IL269141B2

IL269141B2 - Arms station

Info

Publication number: IL269141B2
Application number: IL269141A
Authority: IL
Original assignee: Moran Ermossa
Priority date: 2019-09-05
Filing date: 2019-09-05
Publication date: 2023-10-01
Also published as: IL269141A; IL269141B1

Description

GRIP EXTENDER FOR A FIREARM - 1 - 39130/19 Field of the InventionThe present invention relates to the field of firearms. More particularly, the invention relates to a grip extender for firearms enabling the user to improve target accuracy and consistency.

Background of the InventionMany types of grips have been devised for attachment to firearms to enable a user to better hold and aim the firearm, or to reduce recoil or otherwise improve the comfort when the firearm is held and fired with consistent accuracy. The use of elastomers in the grip assembly provides for a better "feel" in the user's hand and may provide a certain amount of bulk or sizing to otherwise standard factory produced grips.

U.S. Patent No. 6,802,148 discloses a target grip for a firearm which comprises insertable and removable trigger finger support inserts for a side panel of the grip for enabling the distal portion of a user's trigger finger to contact a trigger perpendicular to the trigger for more shooting accuracy and consistency. Various size trigger finger target grip extender inserts may be inserted into the firearm grip and removed until the proper size insert is found. The target grip extender insert is secured by a friction fit or by a clip on the end of the insert. However, in order to fit the gripping of the firearm for different users, several grip extender inserts are required with each side panel to vary the placement of the distal end of a user's trigger finger and to enable the trigger finger to be placed in front of the trigger approximately perpendicular to the side of the trigger of the firearm.

Other attempts to provide an enhanced grip for a firearm were suggested, such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,112,446 or U.S. Pat. No. 5,231,237. However, none of them enable the comfortable placement of a trigger - 2 - 39130/19 finger with consistency on the trigger or any adjustment for positioning a trigger finger of a user.

Additionally, the prior art grip extenders require time consuming modification of the firearm onto which they are mounted.

To address these problems and to facilitate more accurate shooting results while using a firearm, an enhanced grip with personal configuration and fitting is required.

Accordingly, it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a single grip extender that enables the user to improve target accuracy and consistency.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a grip extender that is mountable on the firearm without having to make any modifications to the firearm, yet is securably retained thereon despite being subjected to vibratory motion resulting from a recoil force.

It is another object of this invention to provide an adjustable grip extender that facilitates positioning of the trigger finger such that only the distal phalanx of a user's trigger finger is able to contact the trigger.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an adjustable grip extender that facilitates positioning of the trigger finger such that the distal phalanx of a user's trigger finger is able to be positioned substantially perpendicular to the trigger.

It is yet another object of the invention to provide an adjustable grip extender that minimizes trigger finger fatigue. - 3 - 39130/19 Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.

Summary of the InventionA grip extender for a firearm comprises a fixator which is releasably mountable on, without being physically connected to, one or more stationary regions of the firearm and is configured with a trigger finger support.

In one aspect, the fixator has a U-shaped configuration when viewed from above to facilitate engagement with a slide support and grip of the firearm, wherein the U-shaped fixator has a trigger finger side which is configured with the trigger finger support and with a thumb side spaced from said trigger finger side.

In one aspect, the trigger finger support is provided within a central region of the trigger finger side.

In one aspect, the trigger finger support is adjustable. The adjustable trigger finger support may be pivotally displaceable about a pivot line that is integral with an adjoining region of the trigger finger side.

The trigger finger support may be configured with an aperture within which is receivable an adjusting screw configured to forcibly contact a given stationary region of the firearm, manipulation of the adjusting screw causing a different force to be applied onto the given stationary region, resulting in angular displacement of the trigger finger support with respect to the pivot line.

In one aspect, the U-shaped fixator is configured with a loop provided with a flexibility imparting weakened line. - 4 - 39130/19 In one aspect, the U-shaped fixator comprises releasable interconnecting means for interconnecting the trigger finger side and the thumb side.

In one aspect, the trigger finger support has a concave profile which is suitable for supportable placement thereat of the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger.

With use of the trigger finger support, involuntary hand or finger motion is mitigated as the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger is constantly supported and the pad of the distal phalanx of the trigger finger is able to reliably press the trigger rearwardly to maximize shooting accuracy. Inaccurate shooting operations result when pressure from the trigger finger is applied to the right or left side of the trigger.

