Abstract:
A lighting device for a gun, which is preferably a small revolver having a total length of less than 6″, is positioned in a grip (or handle portion) of the gun and includes a mirror to redirect the light beam along the side or top of the gun and preferably parallel to the axis of the gun barrel.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/984,655 filed Apr. 25, 2014 and entitled “WEAPON WITH REDIRECTED LIGHTING BEAM,” the respective disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention is directed to a lighting device for a firearm that uses a mirror to redirect the light beam along the side or top of the firearm and preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the firearm&#39;s barrel. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    As used herein, “light source” means any source of light, such as a laser or flashlight. “Laser” means any form of laser light source that projects a beam of laser light suitable for weapon alignment or sighting purposes. 
         [0004]    It is known to utilize a light beam, such as a beam from a laser, as a sighting aid for weapons, particularly guns. A laser beam is preferred because it has comparatively high intensity, can be focused into a narrow beam with a small divergence angle so it produces a small, bright spot on a target. When the light beam and gun bore are properly aligned, the bullet (or other projectile) will hit on or very close to the location of the spot produced by the laser on the target. 
         [0005]    It is, however, difficult to mount lasers to small guns, particularly small revolvers, that can be concealed in a pocket or purse. The problem is that the laser and associated mechanisms are too large for the gun. Consequently, they interfere with the operation of the gun and/or make the gun more difficult to conceal. 
         [0006]    The disclosures of the following references that are not inconsistent with this disclosure are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 8,127,485 entitled “GUN WITH MOUNTED SIGHTING DEVICE” to Moore et al., U.S. Pat. No. 8,312,665 entitled “SIDE-MOUNTED LIGHTING DEVICE” to Moore et al. and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/707,312 entitled “SIGHTING DEVICE REPLICATING SHOTGUN PATTERN SPREAD” to Moore et al. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0007]    Embodiments of the present invention are mountable on a gun, particularly a small revolver, without interfering with the operation of the gun or affecting the ability to conceal the gun. Disclosed is a laser (or other light source) that is disposed in a grip of the gun. In the embodiments shown, the laser module is mounted at an angle of 0°-45° from the vertical axis and is not positioned so that it is in line with the longitudinal axis of the gun barrel. A mirror is positioned adjacent the end of the laser module that emits light, and the mirror redirects the light, preferably parallel to the longitudinal axis of the gun barrel to enable a user to sight the gun. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a lighting device according to aspects of the invention showing how the device fits onto part of the gun grip. 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is a rear, perspective, partially-exploded view of a gun with the lighting device of  FIG. 1  not yet assembled on the gun. 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of a gun including a lighting device in accordance with  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a bottom view of the gun according to  FIG. 3 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the gun according to  FIG. 3 . 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a left-side, perspective view of a gun according to  FIG. 3 . 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a left-side view of a gun according to  FIG. 3 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a right-side, perspective view of a gun according to  FIG. 3 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a right-side view of a gun according to  FIG. 3 . 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0017]    Turning now to the Figures where the purpose is to describe preferred embodiments of the invention and not limit same,  FIG. 1  is an exploded view of a first section  100  of a grip according to aspects of the invention. First section, or grip portion,  100  is preferably made of plastic, metal or a combination thereof and most preferably of injection-molded plastic, and has a main body portion  100 A. 
         [0018]    In this embodiment, a housing  12  includes a cavity  12 B, and is integrally formed as part of first section  100  (although it could be connected to first section  100  in any suitable manner). The cavity  12 B of housing  12  is dimensioned to receive laser module  14 . In this embodiment module  14  has a first end  14 A through which laser light is emitted. 
         [0019]    A module nose ball  16  fits over laser module  14  and allows the module  14  to pivot so its position can be adjusted, thereby adjusting the direction of the light beam emitted from end  14 A. Housing  12  has an outer wall with two openings  12 A, each of which receive a set screw  18  (or other suitable device) that can be tightened or loosened in an opening  12 A to alter the position of laser module  14  in housing  12 . As shown, the openings  12 A and corresponding set screws  18  are positioned 90° apart and are in a axial alignment approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of laser module  14  when module  14  is positioned in cavity  12 B of housing  12 . 
         [0020]    Before laser module  14  is positioned in housing  12 , module nose ball  16 , a biasing spring  20 , and a spring bias insert  22  are positioned on module  14 . The combination of spring  20  and spring bias insert  22  bias the laser module  14  towards the two set screws  18 . In this manner, as one or more of set screws  18  is loosened the laser module  14  will move in the direction of that set screw(s). Spring  20  may also provide a negative electrical contact for laser module  14 . 
         [0021]    A mirror  24  fits into a slot  26  integrally formed as part of first section  100 . In the embodiment shown, mirror  24  is stationary, but it could be adjustable to adjust, or help adjust, the travel of the light beam emitted from first end  14 A. In the embodiment shown, mirror  24  deflects the travel of light emitted from end  14 A of laser module  14  so that the light preferably travels along the side or top of a gun, preferably parallel to the axis of the gun barrel, to properly sight a target. Light reflected from the mirror  26  passes through a lens  28 . Lens  28  fits onto first section  100  and is transparent, colored, or translucent, and could be a diffraction lens. For example, lens  28  may alter the laser light existing the internal laser module, such as to create a pattern of light, such as a cross hair, vertical beam, horizontal beam, circular pattern of light beams, or circular pattern of light beams with a light beam in the center of the circumference of the circular pattern. 
