초록 ▼

A bipod for a firearm is provided that improves efficiency and ease of reconfiguration of the bipod while providing stable support for the firearm. In various embodiments, a bipod for a firearm might comprise a main body that can mount to the firearm, two legs, two plates, a first actuator mounted t

A bipod for a firearm is provided that improves efficiency and ease of reconfiguration of the bipod while providing stable support for the firearm. In various embodiments, a bipod for a firearm might comprise a main body that can mount to the firearm, two legs, two plates, a first actuator mounted to each leg, and a second actuator mounted to each of two side mounts. Each leg might comprise a head portion and a main leg which extends from the head portion. Each plate might rotatably couple each leg to one of the side mounts. The first actuator, when actuated, releases a leg to rotate relative to its plate by a first angle. The second actuator, when actuated, releases the plate to rotate with respect to the main body by a second angle, independent of any rotation of the corresponding leg relative to the plate effected by the first actuator.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A bipod for a firearm, comprising: a yoke, comprising: a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two sides, the two sides each having a side portion that lies along a side plane that is orthogonal to and intersects with each of a top plane along which a topmost portion of the top su

1. A bipod for a firearm, comprising: a yoke, comprising: a main body having a top surface, a bottom surface, and two sides, the two sides each having a side portion that lies along a side plane that is orthogonal to and intersects with each of a top plane along which a topmost portion of the top surface lies and a bottom plane along with a bottommost portion of the bottom surface lies, the top plane being parallel with the bottom plane;a cylindrical cavity through a space within the main body, a perimeter of the space being defined by connection of the top surface and the bottom surface by the two sides, the cylindrical cavity having a central axis, wherein the central axis does not intersect with any of the top plane, the bottom plane, or the side planes; andpair of side mounts each extending laterally from a corresponding one of the two sides of the main body, the pair of side mounts each having a mounting surface that is angled with respect to the corresponding one of the two sides such that the mounting surface lies along a plane that intersects with a corresponding side plane, but does not intersect with the central axis of the cylindrical cavity;a firearm mount, comprising a cylinder that couples to the yoke through the cylindrical cavity, wherein the firearm mount, when the bipod is mounted on a firearm, is removably affixed to one of a fore stock or a handguard of the firearm via a mount, the central axis of the cylindrical cavity aligning with a central axis of the cylinder of the firearm mount and with a central axis of the mount when the firearm mount is coupled to the yoke and mounted within the mount;a pair of legs, each comprising a head portion, a main leg, an inner leg, a leg spring, and a leg lever, the head portion being coupled to or formed from a proximal end of the main leg, the inner leg being fitted within a cylindrical cavity formed within the main leg, wherein the leg spring is disposed within an innermost portion of the cylindrical cavity near the proximal end of the main leg and maintains a repelling force between the cylindrical cavity of the main leg and a proximal end of the inner leg, the inner leg having a plurality of ring grooves formed along a circumference of the inner leg at predetermined intervals along a length of the inner leg, the leg lever being mounted on the main leg near a distal end thereof with a latch that fits within each of the plurality of ring grooves, wherein the latch, when the leg lever is actuated, moves away from a first ring groove of the plurality of ring grooves to fit within a second ring groove of the plurality of ring grooves when a spring of the leg lever causes the latch to move back toward the inner leg and when the leg spring causes the inner leg to move along the cylindrical cavity relative to the main leg;a pair of plates, each comprising a first connector that connects to one of the pair of side mounts of the yoke and a second connector that connects to the head portion of one of the pair of legs;a first actuator mounted to each leg, wherein the first actuator, when actuated, releases the corresponding leg to rotate with respect to the corresponding plate about a first axis that is orthogonal to a first plane by a first angle, anda second actuator mounted to each side mount, wherein the second actuator, when actuated, releases the corresponding plate to which the second actuator contacts to rotate with respect to the main body about a second axis that is orthogonal to a second plane by a second angle, independent of any rotation of the corresponding leg that is in contact with the corresponding plate relative to the corresponding plate effected by the first actuator, wherein the second plane is substantially parallel to the first plane. 2. The bipod of claim 1, wherein the first angle is 90 degrees. 3. The bipod of claim 1, wherein each plate further comprises a first groove, a second groove, and a curved side surface between the first groove and the second groove, the first actuator comprising a latch that fits within the first groove and that, when the first actuator is actuated, moves out of the first groove to travel along the curved side surface to fit within the second groove. 4. The bipod of claim 3, wherein each first actuator comprises a first actuator spring having a spring constant that prevents the first actuator from being actuated due to the weight of the firearm, while allowing a user to actuate the first actuator by applying a force against the leg on which the first actuator is mounted. 