Abstract:
A laser trainer cartridge fits into a gun barrel and includes a backer, circuit and a laser. When the firing pin of the gun is activated it strikes the backer, which contacts the circuit and activates the laser. The laser trainer cartridge has a plurality of spaced-apart O-rings to keep it positioned properly in a gun barrel. The O-rings are configured to be positioned in a particular-sized gun bore. Multiple laser trainer cartridges, wherein each has different-sized O-rings to fit different caliber guns, may be provided as a kit.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 14/955,440 entitled LASER TRAINER TARGET, filed on Dec. 1, 2015, which claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 13/353,165 entitled LASER TRAINER CARTRIDGE, filed on Jan. 18, 2012 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/433,902 entitled LASER TRAINER CARTRIDGE AND LASER TRAINER TARGET, filed on Jan. 18, 2011, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to firearm training systems that do not require live ammunition. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Conventional firearm training can be dangerous, expensive (considering the prices for ammunition and replacement targets) and can only be performed in certain areas, such as shooting ranges. The present invention allows firearm training to be performed safely, inexpensively, and almost anywhere without the use of live ammunition. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    A laser trainer cartridge (or “laser cartridge” or “cartridge”) according to various aspects of the invention is configured to fit inside the chamber (or bore) of a firearm and includes a firing-pin activated switch to emit a laser light to indicate where a bullet would strike. Among other things, the laser trainer cartridge provides realistic firearms training, preferably allowing a user to practice tap, rack, bang and malfunction drills. The laser training cartridge can be configured to operate with essentially any desired firearm of any caliber. 
         [0005]    The cartridge is preferably cylindrical with a cylindrical outer surface. A plurality O-rings comprised of compressible material are positioned on the outer surface of the cartridge, entirely or partially around the cartridge, in order to center the cartridge snugly in the barrel of a gun. A kit of the cartridges may be provided wherein there is a different sized cartridge/O-ring combination for different calibers of guns (and the cartridges may all be the same size, with different O-rings for different gun calibers). Alternatively, a kit may include a single cartridge and different-sized O-rings, wherein each different sized O-ring or set of O-rings is sized to fit a particular caliber of gun. In that case, one or more O-rings can be positioned on the cartridge to enable the cartridge/O-ring combination to fit a particular caliber gun, and the O-ring(s) could be changed so the cartridge/O-ring combination would fit a different caliber gun. 
         [0006]    Also disclosed is a sheath that may be used to fit a cartridge snugly into a gun bore. The sheath is preferably a hollow tube that receives and retains the cartridge. This can be accomplished in any suitable manner, such as by (1) the sheath having internal structures, such as flexible members, that retain the cartridge, (2) the sheath being shaped to retain the cartridge, or (3) the cartridge having an external structure, such as one or more of the previously described O-rings, which in this case would cause the cartridge to fit snugly inside the sheath. 
         [0007]    The sheath has one or more O-rings positioned on its exterior surface that enable it to be fit snugly into the bore of a gun. A kit could contain a single cartridge and multiple sheaths. Each of the multiple sheaths preferably would have essentially the same interior diameter and each could receive and retain the single cartridge, and at least some (or all) of the sheaths would have different-sized O-rings on their exterior surface. Therefore, different sheaths would fit snugly in guns having different bore sizes. In this manner, a single cartridge can be used with guns having different, respective bore sizes by changing the sheath. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIGS. 1-4  are perspective views of exemplary laser trainer cartridges of different sizes, wherein each is configured to fit in a different caliber firearm. 
           [0009]      FIG. 5  depicts the laser trainer cartridge of  FIG. 1  that is partially disassembled. 
           [0010]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the laser trainer cartridge of  FIG. 1  positioned inside the barrel of a firearm. 
           [0011]      FIG. 7  is an exploded, perspective view of a laser trainer cartridge in accordance with  FIGS. 1-4 . 
           [0012]      FIG. 8  illustrates the separate components of a laser trainer cartridge according to the invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 9  depicts an exemplary circuit that may be utilized by the laser trainer cartridge of the invention. 
           [0014]      FIGS. 10 and 11  illustrate the top and bottom trace patterns, respectively, on a printed wiring board including the circuit of  FIG. 12 . 
           [0015]      FIG. 12  depicts a sheath according to an aspect of the invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0016]    Turning now to the Figures, where the purpose is to describe preferred embodiments of the invention and not to limit same, the laser trainer cartridge  10  may be configured to operate in conjunction with firearms of essentially any desired caliber and regardless of the barrel length of the firearm. The only difference between the laser cartridges  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-4  is their size. Each has the same structure as described herein. 
