Quick-disconnect sling swivel

{
  "publication_number": "US11073358B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Quick-disconnect sling swivel",
  "abstract": "A quick-disconnect (QD) sling swivel includes a main body receivable in a socket on a firearm, a locking mechanism coupled to the main body, and an actuation mechanism coupled to the locking mechanism and depressible in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel. When the actuation mechanism is depressed, the locking mechanism is in a first position such that the main body is decouplable from and is freely movable in and out of the socket. When the at least one actuation button is not depressed with a portion of the main body received in the socket, the locking mechanism is in a second position such that the main body is interlockingly received in the socket with the locking mechanism engaged therewith.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A device implementable on a firearm, comprising: a quick-disconnect (QD) sling swivel comprising: a main body with a hollow therein and having a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first distal end with at least a portion of the main body near the second distal end thereof is receivable in a socket on the firearm; a locking mechanism comprising: a core slidingly movable through the hollow of the main body along a longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel between an engagement position and a disengagement position; and at least one detent movable between a first position and a second position in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel; and an actuation mechanism comprising at least one actuation button coupled to the core and mounted on the first distal end of the main body, the at least one actuation button elastically depressible in a direction generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, wherein: when the at least one actuation button is depressed, the core moves in the main body in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel from the second distal end toward the first distal end to the disengagement position with the at least one detent at the second position such that the main body of the QD sling swivel is decouplable from and is freely movable in and out of the socket, and when the at least one actuation button is not depressed with the second distal end of the main body received in the socket, the core is at the engagement position and the main body is interlockingly received in the socket with the at least one detent at the first position.",
    "2. The device of claim 1, wherein the first distal end of the main body is configured with a sloped surface on which the at least one actuation button is slidingly movable toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel such that, when depressed, the at least one actuation button moves in a direction that is toward the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel and away from the second distal end of the main body.",
    "3. The scope mount of claim 2, wherein an angle of the sloped surface is greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees relative to a coupling plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.",
    "4. The scope mount of claim 2, wherein, when the at least one actuation button is depressed, the core moves in the main body in the longitudinal direction from the second distal end toward the first distal end.",
    "5. The scope mount of claim 1, wherein the at least one actuation button comprises a first actuation button and a second actuation button, wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a spring disposed between the first actuation button and the second actuation button and exerting a force that pushes the first actuation button and the second actuation button away from the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, and wherein the main body is decouplable from the socket when the first actuation button and the second actuation button are depressed in opposite directions towards the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel.",
    "6. The device of claim 1, wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a pin that couples the at least one actuation button and the core together.",
    "7. The device of claim 1, wherein the at least one detent comprises a plurality of ball detents that are at least partially receivable in a groove on an inner wall of the socket when the second distal end of the main body is received in and coupled to the socket, and wherein an outer surface of the core has one or more indentations configured to accommodate the plurality of ball detents such that, when the core is at the engagement position, the ball detents are pushed outward by the core to engage with the groove on the socket and, when the core is at the disengagement position, the ball detents are freely movable into the one or more indentations to disengagement from the groove on the socket.",
    "8. A device implementable on a firearm, comprising: a quick-disconnect (QD) sling swivel comprising: a main body receivable in a socket on the firearm; a locking mechanism coupled to the main body; and an actuation mechanism coupled to the locking mechanism and depressible in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, wherein: when the actuation mechanism is depressed, the locking mechanism is in a first position such that the main body is decouplable from and is freely movable in and out of the socket, and when the at least one actuation button is not depressed with a portion of the main body received in the socket, the locking mechanism is in a second position such that the main body is interlockingly received in the socket with the locking mechanism engaged therewith.",
    "9. The device of claim 8, wherein the main body is configured with a hollow therein and has a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first distal end with at least a portion of the main body near the second distal end thereof is receivable in the socket, wherein the locking mechanism comprises a core slidingly movable through the hollow of the main body along a longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel between an engagement position and a disengagement position, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises at least one detent movable between a first position and a second position in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, wherein the actuation mechanism comprises at least one actuation button coupled to the core and mounted on the first distal end of the main body, wherein, when the at least one actuation button is depressed, the core moves in the main body in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel from the second distal end toward the first distal end to the disengagement position with the at least one detent at the second position such that the main body of the QD sling swivel is decouplable from and is freely movable in and out of the socket, and wherein, when the at least one actuation button is not depressed with the second distal end of the main body received in the socket, the core is at the engagement position and the main body is interlockingly received in the socket with the at least one detent at the first position.",
    "10. The device of claim 9, wherein the first distal end of the main body is configured with a sloped surface on which the at least one actuation button is slidingly movable toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel such that, when depressed, the at least one actuation button moves in a direction that is toward the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel and away from the second distal end of the main body.",
    "11. The scope mount of claim 10, wherein an angle of the sloped surface is greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees relative to a coupling plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.",
