SUPPRESSOR HEAT SHIELD

RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001]This application claims the benefit under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (e) of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/711,910 titled SUPPRESSOR HEAT SHIELD, and filed on Oct. 25, 2024, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE

[0002]The present disclosure relates to suppressors for firearms and more particularly to a heat shield for a firearm suppressor and a suppressor assembly that includes a heat shield.

BACKGROUND

[0003]Firearms, such as rifles and pistols, may be used with a suppressor in military and civilian activities. A suppressor can reduce the firearm's audible signature by slowing down the expansion of propellant gases resulting from discharge of the firearm. A suppressor can also reduce or eliminate muzzle flash by promoting complete combustion of propellant gases before leaving the distal end of the suppressor. In some instances, unburned propellant may be finally combusted in open air as propellant gases leave the muzzle, resulting in a visible flash from the muzzle when the firearm is discharged. To reduce the user's visible signature, it is desirable to completely burn all the propellant before the propellant gases exit the suppressor. However, complete combustion of propellant in the barrel or suppressor results in additional heat.

SUMMARY

[0004]The present disclosure is directed to a heat shield for a firearm suppressor. Also disclosed is a suppressor assembly that includes a suppressor and a heat shield attached to the suppressor or configured to be attached to the suppressor. In some embodiments, the suppressor is configured for use with a quick-disconnect mount. In one such embodiment, the heat shield is configured so as to not obstruct access to the quick-disconnect mount during use. In some embodiments, the suppressor is configured for direct threaded engagement to a firearm barrel or barrel attachment. In one such embodiment, the heat shield is configured to attach via fasteners to a rear end of the suppressor. In various embodiments, the heat shield can include protrusions or stand-offs on the inside surface that space the heat shield from the suppressor housing. For example, the protrusions have a finger-like geometry configured for reduced or minimized conductive heat transfer due to having a small contact area with the suppressor housing, the protrusion having a small cross-sectional area, and/or having an increased length between the suppressor housing and the heat shield. In some embodiments, the protrusions are shaped like bent fingers or wires (e.g., having an S-shape, Z-shape, zig-zag, or variant thereof). The heat shield can include leaf springs on the inside of the heat shield. When the heat shield is installed on a suppressor, the leaf springs are configured to engage the outside surface of the suppressor and apply force to reduce or eliminate movement associated with the gap between the heat shield and the suppressor housing. In this way, rattling or vibration can be reduced or eliminated during use. Similar to protrusions, the leaf springs can be designed to have a small area of contact with the suppressor housing. In one example, the radially inner end of the leaf spring is curved so that contact with the suppressor housing is limited to a single line or a small area where the curved surface meets the housing. The curved ends of the leaf springs also help with the installation of the heat shield onto the suppressor.

[0005]In embodiments where the suppressor is configured for use with a quick-disconnect mount, the distal end of the suppressor can be shaped to avoid relative rotation between the heat shield and the suppressor. In one such embodiment, a distal face of the suppressor protrudes slightly and has an undulating, faceted, or otherwise non-circular geometry that corresponds to the shape of the distal end of the heat shield. As a result, applying a rotational force to the heat shield to tighten or loosen the suppressor translates that force to the suppressor. In some embodiments, the suppressor housing can include a groove, boss, or other feature that receive a corresponding protrusion on the heat shield. Due to the interference between these structures at the front and rear ends of the heat shield, the heat shield avoids rotation relative to the suppressor. As such, a rotational force can be applied to the heat shield in order to rotate the suppressor without concern for warping or twisting the heat shield.

[0006]The features and advantages described herein are not all-inclusive and, in particular, many additional features and advantages will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art in view of the drawings, specification, and claims. Moreover, it should be noted that the language used in the specification has been selected principally for readability and instructional purposes and not to limit the scope of the inventive subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a suppressor assembly with a heat shield attached to a suppressor, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0008]FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the suppressor assembly of FIG. 1.

[0009]FIG. 3 illustrates a front view of the suppressor assembly of FIG. 1.

