Abstract:
The present invention provides a firearm bullet button magazine release tool assembly with a tool tip and a stabilizing base. The tool tip is configured to activate a firearm magazine release assembly thereby releasing a detachable magazine. The stabilizing base increases stability, and secures the tool tip to the magazine body. The magazine release assembly also includes a threaded rod to provide mechanical stiffness to the tool tip, and is coupled to a magazine body or a magazine attachment. The tool tip can be rounded and tapered to aid insertion into and withdrawal from the magazine release assembly of the firearm. The magazine release assembly can also include a buffer to provide flexibility for absorbing impact forces without permanent damage.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to systems and methods for releasing detachable magazines from firearms without have to carry and use an extra tool. 
         [0002]    Different types of firearms and firearm accessories have increased steadily over time in both functionality and flexibility, and today, there is a wide variety of firearms and accessories available. Innovation in the firearms industry is also driven by legislative trends, as firearm owners are required to respond by limiting the functionality of their firearms and/or accessories. 
         [0003]    In recent times, Federal and/or State laws have limited features of semi-automatic firearms and/or also the capacity of firearm magazines. For example, in some jurisdictions, the use of detachable magazines with semi-automatic rifles is strictly regulated. To comply, the magazine release mechanism of these semi-automatic rifles has to be modified to work only with a tool such as the bullet tip of a rifle cartridge. One common solution for semi-automatic AR-15 variants is to install a bullet button magazine release to prevent the user from being able to release a magazine by solely using a finger. 
         [0004]    Unfortunately, having to carry and use a separate tool, e.g., a rifle cartridge, for loading and reloading slows down the process significantly and also introduces unnecessary complexity to the process. In addition, using the bullet tip of a rifle cartridge repeatedly as a magazine release tool is likely to adversely affect the functionality and/or accuracy of the cartridge. 
         [0005]    It is therefore apparent that an urgent need exists for user-friendly tools for releasing magazines from semi-automatic rifles, preferably without a need for carrying around extra tools. These improved magazine release tools should enable users to quickly and effectively release magazines from rifles without lugging around extra tools or risk damage to rifle cartridges. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    To achieve the foregoing and in accordance with the present invention, systems and methods for releasing detachable magazines from firearms without the need for an extra tool is provided. In particular, various magazines and magazine attachments are modified to enable them to be also used as magazine release tools. 
         [0007]    In one embodiment, a firearm magazine includes a magazine body and a magazine release tool assembly having a tool tip and a stabilizing base. The tool tip is configured to activate a button release assembly of a firearm thereby causing a detachable magazine to detach from the firearm. The stabilizing base is configured to provide a footprint for increased stability, and further configured to enable the tool tip to be tightened to the magazine body. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the tool tip and the stabilizing base are made from a polymer, and the magazine release tool assembly also includes a threaded rod configured to provide mechanical stiffness to the tool tip, and further configured to be coupled to a magazine body or a magazine attachment. The tool tip can be rounded and tapered to aid insertion into and withdrawal from the bullet button magazine release assembly of the firearm. The release tool assembly can also include a buffer configured to provide flexibility in a radial axis of the tool assembly thereby enabling the tool assembly to absorb impact forces without permanent damage. This buffer can be a solid buffer ring or a coil spring buffer. 
