Heat Sink Rail System

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The application relates to a method and apparatus for a handguard rail system on a firearm with heat dissipating qualities.

[0003] 2. Prior Art

[0004] Presently, most modern automatic small projectile weapons, including machine guns, rifles, and sub-machine guns, use a handguard made of aluminum or other metals with standard picatinny rails in order to mount rifle accessories, such as a flash light, scope, red dot, laser, vertical grip and others.

[0005] Though these rails are convenient for mounts and attachments, these Aluminum and metal constructed handguards conduct heat which transfers from the barrel, chamber and gas block to the hand of the shooter quickly, as aluminum and other metals have superior heat conducting ability. To prevent pain or burning during use, shooters must wear gloves or other protection. Though wearing gloves or other protection can keep the shooter's hands safe from the issues of overheating that accompany present embodiments of the prior art, the excessive heat will transfer to the accessories on the rail and cause failure on the electronic components.

[0006] One method for fixing the problem of an overheating rail system or handguard is using polymer, wood or other heat resistant materials to form the apparatus. This method slows or stops heat transfer to the rail system by keeping the heat on the barrel of the weapon. This method can cause the barrel to overheat, which will shorten the barrel's effective life, make the weapon less accurate and reliable in its shooting and may cause dangerous cook-off (projectile fires automatically).

[0007] Most similar methods for avoiding damage or pain to the user from gripping the firing side of a firearm employ methods that remove a shooter's hand from the vicinity of the hot barrel, generally through the use of material between the grip of the user and the barrel of the firearm. This method is useful in preventing the user from hurting himself or herself, but does not cool the barrel itself and can in some cases cause more rapid overheating of the barrel. Cooling the barrel is as important if not more important than protecting the shooter's hand from painful heat because overheating the barrel will shorten the barrel's effective life, make the weapon less accurate and reliable in its shooting and may cause dangerous cook-off (projectile fires automatically).

[0008] It is common among rail systems to employ methods which attach to the barrel at both the front and back ends of the rail system. If the shooter grasps the rail system which is firmly attached to the barrel at both ends, the shooter's grip will affect the firing of the firearm negatively, therefore reducing accuracy or potentially damaging the barrel.

[0009] There exists a need for a rail system which can provide heat dissipating properties, thus preventing the overheating of the barrel or gas tube, as well as preventing the overheating of the rail system apparatus as well.

[0010] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of this invention are:

• • [0011] (a) To allow for the possible attachment of accessories and/or mounted attachments to the weapon;
  • [0012] (b) To allow for the dissipation of heat from the barrel and gas tube to prevent overheating that may be damaging to the weapon;
  • [0013] (c) To allow for the dissipation of heat from the rail system apparatus such the shooter may be able to hold the rail system with reduced danger of burning or such discomfort;
  • [0014] (d) Free-float style which only attaches to the barrel at one end, reducing the impact of a shooter's grip on the accuracy of the firearm.

[0015] Further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a consideration of the drawings and ensuing description.

[0016] The following summary is provided to facilitate an understanding of some of the innovative features unique to the embodiments and is not intended to be a full description. A full appreciation of the various aspects of the embodiments can be gained by taking the entire specification, claims, drawings, and abstract as a whole.

[0017] In accordance with the present invention, a method and apparatus allowing for the dissipation of heat within a rail system for a firearm.

[0024] So that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the preferred embodiment thereof which is illustrated in the appended drawings, which drawings are incorporated as a part hereof.

[0025] It is to be noted however, that the appended drawings illustrate only a typical embodiment of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments.

[0026] With reference now to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the heat sink rail system according the present invention is herein described. As can be seen in FIG. 1, according to certain embodiments of the prior art, the rail system 100 is situated around barrel 11 of the firearm 20. Rail system 10 contains holes for air to pass through. Rail system 100 allows shooter to grip firearm at a distance from barrel 11 such that heat from barrel 11 does not fully reach shooter's grip.