[0010]FIG. 4 illustrates a rear view of the suppressor assembly of FIG. 1.

[0011]FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the suppressor assembly of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0012]FIG. 6 illustrates a front perspective showing a longitudinal section of the heat shield of FIG. 5, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0013]FIG. 7 illustrates a perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a rear part of a heat shield interfacing with a suppressor outer housing, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0014]FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a front part of the head shield interfacing with a suppressor outer housing and a retaining ring, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0015]FIG. 9 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a front-end portion of a heat shield, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0016]FIG. 10 illustrates a front, perspective view of a suppressor assembly with the heat shield installed on the suppressor and a retaining ring ready for installation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0017]FIG. 11 illustrates a rear perspective view of a suppressor configured for use with a heat shield, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0018]FIG. 12 illustrates a front, perspective view of the suppressor of FIG. 11, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0019]FIG. 13 illustrates a perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a rear portion of a suppressor assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0020]FIG. 14 illustrates a rear perspective view of a suppressor assembly and shows an interface between the heat shield and outer suppressor housing, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0021]FIG. 15 illustrates a front, perspective view of a suppressor assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0022]FIG. 16 illustrates a side view showing a longitudinal section of the suppressor assembly of FIG. 15.

[0023]FIG. 17 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of part of a suppressor assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0024]FIG. 18 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the heat shield of FIG. 17.

[0025]FIG. 19 illustrates a rear perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a suppressor assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0026]FIG. 20 illustrates a rear perspective view of part of a suppressor that is configured for direct-thread engagement with a firearm barrel or muzzle device, and that is configured for rear mounting of a suppressor heat shield, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0027]FIG. 21 illustrates a rear perspective view of part of a heat shield configured for mounting to the rear end of a suppressor, such as the one shown in FIG. 20, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0028]FIG. 22 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a rear-end portion of a suppressor heat shield, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0029]FIG. 23 illustrates a front, perspective view showing detail of a fastener opening circled in FIG. 22.

[0030]FIG. 24 illustrates a rear perspective view showing a mount for a suppressor assembly, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0031]These and other features of the present embodiments will be understood better by reading the following detailed description, taken together with the figures herein described. The accompanying drawings are not intended to be drawn to scale. For purposes of clarity, not every component may be labeled in every drawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032]The disclosure is generally directed to a heat shield for use with a firearm suppressor, a suppressor configured for use with a heat shield, and to a suppressor assembly that includes a suppressor and a heat shield. In one example embodiment, the suppressor is configured for direct-threaded engagement to a firearm barrel or barrel adapter, such as a flash hider. In such an embodiment, the heat shield can be configured to be secured to a rear end of the suppressor, such as by use of fasteners. In another embodiment, the suppressor is configured for attachment to a firearm barrel or barrel adapter by way of a quick-disconnect mount. In such an embodiment, the suppressor heat shield can be secured to the distal end of the suppressor using a retaining ring. In its installed condition, the heat shield extends rearward only to the extent that it does not interfere with operation of the quick-disconnect mount. A suppressor heat shield of the present disclosure can include features that minimize or reduce heat transfer from the suppressor to the heat shield. Additionally, or alternatively, a suppressor heat shield of the present disclosure can include features that minimize or reduce radiative heat transfer from the suppressor to an inside surface of the heat shield. Additionally, or alternatively, a suppressor heat shield of the present disclosure can be configured to promote convective heat transfer to the air.

