SNAP-ON CLAMP SYSTEM
A snap-on clamp adapted to be removably connected to a part, the clamp including a U-shaped housing encompassing a space, the housing including a peak at a first end, a pair of side walls, each side wall extending from the peak and terminating at an edge, the pair of side walls cooperatively form two edges which define a mouth disposed at a second end opposingly disposed from the first end, the pair of side walls configured to be resiliently securable to the part. The two edges includes engaging surfaces urged towards one another and are configured to be removably coupled to the part when the clamp is urged with the mouth towards the part; and further including at least one protrusion disposed on at least one of the engaging surfaces, the at least one protrusion is configured to be lodged in a slot of the part.
This Continuation-In-Part application claims the benefit of priority from application U.S. Ser. No. 15/657,570 filed on Jul. 24, 2017 which in turn is a Continuation-In-Part application of application U.S. Ser. No. 15/378,417 filed on Dec. 14, 2016. Each of said applications is incorporated by reference in its entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. The Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to a clamp for securing an equipment to a surface. More specifically, the present invention is directed to a camp for securing a scope, beam emitter, and the like to a projectile device and a tool to a wall, and the like.
2. Background ArtNumerous locking mechanisms have been made available to adaptors for securing various equipment to projectile devices, e.g., rifles, shotguns, pistols, etc. Many adaptors have been designed to require several additional interfacing hardware on projectile devices and equipment to be mounted to the projectile device to allow the adaptors to function as connectors connecting the equipment to the projectile devices. In addition to adding weight and part count to the projectile device, such configurations add additional costs, effort and time in attaching equipment and snagging potential to projectile devices. The interfaces or adaptors are also highly customized, often rendering one type of interface not useful for another make or model. This requires numerous models to be stocked by providers and users to enable mounting of various equipment on projectile devices. Further, no solitary snap-on clamps are available to be secured to objects with tapering cylindrical shapes to form secure connections of the clamps to the objects.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,336,247 to Haering (hereinafter Haering) discloses a clamping system for mounting accessory devices onto a rail type mount such as a Picatinny rail that is characterized in that the clamping system includes at least one body which is passed through by a cross bolt or a cross screw and wherein the cross bolt or cross screw have a stop bar which engages in a cross slot when mounted to the rail of the rail type mount. In contrast to the present adaptor, Haering's clamping system requires many parts and that its clamp be first meticulously aligned with a Picatinny rail before it can be secured to the rail using, among other parts, a locking lever, a safety catch, a cross bolt, a cross screw and an adjustment screw.
U.S. Pat. Pub. No. 2003/0106252 of Hines (hereinafter Hines) teaches a “low profile” structure incapable of being an adaptor capable of supporting, among other devices, scopes, telescopes or cylindrically-shaped equipment. Hines teaches a low profile cover in numerous spots in its specification and drawings, e.g., paras. [0006], [0018] and the Abstract section and
U.S. Pat. No. 4,242,447 to Quakenbush (hereinafter Quakenbush) fails to teach a clip suitable to be removably connected to a Picatinny rail or a Weaver rail. Its bifurcated clips (14 and 16 of Quakenbush) are only suitable for attachment to a cylindrically shaped object, e.g., a barrel (20 of Quakenbush). In contrast, a present adaptor or clamp is suitable to be removably attached to a cylindrically shaped object, a Picatinny rail or a Weaver rail. Further, Quakenbush lacks a housing capable of motion relative to an engaging surface. In Quakenbush, the bifurcated clips are not enclosed in a housing or handhold which allows relative yielding of the inner engaging surfaces with respect to the housing, making it easier for the adaptor to be seated on or removed from a part. There arises a need for a light-weight universally suitable clamp for securing an equipment to a projectile device that can be mounted or removed without requiring tools or at least a clamp for securing an equipment to a projectile device that can be mounted or removed with minimal amount of tools, effort and time. The ease with which a tool can be used is especially critical with field applications, e.g., in combat situations where tools may not be readily accessible or the users may not have the time and safe locations to perform installation or removal.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONIn accordance with the present invention, there is provided a snap-on clamp system including:
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- (a) a mixed-slot rail having a longitudinal axis, the mixed-slot rail including at least one keyed slot having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis and at least one slot having a rectangular cross-sectional shape in a direction transverse to the longitudinal axis, the trapezoidal cross-sectional shape is disposed in a manner such that its larger base is disposed on the bottom of the at least one keyed slot having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape to prevent dislodgement of a similarly shaped pin disposed within the at least one keyed slot having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape;
- (b) a snap-on clamp adapted to be removably connected to the mixed-slot rail, the snap-on clamp including a U-shaped housing encompassing a space, the housing including a length, a height, a longitudinal axis disposed along the length, a peak at a first end along the height of the housing, a pair of resilient side walls, each resilient side wall extending from the peak and terminating at an edge, the pair of resilient side walls cooperatively form two edges which define a mouth disposed at a second end that is opposingly disposed from the first end along the height of the housing, the two edges include engaging surfaces urged towards one another, each of the engaging surfaces includes a profile shaped according to the longitudinal cross-sectional profile of a rail style selected from the group consisting of Picatinny and Weaver and when the mouth is urged towards the mixed-slot rail, the mouth opens before closing to hug the mixed-slot rail to secure the mixed-slot rail within the engaging surfaces.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes a protrusion disposed on at least one of the engaging surfaces, the protrusion is configured to be lodged in a slot of the mixed-slot rail. The protrusion includes a semi-spherical-shaped structure.
In one embodiment, each resilient side wall further includes an embedded leaf spring extending into the space, the embedded leaf spring having a resilient engaging surface with respect to the housing, the embedded leaf springs of the pair of resilient side walls cooperatively engage the mixed-slot rail to which the clamp is coupled.
In one embodiment, each of the resilient side walls includes more than one segment.
In one embodiment, the mixed-slot rail includes at least one threaded aperture.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes a laser beam emitter.
In one embodiment, the laser beam emitter further includes a ball and socket mechanism configured to be removably coupled to the U-shaped housing, a beam emitting device attached to the ball and socket mechanism, wherein the direction of a beam from the beam emitting device is adjustable.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes a visual indicator.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes a ferromagnetic material configured to be coupled to a complementary ferromagnetic material of the mixed-slot rail to further removably secure the clamp to the mixed-slot rail.
In one embodiment, each of the resilient side walls further includes at least one keyed slot adapted to receive a key that is disposed through a keyed slot in the mixed-slot rail to prevent the housing from moving in the longitudinal direction.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes a first extension disposed on a first end along the length of the housing, wherein the first extension is adapted as a grasp point to facilitate removal of the clamp from the mixed-slot rail.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes a second extension disposed on a second end along the length of the housing, wherein the second extension is adapted as a contact point of the clamp with respect to the mixed-slot rail in order to facilitate removal of the clamp from the mixed-slot rail.
In accordance with the present invention, there is further provided a snap-on clamp system including a snap-on clamp adapted for securing a first part to a second part, the snap-on clamp including a U-shaped resilient housing including a mouth defined by two edges at a first end of the resilient housing, a second end disposed at an opposing end from the first end of the resilient housing, an inner resilient engaging surface extending from each of the two edges within the resilient housing towards the second end within a space defined by an opening of the resilient housing, each of the resilient engaging surfaces is configured to yield with respect to the resilient housing and each of the resilient engaging surfaces includes brackets adapted to engage only the sides of the longitudinal cross-sectional profile of a rail having a style selected from the group consisting of Picatinny and Weaver and when the mouth is urged towards the second part, the mouth opens before closing to hug the second part to secure the second part within the brackets of the resilient engaging surfaces and the first part is attached to the resilient housing.
In one embodiment, the first part is a laser beam emitter. In one embodiment, the beam emitter further includes a ball and socket mechanism configured to be removably coupled to the resilient housing, a beam emitting device attached to the ball and socket mechanism, wherein the direction of a beam from the beam emitting device is adjustable.
In one embodiment, the pair of engaging surfaces includes curved surfaces. In one embodiment, the curved surfaces include a diameter of from about 25 mm to about 30 mm.