[0027] As can be seen in FIG. 7, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, rail system 10 is situated around barrel 11 of firearm 20. Fins 12 extend inwards from inner layer of cooling system 13. Inner layer of cooling system 13 is circumscribed by o-rings 14, made, in certain embodiments of the present invention, of non-conducting material, which are circumscribed by outer layer of cooling system 15. Outer layer of cooling system 15 is circumscribed by rail cover 16. Railing 17 is part of rail cover 16 and allows for the attachment of accessories. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the space between inner layer of cooling system 13 and outer layer of cooling system 15 may be filled with little or no air. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, rail cover 16 contains holes 18.

[0028] The foregoing description of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed, and other modifications and variations may be possible in light of the above teachings. The embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the invention and its practical application to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the invention in various embodiments and various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the appended claims be construed to include other alternative embodiments of the invention except insofar as limited by the prior art.

[0029] The invention may be embodied in other forms without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes that come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

[0030] As can be seen in FIG. 1, according to the certain embodiments of the prior art, rail system 100 does not provide the cooling capabilities of the present invention, and if it does, this cooling is only cursory and not a main component of the design. Rail system 10 operates as a guard against the heat of barrel 11 by removing the shooter's hand from direct contact with the barrel, but rail system 100 will have significant amount of heat and will hurt shooter's hands.

[0031] As can be seen in FIG. 7, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, rail system 10 provides cooling capabilities by providing a medium for the removal of heat from the barrel 11. The configuration of fins 12 oriented axially parallel to the axis of the barrel 11 and situated around inner layer of cooling system 13, allows for the passage of air through this part of the rail system 10 and around the barrel 11, facilitating the cooling of the rail system 10 and barrel 11 through the transfer of heat between the air and the rail system 10 or barrel 11. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, heat in the inner layer of cooling system 13 will, either completely or in part, not be transferred to outer layer of cooling system 15 because inner layer of cooling system 13 and outer layer of cooling system 15 will only be connected by o-rings 14, which, according to certain embodiments of the present invention are made of non-conducting material such as silicon. Further, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the inside surface of the outer layer of the cooling system 15 will be the metal's original silver color or another light color. Further, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the outside surface of the inner layer of the cooling system 13 will be the metal's original silver color or another color. These adjacent light surfaces have a lower propensity for absorbing and emitting light and heat. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the space between inner layer of cooling system 13 and outer layer of cooling system 15 contains little or no air for the further reduction of heat transfer between the layers. Furthermore, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, rail cover 16 contains holes 18 which allow air to pass over or about outer layer of cooling system 15, further cooling the rail system 10. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, railing 17 allows for the attachment of accessories or attachments on rail system 10.

[0032] Heat transfer can occur primarily through radiation, contact, and convection. As can be seen in FIG. 7, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, the control of heat concentrations is manipulated through elements of these three types of heat transfer. The primary source of heat originates from the barrel 11; through convection, the heat from barrel 11 passes through the air to inner layer of cooling system 13. Heat originating from barrel 11 may also be transferred to inner layer of cooling system 13 through radiation. Because of the heat sink design, fins 12 can maximize the air contact surface which will allow air to bring away heat. Heat from inner layer of cooling system 13 physically contacts only o-rings 14 which are non-conducting, therefore heat transfer to o-rings 14 is reduced or prevented. According to certain embodiments of the present invention, the space between inner layer of cooling system 13 and outer layer of cooling system 15 contains little or no air, reducing or preventing the effects of convection on transferring heat to outer layer of cooling system 15. According to certain embodiments, the outer surface of inner layer of cooling system 13 and/or the inner surface of outer layer of cooling system 15 are of a light color such as white. White and other light colors both emit and absorb less light than materials of other colors, thus reducing the effects of radiation on the transfer of heat from inner layer of cooling system 13 to outer layer of cooling system 15. Thusly, according to certain embodiments of the present invention, very little of the heat originating in barrel 11, remains in barrel 11 and very little reaches rail covering 16. This prevents the problems of an overheating barrel while also working to reduce pain or damage to the hand of the shooter if he or she chooses to grip rail covering 16.

[0033] Thus, the reader will see that the method and apparatus provides for the dissipation of heat produced by a firearm during operation. While the above description contains many specifications, these should not be construed as limitations of the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of a preferred embodiment of the invention. Many other variations and embodiments are possible.

[0034] Accordingly, the scope of the invention should be determined not by the embodiment illustrated, but by the appended claims and their legal equivalents.