[0033]A heat shield as disclosed herein can be made of a variety of materials, including titanium, titanium alloys, and other metals. Preferably, the material of construction exhibits relatively poor heat transfer characteristics via conduction, has the ability to withstand high temperatures (e.g., ˜2000° F.). Additionally, preferred materials are strong and light weight. In some embodiments, the outside surface can be coated to match the appearance of the firearm, to reduce heat radiation, and/or to reduce visible light reflection. For example, the outside surface can be coated with a ceramic material that has a surface roughness selected to reduce glare or light reflection from other light sources. In some embodiments, the inside surface of the heat shield has a low emissivity, such as an emissivity of not more than 0.3, not more than 0.2, or not more than 0.1. In some embodiments, the inside surface can be coated with a ceramic coating or reflective metal, can be polished, or otherwise can be adapted to have a low emissivity value. For example, the inside can be coated with a ceramic material, a gold layer via thermal deposition or electroplating, electroless nickel, or other low-emissivity surface. An inside surface of the heat shield can be bare titanium in some embodiments. In other embodiments, the inside surface can be selected to reflect some heat from the suppressor. As will be appreciated, the heat transfer characteristics of the inside surface can be selected to balance the competing goals of reducing heat transfer to the heat shield and dissipating heat away from the suppressor. For example, the inside surface of the heat shield can have an emissivity from 0.1 to 0.6.

[0034]As used herein, terms referencing direction, such as upward, downward, vertical, horizontal, left, right, front, back, etc., are used for convenience to describe components of a suppressor assembly attached to a firearm and oriented in a traditional shooting position with the barrel extending horizontally in front of the user. Embodiments of the present disclosure are not limited by these directional references, and it is contemplated that a suppressor, a heat shield, and related components could be used in any orientation.

General Overview

[0035]When a suppressor is used with a rifle for sustained firing, the suppressor can reach white-hot temperatures in open air (e.g., ˜2000° F.). In situations where even 30-50 rounds have been fired in as many seconds, the suppressor may be so hot as to glow like a torch in darkness, particularly when viewed with InfraRed or night-vision equipment. Thus, while the suppressor may reduce the visible flash during firing, the visible signature of the still-hot suppressor remains a challenge. To address thermal management for firearm suppressors, one approach has been to apply an insulator to the outside of the suppressor, such as by wrapping the cuff around the outside surface of the suppressor. For example, a removable insulating cuff is made of Kevlar, Nomax fabric, or carbon fiber composite. The insulating cuff greatly reduces the suppressor's ability to dissipate heat to the environment by convective and radiative heat transfer. As a result, heat generated from discharging the firearm is retained within the suppressor and the overall temperature of the suppressor is further increased. Further, after even moderate levels of sustained fire, the suppressor can reach a temperature that causes the insulating cuff to catch fire or melt.

[0036]Despite efforts of the prior art to reduce the temperature of a suppressor, improvements in thermal management are necessary in order to provide a lower outside surface temperature, to reduce the visible signature of the suppressor during operation, and to prevent burns to people and equipment that contact the suppressor. The present disclosure provides improvements over the prior-art approaches by providing a heat shield assembly for a firearm suppressor with a reduced temperature of the outside surface of the heat shield assembly. In some embodiments, the heat shield assembly promotes convective heat transfer from the suppressor housing to the ambient air and inhibits conductive and radiative heat transfer from the suppressor to the heat shield.

[0037]Additional features of the present disclosure are described herein and form the subject matter of the attached claims. These and various other advantages, features, and aspects of the embodiments will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following detailed description of the embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, as follows. Numerous configurations and variations will be apparent in light of the present disclosure.

Structure and Function

[0038]FIG. 1 illustrates a front perspective view of a suppressor assembly 100 with a heat shield 120 attached to a suppressor 160, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 illustrates a side view of the suppressor assembly 100 of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 illustrates a front view, and FIG. 4 illustrates a rear view of the suppressor assembly 100 of FIG. 1.

[0039]In this example, the suppressor 160 (mostly hidden by the heat shield 120) is attached at its distal end to a distal end portion 174 of the suppressor 160, such as to a protruding distal-end face 162 of the suppressor 160. The heat shield 120 has a cylindrical shape that extends along a central axis 102 from a proximal end portion 122 to a distal end portion 124. In doing so, the heat shield 120 extends along an entire length of the suppressor 160, but the heat shield 120 minimally overlaps or does not overlap the rotatable collar 202 of the quick-disconnect mount 200 so as to avoid interfering with operation of the quick-disconnect mount 200.

