US20200049439A1

US20200049439A1 - Biometric trigger lock

Info

Publication number: US20200049439A1
Application number: US16/101,453
Authority: US
Inventors: Douglas Thompson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2018-08-12
Filing date: 2018-08-12
Publication date: 2020-02-13

Abstract

A biometric trigger lock to be removably installed on a pistol, the biometric trigger lock including a first body, including a biometric sensor disposed on a surface of the first body, and a latching mechanism disposed within the first body and electrically connected to the biometric sensor to move from a latched position to an unlatched position in response to a finger of an authorized user touching the biometric sensor, and a second body, including a pin extending from a side portion of the second body and including a latching tip to detachably connect to the latching mechanism.

Description

BACKGROUND

1. Field

The present general inventive concept relates generally to a trigger lock, and particularly, to a biometric trigger lock.

2. Description of the Related Art

The Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution remains rooted deeply in the fabric of the United States of America. However, there is a problem with people getting into guns namely, small children, causing terrible, sometimes fatal accidents that harm themselves or others.
Therefore, there is a need for a device that effectively prevents a user from being able to pull a trigger of a gun.

SUMMARY

The present general inventive concept provides a biometric trigger lock.
Additional features and utilities of the present general inventive concept will be set forth in part in the description which follows and, in part, will be obvious from the description, or may be learned by practice of the general inventive concept.
The foregoing and/or other features and utilities of the present general inventive concept may be achieved by providing a biometric trigger lock to be removably installed on a pistol, the biometric trigger lock including a first body, including a biometric sensor disposed on a surface of the first body, and a latching mechanism disposed within the first body and electrically connected to the biometric sensor to move from a latched position to an unlatched position in response to a finger of an authorized user touching the biometric sensor, and a second body, including a pin extending from a side portion of the second body and including a latching tip to detachably connect to the latching mechanism.
The first body may further include an aperture to receive the latching tip of the pin to allow the latching tip to connect to the latching mechanism.
The first body may further include a battery disposed within the first body, a microprocessor connected to the battery and disposed within the first body to allow the biometric sensor to be programmed with fingerprint information of the authorized user, and a USB port disposed on a side portion of the first body to charge the battery and to allow the microprocessor to connect to an external computer.
The pin may prevent a trigger of the pistol from being depressed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and/or other features and utilities of the present generally inventive concept will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1A illustrates a side perspective view a biometric trigger lock in a connected position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 1B illustrates a side perspective view the biometric trigger lock in a disconnected position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept;

FIG. 2A illustrates a side perspective view the biometric trigger lock installed on a pistol, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept; and

