U.S. patent application number 14/860191 was filed with the patent office on 2016-01-14 for weapon handguard.
The applicant listed for this patent is David W. Gibbens, Kevin W. Gibbens. Invention is credited to David W. Gibbens, Kevin W. Gibbens.
Application Number | 20160010946 14/860191 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 55067332 |
Filed Date | 2016-01-14 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160010946 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Gibbens; Kevin W. ; et
al. |
January 14, 2016 |
WEAPON HANDGUARD
Abstract
A quick-turn fastener for use with a weapon handguard is
provided. The quick-turn fastener includes a body member comprising
a first wing member and a second wing member and a protrusion
extending from the body member with the first wing member and the
second wing member are located on opposing sides of the protrusion
and an aperture extending through the protrusion and the body
member. The protrusion includes flat surfaces and curved surface to
control rotation of the quick-turn fastener. A bolt may be
threadingly coupled to the aperture of the body member, wherein the
protrusion restricts rotation of the quick-turn fastener to 90
degrees in each direction of rotation when the quick-turn fastener
is coupled to a slot of the weapon handguard.
Inventors: |
Gibbens; Kevin W.; (Mesa,
AZ) ; Gibbens; David W.; (Mesa, AZ) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Gibbens; Kevin W.
Gibbens; David W. |
Mesa
Mesa |
AZ
AZ |
US
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
55067332 |
Appl. No.: |
14/860191 |
Filed: |
September 21, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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29444153 |
Jan 26, 2013 |
|
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14860191 |
|
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Current U.S.
Class: |
42/71.01 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41C 23/16 20130101;
F41G 11/003 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41C 23/16 20060101
F41C023/16 |
Claims
1. A quick-turn fastener comprising: a body member; a protrusion
extending from the body member; and an aperture extending through
the protrusion and the body member, wherein the aperture is
threadingly coupled to a bolt, and wherein the protrusion restricts
rotation of the quick-turn fastener to 90 degrees in each direction
of rotation when the quick-turn fastener is coupled to a slot.
2. The quick-turn fastener of claim 1, further comprising a first
wing member and a second wing member on the body member, wherein
the first wing member and the second wing member are located on
opposing sides of the protrusion.
3. The quick-turn fastener of claim 2, wherein the protrusion
comprises a first curved surface and a second curved surface
located on opposing sides of the aperture.
4. The quick-turn fastener of claim 3, wherein the protrusion
comprises a first flat surface, a second flat surface, a third flat
surface and a fourth flat surface, wherein the first flat surface
is parallel to the third flat surface and the second flat surface
is parallel to the fourth flat surface.
5. The quick-turn fastener of claim 4, wherein the first curved
surface extends between the first flat surface and the second flat
surface.
6. The quick-turn fastener of claim 5, wherein the second curved
surface extends between the third flat surface and the fourth flat
surface.
7. The quick-turn fastener of claim 6, wherein the first flat
surface is perpendicular to the fourth flat surface.
8. The quick-turn fastener of claim 7, wherein the second flat
surface is perpendicular to the third flat surface.
9. The quick-turn fastener of claim 8, wherein the body member is
rotated in a first direction in response to the first and second
curved surfaces providing clearance for the protrusion to rotate
within the slot.
10. The quick-turn fastener of claim 9, wherein the body member is
restricted to 90 degrees of rotation in the first direction in
response to the first and third flat surfaces engaging inner
surfaces of the slot and the first and second wing members engaging
opposing sides of the slot in a first orientation.
11. The quick-turn fastener of claim 10, wherein the first and
third flat surfaces maintain the body member in the first
orientation during continual rotation of the bolt in the first
direction, wherein the bolt moves axially in a first direction
within the aperture of the body member.
12. The quick-turn fastener of claim 8, wherein the body member is
rotated in a second direction in response to the first and second
curved surfaces providing clearance for the protrusion to rotate
within the slot.
13. The quick-turn fastener of claim 12, wherein the body member is
restricted to 90 degrees of rotation in the second direction in
response to the second and fourth flat surfaces engaging inner
surfaces of the slot and the first and second wing members
disengaging opposing sides of the slot in a second orientation.
14. The quick-turn fastener of claim 13, wherein the second and
fourth flat surfaces maintain the body member in the second
orientation during continual rotation of the bolt in the second
direction, wherein the bolt moves axially in a second direction
within the aperture of the body member.
