Method and apparatus for monitoring handling of a firearm

• US 20080032268A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/07/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Technology Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Calin William Brabandt, Michael Anthony Farrell
• Inventors: Brabandt, Calin William, Farrell, Michael Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 7,506,468 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 434/16
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/06 Electric or electromechanical safeties F41A17/04, F41A17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 33/00 Adaptations for training adaptations of barrels for recoil reinforcement F41A21/26; Gun simulators teaching or practice apparatus for gun-aiming or gun-laying F41G3/26 ; shooting games A63F9/02; military simulation G09B9/003

Abstract

A firearm monitoring system according to the present invention senses the position of a user hand or trigger finger on a weapon and generates a warning, notification, status or control signal when the user finger position is proximate the trigger. One embodiment generates and conditions an excitation stimulus (e.g., interrupted by the presence of a trigger actuator), drives a sensor with that stimulus, detects the user finger position through a change in the sensor output, and generates an appropriate signal for a downstream warning or other device (e.g., alarm, radio unit, laser sighting system, etc.). In this embodiment, the sensor may detect the presence of an object or finger penetrating a trigger guard plane. Another embodiment utilizes a set of sensors to detect the placement of a user trigger finger relative to the trigger. In addition, various types of output alarms may be utilized (e.g., visual and audio alarms, etc.).

Claims

1. A monitoring system to monitor user handling of a weapon, wherein said weapon is operated in response to actuation of a trigger and said monitoring system indicates placement relative to said trigger of a user body portion for actuating said trigger, said monitoring system comprising:

a sensing unit mountable to said weapon proximate said trigger to sense the presence of a user body portion for actuating said trigger in a vicinity of said trigger;

an indicator unit to provide an indication of placement of said user body portion relative to said trigger in response to detection of said user body portion by said sensing unit; and

a control unit to generate control signals for said indicator unit in accordance with said sensing of said user body portion by said sensing unit.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said weapon is a firearm including a trigger guard with said trigger disposed within the confines of said trigger guard, and wherein said sensing unit is mountable within said trigger guard confines to detect the presence of said user body portion within those confines.

3. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein said sensing unit includes:

an emitter to emit an energy signal across said trigger guard confines toward said trigger, wherein placement of said user body portion within said trigger guard confines interrupts emission of said energy signal; and

a detector disposed proximate said trigger to receive and detect said emitted energy signal;

wherein said control unit processes signals from said detector and detects the presence of said user body portion in response to interruption of said energy signal.

4. The monitoring system of claim 3, wherein said energy signal includes at least one of an optical signal, an acoustic signal and an electromagnetic signal.

5. The monitoring system of claim 3, further including:

a tubular member disposed proximate said trigger and oriented to receive said emitted energy signal from said emitter, wherein said detector is disposed at a proximal end of said tubular member to receive said energy signal through said tubular member.

6. The monitoring system of claim 2, wherein said sensing unit includes at least one sensor disposed on at least one of said trigger and a surface of said trigger guard.

7. The monitoring system of claim 6, wherein said at least one sensor includes at least one of an optical sensor, an inductive sensor, a capacitive sensor, a thermal sensor, a resistive sensor, a sound sensor, a motion sensor and a pressure sensor.

8. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said control unit generates said control signals to actuate said indicator unit for a predetermined time interval.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said control unit generates said control signals to actuate said indicator unit during detection of said user body portion.

10. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said indicator unit includes a laser sighting system emitting a laser beam in response to actuation.

11. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said weapon includes one of an actual firearm and a mock firearm.

12. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said user body portion includes at least one of a finger and a hand.

13. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said indicator unit indicates improper placement of said user body portion relative to said trigger during firearm training in response to detection of said user body portion by said sensing unit.

14. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein said weapon includes an actual firearm and said indicator unit includes a radio unit to transmit at least one of a warning message and distress signal in response to detection of said user body portion by said sensing unit.

24. The weapon of claim 1, wherein said weapon includes an actual firearm and said indicator unit includes a radio unit to transmit at least one of a warning message and distress signal in response to detection of said user body portion by said sensing unit.

