Patent Abstract:
A plurality of actuators allow an operator to control the status of an illuminator. Rotation of one of the actuators either prevents the illuminator from illuminating, allows an operator to selectively illuminate a person or area of interest with a second actuator, or maintains illumination without maintaining an applied force.

Full Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application claims the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/916,628, filed May 8, 2007, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Handheld flashlights and tactical illuminators have been used to effectively see a target or area of interest. These devices typically have a source of illumination, for example an incandescent lamp or light emitting diode (LED), to provide general illumination of an area or person of interest, and are powered by one or more batteries. The output is typically a white light capable of projecting 40 to 150 lumens, although higher output lights and different colored lights are known. Some tactical illuminators have a laser to assist in aiming of the weapon. 
     Tactical illuminator may be attached to a weapon, for example a handgun, long gun, or shotgun, in a variety of different ways. Some tactical illuminators are secured to a handgun having a set of rails located under the barrel, in an area forward of the trigger guard, and some tactical illuminators are secured to the trigger guard. 
     These devices typically have one or more actuators to turn the light and/or laser on or off, select a lamp to be illuminated, or adjust the brightness. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other objects, features and advantages, reference should be made to the following detailed description which should be read in conjunction with the following figures wherein like numerals represent like parts: 
         FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first illuminator consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a second illuminator consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a schematic of an illuminator consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 3  is an illustration showing operation of switch actuators consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 4  is chart showing operation of an illuminator consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a first exploded view of a tail cap assembly consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a second exploded view of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5  consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 7  is a third exploded view of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5  consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 8  is a fourth exploded view of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5  consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 9  is a fifth exploded view of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5  consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 10  is a view of a component of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5 . 
         FIG. 11  is a sixth exploded view of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5  consistent with one embodiment of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a first illuminator  100  consistent with one embodiment of the invention and  FIG. 2  is a schematic of an illuminator consistent with one embodiment of the invention. The illuminator  100  may have a housing  102  including a tail cap assembly  104  to hold and to protect internal components from unintended contact or debris. The housing  102  may be coupled to a weapon with a suitable attachment mechanism, for example a rail grabber, slide-lock® mechanism, or other clamp. The illuminator  100  may have an incandescent, LED or other light source  106  powered by at least one battery  108  or other power source enclosed at partially in the housing  102  having generally parallel elongated rigid projections  110  extending generally parallel to a longitudinal axis LAF. The elongated projections  110  may have a contoured inner surface  112  having concave and convex surfaces that are configured to allow sliding action along a longitudinal axis with a cooperating rail mounting structure, for example a Weaver or MIL-STD-1913 rail. The elongated projections  110  may be spaced a fixed distance from each other. The flashlight  100  may include a spring biased bar  114  configured to cooperate with a cross slot in a cooperating rail mounting structure to allow the user to quickly attach/detach the flashlight to/from the rail mounting structure. The illuminator  100  may be coupled to the cooperating rail structure in a variety of different ways. For example, the illuminator may utilize the spring-biased mechanism disclosed in issued U.S. Pat. No. 6,574,901, or a conventional rail or trigger guard clamping mechanism. 
     The tail cap assembly  104  may be coupled to the housing  102  with a retainer  130 . The retainer  130  may be secured to the tail cap assembly  104  by a retainer pin  132  that may be rotatable about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis LAF of the housing  102 . Alternatively, a retainer may be secured to the housing by a retainer pin. 
     The tail cap assembly  104  may include a first actuator  120  (see  FIG. 6 ) and a second actuator  122  for controlling the status (on, off, brightness, color, blink rate) of the light source  106  and a remote jack  116  to allow a wired remote  140  to be plugged in. The first actuator  120  may be sealed to the second actuator  122  with an actuator membrane  120 A. The remote jack  116  may be sealed with a plug  116 A. 