    "12. The scope mount of claim 10, wherein, when the at least one actuation button is depressed, the core moves in the main body in the longitudinal direction from the second distal end toward the first distal end.",
    "13. The scope mount of claim 9, wherein the at least one actuation button comprises a first actuation button and a second actuation button, wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a spring disposed between the first actuation button and the second actuation button and exerting a force that pushes the first actuation button and the second actuation button away from the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, and wherein the main body is decouplable from the socket when the first actuation button and the second actuation button are depressed in opposite directions towards the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel.",
    "14. The device of claim 9, wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a pin that couples the at least one actuation button and the core together.",
    "15. The device of claim 9, wherein the at least one detent comprises a plurality of ball detents that are at least partially receivable in a groove on an inner wall of the socket when the second distal end of the main body is received in and coupled to the socket, and wherein an outer surface of the core has one or more indentations configured to accommodate the plurality of ball detents such that, when the core is at the engagement position, the ball detents are pushed outward by the core to engage with the groove on the socket and, when the core is at the disengagement position, the ball detents are freely movable into the one or more indentations to disengagement from the groove on the socket.",
    "16. A device implementable on a firearm, comprising: a quick-disconnect (QD) sling swivel comprising: a main body with a hollow therein and having a first distal end and a second distal end opposite the first distal end with at least a portion of the main body near the second distal end thereof is receivable in a socket on the firearm; a locking mechanism coupled to the main body, the locking mechanism comprising a core slidingly movable through the hollow of the main body along a longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel between an engagement position and a disengagement position; and an actuation mechanism coupled to the locking mechanism, the actuation mechanism comprising at least one actuation button that is depressible in a direction generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, wherein the first distal end of the main body is configured with a sloped surface on which the at least one actuation button is slidingly movable toward and away from the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel such that, when depressed, the at least one actuation button moves in a direction that is toward the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel and away from the second distal end of the main body.",
    "17. The device of claim 16, wherein the locking mechanism further comprises at least one detent movable between a first position and a second position in a radial direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, wherein, when the at least one actuation button is depressed, the core moves in the main body in a longitudinal direction along the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel from the second distal end toward the first distal end to the disengagement position with the at least one detent at the second position such that the main body of the QD sling swivel is decouplable from and is freely movable in and out of the socket, and wherein, when the at least one actuation button is not depressed with the second distal end of the main body received in the socket, the core is at the engagement position and the main body is interlockingly received in the socket with the at least one detent at the first position.",
    "18. The device of claim 17, wherein the at least one detent comprises a plurality of ball detents that are at least partially receivable in a groove on an inner wall of the socket when the second distal end of the main body is received in and coupled to the socket, and wherein an outer surface of the core has one or more indentations configured to accommodate the plurality of ball detents such that, when the core is at the engagement position, the ball detents are pushed outward by the core to engage with the groove on the socket and, when the core is at the disengagement position, the ball detents are freely movable into the one or more indentations to disengagement from the groove on the socket.",
    "19. The scope mount of claim 16, wherein an angle of the sloped surface is greater than 0 degree and less than 90 degrees relative to a coupling plane which is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.",
    "20. The scope mount of claim 16, wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a pin that couples the at least one actuation button and the core together, wherein the at least one actuation button comprises a first actuation button and a second actuation button, wherein the actuation mechanism further comprises a spring disposed between the first actuation button and the second actuation button and exerting a force that pushes the first actuation button and the second actuation button away from the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel, and wherein the main body is decouplable from the socket when the first actuation button and the second actuation button are depressed in opposite directions towards the longitudinal axis of the QD sling swivel."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present disclosure is generally related to firearm accessories and, more particularly, to an improved quick-disconnect (QD) sling swivel.\n\nUnless otherwise indicated herein, approaches described in this section are not prior art to the claims listed below and are not admitted as prior art by inclusion in this section. With respect to firearms, a sling is a type of strap or harness used by a user to carry a firearm on the user's body and to improve usability of the firearm in terms of bracing and stabilization during aiming. In general, the sling can be attached to the firearm in one of several ways such as one or more sling swivel studs, one or more QD or flush cup sling mounts, or one or more snap hooks. In the context of QD or flush cup sling mounts, the term “QD sling swivel” refers to the part attached to the sling, and the term “flush cup” refers to the corresponding receptacle or socket on the firearm for receiving coupling to the QD sling swivel. A QD or flush cup sling mount system typically includes a push button swivel attached to the sling which is placed or received in a mounting socket on the firearm. The swivel is typically kept in place by several ball detents connected to the push button, which press against the walls of the socket. The sling swivel can be connected to and disconnected from the firearm quickly by the user pushing the button to retract the ball detents.\n\nIn the existing design of QD sling swivels, the operation seems to be counter intuitive.",
  "cpc": [
    "F41C 23/02",
    "F16B 21/06",
    "F16B 21/165",
    "F16B 45/002",
    "F41C 33/002"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "F16B 21/06",
    "F16B 21/16",
    "F41C 23/02",
    "F41C 33/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "STRIKE IND INC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "CHIN DAVID"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2020-01-21",
  "publication_date": "2021-07-27",
  "grant_date": "2021-07-27",
  "priority_date": "2019-01-21",
  "application_number": "US-202016748748-A",
  "family_id": "71609736",
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  ]
}