15. A weapon to monitor user handling of said weapon, wherein said weapon indicates placement of a user body portion for actuating said weapon, said weapon comprising:

a frame including a trigger;

a sensing unit disposed proximate said trigger to sense the presence of a user body portion for actuating said trigger in a vicinity of said trigger;

an indicator unit to provide an indication of placement of said user body portion relative to said trigger in response to detection of said user body portion by said sensing unit; and

a control unit to generate control signals for said indicator unit in accordance with said sensing of said user body portion by said sensing unit.

16. The weapon of claim 15, wherein said weapon is in the form of a firearm including a trigger guard with said trigger disposed within the confines of said trigger guard, and wherein said sensing unit is disposed within said trigger guard confines to detect the presence of said user body portion within those confines.

17. The weapon of claim 16, wherein said sensing unit includes:

an emitter to emit an energy signal across said trigger guard confines toward said trigger, wherein placement of said user body portion within said trigger guard confines interrupts emission of said energy signal; and

a detector disposed proximate said trigger to receive and detect said emitted energy signal;

wherein said control unit processes signals from said detector and detects the presence of said user body portion in response to interruption of said energy signal.

18. The weapon of claim 17, further including:

a tubular member disposed proximate said trigger and oriented to receive said emitted energy signal from said emitter, wherein said detector is disposed at a proximal end of said tubular member to receive said energy signal through said tubular member.

19. The weapon of claim 16, wherein said sensing unit includes at least one sensor disposed on at least one of said trigger and a surface of said trigger guard.

20. The weapon of claim 15, wherein said control unit generates said control signals to actuate said indicator unit for one of a predetermined time interval and during detection of said user body portion.

21. The weapon of claim 20, wherein said indicator unit includes a laser sighting system emitting a laser beam in response to actuation.

22. The weapon of claim 15, wherein said user body portion includes at least one of a finger and a hand.

23. The weapon of claim 15, wherein said indicator unit indicates improper placement of said user body portion relative to said trigger during firearm training in response to detection of said user body portion by said sensing unit.

25. A method of monitoring user handling of a weapon and indicating placement relative to a weapon trigger of a user body portion for actuating said trigger, said method comprising:

(a) sensing the presence of a user body portion for actuating said trigger in a vicinity of said trigger of said weapon; and

(b) indicating placement of said user body portion relative to said trigger in response to detection of said user body portion.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said weapon is a firearm including a trigger guard with said trigger disposed within the confines of said trigger guard, and wherein step (a) further includes:

(a.1) sensing the presence of said user body portion within confines of said trigger guard.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) emitting an energy signal across said trigger guard confines toward said trigger, wherein placement of said user body portion within said trigger guard confines interrupts emission of said energy signal; and

(a.1.2) receiving and detecting said emitted energy signal proximate said trigger, wherein the presence of said user body portion is detected in response to sensing interruption of said energy signal.

28. The method claim 27, wherein step (a.1.2) further includes:

(a.1.2.1) receiving said emitted energy signal though a tubular member disposed proximate said trigger.

29. The method of claim 26, wherein step (a.1) further includes:

(a.1.1) sensing the presence of said user body portion within confines of said trigger guard via at least one sensor disposed on at least one of said trigger and a surface of said trigger guard.

30. The method of claim 25, wherein step (b) further includes:

(b.1) indicating placement of said user body portion for one of a predetermined time interval and during detection of said user body portion.

31. The method of claim 25, wherein step (b) further includes:

(b.1) indicating improper placement of said user body portion via a laser sighting system emitting a laser beam.

32. The method of claim 25, wherein said weapon includes one of an actual firearm and a mock firearm.

33. The method of claim 25, wherein said user body portion includes at least one of a finger and a hand.

34. The method of claim 25, wherein step (b) further includes:

(b.1) indicating improper placement of said user body portion relative to said trigger during firearm training in response to detection of said user body portion.

35. The method of claim 25, wherein said weapon includes an actual firearm and a radio unit, and step (b) further includes:

(b.1) transmitting at least one of a warning message and distress signal in response to detection of said user body portion.