BIPOD WITH COMPRESSIVELY POPPING UP INNER LEG ASSEMBLIES

A bipod with a mechanism for compressively popping up from rear-ends of pipes, comprising: a bracket assembly; at least two pop up inner leg assemblies pivotally connected to the bottom of the bracket assembly; wherein the pop up inner leg assembly comprises: an out pipe accommodating a compression spring and an inner leg; an inner leg having a first state of completely retracting into the out pipe and a second state of completely protruding from the out pipe; a compression spring located inside the out pipe and abutting against one end of the inner leg towards the out pipe; a switch unit for releasing and locking the inner leg; wherein, in use, the inner legs are released from the first state and pop up into the second state with the elastic force of the compression spring when the switch unit is triggered.

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Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/322,806 filed on Apr. 15, 2016, whose entire contents are hereby incorporated by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to bipods, and more particularly to bipods with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

During shooting in sports competitions, a firearm is usually supported by a bipod device in order to increase the stability of shooting. The firearm for sports competitions, for example, a rifle for competition, usually has a herringbone bipod, which usually comprises a bipod seat, the top of which interconnects with a bipod joint on the rifle for sports competitions and on the bottom of which two unfoldable bipod poles are installed. In use, the bipod joint on the rifle is installed on the bipod seat and then the bipod poles are unfolded, for supporting and shooting.

Bipods with the same type bipod seat now available in the market compressively pop up by an external spring on a front-end of legs, which has the following drawbacks: the spring is installed exposed to a front end surface of a pipe, whose compression causes damage to the end surface of the pipe and affects appearance and stability of popping up of legs. Additionally, as the same type structure of inner legs and external pipes now available in the market is not provided with stabilizing device, joggling (movement) will occur due to large space when locked, which affects shooting accuracy directly. With respect to a bipod seat with a structure of inner leg/external pipes with extension springs inside, during deployment of shooting, it needs one hand to hold the pipe and the other hand to pull an inner leg, and in turn pull the other inner leg after the first inner leg is pulled out, which deployment is slow and inconvenient.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

With respect to the deficiencies of the above prior art, the present invention aims to solve a technical problem by providing a new-type bipod device for realizing a prompt adjustment and positioning of a firearm for sports, and for being adaptable to various types of terrain.

The present invention solve the technical problem by employing the following technical solutions.

The present invention provides a bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies, comprising:

a bracket assembly;

at least two pop up inner leg assemblies pivotally connected to the bottom of the bracket assembly;

wherein the pop up inner leg assembly comprising:

an out pipe accommodating a compression spring and an inner leg;

an inner leg having a first state of completely retracting into the out pipe and a second state of completely protruding from the out pipe;

a compression spring located inside the out pipe and abutting against one end of the inner leg towards the out pipe;

a switch unit for releasing and locking the inner leg;

wherein, in use, the bracket assembly is installed on an object to be supported, the inner leg assemblies are unfolded and the inner legs are released from the first state and pop up into the second state with the interposition of the elastic force of the compression spring when the switch unit is triggered.

Preferably, the switch unit comprises a component for locking the position of the inner leg in the first state or the second state, which comprises a switch lock, a switch positioning pin and a switch resetting spring.

Preferably, when the inner leg needs to pop up from the first state to the second state, the switch lock is pressed and then the inner leg is released and pop up from a rear-end of the out pipe with the interposition of the elastic force of the compression spring until a proximal flange of the inner leg contacts with a stopping unit inside the out pipe, so that the inner leg protrudes from the first state to the second state.

Preferably, when the inner leg needs to retract from the second state to the first state, the switch lock is pressed and then the inner leg is pushed inward from the rear-end of the out pipe until the switch lock clicks into a distal notch of the inner leg automatically with the interposition of the force of the switch positioning pin and the switch resetting spring to lock longitudinal displacement of the inner leg, so that the inner leg retracts from the second state to the first state while the compression spring installed inside the out pipe is compressed to the shortest state.

Preferably, the inner leg is provided with a plurality of notches, and a section between each two notches on the inner leg is defined as a segment; the inner leg has a third state of partially retracting into the out pipe.

