U.S. patent application number 15/544182 was filed with the patent office on 2017-12-28 for cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms.
The applicant listed for this patent is Rade Tecnologias, S.L.. Invention is credited to Raul Delgado Acarreta, Oscar Jimenez Navascues, Diego Lorente Algora, Ruben Robles Perez, Andres Yago Loscos.
Application Number | 20170370665 15/544182 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 52774272 |
Filed Date | 2017-12-28 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20170370665 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Delgado Acarreta; Raul ; et
al. |
December 28, 2017 |
CARTRIDGE-IN-CHAMBER DETECTION SYSTEM FOR FIREARMS
Abstract
The present invention relates to a cartridge-in-chamber
detection system for firearms which is independent in situations
where the user comes into contact with metal parts of the weapon or
situations where said contact does not exist, to provide a reliable
indication of the presence or absence of the cartridge in the
chamber, where the system comprises means to, through a supply
voltage, determine the variation of the electrical capacity between
two possible states of the system, when there is no cartridge in
the chamber and when there is a cartridge in the chamber, making
use of at least one electrode, regardless of the grip performed by
the user.
Inventors: |
Delgado Acarreta; Raul;
(Zaragoza, ES) ; Lorente Algora; Diego; (Zaragoza,
ES) ; Yago Loscos; Andres; (Zaragoza, ES) ;
Robles Perez; Ruben; (Zaragoza, ES) ; Jimenez
Navascues; Oscar; (Zaragoza, ES) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Rade Tecnologias, S.L. |
Zaragoza |
|
ES |
|
|
Family ID: |
52774272 |
Appl. No.: |
15/544182 |
Filed: |
January 15, 2016 |
PCT Filed: |
January 15, 2016 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/ES2016/070017 |
371 Date: |
July 17, 2017 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41A 9/53 20130101; F41A
9/62 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41A 9/53 20060101
F41A009/53; F41A 9/62 20060101 F41A009/62 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Jan 16, 2015 |
ES |
PCT/ES2015/070024 |
Claims
1. A cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms which
comprises at least one electrical contact which is connected by a
sensor circuit to a microprocessor, wherein the at least one
electrical contact is in electrical contact with a cartridge when
said cartridge is in the chamber, being both elements, cartridge
and the at least one electrical contact, and consequently the metal
parts of the weapon which are in physical contact with the
cartridge, electrically connected, and where the microprocessor,
through the sensor circuit, detects the capacitive variation
between the situation in which the at least one electrical contact
is electrically connected to at least the metal parts of the weapon
and the cartridge, and the situation in which the at least one
electrical contact is not electrically connected to at least the
metal parts of the weapon and the cartridge, thus making it
possible to determine the presence or absence of the cartridge in
the chamber respectively.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein a first electrical contact is
connected via the sensor circuit to the microprocessor, and a
second electrical contact disposed in the chamber of the weapon,
where the first electrical contact is in physical contact with the
second electrical contact, and where the second electrical contact
comes into physical contact with a shell of the cartridge when said
cartridge is in the chamber, being both elements, cartridge and
second electrical contact, and consequently the metal parts of the
weapon that are in physical contact with the cartridge,
electrically connected through the connection between the first
electrical contact and the second electrical contact, and where the
microprocessor, through the sensor circuit, detects the capacitive
variation between the situation in which the first electrical
contact is electrically connected to the second electrical contact,
the metal parts of the weapon and the shell of the cartridge and
the situation in which the first electrical contact is electrically
connected to the second electrical contact, thus making it possible
to determine the presence or absence of the cartridge in the
chamber respectively.
3.-7. (canceled)
8. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first electrical
contact disposed in a slide of the weapon that is connected via the
sensor circuit to the microprocessor 4, and a second electrical
contact disposed in the slide, where the first electrical contact
is coupled to the second electrical contact through an elastic
element, so that when the cartridge is in the chamber, an extractor
pushes the second electrical contact towards the first electrical
contact, the elastic element adopting a compressed arrangement,
both electrical contacts coming into physical contact, and
consequently the metal parts of the weapon that are in physical
contact with the cartridge, being electrically connected through
the connection between the first electrical contact and the second
electrical contact, whilst when the cartridge is not in the
chamber, the extractor does not push the second electrical contact
towards the first electrical contact, the elastic element regaining
this way its expanded position, the first electrical contact being
electrically insulated from the second electrical contact, the
metal parts of the weapon, a shell of the cartridge and the
extractor, where the microprocessor, through the sensor circuit,
detects the capacitive variation between the situation in which the
first electrical contact is electrically connected to the second
electrical contact, the metal parts of the weapon, the shell of the
cartridge and the extractor and the situation in which the first
electrical contact is not electrically connected to the second
electrical contact, the metal parts of the weapon, the shell of the
cartridge and the extractor, thus making it possible to determine
the presence or absence of the cartridge in the chamber
respectively.
