Patent Application
20250085088
This disclosure is directed to targeting sights, and, more particularly, to a mounting system for targeting sights.
Reflex type gun sights, also commonly referred to as red-dot sights, provide a shooter a quick and easy way to sight a target compared to conventional iron sights. Reflex sights are optical sights that include a partially reflecting element on which an aiming light or target is projected. An LED or other light emitter is commonly used as the light source. When the emitter generates its light signal, the projected light reflects from the reflecting element of the reflex sight, such as a lens or other optic, and the reflection is seen by the shooter as being superimposed on the target or field of view. This reflection is referred to as a Point of Aim (PoA). In operation, the shooter then aligns the target to the PoA to accurately aim the firearm at the target.
Modern reflex sights are typically secured to a mounting plate, which is a part separate from the reflex sight and the firearm itself. This mounting plate, in turn, is affixed to the firearm. On a pistol, typically the mounting plate is secured to the slide. Thus, the mounting plate is secured to the slide, and then the reflex sight is secured to the mounting plate. Since the slide moves relative to the pistol frame when a cartridge is loaded into the pistol firing chamber, the slide incurs a relatively large amount of movement during repetitive use. This repetitive movement can cause the mounting plate to become loose or dislodged, which then causes the reflex site to no longer be securely mounted to the firearm. When a reflex sight is not securely mounted, the reflex sight may also move while the firearm is in use, which, in turn, may move the PoA during use and diminish the performance of the reflex sight.
Embodiments of the invention address these and other limitations of present sights.
Embodiments disclosed herein include a target sight that may be positioned directly on a pistol slide and secured in place, without the use of a mounting plate. In embodiments, the target sight interfaces with the pistol slide via multiple points of contact, securing the target sight in a mounting position and preventing loosening or dislodging of the target sight while the firearm is in use.
As seen in
Although the embodiments illustrated herein show the accessory mounted to a pistol slide, the accessory may be mounted to any type of firearm.
The iron sight 130 may sit in a recess 122, which accepts a mating surface of the iron sight 130, further increasing surface area to distribute the clamping force caused by the fastening screw 140 over a rear landing 98 of the slide 80. As discussed, embodiments that do not include the iron sight 130 may instead include a special nut or other threaded receiver that may sit in the recess 122. In other words, in some embodiments, the iron sight 130 includes a threaded receiver, but this threaded receiver function may be provided by another device and need not strictly be included within the iron sight.
In some embodiments, the target sight 100 includes more than one index pin. As illustrated in
In some embodiments, the target sight 100 includes four points of contact to the receiving portion 82 to securely mount the target sight 100 to the slide 80. The first of these contact points is the front lip 110, which is received by the mating slot 86, and the second and third of these contact points are the index pins 112, 114, which are respectively received by the index holes 92, 94. Finally, the fastening screw 140 securely clamps the target sight 100 to the receiving portion 82 of the slide 80, serving as the fourth contact point. These multiple points of contact work in cooperation to provide mechanical engagement of the target sight 100 to the slide 80 at multiple locations on the target sight 100, maintaining the target sight 100 in its mounting position while the firearm is in use.
In other embodiments, more or fewer contact points may be used. For example, the target sight 100 may include additional index pins in various arrangements, and the receiving portion 82 of the slide 80 may include additional index holes to accept such pins.
The previously described versions of the disclosed subject matter have many advantages that were either described or would be apparent to a person of ordinary skill. Even so, all of these advantages or features are not required in all versions of the disclosed apparatus, systems, or methods. All features disclosed in the specification, and all the steps in any method or process disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive. Each feature disclosed can be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent, or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise.
Additionally, this written description makes reference to particular features. It is to be understood that the disclosure in this specification includes all possible combinations of those particular features. For example, where a particular feature is disclosed in the context of a particular aspect or embodiment, that feature can also be used, to the extent possible, in the context of other aspects and embodiments.
Also, when reference is made in this application to a method having two or more defined steps or operations, the defined steps or operations can be carried out in any order or simultaneously, unless the context excludes those possibilities.
Furthermore, the term “comprises” and its grammatical equivalents are used in this application to mean that other components, features, steps, processes, operations, etc. are optionally present. For example, an article “comprising” or “which comprises” components A, B, and C can contain only components A, B, and C, or it can contain components A, B, and C along with one or more other components.
Also, directions such as “vertical,” “horizontal,” “right,” “left,” “upward,” and “downward” are used for convenience and in reference to the views provided in figures. But the target sight and components thereof may have a number of orientations in actual use. Thus, a feature that is vertical, horizontal, to the right, or to the left in the figures may not have that same orientation or direction in actual use.
This application is a continuation of co-pending U.S. non-provisional patent application Ser. No. 18/078,780, entitled “TARGET SIGHT MOUNT,” filed Dec. 9, 2022, which claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application No. 63/287,875, entitled “TARGET SIGHT MOUNT,” filed Dec. 9, 2021, the disclosures of both of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63287875 | Dec 2021 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 18078780 | Dec 2022 | US |
| Child | 18962864 | US |
