Target and navigation illuminators for firearms

• US 6,622,416 B2
• Filed: 06/11/2001
• Issued: 09/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Original Assignee: SureFire LLC (Surefire Holdings LLC)
• Inventors: Kim, Paul Youngcho
• Primary Examiner(s): ELDRED, JOHN W
• Application Number:
  US09/878,709
• Publication Number:
  US 20020100204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 834 Days
• Field of Search: 421/46, 421/14, 362/110, 362/114
• US Class Current: 42/146
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights

Abstract

A firearm illuminator for selectively providing low intensity illumination to assist the firearm user to navigate his or her surroundings in dark environments, as well as for selectively providing high intensity illumination of a target. The preferred embodiment includes a vertical handgrip having a battery compartment in the handgrip. A battery retainer cap assembly for the battery compartment includes a battery enable/disable mechanism and a safety latch is provided on the handgrip or battery housing for assuring the retainer cap assembly'"'"'s secure attachment to the battery housing.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for a firearm, comprising the combination of:

a housing adapted to be secured to the firearm;

a high intensity light source carried by said housing and operable by a user for illuminating a target when said housing is secured to the firearm;

at least one low intensity light source carried by said housing and operable by the user for illuminating the user'"'"'s surroundings when said housing is secured to the firearm; and

said housing including a handgrip having a longitudinal axis substantially vertically disposed beneath a barrel of the firearm when said housing is secured to the firearm and the firearm is horizontally disposed, said housing further including a forward portion carrying said light sources.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein:

said at least one low intensity light source includes a light emitting diode.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, including:

a compartment in said handgrip for containing a battery.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, including:

a replaceably removable battery retainer cap at a lower end of said handgrip for removably retaining the battery in said compartment.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, including:

a latch carried by said handgrip normally preventing removal of said battery retainer cap.

6. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein

said battery retainer cap is threadedly attached to said lower end of said handgrip and includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced vertically-oriented grooves along the outer surface thereof;

and including

a lever pivotally attached to said handgrip and having a lower leg radially inwardly biased and normally cooperating with a one of said grooves for preventing rotation of said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip, said leg including a portion adapted for manipulation by a user for outwardly pivoting said leg from said one groove for permitting the user to rotate said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip.

7. The apparatus according to claim 4, including:

a battery in said compartment; and

an actuator mounted to said battery retainer cap operable by a user for alternatively connecting and disconnecting said battery in a circuit thereby respectively enabling and disabling said battery.

8. The apparatus according to claim 7, including:

an ON/OFF switch on said housing and operable by the user for alternatively turning on and off said high intensity light source when said battery is enabled.

9. The apparatus according to claim 7, including:

at least one momentary switch on said handgrip operable by the user for momentarily turning on said high intensity light source when said battery is enabled.

10. The apparatus according to claim 7, including:

a momentary switch on said housing operable by the user for momentarily turning on said at least one low intensity light source when said battery is enabled.

11. The apparatus according to claim 7, wherein:

said battery compartment includes an electrically conductive sleeve and said battery retainer cap is electrically conductive and conductively retained by said sleeve for containing said battery with one terminal of said battery in conductive engagement with said battery retainer cap when said battery is enabled and the other terminal of said battery contacting a conductive spring electrically insulated from said sleeve and downwardly biasing said battery, said sleeve and said spring electrically connected to said circuit, said floor having a bore therethrough; and

said actuator includes an electrically insulated post in said bore, said actuator actuable by the user for upwardly displacing said post to urge said one terminal of said battery to conductively disengage from said battery retainer cap for disabling said battery and alternatively for downwardly displacing said post such that said one terminal of said battery conductively engages said battery retainer cap for enabling said battery.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, including

an actuator retainer cap rotatably mounting said actuator to said battery retainer cap;

two projections depending from said battery retainer cap and radially spaced from said bore;

two arcuate recesses in said actuator and concentrically spaced about said post for respectively receiving said projections, the depth of each of said recesses increasing from one end to the other end thereof; and

a compression spring held by said actuator retainer cap and acting upon said actuator for maintaining said recesses in engagement with said projections.

13. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein:

each end of each of said arcuate recesses includes a detent for releasably retaining an associated one of said projections.

14. An illumination apparatus for a firearm, comprising me combination of:

a housing adapted to be secured to the firearm, said housing including a handgrip having a longitudinal axis substantially vertically disposed beneath a barrel of the firearm when said housing is secured to the firearm and the firearm is horizontally disposed;

a light source carried by said housing; and

a compartment in said handgrip for containing a battery for energizing said light source.

15. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

said light source is a high intensity light source operable by a user for illuminating a target when said housing is secured to the firearm.

16. The apparatus according to claim 14, wherein:

said light source includes at least one low intensity light source operable by the user for illuminating the user'"'"'s surroundings when said housing is secured to the firearm.