[0040]The suppressor 160 has a distal-end face 162 that protrudes axially and defines an undulating or faceted outer surface 164 that interfaces with a distal end portion 122 of the heat shield 120. Note that the distal-end face 162 is within the heat shield 120, such as shown in FIG. 2. A retaining ring 190, such as a split ring or the like, engages slots in the outer surface 164 to retain the corresponding distal end of the heat shield 120. The suppressor 160 and features of the heat shield 120 are discussed in more detail below.

[0041]FIG. 5 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the suppressor assembly 100 of FIG. 1, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. For clarity, note that baffles or other inner structures of the suppressor 160 are not shown. FIG. 6 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the heat shield 120 of FIG. 5. FIG. 7 illustrates a close-up, perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a rear part of a heat shield 120 interfacing with a suppressor outer housing 166 as shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 8 illustrates a close-up, perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the distal end portion 124 of the head shield 120 interfacing with a suppressor outer housing 166 and also shows a retaining ring 190.

[0042]At the distal end portion 124, the heat shield 120 has a plurality of finger-like protrusions 126 that extend radially inward towards the suppressor outer housing 166. Each of the protrusions 126 takes a non-linear path between the heat shield 120 and an inner rim or wall 128. The inner wall 128 is configured to interface with the distal end of the suppressor 160, such as the distal-end face 162. Described differently, the heat shield 120 includes an annular distal wall 128 that extends radially inward and is perforated to define a plurality of protrusions 126, where the distal wall 128 has a non-linear profile as viewed in cross-section. Note here that the inner wall 128 has a faceted, undulating, or otherwise non-circular path as it extends circumferentially. In this example, the distal end face 162 has the geometry of a twelve-point star. Such a shape provides structural interference with the distal-end face 162, which is correspondingly shaped, so that the heat shield 120 avoids relative rotation (e.g., slip) with the suppressor 160. In other words, a rotational force applied to the heat shield 120 is transferred to the suppressor 160 via the structural interference, much like a wrench and a hex bolt. In other embodiments, the inner wall 128 has a circular shape, a hexagonal shape, or some other geometric shape.

[0043]Although shown here as a single, continuous inner wall 128, the inner wall 128 need not be continuous and instead can include two or more segments that are discontinuous with one another, such as individual wall segments that extend around one third, one quarter, one sixth, one eighth, or other regular or irregular interval. In this example, each finger-like protrusion 126 has a plurality of direction changes that results generally in an S-shape, Z-shape, or zig-zag shape. Curves, corners, straight segments, and combinations of these shapes can be used alone or in combination for other geometries as deemed appropriate. Owing to the fact that conductive heat transfer is inversely proportional to the length of a conducting member, such a non-linear path increases the length of the projections 126 and therefore reduces the conductive heat transfer from the inner wall 128 to the heat shield 120.

[0044]In some embodiments, the heat shield 120 includes a plurality of leaf springs 130 that connect to the inside of the heat shield 120. The leaf springs 130 apply a radial force that reduces or eliminates movement between the heat shield 120 and the suppressor 160. As shown in this example, the leaf springs 130 extend at a relatively shallow angle towards the suppressor housing 166 and are configured to deflect radially when the heat shield 120 is installed, thus providing a spring force. The heat shield 120 can include leaf springs 130 at the proximal end portion 122 and/or the distal end portion 124. In some embodiments, the heat shield 120 includes 4-8 leaf springs 130 at each end portion 122, 124 distributed circumferentially. To reduce the contact area between each leaf spring 130 and the suppressor housing 166, the leaf spring 130 can have a curved end 132 that contacts the housing 166 at a point or line. Additionally, the curved end 132 can facilitate installation of the heat shield 120 onto the suppressor by providing a curved contact surface that facilitates the leaf spring yielding when it makes sliding contact with the housing 166.

[0045]In addition, or alternatively, the heat shield 120 can define one or more protrusions 134 configured as a stand-off. In this example, the heat shield 120 has a plurality of protrusions 134 with a wedge-like shape, where the protrusions 134 are distributed circumferentially about the inside of the proximal end portion 122. Unlike the leaf springs 130, the protrusions 134 configured as a stand-off are not intended to yield but instead are intended to provide a hard stop between the heat shield and the suppressor housing 166 that maintains the radial gap between these components. The protrusions 134 can also act as hard stops that limit amount of deflection or deformation of the heat shield 120 in an event of weapon drop or hitting an obstacle.

