Patent Abstract:
An attaching system for mounting a device to a weapon is provided. The attaching system includes an attaching ring, a mounting rail and a threaded attaching member. The attaching ring includes a weapon attaching portion, a retaining portion and an extending portion. The weapon attaching portion is configured to attach to a weapon. The retaining portion is configured to receive and hold a mounting rail. The retaining portion includes a retaining aperture. The extended portion is coupled between the weapon attaching portion and the retaining portion. The extending portion has a select length to space the weapon attaching portion from the retaining portion a select distance. The mounting rail is configured to be received in the retaining portion. The mounting rail has a threaded recess. The threaded attaching member is configured to pass through the retaining aperture and to threadably engage the threaded recess of the mounting rail.

Full Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application is related to the commonly owned application having Ser. No. 11/550,127 (the &#39;127 application) filed on Oct. 17, 2006 entitled “Device Mount with Stabilizing Function.” The &#39;127 application is incorporated in its entirety by reference in this application. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    For game hunters the ability to record the hunt in an efficient manner is desired. Moreover, the ability to attach other devices such as cameras and other electronic devices to a weapon used in the hunt in a manner that does not impede the hunt is also desired. For the reasons stated above and for other reasons stated below which will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding the present specification, there is a need in the art for an attaching system that can attach a device such an electronic device to a weapon in an effective and un-intrusive manner. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The above-mentioned problems of current systems are addressed by embodiments of the present invention and will be understood by reading and studying the following specification. The following summaries are provided as way of examples and not by way of limitation. Moreover, the summaries may include more or less elements than are in the claims and are merely provided to give the reader a basic understanding of some of the elements of the present invention. 
         [0004]    In one embodiment an attaching ring is provided. The attaching ring includes a weapon attaching portion, a retaining portion and an extended portion. The weapon attaching portion is configured to attach to a weapon. The retaining portion is configured to receive and hold a mounting rail. Moreover, the extended portion is coupled between the weapon attaching portion and the retaining portion. The extending portion has a select length to space the weapon attaching portion from the retaining portion a select distance. 
         [0005]    In another embodiment, another attaching ring is provided, the attaching ring includes a main attaching portion and a second attaching portion. The main attaching portion has a first half circle near a first end and a receiving rail recess near a second end. The main attaching portion further has a first opening to the first half circle and a second opening to the receiving rail recess. The first opening being in an opposite direction than the second opening. The second opening to the receiving rail recess defined by first and second retaining ridges that are configured to retain a mounting rail resting within the receiving rail recess. The main attaching portion further has an extended portion that separates the first half circle from the second half circle by a select distance. The second attaching portion has a second half circle. The second half circle is configured to form a full circle with the first half circle of the main attaching portion when the second main attaching portion is coupled to the main attaching portion. 
         [0006]    In yet another embodiment, an attaching system is provided. The attaching system includes an attaching ring, a mounting rail and a threaded attaching member. The attaching ring includes a weapon attaching portion, a retaining portion and an extending portion. The weapon attaching portion is configured to attach to a weapon. The retaining portion is configured to receive and hold a mounting rail. The retaining portion includes a retaining aperture. The extended portion is coupled between the weapon attaching portion and the retaining portion. The extending portion has a select length to space the weapon attaching portion from the retaining portion a select distance. The mounting rail is configured to be received in the retaining portion. The mounting rail has a threaded recess. The threaded attaching member is configured to pass through the retaining aperture of the retaining portion and to threadably engage the threaded recess of the mounting rail. 
         [0007]    In still another embodiment, a method of aiming a camera on a device mount coupled to a weapon is provided. The method comprising aiming a weapon at a target. Adjusting the zoom of the camera attached to the weapon and pivoting the camera on the device mount to center the focus of the camera on the target. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    The present invention can be more easily understood and further advantages and uses thereof more readily apparent, when considered in view of the detailed description and the following figures in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a device mount; 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a side view of a stabilizing tube of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a side view of an attaching ring of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a side view of attaching ring attached to a device mount of one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0013]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of device mounted to a weapon using a device mount system of one embodiment of the present invention; and 
           [0014]      FIG. 6  is an aiming flow diagram of one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]    In accordance with common practice, the various described features are not drawn to scale but are drawn to emphasize specific features relevant to the present invention. Reference characters denote like elements throughout Figures and text. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0016]    In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the inventions may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that logical, mechanical and electrical changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the claims and equivalents thereof. 
         [0017]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a device mount system for mounting a device to a weapon. The device mount system includes a device mount (such as that disclosed in the &#39;127 application that was herein incorporated by reference), a stabilizing tube and an attaching ring. Referring to  FIG. 1 , a side view of a device mount is illustrated. The device mount  100  includes a support plate  102 , a side plate  104  and a bias portion  106 . A side view of a stabilizing tube  200  of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . This stabilizing tube  200  includes a tube portion  202 . The tube portion  202  forms a receiving aperture  204 . The bias potion  106  of the device mount  100  is received in the receiving aperture  204 . The stabilizing tube also includes a mounting rail  206 . The mounting rail  206  in this embodiment includes angled surfaces  210 A and  210 B that are beveled at a select angel in relation to a first engaging surface  207  and a second engaging surfaces  209 A and  209 B. As illustrated the first engaging surface  207  is position at an opposite end of the mounting rail  206  as the second engaging surfaces  210 A and  210 B. Moreover, the first and second angled surfaces  210 A and  210 B are between the first and second engaging surfaces  207 ,  209 A and  209 B. Further illustrated in  FIG. 3  is a threaded recess  208 . 
