System for providing electrical power to accessories mounted on the powered

• US 8,397,418 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: T-Worx Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: Prototype Productions Incorporated Ventures Two LLC (Prototype Productions)
• Inventors: Cabahug, Eric F., Frascati, Joseph, McLaughlin, Don, Dodd, James S., Feldman, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): CLEMENT, MICHELLE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US13/075,857
• Publication Number:
  US 20110283585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 42/85, 42/710.1, 42/72, 42/84, 42/750.3
• US Class Current: 42/85
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 23/22 Stocks having space for the storage of objects
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 27/00 Accessories; Details or attachments not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/003 Mountings with a dove tail element, e.g. "Picatinny rail systems"

Abstract

A firearm may have a plurality of power-consuming accessories that can be attached to the weapon. In order to reduce the weight of these power-consuming accessories, as well as the proliferation of their batteries, the Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System provides a common power source to power the power-consuming accessories attached to the weapon. One or more powered rails are provided to provide a point of electrical interconnection for the power-consuming accessories, absent the use of connectors with their tethering cables, which are susceptible to entanglement. The powered rail(s) are electrically interconnected with a power source, which typically is a battery mounted in the butt stock of the weapon.

Claims

1. A Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System for providing a supply of electrical power for use by at least one power-consuming accessory operatively associated with a weapon, said weapon power distribution system comprising:

a handguard, which extends along a length of a barrel of a weapon and which mechanically supports one or more power-consuming accessories;

a receiver extension attached at a distal end of a receiver of a weapon and containing a mechanical feature formed along a length thereof;

a power source mounted on said receiver extension by the interconnection of a mechanical feature on the power source with the mechanical feature of the receiver extension, comprising;

a housing,

a pair of exposed electrode terminals mounted on an exterior surface of said housing,

a plurality of replaceable battery cells housed in said housing and electrically connected to said electrode terminals, and

wherein said power source has formed on said housing a dovetail slide guide rail that mates with a dovetail slide channel formed on said receiver extension;

an adjustable buttstock containing an aperture formed along a length thereof which aperture encloses the receiver extension and the attached power source and which provides a slideable attachment of said adjustable buttstock to said receiver extension for positioning said adjustable buttstock at one of a plurality of predetermined positions on said receiver extension;

a powered rail, incorporated in said handguard and extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of said weapon and connected to said power source, for providing a source of electrical power to a one or more power-consuming accessories which are mechanically and electrically attached to the powered rail; and

a power distribution system for electrically interconnecting said power source and said powered rail.

2. The Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 1 wherein said power source further comprises:

internal battery spring terminals which serve to engage one end of a plurality of replaceable battery cells and are electrically connected to said electrode terminals.

5. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 1 wherein said adjustable buttstock is collapsible and can be extended in various multiple intermediate positions.

6. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 1 further comprising:

electrical contacts mounted on said distal end of said receiver for mechanically and electrically engaging said pair of exposed electrode terminals mounted on an exterior surface of said housing.

8. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 1 wherein said power source mounts on said receiver extension independent of the adjustable buttstock which telescopes along the receiver extension.

11. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 1 wherein said power source is slideably attached to said receiver extension.

3. A Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System for providing a supply of electrical power for use by one or more power-consuming accessories operatively associated with a weapon, comprising:

a handguard, which extends along a length of a barrel of a weapon and which mechanically supports one or more power-consuming accessories;

a receiver extension attached at a distal end of a receiver of a weapon and containing a mechanical feature formed along a length thereof;

an adjustable buttstock containing an aperture formed along a length thereof which aperture encloses the receiver extension and an attached power source and which provides a slideable attachment of said adjustable buttstock to said receiver extension for positioning said adjustable buttstock at one of a plurality of predetermined positions on said receiver extension;

wherein said power source comprises;

a housing,

a pair of exposed electrode terminals mounted on the exterior surface of said housing,

a plurality of replaceable battery cells housed in said housing electrically connected to said electrode terminals, and

wherein said power source has formed on said housing a dovetail slide guide rail that mates with a dovetail slide channel formed on said receiver extension;

a powered rail, extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of said weapon and connected to said power source, for providing a source of electrical power to a one or more power-consuming accessories which are mechanically and electrically attached to the powered rail; and

a power distribution system for electrically interconnecting said power source and said powered rail.

