Patent Grant
12117262
The present disclosure relates generally to a handgun improvement device, and more particularly to a pivotable thumbrest for a handgun.
A handgun generally includes standard handgun components, including, but not limited to, a handgun frame, a handgun barrel, a handgun grip, and a handgun trigger. In order to fire the handgun, a shooter generally applies a trigger hand about the handgun grip, placing and wrapping a finger of the trigger hand around the handgun trigger to pull the handgun trigger, thereby firing the handgun. The shooter generally applies a non-trigger hand to a lateral side of the handgun frame, in order to stabilize and control the handgun, when the handgun is fired by the shooter. This is accomplished by wrapping the non-trigger hand about an opposite side of the trigger hand applied about the handgun grip, and placing, or resting, a thumb of the non-trigger hand against the lateral side of the handgun frame. Wrapping the non-trigger hand about the opposite side of the trigger hand, which is applied about the handgrip, may form a two-handed grip of the handgun. In a conventional model of the handgun, however, the lateral side of the handgun frame generally does not include a component capable of receiving the thumb of the shooter's non-trigger hand, on which the shooter may securely apply the thumb of the non-trigger hand to the lateral side of the handgun frame during the firing of the handgun.
To aid in a placement of the thumb of the non-trigger hand, a thumbrest, or thumbgrip, may be removably or permanently connected, affixed, mounted, or otherwise attached to the lateral side of the handgun frame. The thumbrest may enable the shooter to place and rest the thumb of the non-trigger hand, such that the non-trigger hand is wrapped about the opposite side of the trigger hand and along the lateral side of the handgun frame. In applying a force through the thumb of the non-trigger hand against the thumbrest, the shooter may exert greater control and grip of the handgun. By applying the force through the thumb of the non-trigger hand against the thumbrest, the shooter may reduce recoil caused by firing the handgun. By reducing the recoil, the shooter may more easily return the handgun to a desired aiming orientation after firing and may more quickly re-acquire the aiming orientation so as to fire the handgun at an intended target.
While the thumbrest provides the foregoing advantages, there are a number of drawbacks associated with current models of the thumbrest, including at least the following limitations specified herein. Current models of the thumbrest require fabrication, alteration, or modification of a handgun holster, so that the handgun holster may accommodate the thumbrest. The handgun holster is generally developed to retain a particular model of the handgun; as such, incorporation of the thumbrest on the lateral side of the handgun frame often causes issues with withdrawal of the handgun from the handgun holster and insertion of the handgun into the handgun holster. Where the thumbrest has been incorporated onto the lateral side of the handgun frame, the thumbrest may protrude from the handgun, such that the thumbrest prohibits insertion into the handgun holster or withdrawal from the handgun holster. In some instances, completely open holsters must be utilized which are generally only practical for competition events.
In addition to drawbacks associated with the handgun holster, current models of the thumbrest do not have pivotability or movability; as such, the thumbrest, which receives the thumb of the non-trigger hand of the shooter, remains in a fixed position. Despite the advantages of the thumbrest with regard to control and recoil reduction, the shooter may not desire to use the thumbrest while firing the handgun. To avoid placement of the thumb of the non-trigger hand against the thumbrest, the shooter is confronted with at least two options: remove the thumbrest from the lateral side of the handgun frame or place the thumb of the non-trigger hand in an unconventional position along the handgun frame.
Thus, current models of the thumbrest present at least the following problems: the thumbrest may protrude from the hanging, prohibiting the shooter from inserting the handgun into the handgun holster or withdrawing the handgun from the handgun holster; the thumbrest remains in a fixed position, depriving the shooter of a choice as to whether the shooter should place the thumb of the non-trigger hand against the thumbrest, or alternatively, place the thumb of the non-trigger hand in a free position along the handgun frame. Thus, there is a need to provide a model of the thumbrest that overcomes the foregoing limitations.
The present disclosure provides a novel improvement device for a handgun. Specifically, the present disclosure provides a novel thumbrest for the handgun.
In light of the drawbacks of current models of a thumbrest, it would be desirable to provide a model of a thumbrest to overcome the limitations. The present disclosure provides a pivotable, or movable, thumbrest, wherein the pivotable thumbrest may pivot from a collapsed position, wherein the thumbrest is positioned adjacent to or alongside a lateral side of a handgun frame, to an extended position, wherein the thumbrest is positioned away from the lateral side of the handgun frame, such that a shooter may apply a thumb of a non-trigger hand against the thumbrest. The pivotable thumbrest enables the shooter not only to exert greater control over a handgun when the handgun is fired, but also would permit the shooter to insert the handgun into a handgun holster, without obstruction of the thumbrest and without the need to substantially modify or fabricate the handgun holster so that the handgun holster could accommodate or receive the handgun having the thumbrest.