In one embodiment, the mouth is tapered to facilitate engagement of the mouth and the second part.
In one embodiment, the snap-on clamp system further includes an indicating device including a visual indicator and a projection plane upon which the visual indicator is projected.
An object of the present invention is to provide a snap-on clamp for securing an equipment to a projectile device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a snap-on clamp for securing a second equipment to a first equipment of a projectile device.
An object of the present invention is to provide a snap-on clamp for securing an equipment to a projectile device where the clamp can be removed or deployed by hand and without a tool.
An object of the present invention is to provide a snap-on clamp for securing an equipment to a projectile device where the clamp can be removably attached to or removed from a cylindrical-shaped equipment or Picatinny or Weaver rail or a mixed-slot rail by hand and without a tool.
An object of the present invention is to provide a snap-on clamp that can be adapted to various equipment or rail.
Whereas there may be many embodiments of the present invention, each embodiment may meet one or more of the foregoing recited objects in any combination. It is not intended that each embodiment will necessarily meet each objective. Thus, having broadly outlined the more important features of the present invention in order that the detailed description thereof may be better understood, and that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated, there are, of course, additional features of the present invention that will be described herein and will form a part of the subject matter of this specification.
In order that the manner in which the above-recited and other advantages and objects of the invention are obtained, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:
2—adaptor
4—scope, telescope or cylindrically-shaped equipment
6—Picatinny or Weaver rail
8—housing
10—edge
12—inner engaging surface
14—threaded aperture
16—aperture
18—profile configured for cylinder
20—profile configured for cylinder
22—profile configured for Picatinny or Weaver rail
24—beam emitter
26—ball and socket mechanism
28—central axis
30—angle of adjustment
32—forestock
34—bridge
36—mouth
38—clamp
40—screw
42—nut
44—gap
46—barrel of projectile device
48—prong
50—slide base
52—projection plane
54—visual indicator
56—slide
58—locking pin
60—slot with canted sides
62—slot with vertical sides
64—protrusion
66—structure with cylindrical outer shape and tapering longitudinal end
68—gap
70—structure with cylindrical outer shape
72—equipment
74—ferromagnetic material
76—resilient wall
78—peak
80—edge
82—longitudinal direction of rail
84—through aperture
86—side wall
88—object to which a clamp is attached
90—extension
92—extension
94—point of contact
96—side or side surface of Picatinny or Weaver rail
98—larger base of a pin with trapezoidal cross-sectional shape
100—smaller base of a pin with trapezoidal cross-sectional shape
PARTICULAR ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTIONIn one embodiment, a present adaptor can be secured to or removed from a scope, a cylindrical or semi-cylindrical-shaped part or a Picatinny or Weaver rail without tools or with minimal amount of tools. In one embodiment, the position of the adaptor along the rail is easily adjusted. When used with a projectile device and as a present adaptor is easy to be removed or mounted, this encourages a user to remove an equipment to which the adaptor is attached when the equipment is not in use, removing the potential harmful effects of recoil if shots are taken. Without unnecessary equipment, the weight of the projectile device is also reduced. In one embodiment, a present adaptor includes more than one pair of engaging surfaces where each pair is configured for removable attachment to a structure type and/or dimension, thereby reducing the need for a dedicated adaptor for each part to which the adaptor is attached. A present adaptor can be mounted quickly to a barrel as the adaptor is mounted with its exposed mouth pushed against the barrel. In contrast, a ring-like conventional adaptor is required to be dismantled as it is made up of two similar parts secured at two ends via fasteners before it can be mounted to a barrel as the barrel comes equipped with an iron sight which presents itself as a barrier to an attempt to simply slide the ring-like conventional adaptor along the barrel. In practices where an equipment is preferably removed from a projectile device that has been sighted in or otherwise properly aimed, the present snap-on clamp allows such practices to be carried out without any negative impacts. In one embodiment, the present snap-on clamp further includes extensions that facilitate both removal and seating of the clamp with respect to the object it is adapted to be attached to. In one or more embodiments shown herein, the present clamp is sufficiently sturdy to withstand the effects of recoil if it is left in place when a shot is taken.
