Muzzle Signature Suppressor Drainage for Wet-Fire Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing muzzle signature suppressors for firearms, particularly self-loading firearms, face safety risks when used in wet conditions due to the risk of water accumulation leading to uncontrolled projectile trajectories and potential damage, and they often compromise acoustic and visual signatures during rapid drainage.

Innovation Solution

A muzzle signature suppressor with at least one liquid passage opening at the weapon-side end, allowing liquid to drain before firing, combined with a closing mechanism to control drainage, ensuring rapid and safe operation, and a coupling mechanism for precise mounting to maintain accuracy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If liquid passage openings are provided for rapid drainage, then safety is improved, but acoustic and visual signatures are compromised

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoidacoustic and visual signatures
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The liquid passage openings are designed to drain water from the suppressor interior before firing occurs. This preliminary drainage action prevents water accumulation that would otherwise cause dangerous projectile deviations, while the openings are positioned and sized to minimize impact on acoustic and visual signature performance during actual firing operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Object-generated harmful factors

If the suppressor is sealed to maintain acoustic signature, then noise reduction is improved, but liquid drainage capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenoise reductionVSAvoidliquid drainage capability
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-generated harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The suppressor housing exhibits non-uniform sealing characteristics: the rear portion maintains high sealing quality to preserve acoustic signature and prevent noise leakage, while the front portion incorporates liquid passage openings that provide localized drainage capability. This spatial differentiation of sealing quality allows both noise reduction and water drainage functions to coexist without compromising either performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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

Ensures safe and rapid drainage of liquids, maintaining suppressor functionality and reducing acoustic and visual signatures, while ensuring precise firearm alignment for improved accuracy.

Implementation Method 1

at least one liquid passage opening which is formed at least at or near the weapon-side end of the housing and which is designed for draining liquid from the muzzle signature suppressor before firing

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravity drainage: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the propellant gases expand inside the silencer, partially depressurizing themselves without releasing sound energy into the environment

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGas expansion:

Implementation Method 3

designed as lamellar chambers that reduce sound by creating turbulence in the gas flow, thereby reducing the gas flow velocity through baffles or baffles and cooling the propellant gases

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Data Source

PatentEP4707718A1Muzzle signature damper for firearms and firearm provided therewith
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 HECKLER & KOCH GMBH
  • EP4707718A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4707718A1 patent drawingFigure 2a~2b
  • EP4707718A1 patent drawingFigure 2c~2d

AI summary

The invention relates to a muzzle signature suppressor for firearms, comprising at least one housing and a projectile channel penetrating the housing, and at least one liquid passage opening, which is formed at least at or near the weapon-side end of the housing and which is provided for draining liquid from the muzzle signature suppressor before firing. In the state mounted on a firearm, the at least one liquid passage opening connects an interior space of the muzzle signature suppressor housing to the environment in such a way that any liquid that has entered the interior space of the housing can be drained outwards into the environment through the liquid passage opening(s) within a few seconds, thus clearing the projectile channel for safe firing. The invention also relates to the use of the muzzle signature suppressor for liquid drainage and to a firearm equipped with the muzzle signature suppressor.