Dynamic variable force trigger mechanism for firearms

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10228208-B2
Application number	US-201815908883-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 1, 2018
Priority date	Mar 8, 2017
Publication date	Mar 12, 2019
Grant date	Mar 12, 2019

Abstract

An electromagnetically variable firing system for a firearm is disclosed which may include a trigger assembly or mechanism comprising an electromagnetically-operated control device which allows the user to select and adjust the trigger pull force-displacement profile electronically. In one embodiment, the control device may be an electromagnetic trigger mechanism comprising an electromagnetic snap actuator operated via a microcontroller. The microcontroller is configurable by a user to adjust the trigger force-displacement profile according to preset user preferences. The microcontroller energizes the actuator during a trigger pull according to a preprogrammed trigger force and/or displacement setpoint aided by a trigger sensor(s). The energized actuator creates a magnetic field which dynamically increases or decrease the trigger force required to fully actuate the trigger to discharge the firearm. In other embodiments, the control device may be an electromagnetic magnetorheological fluid actuator.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electromagnetically variable trigger force firing system for a firearm, the firing system comprising:
a frame;
a striking member supported by the frame for movement between a rearward cocked position and forward firing position for discharging the firearm;
an electromagnetic actuator trigger unit affixed to the frame and comprising:
a stationary yoke comprising an electromagnet coil;
a rotating member movable about a pivot axis relative to the stationary yoke and operable for releasing the striking member from the cocked position to the firing position;
a trigger operably engaged with the rotating member, the trigger manually movable by a user from a first position to a second position which rotates the rotating member for discharging the firearm; and
a permanent magnet generating a static magnetic field in the stationary yoke and rotating member, the static magnetic field creating a primary resistance force opposing movement of the trigger when pulled by the user;

an electric power source operably coupled to the coil;
the electromagnet coil when energized generating a user-adjustable secondary magnetic field interacting with the static magnetic field, the secondary magnetic field operating to change the primary resistance force dynamically during a trigger pull event initiated by the user.

2. The firing system of claim 1 , further comprising an electronic actuation control circuit operably coupled between to the power source and coil, the actuation control circuit configurable by the user to selectively energize the coil during the trigger pull event and de-energize the coil in an absence of the trigger pull event.

3. The firing system according to claim 2 , wherein the actuation control circuit changes a characteristic of electric power supplied to the coil by the power source.

4. The firing system according to claim 3 , wherein the actuation control circuit changes polarity of the electric power supplied to the coil, the second magnetic field being configurable by the user between being either: (i) additive to the static magnetic field at a first polarity which increases the primary resistance force required to pull the trigger; and (ii) subtractive from the static magnetic field at a second reverse polarity which decreases the primary resistance force required to pull the trigger member.

5. The firing system according to claim 3 , wherein the actuation control circuit increases or decreases an electric voltage of the electric power to the electromagnetic actuator.

6. The firing system according to claim 2 , further comprising a programmable microcontroller operably coupled to the actuation control circuit, the microcontroller configured to time energizing the electromagnetic actuator via the actuation control circuit in accordance with a user-selected trigger force or displacement setpoint preprogrammed into the microcontroller.

7. The firing system according to claim 6 , further comprising a trigger sensor operably and communicably coupled to the microcontroller, the trigger sensor configured to sense a user applied trigger pull force on the trigger or displacement thereof, wherein the microcontroller is configured to energize the electromagnetic actuator to generate the secondary magnetic field based on the sensed applied trigger pull force or displacement of the trigger.

8. The firing system according to claim 7 , wherein the trigger sensor is a force sensing resistor configured to measure the applied trigger pull force by the user and transmit the measured trigger pull force to the microcontroller which compares the measured trigger pull force to the trigger force setpoint.

9. The firing system according to claim 8 , wherein the microcontroller transmits a pulse of electric energy to the coil of the electromagnetic actuator when the measured trigger pull force meets or exceeds the trigger force setpoint.

10. The firing system according to claim 7 , wherein the trigger sensor is a displacement sensor configured to measure the displacement of the trigger by the user, and wherein the microcontroller transmits a pulse of electric energy to the coil of the electromagnetic actuator when the measured displacement meets or exceeds the trigger displacement setpoint.

11. The firing system according to claim 1 , wherein the striking member is a spring-biased hammer pivotably moveable between the cocked and firing positions, the rotating member of the electromagnetic actuator configured to directly and releasably engage the hammer such that: (i) the rotating trigger member holds the striking member in the cocked position when the rotating trigger member is in the first actuation position, and (ii) the rotating trigger member disengages and releases the striking member which moves to the firing position when the rotating trigger member is moved to the second actuation position.

12. The firing system according to claim 1 , wherein the striking member is a spring-biased striker linearly movable between the cocked and firing positions, and further comprising a sear releasably engaged with striker to hold the striking member in the cocked position, the sear releasably engaged in turn by the rotating member, wherein moving the trigger from the first actuation position to the second actuation position disengages the rotating member from the sear to release the striker from the cocked position for discharging the firearm.

13. The firing system according to claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnet is the solitary permanent magnet in the electromagnetic actuator forming a non-bistable electromagnetic actuator of the trigger unit.

14. The firing system according to claim 1 , wherein the rotating member and trigger are both pivotably mounted to the stationary member about the same pivot axis.

15. The firing system according to claim 14 , wherein the permanent magnet is affixed to the stationary yoke and interposed between an upper portion of the rotating member above the pivot axis and the stationary yoke.

16. An electromagnetic firing system for a firearm, the firing system comprising:
a frame;
a striking member supported by the frame and movable between a rearward cocked position and forward firing position for discharging the firearm;
an electromagnetically adjustable trigger mechanism operably coupled to the striking member for discharging the firearm, the trigger mechanism comprising an electromagnetic actuator including:
a stationary yoke comprising an electromagnet coil operably coupled to an electric power source, the coil having an energized state and a de-energized state;
a rotating member pivotably coupled to the stationary yoke for movement between an unactuated and actuated positions, the rotating member operably coupled to the striking member for moving the striking member from the cocked position to the firing position;
a trigger movably coupled to the stationary yoke and interacting with the rotating member, the trigger manually movable by a user from a first actuation position to a second actuation position which rotates the rotating member for discharging the firearm; and
a permanent magnet generating a static magnetic flux in the yoke and rotating member, the static magnetic flux creating a primary resistance force opposing movement of the trigger when pulled by the user;

a programmable microcontroller operably coupled to the electromagnetic actuator of the trigger mechanism and pre-programmed with a trigger force setpoint, the microcontroller configured to:
receive an actual trigger force applied to the trigger by a user and measured by a trigger sensor communica

Assignees

• Sturm Ruger & Co

Inventors

• Galie Louis M
• Gilliom Rob
• Klebes John
• French John M
• Hamilton Gary
• Slezok Rafal

Classifications

• F41A19/59 Primary

  Electromechanical firing mechanisms, i.e. the mechanical striker element being propelled or released by electric means · CPC title

• F41A19/16

  Adjustable firing mechanisms; Trigger mechanisms with adjustable trigger pull (F41A19/17 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F41A19/12

  Sears; Sear mountings · CPC title

• F41A19/10

  Triggers; Trigger mountings · CPC title

• F41A17/46

  Trigger safeties, i.e. means for preventing trigger movement (F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence) · CPC title