In the context of a handgun, the handgun may include a handgun frame, a handgun grip, and a thumb support. The handgun frame may be defined as an exterior surface of the handgun. The handgrip may be attached to the handgun frame and may be configured to be gripped by a trigger hand of a shooter. The handgun frame may support the thumb support at a position adjacent to a lateral side of the handgun frame, the lateral side of the handgun frame opposite from a side where the shooter places the trigger hand. The thumb support may be pivotable relative to the handgun frame, pivoting between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support may be folded up adjacent to, or in contact with, the lateral side of the handgun frame, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support may be pivoted away from the lateral side of the handgun frame. In the extended position, the thumb support may be configured such that a thumb of the non-trigger hand of the shooter may engage the thumb support, where the shooter applies a two-handed grip of the handgun.
In the context of a thumbrest for a handgun, the thumbrest may include a thumb support, a support base, and an elongated support member. The elongated support member, having a longitudinal axis, may be configured to replace a removable component of the handgun. The support base, being generally planar, may be fixed to an end of the elongated support member such that the support base extends generally orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the elongated support member. The thumb support may be pivotable relative to the support base, pivoting between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support may be folded up adjacent to, or in contact with, the support base, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support may be pivoted away from the support base.
In the context of a thumbrest for a handgun, the thumbrest may include a thumb support, a support base, a spring, and a stop structure. The support base may be configured for mounting or connection to the handgun. The thumb support may be pivotally attached to the support base, pivoting between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support may be folded up adjacent to, or in contact with, the support base, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support may be pivoted away from the support base. The spring may be configured to bias the thumb support toward the extended position, wherein the thumb support may be pivoted away from the support base. The stop structure may be configured to limit pivotal movement of the thumb support, such that liming pivotal movement of the thumb support defines the extended position.
In one particular and exemplary optional embodiment, a handgun is provided, wherein the handgun comprises a handgun frame, a handgun grip, and a thumb support. The handgun grip is attached to the handgun frame and the handgun grip is configured to be gripped by a trigger hand of a shooter. The thumb support is supported from the handgun frame adjacent to a lateral side of the handgun frame opposite from the trigger hand of the shooter. The thumb support is pivotable relative to the handgun frame between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support is folded up adjacent to the lateral side of the handgun frame, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support is pivoted away from the lateral side of the handgun frame. Further, the thumb support is configured in the extended position to be engaged by a thumb of a non-trigger hand of the shooter in a two-handed grip of the handgun.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, where the thumb support is in the collapsed position, the thumb support may be in a range of 0 degrees to 10 degrees, measured with respect to the lateral side of the handgun frame. And, where the thumb support is in the extended position, the thumb support may be in a range of 70 degrees to 100 degrees, measured with respect to the lateral side of the handgun frame.
In another embodiment, the handgun may further comprise a spring configured to bias the thumb support to the extended position. The handgun may further comprise a stop structure configured to limit pivotal movement of the thumb support to define the extended position.
In another embodiment, the handgun may further comprise a hinge, the hinge configured to allow pivotable movement of the thumb support relative to the handgun frame.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the hinge may be tilted forward relative to an axis defined by a barrel of the handgun, such that the thumb support tilts forward relative to the barrel axis when the thumb support pivots to the extended position.
In one particular and exemplary embodiment, a thumbrest for a handgun is provided, wherein the thumbrest comprises a thumb support, a support base, and an elongated support member. The elongated support member is configured to replace a removable component of the handgun, the elongated member having a longitudinal axis. The support base is fixed to an end of the elongated support member, the support base being generally planar and extending generally orthogonally to the longitudinal axis of the elongated support member. Further, the thumb support is pivotable relative to the support base between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support is folded up adjacent to the support base, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support is pivoted away from the support base.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the thumbrest may further comprise a spring and a stop structure, the spring configured to bias the thumb support toward the extended position, and the stop structure configured to limit pivotal movement of the thumb support to define the extended position.
In another embodiment, where the thumb support is in the collapsed position, the thumb support may be in a range of 0 degrees to 10 degrees, measured with respect to the support base. And, where the thumb support is in the extended position, the thumb support may be in a range of 70 degrees to 100 degrees, measured with respect to the support base.
In another embodiment, the thumbrest may further comprise a hinge, the hinge configured to allow pivotable movement of the thumb support relative to the support base.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the support base may include a sideplate extension extending substantially perpendicular relative to the longitudinal axis of the elongated support member, and the hinge may be tilted away from the sideplate extension, such that a pivot axis of the hinge forms an obtuse angle with the sideplate extension.
In another embodiment, the removable component of the handgun may be a slide lock, a disassembly lever, a takedown lever, an assembly, pin, or alternatively may be attached via attachment to the handgun's accessory rail. Alternatively, in some embodiments it could be attachable to various rails, channels, or attachment points of various firearms.