Preferably, the switch lock is pressed and then the inner leg is pushed inward when the inner leg needs to retract from the second state to the third state or the first state; for each segment pushed inside, the switch lock clicks into the notches of the inner leg automatically to lock longitudinal displacement of the inner leg with the interposition of the force of the switch positioning pin and the switch resetting spring.

Preferably, a proximal end of the inner leg towards the out pipe is provided with a leg stop, with a plastic collar provided on the leg stop and around the leg stop and abutting against the inner wall of the out pipe.

Preferably, the compression spring is out of touch with the proximal end of the inner leg towards the out pipe when the inner leg is in the second state.

Preferably, the switch lock has an annular portion with a protrusion part freely extending through the another aperture on a side wall of the out pipe, wherein the protrusion part protrudes towards the axis of the out pipe; the annular portion together with the switch lock forms a L-shaped part which is biased by the switch resetting spring located inside the switch positioning pin below the switch lock, to selectively engage notches on a side wall of the inner leg, so as to lock the inner leg at its protrusion or retracting with respect to the out pipe.

Preferably, when the inner leg fully protrudes to the second state, the protrusion part of the annular portion of the switch unit moves upwardly and engages with a proximal notch on the far left of the inner leg to maintain the second state of the inner leg.

Preferably, the popping up of the inner leg depends on elastic potential energy of the compression spring; the compression spring is designed to have enough potential energy to overcome the friction of a plastic collar and/or the mass of the inner leg, for the inner leg popping up to the second state or a state proximate to the second state, and while the inner leg is in the first state or a state proximate to the first state, to compressively bias the compression spring between an end surface of the leg stop and one end of the out pipe proximate to the bracket assembly, for gathering elastic potential energy; wherein the compression spring has maximum offset when the inner leg is in the first state.

The same-type product now available in the market does not have a mechanism for quick popping up inner legs with built-in compression springs according to the present invention. In contrast, the existing product only has a structure of inner legs/out pipes, wherein the inner legs are compressively popped up by external springs on a front-end of each leg; or a mechanism of quick retracting with extension springs.

The present invention can be used for supporting rifles for competition in precision shooting, such as shooting competitions and hunting. With respect to the prior art, the present invention is advantageous in that: the two switch locks can be operated by two hands respectively at the same time, and when the switch lock is pressed, the inner leg pops up instantly from a rear-end of the out pipe with the interposition of the elastic force of the compression spring, to realize quick adjustment of a rifle, which can conveniently adapt to various types of terrain. Additionally, as compared to other existing products, a spring is provided within the out pipe of the bipod, which is hidden and can avoid the risk of scratching the surface of the out pipe. Since one end of the inner leg towards the out pipe is provided with a leg stop and plastic collar, gaps that lead to shaking (movement) of the inner leg can be greatly decreased and the locking is more stable when the inner leg pops up to the maximum length and is locked by the switching lock, when compared to other product.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, technical solutions and advantages of the present invention will be illustrated below in detailed, with reference to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description of the embodiments, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded view of one of the legs of the first embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of an inner leg of the first embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention in a second state;

FIG. 4 is a partial enlarged view of a switch unit of the bipod of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded view of one of the legs of the second embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view of an inner leg of the second embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention in a first state;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross-sectional view of the inner leg of the second embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention in a second state;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the inner leg of the second embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention in the second state;

FIG. 10 is a partial enlarged view of a switch unit of the bipod of FIG. 9.

 DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

FIGS. 1-10 are illustrative embodiments of a bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to the present invention, in some of which the specific structure details are only illustrative descriptions for explaining the technical solutions of the present invention, but not meant to limit the present invention. Where there are the same structures in each embodiment according to the present invention, for the sake of simplicity, different embodiments may refer to the same drawings for description.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a first embodiment of a bipod according to the present invention, which comprises a bracket assembly 21; at least two pop up inner leg assemblies 23 pivotally connected to the bottom of the bracket assembly 21.

