Abstract:
An illumination device for use with a firearm and a method of using the same are disclosed. The illumination device can include a gun grip cover configured to attach to a gun grip. The illumination device can have a first illumination element extending to the left of the gun grip cover and a second illumination element extending to the right of the gun grip cover. The illumination elements can deliver a spread of light to illuminate a large area. The illumination elements can be laterally adjacent to the barrel. The illumination elements can be controlled by a control switch positioned below the trigger.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/052,384, filed Oct. 11, 2013, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,807,779, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/347,843, filed Jan. 11, 2012, issued as U.S. Pat. No. 8,662,694, which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     1. Technical Field 
     The disclosure relates to an illumination device for a firearm. More specifically, the disclosure relates to a gun grip cover having an integrated light. 
     2. Summary of the Art 
     When security personnel, such as police, investigate dark areas under threat of violence, they often hold their firearm—often a handgun—with one hand and a flashlight with the other hand. This not only prevents them from grasping the firearm with both hands—which is known as being more stable and accurate than grasping the firearm with one hand—but also limits the utility of their other hand even if they were to maintain a one-handed grip on their gun. 
     Laser sights are available for firearms, but such sights only provide a focused laser beam with which to check the aim of the gun against a target. These sights fail to provide spread light that can illuminate an area. 
     Furthermore, holding or attaching a flashlight on one side of the gun limits the utility of the light emitted because half of the area is likely to still be relatively dark because of the shadow cast by the gun itself. Flashlights are also often bulky compared to firearms. Flashlights are also not ergonomically designed to be operated in conjunction with a firearm, even when attached to the firearm. When the flashlight is not attached to the firearm, it is even more difficult to turn the light on and off, point the flashlight, and hold and aim the gun all at the same time even with two hands. 
     Flashlights that are attachable to handguns are typically attachable to the barrel. These lights also often take large enough batteries, causing a significant change in the weight distribution of the handgun which in turn affects the ability to hold and aim the firearm. For example, some existing barrel-attached flashlights are 108 g and 125 g and move the center of mass of the gun along the barrel. Handguns typically have a center of mass near the front of the handle, so the shift of the center of mass with a barrel-mounted flashlight gives the handgun an unnatural, and unexpected forward-shifted balance. 
     These flashlights also prevent the handgun from being placed into a standard issue holster. The flashlight must be removed from the gun before the gun is holstered, and then the flashlight must be re-attached to the gun after the gun is withdrawn from the holster. 
     What is desired is an illumination device that can be held and operated single-handedly in combination with a gun. An illumination device is also desired that can project light on all or almost all sides of a gun concurrently while holding the gun. An illumination device is also desired that can be attached to a gun without significantly increasing the weight or weight distribution of the gun and illumination device combination compared with the gun without the illumination device. An illumination device is desired that when installed on a handgun will allow the handgun to fit into a standard holster. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An illumination device is disclosed. The illumination device can be used with a gun having a grip. The gun can be a handgun, rifle or shotgun. The device can have a grip cover that can be attached to or integral with the grip of the gun. The grip cover can have an illumination activation control interface, such as a button, and a first illumination element, such as an LED, incandescent or fluorescent bulb, configured to deliver uncollimated light. 
     The first illumination element can be positioned at the top of the grip cover. The device of claim  1 , wherein the illumination activation control interface can have a button. The illumination activation control interface can be positioned below a trigger on the gun. The first illumination element can extend laterally beyond the surface of the remainder of the grip cover. 
     The grip cover can have a second illumination element. The first illumination element can be on a first lateral side of the grip cover, and the second illumination element can be on a second lateral side of the grip cover opposite to the first lateral side of the grip cover. The first illumination element can extend in a first lateral direction beyond the surface of the remainder of the grip cover, and the second illumination element can extend in a second lateral direction, opposite to the first lateral direction, beyond the surface of the remainder of the grip cover. 
     Another illumination device that can be used with a gun having a grip is disclosed. The illumination device can have a grip cover and an illumination element, such as an LED, incandescent or fluorescent bulb, configured to delivered spread light. The illumination element can be positioned at the top of the grip cover and can extend laterally beyond the surface of the remainder of the grip cover. The grip cover can have a fastener hole. The device can have a fastener that can be located in the fastener hole and the grip and fastens the device to the grip. 
     A method for using an illumination device on a gun having a grip is also disclosed. The method can include attaching the illumination device to the gun. The method can include holding the grip with a trigger finger hand. The method can also include activating the illumination device with the trigger finger hand. The holding of the grip can be concurrent with the activating of the illumination device. The activating of the illumination device can include controlling the illumination device to emit light. 
