Firearm Sight Adapter Segmentation Recoil Strength
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional firearm optical sight adapters are limited by their design, which can lead to a weak coupling with electronic sights, potentially failing under recoil and interfering with existing iron sights, and require modifications for different sight configurations, making them impractical for widespread use.
Innovation Solution
A firearm optical sight adapter with a robust design featuring a mounting plate with integral registration pins and recoil buffers, along with removable mounting posts and registration pins, that securely attach to the handgun slide and electronic sight, allowing for easy interchangeability and compatibility with various sight configurations without modifying the firearm.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If traditional thin adapter plates are used to mount electronic sights, then the adapter is easy to manufacture and install, but the coupling is weak and may fail under recoil
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter is divided into multiple functional segments: a base plate for mounting to the firearm, removable mounting posts with threaded bores for securing the electronic sight, and registration pins for alignment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while maintaining overall structural integrity and strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter employs composite construction combining different materials with complementary properties: the base plate uses a material suitable for firearm mounting, while mounting posts are made from materials providing adequate thread engagement and recoil resistance. This composite approach enables the assembly to achieve superior overall strength compared to a single-material thin plate.
2Strength
If a thicker adapter plate is used to provide more thread engagement, then the coupling becomes stronger, but the electronic sight is raised relative to iron sights, impairing co-witnessing
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing plate thickness in the vertical dimension, the solution moves the thread engagement function to a separate dimension by incorporating removable mounting posts with threaded bores. This allows adequate thread engagement length without increasing the overall height of the adapter assembly, thereby maintaining proper sight alignment for co-witnessing.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting posts serve as intermediary elements between the base plate and the electronic sight. They provide the necessary thread engagement strength while their standardized height ensures the electronic sight is positioned at the correct elevation relative to iron sights, enabling co-witnessing without requiring a thicker adapter plate.
3Reliability
If permanent slide modifications are made to mount electronic sights, then the mounting is secure, but adaptability to different sight configurations is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The adapter introduces dynamic reversibility to the mounting system through removable mounting posts and registration pins. These components can be removed and reconfigured to accommodate different electronic sight footprints and configurations, providing adaptability while maintaining secure mounting when assembled. This dynamic design eliminates the need for permanent slide modifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The adapter is designed as a universal interface that can accommodate multiple electronic sight configurations through its standardized mounting post pattern and removable components. The same adapter assembly can be used with different sight manufacturers and models by simply removing and repositioning the mounting posts, providing multi-functionality without requiring permanent modifications for each sight type.
4Device complexity
If traditional adapter plates with threaded apertures are used, then the design is simple, but the number of available threads is limited, creating a potential failure point
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting function is segmented into the base plate providing structural support and attachment to the firearm, and separate removable mounting posts providing threaded engagement for the electronic sight. This segmentation allows the threaded bores in the mounting posts to be optimized for adequate thread engagement length, improving reliability while keeping the base plate design simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A firearm optical sight adapter is disclosed. The optical sight adapter can include an adapter plate with first and second opposing mounting surfaces, and a registration pin extending orthogonally from the first mounting surface. The optical sight adapter may further include a socket having a recess extending from the second mounting surface to a bottom wall intermediate between the first and mounting surfaces and an aperture extending from the bottom wall of the recess through the first mounting surface along a first longitudinal axis. A removable mounting post can be configured to engage in the socket. The optical sight adapter may include a recoil buffer extending upright from the first surface.