Patent ID: 12235077

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

For a thorough understanding of the present invention, reference is to be made to the following detailed description, including the appended claims, in connection with the above-described drawings. Although the present invention is described in connection with exemplary embodiments, the present invention is not intended to be limited to the specific forms set forth herein. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but these are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the claims of the present invention. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The use of “including,” “comprising,” or “having” and variations thereof herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items.

The terms, “a” and “an” herein do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced items.

Referring toFIGS.1A and1B, there are shown a magazine attached illuminating device20operatively configured to be attached with a magazine22to be inserted in a firearm24, in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure. Further, as can be seen inFIGS.2A and2B, the magazine attached illuminating device20operatively attached with the magazine22is inserted in a magazine insert cavity26of the firearm24. The firearm20generally defined and orientated by way of referencing an axis system10, as shown in the forward portion ofFIG.2A. The axis system10, as shown, is used to generally orientate and describe the components of the firearm20with respect to one another without being necessarily confined to one particular orientation. The axis system10has a longitudinal axis12, where the arrow of the longitudinal axis12points in a longitudinally forward direction and the diametrically opposed direction is generally referred to as a longitudinally rearward direction. The axis system10also includes a vertical axis14that is generally aligned in what is referred to as a “vertical direction” or otherwise referred to as an upper direction. As further shown inFIG.1, an axis substantially orthogonal to the longitudinal axis12and to the vertical axis14is defined as a lateral axis indicating a lateral direction. As further described herein, components of the firearm20may rotate about a “lateral axis” meaning any lateral axis on the firearm20which can define lateral rotation. Again, such orientations and rotations are not absolute and for example could be degrees off in any of the other orthogonal directions but generally denote a direction to aid the description of the disclosure.

Referring now toFIGS.3A-3C,4A-4C and5A-5Cto describe the magazine attached illuminating device20. The magazine attached illuminating device20may include an illuminating device body28, a prime illuminator30, a switch member32and a power source34. The illuminating device body28may be configured to be attached on a bottom22aof the magazine22. The prime illuminator30may be attached to a front end28aof the illuminating device body28to throw light on an object, wherein such throw of light defines its center, referred to as a “center throw of light” as shown inFIG.6by numeral36, and the light from the prime illuminator30also defines the luminescent dispersion that is directed towards the object, and shown inFIG.6by numeral38. Further, the switch member32is attached to a rear end28b, opposite to the front end28a, of the illuminating device body28to turn the magazine attached illuminating device20on and off. The power source34is provided in the illuminating device body28to power the prime illuminator26, upon actuation of the switch member30. In one arrangement, the power source34may be provided in the illuminating device body28between the prime illuminator26and the switch member28.

The magazine attached illuminating device20is operatively configured to fit on the magazine22, as shown inFIG.1A, and also seen inFIGS.3A-3C. The magazine22is configured to fit within the firearm24, as shown inFIGS.2A and2B, andFIG.6. The magazine22may include a magazine body22b, whereby the magazine attached illuminating device20may be retrofitted. In one embodiment, the magazine22may be a conventional design readily available in the market where the magazine attached illuminating device20is configured to fit there on the bottom22aof the magazine body22bby replacing the conventional base plate. In one embodiment, the illuminating device body28may include an attaching arrangement40to detachably attach the magazine attached illuminating device20to the bottom22aof the magazine22. The illuminating device body28may also include a base region42, which may be rounded and configured to not be extended very far from a lower edge24aof the firearm24to have a compressed and rounded corner. The particularly advantageous of such design of the lower edge24aof the firearm24is to have a compressed and rounded corner area that does not “print” in plain clothes in particular when the end-user is carrying the entire assembly1including the firearm24, the magazine22and the magazine attached illuminating device20on their body, such as along an appendix carry.

The illuminating device body28may also include an attaching cap44to be detachably coupled to the illuminating device body28.

In one form, the magazine body22aof the magazine22may include bullet slots configured to receive bullets, such as a conventional magazine. The magazine body22aof the magazine22may also be without bullet slots, and when such magazine22includes the magazine attached illuminating device20, the overall assembly may be used by an end-user as a flashlight.

Further, the magazine attached illuminating device20has and LED which functions as the prime illuminator30. Of course, in other forms the prime illuminator30may be standard incandescent but LED technology has particular advantages of providing higher number of lumens and less heat production. The prime illuminator30protrudes outwards from the illuminating device body28, and may be angled with respect to the illuminating device body28, as seen inFIGS.2A and2B.

The power source28may be a conventional battery such as a CR2 lithium battery. Further, the switch member32may include a switch46, and a ridge48coupled to the switch46and operatively engages with the power source34via a power circuit50to turn the magazine attached illuminating device20on and off. In one embodiment, the switch46may be a sliding switch, as seen inFIGS.5A and5B, and in another embodiment, the switch46may be a pivoting switch, as seen inFIG.5C.

