Firearm safety device

In a firearm, the ammunition magazine has an enhanced body, display, and circuitry to provide indication of the when there is ammunition loaded in the magazine or when there is no ammunition in the magazine. Additionally, or alternatively, the firearm has an enhanced body, display, and circuitry to provide indication of when there is ammunition in the chamber, when there is no ammunition in the chamber, or other warnings such as a malfunction or jam.

BACKGROUND

Personal firearms, including handguns and rifles, are inherently dangerous to both the users of those firearms and everyone and everything within range. Accordingly, firearm safety is of great concern to both gun owners and communities. Some dangers associated with firearms include inappropriate or accidental discharge, mismanagement of ammunition, misunderstanding regarding the loaded status of the weapon, or misunderstanding regarding the intent of the bearer of the firearm.

Due to these dangers, it is highly desirable to ensure that the user of the firearm, and those in proximity to the firearm, are aware of the status and the danger associated with the weapon. Language barriers, ambient noise, human error, fear, or confusion can inhibit the ability of gun owners and bystanders to communicate or understand the danger posed by a specific weapon. Accidental discharge or other misapprehension of the status of a firearm is a major cause of firearm-related injury and death.

Despite gun safety laws, best practices, and training, gun-related violence remains a widespread societal concern and cause of preventable death and injury. There remains a need in the art to provide more effective physical controls on gun operation, as well as universally understandable indicia of the danger posed by a specific firearm, including the presence of ammunition in the magazine and/or chamber. The current invention provides visual feedback to the user of the firearm, as well as surrounding bystanders, communicating the status and location of ammunition.

SUMMARY

This disclosure describes a device and associated uses and methods of manufacture for providing a visual indicator of ammunition in the magazine or chamber of a firearm. In one embodiment, an ammunition magazine for a firearm is provided that has a mechanism to detect the presence of ammunition loaded in a magazine and to indicate to the user the loaded status of the magazine through an LED visible to the user or nearby individuals. Other types of displays may similarly indicate the “loaded” status of a firearm when ammunition is detected in the magazine.

For example, a display may be provided on the magazine itself which indicates whether there is one or more rounds located in the magazine. The display is illuminated if one or more rounds are present. The display is dark or unilluminated if no round is present. The illumination of the display, such as an LED, is effective to notify the user and other persons in proximity to the user regarding the loaded status of each and every magazine in the area. The display also allows for quick and easy indication to law enforcement, police authorities, and service members if the holder of the weapon (whether a suspected hostile individual, fellow law enforcement, or themselves) have a properly loaded firearm at their disposal in a quick manner.

In another embodiment, the display may indicate the presence of ammunition in the chamber of a firearm. This display may be a different display than the display indicating the presence of ammunition in the magazine. This display may indicate the presence of properly loaded cartridge that is ready to fire. Alternatively, a display may indicate malfunction with a weapon, including an incomplete discharge or jam of ammunition in the chamber. A display may indicate such different possibilities through different colors, steady or flashing illuminations, and/or other visual, auditory, or tactile feedback.

In another embodiment, a smart cylinder may be placed into the weapon barrel to detect the presence of a bullet within the weapon barrel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

The disclosure herein provides a weapons magazine having a means to indicate the status of the ammunition rounds within the magazine. The magazine has a body113which consists of a left side113LS, a right side113RS, a front side113FS and a trailing side113TS a top end113TE and a bottom end113BE. An enhanced feed lip103is attached to the top end113TE of the magazine body113. The enhanced feed lip103has a lower edge103LE which is disposed internally to the body113when the feed lip103is attached to the body113. The floor plate retainer106is secured within the bottom of the spring109. The enhanced floor plate107locks the floor plate retainer in place at the bottom end113BE of the body113. Modifications to the magazine body and internal apparatus may be made to adjust for any caliber ammunition and firearm.