         [0009]    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 
         [0010]    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: 
           [0011]      FIG. 1A  includes side, cross-sectional and isometric views of a magazine release tool assembly in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0012]      FIGS. 1B-1D  are the respective views of three more variations of the magazine release tool assembly of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0013]      FIG. 2A  shows side and isometric views of another embodiment of a magazine release tool assembly with a countersunk screw insert; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2B  shows side and isometric views of another embodiment of a magazine release tool assembly with a press-fit insert; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  illustrates a rifle magazine together with the magazine release tool assembly of  FIG. 1A  installed; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  illustrates a rifle magazine together with a MAGPUL™ magazine grip attachment incorporating the magazine release tool assembly of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5A  illustrates a rifle magazine together with a RANGER PLATE™ magazine floor-plate attachment incorporating the magazine release tool assembly of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0018]      FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional close-up view of a RANGER PLATE™ with a threaded insert for attaching the magazine tool assembly of  FIG. 1A ; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view illustrating the operation of the magazine release assembly of  FIG. 1A  with a bullet button release mechanism of a rifle; 
           [0020]      FIG. 7  shows side, cross-sectional and isometric views of another embodiment of a magazine release tool assembly with a machine screw and a solid buffer ring; and 
           [0021]      FIG. 8  shows side, cross-sectional and isometric views of another embodiment of a magazine release tool assembly with a machine screw and a coil spring buffer. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0022]    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. 
         [0023]    The present invention relates to systems and methods for releasing detachable magazines from firearms without the need for an extra tool. As discussed below, various magazines and magazine attachments are modified to enable them to also function as magazine release tools. To facilitate discussion,  FIGS. 1A-1D  and  2 A- 2 B illustrate six exemplary variations of magazine release tool assemblies, while  FIG. 3  illustrates a rifle magazine  300  with a magazine release tool assembly  100 A installed, enabling magazine  300  to be used as a magazine release tool in a manner described in greater detail below. 
         [0024]    Referring first to  FIG. 1A , a side view, a cross-sectional view, and an isometric view of one embodiment of a magazine release tool assembly  100 A are shown. Assembly  100 A includes a tool tip  110   a,  a stabilizing base  120   a,  and a threaded rod  130   a.    
         [0025]    There are several methods for constructing tool tip  110   a  of release tool assembly  100 A. Tool tip  110   a  can be machined from a suitable polymer or metal. Tool tip  110   a  can also be molded from a suitable polymer and then machined, e.g., with a drill and a tap, to create a blind female threaded hole. Alternatively, tool tip  110   a  can be made from a polymer directly molded onto a threaded rod  130   a.  In this embodiment, threaded rod  130   a  is a set screw with a recessed socket head  135   a.    
         [0026]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , a rifle magazine  300  has been modified to accept the magazine release tool assembly  100 A of  FIG. 1A . Installation includes drilling a suitably sized hole in a side wall  366  of magazine  300  located near the magazine floor plate  370 . Depending on the material and thickness of side wall  366 , tapping this hole in magazine wall  366  maybe an option. It may also possible to install tool assembly  100 A in an existing hole on magazine  300  such as a water drainage hole. Tool assembly  100 A can optionally be further secured to magazine  300  by adding a threaded nut  390 . 
         [0027]    In this embodiment, stabilizing base  120   a  has a hexagonal profile enabling tool tip  110   a  to be securely tightened to the side wall  366  and/or nut  390 . The bottom of base  120   a  has a footprint that is larger than the diameter of tool tip  110   a  and hence adds stability by providing a larger contact surface area between tool assembly  100 A and magazine  300 . 
         [0028]      FIGS. 4 and 5A  show two exemplary magazine accessory modifications enabling these modified accessories to also function as magazine release tools. In  FIG. 4 , a rifle magazine  460  is shown with a MAGPUL™ magazine grip attachment  480  incorporating the magazine release tool assembly  100 A. Similarly,  FIG. 5A  show a rifle magazine  560  together with a RANGER PLATE™ magazine floor-plate attachment  580   a  incorporating the magazine release tool assembly  100 A. Release tool assembly  100 A can be retrofitted to magazine accessories such as grip attachment  480  and floor-plate attachment  580   a  using the methods described above for installing release tool assembly  100 A to magazine  300 . 
         [0029]    Alternatively, it is possible to design and manufacture magazine accessories which incorporate release tool assembly  100 A. For example, floor-plate attachment  580   a  can be made from a suitable polymer with a cylindrical rod or a threaded rod  130   a  permanently molded into the side of attachment  580   a  for supporting tool tip  110   a.    