In another embodiment, the thumb support may be pivotable relative to the support base about a pivot axis. The thumb support may have a near edge and a far edge, the near edge proximate to the pivot axis and the far edge farther from the pivot axis than the near edge. The thumb support may include a raised lip along the far edge, and the support base may include a recess defined along an edge of the support base. The recessed edge may be configured to receive the raised lip when the thumb support pivots to the collapsed position.
In one particular and exemplary embodiment, a thumbrest for a handgun is provided, wherein the thumbrest comprises a thumb support, a support base, a spring, and a stop structure. The support base is configured for mounting to the handgun. The thumb support is pivotable relative to the support base between a collapsed position, wherein the thumb support is folded up adjacent to the support base, and an extended position, wherein the thumb support is pivoted away from the support base. The spring is configured to bias the thumb support toward the extended position, and the stop structure is configured to limit pivotable movement of the thumb support to define the extended position.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, where the thumb support is in the collapsed position, the thumb support may be in a range of 0 degrees to 10 degrees, measured with respect to the support base. And, where the thumb support is in the extended position, the thumb support may be in a range of 70 degrees to 100 degrees, measured with respect to the support base.
In another embodiment, the thumbrest may further comprise a hinge, the hinge configured to allow pivotable movement of the thumb support relative to the support base.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the support base may include a sideplate extension extending along a sideplate extension axis, and the hinge is titled away from the sideplate extension such that a pivot axis of the hinge forms an obtuse angle with the sideplate extension axis.
In another embodiment, the thumb support may be pivotable relative to the support base about a pivot axis. And, the thumb support may have a thumb support length parallel to the pivot axis and the support base may have a support base length parallel to the pivot axis, wherein the support base length is shorter than the thumb support length.
In one aspect according to the above-referenced embodiment, the thumb support may have a thumb support width perpendicular to the pivot axis and the support base may have a support base width perpendicular to the pivot axis, where the support base width is shorter than the thumb support width.
In another embodiment, the thumb support may be pivotable relative to the support base about a pivot axis. And the thumb support may have a thumb support width perpendicular to the pivot axis and the support base may have a support base width perpendicular to the pivot axis, where the support base width is shorter than the thumb support width.
In another embodiment, the thumb support may be pivotable relative to the support base about a pivot axis. The thumb support may have a near edge and a far edge, the near edge proximate to the pivot axis and the far edge farther from the pivot axis than the near edge. The thumb support may include a raised lip along the far edge, and the support base may include a recess defined along an edge of the support base. The recessed edge may be configured to receive the raised lip when the thumb support pivots to the collapsed position.
Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment be considered in all aspects as illustrative and not restrictive. Any headings utilized in the description are for convenience only and no legal or limiting effect. Numerous objects, features, and advantages of the embodiments set forth herein will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading of the following disclosure when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the present disclosure, one or more drawings of which are set forth herein. Each drawing is provided by way of explanation of the present disclosure and is not a limitation. In fact, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For instance, features illustrated or described as part of one embodiment can be used with another embodiment to yield a still further embodiment.
Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure covers such modifications and variations as come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents. Other objects, features, and aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in, or are obvious from, the following detailed description. It is to be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that the present discussion is a description of exemplary embodiments only and is not intended as limiting the broader aspects of the present disclosure.
The words “connected”, “attached”, “joined”, “mounted”, “fastened”, and the like, or any variation thereof, should be interpreted to mean any manner of joining two objects including, but not limited to, the use of any fasteners such as screws, nuts and bolts, bolts, pin and clevis, and the like allowing for a stationary, translatable, or pivotable relationship; welding of any kind such as traditional MIG welding, TIG welding, friction welding, brazing, soldering, ultrasonic welding, torch welding, inductive welding, and the like; using any resin, glue, epoxy, and the like; being integrally formed as a single part together; any mechanical fit such as a friction fit, interference fit, slidable fit, rotatable fit, pivotable fit, and the like; any combination thereof; and the like.
Unless specifically stated otherwise, any part of the apparatus of the present disclosure may be made of any appropriate or suitable material including, but not limited to, metal, alloy, polymer, polymer mixture, wood, composite, or any combination thereof.
Referring to
Referring to
In some embodiments, as depicted in
In some embodiments, as depicted in
In other embodiments, as depicted in
Referring to
The shooter 21 may apply the two-handed grip 28 of the handgun 10. In applying the two-handed grip 28 of the handgun 10, the shooter 21 grips the handgun grip 14 with the trigger hand 22. In gripping the handgun grip 14, the trigger hand 22 of the shooter 21 may pull or release the handgun trigger 18. The thumb support 102 may be pivoted to the extended position 40, such that the thumb support 102 may be engaged by the thumb 26 of the non-trigger hand 24 of the shooter 21. In engaging the thumb support 102 with the thumb 26 of the non-trigger hand 24, the shooter 21 may apply a force against the thumb support 102 through the thumb 26, thereby improving grip and reducing recoil of the handgun 10 when the shooter 21 fires the handgun 10.