         [0022]    A back cover  30  is positioned onto first section  100  to retain mirror  24 , laser module  14 , laser module nose ball, spring  20  and spring bias insert  22  in place and protect them. Cover  30  can be attached to first section main body  100 A in any suitable fashion but is preferably snap fit into place by projections  32  being received in openings  34 . Alternatively, screws could be passed through openings  34  and projections  32  could be threaded or contain screw bosses to retain the screws. 
         [0023]    A button, or switch,  40  is preferably a momentary switch that is pressure activated by a user squeezing it. Most preferably a user must apply at least 2, at least 3, or at least 5, pounds of force to activate switch  40  because in that manner a user would not accidentally activate the switch  40  simply by grasping the grip. Alternatively, another type of switch may be used and the switch may be at any suitable location. A PCB  44  is positioned in the back of switch  40 . When switch  40  is activated, PCB  44  is moved and it connects the power source  60  to the laser module  14  to emit light from end  14 A. 
         [0024]    Switch  40  and PCB  44  fit into slot  42  of main body  100 A, and there is a corresponding slot (shown in  FIG. 2 ) on second section  200 , so that when sections  100  and  200  are connected through the gun handle frame  502 , they hold the switch  40  and PCB  44  in place. 
         [0025]    A button press tab  46  is retained in slot  48 . The power source  60  comprises three 3V photo cell batteries  62 , although any suitable power source (preferably a light and portable 3V source) can be used. The power source (batteries  62 ) in this embodiment are retained in a tube  64  that is preferably cylindrical with a cavity  66  and a mounting board  68  that communicates with PCB  44  when switch  40  is activated. 
         [0026]    An insulation sleeve  70  is positioned in cavity  66  and batteries  62  are positioned inside the sleeve  70 . Contact board  68  is positioned on frame  74  of main body  100 A and is preferably retained in place by screws  76  being positioned through openings  68 A and threaded into openings  74 A. Insulation sleeve  70  is positioned in cavity  66  and batteries  62  are placed inside sleeve  70 . Then spring  72  is placed inside of cavity  66  to bias batteries  62  towards board  68 , and a cap  76  is placed on the end of battery tube  64 , preferably by threading it onto the end of tube  64 , or by any other suitable attachment method. 
         [0027]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded view of a grip according to the invention prior to it being mounted to the handle frame  502  of a revolver  500 . In this figure first section  100  is fully assembled. Handle frame  502  has an opening  504  through which portions of first section  100  and second section  200  are pressed together and/or are connected. 
         [0028]    Sections  100  and  200  are pressed against the respective sides of handle frame  502 . Screw boss  202  aligns with opening  80 , sleeve  204  aligns with slot  42  to retain switch  40 , and flange  206  aligns with and presses against flange  41  to create a seal between first section  100  and second section  200 . A fastener  120  is passed through opening  80  and threadingly received in screw boss  202  to retain first section  100  and second section  200  in place, although any suitable attachment mechanism may be used. When attached, the cap  76  of battery tube  64  aligns with an opening  210  in second section  200 , which can best be seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . In this manner, the battery tube  64  can be easily accessed to remove and replace batteries  62 , although any suitable method of battery removal and replacement may be utilized. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment shown, the laser module  14  and first section  100  are on the right-hand side of the gun  500 . Alternatively, they could be on the left-hand side with first section  100  and second section  200  replaced with respective sections that have the same structures, but reversed. 
         [0030]      FIG. 3  is a rear view of device  10 . Gun  500  is a revolver with a barrel  506 , a cylinder  508  for holding bullets (not shown), an optional back plate  510  (not shown in all figures) that retains the bullets in the cylinder, a trigger guard  512 , a trigger  514 , a hammer  516  and a mechanical front site  518 . 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIGS. 3-9 , the housing  12  and lens  28  are positioned completely behind the trigger guard  512 , trigger  14  and cylinder  508  so as to not interfere with the operation of the gun  500 . In this embodiment lens  28  is positioned entirely above cylinder  508  so that the light emitted from lens  28  will not be blocked or partially blocked by the cylinder. The housing  12  only extends outward to approximately a position directly even with the outward edge of the cylinder, or by no more than 1/32″, 1/16″, ⅛″ or ¼″ beyond that position. Also, the lens  28  is entirely preferably about 1/32″, 1/16″, ⅛″, or ¼″ above the cylinder. 
         [0032]    Having thus described some embodiments of the invention, other variations and embodiments that do not depart from the spirit of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is thus not limited to any particular embodiment, but is instead set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof. Unless expressly stated in the written description or claims, the steps of any method recited in the claims may be performed in any order capable of yielding the desired result.