15. A quick-turn fastener for use with a weapon handguard, the
quick-turn fastener comprising: a body member comprising a first
wing member and a second wing member; a protrusion extending from
the body member wherein the first wing member and the second wing
member are located on opposing sides of the protrusion and an
aperture extending through the protrusion and the body member,
wherein the protrusion comprises: a first curved surface and a
second curved surface located on opposing sides of the aperture;
and a first flat surface, a second flat surface, a third flat
surface and a fourth flat surface, wherein the first flat surface
is parallel to the third flat surface and the second flat surface
is parallel to the fourth flat surface, wherein: the first curved
surface extends between the first flat surface and the second flat
surface; the second curved surface extends between the third flat
surface and the fourth flat surface; the first flat surface is
perpendicular to the fourth flat surface; and the second flat
surface is perpendicular to the third flat surface; a bolt
threadingly coupled to the aperture of the body member, wherein the
protrusion restricts rotation of the quick-turn fastener to 90
degrees in each direction of rotation when the quick-turn fastener
is coupled to a slot of the weapon handguard.
16. The quick-turn fastener of claim 15, wherein the body member is
rotated in a first direction in response to the first and second
curved surfaces providing clearance for the protrusion to rotate
within the slot.
17. The quick-turn fastener of claim 16, wherein the body member is
restricted to 90 degrees of rotation in the first direction in
response to the first and third flat surfaces engaging inner
surfaces of the slot and the first and second wing members engaging
opposing sides of the slot in a first orientation.
18. The quick-turn fastener of claim 17, wherein the first and
third flat surfaces maintain the body member in the first
orientation during continual rotation of the bolt in the first
direction, wherein the bolt moves axially in a first direction
within the aperture of the body member.
19. The quick-turn fastener of claim 16, wherein the body member is
rotated in a second direction in response to the first and second
curved surfaces providing clearance for the protrusion to rotate
within the slot.
20. The quick-turn fastener of claim 19, wherein the body member is
restricted to 90 degrees of rotation in the second direction in
response to the second and fourth flat surfaces engaging inner
surfaces of the slot and the first and second wing members
disengaging opposing sides of the slot in a second orientation.
21. The quick-turn fastener of claim 20, wherein the second and
fourth flat surfaces maintain the body member in the second
orientation during continual rotation of the bolt in the second
direction, wherein the bolt moves axially in a second direction
within the aperture of the body member.
22. The quick-turn fastener of claim 15, further comprising an
accessory rail having an aperture extend through the accessory
rail, wherein the bolt of the quick-turn fastener extends through
the aperture of the accessory rail before threadingly engaging the
aperture of the quick-turn fastener.
23. The quick-turn fastener of claim 22, wherein rotation of the
bolt in a first direction tightens the accessory rail to the weapon
handguard and rotation of the bolt in a second direction loosens
the accessory rail from the weapon handguard.
24. The quick-turn fastener of claim 15, further comprising a
weapon, wherein the weapon handguard is coupled to the weapon and
the quick-turn fastener is coupled to the weapon handguard.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION[S]
[0001] This application is a continuation of the earlier U.S.
Utility patent application entitled "WEAPON HANDGUARD," Ser. No.
29/444/153, filed Jan. 26, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby
incorporated entirely herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Technical Field
[0003] This invention relates generally to a weapon handguard and
more particularly to a weapon handguard and quick-turn fastener for
attaching an accessory rail to the weapon handguard.
[0004] 2. State of the Art
[0005] A handguard is located on a weapon such as a firearm. The
handguard is generally attached to the front of a weapon to allow a
shooter to grip the weapon from the front. It allows the shooter
protection from the barrel, which may become very hot because of
firing the weapon. The handguard is often used as a means for more
attaching accessories to the weapon. Conventional weapon handguards
are limited in their ability to easily install rails or other
accessories to the handguard without either removing the handguard
from the weapon or using other tools to hold a bolt on inner side
of the handguard.
[0006] Accordingly, there is a need for an improved handguard and
components for adding an accessory rail to the handguard.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention relates to a weapon handguard and an
accessory rail and quick-turn fastener for coupling the accessory
rail to the handguard.
[0008] An embodiment includes a quick-turn fastener comprising a
body member; a protrusion extending from the body member; and an
aperture extending through the protrusion and the body member,
wherein the aperture is threadingly coupled to a bolt, and wherein
the protrusion restricts rotation of the quick-turn fastener to 90
degrees in each direction of rotation when the quick-turn fastener
is coupled to a slot.
[0009] Another embodiment includes a quick-turn fastener for use
with a weapon handguard, the quick-turn fastener comprising: a body
member comprising a first wing member and a second wing member; a
protrusion extending from the body member with the first wing
member and the second wing member are located on opposing sides of
the protrusion and an aperture extending through the protrusion and
the body member, wherein the protrusion comprises: a first curved
surface and a second curved surface located on opposing sides of
the aperture; and a first flat surface, a second flat surface, a
third flat surface and a fourth flat surface, wherein the first
flat surface is parallel to the third flat surface and the second
flat surface is parallel to the fourth flat surface, wherein: the
first curved surface extends between the first flat surface and the
second flat surface; the second curved surface extends between the
third flat surface and the fourth flat surface; the first flat
surface is perpendicular to the fourth flat surface; and the second
flat surface is perpendicular to the third flat surface; a bolt
threadingly coupled to the aperture of the body member, wherein the
protrusion restricts rotation of the quick-turn fastener to 90
degrees in each direction of rotation when the quick-turn fastener
is coupled to a slot of the weapon handguard.
