U.S. patent application number 16/269547 was filed with the patent office on 2019-08-08 for foregrip for a firearm.
The applicant listed for this patent is Vincent Tactical LLC. Invention is credited to Kyle J. Berean.
Application Number | 20190242674 16/269547 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 67475437 |
Filed Date | 2019-08-08 |
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United States Patent
Application |
20190242674 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Berean; Kyle J. |
August 8, 2019 |
FOREGRIP FOR A FIREARM
Abstract
A foregrip for a firearm barrel includes a forward portion
configured to face toward an open end of the barrel, a rear portion
opposing the forward portion, and a curvilinear contact portion
extending from the forward portion to the rear portion. The
curvilinear contact portion includes a convex portion relative to
the barrel and a concave portion relative to the barrel.
Inventors: |
Berean; Kyle J.;
(Chittenango, NY) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Vincent Tactical LLC |
Chittenango |
NY |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
67475437 |
Appl. No.: |
16/269547 |
Filed: |
February 6, 2019 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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62626912 |
Feb 6, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F41G 11/003 20130101;
F41C 23/16 20130101 |
International
Class: |
F41C 23/16 20060101
F41C023/16 |
Claims
1. A foregrip for a firearm barrel, comprising: a forward portion
configured to face toward an open end of the barrel; a rear portion
opposing the forward portion; and a curvilinear contact portion
extending from the forward portion to the rear portion, the
curvilinear contact portion comprising a convex portion relative to
the barrel and a concave portion relative to the barrel.
2. The foregrip of claim 1, wherein the forward portion comprises
the concave portion and the rear portion comprises the convex
portion.
3. The foregrip of claim 1, wherein the rear portion comprises the
concave portion and the forward portion comprises the convex
portion.
4. The foregrip of claim 1, wherein the foregrip is configured to
be mounted on an attachment rail.
5. The foregrip of claim 4, further comprising a dovetail-shaped
slot positioned on an upper portion of the foregrip and extending
along an axis of the barrel, configured to register with the
attachment rail.
6. The foregrip of claim 4, further comprising a first piece
configured to engage a lateral side and a bottom surface of the
attachment rail, and a second piece configured to engage the
opposing lateral side of the rail.
7. The foregrip of claim 1, wherein the foregrip is configured to
be mounted on a side of the firearm barrel.
8. The foregrip of claim 1, wherein the curvilinear contact portion
further comprises a lateral side of the foregrip.
9. The foregrip of claim 1, further comprising a locking feature
configured to maintain the foregrip in a selected position relative
to an attachment rail on the firearm barrel.
10. The foregrip of claim 9, wherein the locking feature comprises
a screw and a nut, the screw sized and configured to extend between
lateral sides of the foregrip, with a shaft of the screw being
sized to be received between slots of the attachment rail.
11. The foregrip of claim 10, wherein the nut is interference-fit
into a recessed cavity formed in the side of the foregrip.
12. The foregrip of claim 1, wherein the foregrip defines a
through-passageway transverse to an axis of the barrel.
13. The foregrip of claim 12, wherein the through-passageway
extends into an upper portion of the foregrip.
14. The foregrip of claim 13, wherein the through-passageway is a
slot.
15. A foregrip for a firearm barrel, comprising: a forward portion
configured to face toward an open end of the barrel; a rear portion
opposing the forward portion; a curvilinear contact portion
extending from the forward portion to the rear portion, the
curvilinear contact portion comprising a convex portion relative to
the barrel and a concave portion relative to the barrel; wherein
the foregrip defines one or more slots formed into an upper portion
thereof, the slots extending transverse to a barrel axis from a
right side of the foregrip to a left side.
16. The foregrip of claim 15, wherein a lower portion of the
foregrip further defines a through-cavity oriented transverse to
the barrel axis.
17. The foregrip of claim 16, wherein a bottom surface of the
through-cavity follows the contour of the curvilinear contact
portion.
18. The foregrip of claim 16, wherein an upper surface of the
through-cavity is flat.
19. The foregrip of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of
raised ribs extending transversely across the curvilinear contact
portion.
20. The foregrip of claim 19, wherein the ribs are semi-circular in
cross-section, having a radius of approximately 0.030 inches.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] Reference is made to and this application claims priority
from and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No.