In
In
In
Referring to
In some embodiments, the thumb support 102 may have a thumb support length 130 parallel to the pivot axis 32, and the support base 104 may have a support base length 132 parallel to the pivot axis 32. The support base length 132 may be shorter than the thumb support length 130.
In other embodiments, the thumb support 102 may have a thumb support width 134 perpendicular to the pivot axis 32, and the support base 104 may have a support base width 136. The support base width 136 may be shorter than the thumb support width 134.
In some embodiments, the thumb support 102 may include a raised lip 124, defined along the far edge 122 of the thumb support 102. Moreover, the support base 104 may include a recess 128, defined along the far edge 127 of the support base 104. The recessed edge 128 may be configured to receive the raised lip 124 when the thumb support 102 pivots about the pivot axis 32 to the collapsed position 44, such that the thumb support 102 is folded up adjacent to, in contact with, or proximate to the support base 104. When the recessed edge 128 receives the raised lip 124 when the thumb support 102 pivots about the axis 32 to the collapsed position 44, the recessed edge 128 and the raised lip 124 may be stably aligned.
In some embodiments, as depicted in
By maintaining the thumb support 102 at the extended position 40, the stop structure 110 enables the shooter 21 to apply the thumb 26 of the non-trigger hand 24, so as to promote control of the handgun 10 and reduce recoil or kickback from the handgun 10 when the handgun 10 is fired by the shooter 21. Pivotably moving the thumb support 102 beyond the extended position 40 could compromise control of the handgun 10, when fired by the shooter 21, as the shooter 21 would not be permitted to effectively apply a force against the thumb support 102 through the thumb 26 of the non-trigger hand 24.
Referring to
In other embodiments, the support base 104 may include a sideplate extension 118 extending along a sideplate extension axis 36. The hinge 106 may be tilted away from the sideplate extension 118, such that the pivot axis 32, extending through the hinge 106, forms an obtuse angle with respect to the sideplate extension axis 36. Such obtuse angle of the pivot axis 32, with respect to the sideplate extension axis 36, may be in the range of 100 degrees to 150 degrees.
Referring to
In other embodiments, the thumbrest 100 may further comprise the hinge 106, the hinge 106 configured to allow pivotable movement of the thumb support 102 relative to the support base 104. The support base 104 may further include the sideplate extension 118, the sideplate extension 118 extending in a perpendicular orientation with respect to the longitudinal axis 34 of the elongated support member 116. The hinge 106 may be tilted away from the sideplate extension 118, such that the pivot axis 32, extending through the hinge 106, forms an obtuse angle with respect to the sideplate extension axis 36 of the sideplate extension 118. Such obtuse angle of the pivot axis 32, with respect to the sideplate extension axis 36, may be in the range of 100 degrees to 150 degrees.
In some embodiments, the elongated support member 116 may be configured to replace a removable component of the handgun 10. Such removable component of the handgun 10 may be a slide lock 140, as depicted in
Referring to
In
Referring to
In additional optional embodiments, the thumbrest may include attachments structures for attaching to accessory rails or the like. In some embodiments, the thumbrest may include M-LOK, KEYMOD, or Picatinny attachments for attaching to various rail sections. In some optional embodiments, the thumbrest may be attachable to other firearms, such as rifles and shotguns.
To facilitate the understanding of the embodiments described herein, a number of terms have been defined above. The terms defined herein have meanings as commonly understood by a person of ordinary skill in the areas relevant to the present invention. Terms such as “a,” “an,” and “the” are not intended to refer to only a singular entity, but rather include the general class of which a specific example may be used for illustration. The terminology herein is used to describe specific embodiments of the invention, but their usage does not delimit the invention, except as set forth in the claims. The phrase “in one embodiment,” as used herein does not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, although it may.
Conditional language used herein, such as, among others, “can,” “might,” “may,” “e.g.,” and the like, unless specifically stated otherwise, or otherwise understood within the context as used, is generally intended to convey that certain embodiments include, while other embodiments do not include, certain features, elements and/or states. Thus, such conditional language is not generally intended to imply that features, elements and/or states are in any way required for one or more embodiments or that one or more embodiments necessarily include logic for deciding, with or without author input or prompting, whether these features, elements and/or states are included or are to be performed in any particular embodiment.
The previous detailed description has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. Thus, although there have been described particular embodiments of a new and useful HANDGUN IMPROVEMENT DEVICE, it is not intended that such references be construed as limitations upon the scope of this disclosure except as set forth in the following claims.
This application claims benefit of the following patent application which is hereby incorporated by reference: U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/185,052 filed May 6, 2021, entitled “Handgun Improvement Device.”
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63185052 | May 2021 | US |
