Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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REMOVABLE LIGHT ASSEMBLY OF PRE-DEFINED SHAPE
FOR A WEAPON
FIELD OF THE INVEN'>-ION
The present invention relates, in general, to the field of aiming devices.
More particularly, it concerns a light assembly of pre-defined shape, for
removable attachment to a guide provided on a weapon.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the field of weapons., one major concern is proper aiming of the target of
interest. In the prior art, there has been a number of aiming accessories,
such as lasers, sites, flashlights or other accessories which can be
mounted on firearms. Most of these accessories use various forms of
locking screws, captive screws, nut and bolt clamps or other similar
techniques to clamp the accessory to the weapon, as opposed to a
latching mechanism which would safely lock the accessory to the weapon.
Examples of such prior art accessories are given in US patents or patent
applications nos. US 2001 /0027620 A1; US 2001 /0045046 A1; US
5,555,662; US 5,584,137; US 5,941,489; and US 6,565,226.
As can be appreciated, the just-mentioned aiming accessories present a
number of caveats. Accordingly, such accessories can not be readily
mounted on and detached from the weapon. In most cases, such
mounting and detaching require the use of specific tools, or of both hands.
Therefore, the weapon user can not simply grip the aiming device with one
hand and readily mount it on his weapon in order to proceed to a precise
triggering.
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Other related prior art documents also present significantly different types
of attachment methods to weapons or involve weapons that do not have a
standard rail which can be interfaced with aiming accessories. Exams>les
of such prior art accessories are given in US patents nos. US
200210007581 A1; US 200210100204 A1; US 4,707,772; US 4,777,754;
US 5,040,322; US 5,727,346; US 5,816,683; US 5,822,905; US
6,318,014; and US 6,574,901. The problem of such prior art devices is
again the cumbersome mounting process as well as the bulkiness of such
devices. More specifically, if the accessories can not be readily mounted
on the weapon, they have to be provided with their specific mounting
device thus decreasing the motility of the weapon user on site.
Also knawn in the prior art is a clamping mechanism for attaching an
auxiliary apparatus to the frame of a weapon, which is further
characterized in that the actual attachment or removal of the apparatus
can be accomplished by a user with one hand, without using separate
brackets or other mechanical components. These elements are disclosed
in US patent no. US 5,430,967 (Woodman et al.).
It is thus apparent, from the above-mentioned prior art documents, there is
a lack for an aiming device which can be readily mounted on a weapon
and be readily used separately, as an independent Light assembly.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide an aiming device, more
particularly a light assembly, which satisfies the above-mentioned needs.
More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a light
assembly to be readily mounted on a weapon and be readily removed
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therefrom while resuming its original pre-defined shape, in order to be
usable as a separate entity.
In accordance with the present invention, this object is achieved with a
light assembly having a pre-defined shape, for removable attachment to a
guide provided on a vreapon. The light assembly comprises a housing,
provided with a reflector having a lamp at one end thereof and batteries for
powering the lamp through a switch. The housing of the light assembly
has a pair of lateral members which can both be moved between a
retracted position and an extended position. When the lateral members
are in the retracted position, the light assembly has the above-mentioned
pre-defined shape. When the lateral members are in the extended
position, these members are adapted to engage the guide provided on the
weapon. Preferably, each one of the lateral members is provided with a
longitudinal groove which is shaped and sized to slidably engage a
corresponding flange on the guide.
The housing of the light assembly of the present invention further has
means for preventing longitudinal movement of the light assembly on the
guide. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the
guide is provided with a plurality of cross-slots and each one of the lateral
members further includes a latch having an upper portion and a lower
portion. The upper portion and the lower portion of the latch each has an
inner face adjacent to the side of the housing and an outer face. The latch
also has a latch projection projecting inwardly from the inner face of the
lower portion of the latch, for engaging any one of the above-mentioned
cross-slots. The latch is pivotable between an operative and an
inoperative position so that when the latch is in the operative position, it
is
normally inwardly biased, with the latch projection protruding into the side
of the housing, thus providing the means for preventing longitudinal
movement of the light assembly on the guide. When the Patch is in the
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inoperative position, the upper portion is pivoted inwardly toward the
housing while the lower portion is pivoted outwardly away from the
housing, thereby preventing the latch projection from engaging the cross-
slots.
According to further aspects, the present invention provides a method for
removably attaching the light assembly as defined above, to a guide
provided on a weapon.
The method for removably attaching the fight assembly, as defined above,
to a guide provided on a weapon camprises the steps of: a) providing a
light assembly as described above; b) extending the lateral members until
they are in the extended pasition; c) engaging the longitudinal grooves of
the lateral members into the flanges of the guide; d) moving and
maintaining the latches in their inoperative position, while sliding the light
assembly on the guide; and e) moving the latches in their operative
position.
