Removable light assembly of pre-defined shape for a weapon

• US 20050246936A1
• Filed: 04/01/2004
• Published: 11/10/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ira Kay
• Original Assignee: Ira Kay
• Inventors: Kay, Ira
• Granted Patent: US 7,305,790 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/146
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

A light assembly having a pre-defined shape is provided to be removably attached to a guide provided on a weapon. The light assembly comprises a housing provided with a reflector having a lamp at one end thereof and batteries for powering the lamp through a switch. The housing has a pair of lateral members which are movable between a retracted position and an extended position so that, when the members are in the retracted position, the light assembly has the above-mentioned pre-defined shape and when the members are in the extended position, they are adapted to engage the guide. Means for preventing the longitudinal movement of the light assembly on the guide are also provided with the light assembly. The light assembly can thus be easily mounted and used as an aiming device with a weapon or be readily used as a separate and independent entity.

Claims

1. A light assembly having a pre-defined shape, for removable attachment to a guide provided on a weapon, said light assembly comprising a housing provided with a reflector having a lamp at one end thereof and batteries for powering said lamp through a switch, said housing having:

a) a pair of lateral members being movable between a retracted position and an extended position, wherein;

when said members are in the retracted position, the light assembly has said pre-defined shape; and

when said members are in the extended position, said members are adapted to engage said guide; and

b) means for preventing longitudinal movement of the light assembly on the guide.

2. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing has two sides, each one of said two sides being provided with a channel for receiving a respective one of said lateral members, where each one of said lateral members comprises an inner substantially planar face bounded at least by an upper edge and a lower edge, and wherein the guide is planar, parallel to the housing and perpendicular to the inner planar face of the lateral members, said guide comprising flanges parallel to each other projecting outwardly, planar to the guide;

said inner face of the lateral members being adjacent to the housing and provided with a longitudinal groove proximate and parallel to the lower edge, said longitudinal groove being shaped and sized to slidably engage the flange.

3. The light assembly according to claim 2, wherein when the lateral members are further provided with locking means for locking said lateral members in the retracted position and in the extended position.

4. The light assembly according to claim 2, wherein each channel is shaped and sized to receive a corresponding lateral member, said channel comprising a back face and inwardly sloping sidewalls for maintaining the lateral member within said channel.

5. The light assembly according to claim 2, wherein each channel is substantially U-shaped and sized to receive a corresponding lateral member, said U-shaped channel being provided with guiding members protruding outwardly and perpendicularly from said channel, for slidably engaging corresponding grooves extending from the upper edge to the lower edge of the lateral members.

6. The light assembly according to claim 2, wherein the guide is provided with a plurality of cross-slots and wherein each one of said lateral members further includes a latch having:

an upper portion and a lower portion, said upper portion and said lower portion each having an inner face adjacent to the side of the housing and an outer face; and

a latch projection projecting inwardly from the inner face of said lower portion of the latch, for engaging any one of said cross-slots,

said latch being inwardly biased;

wherein the latch is pivotable between an operative position and an inoperative position so that;

a—

when the latch is in the operative position, with the latch projection protruding into the side of the housing, thereby providing the means for preventing longitudinal movement of the light assembly on the guide; and

b—

when the latch is in the inoperative position, the upper portion is pivoted inwardly toward the housing while the lower portion is pivoted outwardly away from the housing, thereby preventing the latch projection from engaging any one of said cross-slots.

7. The light assembly according to claim 6, wherein each channel comprises a back face and sidewalls, said back face comprising a depression shaped and sized to receive a respective one of said latch projections so that, when the lateral members are in the retracted position, each one of said respective latch projections engages said respective depression.

8. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch is a push button.

9. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the pre-defined shape is a substantially cylindrical shape.

10. The light assembly according to claim 1, wherein the lamp is a LED assembly.

11. A method for removably attaching a light assembly, said light assembly having a pre-defined shape, for removable attachment to a guide provided on a weapon, said light assembly comprising a housing provided with a reflector having a lamp at one end thereof and batteries for powering said lamp through a switch, said housing having a pair of lateral members being movable between a retracted position and an extended position and means for preventing longitudinal movement of the light assembly on the guide, said method comprising the steps of:

a) providing said light assembly;

b) extending the lateral members until they are in the extended position;

c) engaging longitudinal grooves of the lateral members into flanges of the guide;

d) moving and maintaining latches of the lateral members in an inoperative position, while sliding the light assembly on the guide; and

e) moving the latches in an operative position.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of:

f) moving and maintaining the latches in the inoperative position, while sliding the lateral members until they are in the retracted position; and

g) moving the latches in the operative position, so that the light assembly resumes the pre-defined shape.