Patent ID: 12209830

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring toFIG.1, in many situations it is desirable to have a stable, yet portable, support to permit a shooter to reliably take long and extreme long distance shots (e.g., even beyond 1,000 yards). In many cases, it is desirable that the support is suitable for positioning a rifle of a shooter over two feet or more from the ground, preferably over three feet or more from the ground, and preferably at a height consistent with a standing position of the shooter from the ground. By positioning the support at an elevated height, the shooter is able to shoot over most obstacles without meaningfully compromising the stability of the system or otherwise meaningfully diminishing accuracy. One suitable type of support is a tripod that includes three legs, each of which may be moved inward and outward along an arc from an upper central region. In addition, each of the legs has an adjustable length so that the upper region may be leveled or otherwise oriented in any desired orientation. In addition, the upper region typically includes a threaded member, or otherwise, suitable to be attached to the base of an imaging device or a ball head. An exemplary tripod is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 8,398,037, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.

Referring toFIG.2, with a relatively light support, such as a tripod primarily constructed from carbon fiber materials, the recoil energy from firing a shot with a rifle supported directly thereon in some fixed manner, such that the rifle is rigidly interconnected to the upper region of the tripod, has a tendency to tip the tripod off the ground. After the tripod is tipped off the ground, it does not often land exactly where it was before firing the shot. As a result the shooter can't easily see the impact of his shot, and the shooter needs to reacquire the target before making any follow up shots. This limitation tends to become even more pronounced for inexperienced shooters and with increasingly larger caliber rifles.

Referring toFIG.3, a recoil management assembly100is preferably detachably interconnected to the support. The support preferably includes a quick release clamp110of any configuration or otherwise a quick release clamp of any configuration affixed to a ball head of any configuration on the top thereof. Other types of detachable connections may likewise be used, as desired. By way of example, one exemplary quick release clamp is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 6,773,172, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. By way of example, one exemplary ball head is illustrated in U.S. Patent Publication No. 2006/0175482, incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. In this manner, the recoil management assembly may include a pair of dovetail slots120spaced apart from one another, that may be detachably engaged with the quick release clamp110. With this detachably engaged arrangement, the recoil management assembly may be interconnected to the support in an efficient manner when in use, and detached from the support in an efficient manner when not in use. Any other engagement structure may be included on the recoil management assembly, preferably selected to be consistent with a detachable connection of a corresponding support (e.g., including a threaded screw on the support in the case that neither a quick release clamp nor a ball head is used).

Referring toFIGS.4-20, an auxiliary body plate may be used for a rifle, such as both short and long action rifles. By way of example, the auxiliary body plate may be sized to fit an AIAX, AXMC, and/or AXAIC MkI/MkII chassis. In many implementations, the auxiliary body plate may replace a standard polymer forend grip permitting a direct and rigid chassis mount. The auxiliary body plate permits the recoil management assembly to be configured in a manner consistent with the rifle's balance point for consistent performance. The auxiliary body plate may include a pair of dovetail slots suitable for being detachably engaged with a quick release clamp of the recoil management assembly. The auxiliary body plate may include finger grooves for improved ergonomics, with the front that may be used as a barricade stop, and with the bottom being parallel with the barrel so that obstacle support is easier and enables improved articulation. The auxiliary body plate may include three keyslot attachment points on the bottom as well as an incorporated flush mount for quick detach slings. The auxiliary plate may include any configuration and may also be affixed to the rifle in any manner. The auxiliary plate may include any engagement structure for detachable interconnection to the recoil management assembly. The recoil management assembly may be directly interconnected to the rifle, omitting the auxiliary body plate, if desired.

Referring toFIG.21andFIG.22, one embodiment of the recoil management assembly200may include a pair of spaced apart dovetail slots220that are suitable to be detachably engaged with the quick release mechanism110supported by the tripod. The recoil management assembly200may include a quick release mechanism210that is suitable to be detachably engaged with the pair of spaced apart dovetail slots of the auxiliary plate. With this detachably engaged arrangement, the recoil management assembly may be interconnected to the auxiliary plate in an efficient manner when in use, and detached from the auxiliary plate in an efficient manner when not in use. The recoil management assembly may include any suitable structure for detachable interconnection to the tripod and/or a structure supported by the tripod. The recoil management assembly may include any suitable structure for detachable interconnection to an auxiliary plate and/or directly to a rifle.

While many recoil management systems attempt to absorb substantially all of the recoil energy from the rifle, it was determined that such an attempt to absorb substantially all of the recoil energy from the rifle is a misplaced goal. Rather than attempt to absorb substantially all of the recoil energy from the rifle it is desirable to manage the direction of the recoil energy from the rifle. The recoil management assembly preferably redirects the recoil of the rifle in a single direction. To redirect the recoil of the rifle in a single direction, the recoil management assembly permits the rifle to travel backward, parallel and in-line with the barrel and scope, while constraining its motion in all other directions and axes. By allowing the rifle to move backward as a result of shooting the rifle, the energy is directed into the shooters shoulder as normal, and the tripod is less likely to move when the energy is directed into the shooter's shoulder along a single direction. The result is that the shooter is more likely to see the impact of their bullet and more quickly be ready for a follow-up shot if needed.

Referring toFIG.21andFIG.22, the recoil management assembly200may include a body230that defines the spaced apart dovetail slots220. The body may include an internal rail240that extends the internal length of the body230. The internal rail240is preferably affixed to the base250of the body230with a set of screws. A first slide260may be slidably engaged with the internal rail240so that it may freely slide with respect to the internal rail240. A second slide270may be slidably engaged with the internal rail240so that it may freely slide with respect to the internal rail240. The first slide260and the second slide270may be attached to a cover280using a set of screws so that they are both maintained in a spaced apart relationship. The first slide260and the second slide270being attached to the cover may be slide along a single direction, consistent with that of the internal rail240, as a single unit while maintaining the spaced apart relationship. The quick release mechanism210may be attached to the cover280which similarly slides along a single direction, consistent with that of the internal rail240as a single unit together with the first slide260and the second slide270.

