Abstract:
A mechanism adapted for rapid attachment/detachment of a lighting device to a rail system of a host weapon system. The mechanism includes a body, a fixed rail clamp, and a floating rail clamp that is adjustably attached to the body in an opposing manner to the fixed rail clamp to provide a clamping effect therebetween. The floating rail clamp has a recess in a surface opposite the fixed rail clamp. A holding screw passes through a bore in the fixed rail clamp, and a clamp screw passes through a slot in the floating rail clamp and is threaded into one end of the holding screw. An oppositely-disposed end of the clamp screw protrudes within the recess of the floating rail clamp, and a cam arm has a first end pivotably coupled to the second end of the clamp screw and an oppositely-disposed distal end that protrudes from the recess.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/440,128, filed Feb. 7, 2011, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION: 
       [0002]    Existing weapon-mountable lighting devices use a variety of methods to secure the actual device to a host weapon system. The most common method involves clamping the device to a system such as the Picatinny 1913 mounting rail. A plethora of means of fixedly fastening these devices to a rail system exist and include, but are not limited to simple screw mechanisms that provide dual opposing lateral clamping force against a rail system, spring mechanisms that apply perpendicular force against a rail system, and even singular lateral clamping force against a rail system. Some of the commercially available systems&#39; attachment means are not ruggedized, that is they do not maintain their position during normal use such as weapon transport or firing. 
         [0003]    Most systems do not provide for a means of rapid attachment or detachment from the rail system, and certainly not without the use of tools. Of the those systems that do provide a means for rapid attachment, some devices have to be installed in a certain manner, i.e., slid on from a particular direction, which can be a hindrance if the entry point is blocked by other attachments or even parts of the host weapon itself. Other rapid attachment mechanisms provide a biasing means that forces a user to physically hold the device open while attaching it to a rail system. 
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    The present invention provides a mechanism adapted for rapid attachment of a weapon-mountable lighting device to a rail system of a host weapon system via a hand-operated cam mechanism that allows for mounting from any direction, avoiding the need to remove other accessories. 
         [0005]    According to one aspect of the invention, the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism includes a body, a fixed rail clamp that defines a non-adjustable portion of the body, the fixed rail clamp having a bore defined therein, and a floating rail clamp that is adjustably attached to the body in an opposing manner to the fixed rail clamp to provide a clamping effect therebetween. The floating rail clamp has a recess defined in a surface thereof opposite the fixed rail clamp and a slot defined within the recess. A holding screw passes through the bore in the fixed rail clamp, has a head end protruding from the fixed rail clamp, and has an oppositely-disposed threaded end received in the bore of the fixed rail clamp. A clamp screw passes through the slot in the floating rail clamp and has a first end threaded into the threaded end of the holding screw and an oppositely-disposed second end protruding within the recess of the floating rail clamp. A cam arm has a first end pivotably coupled to the second end of the clamp screw and an oppositely-disposed distal end. All but the distal end of the cam arm is received in the recess of the floating rail clamp when the cam arm is in a closed position that causes the floating rail clamp to move toward the fixed rail clamp. 
         [0006]    A technical effect of the invention is the ability of the attachment/detachment mechanism to provide for a normally open design rail clamp that is allows for a weapon-mountable lighting device to be placed from any direction on a rail system. The mechanism is preferably held open, or biased, in an open position to ease attachment effort while speeding up detachment if needed. Furthermore, the mechanism provides a positive and ruggedized clamping force capable of maintaining a device&#39;s alignment to a host weapon system during transit or actual firing. Finally, because only the distal end of the cam arm protrudes from the recess in the floating rail clamp, the cam arm is less vulnerable to inadvertent movement. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a weapon-mountable lighting device equipped with a rapid attachment/detachment mechanism in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 1  detailing certain components of the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism. 
           [0009]      FIG. 3  is an auxiliary exploded perspective view of the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 1  illustrating components and corresponding receiving features of the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism. 
           [0010]      FIG. 4  is an exploded perspective view of the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism of  FIG. 1  highlighting certain components of the mechanism. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views showing the components of the mechanism of  FIG. 4  assembled. 
           [0012]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 1  showing the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism in an open and unclamped position. 
           [0013]      FIG. 8  is a partial sectional perspective view showing the mechanism of  FIG. 7  in the open and unclamped position. 
           [0014]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 1  showing the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism in a partially-open, partially-activated clamping position. 
           [0015]      FIG. 10  is a partial sectional perspective view showing the mechanism of  FIG. 9  in a partially-open, partially-activated clamping position. 
           [0016]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 1  showing the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism in a closed and fully-activated clamping position. 
           [0017]      FIG. 12  is a partial sectional perspective view showing the mechanism of  FIG. 11  in a closed and fully-activated clamping position. 
           [0018]      FIG. 13  is a perspective view showing the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 1  and its rapid attachment/detachment mechanism positioned for mounting to a handgun. 
           [0019]      FIG. 14  is a perspective view showing the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 13  mounted on the handgun and ready to be fixedly attached to the weapon with the mechanism in the open and unclamped position. 