FIG. 2B illustrates a top perspective view the biometric trigger lock installed on the pistol, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Various example embodiments (a.k.a., exemplary embodiments) will now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which some example embodiments are illustrated. In the figures, the thicknesses of lines, layers and/or regions may be exaggerated for clarity.
Accordingly, while example embodiments are capable of various modifications and alternative forms, embodiments thereof are shown by way of example in the figures and will herein be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that there is no intent to limit example embodiments to the particular forms disclosed, but on the contrary, example embodiments are to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the scope of the disclosure. Like numbers refer to like/similar elements throughout the detailed description.
It is understood that when an element is referred to as being “connected” or “coupled” to another element, it can be directly connected or coupled to the other element or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly connected” or “directly coupled” to another element, there are no intervening elements present. Other words used to describe the relationship between elements should be interpreted in a like fashion (e.g., “between” versus “directly between,” “adjacent” versus “directly adjacent,” etc.).
The terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of example embodiments. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes” and/or “including,” when used herein, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientific terms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. It will be further understood that terms, e.g., those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should be interpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning in the context of the relevant art. However, should the present disclosure give a specific meaning to a term deviating from a meaning commonly understood by one of ordinary skill, this meaning is to be taken into account in the specific context this definition is given herein.
FIG. 1A illustrates a side perspective view a biometric trigger lock 100 in a connected position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Here, the connected position may also be called the locked position of the biometric trigger lock 100.
FIG. 1B illustrates a side perspective view the biometric trigger lock 100 in a disconnected position, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept. Here, the disconnected position may also be called the unlocked position of the biometric trigger lock 100.
Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, the biometric trigger lock 100 may include a first body 110 and a second body 120.
The first body 110 may include a biometric sensor 111, a battery 112, an aperture 113, a latching mechanism 114, a microprocessor 115, and a USB port 116, but is not limited thereto.
The biometric sensor 111 may be disposed on a surface of the first body 110, and may be electrically connected to the battery 112, the latching mechanism 114, and the microprocessor 115. As such, a user may touch the biometric sensor 111 with a fingertip, which may cause the latching mechanism 114 to unlatch.
The battery 112 may provide power to the biometric sensor 111 and the latching mechanism 114, and may be recharged via the USB port 116 (using a USB type cable, or any other type of cable), which may be disposed on a side portion of the first body 110. The USB port 116 may be any type of port that allows the battery 112 to be recharged.
The microprocessor 115 may be programmed via a computer or mobile device, when the first body 110 is attached to the computer or the mobile device via the USB port 116. Specifically, a program or application installed on the computer or the mobile device may allow the user to preprogram the user's fingerprint onto the biometric sensor 111, such that the biometric sensor 111 can detect when the user is touching the biometric sensor 111. Alternatively, the biometric trigger lock 100 may be programmed without the need for an external computer or mobile device. Either way, an unauthorized user may not unlock the biometric trigger lock 100 if his/her fingerprint has not been determined to be an authorized fingerprint.
The second body 120 may include a pin 121, but is not limited thereto.
The pin 121 may extend from a front portion of the second body 120, and may include a latching tip 122 at an end portion of the pin 121 to correspond to the latching mechanism 114 of the first body 110. More specifically, the latching tip 122 may be inserted into the aperture 113 disposed on a side of the first body opposite from the USB port 116, until it makes contact with and connects to the latching mechanism 114.
In order to detach the first body 110 from the second body 120, the latching mechanism 114 must first release the latching tip 122 of the pin 121. Specifically, the user may place a fingertip on the biometric sensor 111, which after sensing the authorized user's fingerprint, causes the latching mechanism 114 to move and unhook the latching tip 122 therefrom to allow the second body 120 to be pulled apart from the first body 110.
As such, the latching mechanism 114 may be disposed within the first body 110 and may be electrically connected to the biometric sensor 111 to move from a latched position to an unlatched position in response to a finger of an authorized user touching the biometric sensor 111.
FIG. 2A illustrates a side perspective view the biometric trigger lock 100 installed on a pistol 10, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
FIG. 2B illustrates a top perspective view the biometric trigger lock 100 installed on the pistol 10, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present general inventive concept.
As illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the pin 121 may be disposed between a trigger 11 and a handle 12 of the pistol 10, in order to prevent the trigger 11 from moving. When the user wants to remove the biometric trigger lock 100, the user may place a finger on the biometric sensor 111, as described above.
The biometric trigger lock 100 may come in various sizes, may be installed on any type of gun, pistol, rifle, etc., and may be programmed and reprogrammed based on a preference of the user.
Although a few embodiments of the present general inventive concept have been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes may be made in these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of the general inventive concept, the scope of which is defined in the appended claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A biometric trigger lock to be removably installed on a pistol, the biometric trigger lock comprising:

a first body having a first length that extends a distance away from a first side of a trigger guard, and a first width less than a distance between a trigger and the trigger guard, such that the first length is greater than the first width, the first body comprising:

a biometric sensor disposed on a surface of the first body, and

a latching mechanism disposed within the first body and electrically connected to the biometric sensor to move from a latched position to an unlatched position in response to a finger of an authorized user touching the biometric sensor; and

a second body having a second length that extends a distance away from a second side of the trigger guard, and a second width less than a distance between the trigger and the trigger guard, such that the second length is greater than the second width, the second body comprising:

a pin extending from a side portion of the second body and including a latching tip to detachably connect to the latching mechanism.

2. The biometric trigger lock of claim 1, wherein the first body further comprises:

an aperture to receive the latching tip of the pin to allow the latching tip to connect to the latching mechanism.

3. The biometric trigger lock of claim 1, wherein the first body further comprises:

a battery disposed within the first body;

a microprocessor connected to the battery and disposed within the first body to allow the biometric sensor to be programmed with fingerprint information of the authorized user; and

a USB port disposed on a side portion of the first body to charge the battery and to allow the microprocessor to connect to an external computer.

4. The biometric trigger lock of claim 1, wherein the pin prevents a trigger of the pistol from being depressed.

5. A biometric trigger lock to be removably installed on a pistol, the biometric trigger lock comprising:

a first body having a width and a height less than a distance between a trigger and a handle of the pistol, such that a first end of the first body is curved and a second end of the first body is substantially straight; and

a second body having a width and a height less than the distance between the trigger and the handle of the pistol, the second body comprising:

a pin extending away from a side portion of the second body toward the first end of the first body to be detachably connected within a curved portion on a first end of the first body.