SUPPRESSOR SLEEVES AND HEAT RESISTANT WEAPON ACCESSORIES

[0001] This application is related to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/610,731, filed Mar. 14, 2012.

[0002] The present disclosure and related inventions are in the general field of firearms and firearm accessories.

[0003] Firearm suppressors or “silencers” are attachments for gun muzzles designed to capture and divert the gases and air displaced from the muzzle of a barrel created by the explosive force of ammunition firing, and to suppress the sound of the firing and reduce muzzle flash. The term “silencer” is defined by ATF as, “any device for silencing, muffling or diminishing the report of a portable firearm.” Gun barrel and muzzle temperatures can reach 1500 degrees F. or greater under continuous firing or repetitious semi or fully automatic firing. Suppressors, which can be made of a variety of materials including weapons grade steel and alloys, are attached directly to the muzzle and may become heated to the same extent as the barrel and may retain additional heat energy in the baffle structures during repetitious rates of fire. In addition to being dangerous to touch when heated, suppressors are fully exposed to impact damage.

[0004] The suppressor sleeves and heat resistant weapon accessories of the present disclosure are for use with firearm suppressors and gun barrels and barrel muzzles. As a representative embodiment, the suppressor sleeves and suppressor sleeve assemblies (also referred to herein individually and collectively as “SSA” or simply “suppressor sleeve” or “sleeve”) of the present disclosure are used in conjunction with any weapon system's suppressor, silencer or “can” that is commonly attached to rifles, pistols, or other weapon platforms that utilize similar sound reducing devices. The suppressor sleeves and suppressor sleeve assemblies are used to insulate heat, reduce IR signature, and to minimize the mirage effect that the suppressor generates and emits during normal use. Since the suppressor sleeves are readily able to mitigate heat transfer to its external surface, they prevent operators from being burned during, or after, use of the weapon while the suppressor is still hot and the operator may be handling or coming in contact with the suppressor. The suppressor sleeves will also serve to protect the suppressor and other items that the suppressor may come in contact with, such as bags, gear or carrying cases, while the suppressor is still hot. The sleeves also help to further reduce noise and vibration of the weapon system during use. The sleeves will protect the suppressor itself from chemicals, abrasion and damage that can be caused by external hazards and will help to quiet the weapon during transport or when it inadvertently comes in contact with other objects.

[0005] The sleeves and sleeve assemblies are designed to be used both individually, and as a segmented series of sleeves that, when combined with other adjacent segments, can be “fit to length” to cover any partial length, or the entire length, of a gun barrel, barrel muzzle or suppressor , as desired. When the sleeve assembly components are stacked together, they can either fit end to end or utilize an interlocking joint which seals off any escaping air or gasses that are generated by the suppressor. The sleeves are installed by sliding it onto and over the outside body diameter of the suppressor. The sleeves can be produced in any length or diameter necessary to fit any manufacturer's suppressor that it may interface with. The sleeves can stretch in any direction and will contour to the underlying surface in order to provide a secure fit. The insulating rings and gaps of the sleeve structure allow hot air to be cooled and diffused during use and can be present on the inside, outside or both inside and outside of the sleeve. The sleeve insulating ring fins, which may or may not appear on the external surfaces of the sleeve, will also aid to provide a firm and tactile grip that will reduce or eliminate any creep or movement of the sleeve once it is installed.

[0006] Any sleeve segment can be further cut to length to provide a precise fit and can also be used with optional end caps that utilize the same features and materials that the sleeve is made of. The sleeve can be made out of but is not limited to, tactile heat resistant materials such as Neoprene, Silicon, Flouro Silicon or Nano Material. These materials also include the ability to use or incorporate varying colors and or camouflage patterns and components.

[0018] With reference to FIG. 1, a representative weapon W has a barrel B equipped with a suppressor which is substantially covered by a suppressor sleeve assembly, indicated generally at 10. As illustrated in isolation in FIG. 2, a particular embodiment of the suppressor sleeve assembly 10 may include one or more sleeves 20, and one or more caps 30. The sleeves 20 can be manufactured in any nominal dimensions of outer diameter, inner diameter, wall thickness, length. Although the illustrated embodiment has a generally cylindrical configuration, other configurations are within the scope of the disclosure, such as for example a non-cylindrical exterior or interior surface with one or more planar surfaces. The sleeves 20 can be of any length manufacturable with a bore for receiving a barrel muzzle.

[0019] As further illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, preferred embodiments of the sleeves 20 have one or more ribs or rings 22 on an exterior surface, oriented generally radially and perpendicular with respect to a longitudinal axis of the sleeve. The ribs 22 may be of any thickness and located at any spacing and extend from the sleeve wall 24 any suitable extent. Preferably the ribs 22 extend from sleeve wall 24 a sufficient distance to expose surface area of each rib for cooling and insulation efficiency. A representative thickness dimension of each rib 22 is 0.200 inches. A representative spacing between the ribs 22 is 0.250 inches. A representative thickness of the sleeve wall is 0.200 inches. Any of these and other representative dimensions may be increased or decreased for particular weapons, sleeve assemblies or applications. Also, although the ribs 22 are depicted at ninety degree radials, i.e. orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the sleeve 20, the ribs 22 may be arranged at any angle or angles relative to the longitudinal axis of the coil. The exterior profile of each rib may be generally rounded as illustrated, or of any other profile. Each individual rib 22 need not extend about the entire circumference of the exterior of wall 24 of the sleeve 20. And the number and spacing of ribs 22 on any sleeve 20 may be vary.