9.-10. (canceled)
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first electrical
contact disposed in a bolt carrier of the weapon that is connected
via the sensor circuit to the microprocessor, and a second
electrical contact disposed in a bolt head where the first
electrical contact is in physical contact with a third electrical
contact disposed between the first electrical contact and the
second electrical contact, where the second electrical contact
comes into physical contact with a shell of a cartridge when said
cartridge is in the chamber, being both elements, cartridge and
second electrical contact, and consequently the metal parts of the
weapon that are in physical contact with the cartridge, being
electrically connected through the connection between the first
electrical contact, the third electrical contact and the second
electrical contact, and where the microprocessor, through the
sensor circuit, detects the capacitive variation between the
situation in which the first electrical contact is electrically
connected to the second electrical contact, the third electrical
contact, the metal parts of the weapon and the shell of the
cartridge and the situation in which the first electrical contact
is electrically connected to the second electrical contact and the
third electrical contact, thus making it possible to determine the
presence or absence of the cartridge in the chamber
respectively.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the second electrical contact
is at least partially disposed in the chamber.
13. (canceled)
14. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor, through the
sensor circuit, converts the capacitive variation into a voltage
variation.
15. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor generates a
square signal of preset frequency with which the capacity of the
sensor circuit is charged to measure the capacity variations
thereof.
16. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor captures the
voltage provided by the sensor circuit, which is compared to a
threshold voltage.
17. The system of claim 1, wherein the microprocessor comprises a
temperature sensor which measures the temperature in each reading
of the microprocessor and makes a temperature compensation
throughout a whole operating range.
18. The system of claim 1, further comprising supply means.
19.-22. (canceled)
23. The system of claim 1, having a response time of less than 1 ms
to determine if the cartridge is present in the chamber or not.
24. (canceled)
25. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is in physical contact with the cartridge in the situation
in which the at least one electrical contact is electrically
connected to the metal parts of the weapon and the cartridge.
26. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is insulated with respect to the metal parts of the
weapon.
27. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is a firearm's own element.
28. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is a firearm's own modified element.
29. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is an external element to the firearm.
30. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is located in the chamber.
31. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is located outside the chamber.
32. The system of claim 31, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is disposed in a handguard of the weapon.
33. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical
contact is not in physical contact with the cartridge in the
situation in which the at least one electrical contact is
electrically connected to the metal parts of the weapon and the
cartridge.
Description
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a cartridge-in-chamber
detection system for firearms which is independent in situations
where the user comes into contact with metal parts of the weapon or
situations where said contact does not exist, to provide a reliable
indication of the presence or absence of the cartridge in the
chamber.
[0002] The object of the present invention is a
cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms which comprise
means to, through a supply voltage, determine the variation of the
electrical capacity between two possible states of the system, when
there is no cartridge in the chamber and when there is a cartridge
in the chamber, making use of at least one electrode, regardless of
the grip performed by the user.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Systems are known in the state of the art that make it
possible to control an electric weapon by detecting the presence of
a cartridge in the chamber, where said systems have means to,
through a supply voltage, determine the impedance of the cartridge
in two possible states of the system, when there is no cartridge in
the chamber and when there is a cartridge in the chamber, making
use of two electrodes.
[0004] Among the previous systems is that which is disclosed in
patent U.S. Pat. No. 5,755,056A relating to an electronic weapon
and to the procedure to control said weapon, where the electrodes
are positioned to electrically contact with conductive portions of
the ammunition cartridge, means to supply current to at least one
of the electrodes, means to measure the resistance between the
electrodes and means to compare the measured resistance with at
least one reference.
[0005] The system disclosed in the previous patent comprises a
comparator circuit to detect the presence of a cartridge, and in
particular to detect ammunition which may be electrically fired.
