Patents Examined by Michael J. Carone
  • Patent number: 8578646
    Abstract: Improved “moving red dot” sighting device, including a fixed light source (4) and a reflecting element (17), wherein the light source (4) produces a collimated light beam (5) which is projected onto the reflecting element (17) so as to obtain a red dot or reticle which is visible to the shooter thanks to the reflection on the reflecting element (17), and whereby the beam (5) is projected onto the reflecting element (17) by means of a rotating mirror (9) whose inclination angle (B) in relation to the light beam (5) can be adjusted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2009
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2013
    Assignee: FN Herstal, S.A.
    Inventor: René Joannes
  • Patent number: 8408490
    Abstract: An oblique wing aircraft (1) designed for reduced surface area to volume ratio. The aircraft has an oblique wing comprising a forward swept wing segment (27) on one side of the wing and an aft swept wing segment (29) on the opposite side of the wing. A center oblique airfoil section (25) connects the forward and aft swept wing segments. The center oblique airfoil section has a larger chord near its centerline than the chords of either of the forward or aft swept wing segments. The chord of the center oblique airfoil section tapers down more rapidly than the forward or aft wing segments as the center oblique airfoil section extends outboard toward the forward and aft swept wings. The center oblique airfoil section is not shaped solely to function as a circular fairing to fill the gap between an oblique wing and a fuselage at different oblique wing angles, nor is it a second wing in an X wing configuration. Preferably, the aircraft is an all-wing aircraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2013
    Assignee: Advanced Product Development, LLC
    Inventor: William R McDonnell
  • Patent number: 8141468
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an apparatus comprises a structural body, one or more attachment couplers, and an adjustable store coupler. The structural body comprises a cylindrical portion and one or more end portions coupled to the cylindrical portion. The attachment couplers are configured to be coupled to a bomb rack of an aircraft. The adjustable store coupler has attachment points arranged in a substantially linear manner. The attachment points are configured to couple one or more store systems to the adjustable store coupler.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 17, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2012
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey W. Van Liew, Robert A. Bailey
  • Patent number: 8127656
    Abstract: A pneumatic launch system includes a manifold that stores pressurized gas and releases the pressurized gas on command to sequentially open the store retention hooks and eject the store. The manifold includes an eject valve whose main chamber is part of the high pressure gas storage. A hook release valve is controlled by the eject valve for sequential operation of hook opening and store ejection. A manually selectable pitch valve provides pitch setting to proportion the gas delivered to the ejector cylinders. The manifold minimizes flow path restrictions and provides a fast actuation response with minimum variability to unlock the hooks and quickly eject the store.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Exelis, Inc.
    Inventors: Lifang Yuan, Nicolas Desimini
  • Patent number: 7877921
    Abstract: A weapon sight has an optical system that causes first radiation to propagate along a path of travel within the sight, and has a reticle generating portion that causes second radiation representing a reticle to propagate along the path of travel with the first radiation. The reticle generating portion includes a reticle illuminating portion that illuminates the reticle. The reticle illuminating portion includes a first light source having thereon a surface, light from the first light source passing through the surface and then illuminating the reticle. The reticle illuminating portion also includes a second light source spaced from the first light source, light from the second light source traveling toward the surface, being reflected and then illuminating the reticle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2011
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: William Conrad Stenton
  • Patent number: 7861701
    Abstract: An improved shooting device for air guns and paintball guns comprises a gun barrel sheathed into a sliding base of a breech of a gun, a tension spring installed at the front end, a bullet supplying device installed at the rear end, an opener connected to the rear of the bullet supplying device, and a bullet supplying hole formed at the bottom of the bullet supplying device and interconnected with the bullet feeding hole of a handle type magazine. The gun barrel includes an elastic turning base pivotally connected thereon, a pushing groove formed at the rear edge of the turning base, a sliding surface formed at the bottom of the turning base, and the pushing groove and a pushing protrusion disposed at the top of a trigger are engaged, so that when the trigger is pulled, the pushing protrusion at the top of the trigger pushes the pushing groove of the turning base, such that the turning base drives the gun barrel to compress the tension spring and produce a forward displacement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Inventor: Wilson Wei
  • Patent number: 7645970
    Abstract: A flight control system is provided with one or more modal sensors that are each configured to measure the rate and possibly acceleration for a flexible body mode of the flight vehicle. The modal sensor's rate and suitably acceleration are subtracted from the rate and acceleration measured by the IMU such that the values provided to the flight controller more closely represent only the rate and acceleration of the flight vehicle's rigid airframe component. A piezoelectric modal sensor is capable of sensing a particular flexible body mode over variations in the modal frequency without inducing additional phase loss in the control loop in order to maintain suitable phase and gain margins. Sensors are suitably provided for at least and possibly only the 1st lateral bending modes in the pitch and yaw channels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 15, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventors: Robert Adams, William Schwind
