EP3295110B1

EP3295110B1 - Firearm comprising a magazine detection group

Info

Publication number: EP3295110B1
Application number: EP16723517.5A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Eugenio RIGHI; Valentina CHIODI; Ettore Andreis; Andrea CANDIAN
Original assignee: Fabbrica dArmi Pietro Beretta SpA
Current assignee: Beretta SpA
Priority date: 2015-05-14
Filing date: 2016-03-30
Publication date: 2019-05-15
Anticipated expiration: 2036-03-30
Also published as: WO2016181234A1; EP3295110A1; US20180128563A1

Description

The present invention relates to a firearm comprising a detection group suitable to detect the presence of a magazine in the firearm and the number of bullets therein.
In the prior art firearms comprising electronic devices of various kinds are known of, for example suitable for locating the weapon, or detecting a shot fired event, or counting the number of shots fired, or the like.
Said electronic devices are also suitable to assess, manage and transmit the information detected so as to give the shooter or an operations centre such information, for example to give an alarm signal or to track how the firearm is used.
Further information concerning the state of use of the firearm relates to the status of the magazine, i.e. whether it is inserted in the firearm or not and relative to the number of bullets housed in it.
In other words, the firearm in question must necessarily provide, within itself, for one or more electronic or mechanical or electro-mechanical devices, which without affecting the geometry and functioning kinematics of the firearm, are also suitable to accomplish the aforesaid detection. An example of a firearm comprising said type of device is disclosed in US 5 303 495 A .
The purpose of the present invention is to make a firearm suitable to also detect the above information relative to the magazine status.
Such purpose is achieved by a firearm according to claim 1.
Further advantages and embodiments of the firearm of the present invention, will be evident from the dependent claims composing the set of appended claims.
Moreover, the characteristics and advantages of the firearm will be evident from the description given below, made by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

figure 1 is a perspective view of a firearm, in particular of a gun, comprising a detection group according to a preferred embodiment;
figure 2 is a side view of the firearm shown in figure 1 comprising the firearm device, comprised in the detection group;
figure 2' is a side view of the firearm device comprised in the detection group, as in figure 1;
figures 3a and 3b show a perspective and a side view of a carrier fitted with the magazine device comprised in the detection group;
figure 4 shows a diagram of a gun fitted with the primary sensors comprised in the firearm device.

