Hands-Free Support Device, a Subassembly of a Hands-Free Support Device and Methods for Operating the Same

• US 20150233669A1
• Filed: 02/17/2015
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Wild Bucks Outdoors, LLC
• Original Assignee: Wild Bucks Outdoors, LLC
• Inventors: Ponder, Tracey
• Granted Patent: US 9,797,679 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/001 Shooting harnesses; Stabilising devices, e.g. straps on the body balancing arrangements on the gun itself F41C27/22
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/007 for long firearms, e.g. rifles

Abstract

An assembly is disclosed. The assembly includes a base portion and a selectively rotatable portion attached to the base portion. The base portion includes a first subassembly attached to a second subassembly. The first subassembly includes a housing that at least partially contains an actuator. The second subassembly includes a housing receiver that retains the housing. The selectively rotatable portion includes an indexing member attached to an implement carrier portion. The actuator of the base portion is selectively interfaced with the indexing member of the selectively rotatable portion in order to permit the selectively rotatable portion to be arranged relative the base portion in one of two orientations being a rotatably-locked orientation and a freely rotatable orientation.

Claims

1. An assembly, comprising:

a base portion including a first subassembly attached to a second subassembly,

wherein the first subassembly includes

a housing that at least partially contains

an actuator,

wherein the second subassembly includes

a housing receiver that retains the housing; and

a selectively rotatable portion attached to the base portion, wherein the selectively rotatable portion includes;

an indexing member attached to

an implement carrier portion,

wherein the actuator of the base portion is selectively interfaced with the indexing member of the selectively rotatable portion in order to permit the selectively rotatable portion to be arranged relative the base portion in one of two orientations, being;

a rotatably-locked orientation, and

a freely rotatable orientation.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a quick-deployment implement retainer portion attached to the selectively rotatable portion.

3. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the quick-deployment implement retainer portion further includes:

a substantially planar body of foldable material;

at least one distal strap portion attached to a distal end of the substantially planar body of foldable material; and

at least one proximal strap portion attached to a proximal end of the substantially planar body of foldable material, wherein the at least one distal strap portion attaches the quick-deployment implement retainer portion to the selectively rotatable portion, wherein the at least one proximal strap portion is selectively attachable to the at least one distal strap portion in order to arrange the substantially planar body of foldable material in one of two positions, being;

an open orientation, and

a closed orientation.

4. The assembly according to claim 3, wherein the quick-deployment implement retainer portion further includes:

at least one buckle member that attaches the at least one proximal strap portion to the proximal end of the substantially planar body of foldable material; and

a quick-release actuator attached to the at least one buckle member to permit selective detaching of a male portion from a female portion of the at least one buckle member for transitioning the substantially planar body of foldable material from;

the closed orientation to

the deployed orientation.

5. The assembly according to claim 2, wherein the quick-deployment implement retainer portion removably contains an implement.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein the implement is a firearm.

7. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

an article of clothing attached to the base portion.

8. The assembly according to claim 7, wherein the article of clothing is a vest.

9. The assembly according to claim 1, further comprising:

a harness attached to the base portion.

10. An assembly, comprising:

a first subassembly of a base portion of a hands-free support device including;

a housing defining an axial passage and a radial passage that intersects with and is in fluid communication with the axial passage,

a locking pin at least partially disposed within the radial passage, wherein the locking pin includes a collar portion that separates a length of the locking pin into a distal portion and proximal portion,

a spring member circumscribing the locking pin and disposed within the radial passage, wherein the spring member includes a distal end and a proximal end, wherein the distal end of the spring member is disposed against a proximal shoulder surface of the collar portion of the locking pin, and

a retaining washer disposed within the radial passage for removably-securing the locking pin and spring member within the radial passage, wherein a distal surface of the retaining washer is disposed against the proximal end of the spring member thereby compressing the spring member between the proximal shoulder surface of the locking pin and the distal surface of the retaining washer; and

a second subassembly of the base portion of the hands-free support device including;

a housing receiver and one or more fasteners, wherein the housing is disposed within the housing receiver, wherein the one or more fasteners attaches the housing receiver to the housing.

11. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein compression of the spring member between the proximal shoulder surface of the collar portion of the locking pin and the distal surface of the retaining washer results in the spring member radially biasing the locking pin in a direction toward the axial passage of the housing for arranging a portion of a length of the distal portion of the locking pin within the axial passage.