62/626,912, filed Feb. 6, 2018, entitled "FOREGRIP FOR A FIREARM",
which application is incorporated herein in its entirety by
reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This disclosure relates generally to firearms and, more
specifically, to a firearm foregrip. Many firearms, particularly
rifles, are controlled with a firing hand holding a portion of the
firearm stock, and the non-firing or off-hand holding a foregrip or
hand guard surrounding the firearm barrel. A conventional AR-15
rifle includes as original equipment a polymer hand guard
encircling the barrel of the rifle. However, the large diameter can
be cumbersome to grasp, and can lead to fatigue in the off-hand,
particularly when many rounds are fired. To address this drawback,
numerous styles of foregrips have been introduced to the market to
improve the shooter's comfort and accuracy. Pistol style grips and
vertical foregrips are two such examples.
[0003] Although pistol and vertical foregrips can be useful and may
be advantageous for certain applications, they too suffer from
drawbacks. One noted problem is that they may be comfortable in one
shooting position, such as standing, but do not rapidly adapt to
other positions, such as a crouch or prone position.
[0004] In particular, when standing, the shooter's off-arm will be
extended to provide support for the rifle barrel. The shooter's
grip on the hand guard is a matter of preference, but generally the
hand guard is supported by four fingers which wrap underneath the
barrel, with the thumb wrapped or resting on or near the top of the
barrel to provide stability. However, when the shooter advances to
a crouch position, the elbow of the off-arm will be supported by
the knee, causing the off-hand wrist to rotate downwards.
Generally, the rotation is great enough that the grip becomes
uncomfortable, and in some cases negatively affects aim and/or
increases the shooter's follow up time, which increases the time to
get back on target. A similar situation occurs when advancing from
a standing position to prone, when advancing from a crouch to
standing, or when advancing from a prone position to standing. In a
tactical environment, any delay in quickly following up a shot can
have dire consequences.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] In accordance with one aspect of the disclosure, a foregrip
for a firearm barrel includes a forward portion configured to face
toward an open end of the barrel, a rear portion opposing the
forward portion, and a curvilinear contact portion extending from
the forward portion to the rear portion. The curvilinear contact
portion includes a convex portion relative to the barrel and a
concave portion relative to the barrel.
[0006] In one embodiment, the forward portion includes the concave
portion and the rear portion comprises the convex portion.
[0007] In another embodiment, the rear portion comprises the
concave portion and the forward portion comprises the convex
portion.
[0008] In yet another embodiment, the foregrip includes a first
piece configured to engage a lateral side and a bottom surface of
an attachment rail, and a second piece configured to engage the
opposing lateral side of the rail.
[0009] In yet another embodiment, the foregrip further includes a
locking feature configured to maintain the foregrip in a selected
position relative to an attachment rail on the firearm barrel.
[0010] In one example, the locking feature includes a screw and a
nut. The screw is sized to extend between lateral sides of the
foregrip, with a shaft of the screw being sized to be received
between slots of the attachment rail.
[0011] In another example, the nut is interference-fit into a
recessed cavity formed in the side of the foregrip.
[0012] In yet another embodiment, the foregrip defines a
through-passageway transverse to an axis of the barrel.
[0013] In one example, the through-passageway is a slot extending
into an upper portion of the foregrip.
[0014] In accordance with another aspect of the disclosure, a
foregrip for a firearm barrel includes a forward portion configured
to face toward an open end of the barrel, a rear portion opposing
the forward portion, and a curvilinear contact portion extending
from the forward portion to the rear portion. The curvilinear
contact portion includes a convex portion relative to the barrel
and a concave portion relative to the barrel. The foregrip defines
one or more slots formed into an upper portion thereof. The slots
extend transverse to a barrel axis from a right side of the
foregrip to a left side.
[0015] In one embodiment, a lower portion of the foregrip further
defines a through-cavity oriented transverse to the barrel
axis.
[0016] In one example, a bottom surface of the through-cavity
follows the contour of the curvilinear contact portion.
[0017] In another embodiment, the foregrip further includes a
plurality of raised ribs extending transversely across the
curvilinear contact portion.
[0018] In one example, the ribs are semi-circular in cross-section,
having a radius of approximately 0.030 inches.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] The features described herein can be better understood with
reference to the drawings described below. The drawings are not
necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon
illustrating the principles of the invention. In the drawings, like
numerals are used to indicate like parts throughout the various
views.