In use, the quick release mechanism210together with the cover280, attached to a rifle, supported by a tripod, would be pushed forward by the shooter to the end of its travel within the recoil management assembly200. Upon shooting the rifle, the recoil would be constrained within a single direction along the axis of travel of the quick release mechanism210, which is consistent with that of the internal rail240. The recoil energy would be primarily absorbed by the shoulder of the shooter in such a manner that the tripod is unlikely to come off the ground.

Alternatively, the first slide260and the second slide270of the recoil management assembly200may be combined as a single slide. Alternatively, the internal rail240may extend a length less than the internal length of the body230. Alternatively, the recoil management assembly200may include any structure that contains the recoil path of the rifle in a single direction. Alternatively, the recoil management assembly200may be affixed to the rifle using any structure, including directly connecting to the rifle itself. Alternatively, the recoil management assembly may be affixed to the tripod using any structure, including directly connecting to the tripod itself.

Referring toFIG.23andFIG.24, another embodiment of the recoil management assembly may include one or more resilient members, such as one or more springs300,310supported by one or more rods, operably included in front of the rifle's attachment point to allow the shooter to press their body weight into the recoil management assembly thereby depressing the one or more springs300,310. The resilient member may include a spring, a compressible foam, a bearing, a hydraulic fluid, a resilient band, a stretchable band, etc. The depression of the one or more springs300,310reduces the likelihood of inadvertently displacing the tripod support when initially setting up for a shot and when repositioning the shoulder of the shooter while setting up for a shot. Upon shooting the rifle, the recoil is constrained along a single direction, by the recoil management assembly. The recoil likely results in the quick release mechanism270being pressed forward by the shooter, in which case the one or more springs300,310will tend to dampen any impact on the front of the recoil management assembly. In this manner, the front operable resilient members increase the stability of the recoil management assembly, in addition to cushioning the rifle after recoil so that it doesn't slam back into the front of the device.

Referring toFIG.25andFIG.26, another embodiment of the recoil management assembly may include one or more resilient members, such as one or more springs400,410supported by one or more rods, operably included in the rear of the rifle's attachment point to assist in supporting the rifle in a desired position when not being held by the shooter. The resilient member may include a spring, a compressible foam, a bearing, a hydraulic fluid, a resilient band, a stretchable band, etc. This reduces the likelihood of the rifle traveling backward under its own weight and striking the rear of the recoil management assembly. Preferably, the one or more resilient members are not so stiff that it absorbs a substantial part of the recoil, so that the tripod does not lift off the ground when the rifle is fired. Upon shooting the rifle, the recoil is constrained along a single direction, by the recoil management assembly. The depression of the one or more springs400,410reduces the likelihood of inadvertently displacing the tripod support when the rifle recoils after shooting. The one or more springs400,410reduces the likelihood of the quick release mechanism270striking the rear of the recoil management assembly or otherwise tends to dampen any impact on the rear of the recoil management assembly. In this manner, the rear operable resilient members increase the stability of the recoil management assembly, in addition to cushioning the rifle after recoil so that it doesn't slam into the back of the device. The rear resilient members may be omitted, if desired.

Referring toFIG.27andFIG.28, another embodiment of the recoil management assembly may include one or more rods500,510and one or more linear motion bearings to restrict the motion of the rifle to only a single direction upon recoil. As illustrated inFIG.28, the recoil management assembly is in its pre-loaded state. As illustrated inFIG.28, the recoil management assembly is in an extended or recoiled state. Referring toFIG.30, in addition, one or more springs600,610(or otherwise) may be added around the rods (or otherwise)500,510to dampen the front of the recoil management assembly. Referring toFIG.29, in addition, one or more springs700,710(or otherwise) may be added around the rods (or otherwise)500,510to dampen the rear of the recoil management assembly. Other resilient members may likewise be used. The one or more springs reduces the likelihood of a movable portion of the assembly striking the rear of the recoil management assembly or otherwise tends to dampen any impact on the rear of the recoil management assembly. In this manner, the rear operable resilient members increase the stability of the recoil management assembly, in addition to cushioning the rifle after recoil so that it doesn't slam into the back of the device. The recoil likely results in the movable portion of the assembly striking the rear of the recoil management assembly to some extent in which case it may tend to move forward, in which case the one or more springs will tend to dampen any impact on the front of the recoil management assembly. In this manner, the front operable resilient members increase the stability of the recoil management assembly, in addition to cushioning the rifle after recoil so that it doesn't slam back into the front of the device. The front resilient members may be omitted, if desired.

Other sliding structures may likewise be used, such as roller bearings on rails, linear automation structures, plain bearings on ground guides, sleeve bearings on tubes, or otherwise. Preferably each of the sliding structures restrict the motion to a single direction, and provide a smooth, nearly frictionless, and nearly stick-slip free motion, even under substantial loads and shocks.

This recoil management assembly may be fitted with a spiked “barricade” accessory, allowing the device to be pressed against a wall, fence, tree, window sill, etc. The recoil management assembly permits the rifle to move backward and then return to its original position without this barricade accessory “hopping” and changing position.

The recoil management assembly may be built directly into the rifle chassis.

The recoil management assembly may include an adjustment to vary the resistance of the resilient members to more closely match the rifle's recoil with the amount of movement the shooter wants to feel.

The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.