[0046]In some embodiments, the heat shield 120 defines a plurality of tool recesses 136 configured to engage a spanner wrench or a similar tool for rotating the heat shield 120 and suppressor 160. Here, three tool recesses 136 are shown, although more or fewer tool recesses 136 can be provided as deemed appropriate.

[0047]As shown in FIG. 7, the heat shield 120 is in close contact with the suppressor housing 166 with the protrusion 134 adjacent its threaded connection with the quick-disconnect mount 200. For example, a small gap exists between the protrusion 134 and the suppressor housing 166 to facilitate installation. The heat shield 120 then extends rearward a relatively short distance over part of the quick-disconnect mount 200 between the suppressor 120 and the collar 202 of the quick-disconnect mount 200.

[0048]As shown in FIG. 8, the inner wall 128 is received in a channel or ledge 168 defined at or near the distal-end face 162 of the suppressor housing 166. The ledge 168 can be all or part of the outer surface 164 of the distal-end face 162 in some embodiments, or it can be a separate surface from the outer surface 164. In this example, the ledge 168 has a reduced diameter compared to the primary portion of the outer housing 166. The ledge 168 extends axially forward to the distal-end face 162. All or part of the ledge 168 defines a groove 170 extending circumferentially and sized to receive the retaining ring 190, which can be a split ring or snap ring, for example. Due to the faceted or undulating geometry of the distal-end face 162 in this example, the groove 170 is defined only in radially outer portions of the ledge 168. As a result, the retaining ring 190 can be installed and removed more easily. To remove the retaining ring 190, for example, a tool can be wedged between the retaining ring 190 and the ledge 168 to disengage the retaining ring 190 from the groove 170.

[0049]Referring now to FIG. 9, a front perspective view shows a longitudinal section of part of the distal end portion 124 of the heat shield 120, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As noted above, finger-like protrusions 126 extend between the heat shield 120 and an inner wall 128 that extends circumferentially. Each of the protrusions 126 extends radially inward, the rearward, then again radially inward to connect to the inner wall 128. A rearward face of the inner wall 128 defines protrusions 129 that extend axially and are configured to engage the distal face of the suppressor 160. These protrusions 129 provide a reduced area of contact between the heat shield 120 and the suppressor 160 to reduce conductive heat transfer. Leaf springs 130 and a tool recess 136 are also shown here.

[0050]Referring now to FIG. 10, a front perspective view shows a distal end portion of a suppressor assembly 100 with the heat shield 120 installed on the suppressor 160 and a retaining ring 190 ready for installation, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As can be seen here, the inner wall 128 is spaced radially from the outer surface 164 of the distal-end face 162, which defines the ledge 168. The groove 170 for the retaining ring 190 can be seen in radially outer portions (e.g., points) of the outer surface 164.

[0051]Referring now to FIGS. 11 and 12, a rear, perspective view and a front, perspective view, respectively, show a suppressor 160 that is configured to be used with the heat shield 120, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The suppressor 160 is attached to a quick-disconnect mount 200 that includes a rotatable collar 202. The suppressor 160 has a housing 166 of cylindrical shape. In some embodiments, the proximal end portion 172 of the housing 166 includes a plurality of bosses 176 that extend radially outward. The bosses 176 define a slot or channel 178 sized to receive a corresponding protrusion 134 (e.g., stand-off) on the inside of the heat shield 120. The protrusions 134 and bosses 176 can have other configurations so that the bosses 176 and protrusions 134 engage one another, such as the protrusion 134 defining a slot that receives a boss 176. Further, the bosses 176 can be omitted altogether and/or replaced with a recess that receives and end of the protrusion 134.

