Electromechanical Trigger and Methods of Operating a Gun Using the Same

This application is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 18/066,075, titled “ELECTROMECHANICAL TRIGGER AND METHODS OF OPERATING A GUN USING THE SAME” and filed Dec. 14, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/655,530, titled “ELECTROMECHANICAL TRIGGER AND METHODS OF OPERATING A GUN USING THE SAME” and filed Mar. 18, 2022, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,555,663, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/176,770, titled “ELECTROMECHANICAL TRIGGER” and filed on Apr. 19, 2021, which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.

The teachings disclosed herein generally relate to guns, and more specifically to an electromechanical trigger.

The term “gun” generally refers to a ranged weapon that uses a shooting tube (also referred to as a “barrel”) to launch solid projectiles, though some instead project pressurized liquid, gas, or even charged particles. These projectiles may be free flying (e.g., as with bullets), or these projectiles may be tethered to the gun (e.g., as with spearguns, harpoon guns, and electroshock weapons such as TASER® devices). The means of projectile propulsion vary according to the design (and thus, type of gun), but are traditionally effected pneumatically by a highly compressed gas contained within the barrel. This gas is normally produced through the rapid exothermic combustion of propellants (e.g., as with firearms) or mechanical compression (e.g., as with air guns). When introduced behind the projectile, the gas pushes and accelerates the projectile down the length of the barrel, imparting sufficient launch velocity to sustain it further towards a target after exiting the muzzle.

Most guns use compressed gas that is confined by the barrel to propel the projectile up to high speed, though the term “gun” may be used more broadly in relation to devices that operate in other ways. Accordingly, the term “gun” may not only cover handguns, shotguns, rifles, single-shot firearms, semi-automatic firearms, and automatic firearms, but also electroshock weapons, light-gas guns, plasma guns, and the like.

Significant energies have been spent developing safer ways to use, transport, store, and dispose guns. Gun safety is an important aspect of avoiding unintentional injury due to mishaps like accidental discharges and malfunctions. Gun safety is also becoming an increasingly important aspect of designing and manufacturing guns. While there have been many attempts to make guns safer to use, transport, and store, those attempts have had little impact.

The systems, apparatuses, and techniques described herein support an electromechanical trigger that is implementable in a gun. The term “gun,” as used herein, may be used to refer to a lethal force weapon, such as a pistol, a rifle, a shotgun, a semi-automatic firearm, or an automatic firearm; a less-lethal weapon, such as a stun-gun or a projectile emitting device; or an assembly of components operable to selectively discharge matter or charged particles, such as a firing mechanism.

Generally, the described systems and techniques described herein provide a trigger system implementable in guns. The gun may include a trigger mechanism, a trigger sensing mechanism, and a fire control manager. A detent mechanism may be dislocated in response to a force applied to the trigger mechanism, and the trigger sensing mechanism may generate a voltage based on the dislocating of the detent mechanism. Dislocating the detent mechanism may indicate or otherwise correspond to the satisfying of a trigger break threshold. The fire control manager may identify a trigger break and transmit a signal to an actuator mechanism. The fire control manager may transmit the signal to the actuator mechanism in response to identifying the dislocating of the detent mechanism and identifying the trigger break. The actuator mechanism may be displaced in response to the signal, and displacing the actuator mechanism may result in a projectile being propelled from the gun.

Various features of the technology described herein will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from a study of the Detailed Description in conjunction with the drawings. Various embodiments are depicted in the drawings for the purpose of illustration. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that alternative embodiments may be employed without departing from the principles of the technology. Accordingly, the technology is amenable to modifications that may not be reflected in the drawings.

In conventional guns, the trigger is mechanically connected to the sear, providing the shooter with the ability to move the sear and release the striker or hammer by pulling the trigger. The mechanical connection between the trigger and sear also produces a trigger with a characteristic feel that is largely the result of the sear releasing the striker or hammer. For example, a trigger bar is often used to connect the trigger to the sear such that pulling the trigger results in movement of the sear, and sufficient movement of the sear allows the release of the striker or hammer, causing the firing pin to collide with the cartridge primer, ignite the propellant, and propel a projectile from the gun.

