CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/737,808, filed Jun. 11, 2020, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/051,893, filed Jul. 15, 2020.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The field of the invention generally relates to firearm components, and more particularly, to firearm magazine releases with improved ergonomics.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Firearm magazine releases, also known as magazine catches, serve to retain magazines via an internal spring-loaded “catch” that is designed to “release” retention when actuated externally by an operator, through such acts as depressing a button on a firearm. Such release buttons typically are designed to be actuated by average-sized hands. As such, the general button shape/profile, or location of some magazine releases on firearms may unfortunately cause some operators' fingers to rub/chafe against it, causing sores or injury. Some magazine releases may also be out of reach of an operator's thumb, forcing the operator to shift the firearm in their hand to release a magazine, thereby slowing down reloading until a proper firing grip is re-established.

Magazine release buttons that extend from or near the grip of the firearm may offer ease-of actuation by making their protruding or contacting surface taller or wider. Although some of these designs may reduce the potential need to shift the firearm in-hand, they may not address existing ergonomic issues that some users may experience, such as the magazine release encroaching upon the same space their fingers naturally rest, which may induce chafing or sores.

Some prior magazine release or offset component designs include the following:

U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,895A, issued Nov. 7, 2000 to SIG ARMS INTERNATIONAL AG, entitled “MAGAZINE RELEASE CATCH FOR A PISTOL,” which describes a traditional American-style thumb actuated magazine release for a pistol, which has a generally triangular shaped edge that extends into the potential gripping area.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,518,792B1, issued Dec. 13, 2016 to Battlearms Ip LLC, entitled “ENHANCED MAGAZINE RELEASE BUTTON ASSEMBLY,” which describes an ergonomically shaped release button that contours to allow the pointer finger to mate comfortably with the contact surface of the release and has a removable pad.

U.S. Patent 20,100,287,806A1, issued Nov. 18, 2010 to Microtech Small Arms Res, entitled “MAGAZINE RELEASE FOR USE WITH PISTOL,” which describes an ambidextrous magazine release that is positioned along the trigger guard of a pistol, relocating the traditional American-style thumb release away from the gripping surface.

U.S. Pat. No. 9,829,262B1, issued Nov. 28, 2017 to Vista Outdoor Operations LLC, entitled “OFFSET FIREARM SELECTOR SWITCH,” which describes a rifle safety lever that angles an otherwise straight safety switch.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A magazine release button is disclosed herein, providing advantages that may avoid some of the issues describe above related to otherwise fixed and obstructing finger contacting surfaces of prior magazine release buttons, in accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure. These embodiments may be constructed by removing (or not manufacturing) button material where an operator's gripping finger would naturally rest flush across an unobstructed grip, while also advantageously adding (or manufacturing) material to offset the position of the magazine release's thumb-engageable surface to a more usable and comfortable location for the operator.

As disclosed herein, a magazine release button having a shaft or body portion continuous with (or integrated with or otherwise attached to) a generally “stairstep”-shaped offset front end portion may address some of the issues described above, in accordance with embodiments of this disclosure. During assembly of the firearm, the shaft or body portion is inserted (or mostly inserted) into a magazine release opening or channel of the firearm. These stairstep shaped embodiments may include an indention portion (which may be a cutaway), providing for or creating a “floor” or “floor portion” that is generally flush with a firearm's grip (such as a pistol's grip) to create an augmented gripping surface for the operator's hand, the floor transitioning to a remaining narrower protruding offset “riser,” “step riser,” “extension,” or “in-between” portion of the release button's shaft, and then transitioning to an expanded top button surface pad having a generally perpendicular “ledge” or surface that is directed toward the actuating thumb for operator engagement. It should be understood that the riser may have a flat or a non-flat surface that transitions between the floor and the thumb pad. The aforementioned structures or components form the stairstep shape. The top button surface may be textured with ridges, serrations, stippling, or the like that provide for better grip or contact for the operator's thumb when pushing the button to release a magazine.

One benefit of this configuration is that it permits or allows the operator to obtain a higher grip on the firearm by allowing the operator's primary gripping hand's middle finger to lay across the offset magazine release button's floor, which would have otherwise been the location of a protruding button shaft wall that possibly would cause chafing. A higher grip, in turn, enables greater recoil control by allowing the operator's hand(s) to be positioned closer to the bore axis of the firearm, reducing the leverage needed to resist the yawing torque generated from a reciprocating slide mass on a semiautomatic firearm and/or from the expelled propellant gas from ammunition detonation some distance away from the pivot point of an otherwise stationary grip. Controlling recoil allows the operator or shooter to get their sights back on target for quicker follow-up shots. Increased ergonomics may be another benefit, which may eliminate sores and chafing. A further benefit may be that the offset relocation positions itself higher up the frame of the firearm, such that there would be less distance for the operator's actuating thumb to travel to release the magazine. This may decrease or eliminate the need for smaller-handed shooters to have to “break” or adjust their grip to reach the button for releasing the magazine and may reduce reloading time by fractions of a second.