The circuit is formed by the contacts between the electrodes and a
cartridge. If the cartridge is present between the two electrodes,
the current of one of the electrodes, which may be a firing pin, is
transmitted through the cartridge, to the second electrode which
may be the weapon barrel.
[0006] However, the measurement of the impedance may be affected by
the user's presence, since the measurement may be distorted
depending on whether the user comes into contact with metal parts
of the weapon or not.
[0007] The cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms of
the present invention has a configuration which makes it possible
to resolve all the aforementioned drawbacks, by providing a system
which is independent of the situation where the user comes into
contact with metal parts of the weapon or not.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The present invention relates to a cartridge-in-chamber
detection system for firearms which is independent in situations
where the user comes into contact with metal parts of the weapon or
situations where said contact does not exist, to provide a reliable
indication of the presence or otherwise of a cartridge in a chamber
of the weapon.
[0009] The cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms
comprises at least one electrical contact connected by a sensor
circuit to a microprocessor.
[0010] The at least one electrical contact is insulated with
respect to the metal parts of the weapon, preferably the chamber
and preferably through insulation means.
[0011] The at least one electrical contact comes into electrical
contact with the cartridge when said cartridge is in the chamber,
being both elements, cartridge and the at least one electrical
contact, and consequently the metal parts of the weapon that are in
physical contact with the cartridge, electrically connected.
[0012] The microprocessor, through the sensor circuit detects the
capacitive variation between the situation wherein the at least one
electrical contact is electrically connected to at least the metal
parts of the weapon and the cartridge and the situation wherein the
at least one electrical contact is not electrically connected to
the at least metal parts of the weapon and the cartridge, thus
making it possible to determine the presence or absence of the
cartridge in the chamber respectively.
[0013] The electrical capacity associated to the sensor circuit in
the situation wherein the at least one electrical contact is not
electrically connected to the metal parts of the weapon and the
cartridge is very small in comparison with the electrical capacity
associated to the situation wherein the at least one electrical
contact is electrically connected to the metal parts of the weapon
and the cartridge.
[0014] The sensor circuit makes it possible to convert the
capacitive variation into a voltage variation.
[0015] When the system attempts to detect if there is a cartridge
in the chamber, the microprocessor generates a signal with which
the capacity of the sensor circuit is charged, which in turn
depends on the status of the system and it will be possible to
measure the variations in capacity of the sensor circuit.
[0016] Optionally, the at least one electrical contact is in
physical contact with the cartridge in the situation wherein the at
least one electrical contact is electrically connected to the metal
parts of the weapon and the cartridge. The insulation means of the
at least one electrical contact with respect to the metal parts of
the weapon make it possible to insulate the at least one electrical
contact from the metal parts of the weapon, specially from the
chamber, so that the capacitive variation is independent in
situations where the user comes into contact with metal parts of
the weapon or situations where said contact does not exist, thus
providing a reliable indication of the presence or absence of the
cartridge in the chamber.
[0017] Optionally, the at least one electrical contact may be a
weapon's own element, a weapon's own modified element or an element
external to the weapon.
[0018] Optionally, the at least one electrical contact is located
in the chamber.
[0019] Optionally, the at least one electrical contact is located
outside the chamber.
[0020] Optionally, the at least one electrical contact is not in
physical contact with the cartridge in the situation wherein the at
least one electrical contact is electrically connected to the metal
parts of the weapon and the cartridge.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0021] FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the chamber,
the barrel, the second electrical contact together with the
insulation means of the cartridge-in-chamber detection system for
firearms according to a first embodiment of the present
invention.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of the chamber to which the
barrel and the second electrical contact have been coupled together
with the insulation means of the cartridge-in-chamber detection
system for firearms according to the first embodiment of the
present invention.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the second electrical
contact together with the insulation means shown in FIG. 2.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a perspective view of the handguard of the
cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms according to the
first embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows an exploded perspective view of the handguard
of the cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms according
to a first embodiment of the present invention.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows an exploded perspective view of the
cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms according to a
second embodiment of the present invention.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of the connection between
the first electrical contact and the microprocessor carried out by
means of three intermediate contacts according to the second
embodiment of the present invention.
[0028] FIG. 8 shows an elevation view of the first and second
electrical contact and the elastic element of the
cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms according to the
second embodiment in the extended arrangement of the elastic
element.
[0029] FIG. 9 shows an elevation view of the elements shown in FIG.
