IP Library Granted Patent US 12,449,233
Granted Patent B1
US 12,449,233 · App. 18/642,787 · Granted Oct 21, 2025

Gun sight optic contingency system

Inventors: Nicholas A. Schmidt (Hopkins, MN); Patrick W. Anderson (Maple Grove, MN)
Assignee: Patnik Solutions LLC
F41G1/01F41G1/30F41G1/345
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,449,233
App. No.
18/642,787
Granted
Oct 21, 2025
Kind
B1
Abstract

A gun sight optic contingency system is mounted co-witnessed with a red dot sight onto a firearm. The red dot sight has a sight window that remains functionally unobstructed. The gun sight optic contingency system has a low profile rear sight located proximal to a shooter, and a front sight located distally to the shooter. The rear and front sights together define a sighting axis aligned with the path a fired projectile takes. Amounting, such as an adapter plate, couples to the firearm. When aimed at a target, the front sight is visible within and adjacent to a bottom of the view visible in the sight window. The rear sight is outside of and adjacent to a bottom of the sight window and also adjacent to and just below the front sight view in the sight window. The front and rear sights may contain a luminescent compound.

Claims (63)

1. A firearm, comprising:

a firearm body having a proximal end and a distal end;

a gun barrel for dispensing a projectile;

a red dot sight having

a sight window defining a shooter's sighted target field of view through said sight window, and

a red dot sight mounting coupling to said firearm body;

a gun sight optic contingency system having

a low profile rear sight located proximate to said proximal end of said firearm body, below and outside of said shooter's sighted target field of view,

a front sight located proximate to the distal end of said firearm body and within said shooter's sighted target field of view, said rear sight and said front sight in combination defining a sighting axis aligned with a projectile path when a projectile is expelled from said firearm and further defining a sight picture in relation to a target; and

a gun sight mounting coupling to said firearm;

wherein said gun sight optic contingency system is co-witnessed with said red dot sight such that when said red dot sight is aimed at said target, said front sight is visible within and adjacent to a bottom of said shooter's sighted target field of view, and said rear sight is outside of said shooter's sighted target field of view and adjacent to a bottom of said sight window and also adjacent to said front sight view visible in said shooter's sighted target field of view.

2. The firearm of claim 1 , wherein said rear sight is vertically aligned beneath said front sight view when said sighting axis is aligned with said target in said sight picture.

3. The firearm of claim 1 , wherein said gun sight optic contingency system further comprises luminescent materials on said gun sight optic contingency system to provide low light aim assistance.

4. The firearm of claim 3 , wherein said rear sight further comprises:

a radio-luminescent vial contained within said rear sight; and

a rear view sight exposing said radio-luminescent material.

5. The firearm of claim 4 , wherein said rear view sight has a longitudinal axis extending radially beneath said front sight in said sight picture.

6. The firearm of claim 5 , wherein said rear view sight longitudinal axis is perpendicular to said sighting axis.

7. The firearm of claim 1 , wherein said rear view sight longitudinal axis is intermediate between perpendicular to and parallel with said sighting axis.

8. The firearm of claim 4 , wherein said rear view sight further comprises a circumferential border having a color contrasting with a red dot displayed within said sight window and contrasting with a color of said rear sight outside of said circumferential border.

9. The firearm of claim 3 , wherein said front sight further comprises:

a radio-luminescent vial contained within said front sight; and

a front view sight exposing said radio-luminescent material.

10. The firearm of claim 3 , wherein said front view sight has a longitudinal axis extending radially beneath said target in said sight picture.

11. The firearm of claim 10 , wherein said front view sight longitudinal axis is perpendicular to said sighting axis.

12. The firearm of claim 10 , wherein said front view sight longitudinal axis is intermediate between perpendicular to and parallel with said sighting axis.

13. The firearm of claim 9 , wherein said front view sight further comprises a circumferential border having a color contrasting with a red dot displayed within said sight window and contrasting with a color of said front sight outside of said circumferential border.

