Patent Publication Number: US-10317168-B2

Title: Systems and methods for flexibly adapting swivels to slings

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This non-provisional application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 62/326,705 filed on Apr. 22, 2016, of the same title, which application is hereby fully incorporated in its entirety by this reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to systems and methods for adapting different firearm swivels to a wide variety of firearm slings. 
     Because of the diverse variety of firearms with a wide range of swivels, adapters are needed to couple these firearms to particular slings. In addition, collectors are often reluctant to modify classic collectable firearms to avoid adversely affecting their values. 
     It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for flexibly adapting different firearm swivels to a wide variety of firearm slings. These improved sling adapters enable collectors and enthusiasts to attach a relatively small set of slings to a wide variety of firearms without having to own a correspondingly large number of slings. 
     SUMMARY 
     To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, systems and methods for adapting firearm swivels to a wide variety of firearm slings, including detachable slings, are provided. 
     In one embodiment, a sling adapter includes an adapter subassembly, a first loop channel, a second loop channel and a strap. The adapter subassembly has an adapter body having a pin hole and a swivel hole. The swivel hole securely accommodates one end of a detachable firearm&#39;s sling. The pin is inserted into the pin hole of the adapter body. 
     The strap includes a first loop segment, a first pin segment, a second loop segment, a swivel segment, a third loop segment, a second pin segment and a fourth loop segment. The first loop segment is configured to be inside the first loop channel. The first pin segment includes a hole configured to securely accommodate the adapter body. The second loop segment is configured to be inside the second loop channel. 
     In this embodiment, during assembly, the swivel segment is looped through a firearm sling swivel. Next, the third loop segment is configured to be inserted through the second loop channel. The second pin segment includes a hole configured to securely accommodate the adapter body. Finally, the fourth loop segment is inserted through the second loop channel. 
     Note that the various features of the present invention described above may be practiced alone or in combination. These and other features of the present invention will be described in more detail below in the detailed description of the invention and in conjunction with the following figures. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In order that the present invention may be more clearly ascertained, some embodiments will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D  are an assembled side view, an assembled cross-sectional view, a partially assembled side view and an assembled front view, respectively, illustrating the assembly of one embodiment of a firearm sling adapter in accordance with the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a subassembly of the firearm sling adapter of  FIGS. 1A-1D ; 
         FIGS. 3A-3E  are perspective views illustrating the assembly of the firearm sling adapter of  FIGS. 1A-1D  thereby coupling with a firearm swivel; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view depicting how the firearm sling adapter of  FIGS. 1A-1D  can be attached to a firearm sling; 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view illustrating another embodiment of a firearm sling adapter in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view depicting an alternative application of the firearm sling adapter of  FIGS. 1A-1D . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to several embodiments thereof as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art, that embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. In other instances, well known process steps and/or structures have not been described in detail in order to not unnecessarily obscure the present invention. The features and advantages of embodiments may be better understood with reference to the drawings and discussions that follow. 
     Aspects, features and advantages of exemplary embodiments of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description in connection with the accompanying drawing(s). It should be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described embodiments of the present invention provided herein are illustrative only and not limiting, having been presented by way of example only. All features disclosed in this description may be replaced by alternative features serving the same or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Therefore, numerous other embodiments of the modifications thereof are contemplated as falling within the scope of the present invention as defined herein and equivalents thereto. Hence, use of absolute and/or sequential terms, such as, for example, “always,” “will,” “will not,” “shall,” “shall not,” “must,” “must not,” “first,” “initially,” “next,” “subsequently,” “before,” “after,” “lastly,” and “finally,” are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention as the embodiments disclosed herein are merely exemplary. 
     The present invention relates to systems and methods for flexibly adapting firearm swivels of different firearms to a wide variety of firearm slings, including detachable slings, thereby avoiding having to own a correspondingly large number of customized slings. 
     To facilitate discussion,  FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D  are an assembled side view, an assembled cross-sectional view, a partially assembled side view and an assembled front view, respectively, illustrating the assembly of one embodiment of a firearm sling adapter  100  in accordance with the present invention. 
     In this embodiment as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1D , detachable firearm sling adapter  100  is configured to couple a firearm sling swivel  190  to a detachable firearms sling (not shown in  FIGS. 1A-1D ). The sling adapter includes an adapter subassembly, a first loop channel  122 , a second loop channel  124 , and a strap made from a suitable flexible material such as nylon webbing. The strap includes a first loop segment  131 , a first pin segment  132 , a second loop segment  133 , a swivel segment  134 , a third loop segment  135 , a second pin segment  136  and a fourth loop segment  137 . 
     The loop channels  122 ,  124  and the strap can be made from suitable flexible material such as nylon, polyester or canvas webbing. The first and second loop channels  122 ,  124  can also be coupled to each other, e.g., stitched together. In addition, the ends and/or holes of webbing can also be hot-cut, reinforced and/or heat-sealed to minimized fraying. 
     Referring to both  FIG. 1A  and the perspective view of  FIG. 2 , the adapter subassembly includes a cross pin  114  and an adapter body  110  with a pin hole and a swivel hole  112 . The pin  114  is configured to be inserted into the pin hole of the adapter body  110 . The swivel hole  112  is configured to securely accommodate one end of an exemplary detachable firearms sling  410  (shown in  FIG. 4 ). 
     As shown in  FIG. 1C , the first loop segment  131  is configured to be located substantially inside the first loop channel  122 . The first pin segment  132  includes a hole configured to securely accommodate the adapter body  110 . The second loop segment  133  is configured to be located inside the second loop channel  124 . 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 1A-1B  and also to the perspective views of  FIGS. 3A-3B , the swivel segment  134  is looped through a firearm sling swivel  190 . In this example, swivel  190  can be sling swivel  380  of firearm  370 . 
     The third loop segment  135  can now be inserted through the second loop channel  124  thereby forming a closed loop over swivel  380  (see  FIG. 3C ). Next, as shown in  FIG. 3D , a hole of the second pin segment  136  is securely fitted over adapter body  110 . 
     The fourth loop segment  137  is then inserted inside the second loop channel  124 , thereby completing the assembly of sling adapter  100 , and enabling the sling swivel  380  of firearm  370  to be securely coupled to a detachable sling  410  to using the sling adapter  100  (see both  FIGS. 3E and 4 ). 
     In another embodiment, as illustrated by  FIG. 6 , instead of coupling to a firearm sling swivel, a firearm  670  can be coupled to a firearm sling by inserting the strap of a sling adapter  680  directly through a corresponding slot machined into a buttstock of firearm  670 . 
     Many modifications and additions to the above described embodiment of adapter  100  are possible. For example, as shown in  FIG. 5 , hook and loop fasteners  566 ,  568  are functional substitutes for the loop channels  122 ,  124 . The first and second loop channels  122 ,  124  can be made from a suitable rigid material such as plastic, fiberglass, carbon fiber or aluminum. 
     While this invention has been described in terms of several embodiments, there are alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents, which fall within the scope of this invention. Although sub-section titles have been provided to aid in the description of the invention, these titles are merely illustrative and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. 
     It should also be noted that there are many alternative ways of implementing the methods and apparatuses of the present invention. It is therefore intended that the following appended claims be interpreted as including all such alterations, modifications, permutations, and substitute equivalents as fall within the true spirit and scope of the present invention.