[0020] FIG. 1 depicts a prior art rifle;
[0021] FIG. 2 depicts a top perspective view of a firearm foregrip
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention;
[0022] FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of the foregrip shown in
FIG. 2;
[0023] FIG. 4 depicts an alternate top perspective view of the
foregrip shown in FIG. 2;
[0024] FIG. 5 depicts a side view of the foregrip shown in FIG.
2;
[0025] FIG. 6 depicts a partially exploded bottom view of the
foregrip shown in FIG. 2;
[0026] FIG. 7 depicts a partially exploded rear view of the
foregrip shown in FIG. 6;
[0027] FIG. 8 depicts a partially exploded front view of the
foregrip shown in FIG. 6;
[0028] FIG. 9 depicts a side plan view of the foregrip shown in
FIG. 2 mounted on a rifle;
[0029] FIG. 10 depicts a side plan view of a foregrip mounted on a
rifle in accordance with a second embodiment of the present
invention;
[0030] FIG. 11 depicts a side plan view of a foregrip mounted on a
rifle in accordance with a third embodiment of the present
invention;
[0031] FIG. 12 depicts a top perspective view of a firearm foregrip
in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present
invention;
[0032] FIG. 13 depicts a side view of the foregrip shown in FIG.
12;
[0033] FIG. 14 depicts a bottom view of the foregrip shown in FIG.
12;
[0034] FIG. 15 depicts a rear view of the foregrip shown in FIG.
12;
[0035] FIG. 16 depicts a front view of the foregrip shown in FIG.
12;
[0036] FIG. 17 depicts a top perspective view of a firearm foregrip
in accordance with a fifth embodiment of the present invention;
[0037] FIG. 18 depicts a side view of the foregrip shown in FIG.
17; and
[0038] FIG. 19 depicts an enlarged side plan view of the foregrip
shown in FIG. 17 mounted on a rifle.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0039] Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional rifle 10 such as an
AR-15 includes a receiver portion comprising an upper receiver 12
pivotally connected to a lower receiver 14 at hinge 16. The upper
receiver 12 includes a charging handle, forward assist, a gas
operating system, a barrel 18, a bolt, and a bolt carrier assembly
(not all elements shown). The barrel 18 extends longitudinally away
from the upper receiver 12, defining a centerline axis 20. A
forearm portion 22 located between the upper receiver 12 and the
open end 24 of the barrel 18 provides a grip location for the
off-hand. In the illustrated embodiment, an attachment rail 26,
such as a Picatinny quad rail, provides a mounting platform on four
sides of the barrel 18 (upper, lower, right, left) for attachable
accessories. The Picatinny rail is a bracket made to military
standards (MIL-STD-1913) having a dovetail shape along the barrel
axis 20 with uniformly-spaced transverse slots 28. Firearm
attachments with a corresponding dovetail slot can either slide
down the attachment rail 26 or be assembled in two pieces, then
tightened with screws.
[0040] The lower receiver 14 includes a magazine well 30, a
detachable box magazine 32, a pistol grip 34, buttstock 36, buffer
and buffer spring (not all elements shown). The buttstock 36 may
include a butt plate 38 or similar component to provide a degree of
added cushion where the stock braces against the shooter's
shoulder. The lower receiver 14 also includes a trigger,
disconnector, hammer, and fire selector (i.e., the fire control
group).
[0041] The rifle 10 also includes a sighting mechanism, of which
numerous variations are commercially available. In the illustrated
embodiment, the sighting mechanism comprises an L-type flip rear
sight 40 and post-type front sight 42. The front sight 42 is
adjustable for elevation, and the rear sight 40 can be adjusted for
wind.
[0042] Referring now to FIGS. 2-9, wherein like numerals indicate
like elements in FIG. 1, shown is a rifle 100 having a foregrip 144
in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. In the
illustrated embodiment, the foregrip 144 is configured for assembly
on the bottom side of the rifle barrel 118, but the invention is
not so limiting and may include other orientations, as will be
described in detail below. The foregrip 144 includes a forward
portion 146 facing the open end 124 of the barrel 118, an opposing
rear portion 148 facing the receiver 112, 114, and a curvilinear
contact portion 150 extending from the forward portion 146 to the
rear portion 148. By curvilinear, what is meant is that the surface
is smooth and unbroken. The curvilinear contact portion 150
includes a convex portion 152 positioned towards the rear portion
148 of the foregrip 144, and a concave portion 154 positioned
towards the forward portion 146 of the foregrip. The lateral sides
of the foregrip 144, that is, right side 156 and left side 158, may
also comprise a curvilinear surface. FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 illustrate
one such example. The curvilinear contact portion 150 extends from
the sides 156, 158 to a flat on the bottom surface 160. As shown in
FIG. 6, depending upon the desired ergonomic fit, the flat 160
(shaded portion) may extend laterally (i.e., side-to-side), may
vary in width along the barrel axis 120, and may extend from the
forward portion 146 to the rear portion 148.