A trigger system allows the shooter (also referred to as a “user”) to operate the gun. In conventional guns, the trigger system provides a mechanical connection between the trigger and the sear, thereby allowing the shooting to move the sear and release the striker or hammer by pulling the trigger, but this type of connection imposes significant constraints on the trigger weight and feel. For example, a user may desire a light trigger weight, but conventional guns that deliver a light trigger weight often have a precarious connection between the sear and striker or hammer, making the gun susceptible to accidental discharges. Additionally, trigger systems often include safety features, but when the trigger is mechanically connected to the sear, significant constraints are imposed on the types of safety features that may be used. For example, a drop safety may be used to prevent the sear from unintentionally dropping and releasing the striker or hammer, but a shooter may damage or incorrectly install the drop safety, thereby resulting in a gun that is prone to accidental discharges.

Some conventional guns include an inhibitor mechanism to attempt to deliver improved safety. But trigger inhibition mechanisms—namely, mechanisms that inhibit movement of the trigger while the gun is unarmed and allows movement of the trigger while the gun is armed—can often be defeated by simply removing the inhibitor mechanism from the gun. For example, a gun may include a bar that inhibits (or simply blocks) movement of the trigger while the gun is unarmed, and a holding current may be used to hold the bar in a different location such that the trigger is not inhibited by the bar, allowing the gun can function as normal while the gun is armed. If a thief steals the gun and removes the inhibitor bar that is used to inhibit movement of the trigger, then the gun loses the safety benefits originally provided by the inhibitor mechanism.

Some conventional guns include an inhibitor mechanism that is disengaged in response to authenticating the shooter. For example, an inhibitor rod may obstruct the trigger while no shooter is authenticated, and the inhibitor rod may be displaced in response to authenticating the shooter such that the trigger is not obstructed by the inhibitor rod. As with the drop safety, such inhibitor mechanisms can be damaged or removed from the gun, yielding a gun that may be used by anybody and/or prone to accidental discharges.

Introduced here, therefore, is an electromechanical trigger for guns that provides a familiar and adjustable trigger feel with enhanced safety features. The electromechanical trigger described herein can be used in electrical firing systems and remove the direct mechanical connection between the trigger and the sear, thereby improving the safety of the system and increasing the adjustability of the trigger. The electromechanical trigger described herein includes a detent mechanism (e.g., a mechanical detent, an electromagnetic detent, etc.) that produces a trigger feel that is both familiar and adjustable. The electromechanical trigger described herein produces a trigger break that can be identified with a trigger sensing mechanism (e.g., a Hall effect sensor, an optical sensor, a physical switch, etc.). The gun may include both mechanical safeties and electrical safeties to enhance the safety of the gun. For example, the gun may include a mechanical trigger safety and an electrically activated drop safety.

The gun may include an actuator mechanism that facilitates the firing of a projectile from the gun in response to a user pulling the trigger. For example, the actuator mechanism may release a sear, a striker, or a hammer in response to the trigger sensing mechanism identifying a trigger beak, and the gun may propel a projectile through the barrel based on the actuator mechanism releasing sear, striker, or hammer. In another example, the actuator mechanism may transmit an electrical signal to an electrically activated round of ammunition in response to the trigger sensing mechanism identifying the trigger beak, and the electrical signal may ignite a propellant and cause the round of ammunition to be accelerated through the barrel and propelled from the gun at high velocity. In some examples, the actuator mechanism may act as a safety that is electrically disengaged in response to identifying the trigger break such that the gun may be fired. The actuator mechanism may be activated in response to identifying the trigger break and determining that an authorized user is holding the gun, and the gun may fire a projectile based on activating the actuator mechanism. An actuator mechanism may facilitate the control of a fire control component, such as a sear, a striker, a hammer, or a firing pin and/or a safety component, such as a firing pin safety, a drop safety, or a trigger safety. An actuator mechanism may include an actuator block, a plunger, a spring, a solenoid-based actuator, a piezoelectric-based actuator, or the like. The electromechanical trigger described herein improves gun safety, as the gun may utilize the actuator mechanism to fire a projectile in response to identifying a trigger break and determining that an authorized user is holding the gun, so unauthorized users may fail to fire the gun. Additionally, since a direct mechanical connection may not exist between the trigger and sear, simply removing the actuator mechanism or the safety mechanisms from the gun may render the gun non-operational, thereby thwarting unauthorized users from operating the gun by simply removing component from the gun.