       FIG. 3  is an illustration showing operation of switch actuators consistent with one embodiment of the invention and  FIG. 4  is chart showing operation of an illuminator consistent with one embodiment of the invention. The first actuator  120  may be linearly translatable parallel to the longitudinal axis LAF and the second actuator may be rotatable about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis LAF. The actuators  120 ,  122  may be configured to actuate a first switch MOM 1  and a second switch SW 1  in the tail cap assembly  104  to change the status of the source of illumination  106 . 
     The first actuator  120  may be movable between a first position in which the first switch MOM 1  does not complete a circuit with battery  108  and the source of illumination  106  and a second position in which the first switch MOM 1  completes a circuit with the battery  108  and the source of illumination  106 . First switch MOM 1  may be actuated by actuator  120 . In the first position the first actuator  120  may be biased outward by a spring  138  and an axial force F 1  may be required to move the actuator  120  to the second position. 
     The second actuator  122  may be moveable from a first position P 1  to a second position P 2  and a third position P 3 . The second actuator  122  may be configured to prevent movement of the first actuator  120  from the first position when the second actuator  122  is in the first position P 1 . The second actuator  122  may be configured to allow movement of the first actuator  120  from the first position to the second position when the second actuator  122  is in the second position P 2 . The second actuator  122  in the third position may be configured to maintain the first actuator  120  in the second position. The first actuator  120  and the second actuator  122  may be configured such that they can be rotated or translated without disconnecting the tail cap assembly  104  from the housing  102 . 
     Second switch actuator  122  may be rotated to position P 1  in which actuator  120  is mechanically locked out, i.e. the first actuator  120  cannot be actuated to complete a circuit with the at least one battery  108  and the source of illumination  106 . In position P 1 , the momentary switch MOM 1  is open and the switch SW 1  is open. In this position, the operator cannot change the status of the source of illumination at the tail cap assembly  104  or through the remote  140 . This position (P 1 ) may be chosen by an operator when the illuminator  100  is stored in a backpack to prevent the batteries from being drained or when the operator is on a mission and does not want to chance accidental actuation. 
     Second switch actuator  122  may be rotated to position P 2  in which actuator  120  may be manually actuated along Path  1  to momentarily (as long as the operator applies a force F 1  to the first actuator  120  or a force F 2  to third switch MOM 2  in the remote  140 ) complete a circuit with the at least one battery  108  and the source of illumination  106 . In position P 2 , the momentary switch MOM 1  is closed when a force F 1  is applied and the switch SW 1  is closed. In this position, the operator can selectively change the status of the source of illumination at the tail cap assembly  104  by applying a force F 1  and through the remote  140  by applying a force F 2 . This position (P 2 ) may be chosen by an operator to selectively turn the illuminator ON and OFF. 
     Second switch actuator  122  may be rotated to position P 3  in which actuator  120  is mechanically locked ON, i.e. the first actuator  120  maintains a complete circuit with the at least one battery  108  and the source of illumination  106 . As second actuator  122  is rotated, the first actuator  120  travels along Path  2  and is locked in position. In position P 3 , the momentary switch MOM 1  is closed and the switch SW 1  can either be open or closed. In this position the illuminator is maintained ON. This position (P 3 ) may be chosen by an operator when the operator desires the illuminator to turn ON and stay ON without having to apply a force F 1  or F 2 . 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of a second illuminator  100 ′ consistent with another embodiment of the invention. The illuminator  100 ′ may be a handheld flashlight having a housing  102 ′ having a longitudinal axis LAF′ and a tail cap assembly  104 ′. The tail cap assembly  104 ′ may have a first actuator  120 ′ and a second actuator  122 ′. The first actuator  120 ′ and the second actuator  122 ′ may be configured such that they can be rotated without disconnecting the tail cap assembly  104 ′ from the housing  102 ′. The first actuator  120 ′ and the second actuator  122 ′ may operate similar to actuators  120 ,  122  respectively. 
       FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8 ,  9 , and  11  are multiple exploded views of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5  consistent with one embodiment of the invention and  FIG. 10  is a view of a component of the tail cap assembly of  FIG. 5 . The tail cap assembly  104  may have a first cover portion  134  coupled to a second cover portion  136  to form a watertight seal to a depth in excess of 60′ and the tail cap assembly  104  may be coupled to the housing  102  with a gasket  142  to form a watertight seal for the illuminator  100 . The first actuator  120  may be inserted in a button housing  150  and then secured in place with a shaft  152 . A contact  154  may be coupled to the end of the first actuator  120 . When the first actuator  120  is actuated, the contact  154  contacts a contact plate  156  to complete a circuit with the at least one battery  108  and the source of illumination  106 . 
     A positive contact  160 , a spacer  162 , a negative contact  164 , and a cap jack  166  may be aligned with the remote jack  116  and selectively electrically coupled to detent contacts springs  168  (see  FIG. 8 ). Detent contact springs  168  and contact ring  170  (see  FIG. 9 ) may make up third switch MOM 2  and selectively provide a conductive path to the remote switch  140 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 7 , a rotary housing  172  may be placed over the first actuator  120  and the button housing  150  and secured with button stops  174  that cooperate with a circumferential groove  176  in the button housing  150  to prevent linear movement. Second actuator  122  may be coupled to the rotary housing  172 , for example with an adhesive bond. 
     The rotary housing  172  may be coupled to a rotary track  178  with an O-ring  174  therebetween and the contact ring  170  may be coupled to the rotary housing  172 . The rotary track  176  may have an internal groove  178 A that cooperates with the shaft  152  to translate rotary motion of the second actuator  122  to linear motion of the first actuator  120 . 
     A rear contact  182  may extend through an opening  190  in the second cover portion  136  of the tail cap assembly  104  and may be coupled to a spring post  180 . A battery spring contact  184  may extend through an opening  192  in the second cover portion  136  of the tail cap assembly  104 . The rear contact  182  may contact a positive end of the battery  108  and the battery spring  184  may contact a negative end of the battery  108 . 
     According to one aspect there is provided an illuminator having a tail cap assembly and a housing at least partially enclosing at least one battery and a source of illumination. The assembly having a first and a second movable actuator, the first actuator movable between a first position in which a conductor does not complete a circuit with the at least one battery and the source of illumination and a second position in which the conductor does complete the circuit with the at least one battery and the source of illumination. The second actuator moveable from a first position to a second and a third position. The second actuator configured to prevent movement of the first actuator from the first position when the second actuator is in the first position. The second actuator configured to allow movement of the first actuator from the first position to the second position when the second actuator is in the second position. The second actuator configured to maintain the first actuator in the second position when the second actuator is in the third position. 
     According to another aspect there is provided an illuminator having a housing at least partially enclosing at least one battery, a source of illumination, and a backplate assembly. The backplate assembly having a first and a second movable actuator. The first actuator movable between a first position in which a conductor does not complete a circuit with the at least one battery and the source of illumination and a second position in which the conductor does complete the circuit with the at least one battery and the source of illumination. The second actuator may be moveable from a first position to a second and a third position. When the second actuator is in the first position, the first actuator is prevented from completing the circuit with the at least one battery and the source of illumination, when the second actuator is in the second position, the first actuator is not prevented from completing the circuit with the at least one battery and the source of illumination, and when the second actuator is in the third position, the first actuator completes the circuit. 
     According to yet another aspect there is provided a method of controlling a light emitter in a flashlight wherein rotating a first actuator about an axis parallel with a longitudinal axis of the flashlight to a first position prevents a second actuator from longitudinal movement; rotating the first actuator about the axis to a second position allows the second actuator to move longitudinal when actuated to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated; and rotating the first actuator about the axis to a third position to lock the second actuator in a second position causes the light emitter to turn on and stay on 
     Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail herein, the invention is not limited hereto. It will be appreciated by those having ordinary skill in the art that various modifications can be made without materially departing from the novel and advantageous teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the embodiments disclosed herein are by way of example. It is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited thereby

Technology Classification (CPC): 5