[0043] For a right-handed shooter the convex portion 152 of the
curvilinear contact portion 150 is adapted to lie comfortably in
the fleshy center or "meat" of the shooter's palm, with the thumb
gripping the left side 158 of the foregrip 144, and the index,
middle, ring, and little fingers wrapping around the bottom 160 and
right side 156 of the foregrip 144, such that the middle portions
of each finger wrap around the curvilinear contact portion 150 to
the convex portion 152. By conforming to the shape of the shooter's
palm, the foregrip 144 advantageously increases or even maximizes
the hand's contact surface area with the firearm, thereby
increasing comfort, reducing strain, and increasing firing
accuracy.
[0044] The foregrip 144 can include a locking feature 162
configured to maintain the foregrip in a selected position relative
to the attachment rail 126. An upper portion 164 of the foregrip
can include a dovetail-shaped slot 166 along the barrel axis 120
for registration with the attachment rail 126. The foregrip 144 can
slide axially along the attachment rail 126 on the underside of the
barrel 118, then be secured at any location that is comfortable for
the shooter. The locking feature 162 can include one or more
fasteners 168, such as button-head socket cap screws, sized and
configured to extend between lateral sides 156, 158 of the foregrip
144, with the shaft 170 of the cap screw being sized to be received
between the slots 128 of the attachment rail 126. A locknut 172
tightened onto the cap screw 168 can both clamp the foregrip 144 to
the attachment rail 126, and further to prevent movement of the
foregrip along the length of the rail. Both the cap screw 168 and
the locknut 172 may be black oxide coated to prevent corrosion and
reduce glare.
[0045] The illustrated foregrip 144 comprises two pieces that nest
over the attachment rail 126 so the foregrip does not need to be
slipped on from the open end 124 of the barrel 118. A first piece
174 engages a lateral side and a bottom surface of the attachment
rail 126, and a second, smaller piece 176 engages the opposing
lateral side of the rail. In one embodiment, the mating surfaces
178 of the first and second pieces 174, 176 can be formed at
complimentary angles to assure the surfaces are drawn towards each
other as the locknut 172 is tightened. In one example, the angle
can be 45 degrees.
[0046] The foregrip 144 can be formed from an injected molded
thermal plastic such as hard urethane, Nylon or other polymeric
materials. In one embodiment, the locknut 172 can be captured and
held in the recessed cavity 179 formed in the left side 158 of the
foregrip 144, in order to prevent the locknut from dropping out
when the cap screw 168 is removed. In one example, a small nub can
be formed into the cavity 179 during the molding process. While the
mold is still warm and the nub is pliable, the locknut 172 can be
pressed into the cavity 179, forming an interference fit with the
nub. When the mold cools and hardens, the nut will be
encapsulated.
[0047] In an alternate but not limiting method of manufacture, the
foregrip 144 may be formed from a polymeric material using additive
manufacturing techniques.
[0048] In one example, the foregrip 144 has an axial length (L) of
approximately 4.25 inches, and a width (W) of approximately 1.5
inches. The curvilinear contact portion 150 can have a major height
(H) of approximately 1.25 inches at the convex portion 152, with
the convex surface having a radius of 3 inches. Further, the
curvilinear contact portion 150 can have a minor height (h) of
approximately 0.5 inches at the concave portion 154, with the
concave surface having a radius of 4 inches. The lateral sides of
the foregrip 144, that is, right side 156 and left side 158, may
also comprise a curvilinear surface, having a radius of 0.625
inches.
[0049] FIG. 2 depicts a top perspective view of a first embodiment
of a two-piece firearm foregrip 144. The shaded region illustrates
a flat rear surface 148, as viewed from the left-side shooter's
perspective looking down the barrel. The surface below the shaded
region, extending towards the bottom, and the side surfaces 156,
158 are curvilinear. The foregrip 144 is shown with the fasteners
168 pre-assembled, as may be configured in retail packaging. The
mating surfaces 178 between the first and second pieces 174, 176
can be seen pulled together.
