Patent Publication Number: US-2023147430-A1

Title: Weapon sight grip

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 63/263,684, filed Nov. 7, 2021, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     The present disclosure generally relates to weapon accessories, and more particularly to weapon sights. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Various types of weapon sights are used to assist a shooter in aiming the weapon. Improvements are needed. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one aspect, a pistol sight is for use on a pistol having a slide. The pistol sight comprises a base and a sighting portion. The base includes mount connection structure configured for connecting the pistol sight to the pistol. The sighting portion is supported by the base. The sighting portion is configured to assist a shooter of the firearm in aiming the firearm. The sighting portion includes a post extending upward above the base. The post includes a grip comprising elastomeric material defining a gripping surface arranged to be engaged by a finger of a user to grip the pistol sight to rack the slide of the pistol. 
     In another aspect, a pistol sight is for use on a pistol having a slide. The pistol sight comprises a base including mount connection structure configured for connecting the pistol sight to the pistol. The pistol sight comprises a sighting portion supported by the base. The sighting portion is configured to assist a shooter of the firearm in aiming the firearm. The sighting portion includes a post extending upward above the base. The post includes a ridge extending upward along the post. The ridge is arranged to be engaged by a finger of a user to grip the pistol sight to rack the slide of the pistol. 
     In another aspect, a pistol sight is for use on a pistol having a slide. The pistol sight comprises a base including mount connection structure configured for connecting the pistol sight to the pistol. The base includes an upstanding ridge arranged to be engaged by a finger of a user to grip the pistol sight to rack the slide of the pistol. The pistol sight includes a sighting portion supported by the base. The sighting portion being configured to assist a shooter of the firearm in aiming the firearm. 
     Other objects and features of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG.  1    is a front, left perspective of a firearm accessory of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  2    is a rear, right perspective of the firearm accessory; 
         FIG.  3    is a right elevation of the firearm accessory; 
         FIG.  4    is a rear, right perspective of the firearm accessory similar to  FIG.  2   , but omitting a grip pad; 
         FIG.  5    is a view similar to  FIG.  4    but omitting an actuator cover; 
         FIG.  6    is a section of the firearm accessory taken in a plane including line  6 - 6  of  FIG.  1   ; 
         FIG.  7    is a photograph of the firearm accessory on a slide of a pistol and showing a hand of a user pinching the firearm accessory to rack the slide; 
         FIG.  8    is a front, right perspective of a second embodiment of a firearm accessory of the present disclosure; 
         FIG.  9    is a front, left perspective of a third embodiment of a firearm accessory of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG.  10    is a rear, left perspective of the firearm accessory of  FIG.  9   . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to  FIG.  1   , a firearm sight of the present disclosure is indicated by  10 . In the illustrated embodiment, the firearm sight is a “red dot” type sight configured to assist a shooter in aiming a firearm (e.g., pistol) at a target. It will be appreciated that aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented on other firearm accessories (e.g., other types of firearm sights) without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The firearm sight  10  can be referred to broadly as a firearm accessory. 
     In general, the firearm sight  10  includes a base  12 , an optical lens  14 , and a lens support  16 . Collectively, the lens and lens support can be referred to as a sighting portion. Moreover, the base and lens support can be referred to as a sight body, which can be formed of metal or another suitable material. In the illustrated embodiment, the base  12  is a generally rectangular structure having a forward end adjacent the lens  14  and having an opposite rear end. The base  12  is configured to be connected to a firearm, as described in further detail below. For example, the base  12  can include one or more openings through which a fastener (e.g., screw) can be passed to directly connect the base to the firearm or to connect the base to a mount that is connected to the firearm. 
     The lens  14  is arranged to permit a shooter to look through the lens when aiming the firearm. It will be appreciated that the firearm sight  10  includes a light source  20  housed in the rear portion of the base  12  that is configured to emit light forward toward the lens  14  to be reflected rearward to be seen by the shooter when the shooter is looking through the lens, as is common with red dot type sights. The reflected light (e.g., having the appearance of a red dot) is adjustable to locate the dot to correspond to a correct aiming point of the firearm to sight in or zero the firearm. For example, a first dial  22  (broadly, vertical adjustment actuator) can be used to change a vertical position of the dot as seen by the shooter, and a second dial  24  (broadly, horizontal adjustment actuator) can be used to change a horizontal position of the dot as seen by the shooter. 
