Offset mountable light accessory

• US 7,954,971 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2007
• Issued: 06/07/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Blackhawk Industries Products Group Unlimited LLC (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Todd, Birten L., Proc, John E., Lamb, Craig Adam, Gregory, Thomas M., Kincaid, Robert A., Yeates, Eric M., Cook, Clifton L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Makiya; David J
• Application Number:
  US11/985,668
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 362/110, 362/114, 421/14, 421/23, 421/32
• US Class Current: 362/110
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/0254 with accommodation for auxiliary devices mounted on the small arm, e.g. telescopic sights, flashlights or laser-devices
• CPC Class Codes: F41C 33/041 for connecting a holster to a belt, webbing or other object
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 1/35 for illuminating the target , e.g. flash lights
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 11/004 Mountings with clamping means on the device embracing at least a part of the firearm, e.g. the receiver or a dustcover F41G11/003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/591 having operating mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/595 Lever
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 403/7071 Lever actuator

Abstract

An offset mountable light, including a light body, wherein the light body includes a battery compartment positioned within a cavity formed by the light body; a light hood housing a light source; at least three electrical contacts formed in the light body, wherein the at least three electrical contacts comprise at least one inner contact and at least two outer contacts; a controller that is capable of controlling the light source to illuminate in a predetermined manner; a light switch bar pivotably coupled to the light body; and an accessory mounting clamp coupled to the offset mountable light, wherein the accessory mounting clamp mounts the mountable light to an accessory rail, such that the mountable light is mounted offset from the accessory rail.

Claims

1. A mountable light, comprising:

a light body, wherein the light body includes a battery compartment positioned within a cavity formed by the light body;

a light hood proximate the light body, wherein the light hood comprises a light source;

at least three electrical contacts formed in the light body, wherein the at least three electrical contacts comprise at least one inner contact and at least two outer contacts;

a controller, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to an appropriate voltage source housed within the battery compartment, the inner contact, the outer contacts, and the light source such that when electrical contact is made between the inner contact and one of the outer contacts, the controller controls the light source to illuminate in a predetermined manner;

a light switch bar pivotably coupled to the light body, wherein the light switch bar is pivotable between a naturally biased center position to at least one switch activation position;

wherein the light switch bar includes at least one electrical contact means that makes direct, simultaneous electrical contact with the two outer contacts when the light switch bar is in the naturally biased center position and makes direct electrical contact between the inner contact and one of the outer contacts when the light switch bar is in a switch activation position, such that, when the light switch bar is pivoted from the naturally biased center position to a switch activation position, a portion of the electrical contact means continues to make direct electrical contact with one of the outer contacts and another portion of the electrical contact means makes direct electrical contact with the inner contact; and

an accessory mounting clamp coupled to the mountable light, wherein the accessory mounting clamp is capable of mounting the mountable light to an accessory rail.

2. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light body is coupled to the light hood.

3. The mountable light of claim 1, further including a heat sink element coupled between the light body and the light hood, wherein the heat sink element comprises ribbing, fins, fluting, or some other surface preparation or treatment to assist in heat transfer away from an interior of the mountable light.

4. The mountable light of claim 3, wherein two or more of the light body, the optional heat sink element, and the light hood are formed as one integral unit.

5. The mountable light of claim 3, wherein appropriately sized O-rings are disposed between certain of the light body, the heat sink element, and the light hood.

6. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a light emitting diode.

7. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises an incandescent bulb.

8. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a visible wavelength illumination device.

9. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a non-visible wavelength illumination device.

10. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light sources, wherein each light source is capable of being independently controlled by the controller.

11. The mountable light of claim 1, further including a locking battery cover, wherein the locking battery cover is shaped rotatably secured to the light body so as to cover the battery compartment and provide electrical connection between a voltage source housed within the battery compartment and remaining circuitry of the mountable light.

12. The mountable light of claim 11, wherein the locking battery cover includes a biased battery cover lock.

13. The mountable light of claim 11, wherein an appropriately sized O-ring is included between the locking battery cover and the light body.

14. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light switch bar is formed as an integral part of the light body.

15. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light switch bar comprises an elongate piece of material having a first thumb/finger button portion and a second thumb/finger button portion, such that when the light switch bar is coupled to the light body, the first thumb/finger button portion and the second thumb/finger button portion are positioned so as to be reachable by a users thumb or index finger when the mountable light is mounted on a handgun.

