Handleless Slingshot Design with Adjustable Palm Plate
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional slingshots have limitations in handle design, portability, and material usage, leading to bulkiness and reduced usability, with issues such as recoiling bands contacting the user's hand and unnecessary material weight.
Innovation Solution
A slingshot design featuring a handle with adjustable palm plates and a handleless variant with integrated arms and a folding storage compartment, utilizing a quick-release band system and a guard area to prevent band recoil contact, while minimizing material usage for reduced weight and increased portability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If traditional handle design is used, then structural stability is maintained, but portability and material efficiency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the traditional handle entirely, extracting only the essential functional elements (arms, band, pouch) needed for slingshot operation. This eliminates unnecessary material while preserving the core shooting function, directly resolving the contradiction between structural stability and material weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The slingshot is divided into discrete functional segments (arms, band, pouch, guard area) that can be independently optimized. The arms are shaped to provide structural stability where needed while minimizing material usage in non-critical areas, resolving the contradiction between stability and weight.
2Stability of the object's composition
If traditional handle design is used, then structural stability is maintained, but portability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
By removing the handle entirely and retaining only the essential arms and band structure, the overall device length and bulk are reduced while maintaining the structural integrity needed for effective slingshot operation, improving portability without sacrificing stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The arms are designed with dynamic geometry that provides maximum structural stability during the shooting action while minimizing the device's overall size when not in use, resolving the contradiction between stability and portability.
3Weight of moving object
If minimal material usage is employed, then weight is reduced, but protection against recoiling bands deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A thin guard area is introduced as an intermediary element between the band and the user's hand. This minimal material structure effectively blocks the harmful recoiling band contact while adding negligible weight, resolving the contradiction between weight reduction and protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The guard area is designed as a thin, lightweight structure that provides sufficient protection against band recoil without requiring substantial material, directly addressing the contradiction between minimal material usage and protection against harmful factors.
4Ease of operation
If adjustable palm plates are added, then usability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The palm plates are designed as separate, removable components that can be independently adjusted and attached to different positions on the arms. This modular segmentation allows for easy customization of hand positioning without requiring complex integrated mechanisms, resolving the contradiction between usability and device 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
The design enhances usability, stability, and portability by allowing adjustable handle fit, preventing recoil contact, and reducing material weight, resulting in a more compact and efficient slingshot.
Implementation Method 1
the pouch is pulled backwards, away from the arms, thereby extending and stretching the elastic band to create potential energy
Implementation Method 2
When the pouch is released, the potential energy of the elastic band is transformed to kinetic energy which is transferred to the projectile through the pouch
Data Source
AI summary
A slingshot includes a handle having a plurality of positioning grooves, the grooves spaced along a length of the handle, a pair of arms extending upwardly and forwardly from the handle, each arm having a band attachment device, a pair of wings extending laterally outward and forward from handle, each wing configured to be supported by a portion of a user's hand, an arm brace secured to the handle and a palm plate removably secured to the handle. The palm plate is configured to be removed from one positioning groove of the plurality of positioning grooves and secured to another groove of the plurality of positioning grooves. A handleless slingshot is also provided having a wire or wire-like body including, in one embodiment, a lower portion, a pair of wings connected to one another by the lower portion, a pair of arms, and an upper portion.