Connector

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9921029-B2
Application number	US-201615284249-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 3, 2016
Priority date	Jan 10, 2014
Publication date	Mar 20, 2018
Grant date	Mar 20, 2018

Abstract

An accessory mounting interface and method are disclosed. The interface has an upper portion having a firearm accessory and at least one through hole extending from a first surface to a second surface of the upper portion, the upper portion having a first post portion with a first side surface and a first flange. A first elongated fastener is arranged through the through hole and has a first end extending below the second surface of the upper portion. The interface also has a second post portion that is movable between a first configuration defining a first transverse distance between the first and second side surfaces and a second configuration defining a second transverse distance between the first and second side surfaces, the first transverse distance greater than the second transverse distance. The first flange substantially opposes the second flange when the second post portion is in the first configuration.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An accessory mounting interface for an elongated slot in a firearm component having an inner surface and an outer surface, the elongated slot having a length greater than a width, the accessory mounting interface comprising:
an upper portion having a firearm accessory and at least one through hole extending from a first surface to a second surface of the upper portion, the upper portion having a first post portion with a first side surface and a first flange having an upper flange surface;
a first elongated fastener arranged through the at least one through hole and having a first end extending below the second surface of the upper portion; and
a second post portion having a second flange having an upper flange surface and a second side surface, the second side surface at least partially opposing the first side surface, the second post portion coupled to the first elongated fastener; wherein
the second post portion is movable between a first configuration defining a first transverse distance between the first and second flanges and a second configuration defining a second transverse distance between the first and second flanges, the first transverse distance greater than the second transverse distance;
the first flange substantially opposes the second flange when the second post portion is in the first configuration, and wherein
the upper flange surface of the first flange and the upper flange surface of the second flange engage the inner surface of the firearm component when in the first configuration.

2. The interface of claim 1 , further comprising:
a guide mechanism shaped to limit rotation of the second post portion relative to the first post portion, the guide mechanism having at least one of
(a) a guide ridge interfacing with a guide valley, the guide ridge in one of the second post portion or the first portion, the guide valley in the other one of the second post portion or the first post portion; or
(b) an engagement between the second side surface and the elongated slot.

3. The interface of claim 1 , wherein:
an upper portion of the first flange does not oppose an upper portion of the second flange when the second post portion is in the second configuration.

4. The interface of claim 1 , wherein:
a lower surface of the firearm accessory engages the outer surface of the firearm component when in the first configuration.

5. The interface of claim 1 , wherein:
the second post portion abuts the first post portion at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis of the first post portion, the angle between 15 degrees and 45 degrees; and
wherein adjustment of the first elongated fastener causes the first and second post portions to slide relative to each other.

6. The interface of claim 1 , wherein:
the upper portion has a second through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface of the upper portion, and a third post portion positioned a distance from the first post portion;
a second elongated fastener arranged through the second through hole; and
a fourth post portion movably coupled to the third post portion.

7. The interface of claim 6 , wherein:
the third post portion has a distal edge and the first post portion has a proximal edge, a distance between the distal edge and the proximal edge being less than the length of the elongated slot.

8. The interface of claim 7 , wherein:
a corner in the third post portion engages a distal corner in the elongated slot; and
a corner in the first post portion engages a proximal corner in the elongated slot.

9. The interface of claim 7 , wherein:
a curved portion in the fourth post portion engages a distal curved portion in the elongated slot; and
a curved portion in the second post portion engages a proximal curved portion in the elongated slot.

10. A method of attaching an accessory mounting interface to a firearm having an elongated slot, the elongated slot having a length greater than a width, the method comprising:
providing an accessory mounting interface comprising:
(a) an upper portion having a firearm accessory and at least one through hole extending from a first surface to a second surface of the upper portion, the upper portion having a first post portion with a first side surface and a first flange;
(b) a first elongated fastener; and
(c) a second post portion having a second flange and a second side surface, the second side surface at least partially opposing the first side surface;
arranging the first elongated fastener such that the elongated fastener extends through the at least one through hole below the second surface of the upper portion;
movably coupling the second post portion to the first elongated fastener;
moving the second post portion between a first configuration defining a first transverse distance between the first and second flanges and a second configuration defining a second transverse distance between the first and second flanges, the first transverse distance greater than the second transverse distance;
causing an upper surface of the first flange and an upper surface of the second flange to engage an inner surface of the firearm; and
causing a lower surface of the firearm accessory to engage an outer surface of the firearm when the first post portion is in the first configuration, and wherein
the first flange substantially opposes the second flange when the second post portion is in the first configuration.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
limiting rotation of the second post portion relative to the first post portion of the adapter assembly.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
limiting the second post portion to travel between the first configuration and the second configuration.

13. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
adjusting the elongated fastener to cause the second post portion to move between the first configuration and the second configuration.

14. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
an upper portion of the first flange does not oppose an upper portion of the second flange when the second post portion is in the second configuration.

15. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
adjusting the first elongated fastener to effectuate a relative sliding motion between the first and second post portions.

16. The method of claim 10 , wherein:
providing the accessory mounting interface further comprises providing the accessory mounting interface having the upper portion with a second through hole extending from the first surface to the second surface of the upper portion, and a third post portion positioned a distance from the first post portion; and the method further comprises:
arranging a second elongated fastener such that the second elongated fastener extends through the second through hole below the second surface of the upper portion; and
movably coupling a fourth post portion to the third post portion.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein:
the third post portion has a distal edge and the first post portion has a proximal edge, a distance between the distal edge and the proximal edge being less than the length of the elongated slot.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
causing a corner in the third post portion to engage a first slot corner in the elongated slot; and
causing a corner in the first post portion to engage a second slot corner in the elongated slot.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising:
causing a curved portion in the fourth post portion to engage a distal curved portion

Assignees

• Magpul Ind Corp

Inventors

• Roberts Timothy Eric
• Mayberry Michael T
• Bennett William Bradley
• Liptak Duane
• Nakayama Brian L
• Nakayama Eric

Classifications

• F16B13/0891

  with a locking element, e.g. wedge, key or ball moving along an inclined surface of the dowel body (F16B13/0816, F16B13/0825, F16B13/0883 take precedence) · CPC title

• F41C33/006

  Clips, hooks or the like, for carrying the weight of smallarms (holsters F41C33/02) · CPC title

• F41C27/00 Primary

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

• F16B2/18

  using cams, levers, eccentrics, or toggles {(for connections of rods or tubes engaged telescopically F16B7/1418, F16B7/1427, F16B7/1454)} · CPC title

• Y10T29/49716

  Converting · CPC title