Optical Sight Tumbler Flexure and Locking Mechanism

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing firearm optical sights with movable tumblers are cumbersome, prone to unintended adjustments due to manual contact or physical shocks, and have complex mechanisms that increase cost and size, making them difficult to assemble and maintain.

Innovation Solution

A compact optical sight design featuring a flexure assembly with a ball bearing and adjustable tumbler assembly that uses a resilient flexure to accommodate pivotal and tilting movements, ensuring secure alignment and easy adjustment, while a magnification control module allows seamless switching between magnification settings with a robust locking mechanism.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a manually-operable mechanism is provided to move the tumbler between positions, then the sight can switch between magnification settings, but the mechanism is physically larger than desirable and difficult to assemble and disassemble

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnification switching capabilityVSAvoidmechanism structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The sight is divided into modular components: a base, a cartridge that houses the tumbler assembly, and a magnification control module. The cartridge can be removed and replaced as a single unit, simplifying assembly and maintenance while maintaining magnification switching capability through the integrated tumbler mechanism within the cartridge.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The tumbler assembly is nested within the cartridge, which itself is nested within the sight body. The magnification control module operates the tumbler from within this nested structure. This nesting reduces overall complexity by containing moving parts within a removable module rather than requiring a complex integrated mechanism throughout the entire sight.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

2Manufacturing precision

If pre-existing adjustment mechanisms are used for the movable tumbler, then calibration can be achieved, but the mechanisms involve a significant number of parts making them more expensive and less compact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetumbler alignmentVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The elevation adjustment and tilt adjustment mechanisms are merged into a single integrated adjustment system within the cartridge. The adjustability features are combined in the cartridge assembly rather than being separate mechanisms, reducing the total number of parts while maintaining the ability to achieve precise alignment of the tumbler optics with the sight's other optical elements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If a manual mechanism is provided for tumbler movement, then magnification control is possible, but inadvertent contact or physical shock can cause unintended release and movement to invalid positions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemagnification controlVSAvoidposition stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The magnification control module incorporates a locking mechanism that pre-emptively prevents unintended tumbler movement. The design includes features such as a detent system or locking lugs that engage with the tumbler at valid positions, requiring a deliberate unlocking action before the tumbler can move. This preliminary anti-action counteracts the harmful effect of inadvertent contact or shock that could otherwise cause unintended release and movement to invalid positions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

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 design enhances the reliability and compactness of the optical sight, preventing unintended adjustments and simplifying assembly and maintenance, ensuring accurate magnification control in combat situations.

Implementation Method 1

A compact optical sight design featuring a flexure assembly with a ball bearing and adjustable tumbler assembly that uses a resilient flexure to accommodate pivotal and tilting movements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectBall bearing: Ball Bearing

Implementation Method 2

adjustable tumbler assembly that uses a resilient flexure to accommodate pivotal and tilting movements

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Data Source

PatentUS8151509B2Method and apparatus for adjustably supporting a component in an optical sight

Publication Date: 2012.04.10 RAYTHEON CANADA LTD

AI summary

A method and apparatus relate to an optical sight that includes a first section, and a second section having optics thereon and having spaced first and second portions. One aspect of the method and apparatus involves: adjustably positioning the first portion relative to the first section; and yieldably urging movement of the second portion toward a target position relative to the first section while yieldably resisting movement of the second portion away from the target position, movement of the first portion by the adjusting structure effecting movement of the second portion relative to the first section.