Tactical illuminator

• US 7,493,722 B2
• Filed: 11/09/2006
• Issued: 02/24/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: L-3 Communications SPD Technologies, Inc. (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Insight Technology Incorporated (L3Harris Technologies, Inc.)
• Inventors: Loring, Timothy R., Howe, Alan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes; Bret
• Assistant Examiner(s): David; Michael D
• Application Number:
  US11/558,109
• Publication Number:
  US 20070227056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 838 Days
• Field of Search: 42114-115, 421/17, 421/46, 362/110
• US Class Current: 42/146
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

A plurality of actuators allow a gun operator to control the on/off status of an illuminator attached to a weapon in the area forward of the trigger guard. The actuators are spaced to allow them to extend rearwardly on opposite sides of the trigger guard. “Up” turns the light emitter on and keeps it on or allows it to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated, regardless of which side of the trigger guard the actuator is actuated.

Claims

1. An illuminator for use with a weapon having a trigger guard, the illuminator comprising:

a housing at least partially enclosing a battery;

a first movable actuator mechanically coupled to the housing and actuatable from a first side of the trigger guard; and

a second movable actuator coupled to the housing and actuatable from a second side of the trigger guard, the first actuator movable in a first general direction independent of the second actuator to cause a light emitter coupleable to the battery to turn on and stay on and moveable in a second and opposite general direction independent of the second actuator to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated by a user, and turn off when released, and the second actuator moveable in the first general direction independent of the first actuator to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and moveable in the second and opposite general direction independent of the first actuator to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated by a user, and turn off when released.

2. The illuminator of claim 1, wherein the second actuator is spaced from the first actuator by a distance sufficient to allow the trigger guard to extend therebetween.

3. The illuminator of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is pivotable about an axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing.

4. The illuminator of claim 3, wherein rotation of the first actuator rotates a cam which in turn moves a portion of an electrical conductor into electrical contact with the battery.

5. The illuminator of claim 3, wherein the first general direction is upward and the second and opposite general direction is downward when the weapon is held with the barrel above the trigger guard.

6. The illuminator of claim 3, wherein the first actuator is rotatable clockwsie to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable counterclockwise to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated and off when released, and the second actuator is rotatable counterclockwise to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable clockwise to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated and off when released.

7. The illuminator of claim 3, wherein the first actuator and second actuators move in a plane generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

8. The illuminator of claim 1, wherein movement of the first actuator completes an electrical connection between the battery and the light emitter.

9. The illuminator of claim 1, wherein the first and second actuators are coupled to the housing through a cap that is securable to the housing.

10. The illuminator of claim 9, further comprising a retainer pivotable about an axis generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis for securing the cap to the housing.

11. The illuminator of claim 9, wherein the cap includes a protuberance for limiting travel of the actuator.

12. The illuminator of claim 1, wherein the first actuator may be actuated from a first side of a trigger guard, when the illuminator is coupled to a weapon, without causing movement of the second actuator and the second actuator may be actuated from a second side of the trigger guard without causing movement of the first actuator.

13. An illuminator for use with a weapon having a trigger guard, the illuminator comprising:

a housing for at least partially enclosing a battery;

a first actuator rotatable about a first axis parallel to a longitudinal axis of the housing, the first actuator configured to selectively control an on/off status of a light emitter coupleable to the battery, the first actuator actuatable from a first side of the trigger guard; and

a second actuator rotatable about a second axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the second actuator configured to selectively control the on/off status of the light emitter, the second actuator actuatable from a second side of the trigger guard, the second actuator being operable independent of the first actuator;

wherein the first actuator is rotatable in a first general direction to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable in a second general direction to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated by a user, and turn off when released, and the second actuator is rotatable in the first general direction to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable in the second general direction to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated by a user, and turn off when released.

14. The illuminator of claim 13, wherein the second actuator is spaced from the first actuator by a distance sufficient to allow the trigger guard to extend therebetween.

15. The illuminator of claim 13, wherein the first general direction is upward and the second general direction is downward when the weapon is held with the barrel above the trigger guard.

16. The illuminator of claim 13, wherein the first actuator is rotatable clockwsie to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable counterclockwise to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated, and the second actuator is rotatable counterclockwise to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable clockwise to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated.

17. An illuminator for use with a weapon having a trigger guard, the illuminator comprising:

a housing at least partially enclosing a battery;

a first movable actuator mechanically coupled to the housing and actuatable from a first side of the trigger guard; and

a second movable actuator coupled to the housing and actuatable from a second side of the trigger guard, the first actuator rotatable in a first general direction independent of the second actuator to cause a light emitter coupleable to the battery to turn on and stay on and rotatable in a second general direction independent of the second actuator to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated by a user, and turn off when released, and the second actuator rotatable in the first general direction independent of the first actuator to cause the light emitter to turn on and stay on and rotatable in the second general direction independent of the first actuator to cause the light emitter to turn on as long as the actuator is actuated by a user, and turn off when released.