Patent Publication Number: US-10317160-B2

Title: Gun comprising an electronic device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is the U.S. National Stage Application of International Patent Application No. PCT/IB2016/051787, filed on Mar. 30, 2016, which claims priority to Italian Patent Application No. BS2015A000083, filed on May 14, 2015,the contents of each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     TECHNICAL FILED 
     This invention relates to a gun comprising an electronic device suitable to be activated only when certain predefined events occur to the gun. Furthermore, this invention also covers a firearm kit comprising the gun and its holster. In addition, this invention also covers a holster suitable to accommodate said gun. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In the art, firearms are known comprising electronic devices of various types, for example suitable to locate the firearm, detect a shot fired, count the number of shots fired or the like. 
     However, all these electronic devices have the main problem of requiring large amounts of energy for their power supply both for functioning effectively and for long time periods; therefore, this problem requires the use of a power supply and recharging unit, for example a battery, of large dimensions. 
     It is intuitively understood that large-sized electronic devices are undesirable both the fact that they affect the geometry and behaviour of the firearm and because they are difficult to integrate into the firearm itself, especially when this is a gun. 
     SUMMARY 
     The purpose of this invention is to provide a gun comprising an electronic device suitable to detect and/or process information relating to situations or events that have occurred to the gun, effectively and for a long period of time. 
     This purpose is achieved by means of a gun according to claim  1 . Furthermore, this purpose is achieved by means of a firearm kit according to claim  16 . In addition, this purpose is also achieved by a holster suitable to accommodate said gun according to claim  17 . 
     Further advantages and embodiments of the gun of this invention, will be apparent from the dependent claims comprising the set of annexed claims. 
     Furthermore, the characteristics and advantages of the gun will be apparent from the following description, given by way of non-limiting example, in accordance with the accompanying figures, in which: 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a firearm, in particular a gun, comprising an electronic device inside it, according to a preferred embodiment; 
         FIGS. 2 a  and 2 b    are two cross-sectional views of the stock of the gun of  FIG. 1 , respectively, with hammer lowered and hammer cocked; 
         FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the gun shown in  FIG. 1  with one of its grip plates removed; 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the electronic device and hammer comprised in the gun according to a preferred embodiment of the invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the electronic device comprised in the gun according to a preferred embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     With reference to the accompanying figures, the reference number  1  indicates a gun in its entirety. 
     Preferably, the gun  1  comprises a stock  3  and a barrel  2 , which extends along a firing axis X-X, comprising moving parts  91 , such as a slide. Preferably, the firing axis X-X axis is the axis identifying the direction of the shot. 
     Furthermore, the gun  1  comprises, among other components, a firing mechanism  9 , having a trigger  4  that, in the action of firing, is pressed by the shooter, and having a hammer  5  that is movable and changes position in such a way that it is suitable to strike the firing pin triggering the bullet and thus the shot, in the event of firing. In other words, the hammer  5  is suitable to be positioned, manually by the shooter or automatically by the firing mechanism  9 , between a hammer cocked position and a hammer lowered position and vice versa. 
     Preferably, the stock  3  comprises a grip  31  having a distal portion  311  in the vicinity of the trigger  4  and a proximal portion  312  next to the palm of the shooter&#39;s hand when holding the gun. In addition, the grip  31  also identifies a bottom  3 ′, as its final end; preferably, the magazine  8  of the gun  1  is inserted in the firearm through the bottom  3 ′ of the grip  31 . Preferably, the grip  31  extends in height along a grip axis Y-Y. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the gun  1  of this invention comprises an electronic device  10  suitable to detect and/or process information relating to situations occurring to the gun. 
     In fact, the electronic device  10  comprises detection and processing means  100  suitable to detect and process the information. In particular, the detection and processing means  100  comprise a specific electronic and/or mechanical component (not described or shown) suitable to detect information related to the state of the gun in order to then place it at the service of the shooter and users in general. 
     In an embodiment, the detection and processing means  100  are suitable to detect and process an event or a change of state undergone by the firearm, for example, the information of round in barrel, weapon ready to fire, weapon pointed, or the like. 
     Preferably, for example, the detection and processing means  100  are suitable to assess the intensity and/or direction of the accelerations experienced by the gun  1 , identifying a state, or an event, of shot fired, and possibly creating a specific “shot fired information”. 
     In addition, the detection and processing means  100  comprise a specific component, preferably electronic (also not described or represented) for processing the information, for example the above-mentioned information of shot fired, for example for its storage and/or for its transmission. 
     In fact, preferably, the detection and processing means  100  comprise memory means suitable to store the information. 
     In addition, preferably, the detection and processing means  100  comprise transmission means suitable to send the information to a receiving device. 
     In fact, in a preferred embodiment, the electronic device  10  is suitable to be operatively connected with a mobile phone or smartphone, with which is respectively coupled, for example by “pairing”. Preferably, the electronic device  10  is suitable to communicate with the mobile phone or smartphone with which is coupled to mutually exchange information. 