  • Patent number: 7578238
    Abstract: A projectile may be used in a boat tail or base bleed configuration. The projectile includes a warhead casing having a nose end and a base end; a payload disposed in the warhead casing; a motor body attached to the base end of the warhead casing and having an igniter disposed therein; a base closure attached to the motor body, an exterior surface of the base closure being tapered to form a boat tail, the base closure and the motor body defining an interior volume; a propellant disposed in the interior volume, the propellant being used for base bleed operation; and a converter attached to the base closure and extending into the interior volume.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 25, 2009
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Shahram Dabiri
  • Patent number: 7506470
    Abstract: A hands-free gun support has an adjustable telescoping barrel stand that supports the front end of a gun in a cradle. The gun butt is attached to a gun butt harness, which is removably attached to a shoulder harness worn by the hunter. The gun is aimed at the firing position and both the telescoping barrel stand and the butt harness support are adjusted so that the gun is completely supported in the firing position and the user's hands are free. The barrel stand height, as well as the horizontal and vertical orientation of the gun mounting cradle can be adjusted and locked. Adjustment of the gun butt harness is accomplished by a standard adjustable clip and a push-button clip in the shoulder harness. The gun support is especially suited for hunting turkey hunting or other game animals that are extremely sensitive to the slightest movement of the gun or the person holding the gun. Hunters engaged in such pursuits must spend long hours holding the gun steady without motion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 24, 2009
    Inventor: Michael E. Pereksta
  • Patent number: 7500422
    Abstract: A modular construction system that can be used to construct a variety of structural units including armor shields for vehicles or personnel, energy generating grids, thermal insulating or transmitting structures, acoustic insulating or reflecting structures, electromagnetic shields, etc. The modular construction system uses modular discs which are configured to be coupled or connected together to form or develop any desired structure. The modular discs include substantially circular base portions, star-shaped projections extending from the upper surface of the substantially circular base portion, and cooperating connecting structures that allow for the plurality of modular discs to be connected to one another.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2009
    Inventor: Robert Mazur
  • Patent number: 7493844
    Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated vehicle and personal ballistic protection system providing a combination of space utilization, portability and increased personal safety. Also disclosed are kits for up-fitting the shield to an existing installed partition, and a kit for the trunk. The embodiment s depicted and suggested include a vehicle partition integrated with a hand-carry, quickly deployable, self-supporting, ballistic shield including a handle, and shaped to cooperate with a vehicle security partition and is part of the partition when temporarily stowed. An additional optional design feature of the shield is a shape that cooperates with removable mounting hardware for stowing on the underside of the trunk lid, under the rear deck, or on the trunk floor. A benefit of unitary construction, is that governmental safety forces can issue the same shield for cruisers and unmarked detective vehicles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2009
    Inventor: Chad Brian Martin
  • Patent number: 7490430
    Abstract: A device includes structure that can support the device on a weapon. One version of the device includes a first sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire a first munition, and a second sight that facilitates weapon orientation in preparation to fire a second munition different from the first munition. A different version includes first and second sights that each facilitate weapon orientation, and an electronic control portion that is operatively coupled to and simultaneously exerts control with respect to each of the first and second sights, the first and second sights each displaying targeting information generated electronically by the electronic control portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2009
    Assignee: Raytheon Company
    Inventor: John R. Staley, III
  • Patent number: 7458321
    Abstract: A non-lethal anti-personnel land mine comprising a sealed container having a first chemical reactant contained therein, and a second container having a second chemical reactant contained therein, the container being positioned within the mine to assure that a stepping action on the mine will result in the opening of the container and the release of the contents thereof into contact with the second chemical reactant, whereby the contact results in a fast chemical reaction non-lethal to the person stepping on the mine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 6, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2008
    Assignee: Israel Atomic Energy Commission
    Inventors: Aharon Bornstein, Uri Bach, Noam Shafir
  • Patent number: 7451565
    Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for determining a proper firearm fit for a user. In an embodiment, a firearm alignment device is disclosed. The firearm alignment device comprises a reflective surface and an opening. In addition, the firearm alignment device includes a band. The band may be horizontally disposed on the reflective surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 14, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Inventor: Stephen R. Musser
  • Patent number: 7451681
    Abstract: Paintball or non-lethal gun or marker apparatuses are disclosed to prevent projectiles from being inadvertently discharged from a paintball or other non-lethal gun or markers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Avalon Advanced Products, Inc.