           [0020]      FIG. 15  is a perspective view showing the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 13  mounted on the handgun and fixedly attached thereto with the mechanism in the closed and fully-activated clamping position. 
           [0021]      FIGS. 16 ,  17  and  18  are partial sectional perspective views of the weapon-mountable lighting device of  FIG. 13  showing the clamping mechanism in, respectively, the open and unclamped position, the partially-open and partially-activated clamping position, and the closed and fully-activated clamping position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0022]    This invention allows for rapidly attaching or detaching a weapon-mountable lighting device to a weapon rail system, for example, a Picatinny 1913 or similar mounting schemes utilized with host weapon systems. As will be described below, the invention utilizes a cam lever to engage a floating rail clamp to apply pressure to a host weapon rail system. The floating rail is symmetrically biased in an open position to allow for rapid and solid attachment of a weapon-mountable lighting device to the rail of the host weapon, and also allows for quick detachment of the device. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 1 , a weapon-mountable lighting device is represented as being equipped with a rapid attachment/detachment mechanism  1  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The lighting device may be, for example, a laser designator/illuminator commercially produced by Laser Genetics of America, LTD. The mechanism  1  comprises a rigid and fixed rail clamp  2  that is either integrated with or separately mounted to the body  3  of the lighting device such that the position of the fixed rail clamp  2  relative to the body  3  is permanent and not adjustable. The fixed rail clamp  2  may be formed of various materials, for example, aluminum or another metal or metal alloy, or a polymer such as polyoxymethylene (POM) (also known as acetyl) or another engineering thermoplastic. Opposite the fixed rail clamp  2  is a floating rail clamp  4  adapted to apply a clamping force to a rail system of a host weapon. 
         [0024]    Referring to  FIG. 2 , an exploded perspective view of the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism  1  is provided to illustrate components of the mechanism  1  of  FIG. 1 . A holding screw  5 , shown coupled with a Belleville washer  6  to provide system damping, is inserted into a bore  7  defined in the fixed rail clamp  2  or in the body  3  of the mechanism  1  in close proximity to the fixed rail clamp  2 . A clamp screw  8  passes through a receiving hole  9  in the body  3  and is threaded into a threaded bore ( FIG. 5 ) in the end of the holding screw  5 . Two compression springs  10  are inserted into a corresponding pair of spring bosses  11  defined in the floating rail clamp  4  to provide a balanced counter force to the mechanism  1 . The floating rail clamp  4  accommodates the clamp screw  8  via a screw slot  12 . With the floating rail clamp  4  compressed against the body  3 , a pin hole  13  of the clamp screw  8  is exposed and accepts a cam arm  14  through a slot  15  and is secured through holes  16  of the cam arm  14  with a pin  17 . A vertical rail stabilizer insert  18  is installed into a receiving port  19  of the body  3  via a screw  20 . The vertical rail stabilizer insert  18  may be of various, user-selectable geometries to accommodate a variety of rail-type mounting systems. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  is a partially exploded perspective view illustrating the floating side of the mechanism  1 . The holding screw  5  residing in the body  3  accepts the clamp screw  8 , which protrudes through the floating rail clamp  4  and accepts the pin  17  through the cam arm  14 . The body  3  accepts the springs  10  residing in the floating rail clamp  4  via a corresponding pair of spring recesses  21  defined in the body  3 . Because the clamp screw  8  is threaded into the end of the holding screw  5 , the holding screw  5  provides an adjustment feature for the length of the clamp screw  8 , in particular, how far the end of the clamp screw  8  protrudes into a recess  14 B defined in the outer surface of the floating rail clamp  4 . For this purpose, the head of the holding screw  5  is shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  6  as having a slot (or some other suitable feature) defined therein to enable the holding screw  5  to be rotated about its axis. Notably, the holding screw  5  is located in the bore  7  located in the fixed rail clamp  2 , while the clamp screw  8  is located in the slot  12  in the floating rail clamp  4  on the opposite side of the mechanism  1 . 
         [0026]    As evident from  FIG. 3 , the cam arm  14  is configured and sized to be almost entirely received in the recess  14 B defined in the outer surface of the floating rail clamp  4 . The recess  14 B contains the slot  12  through which passes the end of the clamp screw  8  in which the pin hole  13  is formed. Only a distal end  14 A of the cam arm  14  (opposite the cam arm slot  15 ) protrudes from the recess  14 B, such that only the distal end  14 A of the cam arm  14  protrudes outside the three-dimensional boundary of the floating rail clamp  4  when the floating rail clamp  4  is in a closed position shown in  FIGS. 5 and 6  and discussed in reference to  FIGS. 7-18 . As a result, the cam arm  14  is less vulnerable to inadvertent movement, which better ensures that the alignment of a lighting device mounted with the mechanism  1  to a host weapon rail system ( FIGS. 16-18 ) will not be disturbed. 
