IP Verse

Firearm With An Ambidextrous Slide Stop

Patent No. US11846483 (titled "Firearm With An Ambidextrous Slide Stop") was filed by Oa Defense Llc on Jun 15, 2023.

What is this patent about?

’483 is related to the field of firearm accessories, specifically slide stops for handguns. Traditional 1911 pistols have a slide stop lever on only one side, typically optimized for right-handed users. This presents ergonomic challenges for left-handed shooters who must use their non-dominant hand to manipulate the slide stop, potentially slowing down reloads and malfunction clearance.

The underlying idea behind ’483 is to create an ambidextrous slide stop for a handgun that allows users to easily lock and release the slide with either hand. This is achieved by splitting the slide stop into two portions, one on each side of the gun's frame, and mechanically linking them so that actuation of either side engages or disengages the slide stop.

The claims of ’483 focus on a firearm or a slide stop device featuring two portions, one on each side of the handgun frame, that are removably attached and operably linked. Each portion includes a lever, and the portion on the left side also includes a stopper that engages with a notch on the slide. A mating mechanism connects the two portions, ensuring that movement of either lever causes the stopper to engage or disengage the slide.

In practice, the ambidextrous slide stop provides a more ergonomic and versatile solution for all shooters. The interlocking mechanism between the two portions ensures synchronous movement, allowing for consistent operation regardless of the user's handedness. A shooter can use their thumb or finger on either side of the gun to activate the slide stop, streamlining reloads and malfunction clearance procedures.

Unlike some prior art designs, this ambidextrous slide stop does not rely on springs or require sequential removal of the two portions. The design can incorporate features such as a textured thumb pad for improved grip, a locking mechanism to prevent accidental disengagement, and a visual indicator to show the slide stop's status. The two portions can also be interchangeable, allowing users to customize the feel and function of the slide stop to their preferences.

How does this patent fit in bigger picture?

Technical landscape at the time

In the early 2020s when ’483 was filed, firearms technology was at a point where ambidextrous controls were increasingly valued, but at a time when firearm designs commonly relied on traditional spring-loaded mechanisms for slide stops. At that time, achieving a robust and reliable ambidextrous slide stop mechanism without adding significant complexity or compromising the firearm's structural integrity was a non-trivial engineering challenge.

Novelty and Inventive Step

The examiner approved the application because it provides a unique mating mechanism for an ambidextrous slide stop. While La Vigne discloses a firearm with a slide stop having first and second portions, it does not show a male mating mechanism as a protrusion extending from the shaft and a female mating mechanism as a protrusion extending perpendicularly from the second lever. The examiner stated that La Vigne does not teach or suggest modifying the slide stop to achieve engagement with either hand.

Claims

This patent contains 20 claims, of which claims 1, 10, and 16 are independent. The independent claims are directed to a firearm, a device, and a slide stop for a handgun, respectively, all generally featuring a two-part slide stop mechanism. The dependent claims elaborate on the features and materials of the firearm and slide stop described in the independent claims.

Key Claim Terms New

Definitions of key terms used in the patent claims.

Term (Source)Support for SpecificationInterpretation
First portion
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 16)		“Unlike conventional or existing slide stops such as U.S. Pat. No. 9,068,790 B2, the application does not rely on springs to function. Furthermore, this application does not require one side of the slide stop to be removed first before removing the other from the frame of the firearm. Indeed, there are no screws, pins, or other similar attachment means in many but not all of the embodiments. Rather, this application can use only a mating mechanism to removably attach the slide stop to the frame.”One of two parts of the slide stop, located on one side of the frame, including a lever, shaft, and stopper.
Mating mechanism
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 16)		“Unlike conventional or existing slide stops such as U.S. Pat. No. 9,068,790 B2, the application does not rely on springs to function. Furthermore, this application does not require one side of the slide stop to be removed first before removing the other from the frame of the firearm. Indeed, there are no screws, pins, or other similar attachment means in many but not all of the embodiments. Rather, this application can use only a mating mechanism to removably attach the slide stop to the frame.”A mechanism between the first and second portions of the slide stop, including a male mating mechanism (protrusion from the shaft) and a female mating mechanism (protrusion from the second lever), that allows the two portions to move together.
Second portion
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 16)		“Unlike conventional or existing slide stops such as U.S. Pat. No. 9,068,790 B2, the application does not rely on springs to function. Furthermore, this application does not require one side of the slide stop to be removed first before removing the other from the frame of the firearm. Indeed, there are no screws, pins, or other similar attachment means in many but not all of the embodiments. Rather, this application can use only a mating mechanism to removably attach the slide stop to the frame.”One of two parts of the slide stop, located on the opposite side of the frame from the first portion, including a lever.
Slide stop
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 16)		“Like the 1911, the firearm disclosed in the present embodiments includes a frame, a slide, and a slide stop for locking and releasing the slide during operation of the firearm. Unlike the 1911, the present firearm includes a slide stop is an ambidextrous slide stop that facilitates locking and releasing the slide during left-handed and right-handed operation of the firearm.”A component attached to the frame of the firearm that can be moved to engage or disengage the slide, thereby locking or releasing the slide.
Stop notch
(Claim 1, Claim 10, Claim 16)		“Like the 1911, the firearm disclosed in the present embodiments includes a frame, a slide, and a slide stop for locking and releasing the slide during operation of the firearm.”A notch on the slide of the firearm that the stopper of the slide stop engages with to lock the slide.

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US11846483

OA DEFENSE LLC
Application Number
US18210457
Filing Date
Jun 15, 2023
Status
Granted
Expiry Date
Jun 15, 2043
External Links
Slate, USPTO, Google Patents