The detent mechanism may be implemented as a mechanical detent or an electromagnetic detent. For example, the detent mechanism may include a spring-loaded ball detent, a firing pin safety with a coil spring, a leaf spring, a pneumatic valve, a magnet, or the like. The detent mechanism may support the shooter in modifying the trigger weight and feel. For example, the detent mechanism may include a spring, and the shooter may adjust the spring orientation or compression to alter the trigger weight. As another example, the detent mechanism may include multiple magnets, and the shooter may adjust the location of the magnets to alter the trigger weight.

The trigger sensing mechanism may be implemented as an electromagnetic sensor, an optical sensor, or a physical switch. For example, the trigger sensing mechanism may include a Hall effect sensor that generates a voltage based on movement of the trigger mechanism. The trigger sensing mechanism may be used to identify movement of the trigger mechanism satisfying a trigger break threshold. The trigger break threshold may include a force threshold, a distance threshold, or both. As an illustrative example, the trigger mechanism may include a magnet, and a Hall effect sensor may be positioned to identify movement of the trigger mechanism based on the magnet. The Hall effect sensor may be positioned such that a voltage is generated by the Hall effect sensor based on the magnet being within a threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor. In other words, the voltage may be generated based on the trigger mechanism moving the magnet close to the Hall effect sensor. A fire control manager may identify the voltage and activate the actuator mechanism (e.g., by transmitting an electrical signal), where activating the actuator mechanism results in the gun firing a projectile.

The trigger mechanism may include a trigger body, a trigger bar, or a connector, and the trigger sensing mechanism may identify movement of the trigger body, the trigger bar, or the connector. As an illustrative example, a magnet may be coupled with the trigger body, and a Hall effect sensor may be positioned on an interior edge of the frame of the gun such that the Hall effect sensor generates a voltage in response to the trigger body moving and the magnet being located within a threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor. The electromechanical trigger may be configured such that the magnet is located within the threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor when the trigger mechanism dislocates the detent mechanism. As such, the trigger break may be identified based on the trigger mechanism dislocating the detent mechanism, and the actuator mechanism may be activated in response to the trigger break being identified, causing the gun fire a projectile.

The systems and techniques described herein can be used in the context of trigger systems that include actuator mechanisms, inhibitor mechanisms, or both. A gun including an electromechanical trigger may disengage an inhibitor mechanism based on movement of the trigger mechanism, and the gun may fire a projectile based on the inhibitor mechanism being disengaged. A gun including an electromechanical trigger may activate an actuator mechanism to displace the sear based on movement of the trigger mechanism such that a striker or hammer is released, causing the gun to fire a projectile. The electromechanical trigger described herein supports identifying a trigger break and activating an actuator mechanism and/or disengaging an inhibitor mechanism to facilitate the firing of a projectile from the gun. The systems and techniques described herein improve gun safety while delivering a trigger feel that is both familiar and adjustable.

Embodiments may be described in the context of executable instructions for the purpose of illustration. For example, a fire control manager housed in a gun may be described as being capable of implementing logic, processing signals, or executing instructions that permit the identifying of a trigger break and firing of the gun. For example, the fire control manager may identify a trigger break based on a Hall effect sensor, transmit an electrical signal to disengage an inhibitor mechanism, and transmit an electrical signal to activate an actuator mechanism and release the sear. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that aspects of the technology could be implemented via hardware, firmware, or software.

References in the present disclosure to “an embodiment” or “some embodiments” means that the feature, function, structure, or characteristic being described is included in at least one embodiment. Occurrences of such phrases do not necessarily refer to the same embodiment, nor are they necessarily referring to alternative embodiments that are mutually exclusive of one another.

Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, the terms “comprise,” “comprising,” and “comprised of” are to be construed in an inclusive sense rather than an exclusive or exhaustive sense (i.e., in the sense of “including but not limited to”). The term “based on” is also to be construed in an inclusive sense rather than an exclusive or exhaustive sense. For example, the phrase “A is based on B” does not imply that “A” is based solely on “B.” Thus, the term “based on” is intended to mean “based at least in part on” unless otherwise noted.

The terms “connected,” “coupled,” and variants thereof are intended to include any connection or coupling between two or more elements, either direct or indirect. The connection or coupling can be physical, electrical, logical, or a combination thereof. For example, elements may be electrically or communicatively coupled with one another despite not sharing a physical connection. As one illustrative example, a first component is considered coupled with a second component when there is a conductive path between the first component and the second component. As another illustrative example, a first component is considered coupled with a second component when the first component and the second component are fastened, joined, attached, tethered, bonded, or otherwise linked.

The term “manager” may refer broadly to software, firmware, or hardware. Managers are typically functional components that generate one or more outputs based on one or more inputs. A computer program may include or utilize one or more managers. For example, a computer program may utilize multiple managers that are responsible for completing different tasks, or a computer program may utilize a single manager that is responsible for completing all tasks. As another example, a manager may include an electrical circuit that produces an output based on hardware components, such as transistors, logic gates, analog components, or digital components. Unless otherwise noted, the terms “manager” and “module” may be used interchangeably.

When used in reference to a list of multiple items, the term “or” is intended to cover all of the following interpretations: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list, and any combination of items in the list. For example, the list “A, B, or C” indicates the list “A” or “B” or “C” or “A and B” or “A and C” or “B and C” or “A and B and C.”

illustrates an example of a gunthat supports an electromechanical sear in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The gunincludes a trigger, a barrel, a magazine, and a magazine release. While these components are generally found in firearms, such as pistols, rifles, and shotguns, those skilled in the art will recognize that the technology described herein may be similarly appliable to other types of guns as discussed above. As an example, comparable components may be included in vehicle-mounted weapons that are not intended to be held or operated by hand. While not shown in, the gunmay also include a striker (e.g., a ratcheting striker or rotating striker) or a hammer that can be actuated in response to pulling the trigger. Pulling the triggermay result in the release of the striker or hammer, thereby causing the striker or hammer to contact a firing pin, percussion cap, or primer, so as to ignite a propellant and fire a projectile through the barrel. Embodiments of the gunmay also include a blowback system, a locked breech system, or any combination thereof. These systems are more commonly found in self-reloading firearms. The blowback system may be responsible for obtaining energy from the motion of the case of the projectile as it is pushed to the rear of the gunby expanding propellant, while the locked breech system may be responsible for slowing down the opening of the breech of a self-reloading firearm when fired. Accordingly, the gunmay support the semi-automatic firing of projectiles, the automatic firing of projectiles, or both.

The gunmay include one or more safeties that are meant to reduce the likelihood of an accidental discharge or an unauthorized use. The gunmay include one or more mechanical safeties, such as a trigger safety or a firing pin safety. The trigger safety may be incorporated in the triggerto prevent the triggerfrom moving in response to lateral forces placed on the triggeror dropping the gun. The term “lateral forces,” as used herein, may refer to a force that is substantially orthogonal to a central axisthat extends along the barrelfrom the front to the rear of the gun. The firing pin safety may block the displacement path of the firing pin until the triggeris pulled. Additionally or alternatively, the gunmay include one or more electronic safety components, such as an electronically actuated drop safety. In some cases, the gunmay include both mechanical and electronic safeties to reduce the potential for an accidental discharge and improve the overall safety of the gun.

