Electronic firearm accessory with light source
Firearm accessories and associated methods. A firearm accessory includes a mount for mounting the firearm accessory on a firearm. The mount can be adjustable to customize the mounting of the firearm accessory on the firearm. Electronic firearm accessories can include a longitudinally extending circuit structure having one or more electronic switches thereon facing laterally. A switch assembly can include a push member and a finger extending therefrom for actuating an associated electronic switch. Battery compartment features are also disclosed.
1. An electronic firearm accessory mountable on a firearm, the firearm including a rear portion, a forward portion, and a length extending therebetween, the electronic firearm accessory comprising:
an accessory body;
a mount for mounting the accessory body to the firearm;
the accessory body having a center line axis along which the length of the firearm extends when the electronic firearm accessory is mounted on the firearm;
a light source supported by the accessory body, the light source arranged to emit light in a forward direction generally parallel to the center line axis;
circuitry supported by the accessory body and in electrical communication with the light source, the circuitry including a first circuit board and a second circuit board in electrical communication with the first circuit board, the first circuit board extending generally perpendicular to the center line axis, the second circuit board extending at an angled orientation with respect to the first circuit board;
a trigger guard receiving space sized and shaped to receive a trigger guard of the firearm when the electronic firearm accessory is mounted to the firearm;
a first electronic switch mounted on the second circuit board, the first electronic switch facing in a first direction;
a second electronic switch facing in a second direction different than the first direction, the first and second directions each being at an angled orientation with respect to the center line axis; and
a first paddle engageable by and movable by a user to actuate the first electronic switch, the first paddle bordering a first side of the trigger guard receiving space.
2. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first paddle is connected to the accessory body by a first pivot connection, and the first paddle being pivotable with respect to the accessory body about the first pivot connection to actuate the first electronic switch, the first pivot connection being disposed forward of the trigger guard receiving space.
3. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the second circuit board extends generally parallel to the center line axis.
4. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 3 , wherein the second circuit board is secured to the first circuit board.
5. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first electronic switch is disposed rearward of the first circuit board.
6. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 5 , wherein the second circuit board has a rear edge, the rear edge of the second circuit board being disposed rearward of the first circuit board.
7. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising
a second paddle engageable by and movable by the user to actuate the second electronic switch, the second paddle bordering a second side of the trigger guard receiving space opposite the first side of the trigger guard receiving space.
8. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 7 , wherein the first and second electronic switches are each spaced apart from and are each disposed rearward of the first circuit board.
9. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 8 , wherein the first and second electronic switches are laterally aligned with each other such that a lateral axis extending perpendicular to the center line axis intersects both the first and second electronic switches.
10. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the second electronic switch is mounted on the second circuit board.
11. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 9 , wherein the second circuit board has a rear edge, the rear edge of the second circuit board being disposed rearward of the first circuit board.
12. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 11 , wherein the accessory body has a battery compartment sized and shaped for holding a battery therein, the first and second circuit boards being arranged relative to the battery compartment such that the first and second circuit boards are disposed rearward of the battery when the battery is held in the battery compartment.
13. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 12 , wherein the circuitry includes an electrical contact arranged to engage the battery when the battery is disposed in the battery compartment to electrically connect the battery to the first circuit board, the electrical contact mounted on the first circuit board.
14. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 13 , wherein the electrical contact comprises a coiled spring.
15. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 13 , further comprising a light head including the light source, the light head being releasably connectable to the accessory body, the battery compartment having a front opening sized and shaped to permit the battery to be inserted into the battery compartment, the light head configured to close the front opening of the battery compartment when the light head is releasably connected to the accessory body.
16. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the first paddle is pivotable about a first pivot axis, the first paddle being pushable by the user to pivot the first paddle about the first pivot axis to actuate the first electronic switch, and wherein the second paddle is pivotable about a second pivot axis, the second paddle being pushable by the user to pivot the second paddle about the second pivot axis to actuate the second electronic switch.
17. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 16 , wherein the trigger guard receiving space having an open rear end extending between the first paddle and the second paddle, the open rear end being sized and shaped to permit the trigger guard to move through the open rear end to position the trigger guard in the trigger guard receiving space, and wherein the trigger guard receiving space has an open top and an open bottom, the open top being sized and shaped to permit the trigger guard to extend out of the trigger guard receiving space through the open top when the trigger guard is disposed in the trigger guard receiving space, and the open bottom being sized and shaped to permit the trigger guard to extend out of the trigger guard receiving space through the open bottom when the trigger guard is disposed in the trigger guard receiving space.
18. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 17 , further comprising a first spring biasing the first paddle away from the first electronic switch and a second spring biasing the second paddle away from the second electronic switch.
19. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 18 , wherein the mount comprises a firearm rail mount configured to connect the electronic firearm accessory to a rail of the firearm.
20. An electronic firearm accessory mountable on a firearm, the firearm including a rear portion, a forward portion, and a length extending therebetween, the electronic firearm accessory comprising:
an accessory body;
a mount for mounting the accessory body to the firearm;
the accessory body having a center line axis along which the length of the firearm extends when the electronic firearm accessory is mounted on the firearm;
a light source supported by the accessory body, the light source arranged to emit light in a forward direction generally parallel to the center line axis;
circuitry supported by the accessory body and in electrical communication with the light source, the circuitry including a first circuit board and a second circuit board in electrical communication with the first circuit board, the first circuit board extending generally perpendicular to the center line axis, the second circuit board extending at an angled orientation with respect to the first circuit board, the second circuit board having a rear edge, the rear edge of the second circuit board being disposed rearward of the first circuit board;
a trigger guard receiving space sized and shaped to receive a trigger guard of the firearm when the electronic firearm accessory is mounted to the firearm;
a first electronic switch mounted on the second circuit board, the first electronic switch being disposed rearward of the first circuit board, the first electronic switch facing in a first direction;
a second electronic switch facing in a second direction different than the first direction, the second electronic switch being disposed rearward of the first circuit board, the second electronic switch being spaced apart from the first electronic switch;
a first paddle engageable by and movable by a user to actuate the first electronic switch, the first paddle bordering a first side of the trigger guard receiving space; and
a second paddle engageable by and movable by the user to actuate the second electronic switch, the second paddle bordering a second side of the trigger guard receiving space opposite the first side of the trigger guard receiving space.
21. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 20 , wherein the accessory body has a battery compartment sized and shaped for holding a battery therein, the first and second circuit boards being arranged relative to the battery compartment such that the first and second circuit boards are disposed rearward of the battery when the battery is held in the battery compartment.
22. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 21 , further comprising a light head including the light source, the light head being releasably connectable to the accessory body, the battery compartment having a front opening sized and shaped to permit the battery to be inserted into the battery compartment, the light head configured to close the front opening of the battery compartment when the light head is releasably connected to the accessory body.
23. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 22 , wherein the first paddle is pivotable about a first pivot axis, the first paddle being pushable by the user to pivot the first paddle about the first pivot axis to actuate the first electronic switch, the first paddle having a rear end rearward of the first pivot axis and arranged to move toward the center line axis when the user pivots the first paddle to actuate the first electronic switch, and wherein the second paddle is pivotable about a second pivot axis, the second paddle being pushable by the user to pivot the second paddle about the second pivot axis to actuate the second electronic switch, the second paddle having a rear end rearward of the second pivot axis and arranged to move toward the center line axis when the user pivots the second paddle to actuate the second electronic switch.
24. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 23 , wherein the trigger guard receiving space having an open rear end extending between the first paddle and the second paddle, the open rear end being sized and shaped to permit the trigger guard to move through the open rear end to position the trigger guard in the trigger guard receiving space, and wherein the trigger guard receiving space has an open top and an open bottom, the open top being sized and shaped to permit the trigger guard to extend out of the trigger guard receiving space through the open top when the trigger guard is disposed in the trigger guard receiving space, and the open bottom being sized and shaped to permit the trigger guard to extend out of the trigger guard receiving space through the open bottom when the trigger guard is disposed in the trigger guard receiving space.
25. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 24 , further comprising a first spring biasing the first paddle away from the first electronic switch and a second spring biasing the second paddle away from the second electronic switch.
26. The electronic firearm accessory as set forth in claim 25 , wherein the mount comprises a firearm rail mount configured to connect the electronic firearm accessory to a rail of the firearm.