In one embodiment, there is further provided a snap-on clamp having engaging surfaces including one or more protrusions adapted to secure the clamp on a part to prevent relative movement of the clamp with respect to the part in the longitudinal direction.
In one embodiment, there is further provided a snap-on clamp having multi-segmented side walls to allow the side walls to adapt to and be more securely attached to a tapered part.
In one embodiment, there is further provided a snap-on clamp having engaging surfaces which can be attached to a rail or a substantially cylindrically shaped part.
In one embodiment, there is further provided a snap-on clamp having an additional means of removable attachment that further secures an attachment already afforded by snap-on engaging surfaces.
In one embodiment, there is further provided a snap-on clamp having a grasp point which facilitates seating or removal a clamp on an object.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENTThe term “about” is used herein to mean approximately, roughly, around, or in the region of. When the term “about” is used in conjunction with a numerical range, it modifies that range by extending the boundaries above and below the numerical values set forth. In general, the term “about” is used herein to modify a numerical value above and below the stated value by a variance of 20 percent up or down (higher or lower). The terms “adaptor” and “clamp” are used interchangeably herein.
In one embodiment, the inner engaging surfaces 12 include a diameter of from about 25 mm to about 30 mm. Most common scopes having an outer diameter of 26 mm and 25.4 mm can be used with inner engaging surfaces 12 of a diameter of closer to 25 mm while scopes having a larger outside diameter of 30 mm can be properly secured with inner engaging surfaces of 30 mm in diameter.
In one embodiment, the housing and the pair of engaging surfaces of an adaptor is constructed from metal. Blanks may be stamped from a metal sheet followed by various steps which bend and impact the blanks to form the final shape of the adaptors. Adaptors may also be extruded or molded from a plastic or another resilient material which when formed, allow relative yielding of the inner engaging surfaces with respect to the housing.
Referring again to
In some cases, one or more clamps may be required to be attached to a tapered cylinder, i.e., the diameter of the cylinder decreases from one end to another. The application of a suitable clamp on the outer surface of such an object is especially important if the clamp is long compared to the taper angle of the cylinder. Applicant discovered that by segmenting a clamp, i.e., by providing a break in a long side wall, suitable clamping pressure can be obtained of such a clamp on a tapered cylinder 66.
Each of
A clamp may be extruded, molded or otherwise formed, e.g., by means of three-dimensional printing from a plastic or another resilient material. The resilience of a clamp allows relative yielding of its side walls that contain engaging surfaces with respect to the object to which the clamp is attached.
The detailed description refers to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific aspects and embodiments in which the present disclosed embodiments may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice aspects of the present invention. Other embodiments may be utilized, and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the disclosed embodiments. The various embodiments can be combined with one or more other embodiments to form new embodiments. The detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, with the full scope of equivalents to which they may be entitled. It will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that any arrangement that is calculated to achieve the same purpose may be substituted for the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of embodiments of the present invention. It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive, and that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation. Combinations of the above embodiments and other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon studying the above description. The scope of the present disclosed embodiments includes any other applications in which embodiments of the above structures and fabrication methods are used. The scope of the embodiments should be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
Claims
1. A snap-on clamp system comprising:
- (a) a mixed-slot rail having a longitudinal axis, said mixed-slot rail comprising at least one keyed slot having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis and at least one slot having a rectangular cross-sectional shape in a direction transverse to said longitudinal axis, said trapezoidal cross-sectional shape is disposed in a manner such that its larger base is disposed on the bottom of said at least one keyed slot having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape to prevent dislodgement of a similarly shaped pin disposed within said at least one keyed slot having a trapezoidal cross-sectional shape; and
- (b) a snap-on clamp adapted to be removably connected to said mixed-slot rail, said snap-on clamp comprising a U-shaped housing encompassing a space, said housing comprising a length, a height, a longitudinal axis disposed along the length, a peak at a first end along the height of said housing, a pair of resilient side walls, each resilient side wall extending from the peak and terminating at an edge, said pair of resilient side walls cooperatively form two edges which define a mouth disposed at a second end that is opposingly disposed from said first end along the height of said housing, said two edges comprise engaging surfaces urged towards one another, each of said engaging surfaces comprises a profile shaped according to the longitudinal cross-sectional profile of a rail style selected from the group consisting of Picatinny and Weaver and when said mouth is urged towards said mixed-slot rail, said mouth opens before closing to hug said mixed-slot rail to secure said mixed-slot rail within said engaging surfaces.
2. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, further comprising at least one protrusion disposed on at least one of said engaging surfaces, said at least one protrusion is configured to be lodged in a slot of said mixed-slot rail, each said at least one protrusion comprising a semi-spherical-shaped structure.
3. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, wherein each said resilient side wall further comprises at least one embedded leaf spring extending into said space, said at least one embedded leaf spring having a resilient engaging surface with respect to said housing, said embedded leaf springs of said pair of resilient side walls cooperatively engage said mixed-slot rail to which the clamp is coupled.
4. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, wherein each of said resilient side walls comprises more than one segment.
5. The snap-on clamp system of claim 4, wherein said mixed-slot rail comprises at least one threaded aperture.
6. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, further comprising a laser beam emitter.
7. The snap-on clamp system of claim 6, said laser beam emitter further comprises a ball and socket mechanism configured to be removably coupled to said U-shaped housing, a beam emitting device attached to said ball and socket mechanism, wherein the direction of a beam from said beam emitting device is adjustable.
8. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, further comprising a visual indicator.
9. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, further comprising at least one ferromagnetic material configured to be coupled to a complementary ferromagnetic material of said mixed-slot rail to further removably secure the clamp to said mixed-slot rail.
10. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, wherein each of said resilient side walls further comprises at least one keyed slot adapted to receive a key that is disposed through a keyed slot in said mixed-slot rail to prevent said housing from moving in the longitudinal direction.
11. The snap-on clamp system of claim 1, further comprising a first extension disposed on a first end along the length of said housing, wherein said first extension is adapted as a grasp point to facilitate removal of said clamp from said mixed-slot rail.
12. The snap-on clamp system of claim 11, further comprising a second extension disposed on a second end along the length of said housing, wherein said second extension is adapted as a contact point of said clamp with respect to said mixed-slot rail in order to facilitate removal of said clamp from said mixed-slot rail.
13. A snap-on clamp system comprising a snap-on clamp adapted for securing a first part to a second part, said snap-on clamp comprising a U-shaped resilient housing comprising a mouth defined by two edges at a first end of said resilient housing, a second end disposed at an opposing end from said first end of said resilient housing, an inner resilient engaging surface extending from each of said two edges within said resilient housing towards said second end within a space defined by an opening of said resilient housing, each of said resilient engaging surfaces is configured to yield with respect to said resilient housing and each of said resilient engaging surfaces comprises brackets adapted to engage only the sides of the longitudinal cross-sectional profile of a rail having a style selected from the group consisting of Picatinny and Weaver and when said mouth is urged towards the second part, said mouth opens before closing to hug the second part to secure the second part within said brackets of said resilient engaging surfaces and the first part is attached to said resilient housing.
14. The snap-on clamp system of claim 13, wherein the first part is a laser beam emitter.
15. The snap-on clamp system of claim 14, said beam emitter further comprises a ball and socket mechanism configured to be removably coupled to said resilient housing, a beam emitting device attached to said ball and socket mechanism, wherein the direction of a beam from said beam emitting device is adjustable.
16. The snap-on clamp system of claim 13, wherein said pair of engaging surfaces comprises curved surfaces.
17. The snap-on clamp system of claim 16, wherein said curved surfaces include a diameter of from about 25 mm to about 30 mm.
18. The snap-on clamp system of claim 13, wherein said mouth is tapered to facilitate engagement of said mouth and the second part.
19. The snap-on clamp system of claim 13, further comprising an indicating device comprising a visual indicator and a projection plane upon which said visual indicator is projected.
Type: Application
Filed: Aug 28, 2018
Publication Date: Dec 20, 2018
Inventor: Jack Hancosky (Avoca, NY)
Application Number: 16/114,682