         [0017]    A cartridge  10  according to a preferred embodiment has a size and shape similar to a bullet. Cartridge  10  has an exterior surface  12 , an opening  14  through which light is emitted, a removable backer  4 , apertures  16  that house adjustment screws  7  that can adjust the position of laser module  6  (best seen in  FIG. 7 ) that preferably emits visible, red laser light. In this embodiment, two O-rings  9  and  11  are positioned in grooves, or next to ridges, on exterior surface  12 , and have an outer diameter greater than the outer diameter of cartridge  10 . 
         [0018]    In certain embodiments, a laser trainer cartridge  10  of the invention is configured to fit a firearm having a caliber of 9 mm, .32 cal, .38 cal, .40 cal., .44 cal., .45 cal, or .50 cal. The laser trainer cartridge  10  may be configured to fit snugly into the firing chamber (or bore) of essentially any desired firearm. The cartridge  10  is preferably configured so that it fits into the chamber of a gun in the same manner as a bullet. 
         [0019]    The cartridge  10  is configured to emit light, which is preferably laser light, for any desired duration. In one embodiment, a laser trainer cartridge  10  includes a laser module  6 , which in the preferred embodiment is a visible, red light laser module. In this embodiment, the laser module  6  activates for 100 milliseconds each time the firing pin strikes the backer  4  of cartridge  10 , although any suitable activation duration can be selected. The laser trainer cartridge  10  is preferably rimless, so that it is not expelled during dry fire, which can allow for tap, rack, bang or malfunction training drills. 
         [0020]    In one embodiment, a hardened rubber plunger (or backer  4 ) on the cartridge  10  also acts as a built-in snap cap to protect the firing pin of the gun when it strikes the backer  4 . Backer  4  is thus pressure fit, or snap fit, into the end of cartridge  10  opposite opening  14  as cartridge  10  is assembled. 
         [0021]    The cartridge  10  includes at least one rubber ring, which is preferably an O-ring, that is pressure fit onto the outer surface  12  of the cartridge  10 , and most preferably two rubber O-rings are pressure fit onto surface  12 . As shown, two rubber O-rings  9 ,  11  on the laser trainer cartridge  10  help ensure a snug fit in the gun bore. Front O-ring  9  is positioned on the front portion of cartridge  10 , and rear O-ring  11  is positioned on the back portion of the cartridge  10 . Among other things, the O-rings help to prevent the cartridge  10  from falling out of the gun, reduce vibration from the firing pin striking the backer  4 , and retain the cartridge  10  in position while in use. The front O-ring  9  and rear O-ring  11  each preferably have a diameter equal to, or greater than, the diameter of the bore of the gun. In some embodiments, the front O-ring  9  and rear O-ring  11  have a diameter of equal to, or up to 0.030″ greater than, the diameter of the bore of the gun barrel in which cartridge  10  is used. The O-rings  9  and  11  may be any size, shape, and configuration, and may be formed from any suitable material to allow cartridge  10  to fit snugly in the bore of a firearm and help reduce vibration and movement when the backing  4  of cartridge  10  is struck by the firing pin. 
         [0022]    In one embodiment, the laser trainer cartridge is powered by three 377-type batteries  5  (shown in  FIGS. 7 and 9 ) that fit in an internal cavity  22  of the laser trainer cartridge  10  to provide power to a circuit  8  (such as the exemplary circuit in  FIG. 9 ), which utilizes 4-4.5 V. In this embodiment, the batteries  5  provide enough power for approximately 3,000 emissions of laser light that simulate a bullet being fired. 
         [0023]      FIG. 7  depicts an exploded view of an exemplary laser trainer cartridge  10  according to various aspects of the invention. In this embodiment, the laser trainer cartridge  10  includes an outer casing formed by components  1  and  2 . A backer  4  in the exemplary embodiment of  FIG. 7  is positioned at the rear of the cartridge  10  so it can be struck by the firing pin of the gun when the gun is fired (i.e., when a user pulls the trigger of the gun). The backer  4  has a first position where it is not in contact with a circuit  8  and a second position where the backer  4  contacts the circuit  8 . When assembled, backer  4  can be struck by the firing pin of a gun through opening  2 A of body portion  2 . When the backer  4  is struck by the firing pin of the gun, the backer moves from the first position to the second position, and the circuit  8  causes the laser module  6  to illuminate. 
         [0024]    The backer  4  may be of any suitable size, shape, and configuration, and may be formed from any suitable material. In one exemplary embodiment, the backer  4  is formed from urethane. In one embodiment, the material forming the backer is urethane having a durometer of about 85 Shore A. In alternate embodiments, the backer has a durometer of between about 75 and about 95 Shore A. 
