SUPPRESSOR SLEEVES AND HEAT RESISTANT WEAPON ACCESSORIES
Suppressor sleeves have longitudinal interior splines and venting valleys and exterior ribs arranged at angles relative to the interior splines. One or more sleeves and caps are combined to provide suppressor sleeve assemblies.
Latest Advanced Innovation and Manufacturing, Inc. Patents:
This application is related to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/610,731, filed Mar. 14, 2012.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present disclosure and related inventions are in the general field of firearms and firearm accessories.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONFirearm suppressors or “silencers” are attachments for gun muzzles designed to capture and divert the gases and air displaced from the muzzle of a barrel created by the explosive force of ammunition firing, and to suppress the sound of the firing and reduce muzzle flash. The term “silencer” is defined by ATF as, “any device for silencing, muffling or diminishing the report of a portable firearm.” Gun barrel and muzzle temperatures can reach 1500 degrees F. or greater under continuous firing or repetitious semi or fully automatic firing. Suppressors, which can be made of a variety of materials including weapons grade steel and alloys, are attached directly to the muzzle and may become heated to the same extent as the barrel and may retain additional heat energy in the baffle structures during repetitious rates of fire. In addition to being dangerous to touch when heated, suppressors are fully exposed to impact damage.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe suppressor sleeves and heat resistant weapon accessories of the present disclosure are for use with firearm suppressors and gun barrels and barrel muzzles. As a representative embodiment, the suppressor sleeves and suppressor sleeve assemblies (also referred to herein individually and collectively as “SSA” or simply “suppressor sleeve” or “sleeve”) of the present disclosure are used in conjunction with any weapon system's suppressor, silencer or “can” that is commonly attached to rifles, pistols, or other weapon platforms that utilize similar sound reducing devices. The suppressor sleeves and suppressor sleeve assemblies are used to insulate heat, reduce IR signature, and to minimize the mirage effect that the suppressor generates and emits during normal use. Since the suppressor sleeves are readily able to mitigate heat transfer to its external surface, they prevent operators from being burned during, or after, use of the weapon while the suppressor is still hot and the operator may be handling or coming in contact with the suppressor. The suppressor sleeves will also serve to protect the suppressor and other items that the suppressor may come in contact with, such as bags, gear or carrying cases, while the suppressor is still hot. The sleeves also help to further reduce noise and vibration of the weapon system during use. The sleeves will protect the suppressor itself from chemicals, abrasion and damage that can be caused by external hazards and will help to quiet the weapon during transport or when it inadvertently comes in contact with other objects.
The sleeves and sleeve assemblies are designed to be used both individually, and as a segmented series of sleeves that, when combined with other adjacent segments, can be “fit to length” to cover any partial length, or the entire length, of a gun barrel, barrel muzzle or suppressor , as desired. When the sleeve assembly components are stacked together, they can either fit end to end or utilize an interlocking joint which seals off any escaping air or gasses that are generated by the suppressor. The sleeves are installed by sliding it onto and over the outside body diameter of the suppressor. The sleeves can be produced in any length or diameter necessary to fit any manufacturer's suppressor that it may interface with. The sleeves can stretch in any direction and will contour to the underlying surface in order to provide a secure fit. The insulating rings and gaps of the sleeve structure allow hot air to be cooled and diffused during use and can be present on the inside, outside or both inside and outside of the sleeve. The sleeve insulating ring fins, which may or may not appear on the external surfaces of the sleeve, will also aid to provide a firm and tactile grip that will reduce or eliminate any creep or movement of the sleeve once it is installed.
Any sleeve segment can be further cut to length to provide a precise fit and can also be used with optional end caps that utilize the same features and materials that the sleeve is made of. The sleeve can be made out of but is not limited to, tactile heat resistant materials such as Neoprene, Silicon, Flouro Silicon or Nano Material. These materials also include the ability to use or incorporate varying colors and or camouflage patterns and components.
In the drawing Figures which constitute a part of this specification:
With reference to
As further illustrated in
As further illustrated in
As noted, the sleeves 20 can be manufactured in any length, can be cut to any length after molding, and can be installed in combination with other sleeves 20 of any length. When multiple sleeves 20 are used in series as illustrated in
As illustrated in
The sleeves and suppressor sleeve assemblies of the disclosure are particularly effective at managing and re-directing the heat generated at a suppressor in order to maintain the exterior of the sleeve or sleeve assembly at non-dangerous or less dangerous temperatures to human touch or to inadvertent contact with other items or gear. The sleeves and sleeve assemblies accomplish this thermal management by the configuration of the venting valleys 27 which direct firing gases to the firing end of the suppressor, thereby reducing the amount of heat to radiate to the exterior of the suppressor. Heat which does radiate through the suppressor to and through the sleeve wall 24 is dissipated through and from the ribs 22. Temperatures are thereby lowest at the distal ends of the ribs 22. Further, the preferred materials from which the sleeves and sleeve assemblies are manufactured can be engineered to have excellent or superior heat resistant properties, such as for example compositions of silicone elastomers. To this end, the mass of the sleeves and sleeve assemblies directly contributes to the superior thermal management, and can be optimized by the various design parameters of sleeve wall 24 thickness, rib 22 thickness, width, height, number and placement; spline 25 number, size and configuration and cap 30 size.
The sleeves and sleeve assemblies can be molded from any suitable material. For example and without limitation, a material or blends of materials from which the sleeves and sleeve assemblies can be molded is preferably a high temperature reversion resistant silicone elastomer that has specific low thermal conductivity, e.g. max. of 00.29 W/m K, and without durometer degradation. A preferred material is high temperature reversion resistant silicone elastomer with no more than =/−20 point durometer change after heat aging for 6 hours at 316 C in a hot air circulating oven and a thermal conductivity maximum of 00.29W*m/K. Such material in combination with the various embodiments of the sleeves and sleeve assemblies has been found to have excellent and superior mitigation of heat transfer to the exterior surfaces of the sleeves and sleeve assemblies, thereby allowing handling of the sleeve, sleeve assembly and suppressor much sooner after firing than without. The significant reduction in high-heat exposure allows a user to transition away from the use of the weapon, or to stow the weapon/suppressor away much sooner, without concern of burning their person or gear. Without the sleeves and sleeve assemblies of the disclosure, a long cooling period would typically be required for the suppressor before a user could safely or comfortably handle it. Furthermore, the sleeve and sleeve assemblies can be manufactured in different colors and exterior profile configurations which in addition to thermal, sound and light (firing flash) management completely conceal the suppressor. The same or similar configurations of the described sleeves can be installed on any portion of segment of a gun barrel or muzzle to achieve the described heat resistance and thermal management advantages.
Claims
1. A suppressor sleeve comprising:
- a generally cylindrical body having an internal bore configured to receive and fit about an exterior of a suppressor;
- a plurality of splines located on an interior of the internal bore and arranged parallel to a longitudinal axis of the generally cylindrical body;
- a plurality of ribs located on an exterior of the generally cylindrical body, the ribs arranged at an angle relative to the splines.
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 14, 2013
Publication Date: Mar 6, 2014
Applicant: Advanced Innovation and Manufacturing, Inc. (North Royalton, OH)
Inventor: Advanced Innovation and Manufacturing, Inc.
Application Number: 13/826,087