Preferably, the method further comprises the following steps: f) moving
and maintaining the latches in their inoperative position, while sliding the
lateral members until they are in the retracted position; and g) moving the
latches in their operative position, so that the light assembly resumes its
pre-defined shape.
As can be appreciated, the light assembly according to the invention is
very versatile, as it can be mounted on any known weapon guide while still
being usable as a separate entity aside from the weapon and the guide.
These and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention
will be better understood upon reading the following non-restrictive
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description of preferred embodiments thereof, made with reference to the
accompanying drawings.
5 BRIEF DESCRIPTIO>~ OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1A is a top view of a light assembly mounted on a guide, according
to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
Figure 1 B is a front view of the light assembly of Figure 1A.
Figure 1C is a front perspective view of the light assembly of Figure 1A.
Figure 1 D is a side view of the light assembly of Figure 1A.
Figure 2 is a rear perspective view of the light assembly of Figure 1A.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the light assembly of Figure 1C taken
along line III-III.
Figure 4A is a top view of the light assembly of Figure 1C, without the
guide.
Figure 4B is a front view of the light assembly of Figure 4A.
Figure 4C is a front perspective view of the light assembly of Figure 4A.
Figure 4D is a side view of the light assembly of Figure 4A.
Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view of the light assembly of Figure 4C taken
along line V-V
Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the light assembly of Figure 4C.
White the invention will be described in conjunction with a preferred
embodiment, it will be understood that it is not intended to limit the scope
of the invention to such embodiment. On the contrary, it is intended to
cover ail alternatives, modifications and equivalents which may be
included, as defined by the appended claims.
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DESCRIPT10N OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
In the following description, similar features in the drawings have been
given similar reference numerals and, in order to lighten the figures, some
elements are not referred to in some figures if they were already identified
in a previous figure.
As shown in Figures 1A to 1D, 2 and 3, a light assembly 10 according to a
preferred embodiment of °the present invention, having a pre-defined
1G shape, is removably attachable to a guide 20 provided on a weapon. Any
guide, preferably provided with paraNel flanges 22 can be used to slidably
engage the lateral members of the light assembly's housing. This allows
any guide, such as a railing system, preferably an M1913 rail or any
equivalent thereof, to engage a light assembly while being mounted on the
weapon of interest.
The (fight assembly 10 comprises a housing, Iareferably with two sides.
Each side of the housing of the light assembly 10 is provided with a pair of
lateral members 30, preferably received by corresponding channels 40
provided on each side of the housing. Referring to Figure 2, each channel
40 preferably comprises a back face 42 and inwardly sloping sidewalk 44
for maintaining the lateral member 30 within each channel 40. Alternatively
and as shown in Figures 1A to 1 D, the channel 40 can be substantially U-
shaped and sized to receive a corresponding lateral member 30. This
channel 40 is provided with guiding members 4G protruding outwardly and
perpendicularly from the channel 40, preferably from the back face 42
thereof, for slidably engaging corresponding grooves 48 extending from
the upper edge 34 to the lower edge 36 of the lateral members 30.
3G The lateral members 30 are movable between a retracted position, as
shown in Figure 5, and an extended position, as shown in Figure 3, by a
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distance at least equal to distance x. Distance x is the distance between
the longitudinal groove 38 and the lowest point A of the housing, as shown
in Figure 5.
In order for the lateral members 30 to remain in the retracted position,
locking means are provided to lock the lateral members 30 in position.
Similarly, locking means are provided to prevent the lateral members 30
from extending beyond the extended position.
When the lateral members 30 are locked in their retracted .position, these
lateral members 30 are adapted to engage the housing. Referring
especially to Figure 5, one can appreciate that each channel 40 comprises
a back face 42 and sidewalk 44. The back face 42 of each channel
comprises a depression 41 shaped and sized to receive a respective latch
projection 78 so that, when the lateral members 30 are in the retracted
position, each latch projection 78 engages a respective depression 41,
thereby locking the lateral members 30 at distance x.
When the lateral members 30 are locked in their extended position, they
are positioned so that the lowest point A of the housing is at least as close
as possible to the guide 20 in order to allow the eventual sliding movement
of the light assembly 10 on the guide 20. Referring more specifically to
Figures 1 to 3, one can appreciate that each lateral member 30 comprises
an inner substantially planar face 32 bounded at least by an upper edge
34 and a lower edge 36. The inner face 32 of the lateral members 30 is
further characterized in that it is adjacent to the side of the housing and
provided with a longitudinal groove 38 proximate and parallel to the lower
edge 36. The longitudinal groove 38 is shaped and sized to slidably
engage a corresponding flange 22 of the guide 20.