Other systems, methods, features, and advantages of the present disclosure will be or become apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the present disclosure, and be protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Aspects of this disclosure can be better understood with reference to the following drawings. The components in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the present disclosure. Moreover, in the drawings, like reference numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a rear, top, right-side perspective view of a portion of a magazine release in a firearm environment, in accordance with an embodiment of this disclosure;

FIG. 1A is a magnified view, of the portion of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 1B is a view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1, being gripped by an operator's hand;

FIG. 2 is a top, front, left-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a top, front, right-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a bottom plan view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top, rear, left-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a top, rear, right-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 8 is a bottom, front, left-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 9 is a bottom, front, right-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 10 is a bottom, rear, left-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 11 is a bottom, rear, right-side perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 12 is a front elevational view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 13 is a rear elevational view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 14 is a right-side elevational view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 15 is a left-side side elevational view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 16 is a right-side, top perspective view of the offset magazine release shown in FIG. 1;

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. 29/737,808, filed Jun. 11, 2020, and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/051,893, filed Jul. 15, 2020, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties for all purposes. U.S. Pat. No. 6,141,895, issued Nov. 7, 2000, also is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety for all purposes.

FIG. 1 shows a rendition of a firearm 1 with a grip 2 and a magazine 3, and a portion of one possible embodiment of an offset magazine release 100, which is visually depicted in its orientation as installed in the firearm 1 (e.g., a pistol, a rifle, or the like). The offset magazine release 100 includes, as shown in the magnified view of FIG. 1A, a lower floor or floor portion 101 that is generally flush with the surrounding firearm 1 surfaces, when installed in the firearm, and which also appears and/or acts as an extension of the grip 2. The floor 101 allows the middle finger of the operator's primary gripping hand to lay across it, as shown in FIG. 1B, such that rubbing or chafing sores may not occur to this finger. A rise or extension or extension portion 102 (FIG. 1A) shaft or portion may also be included that protrudes outward from the firearm and is located on the upper-most portion of the offset magazine release 100 (i.e., furthest from the gripping hand), such that its bottom-facing wall (towards the ground) runs generally parallel with the middle finger when gripped. A button pad 103 may also be included on the upper end of the offset magazine release 100 that radiates transversely and is generally perpendicular to the extension 102, as to form a ledge or the like, which may increase or extend the finger-interfacing surface area closer towards where the thumb of the operator would be located when the firearm 1 is gripped. The button pad 103 may generally include traction surfacing or texturing in the form of serrations 104, stippling, ridges, or the like. The offset magazine release 100 also includes a body portion 105 (see FIG. 2). The offset magazine release 100, when assembled as part of the firearm 1, is set or sits within a complementary receiving opening or channel in the firearm 1 for engaging internal mechanisms that release the magazine when the button 103 is depressed by an operator. The extension 102 should extend far enough out from this opening in the firearm 1 such that when the operator pushes or depresses the button pad 103 with his or her thumb to physically release a magazine, no impedance occurs (or impedance is avoided) that would prevent the magazine from releasing. In other embodiments, this opening may be sized sufficiently to accommodate accepting all, most, or some of the button pad 103 when it is depressed while preventing or avoiding such impedance.

FIG. 2 shows the body portion 105 of an embodiment of the offset magazine release 100, which provides retaining features to a lower firearm frame or the grip 2 on one side and retaining features to the magazine 3 on the other, as it typically runs into and completely through the firearm 1 to its other side when inserted into the complementary receiving opening discussed above in the firearm 1. The body portion 105 engages internal mechanisms to release the magazine when the button 103 is pressed, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure.

The structures described above together may create a generally stair-shaped or stairstep-shaped member that may serve ergonomic purposes by reducing/eliminating chafing while also relocating the operator engageable surfaces to be closer to the thumb for reducing reach and the need to shift the firearm in-hand for acquiring proper leverage when pressing the button 103 to release a magazine. These enhancements also allow the operator to obtain a higher grip on the firearm. And considering that the gripping hand(s) generally acts as a fulcrum point for rotational yaw due to the recoiling torque and muzzle rise from a reciprocating slide mass and muzzle blast upon firing the firearm (which gets magnified further away from the hand), these enhancements may also assist in minimizing the firearm's lifting muzzle flip during recoil.

The offset magazine release may be made from a polymer or metal material, such as steel with a form of corrosion protection inherent to the material or applied externally as a surface treatment or coating during manufacture. The offset magazine release may be made through traditional manufacturing methods, such as injection molding, ultraviolet (or other light) curing of polymers, thermal curing of polymers, milling/machining (CNC) bar stock, Metal Injection Molding (MIM), casting, forging, 3D printing, Additive Manufacturing (AM), or the like, or any other manufacturing method or combination of methods, to make similar components, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of this disclosure. The installation, retention, and internal design features of the disclosed magazine release may be dictated by the original equipment manufacturer, as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art of firearm magazine releases having the benefit of this disclosure.

It should be emphasized that the above-described embodiments are merely examples of possible implementations. Many variations and modifications may be made to the above-described embodiments without departing from the principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of this disclosure and protected by the following claims.