8 in the compressed arrangement of the elastic element.
[0030] FIG. 10 shows an exploded perspective view of the
cartridge-in-chamber detection system for firearms according to a
third embodiment of the present invention.
[0031] FIG. 11 shows a detailed view of the first, second and third
electrical contacts of the cartridge-in-chamber detection system
for firearms according to the third embodiment of the present
invention.
Preferred Embodiment of the Invention
[0032] Below, the cartridge-in-chamber detection system for
firearms of the present invention is described in detail.
[0033] In a first embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 5, the system
comprises a first electrical contact (1) disposed in a handguard
(2) of the weapon which is connected by a sensor circuit to a
microprocessor (3) supplied by a battery (4), both disposed in the
handguard (2), where the first electrical contact (1) is disposed
in the longitudinal direction of a chamber (5) of the weapon.
[0034] The system further comprises a second electrical contact (6)
disposed in the chamber (5) tilted with respect to its longitudinal
direction, where the first electrical contact (1) is in physical
contact with the second electrical contact (6), in addition to
insulation means (7) of the second electrical contact (6) with
respect to said chamber (5).
[0035] The insulation means (7) of the second electrical contact
(6) with respect to said chamber (5) comprise an externally
threaded rod to fix it to the chamber (5), where the interior of
the rod is hollow for the housing of the second electrical contact
(6).
[0036] The second electrical contact (6) comes into physical
contact with a shell (9) of a cartridge (10) when said cartridge
(10) is in the chamber (5), being both elements, cartridge (10) and
second electrical contact (6), and consequently the metal parts of
the weapon which are in physical contact with the cartridge (10),
preferably the chamber (5) and a barrel (11), electrically
connected through the connection between the first electrical
contact (1) and the second electrical contact (6).
[0037] The microprocessor (3), through the sensor circuit, detects
the capacitive variation between the situation wherein the first
electrical contact (1) is electrically connected to the second
electrical contact (6), the metal parts of the weapon (5, 11) and
the shell (9) of the cartridge (10) and the situation wherein the
first electrical contact (1) is electrically connected to the
second electrical contact (6), thus making it possible to determine
the presence or absence of the cartridge (10) in the chamber (5)
respectively.
[0038] In a second embodiment shown in FIGS. 6 to 9, the system
comprises a first electrical contact (114) disposed in a slide
(101) of the weapon that is connected via a sensor circuit to a
microprocessor (103) supplied by a battery (not shown), where the
slide (101) is closed via a cover plate (115).
[0039] The system further comprises a second electrical contact
(112) disposed in the slide (101), where the first electrical
contact (114) is coupled to the second electrical contact (112)
through an elastic element (113). Preferably, the first electrical
contact (114), the second electrical contact (112) and the elastic
element (113) are disposed in the longitudinal direction of the
slide (101) of the weapon.
[0040] When the cartridge is in the chamber, an extractor (111)
pushes the second electrical contact (112) towards the first
electrical contact (114), the elastic element (113) adopting a
compressed arrangement, both electrical contacts (112, 114) coming
into physical contact, and consequently the metal parts of the
weapon (101, 102) that are in physical contact with the cartridge,
preferably the chamber, a barrel (102) and the slide (101), being
electrically connected through the connection between the first
electrical contact (114) and the second electrical contact
(112).
[0041] When the cartridge is not in the chamber, the extractor
(111) does not push the second electrical contact (112) towards the
first electrical contact (114), the elastic element (113) regaining
this way its expanded position, the first electrical contact (114)
being electrically insulated from the second electrical contact
(112), the metal parts of the weapon (101, 102), a shell of the
cartridge and the extractor (111).
[0042] The microprocessor (103), through the sensor circuit,
detects the capacitive variation between the situation wherein the
first electrical contact (114) is electrically connected to the
second electrical contact (112), the metal parts of the weapon
(101, 102), the shell of the cartridge and the extractor (111) and
the situation wherein the first electrical contact (114) is not
electrically connected to the second electrical contact (112), the
metal parts of the weapon (101, 102), the shell of the cartridge
and the extractor (111), thus making it possible to determine the
presence or absence of the cartridge in the chamber
respectively.
[0043] The first electrical contact (114) comprises insulation
means (107) with respect to the metal parts of the weapon (101,
102) that allow insulation of the first electrical contact (114)
from the metal parts of the weapon (101, 102), in particular from
the chamber, in the situation in which there is no cartridge in the
chamber.
