Attachable weapon light

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10948266-B2
Application number	US-201916689942-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 20, 2019
Priority date	Nov 20, 2018
Publication date	Mar 16, 2021
Grant date	Mar 16, 2021

Abstract

A rail mountable device may be provided that is configured to be secured firmly to a rail. In one example, the rail mountable device may include a rail clamp that includes a screw, a screw receptacle, a first ramp member coupled to the screw, and a second ramp member coupled to the screw receptacle and configured to move relative to the screw receptacle. Additionally, the rail mountable device may include a removeable battery pack with a battery indicator. Furthermore, the rail mountable device may include a plurality of switches disposed on either side of the rail mountable device. The switches may be coupled to a bracket and a mode of the rail mountable device may be operated through manipulation of the switches. Additional embodiments and related methods are provided.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A rail mountable device configured to mount on a rail associated with a weapon, the rail mountable device comprising:
a housing; and
a rail clamp comprising:
a screw receptacle,
a screw configured to be threaded into the screw receptacle,
a first ramp member coupled to the screw and configured to move relative to the screw, and
a second ramp member coupled to the screw receptacle and configured to move relative to the screw receptacle, wherein the screw and the screw receptacle are configured to be pulled toward each other in response to a rotation of the screw about an axis in a first direction, and wherein the first ramp member and the second ramp member are configured to be pulled toward each other in response to the pulling together of the screw and the screw receptacle.

2. The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the rotation causes the screw to exert a first force on the first ramp member and causes the screw receptacle to exert a second force on the second ramp member.

3. The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the screw receptacle comprises a curved surface, wherein the curved surface contacts the second ramp member, wherein the curved surface contacts a flat surface of the second ramp member, and wherein the second ramp member is configured to move relative to the screw receptacle by, at least, rotating relative to the screw receptacle.

4. The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the first and second ramp members comprise substantially inclined surfaces relative to the axis, and wherein the inclined surfaces are configured to slide against complementary inclined surfaces of the housing in response to the rotation.

5. The rail mountable device of claim 1 , further comprising a removable battery pack configured to selectively couple to and decouple from the housing, wherein the removable battery pack comprises a charging port configured to be obscured when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing.

6. The rail mountable device of claim 5 , wherein the housing comprises:
a housing contact configured to electrically couple to a battery contact when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing; and
a battery release configured to hold the removable battery pack to the housing when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing and configured to decouple the removable battery pack from the housing when the battery release is moved.

7. The rail mountable device of claim 5 , wherein the removable battery pack further comprises:
a battery life indicator; and
an indicator button configured to cause the battery life indicator to illuminate to display a remaining charge of the battery pack, wherein the indicator button is configured to be obscured when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing.

8. The rail mountable device of claim 5 , wherein the removable battery pack comprises a rib and the housing comprises an opening, and wherein the rib is configured to contact or be disposed proximate the opening when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing, and wherein the rib is configured to transfer force received by the battery pack to the housing by contacting the housing.

9. The rail mountable device of claim 1 , further comprising:
a bracket coupled to the housing;
a first switch;
a second switch, wherein the first switch and the second switch are disposed on opposite sides of the housing; and
a button configured to be actuated by the bracket through manipulation of at least one of the first switch or the second switch.

10. The rail mountable device of claim 9 , further comprising a light source, wherein the button is configured to switch an operating mode of the light source when the first switch and/or the second switch is manipulated.

11. The rail mountable device of claim 9 , further comprising a dowel, wherein the bracket is coupled to the housing via the dowel.

12. A method comprising:
providing a device configured to mount on a rail associated with a weapon, the device comprising:
a housing, and
a rail clamp comprising:
a screw receptacle,
a screw configured to be threaded into the screw receptacle,
a first ramp member coupled to the screw and configured to move relative to the screw, and
a second ramp member coupled to the screw receptacle and configured to move relative to the screw receptacle;

coupling the housing to the rail; and
rotating the screw, wherein the screw and the screw receptacle are configured to be pulled toward each other in response to a rotation of the screw about an axis in a first direction, and wherein the first ramp member and the second ramp member are configured to be pulled toward each other in response to the pulling together of the screw and the screw receptacle to lock the device with respect to the weapon.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the rotation causes the screw to exert a first force on the first ramp member and causes the screw receptacle to exert a second force on the second ramp member.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the screw receptacle comprises a curved surface, wherein the curved surface contacts the second ramp member, wherein the curved surface contacts a flat surface of the second ramp member, and wherein the second ramp member is configured to move relative to the screw receptacle by, at least, rotating relative to the screw receptacle.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first and second ramp members comprise substantially inclined surfaces relative to the axis, and wherein the inclined surfaces are configured to slide against complementary inclined surfaces of the housing in response to the rotation.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising decoupling a removable battery pack from to the housing, wherein the removable battery pack comprises a charging port configured to be obscured when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the housing comprises:
a housing contact configured to electrically couple to a battery contact when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing; and
a battery release configured to hold the removable battery pack to the housing when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing and configured to decouple the removable battery pack from the housing when the battery release is moved.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the removable battery pack further comprises:
a battery life indicator; and
an indicator button configured to cause the battery life indicator to illuminate to display a remaining charge of the battery pack, wherein the indicator button is configured to be obscured when the removable battery pack is coupled to the housing.

19. The method of claim 12 , wherein:
the device further comprises:
a bracket coupled to the housing,
a first switch,
a second switch, wherein the first switch and the second switch are disposed on opposite sides of the housing, and
a button; and

the method further comprises receiving a manipulation of at least one of the first switch or the second switch to actuate the button through the bracket.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the device further comprises a light source, the method further comprising switching an operating mode of the light source in response to the manipulation.

Assignees

• Surefire Llc

Inventors

• Wells William
• Nguyen Loc

Classifications

• F41G1/345

  for illuminating the sights · CPC title

• F41G1/35 Primary

  for illuminating the target {, e.g. flash lights} · CPC title

• F41G11/001 Primary

  Means for mounting tubular or beam shaped sighting or aiming devices on firearms · CPC title

• F41G11/003

  Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems" · CPC title