Brief Description of the DrawingsIn the drawings:- Fig. 1 is a right side view of a pistol on which a fixator according to an embodiment is mounted;- Fig. 2 is a perspective view from the front and right of the pistol and of the fixator of Fig. 1 mounted thereon;- Fig. 3 is a perspective view from the front of the pistol and of the fixator of Fig. 1 mounted thereon, showing an interconnecting fastener which conceals an interconnecting bar;- Fig. 4 is a left side view of the pistol and of the fixator of Fig. mounted thereon ;- Fig. 5 is a perspective view from the top of the fixator of Fig. 1, when removed from the pistol;- Fig. 6 is a side view of the inner face of the trigger finger side of the fixator of Fig. 1, cut along plane A-A of Fig. 5;- Fig. 7 is a perspective view from the left and rear of the fixator of Fig. 5; and - 5 - 39130/19 - Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the front region of the fixator of Fig. when interconnecting elements of the thumb side are separated from the trigger finger side, cut along plane B-B of Fig. 5.

Detailed Description of the InventionThe grip extender of the present invention is configured as a fixator, which is releasably mountable on stationary regions of a firearm and is configured with a trigger finger support. The trigger finger support is used for customizing support for the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger prior to a shooting operation, to ensure that the trigger will be firmly pressed rearwardly, generally by the pad of the distal phalanx of the trigger finger, without unwanted movement of the firearm due to shaking or other involuntary hand or finger motion, for example caused by trigger finger fatigue. In some embodiments, the trigger finger support is adjustable, so as to be user customized.

As referred to herein, a "firearm" means a rifle or a pistol.

As referred to herein, a "fixator" is an assembly, whether a one-piece assembly or made of two or more pieces that are coupled together, which, after being suitably mounted on the firearm, is rendered sufficiently immobilized to resist detachment from the firearm during or following a shooting operation. Despite being securely mounted on the firearm, the fixator or one or more of its pieces is able to be released from the firearm, to facilitate a cleaning or maintenance operation, or to mount a different fixator having a differently configured nonadjustable trigger finger support.

The term "trigger finger" means the finger, usually but not necessarily the index finger, which is used to operate the trigger of a firearm. - 6 - 39130/19 The following description and corresponding drawings relate to a fixator which is mounted on a pistol, but it will be appreciated that the fixator is likewise suitable to be mounted on a rifle.

As shown in the right side view of Fig. 1, fixator 61 is fitted onto the elongated slide support 83 and an upper portion of the existing grip 84 of a pistol 85, shown to be an exemplary Glock pistol. The invention is similarly suitable for use with any other pistol following corresponding modifications, if necessary, to fixator 61. Fixator 61 is configured with a configurable trigger finger support 67, which is adjustable as will be described, in order to provide ergonomic customization and to conform to the anatomical structure of a user's hand. Configurable trigger finger support 67 is provided within a central region of the trigger finger side of fixator 61.

Fixator 61 is configured with releasable interconnecting means, as will be described, which allow its inner face, i.e. the face of the fixator in contact with the pistol, to be in secured abutting relation with the pistol without having to be physically connected to the pistol. Thus both the pistol and the fixator may be economically manufactured.

The illustrated fixator 61 is configured for use by right handed users, and may by modified mutatis mutandis for left handed users.

The directional terms described herein, such as "upper", "lower", "vertical", "lateral" and "downwardly" relate to the illustrated disposition of fixator 61, whereby it is located below slide support 83. Fixator 61 is similarly usable when positioned at other dispositions as well.

Fixator 61 has a forward concave surface 72 configured so as not to interfere with trigger guard 87 of pistol 85, and a concave rear edge delimiting an opening that exposes the palm relief 88 of grip 84. A palm - 7 - 39130/19 relief is the curved rear wall that the user feels against the palm of the hand, at the web between the thumb and trigger finger, when holding pistol 85. Fixator 61 provides the user additional comfort during a shooting operation by being configured with a concave recessed surface which is positioned downwardly and forwardly relative to finger support 67, in order to accommodate the curved structure of a finger gripping the forward wall 86 of grip 84.

As shown in Fig. 2, configurable trigger finger support 67 has a concave profile arranged such that a central region 77 thereof is recessed relative to protruding upper 78 and lower 79 finger support regions. This concave profile is suitable for the supportable placement thereat of the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger prior to a shooting operation. Increased shooting accuracy is made possible by ensuring that the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger is supported by at least central region 77 and possibly also by upper support region 78 or lower support region 79. During a shooting operation, the middle phalanx of the trigger finger is bent and is supported on forward surface 72. The thickness of forward surface increases progressively as it curves downwardly. Forward surface 72 may terminate at its lower portion with a thickened laterally extending lip 82, i.e. in a direction between the trigger finger side of the fixator, illustrated to be on the right side, and the thumb side thereof.