[0052]The heat shield 120 can be installed by sliding the heat shield 120 axially rearward over the suppressor 160. During installation, the inner wall 127 of the heat shield 120 can be aligned with the distal-end face 162 of the suppressor 160, and protrusions 134 on the inside of the heat shield 120 can be aligned to engage the bosses 176 on the proximal end portion 172 of the suppressor 160. In the installed state, for example, protrusions 134 on the inside of the heat shield are received in the channel 178 of the bosses 176 on the suppressor. As such, applying a rotational force to the heat shield 120 results in rotation of the suppressor 160 with reduced or no misalignment or deformation of the heat shield 120.

[0053]FIG. 13 illustrates a perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a proximal end portion 172 of a suppressor 160 and heat shield 122, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The protrusion 134, which is configured as a stand-off, is received in the channel 178 defined by the boss 176 on the proximal end portion 172 of the suppressor 160. FIG. 14 illustrates a rear perspective view of a suppressor assembly 100 and shows an interface between the heat shield 120 and the suppressor 160, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0054]FIG. 15 illustrates a front perspective view of a suppressor assembly 100′, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 16 illustrates a side view showing a longitudinal section of the suppressor assembly 100′ of FIG. 15. Note that internal structure of the suppressor 160 is not shown. In this example, the suppressor 160 is attached to a threaded mount 220, which is configured for direct threaded engagement with a firearm barrel or adapter attached to the barrel. The heat shield 120 is configured for attachment to a rear end 222 of the threaded mount 220 using fasteners 224. Note that the threaded mount 220 can be part of the suppressor 160 in some embodiments, such as being made as a single piece with the suppressor 160.

[0055]The distal end portion 124 of the heat shield 120 has a plurality of wire-like protrusions 126 that extend close to making contact with the suppressor housing 166 while providing a small gap to facilitate installation. The protrusions 126, which are connected to an inside of the heat shield and are distributed circumferentially, have a V-shape that extends radially inward to a vertex, the vertex being arranged to make contact with the suppressor or be closely adjacent the suppressor housing 166 when the heat shield 120 is installed. Other geometries can be used for the protrusions 126, including a curve, an arch, a check-mark shape, and other suitable shapes. The protrusions 126 can function as a stand-off to maintain a radial gap between the heat shield 120 and the suppressor 160. The protrusions 126 may or may not make contact with the suppressor 160 in the installed condition. In some embodiments, for example, the protrusions 126 are spaced slightly from the suppressor and only make contact with the suppressor if the heat shield 120 is bumped or otherwise moved into contact with the suppressor 160.

[0056]FIG. 17 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of part of the suppressor assembly 100′, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. FIG. 18 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the heat shield of FIG. 17. Note that the protrusions 126 have a V-shape with a vertex that points radially inward towards the suppressor 160, where the vertex either makes contact or is close to making contact with the outside of the suppressor 160. In this example, the heat shield 120 has about 30 protrusions 126 that are distributed with equal spacing about the inside of the heat shield 120; however, more or fewer protrusions 126 can be used.

[0057]FIG. 19 illustrates a rear perspective view showing a longitudinal section of a suppressor assembly 100′ with the heat shield 120 secured to the rear end 222 of the threaded mount 220, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. In this example, the proximal end portion 122 of the heat shield 120 terminates in a mounting portion 144. The proximal end portion 122 tapers from its cylindrical body to the mounting portion 144 with a slotted or perforated end portion 138. In this example, the perforated end portion 138 comprises relatively thin ribs or posts 139 that extend between the cylindrical body and the mounting portion 144. The posts are interspersed with openings 140 each having a slot-like shape with a greater circumferential width compared to one of the posts 139. In this example, the perforated end portion 138 has about 24 openings 140 and 24 posts 139. Note that more or fewer posts 139 and/or openings 140 can be used. Note also that the openings need not be slot-like, but can be round openings, or openings of any other shape.

[0058]The mounting portion 144 has a hexagonal body 146 with wrench flats and defining six openings 148 for fasteners 224. The mounting portion 144 further defines a central opening 147 configured to receive part of the threaded mount 220. Although a hexagonal shape is useful for use with common tools, the body 146 can have other shapes, such as round, square, octagonal, or other suitable shape. Fasteners 224 extend through the body 146 of the mounting portion 144 and into the threaded mount 220.

