Weapon accessory bracket

Abstract

A bracket is disclosed for coupling a weapon accessory to a weapon. The bracket includes a bracket housing that defines a space for receiving a self-contained energy storage device, such as a battery or the like, and a means to transfer electrical energy from a self-contained energy storage device in the space to a weapon accessory mounted onto the bracket housing. The weapon accessory requires electrical energy to operate, but does not have its own built-in source of electrical energy. Instead, the weapon accessory receives the electrical energy it needs to operate from one or more self-contained energy storage devices in the bracket.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A bracket for coupling a weapon accessory to a weapon, the bracket comprising:
 a bracket housing that defines a space for receiving a self-contained energy storage device; and   a means to transfer electrical energy from a self-contained energy storage device in the space to a weapon accessory mounted onto the bracket housing.   
     
     
         2 . The bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the weapon accessory requires electrical energy to operate, but does not have its own built-in source of electrical energy. 
     
     
         3 . The bracket of  claim 1 , further comprising a self-contained energy storage device in the space defined by the bracket housing. 
     
     
         4 . The bracket of  claim 3 , wherein the self-contained energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of: a battery, a capacitor and any other self-contained device that is capable of supplying electrical energy usable by the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         5 . The bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket defines:
 a first structure to facilitate physically mounting the bracket to the weapon or to an accessory rail on the weapon; and   a second structure to facilitate physically mounting the weapon accessory to the bracket and delivering the electrical energy to the weapon accessory.   
     
     
         6 . The bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the means to transfer electrical energy comprises one or more electrical conductors to electrically engage the self-contained energy storage device in the space. 
     
     
         7 . The bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the means to transfer electrical energy comprises a means to physically and electrically engage the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         8 . The bracket of  claim 7 , wherein the means to physically and electrically engage the weapon accessory is configured such that physically engaging the weapon accessory also results in electrically engaging the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         9 . The bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the bracket is physically distinct from the weapon and the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         10 . The bracket of  claim 1 , wherein the weapon is a gun and the weapon accessory is a sight for the gun. 
     
     
         11 . A bracket for coupling a weapon accessory to a weapon, the bracket comprising:
 a bracket housing that defines a space for receiving a self-contained energy storage device;   a means to electrically engage the self-contained energy storage device in the space so that electrical energy from the self-contained energy storage device can be delivered to a weapon accessory coupled to the bracket housing;   a means to facilitate physically mounting the bracket to the weapon or to an accessory rail on the weapon; and   a means to facilitate physically mounting the weapon accessory to the bracket and to facilitate delivery of the electrical energy to the weapon accessory,   wherein the weapon accessory requires electrical energy to operate, but does not have its own built-in source of electrical energy.   
     
     
         12 . The bracket of  claim 11 , further comprising a self-contained energy storage device in the space defined by the bracket housing,
 wherein the self-contained energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of: a battery, a capacitor and any other self-contained device that is capable of supplying electrical energy usable by the weapon accessory.   
     
     
         13 . The bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the means to facilitate physically mounting the weapon accessory to the bracket and to facilitate delivery of the electrical energy to the weapon accessory is configured such that physically engaging the weapon accessory also results in electrically engaging the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         14 . The bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the bracket is physically distinct from the weapon and the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         15 . The bracket of  claim 11 , wherein the weapon is a gun and the weapon accessory is a sight for the gun. 
     
     
         16 . An assembly comprising:
 a bracket comprising:
 a bracket housing that defines a space for receiving a self-contained energy storage device; and 
 means to transfer electrical energy from a self-contained energy storage device in the space to a weapon accessory mounted onto the bracket housing; and 
   a weapon accessory mounted onto the bracket, wherein the weapon accessory requires electrical energy to operate, but does not have its own built-in source of electrical energy.   
     
     
         17 . The assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a weapon, wherein the bracket is mounted onto the weapon or onto an accessory rail coupled to the weapon.   
     
     
         18 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the bracket is physically distinct from the weapon and the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         19 . The assembly of  claim 17 , wherein the weapon is a gun and the weapon accessory is a sight for the gun. 
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 16 , further comprising a self-contained energy storage device in the space defined by the bracket housing, wherein the self-contained energy storage device is selected from the group consisting of: a battery, a capacitor and any other self-contained device that is capable of supplying electrical energy usable by the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         21 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the bracket further defines:
 a first structure to facilitate physically mounting the bracket to a weapon or to an accessory rail on the weapon; and   a second structure to facilitate physically mounting the weapon accessory to the bracket and delivering the electrical energy to the weapon accessory.   
     
     
         22 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the means to transfer electrical energy comprises one or more electrical conductors to electrically engage the self-contained energy storage device in the space. 
     
     
         23 . The bracket of  claim 22 , wherein the means to transfer electrical energy comprises means to physically and electrically engage the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         24 . The bracket of  claim 23 , wherein the means to physically and electrically engage the weapon accessory is configured such that physically engaging the weapon accessory also results in electrically engaging the weapon accessory. 
     
     
         25 . The assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the weapon accessory has one or more electrical terminals configured to engage corresponding electrical terminals on the bracket when the weapon accessory is physically engaged to the bracket. 
     
     
         26 . A collection of components for mounting to a weapon, the collection of components comprising:
 a single bracket for mounting a weapon accessory to a weapon, the bracket comprising:
 a bracket housing that defines a space for receiving a self-contained energy storage device; and 
 one or more electrical conductors configured to electrically engage the self-contained energy storage device in the space for delivering electrical energy to a weapon accessory coupled to the bracket housing; and 
 a plurality of weapon accessories comprising a first type of weapon accessory and a second type of weapon accessory that is different than the first type of weapon accessory, 
   wherein the first type of weapon accessory and the second type of weapon accessory are interchangeable such that they both are configured to physically and electrically engage the bracket.   
     
     
         27 . The collection of components in  claim 26 , wherein the first and second types of weapon accessories require electrical energy to operate, but do not include a built-in electrical energy sources.