Specifically, the bipod further comprises leg reset springs 22, socket hexagon screws 24 with half-round heads and outer hexagon nuts 25. The socket hexagon screw 24 with half-round head is for connecting the inner leg assembly 23 with the bracket assembly 21.

The pop up inner leg assembly 23 comprises an out pipe 4 accommodating a compression spring 2 and an inner leg 5, as shown in FIG. 2. The inner leg 5 has a first state of completely retracting into the out pipe 4 and a second state of completely protruding from the out pipe 4, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8. The compression spring 2 is located inside the out pipe 4 and abuts against one end of the inner leg 5 towards the out pipe 4, as shown in FIG. 7.

Specifically, the compression spring 2 is formed with a semicircular hook on one end proximate to the bracket assembly 21, and held inside the out pipe 4 on one end proximate to the bracket assembly 21 by a holding sleeve 1 that passes through a corresponding aperture 1A on the out pipe 4 and said hook, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 7. An out sleeve 3 envelops the out pipe 4, which is on one end of the out pipe 4 proximate to the bracket assembly 21 along the axial direction of the compression spring 2, with a correspondingly aperture for the holding sleeve 1 passing through it and entering into the out pipe 4.

The pop up inner leg assembly 23 further comprises a switch unit 23A for releasing and locking the inner leg 5, as shown in FIG. 1. In use, the bracket assembly 21 is installed on an object to be supported, the inner leg assemblies 23 are unfolded and the inner legs 5 are released from the first state and pop up into the second state with the interposition of the elastic force of the compression spring 2 when the switch unit 23A is triggered.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, said switch unit 23A comprises a component for locking the position of the inner leg 5 in the first state or the second state, which illustratively comprises a housing block 12, a holding screw 13, a switch lock 9, a switch positioning pin 10 and a switch resetting spring 11.

Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, the switch lock 9 has an annular portion 15 with a protrusion part 16 freely extending through the another aperture on a side wall of the out pipe 4, wherein the protrusion part 16 protrudes towards the axis of the out pipe 4. As shown in FIG. 4, viewed from the radial direction of the out pipe 4, the annular portion 15 together with the switch lock 9 forms a L-shaped part which is biased by the switch resetting spring 11 located inside the switch positioning pin 10 below the switch lock 9, to selectively engage notches on side wall of the inner leg 5, so as to lock the inner leg 5 of its protrusion or retracting with respect to the out pipe 4. It should be appreciated that inner leg 5 can have various numbers of notches, for example, in the present embodiment, only a proximal notch proximate to a leg stop 6 and a distal notch away from the bracket assembly 21 are provided.

When the inner leg 5 needs to pop up from the first state to the second state, a user can press the switch lock 9 (i.e. viewed from end surface of top of the switch positioning pin 10) to release the inner leg 5 to allow the inner leg 5 to pop up from rear-end of the out pipe 4 by the compression spring 2. When the inner leg 5 fully protrudes to the maximum protrusion length, the user releases the switch lock 9 to allow the protrusion part 16 of the annular portion 15 of the switch unit 23A to move upwardly and engage with the proximal notch of the inner leg 5 (i.e. viewed from the bracket assembly 21), i.e. the notch most proximate to the leg stop 6 as shown in FIG. 4, to maintain the maximum protrusion length of the inner leg 5 (i.e. the second state).

Preferably, the protrusion length of the inner leg 5 from the out pipe 4 is minimum when the inner leg 5 is in the first state (see FIG. 7), and the protrusion length is maximum when the inner leg 5 is in the second state (see FIG. 3, about A+B).

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, the compression spring 2 does not contact with one end of the inner leg 5 towards the out pipe 4 when the inner leg 5 is in the second state, i.e. after the inner leg 5 pops up. In fact, because the popping up of the inner leg 5 depends on elastic potential energy of the compression spring 2, length of the compression spring 2 can be designed to be short enough to have enough potential energy to overcome the friction of a plastic collar 7 and/or the mass of the inner leg 5, for the inner leg 5 popping up to the second state or a state proximate to the second state. When the inner leg 5 is in the first state or a state proximate to the first state, the compression spring 2 is compressively biased between the end surface of the leg stop 6 and one end of the out pipe 4 that is proximate to the bracket assembly 21, for providing certain force feedback for facilitating the locking of the inner leg 5 to the first state and gathering elastic potential energy, so that the compression spring 2 has maximum offset when the inner leg 5 is in the first state.