The gunmay include one or more sensors, such as a user presence sensorand a biometric sensor. In some cases, the gunmay include multiple user presence sensorswhose outputs can collectively be used to detect the presence of a user. For example, the gunmay include a time of flight (TOF) sensor, a photoelectric sensor, a capacitive sensor, an inductive sensor, a force sensor, a resistive sensor, or a mechanical switch. As another example, the gunmay include a proximity sensor that is configured to emit an electromagnetic field or electromagnetic radiation, like infrared, and looks for changes in the field or return signal. As another example, the gunmay include an audio input mechanism (e.g., a transducer implemented in a microphone) that is configured to generate a signal that is representative of nearby sounds, and the presence of the user can be detected based on an analysis of the signal.

The gunmay also include one or more biometric sensorsas shown in. For example, the gunmay include a fingerprint sensor (also referred to as a “fingerprint scanner”), an image sensor, or an audio input mechanism. The fingerprint scanner may generate a digital image (or simply “image”) of the fingerprint pattern of the user, and the fingerprint pattern can be examined (e.g., on the gunor elsewhere) to determine whether the user should be verified. The image sensor may generate an image of an anatomical feature (e.g., the face or eye) of the user, and the image can be examined (e.g., on the gunor elsewhere) to determine whether the user should be verified. Normally, the image sensor is a charge-coupled device (CCD) or complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor that is included in a camera module (or simply “camera”) able to generate color images. The image sensor need not necessarily generate images in color, however. In some embodiments, the image sensor is configured to generate ultraviolet, infrared, or near infrared images. Regardless of its nature, images generated by the image sensor can be used to authenticate the presence or identity of the user. As an example, an image generated by a camera may be used to perform facial recognition of the user. The audio input mechanism may generate a signal that is representative of audio containing the voice of the user, and the signal can be examined (e.g., on the gunor elsewhere) to determine whether the user should be verified. Thus, the signal generated by the audio input mechanism may be used to perform speaker recognition of the user. Including multiple biometric sensors in the gunmay support a robust authentication procedure that functions in the event of sensor failure, thereby improving gun reliability. Note, however, that each of the multiple biometric sensors may not provide the same degree or confidence of identity verification. As an example, the output produced by one biometric sensor (e.g., an audio input mechanism) may be used to determine whether a user is present while the output produced by another biometric sensor (e.g., a fingerprint scanner or image sensor) may be used to verify the identity of the user in response to a determination that the user is present.

The gunmay support various types of aiming sights (or simply “sights”). At a high level, a sight is an aiming device that may be used to assist in visually align the gun(and, more specifically, its barrel) with a target. For example, the gunmay include iron sights that improve aim without the use of optics. Additionally or alternatively, the gunmay include telescopic sights, reflex sights, or laser sights. In, the gunincludes two sights-namely, a front sightand a rear sight. In some cases, the front sightor the rear sightmay be used to indicate gun state information. For example, the front sightmay include a single illuminant that is able to emit light of different colors to indicate different gun states. As another example, the front sightmay include multiple illuminants, each of which is able to emit light of a different color, that collectively are able to indicate different gun states. One example of an illuminant is a light-emitting diode (LED).

The gunmay fire projectiles, and the projectiles may be associated with lethal force or less-lethal force. For example, the gunmay fire projectiles containing lead, brass, copper, zinc, steel, plastic, rubber, synthetic polymers (e.g., nylon), or a combination thereof. In some examples, the gunis configured to fire lethal bullets containing lead, while in other cases the gunis configured to fire less-lethal bullets containing rubber. As mentioned above, the technology described herein may also be used in the context of a gun that fires prongs (also referred to as “darts”) which are intended to contact or puncture the skin of a target and then carry electric current into the body of the target. These guns are commonly referred to as “electronic control weapons” or “electroshock weapons.” One example of an electroshock weapon is a TASER device.

The gunmay include a trigger mechanism including the trigger. The gunmay also include a trigger sensing mechanism and a fire control manager. The fire control manager may identify a trigger break based on the trigger sensing mechanism generating a voltage, and the fire control manager may transmit a signal to an actuator mechanism based on the trigger break. A detent mechanism may be dislocated in response to a force applied to the trigger, and the trigger sensing mechanism may generate the voltage based on the dislocating of the detent mechanism. Dislocating the detent mechanism may correspond to satisfying a trigger break threshold. The actuator mechanism may be displaced in response to the signal, and displacing the actuator mechanism may result in a projectile being propelled from the barrel.

illustrates an example of a gunthat supports an electromechanical trigger in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The gunmay be an example of the gunas described with reference to.

