RIFLE ACCESSORY RAIL, COMMUNICATION, AND POWER TRANSFER SYSTEM - RAIL CONTACTS

• US 20100192444A1
• Filed: 01/19/2010
• Published: 08/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Worx Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prototype Productions Incorporated (Prototype Productions)
• Inventors: Tapia, Hector, McLaughlin, Donald, Schroeder, John, Tilton, Jay, Dodd, James, Feldman, Ben, Cabahug, Eric
• Granted Patent: US 8,448,368 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 42/71.02
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

The present invention is related to weapons systems. In particular, the present invention is directed to accessory attachment systems for rifles and small arms weapons that enable attached accessory devices to draw power from a central power source and communicate with the user and/or other devices.

Claims

1. A firearm system comprising:

at least one mounting rail comprising an electrical contact;

at least one power source;

at least one rail accessory;

and wherein the at least one rail accessory receives electrical power from the power source.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery pack.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the battery pack is located in the buttstock.

4. The system of claim 1 further comprising a power switch for controlling the flow of electrical power from the power source to the rail accessory, where the switch is actuated upon installation of an accessory, only allowing power to flow when the accessory is installed.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one powered mounting rail is a detachable mounting rail.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one powered mounting rail a Picatinny rail.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising a butt stock assembly wherein the buttstock assembly comprises the power source.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising an external power pack wherein the external power pack comprises the power source.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a foregrip assembly wherein the foregrip assembly comprises the power source.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the external power pack attaches to the mounting rail.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the power source is located in a pistol grip.

12. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

a first rail accessory mechanically connected to at least one mounting rail and electrically connected to at least one power connection;

a second rail accessory mechanically connected to at least one mounting rail and electrically connected to at least one power connection.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one mounting rail is a detachable mounting rail.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein contacts are retracted upon removal of the accessory.

15. The system of claim 1 wherein power is transferred inductively between the rail and the accessory.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein a user control module may be used to activate and deactivate accessories using a keypad mounted to the rail.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein a user control module may be used to activate and deactivate accessories using a keypad mounted to a vertical grip.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is a switch contact.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the switch contact is exposed within grooves of the at least one mounting rail.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the switch contact further comprises a dome and conducts power only when the dome is depressed.

21. The system of claim 16 further comprising a rail bracket that is removeably attached to the at least one mounting rail.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the rail bracket further comprises at least one spring plunger for depressing the dome and energizing the at least one rail accessory.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the rail bracket further comprises at least one flexible seal disposed around the at least one spring plunger.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact further comprises a tapered pin.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact further comprises a pin and a seal with a pre-molded lip wherein the pin passes through the seal.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact is inductively coupled to the power source.