System and associated methods for managing gas flow from a ballistic device

Abstract

A gas management system for a ballistic device may include a sleeve to substantially surround a portion of a barrel and a muzzle brake device attachable to the sleeve. A sleeve gas channel is defined between an outer surface of the barrel and an inner surface of the sleeve. A muzzle gas channel is defined as an opening in the muzzle brake device. The muzzle gas channel and the sleeve gas channel may be in fluidic communication. A ballistic device accessory that includes an accessory gas channel may also be connected to the muzzle brake device, and the accessory gas channel may be in fluidic communication with the muzzle gas channel. The muzzle gas channel guides gas expelled from the barrel in a direction opposite from a fired round and into the sleeve gas channel.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gas management system for a ballistic device, comprising:
 a sleeve configured to substantially surround at least a portion of a barrel of the ballistic device; and   a muzzle brake device having a first end portion attachable to an end portion of the sleeve;   wherein a sleeve gas channel is defined between an outer surface of the barrel and an inner surface of the sleeve;   wherein a muzzle gas channel is defined as an opening in the muzzle brake device;   wherein the muzzle gas channel is in fluidic communication with the sleeve gas channel while the muzzle brake device is attached to the sleeve;   wherein the muzzle brake device includes a second end portion opposite the first end portion;   wherein the second end portion of the muzzle brake device is configured to receive a ballistic device accessory that includes at least one accessory gas channel;   wherein while the ballistic device accessory is connected to the second end portion of the muzzle brake device, the at least one accessory gas channel is in fluidic communication with the muzzle gas channel; and   wherein the muzzle gas channel is configured so that as gas expelled from the barrel after firing a round from the ballistic device is guided in a direction opposite the round fired from the ballistic device and into the sleeve gas channel.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve includes at least one sleeve vent extending through a portion of the sleeve to allow the gas expelled from the barrel to exit from the sleeve gas channel into an environment exterior to the sleeve. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a reinforcement lining covering at least a portion of the inner surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the reinforcement lining comprises a metallic material. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a shielding layer to overlay at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5 , wherein the shielding layer is shaped as a handguard. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 at least one handguard vent extending through a portion of the shielding layer; and   at least one sleeve vent extending through a portion of the sleeve; and   wherein the at least one handguard vent is configured to align with the at least one sleeve vent while the shielding layer is overlaying the exterior surface of the sleeve.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sleeve is configured to receive the gas expelled from the barrel accepted into the sleeve gas channel. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the sleeve is configured to dissipate heat from the gas expelled from the barrel that is within the sleeve gas channel. 
     
     
         10 . A gas management system for a ballistic device, comprising:
 a sleeve configured to substantially surround at least a portion of a barrel of the ballistic device;   a reinforcement lining covering at least a portion of an inner surface of the sleeve; and   a muzzle brake device having a first end portion attachable to an end portion of the sleeve;   wherein a sleeve gas channel is defined between an outer surface of the barrel and an inner surface of the sleeve;   wherein a muzzle gas channel is in fluidic communication with the sleeve gas channel while the muzzle brake device is attached to the sleeve;   wherein the muzzle brake device includes a second end portion opposite the first end portion;   wherein the second end portion of the muzzle brake device is configured to receive a ballistic device accessory that includes at least one accessory gas channel;   wherein while the ballistic device accessory is connected to the second end portion of the muzzle brake device, the at least one accessory gas channel is in fluidic communication with the muzzle gas channel;   wherein the muzzle gas channel is configured so that as gas expelled from the barrel after firing a round from the ballistic device is guided in a direction opposite the round fired from the ballistic device and into the sleeve gas channel; and   wherein the sleeve is configured to dissipate heat from the gas expelled from the barrel that is within the sleeve gas channel.   
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the sleeve includes at least one sleeve vent extending through a portion of the sleeve to allow the gas expelled from the barrel to exit from the sleeve gas channel into an environment exterior to the sleeve. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the sleeve is configured to dissipate heat from the gas expelled from the barrel that is within the sleeve gas channel. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a shielding layer to overlay at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the shielding layer is shaped as a handguard. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 at least one handguard vent extending through a portion of the shielding layer; and   at least one sleeve vent extending through a portion of the sleeve; and   wherein the at least one handguard vent is configured to align with the at least one sleeve vent while the shielding layer is overlaying the exterior surface of the sleeve.   
     
     
         16 . A method for managing gas flow from a ballistic device using a gas management system that includes a sleeve and a muzzle brake device, comprising:
 surrounding at least a portion of a barrel of the ballistic device with the sleeve to define a sleeve gas channel between an outer surface of the barrel and an inner surface of the sleeve;   attaching a first end portion of the muzzle brake device to an end portion of the sleeve to position a muzzle gas channel of the muzzle brake device in fluidic communication with the sleeve gas channel;   mounting a ballistic device accessory to a second end portion of the muzzle brake device to position at least one accessory gas channel of the ballistic device accessory in fluidic communication with the muzzle gas channel; and   guiding gas expelled from the barrel upon firing a round from the ballistic device in a direction opposite the round fired from the ballistic device through the muzzle gas channel and into the sleeve gas channel.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sleeve comprises at least one sleeve vent; and wherein to expel at least a portion of the gas from the sleeve gas channel. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the sleeve comprises a reinforcement lining covering at least a portion of the inner surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein a shielding layer is overlaying at least a portion of an exterior surface of the sleeve. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising cooling the gas within the sleeve gas channel through heat dissipation via the sleeve.