         [0018]    Referring to  FIG. 3 , a side view of an attaching ring  300  of one embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The attaching ring  300  includes a main attaching portion  302 , a secondary attaching portion  304  (or second attaching portion), an extended portion  310  and a stabilizer retaining portion  311 . The secondary attaching portion  304  is selectively attached to the main attaching portion  302  via threaded attaching members  308 A and  308 B and threaded recesses  306 A and  306 B. In particular, in the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , a section if the main attaching portion  302  is in the form of a half circle and the secondary attaching portion  304  is also in the form of a half circle. When the secondary attaching portion  304  is attached to the main attaching portion  302  a full circle is formed. As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the main attaching portion  302  and the secondary attaching portion  304  can be couple around a portion of the weapon  502  such as a scope  504 . Referring back to  FIG. 3 , the stabilizer retaining portion  311  includes a receiving rail recess  314 . The mounting rail  206  of the stabilizing tube  200  is selectively received in the receiving rail recess  314 . When the mounting rail  206  is first placed in the recess  314 , first and second retaining ridges  312 A and  312 B retain the mounting rail  206  within the receiving recess  314 . 
         [0019]    The retaining portion  311  of the attaching ring  300  further includes an opening  311  to the receiving rail recess  314  and an aperture  316 . As illustrated, the aperture  316  extends from a surface  313  of the retaining portion  311  to the receiving rail recess from an opposite direction than the opening  311  to the receiving rail recess  314 . A threaded attaching member is placed through aperture  312  of the attaching ring  300  and threadably engaged with the threaded recess  208  of the stabilizing tube  200 . This forces the first and second angled surfaces  210 A and  210 B of the mounting rail  206  against respective first and second receiving surfaces  309 A and  309 B in the receiving rail recess  314  of the attaching ring  300  to lock the stabilizing tube  200  to the attaching ring  300 . As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the extended portion separates a weapon attaching portion formed by the main attaching portion  302  and the secondary attaching portion  304  and the retaining portion by a select distance. The select distance is determined by how far it is desired to have a device (such as a camera, rangefinder, etc) from the weapon. 
         [0020]      FIG. 4  illustrates a side view of a stabilizing ring  300  attached to a device mount of one embodiment of the present invention. The mounting rail  414  of the stabilizing tube  404  is received in a receiving rail recess  416  of the attaching ring  300 . As illustrated the shape of the mounting rail  414  and the receiving rail recess  416  are different than those of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . Accordingly, different shapes can be used and the present invention is not limited to a specific shape. The threaded attaching member  402  is a threaded thumb screw  402 . The threaded thumb screw  402  threadably engages a threaded recess in the mounting rail  414  of the stabilizing tube  404  similar to the threaded recess  208  in the mounting rail  206  of the stabilizing tube  200  of  FIG. 2 .  FIG. 4 , also illustrates an end cap  407 . The end cap is used to retain biasing members described in the incorporated &#39;127 application. 
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a device mount system  500  of one embodiment attached to a weapon  502 . The weapon  502  in this case is a firearm  502  such as a rifle and the device mount system  500  is attached to the firearm via scope  504 . As illustrated, the secondary attaching portion  304  of the attaching ring is positioned around a top portion of the scope  504  attached to the weapon  502 . The main attaching portion of the attaching ring is positioned around a lower portion of the scope  504  and attached to the secondary portion via threaded attaching members  308 A and  308 B as illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the mounting rail  414  is received in the receiving rail recess  416  of the attaching ring and is locked in place by thumb screw  402  as described above. A device  506 , such as a camera, is positioned on the support plate  102  of the device mount  100 . A second thumb screw  508  is used to connect the device  506  to the support plate  102  of the device mount. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment of the present invention, the device mount system  500  centers the weight of the device mount  100  about the connection of the attaching ring  300  to the mounting rail  414 . This helps center the weight of the weapon in use as well as helps maintains a level of balance in a vertical direction while filming with a video camera attached to the device mount  100 . To further the level of balance during filming, the camera  506  can be positioned in select locations in relation to the support plate  102  of the device mount. Further as illustrated in  FIG. 5 , the device mount system  500  of this embodiment places a camera lens of a camera  506  mounted to the device mount  100  in a position that is approximately level with the barrel of the weapon. This helps position the lens of the camera to capture the target even when the target is at different distances to the camera. Hence even at greater distances to targets where the weapon barrel has to be raised, the camera will still capture the target. Although, in some instances an adjustment with of the zoom of the camera might also be needed. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIG. 6 , an aiming flow diagram  600  describing one method of aligning a camera mounted to a device mount, such as shown in  FIG. 5 , to record a hunt is illustrated. As illustrated, a camera attached to the weapon via scope mount is aimed at the target ( 602 ). The zoom of the camera is then adjusted ( 640 ). Adjusting the zoom is dependant on the distance the target is from the weapon. Once the zoom is adjusted, the camera may need to be rotated on the support plate to center the target in the cameras field of view ( 102 ). In particular, referring to  FIG. 5 , the camera  506 , is coupled to the support plate  102  of the device mount  100  via thumb screw  508 . In this embodiment as illustrated, the camera  506  pivots about the thumb screw connection. Hence, the camera  506  can be rotated in relation to the support plate in a horizontal direction so its aim can be adjusted. Therefore, the aim of the camera can be adjusted to account for the distance to the target and the zoom of the camera lens. For example, if the target is at a shorter distance to the camera, the camera may need to be pivoted to the right to capture the image of the target and if the target is at a great distance from the camera, the camera  506  may need to be pivoted to the left to capture the image of the target. 
         [0024]    Although specific embodiments have been illustrated and described herein, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement, which is calculated to achieve the same purpose, may be substituted for the specific embodiment shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the present invention. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that this invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5