As shown in Fig. 3, lower support region 79 is a localized protrusion located between forward edge 63 and each rearward edge 62 of trigger finger support 67, allowing a region 64 of trigger finger support 67 that is adjacent to forward edge 63 to be substantially planar. An aperture through which is introduced an adjusting screw is formed within region 64.

As shown in Figs. 3 and 6, trigger finger support 67 is adapted to be pivotally displaceable about a vertical pivot line 133 that is integral with a - 8 - 39130/19 region 75 of the trigger finger side which is contiguous with rear edge thereof. Pivot line 133 may be interposed between the two rearward edges of trigger finger support 67. To facilitate the pivoting action, the two rearward edges 62 of trigger finger support 67, upper edge 127 and lower edge 128 thereof extending forwardly from a corresponding rearward edge 62, as well as curved forward edge 63 extending between upper edge 1and lower edge 128 are cut out from, and are unattached to, adjoining regions of trigger finger support 67. Pivot line 133 has a smaller thickness than the adjoining regions of trigger finger support 67 and of region 75, while being continuous with the outer face of the trigger finger side which is not in contact with the pistol, in order to be afforded sufficient flexibility. If the user feels that the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger is not sufficiently supported by trigger finger support 67, the adjusting screw passing through aperture 66 which is in contact with an upper portion of the pistol grip, but not connected thereto, is manipulated to cause a different force to be applied by the adjusting screw onto the pistol grip, resulting in angular displacement of the trigger finger support with respect to pivot line 133 until the trigger finger is comfortably supported.

As shown in the left side view of Fig. 4, fixator 61 is configured with two additional openings, one for allowing the side of the user's thumb to contact slide support 83 and another to access magazine release catch of pistol 85. When magazine release catch 89 is linearly displaced, it is urged to contact a relief portion 136 which is recessed within the inner face of trigger finger support 67 slightly above its lower edge 128, as shown in Fig. 6.

Fig. 5 illustrates fixator 61 when separated from the pistol. When viewed from above, the one-piece fixator 61 has a U-shaped shape, extending continuously from trigger finger side 68, which is configured with trigger finger support 67, to curved rear region 97, which is formed with palm relief opening 91, and then to thumb side 98, which is formed with thumb - 9 - 39130/19 contact opening 92 and magazine release catch access opening 93. A front region 112 has means for interconnecting trigger finger side 68 and thumb side 98. Fixator 61 is made of a sturdy rigid material, such as reinforced polymer, yet is adapted to be snugly engaged on the slide support and grip of the pistol by virtue of its structure that provides a surprisingly high level of flexibility.

The inner face of trigger finger side 68 and of thumb side 98 are substantially mutually parallel. A lower loop 101 of rear region 97 which is located below palm relief opening 91 and extending between trigger finger side 68 and thumb side 98, and which may be provided with grip elements 102, is oriented at a similar spatial angle relative to a horizontal plane as trigger finger side 68 and thumb side 98. An upper loop 103 of rear region 97 which is located above palm relief opening 91 and extending between trigger finger side 68 and thumb side 98 has a tilting backwards orientation in order to be snugly engaged with the curved rear wall of the slide support. Trigger finger side 68 is also configured with an upper thickened portion 65 positioned above upper edge 127 of the trigger finger support and continuous with forward concave surface 72, as shown in Fig. 3, so that the trigger finger side will be snugly engaged with the slide support.

Thumb side 98 of fixator 61 has convex portions 106 and 107 located directly above and underneath magazine release catch access opening 93, respectively, which are configured to curve from the pistol grip to a front region 112 without interfering with the trigger guard. Upper convex portion 106 extends forwardly and downwardly, as also shown in Fig. 3, from thumb contact opening 92 to a thickened, forwardly extending stiffener 114 for a laterally extending interconnecting bar 116. The length of bar 116 is less than the distance between trigger finger side 68 and thumb side 98. - 10 - 39130/19 Lower convex portion 107, as shown in Figs. 3, 5 and 7, curvingly extends to loop 123 of front region 112, which is secured to forward wall 86 of the grip directly below trigger guard 87 and formed with recessed surface 69. Recessed loop 123 is combined in turn with portion 73 of the trigger finger side, which is located below finger support 67 and has a similar protruding configuration as lower support region 79.