     The lens support  16  extends around the lens  14  to protect the lens and to secure the lens in position with respect to the base  12 . The lens support  16  includes a first post  16 A on the right side of the lens and a second post  16 B on the left side of the lens. The lens support includes a cross member  16 C extending between upper ends of the posts  16 A,  16 B. Other configurations of lens supports can be used without departing form the scope of the present disclosure. Collectively, the lens support  16  and forward portion of the base  12  can be referred to as a shroud or frame that houses or supports the lens  14 . 
     The sight  10  includes actuators  26  on the opposite left and right sides of the sight to enable a user to turn the sight on/off, adjust a mode of the sight, and/or change a brightness of the light source, etc. A battery  27  (broadly, power source) is held in a battery compartment under a battery cover  28  and is operatively connected to the light source  20  for powering the light source responsive to actuation of the actuators  26 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  5  and  6   , the actuators  26  each include a dome switch  26 A (broadly, switch) and a cover  26 B over the dome switch. The covers  26 B can be pressed by a user to deform the dome switch  26 A to actuate the actuator  26 . Desirably, the covers  26 B are formed of elastomeric material such as a type of rubber (e.g., TPU). The covers are flexible to permit a user to deform the dome switch by pressing the dome switch through the cover. In manufacture, the dome switches  26 A are installed in recesses in the sight body and operatively coupled to circuitry of the sight in communication with the battery  27 . The covers  26 B can be installed over the dome switches  26 A and secured in position, such as by adhesive. The left cover  26 B has a “plus” indicator thereon, and the right cover  26 B has a “minus” indicator thereon to represent that the actuators can be used to increase or decrease the brightness of the light source. The actuators  26  can be used for other functions, such as turning the sight on/off, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In the illustrated embodiment, the sight  20  includes grip structure on opposite sides of the sight to facilitate a user in gripping the sight (e.g., pinching the sight) between fingers of the user. This may be useful, for example, in facilitating a user to rack a slide of a firearm on which the sight is mounted. For example,  FIG.  7    shows the sight  20  mounted on a slide S and being grasped by a user to actuate or rack the slide. The slide S may be racked to chamber a round of ammunition in the barrel of the pistol or to eject a chambered round. In an aspect, besides serving as a sight, the sight also serves as a racking aide to provide increased gripping surface for a user to more easily rack the slide. The sight includes various types of grip structure. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  1  and  2   , the sight  10  includes grip features on the left and right sides of the sight. The sight  10  includes left and right first grip features comprising grip pads  30  applied to respective outboard left and right sides of the lens shroud. The grip pads  30  can be formed of elastomeric material such as a type of rubber (e.g., TPE). The grip pads  30  include respective gripping surfaces  30 A arranged to face laterally away from the lens  14  in opposing directions with respect to each other. The arrangement is such that a user can “pinch” the sight by gripping the grip pads  30  on the opposite sides of the sight. Desirably, the material of the grip pads  30  and/or surface texture of the grip pads are configured to provide increased friction with the hand of the user. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  4  and  5   , the right grip pad  30  will be discussed in more detail, with the understanding that the left grip  30  pad has a similar (e.g., mirror image) construction and is mounted on the sight body in a similar fashion. As shown in  FIG.  5   , the sight body defines a recess  34  extending along substantially the full height of the lens shroud. The recess  34  includes a peripheral rim  36  that includes a forward ridge segment  36 A, a lower ridge segment  36 B, a rear ridge segment  36 C, and an upper ridge segment  36 D. The ridge segments bound a cavity in which the grip pad  30  and the actuator cover  26 B are received. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip pad  30  and the actuator cover  26 B are provided as separate pieces (see, e.g.,  FIG.  4   ), but it will be appreciated that they can be integrally formed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The grip pad  30  is sized and shaped to correspond closely to a size and shape of a portion of the cavity next to the actuator cover  26 B. The grip pad  30  can be secured in position by adhesive or other suitable methods. Desirably, the grip pad  30  is resiliently compressible such that a user&#39;s finger pressing on the grip pad temporarily deforms the grip pad to increase friction between the user&#39;s finger and the grip pad. Although the grip pad  30  is shown as having a smooth outer gripping surface, the gripping surface can be textured (see, e.g.,  FIG.  8   ). In other embodiments, the grip pad may be formed of or include grip tape. Moreover, the gripping surfaces may be provided in similar locations as shown but be formed by textured or roughened surfaces of the sight body rather than a pad secured to the sight body. 