The floor plate retainer106is held in position inside the body113because of the enhanced floor plate107. The floor plate retainer has an upper surface106US and a lower surface106LS. A spring109for is disposed internally to the body113. The spring is generally helical in configuration and has a lower end109LE and an upper end109UE. The spring109is operative to bias the follower100up and away from the floor plate retainer106in order to position a bullet proximate the chamber of the firearm when the magazine body113is inserted in place to the firearm. The lower end109LE of the spring109is attached to the upper surface106US of the floor plate retainer106. The spring109extends within the magazine body113upward from the floor plate retainer106. A follower100is disposed internal to the magazine body113. The follower100has a lower surface100LS and an upper surface100US. The lower surface100LS of the follower100attached to the upper end109UE of the spring109. The upper surface100US follower100is configured to allow one or more loaded bullets to rest thereon.

The enhanced floor plate107contains circuitry for indicating the status regarding presence of one or more bullets within the magazine. There is a power source110within the enhanced floor plate. The power source110may be a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. The power source has a positive terminal110P and a negative terminal110N. An illumination source111is connected in series between the positive and negative terminal of the power source110. The illumination source111may be a plurality of LED's connected in series. The power source charging circuit112is connected to the power source110in series with the illumination source111. There is a power source charger “socket” (112S that is disposed in an hole (112H in the enhanced floor plate107, allowing connection to a remote power source (not shown) in order to recharge the power source110. A positive conductor105is connected to the positive terminal110P of the power source110. A negative conductor101is connected to the negative terminal110N of the power source110. The positive conductor105and negative conductor101pass through appropriate openings (not shown) in the enhanced floor plate107.

Spring finger battery negative contact114B and spring finger battery positive contact114A are positioned on the enhanced floor plate upper surface107U. The spring finger battery negative contact114B is connected to the negative conductor101. The spring finger battery positive contact115A is connected to the positive conductor105.

A metal contact104A is positioned in the enhanced feed lip103. The contact104A can be a rivet, metallic tape, or other metal that can be anchored to the body and provide electrical connection. The positive conductor105is electrically connected to the metal contact104A, and a second metal contact104B, preferably by soldering. The second metal contact104B may also be a rivet, metallic tape, or other metal that can be anchored to the body and provide electrical connection. A sensor108is placed in the follower100. An extension of the negative conductor101connects the spring109to the sensor108. There is an opening102in the follower to allow for positioning of the sensor108such that the sensor108can sense/detect when there is no bullet left in the magazine body113. The sensor may be a direct contact between the metal contact104A and sensor108. Alternately the sensor may be an infrared sensor, a step switch, lever switch, magnetic switch, a physical button or another known actuator. In other embodiments, the sensor may be placed in alternate locations allowing for manufacture preferences.

In one embodiment, the magazine body113is formed of a non-conductive material. The spring109is formed of an electronically conductive material. The negative conductor101is connected between the negative terminal110N of the power source110and the lower end109LE of the spring109. The spring is in turn connected to the sensor108positioned in the follower100. The positive conductor105is connected between the positive terminal110P of the power source110and the metal contact104A on the enhanced feed lip103by contact between115A and114A respectively. The positive conductor105is placed external to the magazine body113. The positive conductor may be alternately placed internal to the magazine body113in a manner such that the conductor does not interfere with the free motion of the spring109, the follower100or any loaded bullets.

In such a preferred embodiment, when one or more bullets are loaded in the body113, the sensor108senses, detects or contacts the metal contact104A on the enhanced feed lip103. When the sensor108detects or contacts the metal contact104A, the sensing/detection circuit is “closed” and as such the illumination source111is turned on and illuminated indicating the presence of at least one bullet within the magazine.

When there are no bullets in the body113, the sensor108does not sense, detect or contact with the metal contact104A on the enhanced feed lip103. When the sensor108does not sense or detect or is not in contact with the metal contact104A in the enhanced feed lip103, the sensing/detection circuit is “open” and as such the illumination source111is turned off. The illumination source being turned off indicates that there are no bullets left in the magazine body113.

