Air Piston Assembly Without Pusher Rod Pressure Loss
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional air piston launchers require a long pusher rod, leading to air pressure loss and increased loading force, and are not compatible with standard magazines, necessitating dedicated designs.
Innovation Solution
An air piston assembly that eliminates the need for a pusher rod, using a piston cylinder extension to directly impact projectiles, allowing for smaller launcher dimensions and standard magazine compatibility without air pressure loss.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a long pusher rod is used to move the projectile from the magazine, then the launcher can be designed with standard magazine compatibility, but air pressure is lost during travel through the long rod
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional pusher rod component entirely from the system. Instead of using a long rod to push the projectile through the magazine, the design uses a short pusher that only needs to clear the magazine's top arms, eliminating the air pressure loss associated with long rod travel while maintaining magazine compatibility
Solution Approach 2:
Rather than extending the pusher rod length to reach through the magazine, the invention inverts the approach by having the magazine's top arms be movable or flexible, allowing them to clear over the shortened pusher rod. This reverses the traditional design philosophy and solves both the air pressure loss and magazine compatibility issues
2Loss of energy
If a stronger spring is used to overcome air pressure loss, then air pressure can be maintained, but the loading force becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the long pusher rod that caused air pressure loss, the system no longer needs compensatory stronger springs. The natural air pressure from the piston is sufficient to propel the projectile, thereby reducing the required spring strength and consequently the loading force required by the user
3Ease of operation
If the pusher rod is made skinny to allow magazine insertion without priming, then magazine can be inserted/extracted freely, but air pressure is lost through the constricted area
Solution Approach 1:
The invention eliminates the need for a skinny pusher rod by removing the long pusher rod entirely. The short pusher design allows magazines to be inserted and extracted without priming the launcher, while the absence of a constricted passage through a skinny rod prevents air pressure loss
4Loss of energy
If a longer spring is used to compensate for air pressure loss, then air pressure can be maintained, but the launcher dimensional profile increases
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the long pusher rod and associated air pressure loss, the system maintains adequate air pressure with a shorter spring. This eliminates the need for a longer spring that would increase the launcher's dimensional profile, thereby keeping the launcher compact
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient use of air pressure, reduces loading force, and allows for the use of standard magazines, resulting in a more user-friendly and compact launcher design.
Implementation Method 1
a piston spring disposed around the piston arm
Implementation Method 2
the piston drives the air out from the piston cylinder, through the air exit tube, to exert force at the rear of the dart, to propel it out of the blaster
Data Source
AI summary
An air piston assembly including a piston cylinder having a main cylinder portion and a piston cylinder extension portion that extends from the main cylinder portion and that is configured to travel between extension arms of a standard projectile magazine, a piston head configured to travel in and out of the piston cylinder, the piston head having an extension that is aligned with the piston cylinder extension portion, a piston arm extending from the piston head, and a piston spring disposed around the piston arm. In exemplary embodiment, a toy launcher incorporates the air piston assembly.