Firearm Housing Segmentation and Pin Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing weapon housings are elaborate and expensive to produce, often resulting in production tolerances and imprecision that can impair the functionality of auxiliary equipment, and current assembly methods like welding and riveting can cause distortion and poor alignment of thin-walled sheet metal parts.
Innovation Solution
A weapon housing design featuring two housing shells and a connection block with strategically placed connecting pins and positioning recesses that allow for easy alignment and assembly, using a form closure mechanism to secure the shells together, which can be welded or connected using other methods to minimize distortion and ensure dimensional stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If individual housing parts are assembled using welding, then the housing can be constructed from thin-walled stamped sheet metal parts, but this causes distortion of the mold and housing parts
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into multiple separate parts that are joined together using connecting elements rather than being formed as a single welded structure. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured separately with better dimensional control and reduces the need for extensive welding operations that cause distortion.
Solution Approach 2:
Connecting elements serve as intermediaries between housing parts, replacing direct welding connections. These connecting elements absorb and distribute mechanical stresses, preventing stress concentration and distortion that would occur with direct welding of thin-walled parts.
2Adaptability or versatility
If individual housing parts are assembled using welding, then the housing can be constructed from multiple components, but this requires elaborate welding methods and stabilization
Solution Approach 1:
Connecting elements act as intermediaries that simplify the assembly process. Instead of requiring complex welding procedures and stabilization measures, the connecting elements provide a straightforward mechanical connection method that is easier to implement and control.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the welding mechanical system with a mechanical connection system using connecting elements. This substitution eliminates the need for elaborate welding procedures, special equipment, and stabilization measures while maintaining the ability to assemble multiple housing components.
3Manufacturing precision
If riveting is used to assemble housing components, then welding is avoided, but this is expensive and has poor tolerances
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting elements are designed with specific geometric parameters and material properties that optimize both precision and cost-effectiveness. By carefully controlling the dimensions, shape, and material of the connecting elements, the patent achieves better tolerances than riveting while avoiding the high costs and distortion problems of welding.
Data Source
AI summary
Weapons, weapon housing and methods of producing such weapons and weapon housings are disclosed. An example weapon housing for use with a firearm includes at least two housing shells. Each of the housing shells comprises at least one positioning recess. The example weapon housing also includes at least one connection block comprising connecting pins. On an assembly plane of the connection block, the housing shells are to be positioned and aligned on the connecting pins via the respective positioning recess to enable forces that are to act in or against a direction of fire to be absorbed by surfaces of at least one of the positioning recesses or one or more of the connecting pins.