17. The apparatus according to claim 16, wherein:

said at least one low intensity light source includes a light emitting diode.

18. The apparatus according to claim 14, including:

a replaceably removable battery retainer cap at a lower end of said handgrip for removably retaining the battery in said compartment.

19. The apparatus according to claim 18, including:

a latch carried by said handgrip normally preventing removal of said battery retainer cap.

20. The apparatus according to claim 18, wherein

said battery retainer cap is threadedly attached to said lower end of said handgrip and includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced vertically-oriented grooves along the outer surface thereof;

and including

a lever pivotally attached to said handgrip and having a lower leg radially inwardly biased and normally cooperating with a one of said grooves for preventing rotation of said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip, said leg including a portion adapted for manipulation by a user for outwardly pivoting said leg from said one groove for permitting the user to rotate said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip.

21. The apparatus according to claim 18, including:

a battery in said compartment; and

an actuator mounted to said battery retainer cap operable by a user for alternatively connecting and disconnecting said battery in a circuit thereby respectively enabling and disabling said battery.

22. The apparatus according to claim 21, including:

an ON/OFF switch on said housing and operable by the user for alternatively turning on and off said light source when said battery is enabled.

23. The apparatus according to claim 21, including:

at least one momentary switch on said handgrip operable by the user for momentarily turning on said light source when said battery is enabled.

24. The apparatus according to claim 21, including:

a momentary switch on said housing operable by the user for momentarily turning on said light source when said battery is enabled.

25. The apparatus according to claim 21, wherein:

said battery compartment includes an electrically conductive sleeve and said battery retainer cap is electrically conductive and conductively retained by said sleeve for containing said battery with one terminal of said battery in conductive engagement with said battery retainer cap when said battery is enabled and the other terminal of said battery contacting a conductive spring electrically insulated from said sleeve and downwardly biasing said battery, said sleeve and said spring electrically connected to said circuit, said floor having a bore therethrough; and

said actuator includes an electrically insulated post in said bore, said actuator actuable by the user for upwardly displacing said post to urge said one terminal of said battery to conductively disengage from said battery retainer cap for disabling said battery and alternatively for downwardly displacing said post such that said one terminal of said battery conductively engages said battery retainer cap for enabling said battery.

26. The apparatus according to claim 25, including

an actuator retainer cap rotatably mounting said actuator to said battery retainer cap;

two projections depending from said battery retainer cap and radially spaced from said bore;

two arcuate recesses in said actuator and concentrically spaced about said post for respectively receiving said projections, the depth of each of said recesses increasing from one end to the other end thereof; and

a compression spring held by said actuator retainer cap and acting upon said actuator for maintaining said recesses in engagement with said projections.

27. The apparatus according to claim 26, wherein:

each end of each of said arcuate recesses includes a detent for releasably retaining an associated one of said projections.

28. Firearm and illumination apparatus, comprising in combination:

a firearm including a barrel;

a housing secured to said firearm;

a high intensity light source carried by said housing and operable by a user of said firearm for illuminating a target;

at least one low intensity light source carried by said housing and operable by the user for illuminating the user'"'"'s surroundings; and

said housing including a handgrip having a longitudinal axis substantially vertically disposed beneath said barrel when said barrel is horizontally disposed, said housing further including a forward portion carrying said light sources.

29. The apparatus according to claim 28, wherein:

said at least one low intensity light source includes a light emitting diode.

30. The apparatus according to claim 28, including:

a compartment in said handgrip for containing a battery.

31. The apparatus according to claim 30, including:

a replaceably removable battery retainer cap at a lower end of said handgrip for removably retaining the battery in said compartment.

32. The apparatus according to claim 31, including:

a latch carried by said handgrip normally preventing removal of said battery retainer cap.

33. The apparatus according to claim 31, wherein

said battery retainer cap is threadedly attached to said lower end of said handgrip and includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced vertically-oriented grooves along the outer surface thereof;

and including

a lever pivotally attached to said handgrip and having a lower leg radially inwardly biased and normally cooperating with a one of said grooves for preventing rotation of said retainer cap with respect to said handgrip, said leg including a portion adapted for manipulation by the user for outwardly pivoting said leg from said one groove for permitting a user to rotate said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip.

34. The apparatus according to claim 31, including:

a battery in said compartment; and

an actuator mounted to said battery retainer cap operable by the user for alternatively connecting and disconnecting said battery in a circuit thereby respectively enabling and disabling said battery.

35. The apparatus according to claim 34, including:

an ON/OFF switch on said housing and operable by the user for alternatively turning on and off said high intensity light source when said battery is enabled.

36. The apparatus according to claim 34, including:

at least one momentary switch on said handgrip operable by the user for momentarily turning on said high intensity light source when said battery is enabled.

37. The apparatus according to claim 34, including:

a momentary switch on said housing operable by the user for momentarily turning on said at least one low intensity light source when said battery is enabled.

