Rail mountable device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209167-A1
Application number	US-201514599187-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 16, 2015
Priority date	Jan 16, 2015
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A rail mountable device may be provided that is configured to be secured firmly to a rail, such as a rail on a firearm, and released easily from the rail. In one example, the rail mountable device may include a rail clamp that includes first and second rail-engaging surfaces of corresponding first and second ramp members and a cross member that, in response to rotation of a screw, move toward or away from the longitudinal faces of the rail of the firearm to secure or release the rail mountable device to or from the rail. Additional embodiments and related methods are provided.

First claim

1 . A device configured to mount on a rail associated with a weapon, the device comprising:
a housing; and a rail clamp comprising:
first and second opposed ramp members,
a cross member connected to the second ramp member,
a screw adapted to project through the first ramp member and be received by the cross member along a central axis, and
wherein the ramp members are adapted to be, in response to a rotation of the screw, simultaneously:
pulled toward each other along the central axis, and
moved toward the rail in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis to lock the device with respect to movement in the substantially perpendicular direction.

2 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the rotation causes corresponding rail-engaging surfaces of the ramp members to contact the rail.

3 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the ramp members are adapted to be simultaneously pushed away from each other along the central axis and moved away from the rail in an opposite direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis in response to an opposite rotation of the screw.

4 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the ramp members comprise substantially inclined surfaces relative to the central axis adapted to slide against complementary inclined surfaces of the housing in response to the rotation to move the ramp members in the substantially perpendicular directions.

5 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the cross member is adapted to move in the substantially perpendicular direction with the ramp members in response to the rotation.

6 . The rail mountable device of claim 5 , wherein the cross member is adapted to be received into a groove of the rail in response to the rotation.

7 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises first and second rail-engaging surfaces adapted to slide relative to the rail and adapted to contact the rail while the device is mounted to the rail.

8 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 further comprising a light source disposed in the housing and adapted to provide light while the device is mounted on the rail.

9 . The rail mountable device of claim 8 , wherein:
the housing comprises a front housing and a main housing; the device further comprises: a circuit board mounted on a front face of the main housing and connected to the light source, and an optical element substantially enclosed by the front housing and adapted to project the light received from the light source; and the main housing is adapted to dissipate heat associated with the circuit board.

10 . The rail mountable device of claim 1 , wherein the rail is a Picatinny rail.

11 . 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: first and second opposed ramp members, a cross member connected to the second ramp member, and a screw adapted to project through the first ramp member and be received by the cross member along a central axis; and rotating the screw, wherein the ramp members, in response to a rotation of the screw, are simultaneously:
pulled toward each other along the central axis, and
moved toward the rail in a direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis to lock the device with respect to movement in the substantially perpendicular direction.

12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the rotating causes corresponding rail-engaging surfaces of the ramp members to contact the rail.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the rotating is performed in a first direction, the method further comprising rotating the screw in a second opposite direction simultaneously pushing the ramp members away from each other along the central axis and away from the rail in an opposite direction substantially perpendicular to the central axis.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the ramp members comprise substantially inclined surfaces relative to the central axis adapted to slide against complementary inclined surfaces of the housing in response to the rotating to move the ramp members in the substantially perpendicular direction.

15 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the cross member is adapted to move in the substantially perpendicular direction with the ramp members in response to the rotating.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the cross member is adapted to be received into a groove of the rail in response to the rotating.

17 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the housing comprises first and second rail-engaging surfaces adapted to slide relative to the rail in response to the rotating and adapted to contact the rail while the device is mounted to the rail.

18 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising operating a light source disposed in the housing, wherein the light source is adapted to provide light while the device is mounted on the rail.

19 . The method of claim 18 , wherein:
the housing comprises a front housing and a main housing; the device further comprises: a circuit board mounted on a front face of the main housing and connected to the light source, and an optical element substantially enclosed by the front housing and adapted to project the light received from the light source; and the method further comprises dissipating, by the main housing, heat associated with the circuit board.

20 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the rail is a Picatinny rail.

Assignees

• Surefire Llc

Inventors

• Wells William

Classifications

• F41G1/35 Primary

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

• F41C27/00

  Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for · CPC title

• F41G11/003 Primary

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