Modular Grip Panel System with Hidden Dovetail Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firearm grips with visible screw heads or external fasteners are aesthetically unpleasing and limit the interchangeability of grip options, such as thickness, material, and texture, for handguns and other firearms.
Innovation Solution
A modular grip panel system utilizing a dovetail design with a spring-loaded rear dovetail mortise and a boss and pocket system dampened by O-rings, allowing for secure retention without visible hardware, enabling easy interchangeability of grip panels and backstraps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If visible screw heads or external fasteners are used to secure grip panels to the frame, then the grip panels are securely retained, but the aesthetics of the firearm are degraded and grip interchangeability is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The grip system is divided into separate modular components: grip panels, backstrap, and frame. Each component can be independently manufactured and replaced. The dovetail mortise and tenon design allows individual grip panels to be segmented and interchanged without affecting the entire grip assembly, enabling users to swap panels with different thicknesses, materials, or textures.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip panels and backstrap are nested within the frame structure through dovetail mortises. The grip panels fit into front and rear mortises, while the backstrap engages with the frame's backstrap mortise. This nested arrangement allows multiple components to be housed within the frame's grip area, enabling easy removal and replacement of individual components without disassembling the entire firearm.
2Ease of manufacture
If visible screw heads or external fasteners are used to secure grip panels to the frame, then the grip panels are securely retained, but the visual appeal of the firearm is degraded
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional external fasteners (screw heads) are completely removed from the grip panel design. Instead, the retention mechanism is extracted into internal dovetail mortises and tenons that are hidden within the grip panel structure. The backstrap engagement system similarly uses internal dovetail features rather than external fasteners, resulting in a clean, screw-free appearance while maintaining secure retention.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of using external fasteners that attach grip panels to the frame, the design inverts the approach by having the grip panels feature internal dovetail tenons that mate with mortises in the frame. The retention force is applied internally through the dovetail geometry rather than through external screws, reversing the traditional fastening paradigm and achieving a hidden fastener system.
3Adaptability or versatility
If a modular grip system with hidden fasteners is used, then aesthetics and interchangeability are improved, but the complexity of the retention mechanism increases
Solution Approach 1:
The dovetail mortise and tenon design serves multiple functions simultaneously: it provides mechanical retention for grip panels, enables easy interchangeability, maintains aesthetic appearance by hiding fasteners, and allows for precise alignment of grip panels with the frame. The backstrap's dovetail engagement similarly provides both retention and alignment functions while maintaining a clean appearance, reducing the need for additional 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 system provides a visually appealing, modular solution that enhances grip customization and comfort by allowing users to adjust grip size, texture, and aesthetics without exposed screws, ensuring secure retention and reduced recoil shock.
Implementation Method 1
the rear dovetail mortise is spring loaded and shared across the frame with the opposite side grip panel
Implementation Method 2
the rear dovetail mortise is spring loaded
Implementation Method 3
Grip panels incorporate a boss and pocket system dampened by O-rings
Implementation Method 4
boss and pocket system dampened by O-rings
Data Source
AI summary
A modular grip panel system for a firearm has a frame to support a pair of grip panels and a backstrap. The system includes a left and right grip panels having pockets, and a backstrap having a boss. The frame has a grip disposed at its rear end having a left and right side bosses to engage the pockets of the grip panels, and a rear surface pocket to receive the backstrap boss. The grip panels are disposed on the side surfaces of the pistol-style grip by insertion of the bosses into the pockets. The backstrap is disposed on the rear surface of grip by insertion of the backstrap boss into the rear surface pocket. When the backstrap is secured to the frame, the boss of grip panels are held in a forwardmost position. The backstrap prevents movement of the left and right grip panels towards the rear end of the frame.