Patent Application
20240410672
The present invention relates to pistol frames and, more particularly, to an ergonomic pistol frame incorporating a striker fire trigger system.
Firearms are important tools for many people around the world, and as such much time and energy has been put into making firearms efficient and comfortable for people to use. One field of firearm use where comfort and efficiency is particularly prized is in shooting sports. When participating in shooting sports, the firing efficiency of a firearm and comfort of the grip of the firearm are particularly important in ensuring a person performs at their best. A more efficient firing mechanism and more comfortable and secure grip can make the difference between winning and losing a competition.
One firing mechanism prized for its efficiency is a striker fire trigger system. The simplicity and compactness of a striker fire trigger system generally provides a more consistent and lighter trigger pull that allows a competitive shooter to stay on more easily stay on target over extended periods of time. Further, ergonomic grips have been developed to give individuals a more comfortable and secure grip on the firearm, thereby improving the person's ability to predictably and consistently grip and fire a firearm over extended periods of time. However, current firearms do not provide striker fire trigger systems or ergonomic grips in a single package, and do not allow for further customization of the firearm. Thus, current firearms provide limited customization that cannot fully meet the needs of manner people handling firearms.
As can be seen there is a need for a firearm system that provides an ergonomic firearm frame and striker firing trigger system in one package, while also providing customization to better meet the needs of the person using the firearm. The present invention solves this problem by providing a firearm system with an ergonomic frame and grip that utilizes a striker fired trigger system and is compatible with other commercially available products to allow for full customization of the firearm system to meet the needs of a user. The present invention thus provides a simple, efficient, and customizable ergonomic pistol frame that can be easily adapted to accommodate a person's preferences and needs.
In one aspect of the present invention, an ergonomic pistol frame comprises a barrel receiving portion integrally formed with a grip portion and a trigger guard. The barrel receiving portion and grip portion are configured to receive and retain a firing mechanism comprising a striker and a trigger. The firing mechanism is formed such that the trigger is arranged to release the striker from a cocked position when the trigger is in a pulled position, and the trigger resets the striker into a cocked position when the trigger is in a resting position.
In another aspect of the invention, the grip portion includes a cavity configured to receive a magazine. A magazine catch is inserted through at least one magazine catch hole in the grip portion adjacent to a junction of the trigger guard and grip portion. The magazine catch comprises a middle portion, a first catch end with a first catch lobe, and a second catch end with a second catch lobe. The at least one magazine catch hole in the grip portion is shaped and sized to substantially match the shape and size of the first and second catch ends and first and second catch lobes. The first catch end includes a first catch end hole and the first catch lobe includes a first catch lobe hole. Further, a magazine catch ledge extends between the middle portion and the second catch lobe. The magazine catch also comprises a first spring hole and a first spring slot formed in a middle portion of the magazine catch.
In another aspect of the invention a catch spring is inserted into the magazine catch through the barrel receiving portion when the magazine catch is inserted into the at least one magazine catch hole in the grip portion. The catch spring comprises a substantially p-shaped wire spring having a first wire end and a second wire end, with the first wire end being proximal to the second wire end. The first end of the p-shaped wire spring is inserted through the first spring hole of the magazine catch and the second end of the p-shaped wire spring is inserted through the first spring slot.
In another aspect of the invention a magazine may be inserted into the magazine cavity within the grip portion, whereupon the catch spring and magazine catch cooperate to retain the magazine within the grip portion. The catch spring biases the magazine catch and magazine catch ledge against the magazine, thereby retaining the magazine within the grip portion. The catch spring further biases the magazine catch such that at least a portion of the magazine catch adjacent the first end remains outside of the catch hole. The catch spring and magazine catch also cooperate to release the magazine from within the grip portion when the exposed first end of the magazine catch is pressed further into the at least one magazine catch hole.
In another aspect of the invention, the barrel receiving portion includes at least one thumb rest formed proximal to the trigger guard. The at least one thumb rest may be formed as a ledge extending away from a recess in the barrel receiving portion. Further, the at least one thumb rest may comprise two ledges on opposing sides of the barrel receiving portion.
In another aspect of the invention, the grip portion may include at least one weight cavity configured to receive a weight insert to match a desired weight balance of a user. The at least one weight cavity may be formed in a middle rear portion and/or lower rear portion of the grip portion. Further the at least one weight cavity may be formed behind and adjacent to the magazine cavity within the grip portion. The at least one weight cavity may comprise two cavities, with one of the cavities being rectangular in cross-section and the other cavity being triangular cross-section.
These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description, and claims.
The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.
Broadly, one embodiment of the present invention is an ergonomic pistol frame that incorporates a striker fire trigger system. The ergonomic pistol frame comprises a barrel receiving portion integrally formed with a grip portion and a trigger guard. The barrel receiving portion and grip portion are configured to receive and retain a firing mechanism comprising a striker and a trigger. The grip portion includes a cavity configured to receive and hold a magazine with a magazine catch and associated catch spring. The magazine catch sized and shaped to at least partially rest within a magazine catch hole in the grip portion. The magazine catch is held in a biased position within the magazine catch hole such that at least a first end of the magazine catch is exposed and outside of the magazine catch hole. The magazine catch may thus be pressed to release a magazine held within a magazine cavity in the grip portion.