[0059]FIG. 20 illustrates a rear perspective view of the threaded mount 220 attached to a suppressor 160, where the threaded mount 220 is configured for direct-thread engagement with a firearm barrel or muzzle device. The threaded mount 220 is further configured for rear mounting of a suppressor heat shield 120, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The threaded mount 220 defines a threaded receptacle 226 that is sized and configured to receive a firearm barrel or muzzle attachment. A plurality of bosses 228 are on the rear end 222 of the mount 220 and distributed about the receptacle 226. Each boss 228 is extends axially rearward from the rear end 222 and defines a threaded opening 229 configured for a fastener 224. In this example, the mount 220 has six bosses, although more or fewer can be provided. In one embodiment, such as shown, the six bosses 228 have outer corner faces arranged as vertices of a hexagonal shape allowing for installation of the suppressor/mount assembly 100 onto a muzzle end of a barrel using a common wrench or other suitable tool.

[0060]FIG. 21 illustrates a rear perspective view of a proximal end portion 122 of a heat shield 120 configured for mounting to the rear end of a suppressor 160 (or a mount 220 that is attached to or integrally formed as part of the suppressor 160), such as shown in FIG. 20, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. As noted above, the proximal end portion 122 has a mounting portion 144 with a body 146 that defines a central opening 147 sized to receive the receptacle 226 of the mount 222. The body 146 further defines fastener openings 148 that are arranged to align with the bosses 228 on the mount 220.

[0061]FIG. 22 illustrates a front perspective view showing a longitudinal section of the proximal end portion 122 of a suppressor heat shield 122, and FIG. 23 illustrates a front perspective view showing detail of a fastener opening 148 circled in FIG. 22. The forward face 146a of the body 146 includes one or more stand-offs 150 around some or all of the fastener openings 148. In this example, the stand-offs are configured as six protrusions that extend axially forward from the forward face 146a of the body 146. Other configurations can be used, such as a continuous circular stand-off, a smaller number of individual stand-offs (e.g., as few as one per fastener opening 148), or other suitable configuration. For example, each fastener opening 148 can define a single, small-area stand-off 150, where in combination the stand-offs 150 of the group of fastener openings 148 maintains space between the mount portion 144 and the mount 220. As shown in this example, the plurality of individual stand-offs 150 around each fastener opening 148 provide a relatively small contact area with the boss 228, thereby reducing conductive heat transfer. As a result of stand-offs 150, the mounting portion 144 of the heat shield 120 is spaced from the suppressor 160 or mount 220, reducing heat transfer from the mount 220 to the heat shield 120.

[0062]FIG. 24 illustrates a rear perspective view of a mount 220, in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The mount 220 can be attached to a suppressor 160, can be made as a single structure with the suppressor 160, or can be permanently attached (e.g., by welding) to a suppressor 160. In this example, the mount 220 has a single boss 228 that defines multiple threaded openings 229. Here, the boss 228 defines recesses 230 between lobes 232 of the boss 228. Each lobe 232 extends to a vertex, where flat surfaces on the lobes 232 outline a hexagonal shape suitable for a wrench or like tool to turn the mount 220. In other embodiments, the boss 228 defines a hexagonal shape around the receptacle 226. Numerous variations and embodiments will be apparent in light of the present disclosure. A heat shield 120 can be secured to the mount 220 using fasteners 224, such as shown in FIG. 19. In use, the recesses 230 provide a space between the boss 228 and the mounting portion 144 of the heat shield 120, thereby reducing heat transfer from the mount 220 to the heat shield 120.

Further Example Embodiments

[0114]Those skilled in the art will appreciate that many modifications to the embodiments are possible without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, it is possible to use some of the features of the embodiments described without the corresponding use of the other features. Accordingly, the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments is provided for the purpose of illustrating the principle of the disclosure, and not in limitation thereof, since the scope of the disclosure is defined solely be the appended claims.