Charging handle and upper receiver assembly for a firearm

Abstract

A charging handle assembly for a firearm may include a charging handle body including a handle portion and a shaft portion, a first actuation wing rotatably coupled to the handle portion and configured to rotate about a first rotational axis between a first position and a second position, and a biasing mechanism engaging the first actuation wing and biasing the first actuation wing to the first position. The first actuation wing may include a latch configured to selectively engage an upper receiver assembly of the firearm, and the first actuation wing may have a center of mass disposed along the first rotational axis.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An upper receiver assembly for a firearm, the upper receiver assembly comprising:
 an upper receiver body;   an opening configured to selectively receive a portion of a latch of a charging handle assembly; and   a bumper coupled to the upper receiver body and configured to bias the charging handle assembly away from the upper receiver body when the portion of the latch is received within the opening.   
     
     
         2 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is formed of a resiliently compressible material and configured to be resiliently compressed between the upper receiver body and the charging handle assembly when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         3 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the bumper comprises silicone. 
     
     
         4 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is further configured to bias the charging handle assembly downward relative to the upper receiver body when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         5 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a top rail removably coupled to the upper receiver body and covering at least a portion of the bumper when the top rail is coupled to the upper receiver body. 
     
     
         6 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a latch plate coupled to the upper receiver body and defining the opening, the latch plate comprising a latch-plate engagement surface defining a portion of the opening and configured to engage a latch engagement surface of the latch when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         7 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the upper receiver body comprises a cutout defined in a top surface of the upper receiver body; and   the bumper is disposed at least partially within the cutout.   
     
     
         8 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the bumper comprises:
 a rearward portion extending rearward from the cutout and beyond a rearward end of the upper receiver body; and   a forward portion received within the cutout.   
     
     
         9 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the bumper further comprises one or more protrusions extending from the forward portion and configured to be received within respective holes of the upper receiver body. 
     
     
         10 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more protrusions are sized to be slightly larger than the respective holes such that insertion of the one or more protrusions into the respective holes causes the one or more protrusions to be compressed. 
     
     
         11 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the rearward portion comprises one or more recesses defined in a top surface of the bumper and configured to provide a desired degree of compression of the bumper. 
     
     
         12 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 8 , wherein the rearward portion comprises one or more holes extending through the rearward portion and configured to provide a desired degree of compression of the bumper. 
     
     
         13 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the bumper is configured to be compressed between the top rail and the upper receiver body when the top rail is coupled to the upper receiver body. 
     
     
         14 . The upper receiver assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bumper is configured to engage a wall of the charging handle assembly when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         15 . A firearm comprising:
 a lower assembly coupled to the upper receiver assembly; and   an upper receiver assembly configured to be removably coupled to the lower assembly, the upper receiver assembly comprising:
 an upper receiver body; 
 an opening configured to selectively receive a portion of a latch of a charging handle assembly; and 
 a bumper coupled to the upper receiver body and configured to bias the charging handle assembly rearward relative to the upper receiver body when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
   
     
     
         16 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the bumper is formed of a resiliently compressible material and configured to be resiliently compressed between the upper receiver body and the charging handle assembly when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         17 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the upper receiver assembly further comprises a latch plate coupled to the upper receiver body and defining the opening, the latch plate comprising a latch-plate engagement surface defining a portion of the opening and configured to engage a latch engagement surface of the latch when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         18 . The firearm of  claim 17 , wherein the upper receiver body is formed of a first material having a first hardness, and the latch plate is formed of a second material having a second hardness that is greater than the first hardness. 
     
     
         19 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein the bumper is further configured to bias the charging handle assembly away from the upper receiver body when the portion of the latch is received within the opening. 
     
     
         20 . The firearm of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the upper receiver body comprises a cutout defined in a top surface of the upper receiver body;   the bumper is disposed at least partially within the cutout and comprises a rearward portion extending rearward from the cutout and beyond a rearward end of the upper receiver body; and   the bumper is configured to engage a wall of the charging handle assembly when the charging handle assembly is in a forward position.