With reference to the appended drawings, reference numeral 1 globally denotes a firearm in its entirety.
Preferably, said firearm 1 comprises a magazine 10 housed in a specially shaped magazine housing 100.
Preferably, the magazine housing 100 extends along a magazine axis X-X. Similarly the magazine 10 also extends in height for example between a bullet input/output end suitable to be placed in a position proximal to the firing chamber of the weapon and a bottom end.
According to a preferred embodiment, the magazine 10 is fitted with a carrier 11 suitable to keep at least one bullet housed in the magazine 10 near its input/output end; in other words, with the magazine 10 inserted in the firearm 1, the carrier 11 keeps a bullet in a position such as to be engaged by the firing mechanism to be promptly brought into the firing chamber.
In a preferred embodiment, the carrier 11 is suitable to adopt a full magazine position, in which the magazine 10 contains all the bullets inside it and the carrier 11 is thus lowered and proximal to the bottom end, and an empty magazine configuration, in which the magazine 10 is emptied of all the bullets inside it and the carrier 11 is thus raised and proximal to the bullet input/output end.
Preferably, the carrier 11 operates with a spring element in turn housed inside the magazine 10.
It is to be noted that in a preferred embodiment said firearm 1 is a gun. Preferably, the magazine housing 100 is made in the grip of the gun.
In a further preferred embodiment said firearm 1 is an assault rifle.
The firearm 1 comprises a detection group suitable to detect the presence of the magazine 10 in the magazine housing 100 and suitable to detect the presence of a predefined number of bullets inside it.
As described in detail below, the detection group is suitable to be housed in the firearm without revolutionising its structure or influencing its kinematics.
The detection group comprises a firearm device 51 and a magazine device 52 suitable to be operatively connected to each other.
Specifically, the firearm device 51 is suitable to be housed in the firearm 1, in particular it is placed near the walls of the magazine housing 100.
In yet other words, the firearm device 1 fits into firearm, for example in the grip of the gun.
Instead, the magazine device 52 is housed in the magazine 10 of the firearm 1, specifically, it is housed in the carrier 11 of the magazine 10. In other words, the magazine device 52 is suitable to have an axial disposition in the magazine 10 induced by the position of the carrier 11.
The firearm device 51 comprises a plurality of primary sensors 510 positioned along the magazine device X-X. While the magazine device 52 comprises at least one secondary sensor 520, suitable to be operatively connected with each primary sensor 510.
Each primary sensor 510 comprises a mechanical switch.
In a preferred embodiment, the mechanical switch is a magnetic switch.
In other words, the mechanical switch comprises an active portion adapted to be stressed to close the switch.
Preferably, said active portion is in a ferromagnetic material.
According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary sensor 520 comprises a ferromagnetic element, preferably a permanent magnet, i.e. which has a magnetic field.
In other words, the mechanical switch, in particular the active portion, is suitable to close upon the action of the secondary sensor 520.
The closure of the mechanical switch entails a change of resistance and the position of the closed mechanical switch position, which is a function of the position of the carrier 11, and thus of the number of bullets housed in the magazine housing 100 loader, is thus establishable.
According to a preferred embodiment, the secondary sensor 520 is embedded inside the carrier 11.
According to the invention, the carrier 11 is in a non-magnetic material.
According to a preferred embodiment, therefore, thanks to the position along the magazine axis X-X of a plurality of primary sensors 510, as the height along the magazine axis X-X of the carrier 11 varies, the secondary sensor 520 performs an action on the primary sensor 510 proximal to it. In other words, depending on the axial position of the carrier 11 in the magazine 10, the primary sensor 510 undergoes an action, for example such as to perform the closure of the respective switch.
According to a preferred embodiment, the primary sensors 510 are in a number equal to the number of possible positions of the carrier 11.
In a preferred embodiment, the primary sensors 510 are in a number equal to the maximum number of bullets which are housable in the magazine 10.
In a preferred embodiment, the primary sensors 510 are in a number equal to the maximum number of bullets which are housable in the magazine housing 100.
According to a preferred embodiment, the firearm device 51 comprises a support element 550 suitable to support and house the plurality of primary sensors 510 in such a way as to connect them electrically to each other.
Preferably, the support element 550 extends in length and is suitable to be placed in the firearm facing the magazine, extending along the magazine axis X-X.
Preferably, the support element 550 is in non-magnetic material.
In a preferred embodiment, the magazine housing 100 comprises a detector seat which extends along the magazine axis X-X suitable for housing the firearm device 51. Preferably, the support element 550 and the primary sensors (510) housed on it, are housed in said detector seat.
Preferably, the support element 550 is suitable to be inserted in the firearm 1 in the direction of the magazine axis X-X.
Preferably, the support element 550 is an electronic terminal board on which the primary sensor elements 510 and the electronic circuitry which puts them in mutual communication are housed.
According to a preferred embodiment, the detection group comprises a data processing unit suitable to manage the information derived from the primary sensors 510.
Preferably, the detection group by means of the data processing unit is suitable to manage the information, for example transmitting it to another electronic device inside or outside the firearm 1. In further embodiments the detection group by means of the data processing unit is suitable to store the information in a special memory.
Preferably, the detection group is suitable to transmit the information detected to a mobile phone or smartphone.
Innovatively the firearm according to the present invention resolves the problems typical of the prior art, being suitable to detect the aforesaid information relative to the status of the magazine.
Advantageously, in fact, the firearm according to the invention is suitable to detect in the first place the presence or absence of the magazine in the magazine housing and secondly the number of bullets housed in it. Advantageously, the firearm according to the present invention is suitable to detect the presence of bullets housed in said magazine.
In addition, advantageously, the firearm according to the invention, achieves the purpose set forth comprising a detection group which does not affect the firearm itself. It is not in fact necessary to revolutionize the shape or design of the firearm. Advantageously the operations on the firearm to comprise and house the detection group are minimal and substantially non-invasive.
An additional advantage is therefore that the firearm according to the invention, despite comprising a detection group shows no change in shooting kinematics, the detection group not being invasive of the firing mechanism of the firearm.
Yet a further advantage lies in that the detection group comprises a plurality of components composed of magnetic elements which, however, are designed to be suitable to operate with each other without magnetizing the other components comprised in the weapon.
Advantageously, the detection group is simple and reliable to make, guaranteeing over time a correct detection of the presence of the magazine and of the bullets stored therein. In other words, advantageously, the use of mechanical components ensures a reliable and effective detection even with high peak stresses suffered by the firearm, for example due to the firing event.
In addition, advantageously, even the management of the detection group is simple to implement, not presenting details and complex systems or electronic circuitry, the management, implementation and reliability of which is always in discussion, all the more so in a hostile environment such as that of a firearm, which typically suffers critical and impulsive stresses. Advantageously, the firearm according to the present invention is suitable to allow over time the aforesaid detection even after sustaining impulsive stresses such as those of a gunshot. Advantageously, the switches are indeed suitable to withstand up to 5000g.
According to yet a further advantageous aspect, the non-invasiveness of the detection group of the present invention makes it suitable to be comprised in firearms of small dimensions, such as a gun. Advantageously, the aforesaid advantages are thus also achievable on a gun comprising a detection group.
Advantageously, the detection group is suitable to consume very little energy in its implementation, activating in fact only upon a change of resistance, i.e. only if the shot fired event occurs and the number of bullets housed in the magazine housing changes. If said event does not occur, the detection group has all the switches open and therefore does not consume energy.
In a further embodiment, the carrier (11) is of the type comprising a dummy bullet, and the magazine device (52) is housed in said dummy bullet.
It is clear that a person skilled in the art may make modifications to the firearm described above so as to satisfy contingent requirements while remaining within the sphere of protection of the following claims.