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Preferably, the guide is provided with a plurality of cross-slots 60 and each
lateral member 30 further includes a Latch 70 with an upper portion 72 and
a lower portion 74. Each one of the upper portion 72 and the lower portion
74 has an inner face, adjacent to the side of the housing, and an outer
face.
Each latch further has a latch projection 78 projecting inwardly from the
inner face of said lower portion 74 of the latch, for engaging any one of the
cross-slots 60. Each latch 70 is further characterized in that it is
preferably
rotatable about a pivot 76 between an operative position (right side of
Figure 3) and an inoperative position (left side of Figure 3).
As shown in Figure 3 (right side), when the latch 70 is in the operative
position, it is inwardly biased, with the latch projection 78, projecting
inwardly from the inner face of the lower portion 74 of the latch and
engaging a cross-slot 60, thereby providing the means for preventing
longitudinal movement of the light assembly 10 on the guide 20.
Without departing from the scope of the present invention, it will be
apparent for any person skilled in the art that the means for preventing
iongitudina! movement of the light assembly can comprise at least two,
and preferably a plurality of projections protruding downwardly and
outwardly from the area below the housing c losest to the guide. :such
projections would serve the same purpose as the latch projections '78 in
their operative position (Figure 3 - right side).
Referring now to Figure 3 (left side), one can appreciate that, when the
latch 70 is in the inoperative position, the upper portion 72 is pivoted
inwardly toward the housing while the lower portion ?4 is pivoted
outwardly away from the housing, thereby preventing the latch projection
78 from engaging anei cross-slot 60. The retractable movement of the latch
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70 is preferably initiated by a pressure, more preferably applied with
fingers, on compressible and recoilable means such as springs or any
equivalent thereof, provided in the upper portion 72 of the latch, for
inwardly biasing the latch 70.
Referring to Figures 4A to 4D, 5 and 6, the housing is provided with a
reflector 12 having a lamp 14 at one end thereof and batteries 16 for
powering said lamp 14, such as a LED assembly, through a switch, such
as a push button switch 19. The light assembly 10 is further characterized
in that the reflector, the batteries and the switch, enclosed in the housing,
pre-define the shape of the light assembly 10. By "pre-defined shape", it
will be understood that the light assembly 10 has an advantageously
uninterrupted profile when considered as a whole. More specifically, the
uninterrupted profile of the light assembly 10 means that all the
components of the housing have the same general shape, even though
the reflector portion is larger than the battery portion which, in turn, is
smaller than the switch portion of the housing. The light assembly 10 rnay
advantageously have an ergonomic shape so that the user can
comfortably grip it with one hand. The light assembly 10 may thus have a
rectangular, oval or triangular shape, but preferably, a substantially
cylindrical shape.
As can also be appreciated from Figure 4B, the uninterrupted profile of the
light assembly is best depicted when the lateral members 30 are in the
retracted position. More specifically, the outer face of both the upper and
lower portions 72,74 of the latch, as well as the outer face of the lateral
members, are shaped so that they form this uninterrupted profile with the
rest of the housing.
Furthermore, the light assembly 10 may advantageously be of dimensions
similar to the dimensions of the guide 20, as best shown in Figures 1A
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to 1 C. More specifically, the width of the fight assembly 10 is preferably
somewhat similar to the width of the guide. As can be understood, the
width of the (fight assembly and the guide is determined along the axis
perpendicular to the main axis of each of these elements. It is thus clear
that the present invention alleviates the need to use bulky light assemblies
as aiming device accessories, which are not practical on site where
vigilance, accuracy and rapidity are of the essence.
The present invention also provides a method for removably attaching the
light assembly, as defined above, to a guide provided on a weapon
comprises the steps of: a} providing a light assembly as described above;
b) extending the lateral members until they are in the extended position; c)
engaging the longitudinal grooves of the lateral members into the flanges
of the guide; d) moving and maintaining the latches in their inoperative
position, while sliding the light assembly on the guide; and e) moving the
latches in their operative position.
Preferably, the method further comprises the following steps: f) moving
and maintaining the latches in their inoperative position, while sliding the
lateral members until they are in the retracted position; and g} moving the
latches in their operative position so that the light assembly resumes its
pre-defined shape.
Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been
described in detail herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, it
is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these precise
embodiments and that various changes and modifications may be effected
therein without departing from the scope or spirit of the present invention.