[0050] FIG. 3 depicts an exploded view of the foregrip shown in
FIG. 2, with the first piece 174 of the foregrip 144 being
separated from the second piece 176. This configuration is
representative of the foregrip 144 prior to being assembled onto
the attachment rail 126. The locknuts 172 have been removed, and
the cap screws 168 are shown partially removed from the first piece
174.
[0051] FIG. 4 depicts a top perspective view of the foregrip shown
in FIG. 2, as viewed from the right-side shooter's perspective
looking down the barrel. The shaded region illustrates the flat
rear surface 148.
[0052] FIG. 5 depicts a left-side view 158 of the foregrip 144
shown in FIG. 2, with the convex portion 152 oriented toward the
shooter. The shaded region illustrates a flat portion on the left
side 158 (and the right side 156, not shown). The flat portion is
primarily in the region of the locking feature 162. The upper
portion 164 (FIG. 7) of the foregrip is configured to attach to a
bottom Picatinny rail 126, as shown in FIG. 9. A mating line 180
depicts the plane in which the bottom of the second piece 176 mates
with the top of the first piece 174. In the side view, the mating
line 180 can be seen as a horizontal line. Also clearly illustrated
is the curvilinear contact portion 150 of the foregrip 144, having
a smooth, unbroken curvature extending from the forward portion 146
to the rear portion 148.
[0053] FIG. 6 depicts a bottom view 160 of the foregrip 144 shown
in FIG. 2. The shaded region illustrates an optional flat surface
on the bottom, which may provide a surer grip in the palm of the
hand. The locking feature 162 is shown in partially exploded view
for clarity.
[0054] FIG. 7 and FIG. 8 depict a rear view 148 and a front view
146, respectively, of the foregrip 144. The shaded regions
illustrate the flat surfaces at either end. The upper portion 164
of the foregrip defines the dovetail-shaped slot 166 for
registration with the Picatinny rail 126. Also clearly shown are
the mating surfaces 178 and mating line 180 between the first piece
174 and second piece 176. The locking feature 162 is shown in
partially exploded view for clarity.
[0055] FIG. 9 depicts a side view of a rifle 100 with attached
foregrip 144 in accordance with the first embodiment of the
invention. In one example, the rifle 100 can be the AR-15 with quad
rail 26 shown in FIG. 1. The foregrip 144 is secured to the bottom
attachment rail 126 of the rifle 100. The convex portion 152 of the
foregrip is positioned at the rear portion 148 of the foregrip 144,
and the concave portion 154 is positioned at the forward portion
146 of the foregrip.
[0056] One advantage of the disclosed foregrip 144 is that, due to
its smooth, curvilinear contact portion 150, it can be reoriented
if the user so desires to customize the fit or grip in the
shooter's palm. As noted above, the foregrip 144 can be positioned
forward or aft along the attachment rail 126 to provide the best
personalized fit for the shooter. For example, a shooter with a
smaller-sized palm may desire the foregrip 144 positioned more
rearward, so their palm substantially contacts that portion of the
curvilinear contact surface 150 between the major height (H) and
minor height (h), or even just the minor height (h) (FIG. 5).
[0057] Other reoriented configurations are possible within the
scope of the invention. Referring to FIG. 10, wherein like numerals
indicate like elements in FIGS. 2-9, shown is a side plan view of a
foregrip 244 mounted on a rifle 200 in accordance with a second
embodiment of the present invention. Here, the orientation is
reversed relative to the first embodiment. As such, the curvilinear
contact portion 250 of the foregrip 244 still extends from the
forward portion 246 to the rear portion 248, but in this embodiment
the concave portion 254 is positioned towards the rear portion 248
of the foregrip 244, and the convex portion 252 is positioned
towards the forward portion 246 of the foregrip 244. Shooters with
large hands may prefer this orientation, such that their fingers
wrap around substantially the convex portion 252 of the foregrip
244. Alternatively, shooters with smaller-sized hands may prefer to
wrap their fingers around substantially the concave portion 254 of
the foregrip 244.
