Flash suppressor assembly and method

Abstract

A flash suppressor assembly that captures, burns, and cools the combustion gases produced when a projectile, such as a bullet, is fired by a weapon. The flash suppressor assembly includes a housing with an internal space containing a tubular burn chamber disposed about a burn tube that define at least one set of an accelerated gas flow chamber, an expanded burn chamber, and an elongated cooling chamber. The outer surface profile of the burn tube includes grooves that facilitate the intermixing of oxygen with the combustion gases to enhance burning thereof.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 ) A flash suppressor assembly comprising:
 an outer sleeve comprising an inner wall, outer wall, first end, and second end,
 wherein an inner cavity of said outer sleeve comprises said inner wall, first end, and second end, 
   a receiver secured at said first end of said outer sleeve,
 wherein said receiver is configured for detachable fixation to a barrel having a gun bore hole, 
   an endcap secured at said second end of said outer sleeve,
 wherein said endcap includes a plurality of gas vents, 
   a burn tube comprising a receiver end, endcap end, interior wall, and exterior wall,
 wherein said interior wall defines a burn tube bore hole, 
 wherein said burn tube bore hole is in axial alignment with said gun bore hole when said receiver is affixed to said barrel, 
 wherein said receiver end of said burn tube is supported by said receiver, 
 wherein said endcap end of said burn tube is supported by said endcap, 
 wherein said burn tube is at least partially disposed within said inner cavity of said outer sleeve, 
 wherein said interior wall comprises spiral threads that create a vortex from a flow of combustion gasses resulting from a projectile fired by a weapon having said barrel, 
 wherein said vortex centers said projectile as said projectile travels through said burn tube, 
   an expansion chamber comprising said inner wall of said outer sleeve, exterior wall of said burn tube, and receiver, and   at least one burn chamber comprising said inner wall of said outer sleeve, exterior wall of said burn tube, and endcap.   
     
     
         2 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said spiral threads define no more than 80% of said interior wall of said burn tube. 
     
     
         3 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said burn tube further comprises at least one aperture defined by an aperture wall, wherein said at least one aperture extends from said interior wall to said exterior wall. 
     
     
         4 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said aperture wall comprises a spiral pattern. 
     
     
         5 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one aperture is radially dispersed about said burn tube. 
     
     
         6 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one aperture is axially dispersed about said burn tube. 
     
     
         7 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 3 , wherein said at least one aperture is radially and axially dispersed about said burn tube. 
     
     
         8 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of said exterior wall of said burn tube comprises a plurality of grooves that facilitate intermixing of oxygen combustion gas to promote burning. 
     
     
         9 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said exterior wall of said burn tube and said inner wall of said outer sleeve includes at least one contour that changes a cross-sectional area of at least one of said combustion chamber and said at least one burn chamber. 
     
     
         10 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least one of said exterior wall of said burn tube and said inner wall of said outer sleeve comprise a spiral pattern. 
     
     
         11 ) A flash suppressor assembly comprising:
 an outer sleeve comprising an inner wall, outer wall, first end, and second end,
 wherein an inner cavity of said outer sleeve comprises said inner wall, first end, and second end, 
   a receiver secured at said first end of said outer sleeve,
 wherein said receiver is configured for detachable fixation to a barrel having a gun bore hole, 
   an endcap secured at said second end of said outer sleeve,
 wherein said endcap includes a plurality of gas vents, 
   a burn tube comprising a receiver end, endcap end, interior wall, and exterior wall,
 wherein said interior wall defines a burn tube bore hole, 
 wherein said burn tube bore hole is in axial alignment with said gun bore hole when said receiver is affixed to said barrel, 
 wherein said receiver end of said burn tube is supported by said receiver, 
 wherein said endcap end of said burn tube is supported by said endcap, 
 wherein said burn tube is at least partially disposed within said inner cavity of said outer sleeve, 
 wherein said burn tube includes at least one aperture defined by an aperture wall, 
 wherein said at least one aperture extends from said interior wall to said exterior wall, 
   an expansion chamber comprising said inner wall of said outer sleeve, exterior wall of said burn tube, and receiver, and   at least one burn chamber comprising said inner wall of said outer sleeve, exterior wall of said burn tube, and endcap.   
     
     
         12 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said aperture wall comprises a spiral pattern. 
     
     
         13 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one aperture is radially dispersed about said burn tube. 
     
     
         14 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one aperture is axially dispersed about said burn tube. 
     
     
         15 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein said at least one aperture is radially and axially dispersed about said burn tube. 
     
     
         16 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of said exterior wall of said burn tube comprises a plurality of grooves that facilitate intermixing of oxygen combustion gas to promote burning. 
     
     
         17 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said exterior wall of said burn tube and said inner wall of said outer sleeve includes at least one contour that changes a cross-sectional area of at least one of said combustion chamber and said at least one burn chamber. 
     
     
         18 ) The flash suppressor assembly of  claim 11 , wherein at least one of said exterior wall of said burn tube and said inner wall of said outer sleeve comprise a spiral pattern. 
     
     
         19 ) A method of stabilizing a projectile fired from a weapon while suppressing flash from said weapon, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) providing a flash suppressor assembly comprising:
 an outer sleeve comprising an inner wall, outer wall, first end, and second end,
 wherein an inner cavity of said outer sleeve comprises said inner wall, first end, and second end, 
 
 a receiver secured at said first end of said outer sleeve,
 wherein said receiver is configured for detachable fixation to a barrel having a gun bore hole, 
 
 an endcap secured at said second end of said outer sleeve,
 wherein said endcap includes a plurality of gas vents, a burn tube comprising a receiver end, endcap end, interior wall, and exterior wall, 
 wherein said interior wall defines a burn tube bore hole, 
 wherein said burn tube bore hole is in axial alignment with said gun bore hole when said receiver is affixed to said barrel, 
 wherein said receiver end of said burn tube is supported by said receiver, 
 wherein said endcap end of said burn tube is supported by said endcap, 
 wherein said burn tube is at least partially disposed within said inner cavity of said outer sleeve, 
 wherein said interior wall comprises spiral threads that create a vortex from a flow of combustion gasses resulting from a projectile fired by said weapon having said barrel, 
 wherein said vortex centers said projectile as said projectile travels through said burn tube, 
 wherein said burn tube includes at least one aperture defined by an aperture wall, 
 wherein said at least one aperture extends from said interior wall to said exterior wall, 
 
 an expansion chamber comprising said inner wall of said outer sleeve, exterior wall of said burn tube, and receiver, 
 at least one burn chamber comprising said inner wall of said outer sleeve, exterior wall of said burn tube, and endcap, 
   b) affixing said flash suppressor assembly to a barrel of said weapon,   c) causing said weapon to fire said projectile, wherein said projectile produces said flow of said combustion gasses,   d) directing said flow of said combustion gasses from said gun bore hole to said receiver,   e) directing said flow of said combustion gasses from said receiver to said expansion chamber,   f) directing said flow of said combustion gasses from said expansion chamber to said at least one combustion chamber,   g) directing said flow of said combustion gasses from said receiver to said burn tube bore hole, wherein said spiral threads of said burn tube bore hole enhance combustion of said flow of said combustion gasses as said combustion gasses travel through said burn tube bore hole,   h) directing said flow of said combustion gas from said burn tube bore hole to at least one of said expansion chamber and said at least one combustion chamber via said at least one aperture, and   i) expelling cooled gas through said plurality of gas vents.   
     
     
         20 ) The method of  claim 19 , wherein at least a portion of said exterior wall of said burn tube comprises a plurality of grooves that facilitate intermixing of oxygen combustion gas to promote burning.