38. The apparatus according to claim 34, wherein:

said battery compartment includes an electrically conductive sleeve and said battery retainer cap is electrically conductive and conductively retained by said sleeve for containing said battery with one terminal of said battery in conductive engagement with said battery retainer cap when said battery is enabled and the other terminal of said battery contacting a conductive spring electrically insulated from said sleeve and downwardly biasing said battery, said sleeve and said spring electrically connected to said circuit, said floor having a bore therethrough; and

said actuator includes an electrically insulated post in said bore, said actuator actuable by the user for upwardly displacing said post to urge said one terminal of said battery to conductively disengage from said battery retainer cap for disabling said battery and alternatively for downwardly displacing said post such that said one terminal of said battery conductively engages said battery retainer cap for enabling said battery.

39. The apparatus according to claim 38, including

an actuator retainer cap rotatably mounting said actuator to said battery retainer cap;

two projections depending from said battery retainer cap and radially spaced from said bore;

two arcuate recesses in said actuator and concentrically spaced about said post for respectively receiving said projections, the depth of each of said recesses gradually increasing from one end to the other end thereof; and

a compression spring held by said actuator retainer cap and acting upon said actuator for maintaining said recesses in engagement with said projections.

40. The apparatus according to claim 38, wherein:

each end of each of said arcuate recesses includes a detent for releasably retaining an associated one of said projections.

41. Firearm and illumination apparatus, comprising in combination:

a firearm including a barrel;

a housing secured to said firearm, said housing including a handgrip having a longitudinal axis substantially vertically disposed beneath said barrel when said firearm is horizontally disposed;

a light source carried by said housing; and

a compartment in said handgrip for containing a battery for energizing said light source.

42. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein:

said light source is a high intensity light source operable by a user for illuminating a target.

43. The apparatus according to claim 41, wherein:

said light source includes at least one low intensity light source operable by the user for illuminating the user'"'"'s surroundings.

44. The apparatus according to claim 43, wherein:

said at least one low intensity light source includes a light emitting diode.

45. The apparatus according to claim 41, including:

a replaceably removable battery retainer cap at a lower end of said handgrip for removably retaining the battery in said compartment.

46. The apparatus according to claim 45, including:

a latch carried by said handgrip normally preventing removal of said battery retainer cap.

47. The apparatus according to claim 45, wherein

said battery retainer cap is threadedly attached to said lower end of said handgrip and includes a plurality of circumferentially-spaced vertically-oriented grooves along the outer surface thereof;

and including

a lever pivotally attached to said handgrip and having a lower leg radially inwardly biased and normally cooperating with a one of said grooves for preventing rotation of said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip, said leg including a portion adapted for manipulation by a user for outwardly pivoting said leg from said one groove for permitting the user to rotate said battery retainer cap with respect to said handgrip.

48. The apparatus according to claim 45, including:

a battery in said compartment; and

an actuator mounted to said battery retainer cap operable by a user for alternatively connecting and disconnecting said battery in a circuit thereby respectively enabling and disabling said battery.

49. The apparatus according to claim 48, including:

an ON/OFF switch on said housing and operable by the user for alternatively turning on and off said light source when said battery is enabled.

50. The apparatus according to claim 48, including:

at least one momentary switch on said handgrip operable by the user for momentarily turning on said light source when said battery is enabled.

51. The apparatus according to claim 48, including:

a momentary switch on said housing operable by the user for momentarily turning on said light source when said battery is enabled.

52. The apparatus according to claim 48, wherein:

said battery compartment includes an electrically conductive sleeve and said battery retainer cap is electrically conductive and conductively retained by said sleeve for containing said battery with one terminal of said battery in conductive engagement with said battery retainer cap when said battery is enabled and the other terminal of said battery contacting a conductive spring electrically insulated from said sleeve and downwardly biasing said battery, said sleeve and said spring electrically connected to said circuit, said floor having a bore therethrough; and

said actuator includes an electrically insulated post in said bore, said actuator actuable by the user for upwardly displacing said post to urge said one terminal of said battery to conductively disengage from said battery retainer cap for disabling said battery and alternatively for downwardly displacing said post such that said one terminal of said battery conductively engages said battery retainer cap for enabling said battery.

53. The apparatus according to claim 52, including

an actuator retainer cap rotatably mounting said actuator to said battery retainer cap;

two projections depending from said battery retainer cap and radially spaced from said bore;

two arcuate recesses in said actuator and concentrically spaced about said post for respectively receiving said projections, the depth of each of said recesses increasing from one end to the other end thereof; and

a compression spring held by said actuator retainer cap and acting upon said actuator for maintaining said recesses in engagement with said projections.

54. The apparatus according to claim 53, wherein:

each end of each of said arcuate recesses includes a detent for releasably retaining an associated one of said projections.