     In addition, in a preferred embodiment, the detection and processing means  100  comprise means of verification suitable to check and distinguish the action undergone by the gun at the moment of the firing event compared to other actions thereon, such as a falling event. 
     Preferably, the electronic device  100  also comprises a battery  200  for the power supply of the detection and processing means  100 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the battery  200  is of the type comprising lithium ions. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said battery  200  is rechargeable. 
     Preferably, moreover, the electronic device  10  also comprises activation means  300  suitable to activate the operation of powering the detection and processing means  100  by the battery  200 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said activation means  300  are suitable to perform the activation of the power supply operation of the battery  200  only in correspondence of a predefined event. In other words, as long as said event does not occur, the battery  200  does not power the detection and processing means  100 , preserving the charge. In yet further other words, without the occurrence of said event the battery  200  and consequently the electronic device  10  are substantially in a dormant configuration, of “sleep”, “stand by” or “suspension”, in which there is minimum consumption of energy, i.e., there is a minimum circulation of electricity inside it. In a further preferred embodiment, in said dormant configuration, the electronic device  10  is substantially turned off, in other words there is no circulation of electricity inside it. 
     In the dormant configuration, the electronic device  10  is, thus, essentially in a power saving mode; in some embodiment variants, the electronic device  10  has minimal or no functionality, for example, the electronic device  10  maintains a “pairing” coupling with a mobile phone to which it is coupled, or again, the electronic device  10  has a timed functionality, in which, at predefined time intervals, it performs specific verification activities of its status and the status of the gun. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said predefined event that involves the activation of the operations of the battery  200  through the activation means  300 , is the extraction of the gun  1  from its respective holster (not shown in the accompanying figures). 
     According to a preferred embodiment, said predefined event that involves the activation of the operations of the battery  200  through the activation means  300 , is the cocking of the hammer  5  of the gun  1 , i.e., the change of position between the hammer lowered position and the hammer cocked position. 
     In further embodiments, said predefined event that involves the activation of the operations of the battery  200  through the activation means  300 , is the cocking of the hammer  5  of the gun  1 , regardless of whether or not it is removed from the respective holster (not shown in the accompanying figures). 
     According to some embodiments, the detection and processing means  100  activated following the aforesaid events are suitable, in the first place, to consider, detect and process as information precisely the occurrence of such events, for example by sending or storing the information. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, based on what is described above, operating only in he said predefined circumstances, the battery  200  is of small size, with respect to the currently known solutions and, in fact, the battery  200  is suitable to last more over time with respect to batteries of similar size and materials. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the battery  200  and the activation means  300  are housed in the grip  31 . 
     Preferably, the battery  200  and the activation means  300  are housed close to its bottom  3 ′, in its proximal portion  312 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the battery  200  and the activation means  300  are located in an area of the gun  1  farther from the moving parts  91  of the gun  1  and from its firing mechanism  9 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the electronic device  10  in its entirety is housed in the grip  31 , close to its bottom  3 ′, in its proximal portion  312 . 
     Preferably, the aforesaid elements, i.e., the battery  200  and the activation means  300 , or the electronic device  10  in its entirety, are housed in a housing recess  310 ′ specifically formed in the grip  31 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the grip  31  comprises at least one grip plate  35 ; the grip plate  35  is mountable on the gun  1  to delimit and protect the housing recess  310 ′ and removable from the gun  1  to allow access to the housing recess  310 ′. 
     Preferably, the grip plate  35  is snap-mountable on the grip  31 . 
     Preferably, the grip plate  35  is mountable with an action in the direction of the can be mounted with the direction of the firing axis X-X or the grip axis Y-Y. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the battery  200  and the activation means  300 , or the electronic device  10 , in its entirety are inserted in the gun  1 , in particular in the housing recess  310 ′, substantially in the direction of the firing axis X-X. 
     As said, the activation means  300  of the gun  1  are suitable to operate by detecting the occurrence of a predefined event. 
     In particular, the activation means  300  comprise a holster switch element  310 , suitable to detect the extraction of the gun from its holster so that, upon the extraction of the gun from the holster (not shown in the accompanying figures), the holster switch element  310  sends an activation signal to the battery  200 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the holster switch element  310  is magnetically sensitive and detects a change of magnetic field that occurs at the time of the extraction of the pistol  1 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the holster switch element  310  is housed on the firearm in a position close to the trigger, for example next to the slide  91  of the gun  1 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the holster houses on it a holster sensor suitable to be operatively connected to the holster switch element  310 . Preferably, the holster sensor is made of a ferro-magnetic material suitable to stimulate the holster switch element  310  that, preferably, is composed of a magnetic switch with permanent magnet, and/or of a magnetically sensitive electrical circuit, for example due to the Hall effect. 
     In a preferred embodiment, it is of the “tactical holster” type. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the activation means  300  comprise a hammer switch element  315  operationally connected to the hammer  5  in order to detect the change of position and send the activation signal to the battery  200 . 