12. The assembly according to claim 11, wherein the radial passage is defined by a non-constant diameter having a first shoulder surface and a second shoulder surface, wherein a distal shoulder surface of the collar portion of the locking pin is disposed against the first shoulder surface defining the radial passage, wherein the distal surface of the retaining washer is disposed against the second shoulder surface defining the radial passage.

13. The assembly according to claim 10, wherein the retaining washer defines a passage that permits a portion of a length of the proximal portion of the locking pin to extend through the retaining washer such that the portion of the length of the proximal portion of the locking pin extends beyond an outer side surface of the housing.

14. The assembly according to claim 13, further comprising:

an actuator connected to the length of the proximal portion of the locking pin that extends beyond an outer side surface of the housing.

15. The assembly according claim 11, wherein one of more alignment keys extend from the axial passage.

16. An assembly, comprising:

a selectively rotatable portion including;

an implement carrier portion, and

an indexing member connected to the implement carrier portion by one or more fasteners, wherein the indexing member is inserted through

an opening formed by the housing receiver of claim 10, and

the axial passage of the housing of claim 10,

wherein the locking pin of claim 10 is selectively-interfaced with the indexing member for selectively rotatably-joining the selectively rotatable portion to the base portion of claim 10.

17. The assembly according to claim 16, wherein the indexing member includes:

a substantially cylindrical body having a front surface, a rear surface and a substantially circumferential side surface, wherein the substantially circumferential side surface defines a recessed circumferential channel and alignment key channels that are in fluid communication with the recessed circumferential channel, wherein the alignment key channels extend from the rear surface of the indexing member, wherein the one of more alignment keys of claim 15 are arranged within the recessed circumferential channel by way of the alignment key channels.

18. The assembly according to claim 17, wherein the recessed circumferential channel further defines a plurality of locking pin receiving passages, wherein the portion of the length of the distal portion of the locking pin of claim 11 is selectively-disposed in a locking pin receiving passage of the plurality of locking pin receiving passages for selectively rotatably-joining the selectively rotatable portion to the base portion.

19. The assembly according to claim 16, further comprising:

a quick-deployment implement retainer portion attached to the selectively rotatable portion.

20. The assembly according to claim 19, wherein the quick-deployment implement retainer portion further includes:

a substantially planar body of foldable material;

at least one distal strap portion attached to a distal end of the substantially planar body of foldable material; and

at least one proximal strap portion attached to a proximal end of the substantially planar body of foldable material, wherein the at least one distal strap portion attaches the quick-deployment implement retainer portion to the selectively rotatable portion, wherein the at least one proximal strap portion is selectively attachable to the at least one distal strap portion in order to arrange the substantially planar body of foldable material in one of two positions, being;

an open orientation, and

a closed orientation.

21. The assembly according to claim 20, wherein the quick-deployment implement retainer portion further includes:

at least one buckle member that attaches the at least one proximal strap portion to the proximal end of the substantially planar body of foldable material; and

a quick-release actuator attached to the at least one buckle member to permit selective detaching of a male portion from a female portion of the at least one buckle member for transitioning the substantially planar body of foldable material from;

the closed orientation to

the deployed orientation.

22. A method for operating a hands-free support device, comprising:

arranging a selectively rotatable portion relative a base portion in a first selectively rotatably-locked orientation;

actuating an actuator for selectively rotatably-unlocking the selectively rotatable portion from the base portion;

rotating the selectively rotatable portion relative the base portion;

after rotating the selectively rotatable portion relative the base portion, releasing the actuator for arranging the selectively rotatable portion relative the base portion in a second selectively rotatably-locked orientation that is different than the first selectively rotatably-locked orientation.

23. The method according to claim 22, further comprising:

securing a quick-deployment implement retainer portion to the selectively rotatable portion;

removably-securing an implement within the quick-deployment implement retainer portion; and

actuating a quick-release actuator for transitioning the quick-deployment implement retainer portion from;

a closed orientation to

a deployed orientation for

selectively-releasing the implement from the quick-deployment implement retainer portion.

24. A method, comprising:

securing a selectively rotatable portion to a base portion;

securing a quick-deployment implement retainer portion to the selectively rotatable portion;

actuating one of a first actuator and a second actuator for;

rotatably-unlocking the selectively rotatable portion from the base portion; and

transitioning the quick-deployment implement retainer portion from;

a closed orientation to

a deployed orientation.

25. The method according to claim 24, wherein after rotatably-unlocking the selectively rotatable portion from the base portion, further comprising:

releasing the actuator for arranging the selectively rotatable portion relative the base portion in a selectively rotated and locked orientation.