Optical weapon mounting apparatus and related methods

Abstract

A mounting apparatus used to connect an optical device to a mounting structure is provided. The mounting apparatus has a base portion which is connectable to the mounting structure and a receiving portion which is movably connected to the base portion, such as with a pivot joint. The mounting apparatus may include an adjustable ‘force to overcome’ pivot joint between the base and receiving portions and a novel clamping system to clamp the base portion to the mounting structure. The mounting apparatus may also include a locking hole and locking structure engagement with a plunger and a movement restraint structure which controls pivotal movement of the receiving structure relative to the base structure. Other novel features and related methods of the mounting apparatus are also disclosed herein.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mounting apparatus comprising:
 a base portion connectable to a mounting structure;   a receiving portion connected to the base portion with a pivot joint;   a mounting shoe receiver formed on the receiving portion; and   a retaining clip connected to the receiving portion and pivotally mounted along an entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver.   
     
     
         2 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining clip is pivotally mounted along the entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver, wherein in a first position the retaining clip blocks the entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver and in a second position, the retaining clip does not block the entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver. 
     
     
         3 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein in the second position, a top surface of the retaining clip is positioned below a floor of the mounting shoe receiver. 
     
     
         4 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the retaining clip further comprises a butterfly clip pivotal on an axis, wherein an actuation surface of the butterfly clip is offset a distance from the axis. 
     
     
         5 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the distance further comprises at least 0.3 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pivot joint has a threaded fastener, wherein a position of the threaded fastener adjusts a force-to-overcome to actuate the pivot joint. 
     
     
         7 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a locking hole positioned on the base portion and a locking structure positioned on an underside of the receiving portion, wherein the locking structure is engagable with the locking hole. 
     
     
         8 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the locking structure is controlled by a plunger, wherein the plunger is positioned at least partially on a lateral side edge of the receiving portion. 
     
     
         9 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting shoe receiver further comprises an open rear side. 
     
     
         10 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the base portion is connectable to a rail of a mounting structure with a rail groove positioned in the base portion, wherein at least one threaded fastener is movable to retain the rail within the rail groove. 
     
     
         11 . The mounting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a guiding hole positioned within the mounting structure, wherein the guiding hole receives a mounting shoe movement restraint connected to the mounting shoe when the mounting shoe is engaged with the mounting shoe receiver. 
     
     
         12 . An optical device mounting system comprising:
 a mounting rail;   a base portion connected to the mounting rail;   a receiving portion connected to the base portion with a pivot joint, the receiving portion having a mounting shoe receiver formed on the receiving portion;   a mounting shoe connectable to an optical device, wherein the mounting shoe is removably positioned within the mounting shoe receiver; and   a retaining clip connected to the receiving portion and pivotally mounted along an entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver.   
     
     
         13 . The optical device mounting system of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining clip is pivotally mounted along the entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver, wherein in a first position the retaining clip blocks the mounting shoe from exiting the mounting shoe receiver and in a second position, the retaining clip does not block the mounting shoe from exiting the mounting shoe receiver. 
     
     
         14 . The optical device mounting system of  claim 12 , wherein the retaining clip further comprises a butterfly clip pivotal on an axis, wherein an actuation surface of the butterfly clip is offset a distance from the axis. 
     
     
         15 . The optical device mounting system of  claim 12 , further comprising a locking hole positioned on the base portion and a locking structure positioned on an underside of the receiving portion, wherein the locking structure is engagable with the locking hole, and wherein the locking structure is controlled by a plunger, the plunger positioned at least partially on a lateral side edge of the receiving portion. 
     
     
         16 . The optical device mounting system of  claim 12 , further comprising a guiding hole positioned within the mounting structure, wherein the guiding hole receives a mounting shoe movement restraint connected to the mounting shoe when the mounting shoe is engaged with the mounting shoe receiver. 
     
     
         17 . A method of mounting an optical device to a rail mounting structure, the method comprising the steps of:
 engaging a base portion of a mounting apparatus to a rail mounting structure by clamping the rail mounting structure within a rail groove positioned on the base portion;   pivotally connecting a receiving portion of the mounting apparatus to the base portion;   removably mounting a mounting shoe within a mounting shoe receiver pocket formed within the receiving portion of the mounting apparatus; and   controlling a locking of the mounting shoe within the mounting shoe receiver pocket with at least one retaining clip connected to the receiving portion and pivotally mounted along an entrance side of the mounting shoe receiver.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising actuating the at least one retaining clip to unlock the mounting shoe from the mounting shoe receiver pocket by applying a force on an actuation surface of the at least one retaining clip, wherein the actuation surface is located an offset distance from a pivot axis of the retaining clip. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising removably locking the receiving portion to the base portion with a locking hole positioned on the base portion and a locking structure positioned on an underside of the receiving portion, whereby the locking structure is engagable with the locking hole, and the engagement of the locking structure to the locking hole is controlled by a plunger positioned at least partially on a lateral side edge of the receiving portion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising locking the receiving portion of the mounting apparatus to the base portion with at least one movement restraint bridge, wherein the movement restraint bridge is connected between the mounting shoe and a guiding hole positioned within the receiving portion, wherein the movement restraint bridge is positioned at least partially above the at least one retaining clip.