Patent Application
20160298926
The present invention relates to firearms, and more particularly to a detachable slot cover for a modular hand guard platform.
In the field of firearms, many of them currently employ handguards surrounding the barrel and positioned against or proximate the forward end of a receiver. The handguards typically provide for protection from dangerous areas of the firearm, as well as an improved grip and heat dissipation from the barrel of the firearm while also providing slots and/or rails for mounting accessories to the weapon. The handguards, despite allowing for some heat dissipation, may be unable to shield the user from heat radiating from the firearm. Therefore, there remains a need for a new and improved design for a protection cover to prevent the user from heat radiating from the firearm, and the protection cover is easy to attach to the firearm.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a slot cover to shield the user from heat radiating from a firearm having a modular hand guard mounting platform.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a slot cover that is easy to attach to a firearm with a modular hand guard mounting platform.
In one aspect, the present invention provides a slot cover, which may include a head portion and a bottom portion. The head portion has a top surface and a bottom surface, and the bottom portion extends downwardly from the bottom surface. In one embodiment, the front view of the slot cover is substantially π-shaped.
The bottom portion may include a pair of legs, extending from nearly a center portion of the bottom surface of the head portion, and a gap is formed between the legs. Each leg has a concave groove portion right underneath the bottom surface, a first surface connecting with the groove portion, and a second surface that is undercut and connecting with the first surface. It is noted that the first surface extends outwardly from the gap, while the second surface extends inwardly from the gap.
In an exemplary embodiment, the slot cover can be used in a Modular Locking System, M-LOK, which may include a plurality of slots, and the slot cover is configured to be inserted into each slot to shield the user from heat radiating from the firearm.
More specifically, the user can move the legs toward the gap to insert the slot cover into the slot. Since the legs can be slightly and elastically deformed, and the second surface is undercut and extends towards the gap, the second surface can be the first portion that can be inserted into the slot. The user can further insert the slot cover into the slot until the first surface starts to contact the edge of the slot. At this moment, about half of the bottom portion is in the slot, and the user can release the hands from the legs and push the slot cover all the way down to the slot. In one embodiment, the length of the head portion is slightly greater to the length of the slot, so the slot cover can fully cover the slot.
It is noted that when the slot cover is in the slot, each of the edge of the slot is disposed right at the concave groove portion to secure the slot cover. Furthermore, since the user slightly deform the legs when the slot cover is put into the slot, when the user's hand releases, the legs can be restored to their original positions, which forms a substantially reverse U-shaped unit, so it is unlikely to pull the slot cover out of the slot. It is also noted that a plurality of protrusions are formed on the top surface of the head portion to provide a better grip for the user.
The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of the presently exemplary device provided in accordance with aspects of the present invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be prepared or utilized. It is to be understood, rather, that the same or equivalent functions and components may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices and materials similar or equivalent to those described can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the exemplary methods, devices and materials are now described.
All publications mentioned are incorporated by reference for the purpose of describing and disclosing, for example, the designs and methodologies that are described in the publications that might be used in connection with the presently described invention. The publications listed or discussed above, below and throughout the text are provided solely for their disclosure prior to the filing date of the present application. Nothing herein is to be construed as an admission that the inventors are not entitled to antedate such disclosure by virtue of prior invention.
In order to further understand the goal, characteristics and effect of the present invention, a number of embodiments along with the drawings are illustrated as following:
In one aspect, referring to
The bottom portion 120 may include a pair of legs 122, extending from nearly a center portion of the bottom surface 114 of the head portion 110, and a gap is formed between the legs 122. Each leg 122 has a concave groove portion 1221 right underneath the bottom surface 114, a first surface 1222 connecting with the groove portion 1221, and a second surface 1223 that is undercut and connecting with the first surface 1222. It is noted that the first surface 1222 extends outwardly from the gap 123, while the second surface extends inwardly from the gap 123, as shown in
In an exemplary embodiment, the slot cover 100 can be used in a Modular Locking System, M-LOK, which is a system suitable for attachments of polymer products. Since polymer products are durable, cheap, and easy to manufacture, it becomes a good alternative to non-plastic firearm attachments. As shown in
More specifically, the user can move the legs 122 toward the gap 123 to insert the slot cover 100 into the slot 220. Since the legs 122 can be slightly and elastically deformed, and the second surface 1222 is undercut and extends towards the gap 123, the second surface 1222 can be the first portion that can be inserted into the slot 220. The user can further insert the slot cover 100 into the slot 220 until the first surface starts to contact the edge 222 of the slot 220. At this moment, about half of the bottom portion 120 is in the slot 220, and the user can release the hands from the legs 122 and push the slot cover 100 all the way down to the slot 220. In one embodiment, the length of the head portion 110 is slightly greater to the length of the slot 220, so the slot cover 100 can fully cover the slot 220.
It is noted that when the slot cover 100 is in the slot 220, each of the edge 222 of the slot 220 is disposed right at the concave groove portion 1221 to secure the slot cover 100. Furthermore, since the user slightly deform the legs 122 when the slot cover 100 is put into the slot 220, when the user's hand releases, the legs can be restored to their original positions, which forms a substantially reverse U-shaped unit, so it is unlikely to pull the slot cover 100 out of the slot 200. It is also noted that the a plurality of protrusions 116 are formed on the top surface 112 of the head portion 110 to provide a better grip for the user.
Having described the invention by the description and illustrations above, it should be understood that these are exemplary of the invention and are not to be considered as limiting. Accordingly, the invention is not to be considered as limited by the foregoing description, but includes any equivalents.
This application is a continuous-in-part (CIP) application of Ser. No. 14/500,855, filed on Sep. 29, 2014 now pending, which is incorporated herein by reference.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 14500855 | Sep 2014 | US |
| Child | 15186303 | US |