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 5B , it is also possible to mold a female threaded insert  585  into the side of floor-plate attachment  580   b.  Subsequently, the threaded rod  130   a  of release tool assembly  100 A can be screwed into the threaded insert  585  of floor-plate attachment  580   b.  This arrangement allows the user to easily install an assembly  100 A or replace a worn out tool tip  110   a.    
         [0031]    In addition, the threaded insert  585  can also be molded with a flexible buffer layer (not shown) between the insert  585  and the attachment  580   b.  Such a buffer layer provides a small amount of flexibility with respect to the radial axis of assembly  100 A, thereby enabling assembly  100 A to absorb some impact forces without permanent damage. 
         [0032]    Referring back to  FIGS. 1B ,  1 C and  1 D, additional exemplary variants, such as tool tip assemblies  100 B,  100 C and  100 D, are shown.  FIG. 1B  illustrates a longer tool tip  135   b,  while  FIG. 1C  illustrates a longer threaded rod  130   c.  Note that unlike socket head  135   a  of tool assembly  100 A,  FIGS. 1B ,  1 C and  1 D show socket heads  135   b,    135   c,    135   d  of tool assemblies  100 B,  100 C,  100 D inside their respective tool tips  110   b,    110   c,    110   d,  allowing polymer to be molded into these socket heads for a more stable and durable fit. 
         [0033]      FIG. 2A  shows one more embodiments of release tool assembly  200 A. If the body of, for example, a polymer magazine (not shown) is thick enough, a countersunk screw  230   a  can be used in place of a set screw to secure tool tip  210   a  to the magazine. This results in a flush internal magazine body surface and hence avoids interference with the proper functioning of the internal magazine spring (not shown) during normal compression and decompression cycles. 
         [0034]    Alternatively, as shown in  FIG. 2B , a press-fitted cylindrical rod  240  can also be used instead of a set screw. Such a configuration can also provide a flush internal magazine body surface and is well suited for metal magazine bodies. Depending on the magazine body structure and material, other configuration permutations such as press-fitted screws are also possible. 
         [0035]    Referring now to  FIG. 6 , a magazine  300  fitted with a magazine release tool assembly including a tool tip  110   a,  a base  120   a,  a set screw  130   a  and a nut  390 , is shown together with a bullet button assembly  600  having a button shield  610 , a bullet button  620  and a coil spring  630 . To aid the insertion of tool tip  110   a  into the opening of button shield  610 , the end of tool tip  110   a  can be rounded, and the shaft of tool tip  110   a  can be tapered. 
         [0036]      FIG. 7  includes several views of yet another variant for magazine release tool assembly  700 . In this embodiment, a solid buffer  780  is added to the assembly  700  and secured by a machine screw  730 . The solid buffer  780  provides a small amount of flexibility with respect to its radial axis, thereby enabling assembly  700  to absorb impact forces without permanent damage. As shown in the embodiment  800  of  FIG. 8 , it is also possible use a coil spring  880  (in place of the solid buffer) to provide some flexibility in the radial axis of assembly  800 . 
         [0037]    Many other materials are also suitable for constructing magazine release tool assembly  100 A. For example, instead of using a suitably strong polymer such as nylon or polycarbonate discussed above, tool tip  120   a  can also be made from a metal such as steel or aluminum. 
         [0038]    Alternatively, instead of being two separate pieces, the tool tip and threaded rod can also be integrated into a single piece of solid metal or strong polymer (not shown). It may also be possible to construct a tool tip from a polymer-encapsulated relatively-stiff coil spring having an internal spring profile that matches the pitch of a retaining machine screw (not shown). 
         [0039]    The surface of tool tip  120   a  can also be painted, powder-coated, electroplated and/or rubberized. In addition to or in place of mechanical fastening techniques such as using screws and nuts described above, other installation techniques are also possible, including ultrasonic bonding, adhesives, chemical bonding, heat bonding and combinations thereof. 
         [0040]    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. 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.