Claims

Firearm (1) comprising a magazine (10), fitted with a carrier (11) in a non-magnetic material, housed in a specially shaped magazine housing (100) which extends along a magazine axis (X-X), wherein the firearm (1) comprises a detection group suitable to detect the presence of the magazine (10) in the magazine housing (100) and the presence of a predefined number of bullets inside it, comprising:
i) a firearm device (51), housed in the firearm (1), preferably near the walls of the magazine housing (100), comprising a plurality of primary sensors (510) arranged along the magazine axis (X-X), wherein each primary sensor (510) comprises a mechanical switch;

ii) a magazine device (52), housed in the carrier (11) of the magazine (10), comprising at least a secondary sensor (520), comprising a ferromagnetic element yielding a magnetic field, wherein the carrier (11) is of the type comprising a dummy bullet and the secondary sensor (520) is housed in said dummy bullet or wherein the secondary sensor (520) is embedded inside the carrier (11);
in which at the change in height along the magazine axis (X-X) of the carrier (11) the secondary sensor (520) by means of its magnetic field performs an action on the primary sensor (510) proximal to it to perform the closing of the respective mechanical switch.
Firearm (1) according to claim 1, wherein the mechanical switch is a magnetic switch comprising an active portion, preferably of ferromagnetic material, suitable to close upon the action of the secondary sensor (520).
Firearm (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the ferromagnetic element comprised in the secondary sensor (520) is a permanent magnet.
Firearm (1) according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the primary sensors (510) are in a number equal to the number of positions that the carrier (11) is suitable to assume between a configuration of magazine full, in which the magazine (10) contains all the bullets inside it, and a configuration of magazine empty, in which the magazine (10) is emptied of all the bullets inside it.
Firearm (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the primary sensors (510) are in a number such as to count the number of bullets housed inside the magazine housing(100).
Firearm (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the firearm device (1) comprises a support element (550) suitable to support and house the plurality of primary sensors (510) in such a way as to connect them electrically to each other.
Firearm (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein the magazine housing (100) comprises a detector seat (115) which extends along the magazine axis (X-X) suitable for housing the firearm device(51).
Firearm (1) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the detection group comprises a data processing unit suitable to manage the information deriving from the primary sensors (510), for example, to transmit it to another electronic device inside or outside the firearm (1) .
Firearm (1) according to any of the previous claims, wherein said firearm (1) is a handgun.
Firearm (1) according to any of the previous claims from 1 to 8, wherein said firearm (1) is an assault rifle.