The gunincludes a trigger, a trigger sensing mechanism, a fire control manager, and an actuator mechanism. In response to a user pulling the trigger, the fire control managermay transmit an electrical pulse (also referred to as a “signal”) to the actuator mechanism, and the actuator mechanismmay cause the gunto propel a projectile through the barrel. For example, the actuator mechanismmay receive the signal and displace a sear in response to receiving the signal, causing a striker or hammer to be released, a firing pin to collide with a cartridge primer, propellant to be ignited, and a projectile to be propelled through the barrel. In another example, the actuator mechanismmay direct current through a conductive material, and the current in conductive material may ignite the propellent of an electronically activated cartridge, causing a projectile to be propelled through the barrel.

The fire control managermay identify a trigger break based on the trigger sensing mechanism, and the fire control managermay transmit the signal to the actuator mechanismbased on the trigger break. In some examples, the trigger sensing mechanismmay include a trigger sensor, such as the Hall effect sensor, and an activation component, such as the magnet. The Hall effect sensormay generate a voltage based on the triggermoving the magnetwithin a threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor, the fire control managermay identify the voltage generated by the Hall effect sensor, and the fire control managermay transmit the signal to the actuator mechanismbased on the Hall effect sensorgenerating the voltage. In some cases, the fire control managermay transmit the signal to the actuator mechanismbased on multiple factors, such as the voltage and an armed state of the gun, the voltage and a successful user authentication procedure, or the voltage, a successful user authentication procedure, and a successful user presence procedure.

The Hall effect sensormay generate a voltage based on the triggermoving the magnetwithin a threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor, and the magnetmay be located within the threshold distance of the Hall effect sensorbased on the triggerdislocating a detent mechanism. Dislocating the detent mechanism may include displacing a mechanical detent such as a spring-loaded ball detent or a leaf spring, and the threshold distance of the Hall effect sensormay correspond to a distance between the magnetand the Hall effect sensorthat results in Hall effect sensorgenerating a voltage that indicates activation of the Hall effect sensor. The Hall effect sensormay generate an output voltage (e.g., a high voltage) based on the density of magnetic flux, and the magnetmay produce a magnetic field. The distance from the Hall effect sensorat which the magnetproduces a magnetic field with a flux density that triggers the Hall effect sensorto generate the output voltage may correspond to the threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor. As such, the threshold distance of the Hall effect sensormay be based on the sensitivity of the Hall effect sensorand the strength of the magnet.

illustrates an example of a trigger sensing systemthat supports an electromechanical trigger in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The trigger sensing systemmay be an aspect of a gun, such as the gunas described with reference toor the gunas described with reference to.

The trigger sensing systemillustrates an example trigger sensing mechanism-and an example trigger sensing mechanism-. The trigger sensing systemincludes a trigger bodyand a trigger bar, which may both be aspects of a trigger mechanism that allows a user to fire the gun. The trigger sensing mechanism-supports detecting movement of the trigger body, and the trigger sensing mechanism-supports detecting movement of the trigger bar. The gun may include a fire control manager that supports identifying a trigger beak based on the trigger sensing mechanism-or the trigger sensing mechanism-

The trigger sensing mechanism-includes a trigger sensorand an activation component. The trigger sensing mechanism-supports identifying a trigger break based on movement of the trigger body. For example, the trigger sensormay be located on an interior surface of the frame of the gun, and the trigger sensormay generate an output indicating a trigger break based on movement of the activation component.

