Firearm Safety Selector with Spring-Biased Coupling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing safety selectors for firearms, particularly those on the AR15 platform, are cumbersome to assemble and disassemble, requiring the removal of the selector pin and grip, and are not easily adaptable for ambidextrous use or adjustable selector angles without tools.
Innovation Solution
A safety selector design featuring a first lever with a safety shaft, a securing element, and a connecting assembly that allows for easy installation and operation without removing the selector pin or grip, enabling one-sided or ambidextrous operation with a spring-biased coupling and cam interaction to secure the selector in place, allowing for adjustable selector angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the safety selector is constructed as one piece and mounted on one side, then the assembly is simple, but it cannot be operated from both sides and requires dismantling the grip for assembly
Solution Approach 1:
The safety selector is divided into separate components: a selector assembly that can be independently assembled and installed without dismantling the grip. The selector assembly includes the selector lever, cam, and associated components, which are assembled as a unit and then installed into the receiver, eliminating the need to disassemble the grip for assembly purposes.
Solution Approach 2:
A receiver-mounted selector assembly serves as an intermediary component that enables ambidextrous operation. This assembly includes a cam with multiple positions and a selector lever that can be actuated from either side of the receiver, mediating between the user's operational needs and the firearm's mechanical system.
2Reliability
If the safety selector requires removal of selector pin and grip for assembly, then the selector can be securely mounted, but the assembly process becomes time-consuming and user-unfriendly
Solution Approach 1:
The selector assembly is pre-assembled with all necessary components (selector lever, cam, and associated parts) before installation into the receiver. This preliminary assembly allows the complete selector unit to be installed as a single component, eliminating the need for time-consuming disassembly and reassembly of individual components during installation.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple components that were previously assembled separately (selector lever, cam, and mounting elements) are merged into a single integrated selector assembly. This merging allows all components to be installed simultaneously through a single operation, reducing assembly time while maintaining secure mounting through the integrated design.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the safety selector is designed for fixed mounting, then the structure is simple, but it cannot be adapted to different selector angles or ambidextrous operation
Solution Approach 1:
The cam is designed with multiple positional options and adjustable characteristics that allow the selector assembly to be configured for different selector angles. The cam's geometry and positioning mechanisms enable adaptation to various operational requirements (e.g., different angular ranges for safe/firing positions) while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure that can be manufactured efficiently.
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
The solution provides a user-friendly, tool-free assembly and disassembly process, reducing the risk of component loss and enabling easy adaptation of selector angles, enhancing operational efficiency and user convenience.
Implementation Method 1
The safety selector is held in its respective rotational position by a selector pin which is spring-biased against the safety selector relative to the lower receiver
Implementation Method 2
a primary cam configured to interact with a selector pin disposed in the lower receiver
Data Source
AI summary
A safety selector for a firearm, including a first lever including an integrally formed safety shaft and a first handle located outside the lower receiver for actuation, as well as a bearing portion, a selector portion and a connecting portion. To facilitate disassembly and interchangeability, the first lever is configured for spring-biased coupling to a securing element and has, on the connecting portion, a positioning protrusion projecting toward the opposite side of the weapon. In a longitudinal direction, the positioning protrusion has a shape-complementary bore for receiving a connecting assembly which includes a connecting element, a spring and a spring lock.