     The sight  10  includes additional grip features on the left and right sides of the sight. For example, the rear ridge segments  36 C of the rim extending around the grip pad  30  acts as a grip enhancing feature. The rear ridge segment  36 C is upstanding and defines a forward facing shoulder arranged to oppose force of a user&#39;s hand gripping the sight and pulling it rearward to rack the pistol slide. For example, if a user&#39;s hand is slipping off the rear end of the grip pad  30 , the user&#39;s hand would engage the rear ridge segment  36 C and help prevent the user&#39;s hand from slipping off the sight  10 . 
     The sight  10  includes additional grip features in the form of additional ridges  40  on the left and right sides of the base  12 . The ridge  40  is upstanding and defines a forward facing shoulder arranged to oppose force of a user&#39;s hand gripping the sight  10  and pulling it rearward to rack the pistol slide. A recess  42  is provided in the base of the sight in front of the ridge and behind the lens shroud. 
     It will be appreciated that the user may quickly move their hand to the sight  10  without looking to grip the sight to rack the pistol slide. The grip features of the present sight permit the user to engage the sight at various locations to facilitate manipulating the slide. One or more grip features disclosed herein can be omitted, and other types of grip features can be used, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, it will be appreciated that grip features disclosed herein can be provided on one or both sides of the sight. 
     Referring to  FIG.  8   , a second embodiment of a firearm sight of the present disclosure is indicated generally by  110 . The sight is similar to the sight  10 , and similar features are indicated by like reference numbers plus  100 . For example, the sight includes grip pads  130  (only the right grip pad being shown). In this embodiment, the grip pads  130  have textured gripping surfaces  130 A to increase friction with a user&#39;s hand. The texture includes a plurality of small protrusions to give the gripping surface a texture similar to that of sand paper. As with the grip pads  30  described above, the grip pads  130  can be formed of resiliently compressible material. It will be appreciated that the gripping surfaces can have other types of textures (e.g., plurality of ribs, knurled, etc.) without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     Referring to  FIGS.  9  and  10   , a third embodiment of a firearm sight of the present disclosure is indicated generally by  210 . The sight is similar to the sight  210 , and similar features are indicated by like reference numbers plus  200 . For example, the sight includes a base  12 , a lens  14 , and a lens support  16 . In this embodiment, the grip pads are not provided, and the actuators on the sides of the lens shroud are omitted. The arrangement is such that the recesses  234  in the sides of the lens shroud are left open and are provided as grip features. In use, the user&#39;s fingers can be received in the recesses  234  to engage the ridge segments  236 C to enhance grip of the sight for manipulating the slide. The outer surfaces of the lens shroud bounded by the peripheral rim  236  are shown as smooth surfaces but can be textured (e.g., knurled, ridged, etc.), without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the grip features provide traction to the user to grip the sight to perform pistol slide manipulations. The grip features increase the purchase area on each side of the slide to increase friction between the sight/slide and the user&#39;s thumb and other fingers on opposite sides of the sight/slide. 
     It will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. For example, mounting structure having other configurations (e.g., lacking sockets and/or holes) can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, it will be understood that a mounting adaptor could be part of the firearm or a separate component connectable to the firearm. The dimensions and proportions described herein are by way of example without limitation unless otherwise noted. Other dimensions and proportions can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. 
     As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.