5. The bipod of claim 1, wherein the second angle is 45 degrees. 6. The bipod of claim 1, wherein each plate further comprises a third groove, a fourth groove, and a track groove between the third groove and the fourth groove, wherein the third groove, the fourth groove, and the track groove are disposed within a middle portion of the plate and extend through a thickness of the plate, wherein each second actuator comprises a shaft and an end portion extending from the shaft, wherein the end portion fits within the third groove and, when the second actuator is actuated, moves in a first direction parallel to the thickness of the plate out of the third groove to allow the shaft to move along the track groove to the fourth groove, with the end portion moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction to fit within the fourth groove. 7. The bipod of claim 1, further comprising: a tension-setting device comprising a third connector and a collar with a handle, the third connector being removably affixed to the main body of the yoke, the collar wrapping around the circumference of a distal end of the cylinder of the firearm mount, wherein rotating the collar in a third direction by twisting the handle about the central axis of the cylinder in the third direction causes the cylinder of the firearm mount to press closer to the main body of the yoke thereby increasing resistance to rotation of the cylinder with respect to the main body, wherein rotating the collar in a fourth direction opposite to the third direction by twisting the handle about the central axis of the cylinder in the fourth direction causes the cylinder of the firearm mount to loosen contact with the main body of the yoke thereby decreasing resistance to rotation of the cylinder with respect to the main body. 8. The bipod of claim 7, wherein the main body comprises a through-hole groove on one of the top surface or the bottom surface of the main body, wherein the cylinder comprises a threaded hole, wherein, when a threaded end of a rod engages the threaded hole in the cylinder through the through-hole groove in the main body and when the collar is rotated in the fourth direction, the cylinder is free to rotate with respect to the main body about the central axis by a first range of angles that is delimited by a length of the through-hole groove. 9. The bipod of claim 1, wherein the firearm mount comprises one of a spigot-based firearm mount or a picatinny rail-based firearm mount. 10. A bipod for a firearm, comprising: a main body comprising a pair of side mounts and a mounting connector that removably affixes to one of a fore stock or handguard of a firearm via a mount;a pair of legs, each comprising a head portion and a main leg, the head portion being coupled to or formed from a proximal end of the main leg;a pair of plates that each rotatably couples each of the pair of legs to one of the pair of side mounts of the main body;a first actuator mounted to each leg, wherein the first actuator, when actuated, releases the corresponding leg to rotate with respect to the corresponding plate about a first axis that is orthogonal to a first plane by a first angle; anda second actuator mounted to each side mount, wherein the second actuator, when actuated, releases the corresponding plate to rotate with respect to the main body about a second axis that is orthogonal to a second plane by a second angle, independent of any rotation of the corresponding leg relative to the corresponding plate effected by the first actuator, wherein the second plane is substantially parallel to the first plane. 11. The bipod of claim 10, wherein the first angle is 90 degrees. 12. The bipod of claim 10, wherein each plate further comprises a first groove, a second groove, and a curved side surface between the first groove and the second groove, the first actuator comprising a latch that fits within the first groove and that, when the first actuator is actuated, moves out of the first groove to travel along the curved side surface to fit within the second groove. 13. The bipod of claim 12, wherein each of the first groove and the second groove has a curved edge adjacent to the curved side surface that facilitates movement of the latch out of the corresponding groove. 14. The bipod of claim 12, wherein each first actuator comprises a first actuator spring having a spring constant that prevents the first actuator from being actuated due to the weight of the firearm, while allowing a user to actuate the first actuator by applying a force against the leg on which the first actuator is mounted. 15. The bipod of claim 10, wherein the second angle is 45 degrees. 16. The bipod of claim 10, wherein each plate further comprises a third groove, a fourth groove, and a track groove between the third groove and the fourth groove, wherein the third groove, the fourth groove, and the track groove are disposed within a middle portion of the plate and extend through a thickness of the plate, wherein each second actuator comprises a shaft and an end portion extending from the shaft, wherein the end portion fits within the third groove and, when the second actuator is actuated, moves in a first direction parallel to the thickness of the plate out of the third groove to allow the shaft to move along the track groove to the fourth groove, with the end portion moving in a second direction opposite to the first direction to fit within the fourth groove. 17. The bipod of claim 10, wherein each leg comprises a spring-loaded telescoping inner leg, a plurality of circumferential grooves, and a hand-actuated detente device comprising one or more contacts that engage with one of the plurality of circumferential grooves at a time.