     The method can include discharging the gun concurrent with the activating of the illumination device. Attaching the illumination device to the gun can include attaching the illumination device to the grip. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a variation of a gun. 
         FIGS. 2 through 4  are perspective, front, and rear views, respectively, of a variation of the illumination device. 
         FIGS. 5 a  through 5 c    are side views of variations of the device of  FIGS. 2 through 4 . 
         FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b    are right rear perspective and left rear perspective views of a variation of the device. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates a variation of a portion of section A-A of  FIG. 5   a.    
         FIG. 8  is a rear view of the device in a flat configuration. 
         FIG. 9  illustrates a variation of the gun with the illumination device in a holster. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG. 1  illustrates that a gun  10  can have a receiver or frame  12 , barrel  14  and trigger  16 . The trigger  16  can be partially surrounded by a trigger guard  17 . The gun  10  can be a handgun (as shown), rifle, or shotgun. The frame  12  can have a grip  18 . The grip  18  can be integral with or attached to and detachable from the frame  12 . The grip  18  can be integral with or attached to a stock. 
     The grip  18  can have a grip cover  20 . The grip cover  20  can be integral with or attached to and detachable from the grip  18 . Attachment elements or fasteners, such as brads, bolts or screws  22  can extend through the grip cover  20  and threadably attach to the grip  18 , for example, removably attaching the grip cover  20  to the grip  18 . 
     The barrel  14  can have a barrel longitudinal axis  24 . A trigger finger axis  26  can be a lateral projection of the plane defined by the trigger finger when the hand is holding the grip  18  and the trigger finger is placed on the trigger  16 . The trigger finger axis  26  can pass through the center of the exposed portion of the trigger  16 . 
       FIGS. 2 through 4  illustrate that the grip cover  20  can have first and second illumination elements, such as LEDs, incandescent, fluorescent (e.g., compact fluorescent), mercury vapor, xenon, neon, halogen bulbs, or combinations thereof. The illumination elements can emit uncollimated light or a spread of light. The emitted light can be visible white, blue, red, yellow, green, orange, infrared, ultraviolet (e.g., black light), or combinations thereof. 
     The grip cover  20  can have a first wall  30   a , a second wall  30   b , a bridge section or connecting strap  32  or combinations thereof. The first wall  30   a  can be integral or attachable and detachable with a first lateral side of the connecting strap  32 . The second wall  30   b  can be integral or attachable and detachable with the second lateral side of the connecting strap  32  opposite the first lateral side of the connecting strap  32 . The strap  32  can be on the front of the grip cover  20 . A second strap (not shown) can be on the back of the grip cover  32 . The second strap can be attached to or integral with one or both walls  30 . 
     The grip cover  20  can have first and/or second illumination element holders  34   a  and  34   b . The illumination element holders  34  can each have one or more illumination elements positioned in a hollow volume or cavity of the illumination element holder  34 . The illumination element can be mechanically restrained, such as by snap fit or friction fit, in the hollow volume or cavity of the illumination element holder  34 . The hollow volume of the illumination element holder  30  can be accessible by an illumination element access port  36 . The illumination element access port  36  can be covered by a removable or openable strap, mesh, solid door or window, or combinations thereof. 
     The illumination element holders  34  can extend laterally from the respective walls  30  at an illumination element holder width  38 . The element holder width  38  can be from about 0.5 mm (0.2 in.) to about 50 mm (2.0 in.), more narrowly from about 2 mm (0.08 in.) to about 20 mm (0.8 in.), for example about 8 mm (0.3 in.) or about 15 mm (0.6 in.). The top of the illumination element holders  34  can be coincidental with the tops (as shown) and/or bottoms of the walls  30 . The illumination element holders  34  can have a hemi-cylindrical or otherwise rounded lateral side. The illumination element holders  34  can have a hemi-spherical or otherwise rounded rear. The illumination element holders  34  can have a flat front. The front of the illumination element holders  34  can extend perpendicular to the wall  30  or at an angle to the wall, such as from about 75° to about 90° from the wall, for example at about 80° from the wall. The lateral side of the illumination element holders  34  can form a concave finger rest  40 . The finger rest  40  can have a finger rest radius of curvature  42 . During use, the side of a finger can be positioned against the finger rest  40 . 
