Electronic firearm and process for controlling an electronic firearm
AssigneeRemington Arms Company, Inc.
InventorsDale R. Danner, Vincent B. Norton, James W. Ronkainen, David S. Wolterman
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Electronic firearm for firing electrically activated ammunition comprising a system control means for controlling and regulating firing, diagnostic functions, power consumption, and a process for operating the firearm.
Claims40
In an electronic firearm for firing electrically activated ammunition comprising a barrel attached to a receiver, a chamber formed in the barrel adjacent to the receiver, the receiver being adapted to receive at least one round of electrically fired ammunition, the barrel and receiver encased in a stock, a moveable bolt assembly positioned within the receiver, the bolt assembly being adapted to convey a round of ammunition from the receiver into the chamber of the barrel, the bolt assembly comprising a bolt body, a bolt handle capable of moving the bolt assembly among open, closed, and the closed and locked positions, and an electrically conductive firing pin, a trigger assembly operatively connected to the bolt assembly, a voltage supply means, and a safety mechanism having at least a safe and fire position, the improvement comprising:
- A. A system control means receiving power from the voltage supply means, programmed to control firing, safety, power conservation, and diagnostic functions, the system control means comprising:
- i. Voltage increasing means connected to transmit increased voltage to the firing pin;
- ii. Switching means for isolating the firing pin from the voltage increasing means, and the voltage increasing means from the voltage supply means, the switching means being activated upon the occurrence of at least one condition selected from:
- a. the absence of a round of ammunition within the chamber of the barrel;
- b. the safety being in the safe position;
- c. the bolt being in the unlocked position;
- d. the bolt being in the open position;
- e. the passing of a predetermined period of inactivity of the firearm;
- and
- f. the failure or malfunction of the system control means or any component connected thereto;
- iii. Means for electronically detecting the presence of a round of ammunition within the chamber of the barrel;
- iv. Means for monitoring the capacity of the voltage supply means;
- and
- v. Electronic safety operatively connected to the safety mechanism for preventing voltage from reaching the firing pin when the safety is in the safe position and for preventing the system control means from detecting a trigger pull when the safety is in the safe position;
- B. Electronic trigger switch operatively connected to the trigger and the system control means, the electronic trigger switch adapted to send a signal to the system control means when the trigger is pulled;
- C. Electrical isolation means insulating the body of the firing pin, the firing pin having a forward conductive end and a rearward conductive area, the forward conductive end positioned to transmit voltage to a round of ammunition within the chamber of the barrel only when the bolt assembly is in a closed and locked position, the rearward conductive area positioned to receive voltage only when the bolt assembly is in the closed and locked position;
- and
- D. At least one indicator operatively connected to the system control means.
In a process for firing electrically activated ammunition from an electronic firearm comprising a barrel attached to a receiver, a chamber formed in the barrel adjacent to the receiver, the receiver being adapted to receive at least one round of electrically fired ammunition, the barrel and receiver encased in a stock, a moveable bolt assembly positioned within the receiver, the bolt assembly being adapted to convey a round of ammunition from the receiver into the chamber of the barrel, the bolt assembly comprising a bolt body, a bolt handle capable of moving the bolt assembly among open, closed, and closed and locked positions, and an electrically conductive firing pin, a trigger assembly operatively connected to the bolt assembly, a voltage supply means, and a safety having at least a safe and a fire position, the improvement comprising:
- A. Controlling and coordinating all firing, safety, power conservation, and diagnostic functions, and regulating the distribution of power to the firing pin by;
- i. Increasing the voltage from the voltage supply means, and regulating the transmission of the increased voltage to the firing pin;
- ii. Conserving power by isolating the firing pin from the voltage increasing means, and the voltage increasing means from the voltage supply means, upon the occurrence of at least one condition selected from:
- a. the absence of a round of ammunition within the chamber of the barrel;
- b. the safety being in the safe position;
- c. the bolt being in the unlocked position;
- d. the bolt being in the open position;
- e. the passing of a predetermined period of inactivity of the firearm;
- f. the failure or malfunction of the system control means or any component connected thereto;
- iii. Electronically detecting the presence of ammunition within the chamber of the barrel;
- iv. Monitoring the capacity of the voltage supply means;
- and
- v. Preventing voltage from reaching the firing pin when the safety is in the safe position and preventing the system control from accepting the signal from the trigger switch generated by a trigger pull when the safety is in the safe position;
- B. Sending a signal to the system control means when the trigger is pulled;
- and
- C. Indicating the status of the firearm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.