Suppressor baffle with strengthening ribs

Abstract

A suppressor baffle has a cone comprising a solid wall and forming a generally conical rear portion of a baffle, the cone having an aperture adapted to cooperate with aligned apertures of additional suppressor components to form a bore through which a projectile may pass. The cone is also adapted to separate chamber volumes within a suppressor rearward and forward of the cone. A web of strengthening ribs is formed on a rearward-facing outer surface or on a forward-facing inner surface of the wall, the web comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs and cross ribs, the ribs being spaced from each other.

Description

Docket No. 0085-00599-PCT SUPPRESSOR BAFFLE WITH STRENGTHENING RIBSCROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This disclosure claims the benefit of the filing date of US63 / 613748, filed on December 21, 2023, and titled SUPPRESSOR BAFFLE WITH STRENGTHENING RIBS, the entire content of which is incorporated by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] This disclosure relates to suppressor baffles.BACKGROUND

[0003] Suppressors for firearms are designed to dissipate the energy of gases and particulates discharged from the muzzle to reduce the ambient noise created by the discharge. Typical suppressors have a plurality of baffles carried within a tube or other housing, and the baffles may be of various designs. Each baffle has a bore for allowing a projectile to pass through the baffle, and the baffles are arranged in a stack for aligning the bores.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0004] Figure l is a side view of a baffle section according to this disclosure.

[0005] Figure 2 is a rear oblique view of the baffle section of Figure 1.

[0006] Figure 3 is a rear view of the baffle section of Figure 1.Docket No. 0085-00599-PCTDETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0007] In the specification, reference may be made to the spatial relationships between various components and to the spatial orientation of various aspects of components as the devices are depicted in the attached drawings. However, as will be recognized by those skilled in the art after a complete reading of this disclosure, the devices, members, apparatuses, etc. described herein may be positioned in any desired orientation. Thus, the use of terms such as “above,” “below,” “upper,” “lower,” or other like terms to describe a spatial relationship between various components or to describe the spatial orientation of aspects of such components should be understood to describe a relative relationship between the components or a spatial orientation of aspects of such components, respectively, as the device described herein may be oriented in any desired direction.

[0008] This disclosure divulges a suppressor baffle section with a cone having a web of strengthening ribs. The baffle section may be formed by additive manufacturing (3-D printing) or traditional machining methods and may be a separate component combined into a baffle stack or may be a portion of a unitary printed suppressor.

[0009] Figures 1 through 3 illustrate baffle section 101, comprising outer wall 103, inner wall 105, and cone 107. Outer wall 103 cooperates with an outer wall of adjacent sections to form an outer tube for containing gases and particulates (“gases”) expelled from a firearm barrel into the suppressor. Outer wall 103 may be formed as an integral part of baffle section 101, as described above, and welded to adjacent outer walls, or outer wall 103 may be a portion of a tube into which is inserted the remainder of baffle section 101 together with additional suppressor components. Inner wall 105 is spaced from outer wall 103 and forms a coaxial volume 109 therebetween, allowing for a portion of the gases to be directed into volume 109 through ports formed in inner wall 105.

[0010] Cone 107 forms a generally conical rear portion of baffle section 101 and has an aperture 111 with a notch 113. Aperture 111 cooperates with aligned apertures of additionalDocket No. 0085-00599-PCT suppressor components to form a bore through which a projectile may pass. Cone 107 acts to separate chamber volumes within suppressor behind and in front of cone 107. Cone 107 also acts to divert a portion of gases forward and radially outward from aperture 111, and some of the gases may be directed into one or more portions of coaxial volume 109.

[0011] Cone 107 comprises a solid wall 115 and a web 117 of strengthening ribs formed, in the embodiment shown, on an outer surface of wall 115. Web 117 comprises a plurality of longitudinal ribs 119 and cross ribs 121, 123, 125, 127, which are fully or partially circumferential. Cross rib 121 is located at the rear end of cone 107 around aperture 111, and longitudinal ribs 119 extend forward from rib 121. Longitudinal ribs 119 are spaced from each other on wall 115 about cone 107 and may be equally spaced or have varying distances between ribs 119. Likewise, cross ribs 121, 123, 125, 127 are spaced from each other on wall 115 and may be equally spaced or have varying distances between ribs 121, 123, 125, 127.

