Adjustable mechanism for deployment of rotating arm

Abstract

This is a mechanism which locks a spring loaded rotating arm in a closed position with a locking pin relative to a fixed arm, then with pushing one mechanical button, the locking pin releases the rotating arm. The arm rotates, and locks at an angle relative to the fixed arm. The relative angle is determined by an adjustable gear with two pins, which allows fine adjustment of the deployed angle. One pin on the gear is used as a stop for the rotating arm, and the second is used to mechanically lock the arm at the determined angle when the mechanical button is released. In the preferred embodiment, the fixed arm is attached permanently or via a quick connector to a handheld product, such as a pistol, and the mechanism is used to deploy and lock into place a forearm brace.

1 . A device for locking a radial arm in an open and closed position comprising:
 a frame, wherein the frame has a generally longitudinal direction with a first end and a second end;   an arm, wherein the arm has a generally longitudinal direction with a first end and a second end, wherein the arm is configured to attach to the first end of the frame at the first end of the arm to create an attachment point, and wherein the arm is configured to rotate about a radial axis at the attachment point;   a gear assembly configured to rotate about an axis parallel to the radial axis, wherein the gear assembly comprises:
 a gear rotating about an axis substantially parallel to the radial axis, and 
 an open-stop disposed orthogonally on a first side of the gear such that when the gear assembly turns, the angle at which the arm opens before colliding with the open-stop changes and can be fined-tuned; 
   a gear-locking mechanism connected to the frame and configured to lock the gear assembly such that it may not rotate;   a control mechanism, adapted to toggle the state of the arm between at least the closed and the open state, and further adapted to reversibly unlock the gear assembly such that it may rotate;   wherein when the arm is in a closed state, the second end of the arm is adapted to rotate toward the second end of the frame;   wherein when the arm is in an open state, the second end of the arm is adapted to rotate away from the second half of the frame.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a close-stop, wherein the close-stop physically stops the arm from further closing when the device undergoes a closing operation. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises a close-lock, attached to the frame or the gear assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 3 , wherein when the device is in the closed state, the close-lock mates with arm, and wherein the control mechanism is adapted to reversibly unmate the close-lock and the arm. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device further comprises an open-lock, adapted to mechanically secure the arm in an open position when the state of the arm is open. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5 , wherein the open-stop is a pin projecting from the gear, such that when the arm collides with the open-stop pin, the arm and the open-lock are properly aligned such they can properly mate to lock the arm in an open position. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the open-lock is a pin on the gear that physically penetrates an orifice or another feature on the arm to mechanically lock the arm open when the state of the arm is set to open. 
     
     
         8 . The device  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism comprises a push-button that controls the gear assembly and any close-locks, disengaging the gear assembly from the frame and any close-locks such that any close-locks and any open-locks disengage, thereby unlocking the arm and allowing the arm to rotate. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein when the device is in the unlocked state, the arm is mechanically biased by a spring toward colliding with the open-stop such that absent external interference, the device automatically opens when the control mechanism unlocks the arm, and then automatically sets the state of the arm to open. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the control mechanism is additionally configured to:
 unlock the gear assembly such that the gear assembly can freely rotate, thereby rotating the placement of the open-stop and any open-locks, such that the angle of the open-stop to the frame can change to control the angle of the open position of the arm relative to the frame; and   lock the gear assembly such that the open-stop and any open-locks are fixed.   
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , additionally comprising:
 a close-stop;   a close-stop pin;   wherein the gear assembly further comprises an open-lock pin;   wherein the open-stop is an open stop pin;   wherein the device may be in a locked-closed position by allowing the close-lock to mate with the arm to prevent rotation by the arm;   wherein the device may be in a locked-open position by allowing the open-lock pin to engage with the arm to prevent rotation by the arm;   wherein the control mechanism can disengage the close-lock and the open-lock pin from the arm to put the mechanism in an unlocked state, such that the arm may rotate about the radial axis;   wherein when the device is in an unlocked state, the arm can rotate in a first direction until it collides with the close-stop, such that the control mechanism can engage the close-lock, thereby locking the arm in a closed state;   wherein when the device is in an unlocked state, the arm can rotate in a second direction until it collides with the open-stop, such that the control mechanism can engage the open-lock pin, thereby locking the arm in an open state; and   wherein when the device is in an unlocked state, it is biased by a spring toward the open position.   
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the device is a forearm brace and additionally comprises:
 a paddle connected to the arm configured to rotate about the arm;   wherein when the device is unlocked, the paddle is configured to automatically deploy and lock to an open position.   
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the forearm brace is a brace for a firearm; and the device further comprises a mechanism to secure itself to a firearm, firearm magazine, firearm grip, or a firearm magazine baseplate. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the control mechanism comprises a mechanized system adapted to toggle the device state from open-locked to unlocked to closed-locked, and from closed-locked to unlocked to open-locked. 
     
     
         15 . A method for deploying a rotating arm about an axis comprising:
 providing a device for locking a radial arm in an open and closed position according to  claim 1 ; and   activating the control means to open the device.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the control means is a pushbutton that puts the device in an unlocked state;   the device is spring biased such that when the device is put into an unlocked state, the spring forces bias the rotating arm toward the open-stop; and   the device is configured that when the rotating arm is biased against the open-stop, releasing the pushbutton engages the rotating arm with the open-lock, thereby locking the device in an open-locked state.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the control means comprises an electronic device. 
     
     
         18 . The method  claim 17 , wherein the control means further comprises a servo or motor configured to move the rotating arm when the device is in an unlocked state. 
     
     
         19 . A method of manufacturing a gear assembly for locking a radial arm in an open and closed position, comprising:
 providing:
 a gear, 
 an open-stop, and 
 an open-lock; 
   permanently attaching the open-stop and open-lock to the same face of the gear, wherein neither the open-stop nor open-lock are in the center of the face.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 providing
 a frame; 
 an arm configured to attach to the frame and configured to rotate about a radial axis; 
 a close-stop; 
 a close-lock configured to attach to the frame; 
 a gear-locking mechanism configured to attach to the frame and configured to lock the gear assembly when assembled such that the gear assembly may not rotate; 
 a control mechanism; 
 wherein when assembled, the device may be in a locked-closed position by allowing the close-lock to mate with the arm to prevent rotation by the arm; 
 wherein when assembled, the device may be in a locked-open position by allowing the open-lock to engage with the arm to prevent rotation by the arm; 
 wherein when assembled, the control mechanism can disengage the close-lock and the open-lock from the arm to put the mechanism in an unlocked state, such that the arm may rotate about the radial axis; 
 wherein when assembled, when the device is in an unlocked state, the arm can rotate in a first direction until it collides with the close-stop, such that the control mechanism can engage the close-lock, thereby locking the arm in a closed state; and 
 wherein when assembled, when the device is in an unlocked state, the arm can rotate in a second direction until it collides with the open-stop, such that the control mechanism can engage the open-lock, thereby locking the arm in an open state; and 
 assembling the frame, the arm, the close-stop, the close-lock, the gear assembly, the gear-locking mechanism, and the control mechanism to form a device for locking a radial arm in an open and closed position.