Weapon Sight Grip

The present application claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 19/175,505, filed Apr. 10, 2025, which claims priority to and is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 18/053,302, filed Nov. 7, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 12,298,101, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 63/263,684, filed Nov. 7, 2021, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

The present disclosure generally relates to weapon accessories, and more particularly to weapon sights.

Various types of weapon sights are used to assist a shooter in aiming the weapon. Improvements are needed.

In one aspect, a pistol sight is for use on a pistol having a slide. The pistol sight comprises a base and a sighting portion. The base includes mount connection structure configured for connecting the pistol sight to the pistol. The sighting portion is supported by the base. The sighting portion is configured to assist a shooter of the firearm in aiming the firearm. The sighting portion includes a post extending upward above the base. The post includes a grip comprising elastomeric material defining a gripping surface arranged to be engaged by a finger of a user to grip the pistol sight to rack the slide of the pistol.

In another aspect, a pistol sight is for use on a pistol having a slide. The pistol sight comprises a base including mount connection structure configured for connecting the pistol sight to the pistol. The pistol sight comprises a sighting portion supported by the base. The sighting portion is configured to assist a shooter of the firearm in aiming the firearm. The sighting portion includes a post extending upward above the base. The post includes a ridge extending upward along the post. The ridge is arranged to be engaged by a finger of a user to grip the pistol sight to rack the slide of the pistol.

In another aspect, a pistol sight is for use on a pistol having a slide. The pistol sight comprises a base including mount connection structure configured for connecting the pistol sight to the pistol. The base includes an upstanding ridge arranged to be engaged by a finger of a user to grip the pistol sight to rack the slide of the pistol. The pistol sight includes a sighting portion supported by the base. The sighting portion being configured to assist a shooter of the firearm in aiming the firearm.

Other objects and features of the present disclosure will be in part apparent and in part pointed out herein.

Corresponding reference numbers indicate corresponding parts throughout the drawings.

Referring to, a firearm sight of the present disclosure is indicated by. In the illustrated embodiment, the firearm sight is a “red dot” type sight configured to assist a shooter in aiming a firearm (e.g., pistol) at a target. It will be appreciated that aspects of the present disclosure can be implemented on other firearm accessories (e.g., other types of firearm sights) without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The firearm sightcan be referred to broadly as a firearm accessory.

In general, the firearm sightincludes a base, an optical lens, and a lens support. Collectively, the lens and lens support can be referred to as a sighting portion. Moreover, the base and lens support can be referred to as a sight body, which can be formed of metal or another suitable material. In the illustrated embodiment, the baseis a generally rectangular structure having a forward end adjacent the lensand having an opposite rear end. The baseis configured to be connected to a firearm, as described in further detail below. For example, the basecan include one or more openings through which a fastener (e.g., screw) can be passed to directly connect the base to the firearm or to connect the base to a mount that is connected to the firearm.

The lensis arranged to permit a shooter to look through the lens when aiming the firearm. It will be appreciated that the firearm sightincludes a light sourcehoused in the rear portion of the basethat is configured to emit light forward toward the lensto be reflected rearward to be seen by the shooter when the shooter is looking through the lens, as is common with red dot type sights. The reflected light (e.g., having the appearance of a red dot) is adjustable to locate the dot to correspond to a correct aiming point of the firearm to sight in or zero the firearm. For example, a first dial(broadly, vertical adjustment actuator) can be used to change a vertical position of the dot as seen by the shooter, and a second dial(broadly, horizontal adjustment actuator) can be used to change a horizontal position of the dot as seen by the shooter.

The lens supportextends around the lensto protect the lens and to secure the lens in position with respect to the base. The lens supportincludes a first postA on the right side of the lens and a second postB on the left side of the lens. The lens support includes a cross memberC extending between upper ends of the postsA,B. Other configurations of lens supports can be used without departing form the scope of the present disclosure. Collectively, the lens supportand forward portion of the basecan be referred to as a shroud or frame that houses or supports the lens.

The sightincludes actuatorson the opposite left and right sides of the sight to enable a user to turn the sight on/off, adjust a mode of the sight, and/or change a brightness of the light source, etc. A battery(broadly, power source) is held in a battery compartment under a battery coverand is operatively connected to the light sourcefor powering the light source responsive to actuation of the actuators.

As shown in, the actuatorseach include a dome switchA (broadly, switch) and a coverB over the dome switch. The coversB can be pressed by a user to deform the dome switchA to actuate the actuator. Desirably, the coversB are formed of elastomeric material such as a type of rubber (e.g., TPU). The covers are flexible to permit a user to deform the dome switch by pressing the dome switch through the cover. In manufacture, the dome switchesA are installed in recesses in the sight body and operatively coupled to circuitry of the sight in communication with the battery. The coversB can be installed over the dome switchesA and secured in position, such as by adhesive. The left coverB has a “plus” indicator thereon, and the right coverB has a “minus” indicator thereon to represent that the actuators can be used to increase or decrease the brightness of the light source. The actuatorscan be used for other functions, such as turning the sight on/off, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In the illustrated embodiment, the sightincludes grip structure on opposite sides of the sight to facilitate a user in gripping the sight (e.g., pinching the sight) between fingers of the user. This may be useful, for example, in facilitating a user to rack a slide of a firearm on which the sight is mounted. For example,shows the sightmounted on a slide S and being grasped by a user to actuate or rack the slide. The slide S may be racked to chamber a round of ammunition in the barrel of the pistol or to eject a chambered round. In an aspect, besides serving as a sight, the sight also serves as a racking aide to provide increased gripping surface for a user to more easily rack the slide. The sight includes various types of grip structure.