As shown inFIGS.5A and5B, where the switch46is the sliding switch and indicated by numeral52. In such embodiment, the switch52may be slid vertically downward, as shown inFIG.5A, and may be slid vertically upward, as shown inFIG.5B. Such sliding action may enable pressing of the ridge48to turn the prime illuminator30‘ON’ and ‘OFF’. For example, the ridge48may be moved forward when the sliding switch52is slid vertically upward to close the power circuit50with the power source34to turn ‘ON’ the prime illuminator30. Further, the ridge48may be moved backward when the sliding switch52is slid vertically downward to disengage the power circuit50with the power source34to turn on the prime illuminator30. Further, as shown inFIG.5C, in another embodiment, the switch member32is the pivoting switch, as indicated by numeral54, to be rotated to a first orientation and to a second orientation to move the ridge48. The pivoting switch54may pivot from a first orientation, shown at54′, to a second orientation, shown at54″, whereby the rotation thereof has a similar bias in action as shown inFIGS.5A and5Bto move the ridge48forward and backward to turn the prime illuminator30‘ON’ and ‘OFF’. For example, the rotation of the pivoting switch54enables the ridge48to move forward to close the power circuit50with the power source to turn ‘ON’ the prime illuminator30, and to move backward to disengage the power circuit50with the power source34to turn ‘OFF’ the prime illuminator30.

Referring now toFIG.6, the end-user, as depicted by numeral100, may be grasping the firearm24in a high ready position or a compressed high ready position. In such orientation, a muzzle24bof the firearm24is pointed upward presumably away from potential liabilities, such as innocent people but note the luminescent dispersion generally indicated at38allows for the front portion in front of the end-user100to be illuminated. It has long been hazarding in peril for weapons mounted light to force the end-user100to point the muzzle24bexactly where they are illuminating. With conventional lights that are weapon mounted and substantially centered with an extended bore-axis24cof the muzzle24b, it is impossible to identify a target and then point the muzzle24bat a potential target. The current magazine attached illuminating device20last for clearing and search in a room in the orientation as shown inFIG.6.

Further, what is also disclosed is a method of illuminating an area in front of the firearm24which is handled by an end-user100, and described in conjunction withFIG.6. The magazine attached illumination device20is attached to the magazine22and the magazine22is operatively configured to fit within the magazine insert cavity26of the firearm24, such as a pistol. The prime illuminator30at the front end of the illuminating device body28throws light on an object, wherein the center throw of light, as depicted by numeral36, is vertically lower from the extended bore axis24cthat extends longitudinally through a geometric center of a muzzle24bof the firearm24, whereby making it conducive to position the firearm24in a compressed high ready position where otherwise having the muzzle24bpointed upward with a lower probability of “muzzling” or otherwise pointing the firearm24that innocent people or other objects the end-user100is not willing to destroy or shoot. Further, the end-user100has a strong hand101and a support hand102where the strong hand101may be grasping the firearm24and has a trigger finger103which is designated to pull the trigger24dof the firearm24. The support hand102generally covers around the strong hand101. The support hand102may be effectively operate to turn ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’ the prime illuminator30by covering the prime illuminator30with the support hand102. As shown by the hatched line104inFIG.6, the support hand102may be slide down or lay and cover the prime illuminator30whereby quickly turning it ‘OFF’. This can be tactically very important for an end-user100who does not want to disclose their location, but rather, temporarily and quickly turn ‘OFF’ the prime illuminator30by simply covering the front portion of the prime illuminator30whereby the photons from the LED are absorbed by the palm area of the hand. If the light from the prime illuminator30is too bright and actually will illuminate red glow therefore in the most desirable form the light is of correct luminosity to be bright enough to illuminate a room, such as 15 yards out a very broad wide exposure to physically and psychologically allow the end-user100to open their eyes, vision and awareness to possible threats in the darkness. Further, the because the light from the prime illuminator30may be covered with the support hand102very quickly it should not be burnt if the LED is too hot by being too powerful and drawing too much energy from the power source34.

A mentioned above, the disclosure has an ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’ switch, such as the switch46, in the rear end28band then one method of using the illumination technique is that if the end-user100has a first and second illumination devices, one on a magazine22in the firearm24, such as the pistol, and another one on the end-users' body, as a backup magazine. Therefore, the end-user100may grab the backup magazine and use that just as a simple flashlight, such magazine may not include the bullet slots. In other words, the end-user100doesn't have to pull out their firearm24to illuminate an object or area which is clearly not a threat but they want to have better vision on in a little light situation. Further, in the event of a magazine change cause by running out of rounds or otherwise clearing a jam, the end user would have the prime illuminator30in the gun by way of inserting the second magazine. It should be noted the magazines22may be bullet slots that are filled with bullets just as a conventional magazine and the unit is adapted to be retrofitted to existing magazine bodies22b. The light can actually be turned ‘ON’ in the holster by way of flicking the switch member32(or sliding switch52or pivoting switch54) which may be upward into the rear and then withdrawn from one hand, one hand is only available to the end-user100.

The throw of light can be between 30° to 160° in the lateral direction and approximately the same of the vertical direction. More preferred range would be between 90° and 120° of throw in the vertical and lateral directions. Also, the latest version is reasonably uniform when the user repositions from the compressed high ready to full presentation presenting the firearm24at a target amount of light variance is minimal on the target so not to distract the end user.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present disclosure have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present disclosure to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present disclosure and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present disclosure and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is understood that various omissions and substitutions of equivalents are contemplated as circumstances may suggest or render expedient, but such are intended to cover the application or implementation without departing from the spirit or scope of the present disclosure.