         [0027]    Components of the rapid attachment/detachment mechanism  1  are visible in an exploded perspective view illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The Belleville washer  6 , which provides damping of sound and vibration when the cam arm  4  is rotated during the clamping cycle, resides coaxial with the holding screw  5  that accepts the clamp screw  8 . The compression springs  10  are inserted into the spring bosses  11  of the floating rail clamp  4  to provide symmetric counter force to the clamping mechanism. The floating rail clamp  4  accommodates the clamp screw  8  via the screw slot  12 . With the floating rail clamp  4  compressed toward the body  3 , the pin hole  13  of the clamp screw  8  is exposed and accepts the cam arm  14  through the slot  15  and is secured through the holes  16  of the cam arm  14  with the pin  17 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 5 and 6  are perspective views of the mechanism  1  of  FIG. 4 , and show the cam arm  14  in a closed position.  FIG. 6  further shows engaging features  22  of the floating rail clamp  4  that are adapted to engage a rail system of a host weapon. 
         [0029]      FIGS. 7 through 12  are various perspective views that demonstrate phases of the operating cycle of the mechanism  1  of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the mechanism  1  with the cam arm  14  in a fully open position  23  and the corresponding floating rail clamp  4  in a natural, open and unclamped position  24 .  FIG. 8  is a partial sectional perspective view of  FIG. 7  presenting a cam surface  25 A of the floating rail clamp  4  engaged by a cam surface  25  of the cam arm  14  when in the fully open position  23 , which forces the floating rail clamp  4  into the open and unclamped position  24  by action of the springs  10  ( FIG. 4 ).  FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the mechanism  1  with the cam arm  14  in a partially-open position  26  and the corresponding floating rail clamp  4  in a partially-open, partially-activated clamping position  27 .  FIG. 10  is a partial sectional perspective view of  FIG. 9  presenting the cam surface  25 A of the floating rail clamp  4  engaged by the cam surface  25  of the cam arm  14  when in the partially-open position  26 , which forces the floating rail clamp  4  into the partially-open, partially-activated clamping position  27  by action of the springs  10 .  FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the mechanism  1  with the cam arm  14  in a fully-closed position  28  and the corresponding floating rail clamp  4  in a fully-activated clamping position  29 .  FIG. 12  is a partial sectional perspective view of  FIG. 11  presenting the cam surface  25 A of the floating rail clamp  4  engaged by the cam surface  25  of the cam arm  14  when in a fully-closed position  28 , overcoming the force of the springs  10  and forcing the floating rail clamp  4  into the fully-activated clamping position  29 . 
         [0030]      FIGS. 13 through 15  are perspective views of the mechanism  1  of  FIG. 1  in combination with a host weapon  30 , represented as a hand gun.  FIG. 13  depicts the mechanism  1  in preparation to mount to a rail  31  of the weapon  30 . The cam arm  14  is in the open and unclamped position  23 . The mating floating rail clamp  4  is also in its open and unclamped position  24  by the force of the springs  10 .  FIG. 14  shows the mechanism  1  positioned on the rail  31  of the weapon  30 , with the cam arm  14  and mating floating rail clamp  4  remaining in their respective open and unclamped positions  23  and  24  by the force of the springs  10 .  FIG. 15  shows the mechanism  1  fixedly attached to the rail  31  of the weapon  30  as a result of the cam arm  14  being in the closed position  28 , which in turn has caused the mating floating rail clamp  4  to be in its fully-activated clamping position  29  as a result of overcoming the force of the springs  10 . The floating rail clamp  4  is fully engaged with the rail  31  of the weapon  30  when in the clamping position  29 , which simultaneously causes the opposing fixed rail clamp  2  to also be fully engaged with the opposite side of the rail  31 . 
         [0031]      FIGS. 16 through 18  are partially sectioned perspective views that further demonstrate phases of the operating cycle of the mechanism  1  as it is installed on the weapon  30 .  FIG. 16  depicts the mechanism  1  with the cam arm  14  in its open position  23  and the corresponding floating rail clamp  4  in its open and unclamped position  24 , and therefore not engaged against the rail  31  of the weapon  30 .  FIG. 17  is a perspective view of the mechanism  1  with the cam arm  14  in its partially-open position  26  and the corresponding floating rail clamp  4  in its partially-activated clamping position  27  so as to be partially engaged against the rail  31  of weapon  30 .  FIG. 18  is a perspective view of the mechanism  1  with the cam arm  14  in its fully closed position  28  and the corresponding floating rail clamp  4  in its fully-activated clamping position  29 , such that the floating rail clamp  4  and the opposing fixed rail clamp  2  are fully engaged with the rail  31  of the weapon  30 . 
         [0032]    While the invention has been described in terms of preferred embodiments, it is apparent that other forms could be adopted by one skilled in the art. For example, the assembly could differ in appearance and construction from the embodiments shown in the Figures, the functions of each component of the device could be performed by components of different construction but capable of a similar (though not necessarily equivalent) function, and appropriate materials could be substituted for those noted. Therefore, the scope of the invention is to be limited only by the following claims.