     The illumination element holders  34   a  and  34   b  can have illumination ports  44   a  and  44   b , respectively, that can be in visual communication with the outside of the element holders  34  and the illumination elements. The illumination ports  44  can be on the front of the illumination element holders  34 . The illumination ports  44  can be open or covered with translucent or transparent lenses (i.e., with at least one partially or fully concave and/or convex surface) or covers (i.e., not lenses). The lenses can focus or broaden the spread of the light emitted by the illumination element. The lenses can change the frequency characteristics of the light (e.g., filtering out undesired frequencies, to change the color or be more appropriate for the environment, such as for use in a smoky area). The illumination port  44  can be covered with a fixed or removable opaque cover. The opaque cover can have a design, such as circular dots, squares, triangles, stars, lines, or combinations thereof, cut into the cover to allow light through the cover in the respective shape. The inner diameter surface of the illumination ports  44  and/or hollow volume of the illumination element holder  30  can be covered or coated with a light-reflective material, such as a silver-colored material, such as aluminum plating. 
     The walls  30  can each have one, two or more attachment ports  46 . The attachment ports  46  can be configured to receive fasteners or attachment elements  22  to removably attach the grip cover  20  to the grip  18 . 
     One or both walls  30 , and/or the strap  32  can have surface texturing  48 . The surface texturing can be knurling, beading, rippling, ridges, or combinations thereof. 
     The medial sides of the walls  30  can have cavities for positioning of electronics elements. For example, the medial sides of one or each of the walls  30  and/or the strap  32  can have a processor and/or circuit board cavity  50 , a battery cavity  52 . The medial sides of one or each of the walls  30  and/or the strap  32  can have one or more wiring channels  54  from the circuit board cavity  50  to the illumination element access port  36 , from a control switch  56  or a control switch cavity, for example on the strap, to the circuit board cavity  50 , and from a power switch  58 , for example on one of the walls  30 , to the circuit board cavity  50 . The circuit board cavity  50  can be configured to hold the circuit board and/or processor. The battery cavity  52  can be configured to hold an electric cell or battery. The wiring channels  54  can be configured to hold wires, cords, cables, or combinations thereof. The wiring channels  54  can be wires or conductive lines on the surface (e.g., not recessed channels) of the medial sides of the walls  30  and/or strap  32 . 
       FIG. 5 a    illustrates that the light emitted from the illumination element can spread as the light is emitted out of the illumination port  44 . The light can spread at a light spread angle  60  from about 10° to about 170°, for example about 130° or about 15°. The illumination element holder  34  can have an illumination element holder longitudinal axis  62 . 
     When in a non-activated configuration, the control switch  56  can be flush with the front of the strap  32 . When in a non-activated configuration, the control switch  56  can extend past the front of the remainder of the strap  32  by a button height  64 . The button height  64  can be from about 0 mm (0 in.) (e.g., a touch sensor) to about 3 mm (0.1 in.), more narrowly from about 1 mm (0.04 in.) to about 1.5 mm (0.059 in.), for example about 1.2 mm (0.047 in.). 
     The grip cover  20  can have a trigger indentation  66  on the front of either or both of the walls  30 . The bottom of the trigger indentation  66  can be coincidental with the top of the strap  32 . The trigger indentation  66  can have a trigger indentation radius of curvature  68 . 
     The grip cover  20  can be sized and positioned on the gun  10  so the illumination element holder longitudinal axis  62  is positioned below the barrel longitudinal axis  24 . The illumination element holder longitudinal axis  62  can be positioned above the trigger finger axis  26 . The control switch  56  can be positioned below the trigger finger axis  26 . The control switch  56  can be positioned below a trigger guard.  17   
       FIG. 5 b    illustrates that the grip cover  20  can be sized and positioned on the gun  10  so the illumination element holder longitudinal axis  62  is positioned collinear with the barrel longitudinal axis  24 . The trigger finger axis  26  can project across the trigger indentation  66 , for example across the vertical center of the trigger indentation  66 . 
       FIG. 5 c    illustrates that the grip cover  20  can be sized and positioned on the gun  10  so the illumination element holder longitudinal axis  62  is above the barrel longitudinal axis  24 . The trigger finger axis  26  can be below the control switch  56  and/or the bottom of the strap  32 . 
     The position of the grip cover  20  relative to the gun  10  can be changed between variations by altering the positions of the attachment ports  46  and the corresponding ports in the gun  10  relative to the remainder of the grip cover  20  and the gun  10 , respectively. 
       FIGS. 6 a  and 6 b    illustrate that each wall  30  can have two batteries  69 . The batteries  69  in each wall  30  can power only the illumination devices on the corresponding side of the grip cover  20 , or the illumination devices on both sides of the grip cover  20 , or controllably switch between only powering one side and powering both sides, The batteries  69  can be replaced and/or rechargeable. The batteries  69  can be charged through a wired connector to a power source (e.g., a wall outlet) and/or through an inductive charger. 
