Patent ID: 8141288

Claim:
A Low Reflectivity Contact that provides minimal reflection of incident visible light, for use with a handguard which mechanically supports one or more power-consuming accessories, which are powered by a power source for providing a supply of electrical power for use by said one or more power-consuming accessories, comprising: a powered rail, attached to a handguard and electrically interconnected with a power source, for providing a source of electrical power to one or more power-consuming accessories attached to said handguard; and wherein said powered rail comprises an insulative backplane which has formed thereon at least one Low Reflectivity Contact for presenting a point of connection to said power source for said one or more power-consuming accessories, said Low Reflectivity Contact comprising: a mesh grid attached to said backplane and electrically connected to said power source for contacting a corresponding conductive element on said at least one power-consuming accessory for enabling conduction of at least one of power and electrical signals therebetween a conductive pad attached to said backplane and electrically connected to said power source, and wherein said mesh grid is overlaid over said conductive pad and constructed of a conductive material containing a plurality of apertures formed in the surface thereof for electrically contacting said conductive element on said power-consuming accessory and which enables incident light to pass through said planar surface substantially absent reflection off said conductive surface and back out through said apertures.