Preferably, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, one end of the inner leg 5 towards the out pipe 4 is provided with the leg stop 6, the leg stop 6 is insertable into a cavity of the inner leg 5 that is at least partially hollow, and the leg stop 6 is connected with the inner leg 5 by means of a spring pin 8. Alternatively, the leg stop 6 can be threadingly-connected or integrally-formed with the inner leg 5. Illustratively, the leg stop 6 can be provided with notches as well, which comprise a plastic notch for installing the plastic collar 7 and a proximal notch used to engage with the protrusion part 16. The plastic collar 7 is provided on the leg stop 6 and around the leg stop 6 and abuts against an inner wall of the out pipe 4. The plastic collar 7 is used to hold and stabilize the inner leg 5 when the inner leg 5 is of the maximum protrusion length, and reduce friction and noise during protrusion or retracting of the inner leg 5.

Preferably, as shown in FIG. 4, a bushing 14 is provided on the inner wall of the out pipe 4 and near the opening of the out pipe 4, which is used to guide the inner leg 5 during protrusion or retracting of the inner leg 5, and used as an end stopper for stopping the leg stop 6. Specially, the maximum protrusion length of the inner leg 5 is restricted by a proximal flange of the leg stop 6 of the inner leg 5 and a stopping unit inside the out pipe 4. The stopping unit may be the bushing 14. During the popping up of the inner leg 5, the further longitudinal movement of the inner leg 5 is stopped by the proximal flange of the leg stop 6 contacting with and abutting against the end surface of the bushing 14. When the inner leg 5 fully protrudes to the maximum protrusion length, the user releases the switch lock 9 to allow the protrusion part 16 of the annular portion 15 of the switch unit 23A to move upwardly and engage the proximal notch of the leg stop 6 to lock the maximum protrusion length of the inner leg 5 with help of the above stopping unit (i.e. the second state). More preferably, the material and physical parameters of at least one of the compression spring 2 and the plastic collar 7 can be finely adjusted, such as by the elastic force or a friction coefficient, to allow the inner leg 5 to be just in the second state or a state highly proximate to the second state when the inner leg 5 stops after popping up, thus an operator can lock the second state quickly and conveniently.

In the embodiment, the inner leg 5 only has the first state and the second state, which is particularly suitable for application of quick protrusion and retracting without need of adjustment of multi-stage protrusion length.

According to the second embodiment of the present invention, whose structure is partially the same as the first embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5-10, the differences therebetween lie in that: the inner leg 5 is designed as a pipe with segments, i.e. with a plurality of notches on the pipe with segments, and a section between each two notches is defined as a segment. Correspondingly, the inner leg 5 has a third state of partially retracting into the out pipe 4. Likewise, when moving from the first state to the second state, the user can press the switch lock 9 to release the inner leg 5 to allow the inner leg 5 to pop up from rear-end of the out pipe 4 by the compression spring 2. The switch lock 9 is pressed and then the inner leg 5 is pushed inward one segment by one segment or a plurality of segments at each time when the inner leg 5 needs to retract from the second state to the third state or the first state; during each segment pushed inside, the switch lock 9 clicks into the notches of the inner leg 5 automatically with the interposition of the force of the switch positioning pin 10 and the switch resetting spring 11 to lock longitudinal displacement of the inner leg 5; and the inner leg 5 retracts from the second state or the third state to the first state while the compression spring installed inside the out pipe 4 is compressed to the shortest state, when the last segment (e.g. a notch on a latest right end) or the proximal notch of the leg stop 6 is locked by the switch lock 9.

In the embodiment, the inner leg 5 has the first state, the second state, and the third state with a flexibly adjustable length, which is particularly suitable for application needing fine adjustment of multi-stage length.

The above is only the preferred embodiments of the present invention, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Thus, the technical effects of the present invention with same means should all fall within the scope of protection of the present invention and the technical solutions and embodiments within the scope of protection of the present invention can have various modifications and changes.