[0058] Turning now to FIG. 11, wherein like numerals indicate like
elements in FIGS. 2-9, shown is a side plan view of a foregrip 344
mounted on a rifle 300 in accordance with a third embodiment of the
present invention. Here, the foregrip 344 is mounted to the left
side attachment rail 326, that is, to the rail secured to the side
of the firearm barrel 318, not underneath the barrel as previously
disclosed. Thus, the view depicted in FIG. 11 is looking at the
bottom 360 surface of the foregrip 344. In the illustrated
embodiment, the convex portion 352 of the curvilinear contact
surface 350 is positioned towards the forward portion 346 of the
foregrip 344, and the concave portion 354 is positioned towards the
rear portion 348 of the foregrip. This configuration may be
preferable for shooters who grip the barrel 318 in a "C-clamp,"
positioning their thumb on top of the barrel 318, at approximately
the 11 o'clock position (for a right-handed shooter). Of course,
some shooters may prefer to reverse the orientation, and such
configuration is contemplated within the scope of the
invention.
[0059] Turning now to FIGS. 12-16, shown is a firearm foregrip 444
in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the present invention.
The foregrip 444 comprises a one-piece construction, which may be
beneficial for reducing manufacturing costs. The foregrip 444 can
be formed from an injected molded thermal plastic such as hard
urethane, Nylon or other polymeric materials. Alternatively, but
not limiting, the foregrip 444 may be formed from a polymeric
material using additive manufacturing techniques.
[0060] The foregrip 444 includes a forward portion 446 configured
to face toward the open end 424 of the barrel 418, and an opposing
rear portion 448 facing the upper receiver 412 of the rifle 400.
The foregrip 444 further includes curvilinear contact portion 450
extending from the forward portion 446 to the rear portion 448. By
curvilinear, what is meant is that the surface is smooth and
unbroken. The curvilinear contact portion 450 includes a convex
portion 452 positioned towards the rear portion 448 of the foregrip
444, and a concave portion 454 positioned towards the forward
portion 446 of the foregrip. The lateral sides of the foregrip 444,
that is, right side 456 and left side 458, may also comprise a
curvilinear surface.
[0061] The foregrip 444 can include a locking feature 462 (not
illustrated) configured to maintain the foregrip in a selected
position relative to the attachment rail 426. An upper portion 464
of the foregrip can include a dovetail-shaped slot 466 along the
barrel axis 420 for registration with the attachment rail 426. The
foregrip 444 can slide axially along the attachment rail 426 on the
underside of the barrel 418, or any other side of the barrel 418
having an attachment rail 426, then be secured at any axial
location that is comfortable for the shooter. The locking feature
462 can include one or more fasteners 468, such as button-head
socket cap screws, sized and configured to extend between lateral
sides 456, 458 of the foregrip 444, with the shaft 470 of the cap
screw being sized to be received between the slots 428 of the
attachment rail 426. A locknut 472 tightened onto the cap screw 468
can both clamp the foregrip 444 to the attachment rail 426, and
further to prevent movement of the foregrip along the length of the
rail.
[0062] Dimensionally, the foregrip 444 can be sized substantially
the same as the foregrip disclosed with reference to FIG. 2.
[0063] FIG. 13 depicts a left-side view 458 of the foregrip 444
shown in FIG. 12, with the convex portion 452 oriented toward the
shooter. The shaded region illustrates a flat portion on the left
side 458 (and the right side 456, not shown). The flat portion is
primarily in the region of the locking feature 462. The upper
portion 464 of the foregrip is configured to attach to a bottom
Picatinny rail 426, as shown in FIG. 9. Clearly illustrated is the
curvilinear contact portion 450 of the foregrip 444, having a
smooth, unbroken curvature extending from the forward portion 446
to the rear portion 448.
[0064] FIG. 14 depicts a bottom view 460 of the foregrip 444 shown
in FIG. 12. The shaded region illustrates an optional flat surface
on the bottom, which may provide a surer grip in the palm of the
hand. FIG. 15 and FIG. 16 depict a rear view 448 and a front view
446, respectively, of the one-piece foregrip 444. The shaded
regions illustrate the flat surfaces at either end. The upper
portion 464 of the foregrip defines the dovetail-shaped slot 466
for registration with the Picatinny rail 426.