16. The mountable light of claim 15, wherein the first thumb/finger button portion and the second thumb/finger button portion are formed such that when the mountable light is mounted on a handgun the first thumb/finger button portion and the second thumb/finger button portion do not extend substantially beyond the mountable light or the body of the handgun.

17. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light switch bar is formed so as to be reversible and thereby operable in either a left side configuration or a right side configuration.

18. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the controller is situated within a cavity formed in the light body, the optional heat sink element, or the light hood.

19. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmable.

20. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the controller is reprogrammable.

21. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to illuminate the light source at a particular light level.

22. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to illuminate the light source in a strobe mode.

23. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the controller is programmed to illuminate the light source in a signaling mode.

24. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the electrical contact means comprises an electrically conductive, spring-biased material formed so as to include two arms, each of which is naturally biased to make contact with one of the outer contacts when the light switch bar is in the center position, thereby maintaining the light switch bar in a center position.

25. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the inner contact and the outer contacts comprise contact posts.

26. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the inner contact and the outer contacts comprise contact points.

27. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the accessory mounting clamp comprises;

a primary locking arm, wherein the primary locking arm includes a primary locking claw formed at an upper end of the primary locking arm, and wherein the primary locking arm is coupled to the light body such that the primary locking arm is maintained in a fixed position relative to the light body;

a secondary locking arm, wherein the secondary locking arm includes a secondary locking claw formed at an upper and of the secondary locking arm, and wherein the secondary locking arm is pivotably coupled to the light body such that the secondary locking arm is pivotable relative to the primary locking arm;

a threaded adjustment rod wherein the threaded adjustment rod is anchored, at a first end, to the primary locking arm, wherein the threaded adjustment rod extends through an aperture in the secondary locking arm, and wherein the threaded adjustment rod is threadedly coupled to a cam lever pin;

a cam lever, wherein the cam lever includes at least one camming surface, such that when the cam lever is in a closed position;

the camming surface contacts an outer surface portion of the secondary locking arm to provide tension to the threaded adjustment rod;

wherein the cam lever pin includes a threaded aperture formed so as to allow the threaded adjustment rod to be threadedly coupled to the cam lever pin, and wherein the cam lever pin is pivotably positioned within the cam lever such that when the cam lever is in an open position, the secondary locking claw is pivoted away from the primary locking claw and when the cam lever is in a close position, the secondary locking claw is pivoted towards the primary locking claw, and wherein when the cam lever is in the open position, the cam lever may be rotated, via the cam lever pin, so as to travel along the threaded adjustment rod such that a distance between the primary locking claw and the secondary locking claw is adjusted to accommodate varying width accessory rails; and

wherein the primary locking arm and the secondary locking arm are coupled to the light body so as to provide offset mounting of the light body on the accessory rail such that the light body is not centered along a central axis of the accessory rail, but is offset some distance away from the central axis of the accessory rail.

28. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein a motion of “

pushing”

the light switch bar forward relative to the light body or “

pressing”

the light switch bar inward relative to the light body produces the same effect.

29. The mountable light of claim 1, wherein the light hood comprises at least some of a reflector and a lens.

30. An offset mountable light, comprising:

a light body, wherein the light body includes a battery compartment positioned within a cavity formed by the light body;

a light hood proximate the light body, wherein the light hood comprises a light source;

at least three electrical contacts formed in the light body, wherein the at least three electrical contacts comprise at least one inner contact and at least two outer contacts;

a light switch bar pivotably coupled to the light body, wherein the light switch bar is pivotable between a naturally biased center position to at least one switch activation position;

wherein the light switch bar includes at least one electrical contact means that makes direct, simultaneous electrical contact with the two outer contacts when the light switch bar is in the naturally biased center position and makes direct electrical contact between the inner contact and one of the outer contacts when the light switch bar is in a switch activation position, such that, when the light switch bar is pivoted from the naturally biased center position to a switch activation position, a portion of the electrical contact means continues to make direct electrical contact with one of the outer contacts and another portion of the electrical contact means makes direct electrical contact with the inner contact;

a controller, wherein the controller is electrically coupled to an appropriate voltage source housed within the battery compartment, the inner contact, the outer contacts, and the light source such that when electrical contact is made between the inner contact and one of the outer contacts, the controller controls the light source to illuminate in a predetermined manner; and

an accessory mounting clamp coupled to the offset mountable light, wherein the accessory mounting clamp mounts the mountable light to an accessory rail, such that the mountable light is mounted offset from the accessory rail.