Bar 116 is used for interconnecting trigger finger side 68 and thumb side 98. Figs. 2, 5 and 7-8 show the free end of bar 116 prior to being interconnected with trigger finger side 68. In order to facilitate the interconnection, a seat 81 is formed in trigger finger side 68, as shown in Fig. 8. Seat 81 is formed in the inner face of the terminal laterally extending lip 82 of forward surface 72. A protrusion 119 at the end of bar 119 is insertable within seat 81 in order to interconnect trigger finger side and thumb side 98.

In order to ensure that the fixator will be securely mounted on the pistol and will not be dislodged therefrom during a shooting operation, particularly due to the vibratory motion resulting from a recoil force, a threaded fastener 138 shown in Fig. 3 is used to interconnect the trigger finger side and the thumb side. Threaded fastener 138 is engageable with the internal threading formed in the wall surrounding each of the through-hole 139 formed in thickened portion 76 and through-hole 1formed in stiffener 114, as shown in Fig. 8. Thickened portion 76 is provided below, and in continuation of, the terminal laterally extending lip of forward surface 72, while being accessible by a laterally extending recessed surface 94 which is laterally recessed from the outer face of the trigger finger side in order to threadedly secure fastener 138, such as by an Allen wrench. The inner face of thickened portion 76 may be coplanar with the inner face of lip 82. - 11 - 39130/19 Although the trigger finger side and the thumb side are securely interconnected by means of fastener 138, bar 116 is also needed to interconnect the trigger finger side and the thumb side in order to function as an interspace limiter for limiting the distance of the interspace between the trigger finger side and the thumb side, so that fastener 138 will not be fastened too tightly and cause the fixator to be incorrectly mounted on the pistol.

Lower loop 123, which may be interconnected with the trigger finger side by protrusion 147 insertable in a seat 14 of front region 112 formed below thickened portion 76, may also serve as an interspace limiter.

The fixator may be afforded flexibility when being mounted on the pistol by means of a weakened line 108, e.g. vertically extending, that is formed in an intermediate region of lower loop 101 of rear region 97. The flexibility may be increased when an elastomeric element is applied at weakened line 108 between two adjacent sections of lower loop 101. A weakened line 109 may also be formed in an intermediate region of upper loop 103 of rear region 97.

Following interconnection of the trigger finger side and the thumb side, through-holes 139 and 141 are positioned within the interior of trigger guard 87, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, without interfering with the trigger.

When it is desired to remove the fixator from the pistol, bar 116, lower loop 123, and fastener 138 are easily disengaged to permit separation of the thumb side from the trigger finger side.

The structural features of the adjustable grip extender facilitate proper placement of the trigger finger on the trigger. By being able to suitably support the trigger finger without any void spaces inwardly to its proximal phalanx, unwanted movement of the pistol while the trigger is pressed is - 12 - 39130/19 minimized or altogether eliminated, to provide a significantly more accurate and consistent shooting operation.

While some embodiments of the invention have been described by way of illustration, it will be apparent that the invention can be carried into practice with many modifications, variations and adaptations, and with the use of numerous equivalents or alternative solutions that are within the scope of persons skilled in the art, without departing from the spirit of the invention or exceeding the scope of the claims.

Claims

- 13 - 39130/19

1.CLAIMS 1. A grip extender for a firearm, comprising a fixator which is releasably mountable on, without being physically connected to, one or more stationary regions of the firearm and is configured with a trigger finger support.

2. The grip extender according to claim 1, wherein the fixator has a U-shaped configuration when viewed from above to facilitate engagement with a slide support and grip of the firearm, wherein the U-shaped fixator has a trigger finger side which is configured with the trigger finger support and with a thumb side spaced from said trigger finger side.

3. The grip extender according to claim 2, wherein the trigger finger support is provided within a central region of the trigger finger side.

4. The grip extender according to claim 3, wherein the trigger finger support is adjustable.

5. The grip extender according to claim 4, wherein the adjustable trigger finger support is pivotally displaceable about a pivot line that is integral with an adjoining region of the trigger finger side.

6. The grip extender according to claim 5, wherein the trigger finger support is configured with an aperture within which is receivable an adjusting screw configured to forcibly contact a given stationary region of the firearm, manipulation of the adjusting screw causing a different force to be applied onto the given stationary region, resulting in angular displacement of the trigger finger support with respect to the pivot line. - 14 - 39130/19

7. The grip extender according to claim 2, wherein the U-shaped fixator is configured with a loop provided with a flexibility imparting weakened line.

8. The grip extender according to claim 2, wherein the U-shaped fixator comprises releasable interconnecting means for interconnecting the trigger finger side and the thumb side.

9. The grip extender according to claim 1, wherein the trigger finger support has a concave profile which is suitable for supportable placement thereat of the proximal phalanx of the trigger finger.