14. A firearm, comprising:

a firearm body having a proximal end and a distal end; and

a gun barrel for dispensing a projectile;

a red dot sight having

a sight window defining a shooter's sighted target field of view through said sight window,

a red dot displayed in said sight window, and

a red dot sight mounting coupling to said firearm body;

a gun sight optic contingency system having

a low profile rear sight located proximate to said proximal end of said firearm body, below and outside of said shooter's sighted target field of view,

a front sight located proximate to the distal end of said firearm body and within said shooter's sighted target field of view, said rear sight and said front sight in combination defining a sighting axis aligned with a projectile path when a projectile is expelled from said firearm and further defining a sight picture in relation to a target; and

a gun sight mounting coupling to said firearm;

wherein said gun sight optic contingency system is co-witnessed with said red dot sight such that when said red dot sight is aimed at said target and said red dot aligned in said sight picture with said target, said front sight is visible within and adjacent to a bottom of said shooter's sighted target field of view, and said rear sight is outside of said shooter's sighted target field of view and adjacent to a bottom of said sight window and also adjacent to and vertically aligned beneath said front sight view in said sight picture.

15. The firearm of claim 14 , wherein said gun sight optic contingency system further comprises luminescent materials on said gun sight optic contingency system to provide low light aim assistance.

16. The firearm of claim 15 ,

wherein said rear sight further comprises:

a radio-luminescent vial contained within said rear sight; and

a rear view sight exposing said radio-luminescent material;

wherein said front sight further comprises:

a radio-luminescent vial contained within said front sight; and

a front view sight exposing said radio-luminescent material;

wherein said rear view sight has a longitudinal axis extending radially beneath said front sight in said sight picture; and

wherein said front view sight has a longitudinal axis extending radially beneath said target in said sight picture, said rear view sight longitudinal axis aligned with said front view sight longitudinal axis in said sight picture.

17. A gun sight for a pistol, comprising:

a front iron sight having a pistol coupling and rising therefrom along a longitudinal axis to a front sight termination;

a rear iron sight configured to align vertically beneath said front iron sight in a sight picture; and

a reflex sight intermediate between said front and rear iron sights, and configured to align an illuminating dot adjacent said front sight termination in said sight picture;

wherein in said sight picture said front sight termination is aligned on said target and said rear iron sight is aligned vertically below said front iron sight, while a horizontal areas surrounding said front iron sight intermediate between said pistol coupling and said front sight termination remain visually unobstructed.

18. The firearm of claim 17 ,

wherein said rear sight further comprises:

a radio-luminescent vial contained within said rear sight; and

a rear view sight exposing said radio-luminescent material;

wherein said front sight further comprises:

a radio-luminescent vial contained within said front sight; and

a front view sight exposing said radio-luminescent material;

wherein said rear view sight has a longitudinal axis extending radially beneath said front sight in said sight picture; and