Referring to, the sightincludes grip features on the left and right sides of the sight. The sightincludes left and right first grip features comprising grip padsapplied to respective outboard left and right sides of the lens shroud. The grip padscan be formed of elastomeric material such as a type of rubber (e.g., TPE). The grip padsinclude respective gripping surfacesA arranged to face laterally away from the lensin opposing directions with respect to each other. The arrangement is such that a user can “pinch” the sight by gripping the grip padson the opposite sides of the sight. Desirably, the material of the grip padsand/or surface texture of the grip pads are configured to provide increased friction with the hand of the user.

Referring to, the right grip padwill be discussed in more detail, with the understanding that the left grippad has a similar (e.g., mirror image) construction and is mounted on the sight body in a similar fashion. As shown in, the sight body defines a recessextending along substantially the full height of the lens shroud. The recessincludes a peripheral rimthat includes a forward ridge segmentA, a lower ridge segmentB, a rear ridge segmentC, and an upper ridge segmentD. The ridge segments bound a cavity in which the grip padand the actuator coverB are received. In the illustrated embodiment, the grip padand the actuator coverB are provided as separate pieces (see, e.g.,), but it will be appreciated that they can be integrally formed without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. The grip padis sized and shaped to correspond closely to a size and shape of a portion of the cavity next to the actuator coverB. The grip padcan be secured in position by adhesive or other suitable methods. Desirably, the grip padis resiliently compressible such that a user's finger pressing on the grip pad temporarily deforms the grip pad to increase friction between the user's finger and the grip pad. Although the grip padis shown as having a smooth outer gripping surface, the gripping surface can be textured (see, e.g.,). In other embodiments, the grip pad may be formed of or include grip tape. Moreover, the gripping surfaces may be provided in similar locations as shown but be formed by textured or roughened surfaces of the sight body rather than a pad secured to the sight body.

The sightincludes additional grip features on the left and right sides of the sight. For example, the rear ridge segmentsC of the rim extending around the grip padacts as a grip enhancing feature. The rear ridge segmentC is upstanding and defines a forward facing shoulder arranged to oppose force of a user's hand gripping the sight and pulling it rearward to rack the pistol slide. For example, if a user's hand is slipping off the rear end of the grip pad, the user's hand would engage the rear ridge segmentC and help prevent the user's hand from slipping off the sight.

The sightincludes additional grip features in the form of additional ridgeson the left and right sides of the base. The ridgeis upstanding and defines a forward facing shoulder arranged to oppose force of a user's hand gripping the sightand pulling it rearward to rack the pistol slide. A recessis provided in the base of the sight in front of the ridge and behind the lens shroud.

It will be appreciated that the user may quickly move their hand to the sightwithout looking to grip the sight to rack the pistol slide. The grip features of the present sight permit the user to engage the sight at various locations to facilitate manipulating the slide. One or more grip features disclosed herein can be omitted, and other types of grip features can be used, without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, it will be appreciated that grip features disclosed herein can be provided on one or both sides of the sight.

Referring to, a second embodiment of a firearm sight of the present disclosure is indicated generally by. The sight is similar to the sight, and similar features are indicated by like reference numbers plus. For example, the sight includes grip pads(only the right grip pad being shown). In this embodiment, the grip padshave textured gripping surfacesA to increase friction with a user's hand. The texture includes a plurality of small protrusions to give the gripping surface a texture similar to that of sand paper. As with the grip padsdescribed above, the grip padscan be formed of resiliently compressible material. It will be appreciated that the gripping surfaces can have other types of textures (e.g., plurality of ribs, knurled, etc.) without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

Referring to, a third embodiment of a firearm sight of the present disclosure is indicated generally by. The sight is similar to the sight, and similar features are indicated by like reference numbers plus. For example, the sight includes a base, a lens, and a lens support. In this embodiment, the grip pads are not provided, and the actuators on the sides of the lens shroud are omitted. The arrangement is such that the recessesin the sides of the lens shroud are left open and are provided as grip features. In use, the user's fingers can be received in the recessesto engage the ridge segmentsC to enhance grip of the sight for manipulating the slide. The outer surfaces of the lens shroud bounded by the peripheral rimare shown as smooth surfaces but can be textured (e.g., knurled, ridged, etc.), without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

In view of the above, it will be appreciated that the grip features provide traction to the user to grip the sight to perform pistol slide manipulations. The grip features increase the purchase area on each side of the slide to increase friction between the sight/slide and the user's thumb and other fingers on opposite sides of the sight/slide.

It will be apparent that modifications and variations are possible without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims. For example, mounting structure having other configurations (e.g., lacking sockets and/or holes) can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure. Moreover, it will be understood that a mounting adaptor could be part of the firearm or a separate component connectable to the firearm. The dimensions and proportions described herein are by way of example without limitation unless otherwise noted. Other dimensions and proportions can be used without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.

As various changes could be made in the above constructions and methods without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.