Rail contacts for accessories mounted on the powered rail of a weapon
First Claim
1. Weapon accessory rail contacts for providing a supply of electrical power for use by at least one power-consuming accessory operatively associated with a weapon, the weapon accessory rail contacts comprising:
- a power source;
a power-consuming accessory;
a powered rail, extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of a weapon and electrically connected to the power source, wherein the powered rail comprises;
a plurality of mechanical features formed on the outer surface of the powered rail in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship for mechanically positioning the power-consuming accessory,an aperture formed in a plurality of sequential ones of the mechanical features,a circuit board, mounted in the aperture, and which has formed thereon a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact positioned between at least two of the mechanical features for providing a first and a second electrical connection to the power source, respectively, as well as a switch for interconnecting the first electrical contact to the power source, andwherein mechanical mounting of the power-consuming accessory between the two mechanical features activates the switch and electrically connects the power-consuming accessory to the first and the second electrical contacts;
wherein the power-consuming accessory has first and second electrical contacts positioned to mate with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact formed on the circuit board, respectively, for electrically connecting the power-consuming accessory to the powered rail.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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 encircle the barrel of the weapon, to provide a point of mechanical and electrical interconnection for the power-consuming accessories to provide quick connect mounting and dismounting of the power-consuming accessory, absent the use of connectors with their tethering cables, which are susceptible to entanglement. The Weapon Accessory Rail Contacts provide the mechanism to electrically interconnect the power-consuming accessory with the powered rail.
112 Citations
10 Claims
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1. Weapon accessory rail contacts for providing a supply of electrical power for use by at least one power-consuming accessory operatively associated with a weapon, the weapon accessory rail contacts comprising:
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a power source; a power-consuming accessory; a powered rail, extending along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of a weapon and electrically connected to the power source, wherein the powered rail comprises; a plurality of mechanical features formed on the outer surface of the powered rail in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship for mechanically positioning the power-consuming accessory, an aperture formed in a plurality of sequential ones of the mechanical features, a circuit board, mounted in the aperture, and which has formed thereon a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact positioned between at least two of the mechanical features for providing a first and a second electrical connection to the power source, respectively, as well as a switch for interconnecting the first electrical contact to the power source, and wherein mechanical mounting of the power-consuming accessory between the two mechanical features activates the switch and electrically connects the power-consuming accessory to the first and the second electrical contacts; wherein the power-consuming accessory has first and second electrical contacts positioned to mate with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact formed on the circuit board, respectively, for electrically connecting the power-consuming accessory to the powered rail. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. Weapon accessory rail contacts for providing a supply of electrical power for use by one or more power-consuming accessories operatively associated with the weapon, the weapon accessory rail contacts comprising:
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a power source; a power-consuming accessory; a powered rail, incorporated in a handguard which extends along at least a portion of a length of a barrel of a weapon, and electrically connected to the power source, wherein the powered rail comprises; a plurality of mechanical features formed on the outer surface of the powered rail in a parallel, spaced-apart relationship for mechanically positioning the power-consuming accessory, an aperture formed in a plurality of sequential ones of the mechanical features, a circuit board, mounted in the aperture, and which has formed thereon a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact positioned between at least two of the mechanical features for providing a first and a second electrical connection to the power source, respectively, as well as a switch for interconnecting the first electrical contact to the power source, and wherein mechanical mounting of the power-consuming accessory between the two mechanical features activates the switch and electrically connects the power-consuming accessory to the first and the second electrical contacts; wherein the power-consuming accessory has first and second electrical contacts positioned to mate with the first electrical contact and the second electrical contact formed on the printed circuit board, respectively, for electrically connecting the power-consuming accessory to the powered rail. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification