Laser-Induced Firearm Grip Surface for Slippage Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved methods and devices to mitigate slippage between the surfaces of firearms and users, as well as between belts and pulleys in automobile engines, to enhance grip and reduce noise.
Innovation Solution
A pulley assembly with a shaft mount and body, featuring a series of counter sunk holes and laser-infused friction lines or material to increase friction, and a method of applying particulate matter using a laser beam to fuse it to the surface, enhancing friction and reducing slippage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a smooth surface is used on firearm components, then manufacturing is easier and surface finish is better, but friction is reduced causing slippage between the firearm and user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies laser-induced friction lines only to specific grip areas of the firearm (handguard, pistol grip, foregrip) rather than the entire surface. This creates localized high-friction zones where needed while maintaining smooth surfaces elsewhere for ease of manufacture and cleaning.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces traditional mechanical methods of increasing friction (such as knurling, stitching, or adhesive attachments) with a laser-based thermal process. The laser heats the surface to create friction lines through controlled oxidation and surface restructuring, eliminating the need for separate mechanical friction-increasing components.
2Force
If traditional methods (knurling, stitching, adhesive attachments) are used to increase friction, then grip is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the friction-increasing function from separate mechanical components (knurling tools, stitching elements, adhesive layers) and integrates it directly into the base material through laser treatment. This eliminates multiple components and assembly steps, reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The laser treatment process serves multiple functions simultaneously: it creates friction lines for grip, provides corrosion resistance through controlled oxidation, and can be applied to various firearm components with different geometries using the same basic process, reducing the need for component-specific friction solutions.
3Force
If material is removed to create texture, then friction is increased, but manufacturing precision and surface integrity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical-chemical parameters of the surface layer through controlled laser heating, creating oxidation and structural changes that increase friction. This is achieved by precisely controlling laser power, speed, and pass patterns to heat the surface to specific temperature ranges without removing material, thereby maintaining surface integrity while achieving the desired friction increase.
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 effectively increases friction, mitigating slippage and noise, providing better grip and purchase on firearms and reducing belt slippage in pulley systems.
Implementation Method 1
The heat may be generated by a laser beam that traces a desired pattern of friction lines. The increased friction mitigates noise by reducing slippage between a belt and the pulley.
Implementation Method 2
The outer surface of the body of the pulley assembly has a pattern of friction lines for increasing the frictional forces between the outer surface of the body of the pulley assembly and the belt driving the pulley.
Data Source
AI summary
A firearm having a laser induced friction surface. A method for forming the laser induced friction surface on the firearm may includes the steps of disposing the laser machine adjacent to a component of the firearm, adjusting the laser machine, then applying the laser beam of the laser machine onto a component surface.