Hinged Barrel Underwater Gun Reduces Loading Effort
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater guns powered by elastic elements face difficulties in loading due to the need for manual exertion of considerable tensile stress, which results in fatigue and safety concerns, especially with longer barrels, leading to inefficient energy use and increased risk of injury.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a barrel with hinged portions that rotate to facilitate tensioning of elastic elements, allowing for easier loading by reducing the effort required and ensuring the wishbone or cable is hooked before tensioning, thus enhancing safety and reducing manual handling of the elastic elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If manual tensioning of elastic elements is used to load the gun, then the elastic elements can be tensioned to provide sufficient propulsion, but the diver experiences considerable fatigue and energy loss
Solution Approach 1:
The barrel portions are designed to be self-loading through their own mechanical movement. When the diver closes the barrel portions together, the elastic elements are automatically tensioned without requiring manual pulling or external assistance, allowing the system to load itself through the natural closing motion of the barrel
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical action of pulling and hooking elastic elements is replaced by the automatic mechanical action of the barrel portions closing together. The elastic elements are tensioned by the relative movement of the barrel portions themselves, eliminating the need for separate manual tensioning operations
2Ease of operation
If manual tensioning and hooking operations are performed simultaneously, then the elastic elements can be loaded, but the complexity of the operation increases and safety risks increase
Solution Approach 1:
The wishbone is pre-positioned and ready to engage with the elastic elements before the tensioning operation begins. The barrel portions are designed so that the elastic elements are automatically engaged with the wishbone as the portions close together, eliminating the need for separate hooking actions
Solution Approach 2:
The operations of tensioning and hooking are merged into a single simultaneous action. As the barrel portions close together, the elastic elements are both tensioned and automatically engaged with the wishbone in one continuous motion, simplifying the overall loading operation
3Length of moving object
If the barrel is made longer to increase range, then the propulsion range is sufficient to catch fish, but the loading operation becomes more difficult and dangerous
Solution Approach 1:
The barrel is divided into multiple portions that can move independently relative to each other. This segmentation allows each portion to be positioned and loaded separately, making the overall loading operation easier even though the total barrel length is great, as each segment can be managed independently during the loading process
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
This design significantly reduces the effort needed to tension the elastic elements, making the loading process safer and more efficient, allowing divers to conserve energy and maintain balance while loading, thereby extending their wait time during apnea and minimizing the risk of injury.
Implementation Method 1
one or more elastic elements constrained in proximity to or at the front end of the barrel... the elastic elements must be tensioned, i.e. loaded by exerting a tensile strength
Implementation Method 2
the barrel includes at least two portions hinged to each other and movable in mutual rotation about the axis of the hinge pin
Implementation Method 3
facilitate tensioning of the elastic elements acting on these two portions of the barrel and rotating them in relation to each other
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5
AI summary
There is described an underwater gun powered by elastic elements including a barrel (10a,10b), one or more elastic elements (20), a handle (18) and at least one locking and release mechanism of a shaft thrown from the gun under the action of the elastic elements previously loaded in tension. The barrel includes at least two portions hinged to each other and movable in mutual rotation about the axis of a binge pin (15) between an open position, in which the elastic elements can be hooked in the unstretched condition to the barrel, and a closed position, in which the elastic elements are loaded in a tension condition.