The trigger sensormay include Hall effect sensor, a pressure sensor, a photosensor, an optical switch, a Reed switch, a physical switch, or the like, and the activation componentmay include a magnet, a protrusion, a light-blocking material, or the like. As an illustrative example, the trigger sensormay be a Hall effect sensor and the activation componentmay be a magnet. As the magnet passes the Hall effect sensor, or comes within a threshold distance of the Hall effect sensor, the fire control manager may identify a trigger break based on an output voltage generated by the Hall effect sensor, and the fire control manager may transmit a signal to an actuator mechanism to fire the gun. As another example, the trigger sensormay include a photosensor and the activation componentmay include a dense material, such as an alloy or polymer that activates photosensor when the trigger is moved, and the fire control manager may transmit a signal to an actuator mechanism based on the activation of the photosensor, where transmitting the signal to the actuator mechanism resulting in the gun firing a projectile. In yet another example, the trigger sensormay include a physical switch, and the activation componentmay include a protrusion that contacts the physical switch when the trigger is moved, and the fire control manager may transmit a signal to an actuator mechanism based on the protrusion contacting the physical switch, where transmitting the signal to the actuator mechanism resulting in the gun firing a projectile.

The activation componentmay include one or multiple elements, and the trigger sensormay include one or multiple elements. As an example, the activation componentmay include one dimple and the trigger sensormay include one physical switch. As another example, the activation componentmay include two magnets and the trigger sensormay include one Hall effect sensor. As yet another example, the activation componentmay include a Hall effect sensor and a photosensor, and the trigger sensormay include a magnet. In some examples, including multiple elements in the activation componentmay improve the reliability of the trigger sensing mechanism. For example, the activation componentmay include two magnets, and the first magnet may be located within a threshold distance of the trigger sensorwhen the trigger bodyis located in a default position (e.g., a position corresponding to not firing the gun), and the second magnet may be located within the threshold distance of the trigger sensorwhen the trigger bodyis located in an action position (e.g., a position corresponding to firing the gun, a trigger pull, a trigger break, or a dislocated detent mechanism). The trigger sensormay be a unipolar Hall effect sensor that is activated based on the polarity and strength of magnetic flux. The trigger sensormay be activated based on a positive magnetic flux of at least 3 millitesla (mT). The first magnet may saturate the trigger sensorwith a negative magnetic flux when the trigger bodyis in the default position, and the second magnet may saturate the trigger sensorwith a positive magnetic flux of at least 3 mT when the trigger bodyis in the action position. The trigger sensormay activate (e.g., generate an output voltage indicating a trigger break) based on the polarity (e.g., positive) and strength (e.g., 1 mT, 3 mT, 5 mT, 8 mT, etc.) of the magnetic flux. As another example, the trigger mechanism may include one magnet with a first polarity (e.g., negative) located with a threshold distance of the trigger sensorwhile in the default position and a second polarity (e.g., positive) located within the threshold distance of the trigger sensorwhile in the action position.

The trigger sensing mechanism-includes an activation component, a trigger sensor, and a trigger sensor. The trigger sensing mechanism-supports identifying a trigger break based on movement of the trigger bar. The trigger sensorillustrates a location of the trigger sensor in front of the activation component, and the trigger sensorillustrates a location of the trigger sensor beneath the activation component. The trigger sensor may include Hall effect sensor, a pressure sensor, a photosensor, an optical switch, a Reed switch, a physical switch, or the like, and the activation componentmay include a magnet, a protrusion, a light-blocking material, or the like. In some examples, the gun may include the trigger sensing mechanism-, and the trigger sensing mechanism-may include a photosensor located in front of the trigger bar(as shown by the location of the trigger sensor) and a Hall effect sensor located beneath the trigger bar(as shown by the location of the trigger sensor). In such examples, the fire control manager may transmit a signal to activate the actuator mechanism based on activation of both the photosensor (which may, for example, be activated in response to the trigger barinterrupting or obstructing a beam of light) and the Hall effect sensor (which may, for example, be activated in response to the polarity and strength of magnetic flux).

The trigger sensing systemmay include a Hall effect sensor, such as a linear Hall sensor, a Digital Hall sensor, an omnipolar Hall sensor, or a unipolar Hall sensor, a photosensor, such as a through-beam sensor, a retro-reflective sensor, or a diffuse-reflective sensor. The trigger sensing systemmay additionally or alternatively include a magnetic proximity sensor, an optical proximity sensor, a capacitive proximity sensor, an inductive proximity sensor, an ultrasonic proximity sensor, or the like.

illustrates an example of a detent systemthat supports an electromechanical trigger in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The detent systemmay be an aspect of a gun, such as the gunas described with reference toor the gunas described with reference to.

