Firearm Hand Guard Mount Clip Indexing and Compression
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firearm hand guard mounting arrangements are prone to over-tightening, which can damage structures, and may allow for undesirable translations or rotations of the hand guard relative to the firearm, affecting the accuracy of accessories like sighting devices.
Innovation Solution
A mount clip system with a first portion received in a hand guard slot and a second portion that radially indexes the hand guard to prevent rotation and longitudinal translation, ensuring a secure and compressive fit without over-compression.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fasteners are tightened to secure the hand guard to the firearm, then the hand guard becomes more securely mounted, but the structures may be damaged due to over-tightening
Solution Approach 1:
The mount clip is designed with a preset compression feature that defines a maximum compression force before damage occurs. This preset compression acts as a cushioning mechanism that prevents over-tightening by limiting the compression force applied to the hand guard and mounting structures, thereby protecting them from damage while still ensuring secure mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the compression parameter by introducing a preset compression value defined by the mount clip geometry. The clip's dimensions and material properties are specifically designed to provide a predetermined compression force that is sufficient for secure mounting but limited to prevent structural damage. This parameter control resolves the contradiction between secure mounting and damage prevention.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the hand guard is securely compressed to the firearm, then mounting stability is improved, but the hand guard may rotate or translate longitudinally affecting accessory accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The mount clip incorporates asymmetric indexing features including a protrusion on the clip and a corresponding recess in the hand guard slot. These asymmetric features prevent rotation and longitudinal translation of the hand guard by providing a unique geometric fit that only allows assembly in the correct orientation and position, thereby maintaining alignment precision while ensuring mounting stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mount clip acts as an intermediary component between the hand guard and the firearm barrel/receiver. It mediates the connection by providing both compression for stability and indexing features for precision alignment. The clip's dual functionality resolves the contradiction by simultaneously ensuring stable mounting and preventing unwanted movement that would affect accessory accuracy.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the mount clip defines maximum compression to prevent damage, then structure protection is improved, but the mounting arrangement complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges multiple functions into a single mount clip component: compression force limitation, rotation prevention, longitudinal translation prevention, and alignment indexing. By combining these functions into one integrated part rather than using separate components, the design achieves structure protection without significantly increasing overall mounting arrangement complexity. The preset compression feature is built into the clip's geometry itself, requiring no additional damage-prevention mechanisms.
Data Source
AI summary
A hand guard mount assembly and method of securing a hand guard to a firearm in a manner that resists rotation and/or longitudinal translation of the hand guard relative to the underlying firearm. The hand guard mount assembly includes a mount clip that is defined by a body having a first portion and a second portion. The first portion of the clip is constructed to be received in a slot defined by a handguard and defines a smallest diameter associated with a receiver end of the hand guard. The second portion of the clip radially and/or longitudinally indexes the mount clip, and a hand guard associated therewith, relative to at least one of a barrel nut, a barrel, and a receiver associated with the underlying firearm.