     Preferably, the hammer  5  comprises a command portion  51  suitable to be moved by the shooter to move the hammer  5  from the hammer lowered position to that of hammer cocked and vice versa. Preferably, moreover, the hammer  5  comprises a hammer rod  52  that extends inside the stock  3  between a command end  521  connected to the command portion  51  and a switch end  522  operatively connected to the hammer switch element  315 . Preferably the hammer rod  52  is hinged with its command end  521  to the command portion  51 . 
     Preferably, the command portion  51  is also moved by the firing mechanism of the gun itself. 
     In a preferred embodiment, the hammer rod  52  has an elongated shape, preferably, in a manner parallel to the grip axis Y-Y. Preferably, therefore the gun  1  has a rod housing  52 ′. 
     In a preferred embodiment, to a movement of the command portion  51  corresponds a change of position of the switch end  522  detected by the hammer switch element  315  that sends the activation signal to the battery  200 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the switch end  522  comprises a magnetically sensitive element  525  operationally connected to the hammer switch element  315 , in its turn magnetically sensitive. In other words, the hammer switch element  315  is suitable to detect the magnetic field variation due to the change of position of the switch end  522 , and thus of the magnetically sensitive element  525 . 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the magnetically sensitive element  525  comprises a core made of ferromagnetic material, preferably comprising an element made of a permanently magnetic material. 
     Preferably, said core (not shown in the accompanying figures) is also housed in a casing of a magnetically insulating, or non-magnetic, material. 
     In a further embodiment, the switch end  522  comprises a command element suitable to physically engage the hammer switch element  315  so that, when pressed, it sends the activation signal to the battery  200 . 
     In a preferred embodiment, the hammer  5  further comprises an elastic element  55  suitable to perform an action on the hammer rod  52  to move the command portion  51  from the hammer cocked position to the hammer lowered position, thus resulting in the shot. 
     Preferably, the elastic element  55  is a helical spring  55 ′ that extends around the hammer rod  52 . Preferably, the elastic element  55  is housed in the rod housing  52 ′. 
     According to a preferred embodiment, the hammer  5  comprises a support and guidance device  56  suitable to keep the hammer rod  52  in a predefined axial position. Preferably, the support and guidance device  56  is placed inside the rod housing  52 ′ near the switch end  522 . Preferably, the support and guidance device  56  has substantially a ring shape and the switch end  522  is suitable to slide inside said ring. Preferably, a support and guidance device  56  is suitable to act as an abutment to the elastic element  55 . 
     In addition, this invention also covers a firearm kit comprising a gun  1  according to the above description and a holster specially shaped to house said gun  1 , in such a way that the gun  1  and the holster are operationally connected to each other. In particular, in the mutual operating connection, the gun  1  is suitable to detect its in-holster state its extraction from it. 
     Innovatively, the gun of this invention solves the typical problems of the known art, comprising an electronic device that does not require, unlike those of the prior art, large quantities of electricity to function, being suitable to be activated only upon the occurrence of a predefined event. 
     Advantageously, the gun comprises an electronic device that normally remains in a dormant configuration, in which it consumes a minimal or zero amount of energy, while it is activated only upon the occurrence of predefined events. 
     According to a further advantageous aspect, the electronic device is powered if the gun is extracted from the holster and/or if the hammer is placed in a hammer cocked position. In other words, the electronic device is turned on only when the firearm is in a ready-to-fire configuration. Advantageously, the electronic device is also suitable to detect the occurrence of both events and to process said combined information. 
     Advantageously, the gun is then suitable to send an alarm signal, for example to an operations centre, when the electronic device is activated. Again, advantageously, the gun is suitable to send a first alarm signal upon its extraction from the holster, and a second alarm signal upon the cocking of the hammer. 
     According to a still further advantageous aspect, once the detection and processing means are powered, because an event has occurred on the firearm that results in their activation, they are immediately suitable to detect a shot-fired event. In other words, advantageously, the detection and processing means are ready for the detection and assessment of an impulsive event such as a shot fired. 
     Advantageously, the behaviour and geometry of the gun of this invention are not influenced by the presence of the electronic device. Advantageously, the electronic device has small dimensions and is suitable to be housed in the gun. Advantageously, the insertion of the electronic device is simple and requires no special and complex operations. 
     Advantageously, the electronic device is suitable to function and be operatively connected with the holsters of all types, for example tactical holsters. 
     Advantageously, the hammer, in its movement, is suitable to provide clear information about the state of the gun and its placement in a ready-to-fire configuration. 
     Moreover, advantageously, the activation means are suitable to activate the electronic device in a precise and reliable manner. 
     In further preferred embodiments, for example in automatic guns, not having the hammer, but a specific firing mechanism comprising arming and disarming elements of the gun, the activation means are suitable to activate the power supply operations of the battery upon the occurrence of the event of arming the specific components of the gun. 
     It is clear that one skilled in the art, in order to meet contingent needs, may make changes to the gun described above, all contained within the scope of protection defined by the following claims.