     The right wall  30   a  can have a right power switch  58   a . The left wall  30   b  can have a left power switch  58   b . The right power switch  58   a  can be configured to control power delivery to only illumination devices on the right side of the grip cover  20  or to illumination devices on both sides of the grip cover  20 . The left power switch  58   b  can be configured to control power delivery to only illumination devices on the left side of the grip cover  20  or to illumination devices on both sides of the grip cover  20 . 
     Either of the right or left power switch  58   a  or  58   b  can be configured to be a master power switch connecting and disconnecting the power to the circuit board  80 . The circuit board  80  can have multiple operating modes (i.e., be multi-modal). The remaining (i.e., not the master power switch) power switch  58   a  or  58   b  can operate as a mode switch configured to select the operating mode of the circuit board  80 . The position of the mode switch can be changed. The position of the mode switch can control the software program executing on the circuit board  80  (e.g., on a processor) operating the illumination elements. For example, the mode switch can control the circuit board  80  flash the illumination elements at steady (i.e., a consistent frequency), or random intervals, or cause the illumination elements to make a variety of colors. 
     The power switch(es)  58  can have switch magnets. The switch magnets can controllably activate a hall-effect type magnetic switch on the board  80 . 
       FIG. 7  illustrates that the surface texturing  48  can have rounded projection  70 , such as knurls, knobs, beads, or combinations thereof. The projections  70  can abut other, adjacent projections  70  on one, two, three or all sides. All of the projections  70  not against the edge of the surface texturing  48  can abut other, adjacent projections on all sides. 
     Projection nadirs  72  can be between abutting projections  70 . Each projection  70  can each have a have a projection apex  74 . Each projection  70  can have a variably selected thickness compared with the other projections  70 . All of the projection nadirs  72  can be at about the side thickness through the wall  30 . A projection thickness  76  for each projection  70  can be the thickness from the projection nadir  72  to the projection apex  74 . The minimum projection thickness  76   a  can be from about 0 mm (0 in.) to about 0.5 mm (0.02 in.), for example about 0.25 mm (0.0098 in.). The maximum projection thickness  76   b  can be from about 0.5 mm (0.02 in.) to about 2 mm (0.08 in.), for example about 1 mm (0.04 in.). The difference between the maximum projection thickness  76   b  and the minimum projection thickness  76   b  can be a maximum projection differential  78 . The maximum projection differential  78  can be from about 0 mm (0 in.) to about 1.5 mm (0.059 in.), for example about 0.75 mm (0.030 in.). The projection thicknesses  76  can be randomly distributed across the projections  70  between the minimum projection thickness  76   a  and maximum projection thickness  76   b.    
       FIG. 8  illustrates that the grip cover  20  can be flexible. The grip cover  20  can be rigid. The grip cover  20  can be unwrapped from the grip  18 . The grip cover  20  can be laterally expanded and contracted. For example, the walls  30  of the grip cover  18  can rotate away from each other at the strap  32  (acting as a hinge). The walls  30  can be rigid and/or flexible. The strap  32  can be rigid and/or flexible. For example, the walls  30  can both be rigid and the strap  32  can be flexible. 
     The grip cover  20  can have electronic control elements, such as a circuit board  80  and/or processor and the illumination activation control interface or element, such as the control switch  56 . The circuit board  80  can be rigid, flexible or combinations thereof. For example, the circuit board  80  can be a rigid-flex board (also known as flex-rigid boards) made from a single board. The rigid-flex board can have one or more rigid fiberglass printed circuit board sections and one or more thin flexible sections. For example, the rigid sections can be in or on one or both of the walls  30  and the flexible section can be in or on the strap  32 . The rigid sections and flexible sections can be in or on any combination of the walls  30  and the strap  32 . A processor can be mounted on the circuit board  80 . 
     The control elements can control or modulate the emission of light from the illumination device. The control switch  56  can be activated to toggle between illumination modes of the illumination device. 
     The control switch  56  and/or power switch(es)  58  can be pushbutton (e.g., can be pushed multiple time to toggle through the control abilities), lever, slide, rocker, roller wheel, single-throw switches, or combinations thereof. The circuit board  80  and control switch  56  can be configured to control or modulate the illumination element dependent on the control switch  56  activation. The control switch  56  can be activated (e.g., pressed, roller, rocked, slid) to turn the illumination elements: on until turned off by reactivating the control switch, to turn on while the control switch  56  is being continuously activated (e.g., holding down the pushbutton control switch  56 ), off, to strobe or flicker, to change color, to adjust the amplitude of the emitted light, to do any of the aforementioned control actions for only the illumination elements on the left side of the grip cover  20  and/or only illumination elements on the right side of the grip cover  20 . 