[0010] The foregoing and other features and advantages of the
present invention will be apparent from the following more detailed
description of the particular embodiments of the invention, as
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] A more complete understanding of the present invention may
be derived by referring to the detailed description and claims when
considered in connection with the Figures, wherein like reference
numbers refer to similar items throughout the Figures, and:
[0012] FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the weapon
handguard;
[0013] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the weapon
handguard showing the hand guard body, mounting adapter and barrel
nut of the weapon hand guard;
[0014] FIG. 3 is a front perspective view of the weapon handguard
showing an accessory rail mounted to the hand guard body of the
weapon hand guard;
[0015] FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the weapon
handguard showing an accessory rail and quick-turn fastener of the
weapon handguard;
[0016] FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of the accessory rail and
quick-turn fastener of the weapon handguard;
[0017] FIG. 6 is a bottom perspective view of the accessory rail
and quick-turn fastener of the weapon handguard;
[0018] FIG. 7 is a top view of a handguard body of the weapon
handguard;
[0019] FIG. 8 is a first perspective view of a handguard body of
the weapon handguard;
[0020] FIG. 9 is a second perspective view of a handguard body of
the weapon handguard;
[0021] FIG. 10 is an end view of a handguard body of the weapon
handguard;
[0022] FIG. 11 is a section view of a handguard body of the weapon
handguard taken along line I-I;
[0023] FIG. 12 is top view of a mounting adapter of the weapon
handguard;
[0024] FIG. 13 is a first perspective view of a mounting adapter of
the weapon hand guard;
[0025] FIG. 14 is a second perspective view of a mounting adapter
of the weapon hand guard;
[0026] FIG. 15 is a bottom view of a mounting adapter of the weapon
handguard;
[0027] FIG. 16 is an end view of a mounting adapter of the weapon
handguard;
[0028] FIG. 17 is a section view of a mounting adapter of the
weapon handguard taken along line II-II;
[0029] FIG. 18 is a top view of a barrel nut of the weapon
handguard;
[0030] FIG. 19 is a first perspective view of a barrel nut of the
weapon handguard;
[0031] FIG. 20 is a second perspective view of a barrel nut of the
weapon handguard;
[0032] FIG. 21 is an end view of a barrel nut of the weapon
handguard;
[0033] FIG. 22 is a perspective view of an accessory rail of the
weapon handguard;
[0034] FIG. 23 is a top view of an accessory rail of the weapon
handguard;
[0035] FIG. 24 is a bottom view of an accessory rail of the weapon
handguard;
[0036] FIG. 25 is an end view of an accessory rail of the weapon
handguard;
[0037] FIG. 26 is a section view of an accessory rail of the weapon
handguard taken along line III-III;
[0038] FIG. 27 is a perspective view of a quick-turn fastener of
the weapon handguard;
[0039] FIG. 28 is a top view of a quick-turn fastener of the weapon
handguard;
[0040] FIG. 29 is an end view of a quick-turn fastener of the
weapon handguard; and
[0041] FIG. 30 is a section view of a quick-turn fastener of the
weapon handguard taken along line IV-IV.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0042] As discussed above, embodiments of the present invention
relate to a weapon handguard and an accessory rail and quick-turn
fastener for coupling the accessory rail to the handguard.
[0043] Referring to the drawings, FIGS. 1-2 and 7-20 depict an
embodiment of a weapon handguard 10 coupled to an upper receiver 16
of a weapon and a barrel 18 of the weapon extending through the
weapon handguard 10. The weapon handguard may include a rail 14,
such as a picatinny rail, on a top side of the weapon handguard 10
and slots 12 extending through sides of the weapon handguard
10.
[0044] The weapon handguard 10 may be mounted to the upper receiver
16 by use of a barrel nut 24 and a mounting adapter 20. The barrel
nut 24 includes external threads 26 and extension 28. The barrel
nut 24 is coupled directly to the upper receiver, as shown in FIG.
2. The mounting adapter 20 includes interior threads 22, wherein
the mounting adapter 20 is coupled directly to the barrel nut 24 by
the engagement of the interior threads 22 of the mounting adapter
20 with exterior threads of the barrel nut 24. The weapon handguard
10 is coupled directly to the mounting adapter 20, wherein the
barrel 18 is extending through the weapon handguard 10.
