FLASHLIGHT MOUNTING SYSTEM

• US 20070253207A1
• Filed: 04/23/2007
• Published: 11/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Howe, Alan T., Coombs, Christopher E.
• Application Number:
  US11/738,604
• Publication Number:
  US 20070253207A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/418
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 18/00 Breathing masks or helmets, e.g. affording protection against chemical agents or for use at high altitudes or incorporating a pump or compressor for reducing the inhalation effortA62B17/00 takes precedence; anaesthetic masks A61M16/06
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/00 Electric lighting devices with self-contained electric batteries or cells
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

A rail mounting assembly for coupling a flashlight or other instrument to a fixed point on a person'"'"'s body, clothing, equipment or accessories allows a user to direct or otherwise fix light upon a person or area of interest. The rail mounting assembly may have a dovetail profile for mating with a cooperating flashlight

Claims

1. A rail mounting assembly for securing a flashlight to a face piece assembly having a clamp for coupling a lens to a seal, comprising:

a rail structure having an elongated dovetail profile that cooperates with contoured inward surfaces of a flashlight;

a clamping portion configured to engage the clamp without interfering with the seal; and

a coupler for allowing the rail structure to move relative to the clamping portion in at least one degree of freedom.

2. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupler allows the rail structure to move relative to the clamping portion in at least two degrees of freedom.

3. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the coupler allows the rails structure to move relative to the clamping portion in three degrees of freedom.

4. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the rail structure further comprises a cross slot that cooperate with a bar on the flashlight to limit longitudinal motion of the flashlight relative to the rail structure.

5. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the clamping portion further comprises a spring.

6. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the clamping portion comprises end portions for grasping opposing sides of the clamp.

7. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the clamping portion comprises a plastic or a metal.

8. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the rail structure profile is a selected one of a Weaver and a MIL-STD-1913 profile.

16. The mounting assembly of claim 1, wherein the rail structure profile is selected one of a Weaver and a MIL-STD-1913 profile.

9. A mounting assembly for securing a flashlight or other instrument to a fixed point on a person'"'"'s body, clothing, equipment, or accessories, comprising:

a rail structure having an elongated dovetail profile and a cross slot;

a clamping portion having a first end and a second end, the clamping portion configured to bias the first end and the second towards each other; and

a coupler for allowing the rail structure to move relative to the clamping portion in at least one degree of freedom.

10. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the coupler allows the rail structure to move relative to the clamping portion in at least two degrees of freedom.

11. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the coupler allows the rails structure to move relative to the clamping portion in three degrees of freedom.

12. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the cross slot on the rail structure cooperates with a bar on the flashlight to limit longitudinal motion of the flashlight relative to the rail structure.

13. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the clamping portion further comprises a spring.

14. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the clamping portion comprises end portions for grasping.

15. The mounting assembly of claim 9, wherein the clamping portion comprises a plastic or a metal.

17. A flashlight mounting system for securing a flashlight to a fixed point on a person'"'"'s body, clothing, equipment, or accessories, comprising:

a mounting assembly having a rail structure with an elongated dovetail profile and a cross slot;

a clamping portion having a first end and a second end, the clamping portion configured to bias the first end and the second towards each other; and

a coupler for allowing the rail structure to move relative to the clamping portion in at least one degree of freedom; and

a flashlight having an enclosure for at least partially enclosing a source of illumination and a power source, the enclosure having a first and a second elongated projection having inner surfaces that cooperate with the dovetail profile to limit travel along a longitudinal axis and a bar alignable with the cross slot to restrict motion along the longitudinal axis.

18. The flashlight mounting system of claim 17, wherein the elongated projections are spaced by a fixed distance and the bar is biased by a spring to urge the bar into the cross slot.

19. The flashlight mounting system of claim 17, wherein a cross bar and the first elongated projections are fixed to the enclosure and the second projection is moveable in a direction generally perpendicular to the first elongated projection.

20. The flashlight mounting system of claim 17, wherein the coupler allows the rails structure to move relative to the clamping portion in three degrees of freedom.