         [0025]    The batteries  5  are preferably insulated from the body of the cartridge  10  by a mylar sleeve  21 . The laser module  6  may be of any suitable size, shape, and configuration, and may emit light of any desired shape, intensity, and color. 
         [0026]      FIGS. 10-11  depict an exemplary circuitry  100  that may be implemented in circuit  8  of  FIG. 10 . In this circuitry  100 , the backer moving to its second position actuates the switch S 1 , which in turn discharges capacitor C 1  through transistor Q 1  in order to cause laser module  6  to illuminate for a predetermined period of time. In this embodiment, the circuitry  100  in  FIG. 9  is implemented using a printed circuit board having the trace diagrams illustrated in  FIGS. 10 and 11 . Alternate embodiments of the invention may utilize any other suitable circuit to cause the laser module  6  to illuminate. 
         [0027]    The circuitry  100  may be configured to cause the laser module  6  to illuminate for any desired length of time. In one embodiment, the laser is illuminated for between about 7.5 milliseconds (ms) to about 12.5 ms per shot, i.e., each time the firing pin contacts the backer  4  of cartridge  10 . 
         [0028]    A plurality of different cartridges sized to fit different-sized gun bores may be sold as a kit. Alternatively, a kit may include one or more cartridges of the same or different sizes along with different-sized O-rings. Each different sized O-ring(s) can be placed on a cartridge in order to configure it to fit a particular caliber of gun, and O-ring(s) can be removed and replaced with other O-rings in order to change the size of the gun bore into which the cartridge fits. 
         [0029]    In one embodiment of the present invention, a laser trainer cartridge of the present invention may be configured to fit into an adapter sheath (or “sheath”)  200 . Among other things, the sheath  200  acts as an adapter to allow a laser trainer cartridge  10  to operate in a firearm having a different caliber than the laser trainer cartridge  10  itself is designed to operate. For example, a laser trainer cartridge  10  configured to fit in a .32 caliber firearm may be sold as a kit with a plurality of adapter sheaths  200  that allow the cartridge to be used with larger-caliber firearms (e.g., .38 caliber, .40 caliber, .44 caliber, etc.). 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIG. 12 , in one embodiment, an adapter sheath  200  has a generally cylindrical body configured to fit into a particular sized firearm. The sheath  200  is preferably at least partially open at both ends to allow the cartridge  10  to be inserted into and retained in the sheath cavity  204 , and to allow light from laser module  6  to be emitted, and the firing pin to strike the backing  4  of the cartridge  10 . 
         [0031]    Adapter sheath  200  preferably includes at least one O-ring on its exterior surface  202  that has a diameter equal to, or greater than, the diameter of the gun bore into which the sheath  200  is configured to fit. The O-ring for the sheath can be any type of structure as the O-rings previously described for cartridge  10 . 
         [0032]    In one embodiment, a sheath  200  of the present invention includes two O-rings  9 A,  11 A; one positioned at either end of sheath  200  in grooves  206 , and each O-ring  9 A,  11 A has a diameter equal to, or up to 0.030″ greater than, the diameter of the gun bore. As with the O-rings of the cartridge described previously, these O-rings form a snug fit with the gun bore to help prevent the sheath/cartridge combination from falling out of the firearm, as well as to reduce vibration from the firing pin hitting the back of the cartridge  10  and to retain the sheath/cartridge combination in place during use. 
         [0033]    The cartridge  10  can be retained inside the sheath  200  in any suitable manner. In one embodiment, the O-rings  9  and  11  of cartridge  10  are sized to interface with the interior surface of the sheath  200  to help retain cartridge  10  within cavity  204  of sheath  200 . In another embodiment, the front portion of the sheath includes a lip or narrowed portion that prevents the cartridge  10  from passing through the front of the sheath, yet does not occlude or interfere with the light emitted from the laser module  6 . Any other structure(s) may be used in conjunction with the present invention to retain the laser trainer cartridge  10  within the sheath  200 . 
         [0034]    In some embodiments, the cartridge  10  may be configured to produce a sound (e.g., a gunshot sound) when the firing pin strikes the backer. The cartridge may include a speaker or any other suitable device to produce a sound, and may produce any desired sound. 
         [0035]    Having thus described some embodiments of the invention, other variations and embodiments that do not depart from the spirit of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art. The scope of the present invention is thus not limited to any particular embodiment, but is instead set forth in the appended claims and the legal equivalents thereof. Unless expressly stated in the written description or claims, the steps of any method recited in the claims may be performed in any order capable of yielding the desired result.