4. The Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 3 wherein said power source further comprises:

internal battery spring terminals which serve to engage one end of a plurality of replaceable battery cells and are electrically connected to said electrode terminals.

12. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 3 wherein said adjustable buttstock is collapsible and can be extended in various multiple intermediate positions.

13. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 3 further comprising:

electrical contacts mounted on said distal end of said receiver for mechanically and electrically engaging said pair of exposed electrode terminals mounted on the exterior surface of said housing.

14. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 3 further comprising:

a latch mounted on said receiver extension to lock said power source on said receiver extension.

15. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 3 wherein said power source mounts on said receiver extension independent of the adjustable buttstock which telescopes along the receiver extension.

16. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 3 wherein said battery compartment and said spring loaded cover form a watertight container for batteries loaded therein.

7. A Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System for providing a supply of electrical power for use by at least one power-consuming accessory operatively associated with a weapon, said weapon power distribution system comprising:

a handguard, which extends along a length of a barrel of a weapon and which mechanically supports one or more power-consuming accessories;

a receiver extension attached at a distal end of a receiver of a weapon and containing a mechanical feature formed along a length thereof;

a power source mounted on said receiver extension by the interconnection of a mechanical feature on the power source with the mechanical feature of the receiver extension;

an adjustable buttstock containing an aperture formed along a length thereof which aperture encloses the receiver extension and the attached power source and which provides a slideable attachment of said adjustable buttstock to said receiver extension for positioning said adjustable buttstock at one of a plurality of predetermined positions on said receiver extension;

a powered rail, incorporated in said handguard and extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of said weapon and connected to said power source, for providing a source of electrical power to a one or more power-consuming accessories which are mechanically and electrically attached to the powered rail;

a power distribution system for electrically interconnecting said power source and said powered rail; and

a latch mounted on said receiver extension to lock said power source on said receiver extension.

9. A Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System for providing a supply of electrical power for use by at least one power-consuming accessory operatively associated with a weapon, said weapon power distribution system comprising:

a handguard, which extends along a length of a barrel of a weapon and which mechanically supports one or more power-consuming accessories;

a receiver extension attached at a distal end of a receiver of a weapon and containing a mechanical feature formed along a length thereof;

a power source mounted on said receiver extension by the interconnection of a mechanical feature on the power source with the mechanical feature of the receiver extension, comprising;

a battery compartment that comprises a substantially cylindrical housing with a spring loaded cover,

a pair of exposed electrode terminals mounted on an exterior surface of said battery compartment,

a plurality of replaceable battery cells housed in said battery compartment and electrically connected to said electrode terminals;

an adjustable buttstock containing an aperture formed along a length thereof which aperture encloses the receiver extension and the attached power source and which provides a slideable attachment of said adjustable buttstock to said receiver extension for positioning said adjustable buttstock at one of a plurality of predetermined positions on said receiver extension;

a powered rail, incorporated in said handguard and extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of said weapon and connected to said power source, for providing a source of electrical power to a one or more power-consuming accessories which are mechanically and electrically attached to the powered rail; and

a power distribution system for electrically interconnecting said power source and said powered rail.

10. The Weapons Accessory Power Distribution System of claim 9 wherein said battery compartment and said spring loaded cover form a watertight container for batteries loaded therein.

17. A Weapon Accessory Power Distribution System for providing a supply of electrical power for use by one or more power-consuming accessories operatively associated with a weapon, comprising:

a handguard, which extends along a length of a barrel of a weapon and which mechanically supports one or more power-consuming accessories;

a receiver extension attached at a distal end of a receiver of a weapon and containing a mechanical feature formed along a length thereof;

an adjustable buttstock containing an aperture formed along a length thereof which aperture encloses the receiver extension and an attached power source and which provides a slideable attachment of said adjustable buttstock to said receiver extension for positioning said adjustable buttstock at one of a plurality of predetermined positions on said receiver extension and wherein said power source is slideably attached to said receiver extension;

a powered rail, extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of said weapon and connected to said power source, for providing a source of electrical power to a one or more power-consuming accessories which are mechanically and electrically attached to the powered rail; and

a power distribution system for electrically interconnecting said power source and said powered rail.