wherein said front view sight has a longitudinal axis extending radially beneath said target in said sight picture, said rear view sight longitudinal axis aligned with said front view sight longitudinal axis in said sight picture.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 22, 2025
From: SCHMIDT, NICHOLAS A.; ANDERSON, PATRICK W.
To: PATNIK SOLUTIONS LLC
Reel/Frame 072330/0742 →
Continuity (1)
Provisional Application 63497557 · Apr 21, 2023
References Cited (246)
US 2706335A · Munsey · 1955 [cited by applicant]
US 2763930A · Ivy · 1956 [cited by applicant]
US 2806288A · Sarvis · 1957 [cited by applicant]
US 2825138A · Ivy · 1958 [cited by applicant]
US 3187436A · Friedrichsmeier · 1965 [cited by applicant]
US 3463430A · Rubin et al. · 1969 [cited by applicant]
US 3499224A · Squier et al. · 1970 [cited by applicant]
US 3555687A · Joseph · 1971 [cited by applicant]
US 3641676A · Knutsen et al. · 1972 [cited by applicant]
US 3700339A · Steck · 1972 [cited by applicant]
US 3820248A · Hayward · 1974 [cited by applicant]
US 3835565A · Weast · 1974 [cited by applicant]
US 3875675A · Krisay · 1975 [cited by applicant]
US 3914873A · Elliott, Jr. et al. · 1975 [cited by applicant]
US 4026055A · Weast · 1977 [cited by applicant]
US 4299044A · Johannsen · 1981 [cited by applicant]
US 4418487A · Strahan · 1983 [cited by applicant]
US 4429468A · Jimenez et al. · 1984 [cited by applicant]
US 4509282A · Mcmillon · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 4535544A · Jones et al. · 1985 [cited by applicant]
US 4601121A · Jolly · 1986 [cited by applicant]
US 4688345A · Kilgour · 1987 [cited by applicant]
US 4841659A · Williams · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4873779A · Ellison et al. · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4877324A · Hauri et al. · 1989 [cited by applicant]
US 4894941A · Karow, Jr. · 1990 [cited by applicant]
US 5157839A · Beutler · 1992 [cited by applicant]
US 5339227A · Jones · 1994 [cited by applicant]
US 5491546A · Wascher et al. · 1996 [cited by applicant]
US 5595011A · Gorslin · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US D382038S · Nigh · 1997 [cited by applicant]
US 5735070A · Vasquez et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5806228A · Martel et al. · 1998 [cited by applicant]
US 5887352A · Kim · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5920995A · Sammut · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5941006A · Horton · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 5956854A · Lorocco · 1999 [cited by applicant]
US 6032374A · Sammut · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6058616A · Bubits · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6068483A · Minor · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6122833A · Lorocco · 2000 [cited by applicant]
US 6216351B1 · Flubacher et al. · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6216352B1 · Lorocco · 2001 [cited by applicant]
US 6336285B1 · Baumer · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6357158B1 · Smith, III · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6360471B1 · Stein · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6360472B1 · Lorocco · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6418657B1 · Brown · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6453595B1 · Sammut · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 6516551B2 · Gaber · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6516699B2 · Sammut et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6604315B1 · Smith et al. · 2003 [cited by applicant]
US 6681512B2 · Sammut · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6711846B1 · Nasef · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6769210B2 · Bubits · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6802131B1 · Scholz et al. · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 6886288B1 · Yocum et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 7100320B2 · Verdugo · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 7308891B2 · Graf · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 7434345B2 · Verdugo · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7451566B1 · Price · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 7603804B2 · Zaderey et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 7654029B2 · Peters et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7676137B2 · Schick et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7676981B2 · Buckingham et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7685760B1 · Neumaster · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7690145B2 · Peters et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7721479B2 · Schulst · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7739825B2 · Lorocco · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7743546B2 · Keng · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7765730B2 · Keng · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7793456B1 · Lacorte · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7821708B2 · Robitaille · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7832137B2 · Sammut et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7832138B1 · Price · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7856750B2 · Sammut et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 7934334B2 · Kraft · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7937878B2 · Sammut et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 7946075B2 · Nasef · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8009958B1 · Schick et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8037634B2 · Price · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8046951B2 · Peters et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 8091268B2 · York · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8104218B2 · Mccann · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8109029B1 · Sammut et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8151510B2 · Capson · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8230635B2 · Sammut et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8230637B2 · Lamb · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8254746B2 · Schick et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8286384B2 · Zaderey et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 8353454B2 · Sammut et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8364002B2 · Schick et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8393108B1 · Wilson · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8425063B2 · Buckingham et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8437079B2 · Wu · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8448372B2 · Peters et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 8656630B2 · Sammut · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8707608B2 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8720103B2 · Schultz et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8726562B1 · Hoskisson · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8769858B2 · Hancosky · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8863433B2 · Kruse · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8893971B1 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8905307B2 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8919027B2 · Curry · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 8959823B2 · Peters et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8959824B2 · Sammut et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8966806B2 · Sammut et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8978539B2 · Teetzel et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8984797B2 · Ballard · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 8991702B1 · Sammut et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9052160B1 · Gordon · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9068794B1 · Sammut · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9091507B2 · Paterson et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9115958B2 · Crispin · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9222753B2 · Hornung et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9250038B2 · Sammut et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9273930B2 · Jiminez et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9303951B2 · Hancosky et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9335123B2 · Sammut · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9360278B2 · Mansfield · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9372049B2 · Cheng et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9395156B2 · Newzella et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9423212B2 · Campean · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9435612B2 · Hancosky · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9453706B1 · Crispin · 2016 [cited by examiner]
