Magazine light for handgun and method

Abstract

The magazine light may be operatively configured to fit at a base region of a handgun magazine. The magazine light includes a base body. The base body includes an upper portion. The upper portion may be configured to mount to the base region of the handgun magazine. The base body may include a forward portion and a rearward portion. Further, a light source may be located in the forward portion of the base body. The light source may provide illumination in a forward direction and in a downward direction. The magazine light may include a switch to turn the light source on and off.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A magazine light operatively configured to fit at a base region of a handgun magazine, the magazine light comprising:
 a. a base body having an upper portion, the upper portion configured to mount to the base region of the handgun magazine;   b. the base body having a forward portion and a rearward portion;   c. a light source located in the forward portion of the base body, wherein the light source provides illumination in a forward direction and in a downward direction;   d. a switch to turn the light source on and off.   
     
     
         2 . The magazine light as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the switch is located in the rearward portion of the base body. 
     
     
         3 . The magazine light as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the switch rotates about a substantially longitudinal axis from an ‘OFF’ position to an ‘ON’ position. 
     
     
         4 . The magazine light as claimed in  claim 3 , wherein the switch operates by rotating a biasing member having a plurality of extensions operatively configured to engage an angled surface of the base body, whereby has the switch rotate to the ‘ON’ position the biasing member repositions an internal battery to close an electrical circuit whereby turning ‘ON’ the light source. 
     
     
         5 . A magazine baseplate light operatively configured to be attached to a handgun magazine, the handgun magazine having a base region which comprises a perimeter lip having an upper surface and a retention tab, the handgun magazine further comprising a surface defining an interior chamber to house a magazine spring, a follower positioned above the magazine spring and configured to house a plurality of rounds above the follower and within the surface to fill in the interior chamber, the magazine base-plate light comprising:
 a. a base unit comprising an interior lip defining a lip retaining surface configured to engage the upper surface of the perimeter lid of the handgun magazine so as to retain the magazine baseplate light to the handgun magazine;   b. a locking cap having an inward protrusion which provides a lower surface to be operatively configured to engage the upper surface of the perimeter lip, the locking cap been removable from the base unit and operatively configured to fixedly attached thereto;   c. wherein the interior lip of the base unit is configured to longitudinally slide adjacent to the perimeter lip of the handgun magazine where the upper surface of the perimeter lip of the handgun magazine engages the lip retaining surface of the interior lip of the base unit on one side of the retention tab of the handgun magazine and the locking cap is configured to be on an opposing side of the retention tab whereby the inward protrusion providing the lower surface engages with the upper surface of the perimeter lip of the handgun magazine whereby fixedly mounting the magazine baseplate light thereto.   
     
     
         6 . The magazine baseplate light as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the base unit has a forward portion and a rearward portion, whereby the locking cap is located in the forward portion. 
     
     
         7 . The magazine baseplate light as claimed in  claim 5 , wherein the locking cap engages a longitudinal forward region of the upper surface of the perimeter lip of the handgun magazine which is located longitudinally forward of the retention tab of the handgun magazine, and the interior lip of the base unit located in the rearward portion of the base unit, whereby the magazine baseplate light is secured to the handgun magazine in both the longitudinal forward region and the longitudinal rearward region of the handgun magazine. 
     
     
         8 . The magazine baseplate light as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a light assembly having a light source and a cone attachment. 
     
     
         9 . The magazine baseplate light as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the cone attachment comprises a reflective cone surface, the cone attachment comprises a central axis vertically downward from a longitudinal axis, wherein the reflective cone surface is operatively configured to disperse a cone of light substantially downward with respect to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . A method of providing an ability for a handgun magazine to have a self-contained illuminating source, the method comprising:
 a. retrieving the handgun magazine and removing a base plate therefrom;   b. keeping a magazine spring and a follower retained in the handgun magazine;   c. sliding a base unit of the self-contained illuminating source on a perimeter lip of the handgun magazine;   d. positioning a locking cap having an inward protrusion with a lower surface operatively configured to engage an upper surface of the perimeter lip whereby fixedly attaching the locking cap to the base unit;   e. retaining the magazine spring above the base unit;   f. providing an internal power source and a light source on the base unit where by the light source is operatively configured to direct light in a substantially longitudinally forward direction and further providing a switch to turn ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’ the light source.   
     