Further, the barrel receiving portion may include at least one thumb rest formed proximal to the trigger guard. The at least one thumb rest may be formed as a ledge extending away from a recess in the barrel receiving portion. Additionally, the grip portion may include at least one weight cavity configured to receive a weight insert to match a desired weight balance of a user. The at least one weight cavity may be formed in a middle rear portion and/or lower rear portion of the grip portion, behind and adjacent to the magazine cavity within the grip portion. The at least one weight cavity may comprise two cavities, with one of the two cavities being rectangular in cross-section and the other cavity being triangular cross-section.
Thus, the present invention is able to provide a simple, efficient, and customizable ergonomic pistol frame that can be easily adapted to accommodate a person's preferences and needs. The present invention provides people with a previously unavailable combination of a simple and reliable striker trigger fire mechanism with a fully ergonomic and customizable pistol frame that allows for more efficient and comfortable shooting.
It should be noted that the material of manufacture for the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, the barrel receiving portion may be formed of aluminum, steel, an alloyed metal, hard polymers, or other materials suitable known to be suitable for firearm construction.
Further, it should be noted that the method of manufacture for the present invention is not particularly limited. For example, the barrel receiving portion may be formed by CNC milling, machining, stamping, casting, molding, sintering, additive manufacturing, or other methods known to be suitable for forming firearm components.
Referring to
The grip portion 12A, 12B is set at an obtuse angle relative to the barrel receiving portion 14 and includes a magazine cavity configured to receive a magazine. To ensure that a user may securely hold the grip portion 12A, 12B, a grip surface 12B may be included on front and rear faces of the grip portion 12A, 12B. For example, the grip surface 12B may include knurling to ensure a user has a secure hold on the grip portion 12A, 12B. The grip portion 12A, 12B may also include an ergonomic scallop on an upper rear face of the grip portion 12A, 12B, with the scallop forming a junction between the grip portion 12A, 12B and the barrel receiving portion 14. The ergonomic scallop may be set at an obtuse angle relative to a rear grip surface 12B of the grip portion 12A, 12B to ensure a more comfortable and ergonomic fit for the user.
The grip portion 12A, 12B may also include weight cavities. The weight cavities may be formed behind the magazine cavity and in a middle rear portion and/or lower rear portion of the grip portion 12A, 12B. The weight cavities may be formed in a variety of shapes and sizes to accommodate pistol grip weights. For example, the weight cavities may be rectangular, triangular, or circular, among other cross-sectional shapes.
A magazine catch 20B is inserted through magazine catch holes formed in opposing sides of the grip portion 12A, 12B adjacent to a junction of the trigger guard and grip portion 12A, 12B. The magazine catch comprises a middle portion, a first catch end with a first catch lobe, and a second catch end with a second catch lobe. The magazine catch holes in the grip portion 12A, 12B are shaped and sized to substantially match the shape and size of the first and second catch ends and first and second catch lobes. The first catch end includes a first catch end hole and the first catch lobe includes a first catch lobe hole. Further, a magazine catch ledge extends between the middle portion and the second catch lobe. The magazine catch 20B also comprises a first spring hole and a first spring slot formed in a middle portion of the magazine catch.
A catch spring 20A is inserted into the magazine catch 20B through the barrel receiving portion 14 when the magazine catch 20B is inserted into the at least one magazine catch hole in the grip portion 12A, 12B. The catch spring 20A comprises a substantially p-shaped wire spring having a first wire end and a second wire end, with the first wire end being proximal to the second wire end. The first end of the p-shaped wire spring is inserted through the first spring hole of the magazine catch 20B and the second end of the p-shaped wire spring is inserted through the first spring slot of the magazine catch 20B.
During operation of the striker fire pistol 12, a magazine may be inserted into the magazine cavity within the grip portion 12A, 12B, whereupon the catch spring 20A and magazine catch 20B cooperate to retain the magazine within the grip portion 12A, 12B. The catch spring 20A biases the magazine catch 20B and magazine catch ledge against the magazine, thereby retaining the magazine within the grip portion 12A, 12B. The catch spring 20A further biases the magazine catch 20B such that at least a portion of the magazine catch 20B adjacent the first catch end remains outside of the catch hole, as best seen in
The barrel receiving portion 14 also includes thumb rests formed proximal to the trigger guard. Each thumb rest may be formed as a ledge extending away from a recess in the barrel receiving portion 14. Further, the thumb rests may be located on opposing sides of the barrel receiving portion 14. The thumb rests thus allow a user to mitigate recoil by providing a location on the ergonomic pistol frame 10 where the user can place their thumbs to prevent the ergonomic pistol frame 10 from rising during firing.
Thus, the present invention is able to provide a simple, efficient, and customizable ergonomic pistol frame that can be easily adapted to accommodate a person's preferences and needs. The present invention is adapted to accommodate a variety of ammunition types and sizes and allow the ergonomics of the frame to be adjusted to the preferences of the user, such as with adjustable weight placement. Further, while the present invention is primarily discussed as using a striker fire trigger system, the present invention may be adapted to accommodate other trigger firing mechanisms to meet the preferences of the user. The present invention therefore provides people with a previously unavailable combination of a simple and reliable striker trigger fire mechanism with a fully ergonomic and customizable pistol frame that allows for more efficient and comfortable shooting.
It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.