The detent systemincludes a trigger bodyand a viewillustrating a trigger spring, a firing pin safety, and a trigger bar detent. As a user (e.g., a shooter, an operator of the gun, etc.) pulls the trigger body, force is exerted onto the trigger spring. As the trigger is pulled, the protrusionon the trigger bardisplaces the firing pin safety. The firing pin safety includes a spring, which applies force to the firing pin safetysuch that the firing pin safetyblocks the path of the firing pin by default, inhibiting the gun from being fired until the protrusionapplies force to the firing pin safetyand overcomes the force applied by the springsuch that the firing pin safetyis displaced out of the path of the firing pin.

As the trigger bodyis pulled, the trigger baris also pulled such that the protrusioncontacts the trigger bar detent. The trigger barmay moving past the trigger bar detent, and the gun may include a trigger sensing mechanism configured to identify a trigger break based on the trigger bardisplacing the trigger bar detent. For example, the trigger sensing mechanism may generate a voltage based on the trigger barpassing the trigger bar detent, a fire control manager may identify the trigger break based on the voltage, and the fire control manager may transmit a signal to an actuator mechanism to fire the gun in response to identifying the trigger beak.

The detent systemmay be adjustable to modify a trigger weight or feel. In some examples, the trigger bar detentmay be adjusted to alter the force profile of the trigger. For example, the trigger weight may be adjusted by altering the angle at which the protrusioncontacts the trigger bar detent. An adjuster component (e.g., a screw or fastener) may be turned to change the angle of the trigger bar detent. The angle of the trigger bar detentwith respect to the protrusionmay be reduced to decrease the trigger weight, and the angle of the trigger bar detentwith respect to the protrusionmay be enlarged to increase the trigger weight. In some examples, the detent systemmay be adjusted by modifying the firing pin safety, the trigger bar detent, or the trigger spring, and modifying the firing pin safety, the trigger bar detent, or the trigger springmay be performed by modifying an adjuster component, such as turning a screw or sliding a lever. In some examples, the gun may include additional or alternative detent mechanisms, such as a spring-loaded ball detent, a magnetic detent, a pneumatic detent, or the like.

illustrates an example of an actuator mechanism, an actuator mechanism, and an actuator mechanismthat support an electromechanical trigger in accordance with aspects of the present disclosure. The actuator mechanism, the actuator mechanism, or actuator mechanismmay be an aspect of a gun, such as the gunas described with reference toor the gunas described with reference to.

The actuator mechanismillustrates an example of an actuator-that may be used in a gun to propel the projectile-from a gun. The fire control manager-may identify a trigger break and transmit a signal to the actuator-. In response to receiving the signal from the fire control manager-, the actuator-may move the actuator block-out of the way of the striker-, allowing the striker-to strike the cartridge primer for the projectile-, ignite the propellent, and propel the projectile-from the gun.

The actuator mechanismillustrates an example of an actuator-that may be used in a gun to propel the projectile-from the gun. The fire control manager-may identify a trigger break and transmit a signal to the actuator-. In response to receiving the signal from the fire control manager-, the actuator-may move the actuator block-out of the way of the sear linkage, resulting in the sear linkagedropping and the searreleasing the striker-, allowing the striker-to strike the cartridge primer for the projectile-, ignite the propellent, and propel the projectile-from the gun.

The actuator mechanismillustrates an example of an actuator-that may be used in a gun to propel a projectile-from the gun. The fire control manager-may identify a trigger break and transmit a signal to the actuator-. In response to receiving the signal from the fire control manager-, the actuator-may direct electric current to the conductive firing pin, resulting in ignition of the propellent for the projectile-and propulsion of the projectile-from the gun. For example, the cartridge for the projectile-may include an electrically activated primer that is ignited in response to the conductive firing pincarrying the electric current directed from the actuator-