US-12624916-B2 - Dry fire device using sound detection

US12624916B2US 12624916 B2US12624916 B2US 12624916B2US-12624916-B2

Abstract

A dry fire device includes a housing, and a weapon-usage activation assembly, which includes a microphone, a controller and a memory. The microphone is configured to sense a sound during use of the dry fire device, and the controller is configured to extract amplitude and frequency data of the sound and compare it to a range of values stored in the memory. If the sensed sound is in the range, the controller is configured to command the weapon-usage activation assembly to initiate a weapon-usage activity, and if not in the range, no weapon-usage activity is initiated.

Inventors

Hanan Schaap
Nir Dvash

Assignees

S.M. Innovation Ltd.

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20240108

Claims (11)

1 . A dry fire device comprising: a housing; a weapon-usage activation assembly, which comprises a microphone, a controller and a memory; and wherein said microphone is configured to sense a sound during use of said dry fire device, and said controller is configured to extract amplitude and frequency data of said sound and compare it to a range of values stored in said memory, and if the sensed sound is in said range, said controller is configured to command said weapon-usage activation assembly to initiate a weapon-usage activity, and if not in said range, no weapon-usage activity is initiated.
2 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein said weapon-usage activation assembly is mounted in said housing.
3 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein said weapon-usage activation assembly comprises an on-off switch and said housing comprises an access opening for gaining access to said on-off switch.
4 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein said weapon-usage activation assembly comprises an illumination assembly which comprises an illuminator configured to emit a light beam.
5 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein a battery is mounted in said housing for energizing said weapon-usage activation assembly.
6 . The dry fire device according to claim 4 , wherein said housing comprises a forward window through which a light beam can be emitted from said illuminator.
7 . The dry fire device according to claim 4 , wherein said illuminator comprises a laser diode.
8 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein said housing comprises a forward housing assembled to a rearward housing.
9 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , further comprising an electrically insulating sleeve that insulates electrical components of said housing from inner walls of said housing.
10 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein said weapon-usage activation assembly comprises a re-sync mechanism wherein if no sound is detected for a predetermined time, said illumination assembly resynchronizes such that a subsequent trigger pull activates said weapon-usage activation assembly.
11 . The dry fire device according to claim 1 , wherein said microphone is in communication with a shooting performance system or shooting simulator.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to dry fire training devices for use in weapons, and particularly to a dry fire device that initiates a weapon-usage action, such as but not limited to, emission of a light beam, activation of a shooting simulator or processing actions of the shooter, upon detection of a sound related to moving a trigger of the weapon. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Dry fire training typically involves drawing, aiming and firing without ammunition. However, since there is no ammunition, the shooter has no knowledge of the impact point if live ammunition had been used. This limits the value of training because the shooter cannot evaluate his/her performance. U.S. Pat. No. 5,909,951 describes an optical cartridge adapted to be used in a weapon for emission of a light signal when the weapon is fired. The cartridge includes a battery and a light source energized by the battery so that a visible or an invisible light beam will be emitted. A firing switch is operated by the weapon trigger. This system emits a light upon pressing the trigger and the light provides informational feedback relating to the quality of the aiming process. SUMMARY The present invention seeks to provide a dry fire device that initiates a weapon-usage action, such as but not limited to, emission of a light beam, activation of a shooting simulator or processing actions of the shooter, upon detection of sound related to moving a trigger of the weapon. Movement of the trigger includes pulling a trigger to fire live (lethal or non-lethal) ammunition; or pulling a trigger of a weapon in which is mounted a dry fire device, such as but not limited to, a dry fire cartridge or a magazine for dry fire training or other weapon accessory that can be used for dry fire training, wherein pulling the trigger creates a sound, such as but not limited to, a clicking sound, toggle sound and others. The scope of the invention includes sound caused directly or indirectly by movement of the trigger. In one non-limiting embodiment, a light beam is emitted that indicates to the shooter where the target would have been hit if a live bullet had been shot at the target. The dry fire device may be mounted on the weapon in any manner, such as but not limited to, by being inserted into the chamber of the weapon in the same manner as live ammunition, or by being attached to the outside of the barrel or to a Picatinny rail or to a magazine well, handle, or any other portion of the weapon. In any case, no matter where it is mounted, the dry fire device does not have to be aligned with the weapon's barrel. The dry fire device works with a microphone (i.e., any sensor for sensing sound) to sense sound produced by movement of the trigger (again, this includes sound caused directly or indirectly by movement of the trigger). A controller, which is in communication with the microphone, analyzes the sensed sound and extracts data including the amplitude and frequency (such as the main frequency) of the sound. The controller initiates a weapon-usage action, such as but not limited to, emission of a light beam, activation of a shooting simulator or processing actions of the shooter. The shooter can train the controller to initiate the weapon-usage action in accordance with a specific amplitude and frequency of sound. This reduces or eliminates “false” actions (e.g., light emission) caused by other sounds that could mistakenly be interpreted by the controller as the sound caused by movement of the trigger. The learning process may include the steps of firing the weapon; sensing the sound caused by movement of the trigger; storing the amplitude and frequency of the sensed sound; repeating these steps for a desired number of times; and averaging the data to define a range of values both for the amplitude and for the frequency of the detected sound. This range then serves as the “learned” range of sounds that will initiate a weapon-usage action (e.g., emission of light from the cartridge). When in regular use, the system will sense a sound, extract its amplitude and frequency data and compare it to the stored range of values in order to make a decision about initiating the weapon-usage action or not. There is thus provided in accordance with a non-limiting embodiment of the invention a dry fire device including a housing, a weapon-usage activation assembly, optionally mounted in the housing, which includes a weapon-usage activation switch, a microphone, a controller and a memory, and optionally a battery mounted in the housing for energizing the weapon-usage activation assembly, and wherein the microphone is configured to sense a sound during use of the dry fire device, and the controller is configured to extract amplitude and frequency data of the sound and compare it to a range of values stored in the memory, and if the sensed sound is in the range, the controller is configured to command the weapon-usage activation assembly to initiate a weapon-usage