[0065] FIGS. 17-19 depict a firearm foregrip 544 in accordance with
a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In the illustrated
embodiment, the foregrip 544 is a two-piece configuration, but can
also comprise a one-piece construction. Referring to FIG. 18, a
foregrip 544 may include a plurality of raised ribs 590 to provide
better grip. In one example, the ribs 590 extend transversely
across the curvilinear contact portion 550, are equally spaced and
semi-circular in cross-section, having a radius of approximately
0.030 inches. The lower portion of the foregrip 544 may define a
through-cavity 592 oriented transverse to the barrel axis to reduce
weight and simplify molding operations. In the illustrated
embodiment, the through-cavity 592 extends axially approximately
the distance of the spacing between the fasteners 568. The bottom
surface of the through-cavity 592 may follow the contour of the
curvilinear contact portion 550, and the upper surface may be
flat.
[0066] FIG. 19 shows the rifle 500 having a specialized device
secured on the attachment rail 526, namely, an Advanced Target
Pointer/Illuminator Aiming Laser (ATPIAL) 582. The ATPIAL 582 can
include an infrared laser pointer, a (red) visible laser pointer,
and an infrared laser illuminator. The infrared laser pointer and
the visible laser pointer emit a narrow beam to assist in aiming
the rifle 500, and the infrared laser illuminator emits a wide beam
to illuminate a target. The infrared laser pointer and infrared
laser illuminator are used with night vision goggles. Typically, an
ATPIAL 582 includes a button on top of the device to activate the
lasers. However, many shooters prefer an optional pressure switch
584 that plugs into the rear of the device via cord 586. Pressing
the pressure switch 584 accomplishes the same function as pressing
the button. The pressure switch 584 may be placed in any location
comfortable for the shooter, such that the lasers may be activated
without removing the off-hand from the foregrip 544.
[0067] The cord 586 connecting the pressure switch 584 to the
ATPIAL 582 is typically one to two feet in length, which can result
in a length of excess cord. The excess cord is typically wrapped
around the attachment rail 526 to keep it out of the way. However,
this method presents a problem with a rifle having the disclosed
foregrip 544: the cord 586 would wrap over the grip, which could
interfere with the off-hand grasp of the foregrip 544.
[0068] To alleviate this problem, returning to FIGS. 17-19, the
foregrip 544 may define one or more through-passageways 588
extending from the right side 556 of the foregrip 544 to the left
side 558. In the illustrated embodiment, the through-passageways
588 comprise slots formed into the upper portion 564 of the
foregrip 544, running transverse, or at a right angle to, the axis
520 of the barrel 518. However, in other examples, the
through-passageways 588 can be at some other angle relative to the
axis 520. The through-passageways 588 may be configured for passage
of the pressure switch cord 586. In one example, the
through-passageway 588 may comprise three slots (A, B, C)
approximately 0.20 inches wide and 0.40 inches deep.
[0069] As shown in FIG. 19, where the dashed lines indicate the
cord 586 is positioned on the opposite side of the rifle 500, the
cord plugs into the rear of the ATPIAL 582, passes down the
opposite side of the attachment rail 526 and through slot 588A,
then forward and through slot 588B, around the back side of the
foregrip 544, and through slot 588C. The pressure switch 584 can be
secured to the attachment rail 526 at the desired location using
hook and loop fasteners, for example. In this manner, the shooter
can activate the laser sights with finger pressure while not having
to remove their off-hand from the foregrip 544.
[0070] One of the improvements of the disclosed foregrip is that
the curvilinear contact surface is responsive to the noted problem
of a shooter having to change grip when advancing between standing,
crouching, and prone shooting positions. The concave portion lies
comfortably in the shooter's palm, and remains so when changing
shooting position. Even though the off-hand wrist rotates, the
curvilinear contact surface remains nested in the palm, which
provides greater contact surface area with the firearm than
conventional attachments or hand guards.
[0071] Embodiments of the present invention can be adapted to most
any firearm with an attachment rail, notably the M4 carbine, M16,
AR-10, and like semi-automatic rifles. Furthermore, other
embodiments the foregrip may be adapted to firearms without an
attachment rail, such as a shotgun and standard rifle. In one
example, the foregrip can be integral with the barrel, or integral
with a molded forearm portion of a rifle.
[0072] While the present invention has been described with
reference to a number of specific embodiments, it will be
understood that the true spirit and scope of the invention should
be determined only with respect to claims that can be supported by
the present specification. Further, while in numerous cases herein
wherein systems and apparatuses and methods are described as having
a certain number of elements it will be understood that such
systems, apparatuses and methods can be practiced with fewer than
the mentioned certain number of elements. Also, while a number of
particular embodiments have been described, it will be understood
that features and aspects that have been described with reference
to each particular embodiment can be used with each remaining
particularly described embodiment.
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