Deterrent-device accessory electromagnetic-radiation-based activation
A kit includes a deterrent device, a grip activation system, and a housing supporting the grip activation system. The housing positions the grip activation system so that a sensing space of the grip activation system extends at least partly adjacent to a trigger guard of the deterrent device. The grip activation system includes an emitter configured to emit first electromagnetic radiation having a first wavelength; a detector configured to detect second electromagnetic radiation having the first wavelength; and a controller. The controller determines, based at least in part on the second electromagnetic radiation, that an object is present in the sensing space; and provides an activation signal to an activatable system in response to determining that the object is present in the sensing space. The activatable system can include a light source. Some examples include a housing, a grip activation system, and an activatable system.
1 . A device, comprising:
a grip activation system configured to detect presence of an object in a sensing space, the grip activation system comprising:
an emitter;
a detector; and
a shroud; and
a housing supporting the grip activation system and having a mounting portion, the mounting portion joinable to a deterrent device at a first location on the deterrent device ahead of a trigger guard thereof, wherein:
the sensing space extends from the grip activation system to a second location proximate a grip of the deterrent device, and
the shroud extends toward the sensing space and is configured to restrict radiation from reaching the detector.
2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the shroud extends at least partly from the emitter and the detector toward the sensing space.
3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein radiation emitted by the emitter is characterized by a wavelength, and the shroud is substantially opaque to radiation having the wavelength.
4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein radiation emitted by the emitter is characterized by a wavelength, and the shroud includes:
a body having a first transmittance at the wavelength, and
a blocking structure having a second transmittance, less than the first transmittance, at the wavelength.
5 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the blocking structure comprises a metal layer or a film.
6 . The device of claim 4 , wherein the blocking structure is disposed between the emitter and the detector, and extends substantially parallel to an optical axis of the emitter.
7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the shroud defines an emitter bore, and the grip activation system further includes a light pipe disposed within the emitter bore of the shroud.
8 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the light pipe is configured such that at least a portion of radiation emitted by the emitter undergoes total internal refraction at an intersection between the shroud and the light pipe.
9 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the light pipe includes:
an input end configured to receive radiation emitted by the emitter,
an output end opposite the input end, and
a surface at the output end, the surface at the output end of the light pipe including an optical structure configured to direct radiation traveling through the light pipe to the sensing space.
10 . The device of claim 9 , wherein the optical structure at the output end comprises an antireflective layer, an index-matching layer, or a diffuser.
11 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the output end of the light pipe is larger than the input end of the light pipe.
12 . The device of claim 7 , wherein the light pipe comprises a conical frustum shape or a square frustum shape.
13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the shroud defines:
an emitter bore having an input end configured to receive the radiation emitted by the emitter, and
an output end opposite the input end, the output end of the emitter bore being larger than the input end of the emitter bore.
14 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the shroud defines:
a detector bore having an input end configured to receive radiation reflected from the object disposed in the sensing space, and
an output end opposite the input end.
15 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the output end of the detector bore has a different size than the input end of the detector bore.
16 . The device of claim 14 , wherein the grip activation system further includes an optical stop protruding into the detector bore, the optical stop being configured to reduce an amount of a field of view of the detector by reducing an amount of off-axis light from reaching the detector.
17 . The device of claim 16 , wherein the shroud defines an opening disposed between the detector bore and an environment external to the shroud, the opening being configured to permit radiation that passes the optical stop to exit the detector bore.
18 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the grip activation system further includes a controller configured to receive a signal indicative of the presence of the object in the sensing space, and to activate an activatable system based on the signal.
19 . A system, comprising:
a grip activation system configured to detect presence of an object in a sensing space, the grip activation system comprising:
an emitter,
a detector,
a controller operably connected to the emitter and the detector, the controller including at least one processor,
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that are executable by the at least one processor, and
a shroud; and
a housing supporting the grip activation system and having a mounting portion, the mounting portion joinable to a deterrent device at a first location on the deterrent device ahead of a trigger guard thereof, wherein:
the sensing space extends from the grip activation system to a second location proximate a grip of the deterrent device,
the shroud extends toward the sensing space and is configured to restrict radiation from reaching the detector, and
the instructions, when executed by the at least one processor, cause the processor to:
receive, from the detector, a signal indicative of the presence of the object in the sensing space, and
activate an activatable system based on the signal.
20 . A method, comprising:
receiving, by a controller of a grip activation system associated with a deterrent device, a signal indicating presence of an object in a sensing space, the grip activation system further comprising:
an emitter operably connected to the controller,
a detector operably connected to the controller,
a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions that are executable by at least one processor of the controller,
a shroud, and
a housing supporting at least the emitter, the detector, and the shroud, the housing and having a mounting portion joinable to the deterrent device at a first location on the deterrent device ahead of a trigger guard thereof, wherein:
the sensing space extends from the grip activation system to a second location proximate a grip of the deterrent device, and
the shroud extends toward the sensing space and is configured to restrict radiation from reaching the detector; and
activating, by the controller and in accordance with the instructions, an activatable system based on the signal.