FIREARM MAGAZINE IDENTIFIER

Abstract

A magazine identifier is provided. The magazine identifier is an endless band having a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim. The endless band is formed of a material with a rubber elasticity. For example, the endless band may be made of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone or any material with a similar elasticity to rubber. The endless band is placed over a magazine of a firearm to identify the type of ammunition carried within the magazine and the owner of the magazine.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisional application number 62/134,996, filed Mar. 18, 2015, the contents of which are herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to firearm magazines and, more particularly, to a stretchable band used to identify types of ammunition loaded in the magazine and used to identify the owner of the firearm magazine.

[0003] Rifle magazines are often identical. Unmarked or inadequately marked gun magazines left in storage or when used at a private, a military or a police firing range or when actually used in the field by civilians, military and police can lead to misidentification of the load in the magazine and/or the owner of the magazine with tragic, even fatal, consequences. Many rifle magazines can be loaded with several different types of ammunition. At this date and time once a magazine Is loaded the common way to know what ammunition is in the magazine and who owns the magazine is to use colored tape, put a colored mark the magazine base plate, or to employ homemade stickers, markings using colored ink or pencil and similar improvisational systems that can either be easily removed or marked over, fall off, not be seen from the side of the magazine or unaccountably disappear and leave a debris catching residue on the magazine.

[0004] As can be seen, there is a need for an improvement in identifying the type of ammunition in a firearm magazine and the owner of that magazine.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] In one aspect of the present invention, a magazine identifier comprises: an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity, a first ridge and a second ridge protrude from the front surface forming a finger groove in between, and at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface comprise a writable portion.

[0006] In another aspect of the present invention, a magazine identifier comprises: an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity, and a text disposed on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, where in the pre-printed text comprises an ammunition type.

[0007] In another aspect of the present invention, a method of identifying a magazine comprises: providing an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity; wrapping the endless band around the magazine of a firearm; and a writable strip on each side of the invention where the user can mark in pen the ammunition load in the magazine, the caliber of bullet in the magazine and/or the name of the owner of the magazine.

[0008] In another aspect of the present invention, a magazine identifier comprises: an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elastic: whereby the design with its textured surface and finger ridges give the user a better grip on the magazine.

[0009] In another aspect of the present invention, a magazine identifier comprises: an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a rubber elasticity, produced in multiple colors, such as but not limited to, red, blue, black, white, grey, green, pink and the like, to help the user easily identify their magazine from other rifle owners' magazines.

[0010] These and other features, aspects and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with reference to the following drawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention in use;

[0012] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 3 is a section view of the present invention taken along line 3-3 in FIG. 1;

[0014] FIG. 4 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 5 is a top view of an embodiment of the present invention; and

[0016] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0017] The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplated modes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention, since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

[0018] The present invention includes a heavy duty color-coded stretchable band placed over a magazine in order to identify the type of ammunition the magazine carries. The present invention includes an easy to write on, durable, rubber or silicone elastic band appropriately marked and placed on a gun magazine to prevent the loss of or confusion as to the contents of the gun magazine and the owner of the gun magazine.

[0019] Since many ammunition types and calibers may be loaded in the same magazine the present invention provides a superior identification method that improves the safety of rifle operation by reducing the possibility of firing the wrong ammunition in a rifle. Firing the wrong ammunition in a rifle could result in injury or death to the operator and/or bystanders.

[0020] Referring to FIGS. 1 through 6, the present invention includes a magazine identifier. The magazine identifier is an endless band 10 having a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim. The endless band 10 is formed of a material with a rubber elasticity. For example, the endless band may be made of natural rubber, synthetic rubber, silicone or any material with a similar elasticity to rubber. The endless band 10 is placed over a magazine 20 of a firearm 22 to identify the type of ammunition carried within the magazine 20.

[0021] The endless band 10 may identify the type of ammunition using different methods. For example, a text 16 indicating the type of ammunition may be printed on the first side surface, the second side surface or both. In certain embodiments, the first side surface, the second side surface or both may include a writeable surface 30 in which a user may write on the endless band 10 using a pen or marker. In certain embodiments, a plurality of endless bands 10 may each include different colors, thereby identifying the type of ammunition and/or the owner of the magazine.

[0022] The endless band 10 of the present invention may further include ridges 14 forming a finger groove in between. For example, a first ridge 14 and a second ridge 14 protrude from the front surface. The first ridge 14 and the second ridge 14 may be substantially parallel relative to one another. The first ridge 14 may protrude from the front surface extending from the upper rim, and the second ridge 14 may protrude from the front surface extending from the lower rim. The finger grooves 14 allow users to easily grip the magazines 20. For example, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a plurality of endless bands 10 may form a plurality of finger grooves, allowing a user to easily grasp the magazine 20.

[0023] In certain embodiments, the endless band 10 includes a textured surface 12. The textured surface 12 adds additional grip to the magazine 20 when the elastic bands 10 are placed on the magazine 20. The textured surface 12 may be disposed on the front surface, rear surface, first side surface and second side surface. The textured surface 12 may thereby be placed all over the elastic band 10 except for the inner surface and the writing surface 30. Therefore, the writing surface 30 and the inner surface may be smooth 18.

[0024] The present invention may further include a method of identifying a magazine 20. The method may include the following steps: providing an endless band 10 comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band 10 is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity; wrapping the endless band 10 around the magazine 20 of a firearm 22; and printing a text 16 on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein the text 16 comprises an ammunition type of the magazine.

[0025] It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates to exemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the following claims.

Claims

1. A magazine identifier comprising: an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity, a first ridge and a second ridge protrude from the front surface forming a finger groove in between, and at least one of the first side surface and the second side surface comprise a writable portion.

2. The magazine identifier of claim 1, wherein the first ridge and the second ridge are substantially parallel relative to one another.

3. The magazine identifier of claim 1, wherein the first ridge protrudes from the front surface extending from the upper rim, and the second ridge protrudes from the front surface extending from the lower rim.

4. The magazine identifier of claim 1, wherein the material is textured except for the inner surface and the writable portion, wherein the inner surface and the writable portion are smooth.

5. The magazine identifier of claim 1, further comprising a text disposed on the writable portion, wherein the text comprises an ammunition type.

6. The magazine identifier of claim 1, comprising a plurality of endless bands, wherein each endless band comprises a different color.

7. A magazine identifier comprising: an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity, and a text disposed on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein the text comprises an ammunition type.

8. The magazine identifier of claim 7, wherein a first ridge and a second ridge protrude from the front surface forming a finger groove in between.

9. The magazine identifier of claim 8, wherein the first ridge and the second ridge are substantially parallel relative to one another.

10. The magazine identifier of claim 9, wherein the first ridge protrudes from the front surface extending from the upper rim, and the second ridge protrudes from the front surface extending from the lower rim.

11. A method of identifying a magazine comprising: providing an endless band comprising a front surface, a rear surface, a first side surface, a second side surface, an inner surface, an upper rim and a lower rim, wherein the endless band is formed of a material comprising a rubber elasticity; wrapping the endless band around the magazine of a firearm; and printing a text on one of the first side surface and the second side surface, wherein the text comprises an ammunition type of the magazine.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein a first ridge and a second ridge protrude from the front surface forming a finger groove in between.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the first ridge and the second ridge are substantially parallel relative to one another.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the first ridge protrudes from the front surface extending from the upper rim, and the second ridge protrudes from the front surface extending from the lower rim.

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