Abstract:
A cover system for a sound suppressor that reduces the mirage created by the heat generated when a projectile is fired through the sound suppressor and allows the sound suppressor&#39;s appearance to be easily changed to blend in with the sound suppressor&#39;s surroundings. The cover system comprises a front cap and a cylindrical member. The front cap is configured for attachment to the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is configured for attachment to the front cap and to receive the sound suppressor. An air gap is formed between an outer surface of the sound suppressor and an inner surface of the cylindrical member when the sound suppressor is at least partially received within the cylindrical member.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0001]    This disclosure relates generally to sound suppressors for firearms, and more particularly to cover systems for sound suppressors that reduce the mirage created by the heat and allow the user to easily change the appearance of the sound suppressor. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Sound suppressors absorb and reduce audible frequencies and vibrations that result from the rapid expansion of gases leaving the muzzle of a firearm as a projectile exits the firearm. This is accomplished by temporarily containing and diverting the rapidly expanding gases and other combustion by-products that are emitted from the muzzle of the firearm in inner chambers of the sound suppressor. Heat is generated as a result of this process, which in turn creates a mirage effect that disrupts the sight picture. 
         [0003]    Additionally, sound suppressors are typically a solid color, such as black or tan. This greatly hampers the sound suppressor&#39;s ability to blend in with its surroundings. Cloth sleeves can be used to cover the exterior of a sound suppressor with a camouflage or decorative pattern. However, there are numerous disadvantages to using a cloth sleeve because of the heat generated when a projectile is fired through the sound suppressor. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Disclosed herein are cover systems for sound suppressors of firearms. According to a first embodiment, a cover system for a sound suppressor for a firearm comprising a front cap and a cylindrical member. The front cap is configured for attachment to the cylindrical member. The cylindrical member is configured for attachment to the front cap and to receive the sound suppressor. An air gap is formed between an outer surface of the sound suppressor and an inner surface of the cylindrical member when the sound suppressor is at least partially received within the cylindrical member. 
         [0005]    According to a second embodiment, a cover system for a sound suppressor comprising a front cap and an elongated cylindrical member. The front cap has a substantially tubular configuration with a bore extending from a first end to a second end. A first shoulder is formed on an inner surface of the front cap. A second shoulder is formed on an outer surface of the front cap. Threading is formed on the outer surface near the second end of the front cap. The elongated cylindrical member has a substantially tubular configuration with a bore extending from a first end to a second end. Threading is formed on an inner surface of the elongated cylindrical member near the first end. The first end of the elongated cylindrical member abuts the second shoulder of the front cap when the threading on the first end of the elongated cylindrical member engages the threading on the outer surface of the front cap. 
         [0006]    According to a third embodiment, an apparatus comprising a sound suppressor, a front cap, a cylindrical member, and an end cap. The sound suppressor has a bore extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The front cap has a bore extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The cylindrical member having a bore extending longitudinally from a first end to a second end. The bore of the cylindrical member defined by an inner surface. The end cap has a bore extending therethrough. The sound suppressor is at least partially retained within the bore of the cylindrical member by the front cap and the end cap. The bore of the front cap, the bore of the sound suppressor, and the bore of the end cap are in communication with one another. An air gap is formed between the inner surface of the cylindrical member and an outer surface of the sound suppressor. 
         [0007]    These and other aspects of the present disclosure are disclosed in the following detailed description of the embodiments, the appended claims and the accompanying figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The invention is best understood from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is emphasized that, according to common practice, the various features of the drawings are not to-scale. On the contrary, the dimensions of the various features may be arbitrarily expanded or reduced for clarity. 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a cross-sectional view of a cover system with a sound suppressor; and 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the cover system with the sound suppressor. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0011]    A cover system  10  for a sound suppressor  99  is illustrated in  FIGS. 1-2 . The cover system  10  helps reduce the mirage created by the heat generated when a projectile is fired through the firearm, while also allowing a user to easily change the appearance of the sound suppressor  99 . For example, the user could change the cosmetic appearance of the sound suppressor  99  to reflect a camouflage pattern that closely matches the environment in which the sound suppressor  99  is used within. 
         [0012]    An example of the cover system  10  in use with the sound suppressor  99  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . The exemplar sound suppressor  99  has a substantially cylindrical configuration with a bore  90  extending from a first end  91  to a second end  92 . The bore  90  is large enough that a projectile can travel through the sound suppressor  99  from the first end  91  to the second end  92  without interference. Within the sound suppressor  99 , baffles or internal chambers  93  are formed within the bore  90  to attenuate and capture the flow of combustion gases associated with firing a projectile through the sound suppressor  99 . An outer surface  95  of the sound suppressor  99  extends continuously from the first end  91  to the second end  92  so that the combustion gases are contained within the bore  90  and can only escape after flowing through each of the internal chambers  93  and reaching the second end  92  of the sound suppressor  99 . The first end  91  can be configured for attachment to an end  100  of a firearm, such as having threading formed on an internal or external surface. In the illustrated, non-limiting example, screw thread  94  is formed on an internal surface defined by the bore  90  near the first end  91  of the sound suppressor  99 . 
         [0013]    The cover system  10  is comprised of a front cap  20 , an elongated cylindrical member  30 , and an end cap  40 . The front cap  20 , the elongated cylindrical member  30 , and an end cap  40  can be made from a hard material having thermodynamic properties, such as aluminum. The front cap  20  can have a substantially tubular configuration with a bore  23  extending from a first end  21  to a second end  22 . The bore  23  can have a diameter that is large enough to accommodate a projectile or the end  100  of a firearm. Screw thread  24  can be formed on an outer surface  27  of the front cap  20  near the second end  22 . The outer surface  27  can display a camouflage pattern or other decorative touches. A first shoulder  25  can be formed in the outer surface  27  between the first end  21  and the second end  22 . A second shoulder  26  can be formed in an inner surface that defines the bore  23  between the first end  21  and the second end  22 . As illustrated, the first shoulder  25  of the front cap  20  is closer to the first end  21  than the second shoulder  26  of the front cap  20 , and the second shoulder  26  of the front cap  20  is closer to the second end  22  than the first shoulder  25  of the front cap  20 . 
         [0014]    The elongated cylindrical member  30  also has a substantially tubular configuration with a bore  33  extending from a first end  31  to a second end  32 . The elongated cylindrical member  30  can be substantially solid longitudinally from the first end  31  to the second end  32  and radially from an outer surface  35  to an inner surface  36  that defines the bore  33 . The outer surface  35  can display a camouflage pattern or other decorative touches. Screw thread  37 ,  38  can be formed on the inner surface of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . Screw thread  37  is near the first end  31  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  and is complementary to screw thread  24  of the front cap  20 . Screw thread  38  is near the second end  32  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . 
         [0015]    So that the cover system  10  can accommodate the sound suppressor  99 , the elongated cylindrical member  30  can have a length that is approximately the same or slightly longer as the length of the sound suppressor  99 . It is anticipated that the elongated cylindrical member could also have a length that is slightly shorter than the length of the sound suppressor  99  or that the elongated cylindrical member  30  could be substantially longer or shorter than the sound suppressor  99 . The bore  33  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  can also have a diameter that is slightly larger than the diameter of the outer surface  95  of the sound suppressor  99 . By having a larger diameter, the sound suppressor  99  can be housed within the bore  33  of the elongated cylindrical member and an air gap  50  is formed between the outer surface  95  of the sound suppressor  99  and the inner surface  36  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . Fluid communication does not occur between the air gap  50  and the combustion gases contained within the bore  90  of the sound suppressor  99 . 
         [0016]    A body  41  of the end cap  40  can have a substantially disc-like configuration with a bore  42  extending through the center of the body  41 . The bore  42  can have a cylindrical configuration and be sized to accommodate a projectile that is fired through the sound suppressor  99 . Near the outer circumference of the body  41 , a radial wall  43  extends substantially perpendicular from the body  41  of the end cap  40 . Screw thread  44  can be provided on an outer surface of the radial wall  43  that is complementary to screw thread  38  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . A shoulder  45  can be formed on the outer circumference of the body  41  where the radial wall  43  abuts the body  41  of the end cap  40 . The radial wall  43  can have a diameter that is slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner surface  36  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  so that the radial wall  43  fits within the bore  33  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  with the second end  32  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  abutting the shoulder  45  of the end cap  40 . 
         [0017]    To assemble and use the cover system  10 , the first end  21  of the front cap  20  is slide over the end  100  of the firearm. The first end  91  of the sound suppressor  99  is then inserted into the bore  23  of the front cap  20  so that the first end  91  of the sound suppressor  99  abuts the second shoulder  26  of the front cap  20 . The sound suppressor  99  can be attached to the firearm by engaging the end  100  of the firearm with screw thread  94  of the sound suppressor  99 . The elongated cylindrical member  30  can then be slide over the sound suppressor  99  until the first end  31  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  abuts the first should  25  of the front cap. The elongated cylindrical member  30  can be secured to the front cap  20  by engaging screw thread  37  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  with screw thread  24  of the front cap  20 . The air gap  50  will be formed between the outer surface  95  of the sound suppressor  99  and the inner surface  36  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . The end cap  40  can then be added by inserting the radial wall  43  of the end cap  40  between the outer surface  95  of the sound suppressor  99  and the inner surface  36  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . The second end  32  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  can abut the shoulder  45  of the end cap  40 . The end cap  40  can be secured to the elongated cylindrical member  30  by engaging screw thread  44  of the end cap  40  with screw thread  38  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . 
         [0018]    When a projectile is fired from the firearm, it will travel through the cover system  10  and the sound suppressor  99 . The cover system  10  helps reduce the mirage that results from the heat generated when the projectile is fired through the sound suppressor  99 . The cover system  10  also changes the cosmetic appearance of the sound suppressor  99  if a camouflage pattern or other decorative touches are provided on the front cap  20  and/or the elongated cylindrical member  30 . 
         [0019]    To dissemble the cover system  10 , the end cap  40  can be disconnected, if present, by disengaging screw thread  44  of the end cap  40  from screw thread  38  of the elongated cylindrical member  30 . The elongated cylindrical member  30  can be disconnected by disengaging screw thread  37  of the elongated cylindrical member  30  from screw thread  24  of the front cap  20 . The elongated cylindrical member  30  can then be disconnected from the front cap  20 . The front cap  20  can then be removed from the end  100  of the firearm. 
         [0020]    While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the disclosed embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the scope of the appended claims, which scope is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures as is permitted under the law.