Non-Invasive Mounting System for Rapid Equipment Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing equipment mounting systems fail to securely attach and quickly release equipment items on vehicles traversing rough terrain and hostile environments, leading to dislodgment and exposure risks for users.
Innovation Solution
A mounting system with a base plate and adjustable armatures using non-invasive fasteners, such as adhesive bonded fasteners, and a quick release mechanism, designed to minimize the mounting footprint and ensure rapid access to equipment items, even in space-constrained areas with limited surface area and subject to substantial forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If existing mounting systems are used on vehicles traversing rough terrain, then the equipment item can be mounted on the vehicle, but the equipment item is susceptible to dislodgment and falling off due to substantial forces and impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system is divided into separate components: a base plate that attaches to the vehicle structure, mounting armatures that provide positioning, and a quick release mechanism that enables secure yet rapidly detachable equipment attachment. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function while working together to solve the mounting security problem.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system incorporates a quick release mechanism that transitions between locked and unlocked states, allowing the equipment item to be securely held during vehicle operation and rapidly released when needed. This dynamic capability resolves the contradiction by providing both strong attachment during traversal and easy release for equipment retrieval.
2Reliability
If a rigid mounting system is used to prevent dislodgment, then the equipment item remains securely attached, but the user cannot quickly access the equipment item when needed
Solution Approach 1:
The quick release mechanism enables the mounting system to dynamically transition between a locked state that secures the equipment during vehicle movement and an unlocked state that allows rapid equipment retrieval. This resolves the contradiction by providing both secure attachment and quick access as needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The quick release mechanism extracts the equipment item from the mounted position in a single rapid motion, eliminating the need for complex disassembly procedures. This allows the equipment to remain securely attached during operation while enabling instant access when the user needs to retrieve it.
3Reliability
If traditional fasteners are used to mount the equipment, then the equipment can be securely attached, but the underlying structure is damaged during installation and removal
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting system replaces traditional mechanical fasteners that require drilling or welding with adhesive bonded fasteners that attach to the vehicle structure without penetrating or damaging it. This substitution maintains secure attachment while eliminating the harmful effects of structure damage during installation and removal.
Solution Approach 2:
The fastening method changes from mechanical penetration (drilling, welding) to chemical bonding (adhesive bonding). This parameter change in the attachment mechanism allows the mounting system to be securely installed and removed without damaging the underlying vehicle structure, resolving the contradiction between attachment security and structure protection.
4Productivity
If the mounting system is designed for quick release capability, then the user can rapidly access the equipment item, but the mounting security is compromised under substantial forces
Solution Approach 1:
The quick release mechanism is designed with a lever that, when in the first position, engages locking features on the mounting armatures to securely hold the equipment item during vehicle traversal. When the lever is moved to the second position, the locking features disengage, enabling rapid equipment release. This dynamic positioning system resolves the contradiction by providing both secure attachment and quick access.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting armatures are pre-configured with positioning features and locking mechanisms that, when engaged by the quick release lever in the first position, automatically secure the equipment item against substantial forces. This preliminary positioning and locking action ensures mounting security is established before vehicle movement begins, while the same mechanism enables rapid release when needed.
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 secure, rapid access to equipment items while preventing dislodgment, reducing user exposure to hostile environments and allowing for easy installation and removal without damaging the underlying structure.
Implementation Method 1
The non-invasive fasteners can include adhesive bonded fasteners which couple to a structure without damaging the structure and permit attachment and removal of the mounting system.
Data Source
AI summary
A mounting system having a base plate, multiple mounting apertures adapted to releasably hold a man-portable equipment item, and non-invasive fasteners for attaching to a structure without damaging the structure. The non-invasive fasteners can include adhesive bonded fasteners which couple to a structure without damaging the structure and permit attachment and removal of the mounting system. The base plate and mounting apertures are designed to minimize mounting footprint and orient the man-portable equipment item in relation to a user structure or aperture such as a turret, egress point, portal, or other structure which requires a user to pass through a structure and have immediate access to the man-portable equipment item.