Claims

1. A bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies, comprising: wherein, in use, the bracket assembly is installed on an object to be supported, the inner leg assemblies are unfolded and the inner legs are released from the first state and pop up into the second state with the interposition of the elastic force of the compression spring when the switch unit is triggered.

a bracket assembly;
at least two pop up inner leg assemblies pivotally connected to the bottom of the bracket assembly;
wherein the pop up inner leg assembly comprising:
an out pipe accommodating a compression spring and an inner leg;
an inner leg having a first state of completely retracting into the out pipe and a second state of completely protruding from the out pipe;
a compression spring located inside the out pipe and abutting against one end of the inner leg towards the out pipe;
a switch unit for releasing and locking the inner leg;

2. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 1, wherein the switch unit comprises a component for locking the position of the inner leg in the first state or the second state, the component for locking the position comprises a switch lock, a switch positioning pin and a switch resetting spring.

3. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 2, wherein when the inner leg needs to pop up from the first state to the second state, the switch lock is pressed and then the inner leg is released and pop up from a rear-end of the out pipe with the interposition of the elastic force of the compression spring until a proximal flange of the inner leg contacts with a stopping unit inside the out pipe, at this moment the inner leg protrudes from the first state to the second state.

4. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 2, wherein when the inner leg needs to retract from the second state to the first state, the switch lock is pressed and then the inner leg is pushed inward from the rear-end of the out pipe until the switch lock clicks into a distal notch of the inner leg automatically with the interposition of the force of the switch positioning pin and the switch resetting spring to lock a longitudinal displacement of the inner leg, at which moment the inner leg retracts from the second state to the first state while the compression spring installed inside the out pipe is compressed to the shortest state.

5. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 1, wherein the inner leg is provided with a plurality of notches, and a section between each two notches on the inner leg is defined as a segment; the inner leg has a third state of partially retracting into the out pipe.

6. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 5, wherein the switch lock is pressed and then the inner leg is pushed inward when the inner leg needs to retract from the second state to the third state or the first state; so that for each segment pushed inside, the switch lock clicks into the notches of the inner leg automatically to lock a longitudinal displacement of the inner leg with the interposition of the force of the switch positioning pin and the switch resetting spring.

7. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 1, wherein a proximal end of the inner leg towards the out pipe is provided with a leg stop, with a plastic collar provided on the leg stop and around the leg stop and abutting against an inner wall of the out pipe.

8. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 1, wherein the compression spring does not contact with the proximal end of the inner leg towards the out pipe when the inner leg is in the second state.

9. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 2, wherein the switch lock has an annular portion with a protrusion part freely extending through the another aperture on a side wall of the out pipe, wherein the protrusion part protrudes towards the axis of the out pipe; the annular portion together with the switch lock forms a L-shaped part which is biased by the switch resetting spring located inside the switch positioning pin below the switch lock, to selectively engage notches on a side wall of the inner leg, so as to lock the inner leg with its protrusion or to retract the inner leg with respect to the out pipe.

10. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 3, wherein when the inner leg fully protrudes to the second state, the protrusion part of the annular portion of the switch unit moves upwardly and engages with a proximal notch on the far left of the inner leg to maintain the second state of the inner leg.

11. The bipod with compressively popping up inner leg assemblies according to claim 1, wherein the popping up of the inner leg depends on elastic potential energy of the compression spring; the compression spring is designed to have enough potential energy to overcome the friction of a plastic collar and/or the mass of the inner leg, for the inner leg popping up to the second state or a state proximate to the second state, and while the inner leg is in the first state or a state proximate to the first state, to compressively bias the compression spring between an end surface of the leg stop and one end of the out pipe proximate to the bracket assembly, for gathering elastic potential energy.

Patent History
Publication number: 20170299317
Type: Application
Filed: Mar 30, 2017
Publication Date: Oct 19, 2017
Inventor: Xiaoming Chen (Ontario)
Application Number: 15/473,822
Classifications
International Classification: F41A 23/10 (20060101);