    Inventors: Stephen Ho, Kheng Phang
  • Patent number: 7451755
    Abstract: A paintball marker has an inline cylinder that includes a gas governor that reduces gas flow from a compressed gas source to a valve area when the bolt is in a firing position; this increases efficiency in the marker because only the required air is used to fire the paintball. This bolt operates independent of the valve pin, which increases cycle speed and enables the governor to open and close at an optimum time in the firing cycle. Further, when the bolt/piston is recocking, the gap between the valve pin and governor valve pin enables low pressure gas driving the piston to start pressurizing the cylinder and driving the piston rearwards without resistance from the high pressure gas. The marker also allows a user to remove the inline cylinder without the use of tools, and gives the user a convenient carrying handle for holding the paintball marker, which is commonly called a “snatch grip.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: KEE Action Sports
    Inventors: Jerrold M. Dobbins, Gerald Dobbins
  • Patent number: 7444942
    Abstract: The present invention is a saboted projectile with external ridges and/or an internal locking edge for muzzleloading firearms. Also, the present invention is a sabot with the ridges and/or locking edge for receiving a muzzleloading projectile. The sabot has a forward part and a rearward part. The forward part has a plurality of axial panel sections separated by narrow, axial slots. The panels have radial ridges on their outside, or external surfaces. Also, the panels have a radial ridge on their inside, or internal surfaces. The external radial ridges assist in convenient loading of the muzzleloading projectile, while still providing enough contact with the inside of rifle barrel to capture exploding gases and prevent blow-by. The internal radial ridge assists in securing the sabot to the bullet, especially when the bullet has been provided with a cooperating radial indent, cannelure or retaining ring.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2005
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Accura Bullets, LLC
    Inventor: Daniel W. Hall
  • Patent number: 7444775
    Abstract: A system that converts an original equipment (OEM) AR-15 rifle to a rifle capable of firing cartridges of at least two different calibers. Two or more barrel liners are provided for cartridges of differing calibers. Each liner is insertable through a rear opening of an upper receiver portion of the rifle and into a smooth bore barrel of a modified barrel assembly. Each liner comprises a tube portion having a longitudinal bore and a head portion with an opening that communicates with said bore. An adapter bolt carrier assembly is substituted for the OEM AR-15 bolt carrier assembly. The substituted assembly includes a bolt that carries the firing pin and is slidably mounted on a rail guide. A front end of the rail guide has a tongue extension with a slot that receives a pin attached to a rear end of a liner head. A support rail is fixed to a rear end of the rail guide. A spring extends from the support rail to the bolt, thereby pressing the bolt against the liner head.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Inventor: Robert C. E. Schuetz
  • Patent number: 7441504
    Abstract: A base for a cartridge casing body for an ammunition article, the base having a ignition device; an attachment device at one end thereof, the attachment device being adapted to attach the base to a cartridge casing body; wherein the base is made from plastic, ceramic, or a composite material.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Development Capital Management Company
    Inventors: Nabil Husseini, David E. Byron
  • Patent number: 7441362
    Abstract: Firearms include a specially designed trigger capable of verifying a user's identity so that only an authorized user can discharge the firearm. In some embodiments, a user is identified by matching a signal representing force applied to the trigger as a function of time with a preprogrammed activation sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 25, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2008
    Assignee: Metadigm LLC
    Inventor: Victor B. Kley