Patent Document

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application is a continuation of, and claims the benefit of, U.S. application Ser. No. 11/971,486, filed on Jan. 9, 2008 now U.S. Pat. No. 7,866,077, entitled “STRIKER ASSEMBLY FOR USE WITH A FIREARM”, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/884,251, filed on Jan. 10, 2007, all of which are herein incorporated by reference in their entireties. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a striker assembly for use with a firearm and a method of assembling such a striker assembly. More particularly, it relates to a striker assembly that is easy to assemble and contains fewer parts. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Fire control mechanisms used in semiautomatic handguns oftentimes utilize striker-type firing pins. In handguns that employ a striker-type firing pin, the trigger is connected to a trigger bar. Movement of the trigger causes movement of the trigger bar, which, in certain embodiments, causes a sear to rotate about a pivot point. The sear is typically an elongated element that is rotatable about a pivot point located substantially at one end thereof. Upon rotation of the sear, a spring is compressed, and an upper portion of the sear is displaced relative to the firing pin. When the sear is displaced a sufficient distance to clear a depending leg of the firing pin, the firing pin is urged forward by a firing pin spring and strikes the rear of an ammunition cartridge, thereby discharging the firearm. 
     Striker assemblies are well known in the art. Typically, a striker assembly contains several small and intricate parts. Assembly can often be difficult and costly. 
     For these reasons, known striker assemblies have several disadvantages. The present invention overcomes these disadvantages by providing a striker assembly with a unique design that is easy to assemble with a lower part count. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is to provide a striker assembly that functions with a minimum number of parts. 
     Another object of the present invention is to design a striker assembly that is easy to assemble. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a striker assembly that eliminates the use of pins, which are typically difficult and time-consuming to install. 
     These and other objectives of the present invention, and their preferred embodiments, shall become clear by consideration of the specification, claims, and drawings taken as a whole. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a striker assembly includes a striker body that is generally cylindrical with both end portions being diametrically reduced. The striker body has a raised annular ring near the forward end of the striker body and a ridge or flange and a circumferential groove near the rear end of the striker body. The striker assembly also includes a coaxial spring, which slides over the rear part of the striker body and abuts the raised annular ring at one end. A spacer is shaped to fit around the striker body and slides over the rear part of the striker body and abuts the ridge. A snap ring slides over the rear part of the striker body until it is held in place by the circumferential groove of the striker body. A cap slides over the rear part of the striker body and the spacer and abuts the other end of the coaxial spring. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a simplified schematic side view of a semiautomatic pistol. 
         FIG. 2  is a simplified schematic side elevation view of the pistol of  FIG. 1  shown with the slide moved to a rearward position on the pistol frame. 
         FIG. 3  is a simplified schematic perspective view of a trigger assembly and a sear assembly portion of a semiautomatic pistol. 
         FIG. 4  is a simplified schematic side view of a striker assembly provided in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an enhanced view of a portion of one end of a simplified schematic side view of the striker assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a simplified schematic exploded side view of the striker assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 7  is a simplified schematic rear view of the striker assembly of  FIG. 4 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  show one example of a semiautomatic pistol or handgun (hereinafter referred to as “firearm  110 ”) that may incorporate a striker assembly  10  according to an embodiment of the present invention. The firearm  110  comprises a frame  112 , a slide  114 , and a fire control mechanism that operates via actuation of a trigger  116 . The frame  112  is fabricated of a high-impact polymer material, metal, a combination of polymer and metal, or other suitable material. The slide  114  houses a barrel  118  in the forward end thereof. The barrel  118  is cooperatively linked with the slide  114  and, together with the slide  114 , defines a longitudinal firing axis  120 . A rearward end of the barrel  118  is adapted for receiving an ammunition cartridge  122 . 
     The slide  114  is fitted to oppositely positioned rails  124  on the frame  112  to effect the reciprocal movement of the slide  114  along the longitudinal firing axis  120 . The rails  124  extend along the underside of the slide  114  in the longitudinal direction and are cooperative with the frame  112  to allow the cycling of the slide  114  between forward (battery) and rearward (retired) positions. The slide  114 , which is defined by a slide frame  126 , further includes a breech face  128  and an extractor port  130 . The breech face  128  is engagable with the rearward end of the barrel  118  to form a firing chamber when the slide  114  is disposed forwardly on the frame  112  ( FIG. 1 ). An ejection mechanism provides for the ejection of a cartridge casing  122  upon firing the firearm  110  or manually cycling the slide  114 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 3 , the fire control mechanism  140  is shown. The fire control mechanism  140  is of a known striker-type firing pin configuration and comprises a striker-type firing pin  143  (“striker”) having a firing pin portion  142  and a depending leg  144 . The fire control mechanism  140  further comprises a sear assembly  146  and a trigger assembly  148 . The sear assembly  146  includes a pivotally mounted sear  150  that engages the striker  143 . The trigger assembly  148 , which functions to actuate the sear  150 , includes a trigger  152  and a trigger bar  154  pivotally connected to the trigger  152  via a pin  156 . The trigger bar  154  functionally connects the trigger  152  and the sear assembly  146 . A trigger bar extension  158  extends from the trigger bar  154  into a channel  160  of the sear assembly  146 , and an arm-like trigger bar safety deactivation member  162  extends substantially vertically from the trigger bar  154 . The trigger  152  may be of unitary construction, as shown, or of a multiple-piece articulated construction. 
     When the trigger  152  is actuated by being pressed in a rearward direction, the trigger  152  pivots about a pin  164  and transmits movement to the trigger bar  154  via the pin  156 . The trigger bar  154  is thereby moved in a rearward direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal firing axis  120  such that the trigger bar extension  158  correspondingly translates in the channel  160 . A portion of the trigger bar  154  operationally abuts the sear  150  for actuating the sear  150  when the trigger bar  154  is moved rearwards. However, the connection of the trigger assembly  148  and the sear assembly  146  is such that the trigger bar  154  is laterally displaced out of abutment/engagement with the sear  150  when sufficient force is exerted on the trigger bar extension  158  in a direction that is perpendicular to the direction in which the longitudinal firing axis extends. 
     The present invention is directed to a striker assembly for use with the firearm  110  and provides several advantages over known strikers, such as striker  143 .  FIG. 4  shows one embodiment of the present invention in a simplified schematic form. In  FIG. 4 , a striker assembly  10  has a striker body  12 , a coaxial spring  14 , a striker spacer  16 , a snap ring  18 , and a cap  20 . 
     As best shown in  FIG. 6 , the striker body  12  extends the entire length of the striker assembly  10 . The striker body  12  is generally cylindrical with both end portions being diametrically reduced. The forward end of the striker body  12  is reduced in diameter and features a pin-shaped end for striking the ammunition primer. Prior to the reduction in diameter of the forward end, the striker body  12  has a raised annular ring  22 . From the end of the rear part of the striker body  12 , the diameter steadily increases until it reaches a circumferential groove  26 . After the circumferential groove  26 , the diameter remains constant. This region accommodates the spacer  16 . After the region for the spacer  16 , the striker body  12  has a small ridge  24 , where the diameter of the striker body increases slightly and remains constant until it reaches the raised annular ring  22  near the forward end. 
     Returning to  FIG. 4 , the middle portion of the striker body  12  is encompassed by the coaxial spring  14 . The diameter of the middle portion of the striker body  12  should be slightly less than the internal diameter of the spring  14  so that the spring  14  may slide across the striker body  12  during assembly. At the forward end of striker body  12 , the coaxial spring  14  abuts the flat surface of the raised annular flange or ring  22  of the striker body  12 . At the rear part of the striker body  12 , the spring  14  abuts the cap  20  in its assembled state. Spring  14  is able to slide over the rear portion of striker body  12  until it abuts with the flat surface of the raised annular ring  22  of the striker body  12 . 
     The rear part of striker assembly  10  can best be seen in  FIG. 5 . The spacer  16  is also able to slide over the rear portion of the striker body  12  and is stopped by ridge  24  (shown in  FIG. 6 ). The spacer  16  is shaped to fit around the striker body  12 , and the diameter of its hole matches the diameter of the striker body  12  when the spacer  16  slides into its desired location, which is the region between the ridge  24  and the circumferential groove  26 . The spacer  16  is not able to slide past the ridge  24  since the diameter of ridge  24  is greater than the internal diameter of the hole of spacer  16 . 
     Spacer  16  is held in place on the end opposite ridge  24  by snap ring  18 . Snap ring  18  is able to slide over the rear part of the striker body  12 . As the diameter of the striker body  12  increases, the snap ring  18  spreads apart and increases its internal diameter. When it reaches the circumferential groove  26  of the striker body  12 , the snap ring  18  snaps into place in its relaxed state and maintains the position of the spacer  16 . The larger diameter prior to the circumferential groove  26  prevents the snap ring  18  from being displaced from the striker body  12  until an individual manually increases the internal diameter of the snap ring  18  so that it can slide over the rear part of the striker body  12 . 
     The cap  20  is the final part involved in the assembly. The cap  20  is designed to slide over the spacer  16  and the rear part of the striker body  12 . As shown in  FIG. 7 , the rear part of the cap  20  contains a hole, which has an internal diameter that is equal to the diameter of the striker body  12  at the circumferential groove  26 . During assembly, the cap  20  is pushed toward the forward end of the striker body  12 . This force pushes and locks the snap ring  18 , spacer  16 , and spring  14  into its proper place on the striker body  12 . The cap  20  is able to push all of the parts due to its hole at its rear, which allows the rear part of the striker body to extend past the exterior of the cap  20 . In its assembled state, the end of the cap  20  abuts one end of spring  14 . The spring  14  is held in place by raised annular ring  22  and cap  20 . The cap  20  is held in place by spacer  16 . 
     As described above and shown in  FIGS. 4-7 , the present invention allows all of the parts to be slid into place and held together. Each piece holds another into its proper position, which eliminates the time-consuming process of pinning the parts. Elimination of pins results in easier assembly, which reduces costs. The present invention can be assembled into a single assembly that clicks together rather than previous designs where it is pinned. 
     While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various obvious changes may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the essential scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention includes all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Technology Category: 2