Equipment Rail Cam Attachment for Polymer Upper Receivers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional attachment methods for equipment rails on firearms are not suitable for polymer components due to material properties and manufacturing limitations, leading to issues such as slop and incompatibility with polymer materials.
Innovation Solution
A cam interface mechanism using an equipment rail key and upper receiver assembly that secures the equipment rail to the upper receiver via threaded fasteners, allowing for polymer components and ensuring proper orientation and secure attachment without slop.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional attachment methods are used for equipment rails, then the attachment structure is simple, but the method is not suitable for polymer components and creates slop
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate functional components: an equipment rail key with cam surface, an upper receiver with corresponding cam interface, and threaded fasteners. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to eliminate slop and ensure reliable attachment to polymer components.
Solution Approach 2:
The equipment rail key acts as an intermediary component between the equipment rail and the upper receiver. It features a cam surface that engages with the cam interface on the upper receiver, creating a mechanical interference fit that eliminates slop while allowing for easy assembly and disassembly through threaded fastener manipulation.
2Ease of manufacture
If polymer materials are used for equipment rail components, then manufacturing flexibility is improved, but conventional attachment methods become incompatible
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment mechanism utilizes the unique properties of polymer materials by creating a cam interface that relies on interference fit and friction rather than traditional mechanical threads or welds. This parameter change in the attachment approach allows polymer components to be securely fastened while maintaining the manufacturing flexibility and design freedom that polymer materials provide.
3Reliability
If threaded fasteners are used to secure the equipment rail, then the attachment is secure, but assembly and disassembly become more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The equipment rail key is pre-configured with the cam surface and engagement features before assembly. This preliminary preparation allows the key to automatically engage with the cam interface on the upper receiver when inserted, and the threaded fasteners can then be simply tightened to secure the assembly without requiring complex alignment or multiple steps.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system allows for dynamic assembly and disassembly through the threaded fasteners, which can be easily manipulated to secure or release the equipment rail key from the upper receiver. The cam interface maintains continuous engagement during normal operation, providing secure attachment while allowing for quick service and maintenance.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a cam interface is used to draw the equipment rail against the upper receiver, then slop is eliminated, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The cam interface features are merged into the existing structural elements of the equipment rail key and upper receiver rather than being separate add-on components. The cam surface on the rail key and the corresponding cam interface on the receiver work together as an integrated system that eliminates slop through their geometric relationship, while minimizing additional structural complexity.
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 easy assembly and disassembly, eliminates slop, and allows for the use of polymer components by providing a secure and interference-fit attachment mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
The equipment rail and equipment rail key cooperate to define a cam interface. The cam interface is configured to cause the equipment rail to be drawn against the upper receiver when the equipment rail key is tightened against the upper receiver.
Implementation Method 2
The cam interface is configured to cause the equipment rail to be drawn against the upper receiver when the equipment rail key is tightened against the upper receiver
Implementation Method 3
The equipment rail key is configured to couple (for example, via at least one threaded fastener) to the upper receiver with a portion of the equipment rail between the equipment rail key and the upper receiver to secure the equipment rail to the upper receiver.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a hand guard connecting structure of a firearm, which has the advantages of simple structure, convenience in processing, quickness in disassembly and assembly, firmness in connection, reliability in positioning and good part assembly consistency. The utility model provides a hand protector section of thick bamboo connection structure of firearms, includes hand protector section of thick bamboo, lower case body, the polygon is personally submitted to hand protector section of thick bamboo transversal, is equipped with the rectangular channel on each face of hand protector section of thick bamboo respectively, still includes the connecting plate, the connecting plate is located the hand protector section of thick bamboo, and the lower surface of connecting plate is equipped with the boss, and the rectangular channel on boss and the hand protector section of thick bamboo bottom surface corresponds, and each boss joint is fixed in the rectangular channel that corresponds, is equipped with normal direction last screw hole on each boss respectively, it is equipped with down the screw hole to correspond on the case body down, and lower case body passes through screw, screw hole fixed connection with each boss, forms the fixed connection of hand protector section of thick bamboo, lower case body.