Magnetic trigger assembly with reduced travel and method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9915491-B2
Application number	US-201715649719-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 14, 2017
Priority date	Jul 15, 2016
Publication date	Mar 13, 2018
Grant date	Mar 13, 2018

Abstract

A trigger assembly includes one or more stationary magnets and a trigger member pivotable relative to the stationary magnets. The trigger member includes a base portion with a pivot point, an actuating portion extending from the base portion in a first direction, and a magnetic trigger portion extending from the base portion in a second direction. The magnetic trigger portion operatively engages the stationary magnets in a first position. The base portion of the trigger member operatively engages a first sear element, which is operatively connected to a sear arm, which in turn operatively engages a second sear element. A spring operatively biases the first sear element. The second sear element retains a bow string in the first position. In a second position, the trigger member rotates to separate the magnetic trigger portion from the magnets, and the second sear element rotates to release the bow string.

First claim

I claim:

1. A trigger assembly comprising:
one or more stationary magnets;
a trigger member pivotable relative to the stationary magnets, wherein the trigger member includes a base portion with a trigger pivot point about which the trigger member pivots, an actuating portion extending from the base portion in a first direction, and a magnetic trigger portion extending from the base portion in a second direction, wherein the magnetic trigger portion operatively engages the one or more stationary magnets in a first position;
a first sear element pivotable about a first sear pivot point, wherein the base portion of the trigger member operatively engages the first sear element;
a spring operatively biasing the first sear element;
a sear arm operatively connected to the first sear element;
a second sear element including a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a second sear pivot point between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the proximal portion operatively engages the sear arm, and wherein the second sear element is pivotable about the second sear pivot point to retain a bow string in the first position;
wherein in a second position the magnetic trigger portion is spaced apart from the one or more stationary magnets and the distal portion of the second sear element releases the bow string.

2. The trigger assembly of claim 1 , wherein the distal portion of the second sear element includes a hook shape.

3. The trigger assembly of claim 2 , further comprising a housing, wherein the trigger member, the first sear element, and the second sear element are each pivotally mounted to the housing; and wherein the actuating portion of the trigger member and the second sear element each extends beyond the housing.

4. The trigger assembly of claim 3 , wherein the spring biases the first sear element toward the first position.

5. The trigger assembly of claim 4 , further comprising a second trigger member connected to the base portion of the trigger member and engaging the first sear element.

6. The trigger assembly of claim 5 , further including an alignment pen disposed through a longitudinal groove in the second trigger member.

7. The trigger assembly of claim 6 , further comprising a stationary finger rest extending from the housing opposite the actuating portion of the trigger member.

8. The trigger assembly of claim 3 , wherein the spring biases the first sear element toward the second position.

9. The trigger assembly of claim 8 , wherein in the first position a distal end of the sear arm engages the proximal portion of the second sear element to maintain the second sear element in the first position; and wherein in the second position the distal end of the sear arm disengages from the proximal portion of the second sear element to allow the second sear element to rotate about the second sear pivot point into the second position releasing the bow string.

10. The trigger assembly of claim 9 , wherein a proximal end of the sear arm includes a key portion, wherein the first sear element further includes a receptacle and a receptacle spring disposed within the receptacle, wherein the key portion of the sear arm is disposed within the receptacle and is biased by the receptacle spring.

11. The trigger assembly of claim 10 , further comprising a safety assembly operatively engaging the first sear element, wherein in the first position the safety assembly engages the first sear element to prevent the first sear element from rotating about the first sear pivot point into the second position, and wherein in a safety-released position the safety assembly disengages the first sear element to allow the first sear element to rotate about the first sear pivot point if the trigger member disengages the first sear element.

12. The trigger assembly of claim 11 , wherein the safety assembly comprises:
a safety trigger slidingly mounted to the housing, the safety trigger including a safety surface and a spring portion;
a spring engaging the spring portion to bias the safety trigger toward the first position;
a safety lock pivotable about a safety pivot point, wherein a first end of the safety lock engages the spring portion of the safety trigger, and wherein a lock portion of the safety lock engages the first sear element;
wherein in the first position the lock portion of the safety lock prevents the first sear element from rotating about the first sear pivot point, and wherein actuation of the safety trigger rotates the safety lock about the safety pivot point to disengage the lock portion from the first sear element in the safety-released position.

13. The trigger assembly of claim 3 , wherein the one or more stationary magnets are separated from the trigger pivot point by a distance of at least ½ inch.

14. The trigger assembly of claim 3 , wherein the one or more stationary magnets are separated from the trigger pivot point by a distance of at least ¾ inch.

15. A method of releasing a bow string to fire a weapon comprising the steps of:
a) providing a trigger assembly comprising: one or more stationary magnets; a trigger member pivotable relative to the stationary magnets, wherein the trigger member includes a base portion with a trigger pivot point about which the trigger member pivots, an actuating portion extending from the base portion in a first direction, and a magnetic trigger portion extending from the base portion in a second direction, wherein the magnetic trigger portion operatively engages the one or more stationary magnets in a first position; a first sear element pivotable about a first sear pivot point, wherein the base portion of the trigger member operatively engages the first sear element; a spring operatively biasing the first sear element; a sear arm operatively connected to the first sear element; a second sear element including a proximal portion, a distal portion, and a second sear pivot point between the proximal portion and the distal portion, wherein the proximal portion operatively engages the sear arm, and wherein the second sear element is pivotable about the second sear pivot point to retain a bow string in the first position; wherein in a second position the magnetic trigger portion is spaced apart from the one or more stationary magnets and the distal portion of the second sear element releases the bow string;
b) engaging a bow string of a weapon with the distal portion of the second sear element with the trigger assembly in the first position;
c) cocking the weapon with the bow string secured with the second sear element of the trigger assembly;
d) applying a force to the actuating portion of the trigger member to rotate the trigger member into the second position and rotate the second sear element into the second position, thereby releasing the bow string; wherein the trigger member and the second sear element do not rotate into the second position unless and until the force applied to the actuating portion of the trigger member meets or exceeds a threshold force value.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the threshold force value is a force required to overcome a magnetic attraction between the magnetic trigger portion and the one or more stationary magnets.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the threshold force value is greater than a force required to move the second sear element into the second position.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the trigger assembly further comprises a second trigger member connected to the base portion of the trigger member and engaging the first sear element, and wherein in step (d) the

Assignees

• Barnett Outdoors Llc

Inventors

• Perry Dale

Classifications

• H01F7/0242 Primary

  Magnetic drives, magnetic coupling devices · CPC title

• F41A17/56

  Sear safeties, i.e. means for rendering ineffective an intermediate lever transmitting trigger movement to firing pin, hammer, bolt or sear (F41A17/02 - F41A17/40 take precedence) · CPC title

• F41A19/10 Primary

  Triggers; Trigger mountings · CPC title

• F41A19/12

  Sears; Sear mountings · CPC title

• F41B5/1484

  Bows with special adaptations or devices for special purposes · CPC title