It is noted that the spring109itself may be extended to be in direct contact with the sensor108in the follower110. It is noted that the spring109itself may be extended to be in direct contact with the negative terminal110N of the power source110in lieu of the negative conductor101.

In another embodiment, the magazine body113is conductive and the spring109and follower100are insulated from accidental contact with a conductive magazine body113. The positive terminal110N of the power source110is connected to the conductive magazine body113via positive conductor105. The spring109and follower100provide the negative connection to the power source110. As is the case with the preferred embodiment, the illumination source111will stay lit when there are one or more bullets inserted in the magazine body113and the illumination source111will turn off when there is no bullet inserted in the magazine body113.

In yet another alternate embodiment, it is envisioned that the illumination source may be a numeric counter reflecting the exact number of bullets that are inserted in the magazine body.

In yet an alternate embodiment, the smart sensor may be located in the weapon barrel. As seen inFIG.5, there is a smart cylinder212is inserted into an opening in the weapon barrel213.

FIG.6shows a cross sectional view looking down the longitudinal axis of the weapon barrel. The smart cylinder212is inserted into the opening in the weapon barrel wall213by means of threads206. Sensor208is positioned on the end of the smart cylinder212that is interior to the barrel. A curved surface209of the smart cylinder212is positioned nearest the center of the longitudinal axis of the barrel. The curved surface209is designed to match the circumferential geometry of a bullet300within the weapon barrel.

FIG.7shows an exploded view of the smart cylinder212. The smart cylinder212has threads206around approximately 75% of the length of the smart cylinder212allowing the smart cylinder to be screwed into corresponding threads the weapon barrel213. The threads206also allow for easy removal of the smart cylinder212from the weapon barrel213in order to clean the weapon's components.

Also shown inFIG.7, there is a gasket205around the smart cylinder212body to ensure that gasses do not enter the smart cylinder212electronic components. There is also a small failsafe space207located proximate the curved surface208of the smart cylinder. This failsafe space207is designed to diminish the pressures created when the bullet300is ignited, helping to ensure that the smart cylinder212is not ejected from the corresponding opening in the weapon barrel when the weapon is fired. The failsafe space207is designed to absorb the impact of pressure when firing the weapon in order to avoid damage to the weapon barrel. Alternately, a spring (not shown) can be placed in the failsafe space207to help absorb the pressures.

Electronic elements of the weapon status indicator are also shown inFIG.7. A battery202is located in the smart cylinder212. An illumination source201is located on the end of the smart cylinder212that is exposed external the weapon barrel213when the smart cylinder is inserted into the weapon barrel213. The illumination source201is preferably a LED. There is a charging port210exposed on a side of the housing of smart cylinder212. Internal to the smart cylinder212, charging port electronics211are connected via lead wires between the charging port210and the positive terminal of battery202. The charging port210is also connected to the negative terminal of the battery202.

Also shown inFIG.7, the positive terminal of the battery202is also connected via wire to the positive terminal204of the illumination source201. The negative terminal203A of the illumination source201is connected via a wire running through the smart cylinder212to sensor contact203C at the flat surface of208of the smart cylinder212. Another sensor contact203B is also located at the flat surface of208of the smart cylinder212. Sensor203B is connected via a wire running through the smart cylinder212to the negative terminal of the battery202. When a bullet is sensed in the curved surface209of the smart cylinder212, the electronics circuit is closed, causing the illumination source201to illuminate indicating the presence of a bullet within the weapon barrel213.

Referring toFIG.8, the enhanced floor plate107and floor plate retainer106are slid into relative position as shown by the arrows. When the floor plate107and floor plate retainer106are fully connected, floor plate retainer negative contact115B and spring finger battery negative contact114B are in operable connection with each other. Likewise, when floor plate107and floor plate retainer106are fully connected, floor plate retainer positive contact115A and spring finger battery positive contact114A are in operable connection with each other.