     
         11 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the switch  80  is configured to rotate substantially about a longitudinal axis to obtain an ‘ON’ position and an ‘OFF’ position to turn ‘ON’ and ‘OFF’ the light source. 
     
     
         12 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the switch is pressed in the longitudinal forward direction to obtain the ‘ON’ position to activate the light source, and wherein the switch is maintained in the longitudinally forward position and turns ‘OFF’ when the switch is biased internally rearward to the ‘OFF’ position. 
     
     
         13 . The method as claimed in  claim 10 , wherein the base unit comprises providing a plastic injection face body with further providing an interior surface configured to house a metallic housing where an interior housing is configured to absorb and transmit heat and further house the light source. 
     
     
         14 . The method as claimed in  claim 13 , wherein by providing a cylindrical battery as an internal power source that is configured to fit within the interior housing whereby the cylindrical battery is replaceable by way of removing the locking cap and extracting the interior housing from the base unit and removing the battery from the interior housing and replacing with a fresh battery and thereby following the steps of replacing the interior housing back within the interior surface of the base unit and fixedly attaching the locking cap thereto the base unit. 
     
     
         15 . The method as claimed in  claim 14  further comprising a first threaded fastener and a second threaded fastener attach the locking cap to the base unit whereby the base unit is provided with threaded receptors to engage the first and second threaded fasteners. 
     
     
         16 . The method as claimed in  claim 11 , wherein the handgun magazine is mounted within a handgun with plurality of rounds there in the handgun magazine and an end-user activates the light source by way of the switch, and the end-user is psychologically persuaded to lift a muzzle of the handgun into a safer vertical direction by way of the light source have a central axis light throw that is lower than a longitudinal axis of the handgun which is in alignment with the muzzle of the handgun whereby allowing user to safely illuminate a potential target area. 
     
     
         17 . A magazine baseplate removal tool for removing a base plate attached to a body of a handgun magazine, the magazine baseplate removal tool comprising:
 a base plate engaging region, the base plate engaging region comprising an extension configured to operatively engage a surface defining an opening on the base plate of the handgun magazine;   a handle region extending from the base plate engaging region;   a pivoting surface defined between the base plate engaging region and the handle region, wherein the pivoting surface is configured to engage with a front portion of a surface of the body of the handgun magazine to enable a clamping force at the extension to remove the base plate from the body of the handgun magazine, wherein the base plate engaging region, the handle region and the pivoting surface arranged to define a unitary structure, wherein the unitary structure defines a periphery, and wherein the periphery having a boundary to define a cavity surrounded by the boundary.   an engaging profile arranged in the cavity within the boundary on the handle region;   a wrench member pivotally coupled to the engaging profile, wherein the wrench member comprises an angled portion to be positioned in the engaging profile to be pivotal along the engaging profile;   a locking profile arranged in the cavity within the boundary on the handle region, opposite to the engaging profile, to lock the wrench member at a resting position.   
     
     
         18 . The magazine baseplate removal tool of  claim 17  further comprising:
 a first recess arranged on the boundary at extreme end of the handle region, wherein the first recess provides a passageway to enable the wrench member to extend beyond the handle region at an operating position; 
 a second recess arranged on the boundary at around a middle portion of the handle region, wherein the second recess provides an access point to enable engagement and disengagement of the wrench member with the engaging profile. 
 
     
     
         19 . The magazine baseplate removal tool of  claim 17 , wherein the base plate engaging region defines a curved profile having:
 a head region having the extension,   a middle-curved region extends from the head region, wherein the middle-curved region configured to provide a spaced distance to enable the base plate engaging region to be engaged with the base plate of the handgun magazine via the extension, and   a tail region extends from the middle-curved region to seamlessly merges with the handle region.   
     
     
         20 . The magazine baseplate removal tool of  claim 17 , wherein the wrench member is a hex wrench and has a L shape.