[0044] In this second embodiment, both the first electrical contact
(114) and the second electrical contact (112) are disposed outside
the chamber and only come into physical contact with each other
(112, 114) when there is a cartridge in the chamber.
[0045] The connection between the first electrical contact (114)
and the microprocessor (103) is carried out by means of three
intermediate contacts shown in FIG. 7, a grub screw (116) to adjust
the clearance between the first electrical contact (114) and the
second electrical contact (112), an insert (117) and a moveable
contact (118) connected to the microprocessor (103), in order to
ensure the electrical connection between the first electrical
contact (114) and the microprocessor (103).
[0046] In a third embodiment shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the system
comprises a first electrical contact (210) disposed in a bolt
carrier (206) of the weapon that is connected via a sensor circuit
to a microprocessor (203), which is preferably supplied by a
battery (not shown).
[0047] The system further comprises a second electrical contact
(212) disposed in a bolt head (217), where the second electrical
contact (212) is optionally at least partially disposed in the
chamber, where the first electrical contact (210) is in physical
contact with a third electrical contact (211) disposed between the
first electrical contact (210) and the second electrical contact
(212). The system comprises insulation means (207) of the first
electrical contact (210), the second electrical contact (212) and
the third electrical contact (211) with respect to the metal parts
of the weapon (206, 217), specially with respect to the bolt head
(217) and the bolt carrier (206).
[0048] The second electrical contact (212) comes into physical
contact with a shell of a cartridge when said cartridge is in the
chamber, being both elements, cartridge and second electrical
contact (212), and consequently the metal parts of the weapon (206,
217) that are in physical contact with the cartridge, preferably
the chamber, a barrel, the bolt head (217) and the bolt carrier
(206), electrically connected through the connection between the
first electrical contact (210), the third electrical contact (211)
and the second electrical contact (212).
[0049] The microprocessor (203), through the sensor circuit,
detects the capacitive variation between the situation in which the
first electrical contact (210) is electrically connected to the
second electrical contact (212), the third electrical contact
(211), the metal parts of the weapon (206, 217) and the shell of
the cartridge and the situation in which the first electrical
contact (210) is electrically connected to the second electrical
contact (212) and the third electrical contact (211), thus making
it possible to determine the presence or absence of the cartridge
in the chamber respectively.
[0050] For all the embodiments described, when the system attempts
to detect if there is a cartridge (10) in the chamber (5), the
microprocessor (3, 103, 203) generates a signal, preferably square,
of preset frequency with which the capacity of the sensor circuit
is charged to measure the variations thereof.
[0051] The measurement of the capacity of the sensor circuit, which
varies depending on the presence or otherwise of the cartridge (10)
in the chamber (5), is carried out through a diode (not shown). The
system of the present invention, through the microprocessor (3,
103, 203), captures the voltage provided by the sensor circuit,
which is compared with a threshold voltage of the system to detect
the presence of the cartridge (10) in the chamber (5).
[0052] Due to the presence of the diode to measure the circuit
capacity, the temperature has an important influence on its
operation. This is because the conduction voltage of the diode has
a variation of around 200 mV throughout the dynamic temperature
range. This variation depends on the temperature linearly.
Therefore, and to decrease the error rate to the maximum, the
microprocessor (3, 103, 203) comprises a temperature sensor (not
shown) which measures the temperature in each reading and makes a
temperature compensation throughout the whole operating range.
[0053] The system comprises a DC to DC current converter (DC/DC
step-up) (not shown) to stabilize the input voltage and make it
invariable from the charging status of the battery (4).
[0054] The system has a response time of less than 1 ms to
determine if the cartridge (10) is present in the chamber (5) or
otherwise.
[0055] The system further comprises an electrostatic protection
device (not shown) against residual currents, since the second
electrical contact (6, 112, 212) is in physical contact with the
metal parts of the weapon (5, 11, 101, 102, 206, 217), which are
accessible by the user, when the cartridge (10) is present in the
chamber (5).
[0056] The system uses a high operating frequency, around 20 MHz,
which makes it possible to discern the presence or otherwise of a
cartridge (10) in the chamber (5) even in short-circuit conditions
due to fresh water between the second electrical contact (6, 212)
and the chamber (5), for the first and the third embodiments.
* * * * *