Striker Fired Pistol Cover Plate Button Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional striker fired pistols require dry firing to disassemble, which can lead to accidental shootings and injuries due to the need to remove the round from the chamber before disassembly, as the cover plate remains in place until the striker is released on an empty chamber.
Innovation Solution
A striker fired pistol design where a cover plate with a button mechanism allows the slide to be disassembled without dry firing by compressing the striker spring, enabling the slide to be removed from the frame without interference from the striker plate, eliminating the need for a takedown feature forward of the trigger pivot pin.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cover plate remains in place on the slide during disassembly, then the striker is retained securely, but the user must dry fire the pistol to remove the round from the chamber before disassembly, leading to accidental shootings and injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate is segmented into a main body and a removable button component. The button can be independently depressed to release the striker, allowing the cover plate to remain on the slide while the striker is safely discharged. This segmentation enables the disassembly process to proceed without requiring the user to dry fire the pistol, eliminating accidental discharge risks while maintaining striker retention during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The design allows the striker to be preliminarily discharged by depressing the button on the cover plate before slide removal. This preliminary action of releasing the striker while the cover plate remains in place eliminates the need for dry firing, thereby preventing accidental discharges during the disassembly process while ensuring the striker is safely discharged beforehand.
2Reliability
If the user must unload the pistol and dry fire to disassemble, then the striker is safely released, but the disassembly process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The cover plate is divided into a stationary body and a movable button. The button can be independently depressed to release the striker without removing the cover plate from the slide. This segmentation simplifies the disassembly process to merely depressing the button, eliminating the need for unloading, dry firing, and complex manual operations while ensuring safe striker release.
Solution Approach 2:
The button on the cover plate is designed to be manually depressed by the user to automatically release the striker. This self-service mechanism allows the user to safely discharge the striker through a simple button press without requiring knowledge of complex disassembly procedures or additional steps such as unloading and dry firing, greatly simplifying the operation.
3Reliability
If a retainer forward of the trigger pivot pin is used to prevent slide movement, then the slide is secured during firing, but an additional component and operation are required for disassembly
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the striker release function from the traditional retainer mechanism forward of the trigger pivot pin. Instead of using a complex retainer system that requires forward movement to disengage, the release function is integrated into the cover plate button at the rear of the slide. This extraction eliminates the need for the additional retainer component and its associated disassembly operations while maintaining slide security during firing.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover plate button serves multiple functions: it retains the striker during normal operation and provides the disassembly mechanism by depressing to release the striker. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for a separate retainer system forward of the trigger pivot pin, reducing device complexity while maintaining both slide security and enabling simple disassembly through a single component.
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
This design enhances safety by allowing disassembly without the risk of accidental discharges, as the user can remove the slide without needing to unload the pistol, reducing the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
Implementation Method 1
a striker spring positioned in the cover plate and configured to bias the striker toward the firing pin
Data Source
AI summary
A pistol having a frame and a slide assembly slideably coupled to the frame is disclosed. The slide assembly includes a plate including a housing and a button slideably coupled to the slide assembly near a rear of the pistol. The plate further includes a bearing surface for contacting the frame to limit the forward travel of the slide relative to the frame.