[0020] As further illustrated in FIGS. 3-10, the interior of the sleeves 20 is configured with a plurality of radially arrayed longitudinal splines, indicated generally at 25. The longitudinal splines 25 (also referred to simply as “splines” and alternatively as “flutes”) extend from the interior of sleeve wall 24 into the bore of the sleeve 20. An apex 26 of each spline is configured for contact with the outermost wall of a suppressor. The splines 25 are preferably equally radially arrayed as illustrated with venting valleys 27 between each spline. The splines may project from the sleeve wall 24 any suitable distance, and preferably a distance sufficient to create an air passageway between each apex 26. The venting valleys 27 extend the entire length of the sleeve 20. The splines 25 may be but do not have to be in a continuous radial array about the entire internal circumference of the interior of sleeve wall 24. For example, as shown in FIGS. 4, 6, 7 and 8, the internal configuration of the sleeve 20 may include a solid non-splined area 28, for example in the 10 o'clock to 2 o'clock positions, wherein the sleeve wall 24 fits substantially against the exterior of a suppressor which is attached to the muzzle end of a gun barrel. This configuration increases the grip of the sleeve 20 upon the suppressor and reduces firing mirage or sight obscuration from firing gases and flash that may occur in that radial area during single round, or repetitive firing of a weapon, such as the sighting area down the top of the barrel.

[0021] As noted, the sleeves 20 can be manufactured in any length, can be cut to any length after molding, and can be installed in combination with other sleeves 20 of any length. When multiple sleeves 20 are used in series as illustrated in FIG. 1, it is preferable, although not required, that the venting valleys 27 of the adjacent sleeves 20 are aligned. The sleeves 20 and sleeve assemblies substantially cover the exterior of a suppressor, including venting holes in the outermost wall of a suppressor, to thereby capture and re-direct firing gas and heat, and redirect and further muffle sound waves.

[0022] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, the caps 30 can be selectively installed at either end of any arrangement of sleeves 20. Preferably, the cap 30 located at the muzzle end (proximate to the bullet exit point) does not occlude the venting passages formed by the venting valleys 27.

[0023] The sleeves and suppressor sleeve assemblies of the disclosure are particularly effective at managing and re-directing the heat generated at a suppressor in order to maintain the exterior of the sleeve or sleeve assembly at non-dangerous or less dangerous temperatures to human touch or to inadvertent contact with other items or gear. The sleeves and sleeve assemblies accomplish this thermal management by the configuration of the venting valleys 27 which direct firing gases to the firing end of the suppressor, thereby reducing the amount of heat to radiate to the exterior of the suppressor. Heat which does radiate through the suppressor to and through the sleeve wall 24 is dissipated through and from the ribs 22. Temperatures are thereby lowest at the distal ends of the ribs 22. Further, the preferred materials from which the sleeves and sleeve assemblies are manufactured can be engineered to have excellent or superior heat resistant properties, such as for example compositions of silicone elastomers. To this end, the mass of the sleeves and sleeve assemblies directly contributes to the superior thermal management, and can be optimized by the various design parameters of sleeve wall 24 thickness, rib 22 thickness, width, height, number and placement; spline 25 number, size and configuration and cap 30 size.

[0024] The sleeves and sleeve assemblies can be molded from any suitable material. For example and without limitation, a material or blends of materials from which the sleeves and sleeve assemblies can be molded is preferably a high temperature reversion resistant silicone elastomer that has specific low thermal conductivity, e.g. max. of 00.29 W/m K, and without durometer degradation. A preferred material is high temperature reversion resistant silicone elastomer with no more than =/−20 point durometer change after heat aging for 6 hours at 316 C in a hot air circulating oven and a thermal conductivity maximum of 00.29W*m/K. Such material in combination with the various embodiments of the sleeves and sleeve assemblies has been found to have excellent and superior mitigation of heat transfer to the exterior surfaces of the sleeves and sleeve assemblies, thereby allowing handling of the sleeve, sleeve assembly and suppressor much sooner after firing than without. The significant reduction in high-heat exposure allows a user to transition away from the use of the weapon, or to stow the weapon/suppressor away much sooner, without concern of burning their person or gear. Without the sleeves and sleeve assemblies of the disclosure, a long cooling period would typically be required for the suppressor before a user could safely or comfortably handle it. Furthermore, the sleeve and sleeve assemblies can be manufactured in different colors and exterior profile configurations which in addition to thermal, sound and light (firing flash) management completely conceal the suppressor. The same or similar configurations of the described sleeves can be installed on any portion of segment of a gun barrel or muzzle to achieve the described heat resistance and thermal management advantages.