Firearm monitoring and notification apparatus and method of use

• US 10,180,297 B2
• Filed: 03/12/2018
• Issued: 01/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles William Post
• Original Assignee: Charles William Post
• Inventors: Post, Charles William
• Primary Examiner(s): Freeman, Joshua E
• Application Number:
  US15/917,999
• Publication Number:
  US 20180202738A1
• Time in Patent Office: 309 Days
• Field of Search: 42 7006, 42 7011
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/04 Safeties of the combination-lock type F41A17/02 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 23/18 Rests for supporting smallarms in non-shooting position racks for storage A47B81/00; racks in vehicles B60R7/14

Abstract

The present disclosure provides a firearm monitoring and notification apparatus to allow users to monitor a firearm without interfering with the accessibility to the firearm. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus mitigates common risks surrounding unauthorized access and tampering through deterrence and notification strategies.

Claims

1. A firearm monitoring and notification apparatus comprising:

a base platform comprising a surface,

a post protruding from the surface of the base platform;

a cap which is matable with the post;

a power supply having electrical connection to the post;

a comparator having electrical connection to the cap and the post,

wherein the comparator senses a change in configuration of mating between the cap and post.

2. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post comprises a sensor affixed to the post;

and the cap comprises a magnet affixed to the cap,

wherein movement of the cap in relation to the post is communicated by the sensor to the comparator.

3. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a hall effect sensor.

4. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap further comprises a pin;

and

the post comprises a hole,

wherein the cap is matable with the post through the mating of the pin with the hole.

5. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 4, wherein the pin comprises a spring detent at a distal end of the pin;

and

the hole comprises a radial recess feature,

wherein the spring detent indexes within the radial recess feature when the pin is mated with the hole.

6. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cap comprises a shroud element.

7. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 6, wherein the shroud element comprises a side-wall extending radially around a portion of the cap;

and

the shroud element extends downward terminating proximal to the surface of the base platform.

8. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a processor having electrical connection to the comparator.

9. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 8, wherein the base platform further comprises a user interface panel comprising push-buttons;

and

the push-buttons having electrical connection to the processor.

10. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an audible alarm having electrical connection to the comparator.

11. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, comprising a constraining element extending away from the surface of the base platform;

the constraining element comprising a recess,

wherein the recess is configured to receive a portion of a distal end of a firearm disposed on the surface of the base platform.

12. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 11, wherein the constraining element is slidably connected to the base platform.

13. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a communications module comprising wireless communication capability.

14. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 13, wherein the communications module further comprises BLUETOOTH®

communication protocol capability.

15. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 13, wherein the communications module further comprises IEEE 802.11 wireless communication protocol capability.

16. The firearm monitoring and notification apparatus of claim 1, wherein the post is configured to allow for disposal of an aperture of the firearm over the post.