[0045] Referring further to FIGS. 3-6 and 23-30, the embodiments
may include a quick-turn fastener 50 and an accessory rail 30. The
accessory rail 30 may include an aperture 32, rail section 34 and
rail protrusions 36. The accessory rail 30 may be coupled to the
quick-turn fastener 50 by use of a bolt 40 that extends through the
aperture 32 of the accessory rail 30 to engage the quick-turn
fastener 50.
[0046] The quick-turn fastener 50 may include a body member 51, a
protrusion 56 extending from the body member 51, and an aperture 58
extending through the protrusion 60 and the body member 51. The
aperture 58 may include threads 59. In embodiments, the aperture 58
may be threadingly coupled to the bolt 40.
[0047] The quick-turn fastener 50 may further include a first wing
member 52 and a second wing member 54 on the body member 51. The
first wing member 52 and the second wing member 54 are located on
opposing sides of the protrusion 56.
[0048] As shown particularly in FIGS. 27-30, the protrusion 56 may
comprise a first curved surface 60 and a second curved surface 61
located on opposing sides of the aperture 58. The protrusion 56
further comprises a first flat surface 62, a second flat surface
63, a third flat surface 64 and a fourth flat surface 65. The first
flat surface 62 is parallel to the third flat surface 64 and the
second flat surface 63 is parallel to the fourth flat surface 65.
In embodiments, the first curved surface 60 extends between the
first flat surface 62 and the second flat surface 63. Further, the
second curved surface 61 extends between the third flat surface 64
and the fourth flat surface 65. The first flat surface 62 and the
fourth flat surface 65 form a corner, wherein the first flat
surface 62 is perpendicular to the fourth flat surface 65. The
second flat surface 63 and the third flat surface 64 form a corner,
wherein the second flat surface 63 is perpendicular to the third
flat surface 64. Additionally, first and second curved flat
surfaces 60 and 61, and first flat surface 62, second flat surface
63, third flat surface 64 ad fourth flat surface 65 all extend from
the body member 51 transverse to the first wing member 52 and the
second wing member 54.
[0049] The quick-turn fastener 50 may be rotated in a first
direction, wherein the body member 51 is rotated in a first
direction in response to the first and second curved surfaces 60,
61 providing clearance for the protrusion 56 to rotate within the
slot 12. The body member 51 is restricted to 90 degrees of rotation
in the first direction in response to the first and third flat
surfaces 62, 64 engaging inner surfaces of the slot 12 and the
first and second wing members 52, 54 engaging opposing sides of the
slot 12 in a first orientation. The first and third flat surfaces
62, 64 maintain the body member 51 in the first orientation during
continual rotation of the bolt 40 in the first direction, wherein
the bolt 40 moves axially in a first direction within the aperture
58 of the body member 51.
[0050] The quick-turn fastener 50 may be rotated in a second
direction, wherein the body member 51 is rotated in a second
direction in response to the first and second curved surfaces 60,
61 providing clearance for the protrusion 56 to rotate within the
slot 12. The body member 51 is restricted to 90 degrees of rotation
in the second direction in response to the second and fourth flat
surfaces 63, 65 engaging inner surfaces of the slot 12 and the
first and second wing members 52, 54 disengaging opposing sides of
the slot 12 in a second orientation. The second and fourth flat
surfaces 63, 65 maintain the body member 51 in the second
orientation during continual rotation of the bolt 40 in the second
direction, wherein the bolt 40 moves axially in a second direction
within the aperture 58 of the body member 51.
[0051] In embodiments, the first wing member 52 may include
extensions 53 and the second wing member 54 may include extensions
55, wherein the extensions 53 and 54 may engage the inner surface
of the handguard 10 on opposing sides of the slot 12.
[0052] The bolt 40 may extend through the aperture 32 of the
accessory rail 30 before threadingly engaging the aperture 58 of
the quick-turn fastener 50. Rotation of the bolt 40 in a first
direction tightens the accessory rail 30 to the weapon handguard 10
to secure the accessory rail 30 to the handguard 10 as shown in
FIGS. 3-6. Rotation of the bolt 40 in a second direction loosens
the accessory rail 30 from the weapon handguard 10 as shown in
FIGS. 3-6. When the accessory rail 30 is secured to the weapon
handguard 10, protrusions 36 of the accessory rail 30 extend into
the slot 12 of the weapon handguard 10 to further secure the
accessory rail 30 to the handguard 10.
[0053] The quick-turn fastener of claim 15, further comprising a
weapon, wherein the weapon handguard is coupled to the weapon and
the quick-turn fastener is coupled to the weapon handguard.
[0054] The embodiments and examples set forth herein were presented
in order to best explain the present invention and its practical
application and to thereby enable those of ordinary skill in the
art to make and use the invention. However, those of ordinary skill
in the art will recognize that the foregoing description and
examples have been presented for the purposes of illustration and
example only. The description as set forth is not intended to be
exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed.
Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the
teachings above without departing from the spirit and scope of the
forthcoming claims.
* * * * *