     The control switch  56  can be operated by the trigger finger or another finger on the trigger finger&#39;s hand. The trigger finger hand can concurrently hold the grip  18  while operating the control switch  56 . The trigger finger hand can concurrently discharge the gun  10  (e.g., pull the trigger) and operate the control switch  56 . For example, the trigger finger can pull the trigger  16  while a non-trigger finger (e.g., the middle finger) presses the control switch  56 . 
     The grip cover  20  can have electrical connection elements that can place combinations of the batteries  69 , circuit board  80  and/or processor, control switch  56 , power switch(es)  58 , illumination elements, in electrical communication with each other. The electrical connection elements can be wires, cables, wireless connections (e.g., bluetooth, RF, near field communication, wireless energy transfer), direct soldering or connectors (e.g., to the circuit board), or combinations thereof. The electrical connection elements can be located partially or completely in the wiring channels  54 , or not placed in any recessed configurations including the wiring channels  54 . 
     The grip cover  20  can have electronic power elements, such as one or more batteries  69  (e.g., CR2032 coin batteries) and the master power switch  58 . The master power switch  58  can close the circuit between the batteries  69  and the circuit board  80 , connecting the batteries  69  to the circuit board  80 . The circuit board  80  can then be in a state to receive and act on signals from the control switch  56 . The master power switch  58  can be a slide, toggle switch, or combinations thereof. The function of the master power switch  58  can be performed by the control switch  56  (e.g., by holding the control switch depressed for more than 3 seconds). The batteries  69  can be held in the battery cavities  52  with battery tabs  82 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates that the gun  10  with the grip cover  20  can be placed into a holster  84 . The holster  84  can receive and seat the barrel  14 . When the barrel  14  is in a fully-holstered position, the illumination element holders  34  can be positioned outside of the holster  84 . The illumination element holders  34  can be free from interfering with the holster  84  during holstering and unholstering of the gun  10 . 
     The grip cover  20  and any or all elements disclosed herein can be made from metal, plastic, rubber, fiber composites, or combinations thereof, such as rigid reinforced (e.g., with fiberglass or carbon fiber) polycarbonate or nylon engineering plastics. The strap  32  can be overmolded on the walls  30 . The strap  32  can be made from styrene butadiene (SBR), thermoplastic vulcanizate (TPV), thermoplastic elastomer (TPE), or thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), or cast or compression molded from liquid urethanes and other resins or rubbers, or combinations thereof. 
     The grip cover  20  can weight from about 20 g (0.04 oz.) to about 70 g (2 oz.), more narrowly from about 20 g (0.04 oz.) to about 50 g (2 oz.), for example about 35 g (1.2 oz.). The center of mass (i.e., center of gravity) of the grip cover  20  can be on the grip  18 . The center of mass of the gun  10  can be on the grip  18 . The center of mass of the gun  10  without the grip cover  20  attached to the gun  10  can be in approximately the same location as the center of mass with the grip cover  20  attached to the gun  10 . The grip cover  20  can attach to the grip  18  near or at the center of gravity of the gun  10 , for example on or immediately in front of the grip  18 . The moment arm about the grip  18  of the gun  10  without the grip cover  20  attached to the gun  10  can be approximately the same as the moment arm of the gun  10  with the grip cover  20  attached to the gun. 
     The illumination element can include a white light 5 mm barrel LED. The illumination element can be a gallium arsenide (GaAs) LED from Nichia Corporation of Tokushima, Japan (e.g., Nichia part number STS-DA1-1479A). For example, each illumination element can have a luminous intensity from about 5 cd to about 200 cd, more narrowly from about 10 cd to about 50 cd, yet more narrowly from about 20 cd to about 40 cd, for example about 33 cd 
     The grip cover  20  can be integral with the grip  18 . For example, the grip cover  20  can be molded as a portion of the grip  18 . The battery, processor, wiring and LEDs of the grip cover  18  can be inserted into recessed portions of the grip cover  20  and covered with removable covers or panels. 
     The circuit board  80  as used herein can include a processor or be a processor. The circuit board  80  can be analog (e.g., having no processor). 
     Any elements described herein as singular can be pluralized (i.e., anything described as “one” can be more than one). Any species element of a genus element can have the characteristics or elements of any other species element of that genus. The above-described configurations, elements or complete assemblies and methods and their elements for carrying out the invention, and variations of aspects of the invention can be combined and modified with each other in any combination.