[0012] Longitudinal ribs 119 extend along wall 115 generally from cross rib 121 forward to beyond cross rib 127. Longitudinal ribs 119 intersect cross ribs 121, 123, 125, 127, forming web 117. Each rib 119, 121, 123, 125, 127 has a selected height from wall 115, and the heights may be equal or vary, as may be required to achieve the desired strength of cone 107 with the minimum amount of material used. Voids 129 are formed by the intersections of ribs 119, 121, 123, 125, 127, the depth of each void 129 being determined by the height of ribs 119, 121, 123, 125, 127.

[0013] Web 117 strengthens cone 107 and serves to cause additional turbulence for gases flowing over cone 107. It should be noted that web 107 may alternatively be formed on an inside surface of wall 115 to, for example, allow for additional clearance around the outer surface of cone 107. Another alternative embodiment comprises web 107 on both the outer and inner surfaces of wall 115.Docket No. 0085-00599-PCT

[0014] At least one embodiment is disclosed, and variations, combinations, and / or modifications of the embodiment(s) and / or features of the embodiment s) made by a person having ordinary skill in the art are within the scope of the disclosure. Alternative embodiments that result from combining, integrating, and / or omitting features of the embodiment(s) are also within the scope of the disclosure. Where numerical ranges or limitations are expressly stated, such express ranges or limitations should be understood to include iterative ranges or limitations of like magnitude falling within the expressly stated ranges or limitations (e.g., from about 1 to about 10 includes, 2, 3, 4, etc.; greater than 0.10 includes 0.11, 0.12, 0.13, etc.). For example, whenever a numerical range with a lower limit, Ri, and an upper limit, Ru, is disclosed, any number falling within the range is specifically disclosed. In particular, the following numbers within the range are specifically disclosed: R=Ri +k * (Ru-Ri), wherein k is a variable ranging from 1 percent to 100 percent with a 1 percent increment, i.e., k is 1 percent, 2 percent, 3 percent, 4 percent, 5 percent, ...50 percent, 51 percent, 52 percent, ... , 95 percent, 96 percent, 95 percent, 98 percent, 99 percent, or 100 percent. Moreover, any numerical range defined by two R numbers as defined in the above is also specifically disclosed. Use of the term "optionally" with respect to any element of a claim means that the element is required, or alternatively, the element is not required, both alternatives being within the scope of the claim. Use of broader terms such as comprises, includes, and having should be understood to provide support for narrower terms such as consisting of, consisting essentially of, and comprised substantially of. Accordingly, the scope of protection is not limited by the description set out above but is defined by the claims that follow, that scope including all equivalents of the subject matter of the claims. Each and every claim is incorporated as further disclosure into the specification and the claims are embodiment(s) of the present invention. Also, the phrases “at least one of A, B, and C” and “A and / orDocket No. 0085-00599-PCT B and / or C” should each be interpreted to include only A, only B, only C, or any combination of A, B, and C.

Claims

Docket No. 0085-00599-PCT CLAIMSWhat is claimed is:

1. A suppressor baffle, comprising:a cone comprising a solid wall and forming a generally conical rear portion of a baffle, the cone having an aperture adapted to cooperate with aligned apertures of additional suppressor components to form a bore through which a projectile may pass, the cone adapted to separate chamber volumes within a suppressor rearward and forward of the cone;a web of strengthening ribs formed on a rearward-facing outer surface or on a forward-facing inner surface of the wall, the web comprising a plurality of longitudinal ribs and cross ribs, the ribs being spaced from each other.

2. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the cross ribs are circumferential.

3. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the cross ribs are partially circumferential.

4. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the ribs are equally spaced from each other.

5. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the ribs have varying distances from each other.

6. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the heights of the ribs are equal.

7. The baffle of claim 1, wherein the heights of the ribs vary.Docket No. 0085-00599-PCT 8. The baffle of claim 1 , wherein ribs on the outer surface are adapted to cause turbulence for gases flowing over the ribs.

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