mode of the unit 10 is selected via a mode selection knob 22 and a keypad 24 comprising one or more buttons or keys 26a, 26b, and 26c, are provided to control various functions and parameters of the unit 10, including laser power intensity level and others. In certain embodiments, a display 28 is disposed on a rearward facing end of the housing 12 to provide output to the user in human-viewable form. A battery compartment 30 houses one or more batteries 34 for providing electrical power for the unit 10. A battery compartment cover 38 provides access to the battery compartment 30. In certain embodiments, the laser accessory device may be a RAID-X™ aiming/illumination device available from Wilcox Industries Corp. of Newington, N.H. However, it will be recognized that the modular cover system herein may be adapted for other laser accessory devices.
With respect to
Each of the arms 112 further includes a downward extending portion 128 having a generally vertical, internally threaded opening 132. The arms 112 and downward extending portion 128 are received in complementary recess features 50 and 52, respectively, on the front surface of the housing 12 to provide a secure, keyed retention of the frame 104 on the housing 12. The frame 104 includes sealing members 184 along the top and bottom edges to provide a sealing interference between the frame 104 and the housing 12 to keep moisture and other environmental contamination away from the laser port 14.
The first interchangeable cover assembly 100 further includes a safety cover in the form of a visor 136 pivotally attached to the frame 104. The visor 136 includes a front plate 140 and a pair of ears 144 extending in the rearward direction on opposite transverse sides of the front plate 140. Each of the ears 144 has a transversely extending blind hole or bore 148 on the inward side thereof. Each bore 148, in turn, further includes a counterbore 152 disposed on an inward surface of the respective ear 144. Each counterbore 152 has a diameter and depth to receive the respective boss 124. Each of the ears 144 further include a curved channel or groove 156. Each curved channel 156, in turn, has a first blind hole or bore 160 at a first end thereof and a second blind hole or bore 164 at a second end thereof.
In certain embodiments, the safety cover 136 is formed of a material that blocks laser emissions. In alternative embodiments, the safety cover 136 may be formed of a material that reduces the intensity of the laser emissions to a level that is generally considered eye-safe.
To assemble the visor 136 to the visor frame 104, the frame is positioned between the ears 144 and the boss 124 is received within the counterbore 152. In certain embodiments, the visor 136 and/or the visor frame 104 are formed of a flexible or resilient material for ease of assembly. In certain embodiments, the visor 136 and visor frame 104 are formed of a polymer material or a polymer/fiber composite material. Each pivot pin 120 is passed through the respective opening 116 and into the blind bore 148.
To assemble the visor assembly 100 to the housing 12, pivot stop screws 168 are removably threaded into complementary threaded openings 32 on opposite sides of the housing 12. Each of the pivot stop screws 168 includes a head portion 172 which protrudes from the adjacent side surface 36 of the housing 12. In certain embodiments, each opening 32 includes a counter bore 40 having a diameter and depth to receive a portion of the head portion 172.
The visor assembly 100 is then placed over the front end of the housing 12 until each head portion 172 is received in the respective curved channel 156. In certain embodiments, the visor assembly 100 components are formed of flexible or resilient materials to allow the visor assembly 100 to flex or deform slightly to aid in positioning the head portions 172 in the grooves 156. First and second threaded fasteners 54 are then passed through respective openings 44 in the housing 12 and removably engage a respective one of the threaded openings 132 on the visor frame 104.
In operation, when the visor 136 is in the closed position (see
When the visor 136 is in the open position (see
When it is desired to remove the visor assembly 100, the threaded fasteners 54 are removed that the visor assembly is manually removed by disengaging the head portions 172 from the grooves 156. The pivot stop screws 168 may also be removed from the housing 12 when the visor assembly 100 is not in use.
With reference now to
Each of the arms 212 further includes a first protrusion 214 which is complementary with the recess feature 50 on the housing 12 for providing a secure, keyed retention of the frame 204 on the housing 12. Each of the arms 212 also includes a second protrusion 228 having a generally vertical, internally threaded opening 232. The second protrusion 228 is received in the complementary recess feature 52 on the front surface of the housing 12 to additionally provide a secure, keyed retention of the frame 204 on the housing 12. The frame 204 includes sealing members 284 along the top and bottom edges to provide a sealing interference between the frame 204 and the housing 12 to keep moisture and other environmental contamination away from the laser port 14.
The second interchangeable cover assembly 200 further includes a safety cover 236 pivotally attached to the frame 204. The cover 236 includes a front cover panel 240 and a pair of ears 244 extending in the rearward direction on opposite transverse sides of the front panel 240. The front panel 240 is complementary with and covers the laser port 14 when in the closed position. Each of the ears 244 has an aperture 248 configured to receive the boss 224 therein. In certain embodiments, the safety cover 236 is formed of a material that blocks laser emissions. In alternative embodiments, the safety cover 236 may be formed of a material that reduces the intensity of the laser emissions to a level that is generally considered eye-safe.
To assemble the safety cover 236 to the frame 204, the frame 204 is positioned between the ears 244 and each boss 224 is received within a respective opening 248. In certain embodiments, the frame 204 is formed of a flexible or resilient material such as a molded plastic material and the safety cover 236 is formed of a rubber or other elastomeric material, such as a natural or synthetic rubber material. The post 226 of each pivot cap 220 is received in the respective noncircular counterbore 222. Threaded fasteners 210 pass through the holes 216 and threadably engage internal threads within a central opening 234 in the respective posts 226. In certain embodiments, the fasteners 210 are flathead screws having a head portion 238 which is received in the countersink 218 so that each of the head portions 238 is flush with the inward facing surface of the respective arm 212.
To assemble the cover assembly 200 to the housing 12, the cover assembly 200 is placed over the front end of the housing 12 until the protrusions 214 and 228 engage the respective complementary recesses 50 and 52 on the housing 112. First and second threaded fasteners 54 are then passed through respective openings 44 in the housing 12 and removably engage a respective one of the threaded openings 232 on the frame 204.
When it is desired to remove the safety cover assembly 200 from the unit 10, the threaded fasteners 54 are removed and the safety cover assembly 200 is manually removed by disengaging the protrusions 214, 228 from the respective recesses 50, 52.
The invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. Modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of the preceding detailed description. It is intended that the invention be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalents thereof
This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 63/179,732 filed Apr. 26, 2021. The aforementioned application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63179732 | Apr 2021 | US |
