Firearm accessory part with tracking capability

• US 20120125189A1
• Filed: 11/22/2010
• Published: 05/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DM Innovations, LLC
• Original Assignee: DM Innovations, LLC
• Inventors: McLean, Donald A. III
• Granted Patent: US 8,683,727 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 89/132
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 17/063 comprising a transponder
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49817 with other than ancillary treating or assembling

Abstract

A firearm accessory part has a locator module and a transmitter module. The locator module is operable to determine the locator module'"'"'s position. The transmitter module is operable to transmit the position of the locator module. The firearm accessory part is a replacement part for a firearm. Removal of the firearm accessory part from the firearm may disable a feature of the firearm. Removal of the firearm from a storage device may activate the locator module and transmitter module. The invention also includes a method of assembling a firearm consisting of the steps of obtaining a firearm, obtaining a firearm accessory part, removing a part of the firearm corresponding to the firearm accessory part, and replacing the part removed from the firearm with the firearm accessory part.

Claims

1. A firearm accessory part comprising:

a locator module operable to determine the locator module'"'"'s position;

a transmitter module connected to the locator module;

the transmitter module being operable to transmit the position of the locator module; and

wherein the firearm accessory part is a replacement part for a firearm having a mounting location in contact with an operational element of the firearm, such that presence of the module is required for firearm operation.

2. The firearm accessory part of claim 1 wherein removal of the firearm accessory part from the firearm disables a feature of the firearm.

3. The firearm accessory part of claim 2 wherein the feature of the firearm that is disabled upon removal of the firearm accessory part from the firearm is selected from the group comprising discharging the firearm, being operable to fire more than one shot without reloading the firearm, and selecting the rate of fire of the firearm.

4. The firearm accessory part of claim 1 wherein removal of the firearm from a storage device activates the locator module and transmitter module.

5. The firearm accessory part of claim 4 wherein the storage device is selected from the group comprising holsters, racks, and safes.

6. The firearm accessory part of claim 4 wherein activation of the locator module and transmitter module upon removal of the firearm from a storage device is accomplished by relief of pressure applied by the storage device to a portion of the firearm accessory part.

7. The firearm accessory part of claim 1 wherein the firearm accessory part is selected from the group comprising guide rods for a pistol, closures for a magazine tube of a shotgun, and grips for a rifle.

8. A method of assembling a firearm comprising:

obtaining a firearm;

obtaining a firearm accessory part comprising a locator module operable to determine the locator module'"'"'s position, a transmitter module connected to the locator module, and the transmitter module being operable to transmit the position of the locator module;

removing a part of the firearm connected to a attachment location; and

replacing the part removed from the firearm with by installing the firearm accessory part at the attachment location.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein removal of the firearm accessory part from the firearm disables a feature of the firearm until the part removed from the firearm or the firearm accessory part is replaced.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the feature of the firearm that is disabled upon removal of the firearm accessory part from the firearm is selected from the group comprising discharging the firearm, being operable to fire more than one shot without reloading the firearm, and selecting the rate of fire of the firearm.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein the firearm accessory part contacts an operational element of the firearm.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the contacted operational element is selected from the group comprising a pistol slide barrel lug, a shotgun magazine tube, and a rifle lower receiver.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein the firearm accessory part secures an operational element of the firearm to the firearm.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the secured operational element is selected from the group comprising a pistol recoil spring, a shotgun magazine spring, a shotgun shell follower, a rifle selector spring, and a rifle selector switch.

15. The method of claim 8 wherein removal of the firearm from a storage device activates the locator module and transmitter module.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the storage device is selected from the group comprising holsters, racks, and safes.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein activation of the locator module and transmitter module upon removal of the firearm from a storage device is accomplished by relief of pressure applied by the storage device to a portion of the firearm accessory part.

18. The method of claim 8 wherein the firearm accessory part is selected from the group comprising guide rods for a pistol, closures for a magazine tube of a shotgun, and grips for a rifle.