US 9482489B2 · Peters et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 9568277B2 · Crispin · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9574850B2 · Sammut et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US D784481S · Ding et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US D784483S · Ding et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US D787007S · Maughn · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9696114B1 · Cabrera · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9696115B2 · Nigro · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9777994B2 · Hancosky · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 9823044B1 · Cabrera · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 9903686B2 · Maynard · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 10175029B2 · Teetzel et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10337837B2 · Keller et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10352654B2 · Costet et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10520716B2 · Havens et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 10684100B2 · Pniel et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 10830560B2 · Barnett et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US D907161S · Chin · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10900745B2 · Hamilton et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 10942005B2 · Teetzel et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US D917651S · Huang · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11118860B2 · Zimmer · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11131526B2 · Shawley et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 11268787B1 · Bernkrant et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11365954B2 · Gerber et al. · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 11460274B2 · Dawson, Jr. · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20020078618A1 · Gaber · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20020124452A1 · Sammut · 2002 [cited by applicant]
US 20040010956A1 · Bubits · 2004 [cited by applicant]
US 20050229468A1 · Zaderey et al. · 2005 [cited by applicant]
US 20060026887A1 · Verdugo · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060096150A1 · Graf · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20060207157A1 · Keng · 2006 [cited by applicant]
US 20070022651A1 · Verdugo · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070044364A1 · Sammut et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070074441A1 · Howe · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20070137088A1 · Peters et al. · 2007 [cited by applicant]
US 20080092423A1 · Keng · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080098640A1 · Sammut et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20080295380A1 · Buckingham et al. · 2008 [cited by applicant]
US 20090019758A1 · Baugher · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090100735A1 · Schick et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090199451A1 · Zaderey et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090199702A1 · Zaderey et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090200376A1 · Peters et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20090235570A1 · Sammut et al. · 2009 [cited by applicant]
US 20100077647A1 · Kraft · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100170136A1 · Buckingham et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20100282845A1 · Peters et al. · 2010 [cited by applicant]
US 20110067286A1 · Price · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110067288A1 · Hakansson · 2011 [cited by examiner]
US 20110088306A1 · Nasef · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110089238A1 · Sammut et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110132983A1 · Sammut et al. · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110197491A1 · McCann · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110296733A1 · York · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20110314721A1 · Lamb · 2011 [cited by applicant]
US 20120047788A1 · Capson · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120137567A1 · Sammut · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120198750A1 · Mansfield · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20120246992A1 · Peters et al. · 2012 [cited by applicant]
US 20130014421A1 · Sammut et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130074394A1 · Larue · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130185985A1 · Ballard · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130199074A1 · Paterson et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130255129A1 · Curry · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130263491A1 · Jung et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20130333266A1 · Gose et al. · 2013 [cited by applicant]
US 20140007486A1 · Hornung et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140041277A1 · Hamilton · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140059914A1 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140059915A1 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140068994A1 · Schultz et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140096430A1 · Kruse · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140109459A1 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140123533A1 · Sammut et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140157644A1 · Jiminez et al. · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20140259853A1 · Crispin · 2014 [cited by examiner]
US 20140360083A1 · Sammut · 2014 [cited by applicant]
US 20150013206A1 · Peters et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150020431A1 · Sammut et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150153137A1 · Newzella et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150192390A1 · Pedack et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150198415A1 · Campean · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150198419A1 · Sammut · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150276346A1 · Hamilton et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150345901A1 · Cheng et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150345905A1 · Hancosky · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20150362287A1 · Sammut et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20160047624A1 · Hancosky · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160061568A1 · Crispin · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160146575A1 · Maynard · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160169620A1 · Nigro · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160178320A1 · Hancosky · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160178321A1 · Peters et al. · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20160377380A1 · Sammut · 2016 [cited by applicant]
US 20170023332A1 · Campbell · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20170205194A1 · Teetzel et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 20170321993A1 · Crispin · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180180386A1 · Keller et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20190049217A1 · Costet et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190120594A1 · Teetzel et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190145735A1 · Hancosky · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190146205A1 · Havens et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190186870A1 · Barnett et al. · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190323795A1 · Zimmer · 2019 [cited by applicant]
US 20190383578A1 · Mills · 2019 [cited by examiner]
US 20200025514A1 · Johnson · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210033369A1 · Shawley et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210270572A1 · Dawson, Jr. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20220034629A1 · Hamilton · 2022 [cited by examiner]
US 20220113114A1 · Humphries · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220163292A1 · Kilic · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20220390206A1 · Hamilton · 2022 [cited by applicant]
US 20230011632A1 · Salinas · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230185074A1 · Crispin · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20230272999A1 · Campbell · 2023 [cited by examiner]
US 20240271907A1 · Enzinger · 2024 [cited by examiner]
US 20250004285A1 · Havens · 2025 [cited by examiner]
US 20250060194A1 · Underwood · 2025 [cited by examiner]
Cited By (1)
US 12,656,085