Pivotable Weapon Carriage for Military Vehicle Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Military vehicles equipped with weapon stations often exceed maximum permissible transport dimensions, requiring complex and time-consuming disassembly, and pose an increased risk due to hot parts, especially when transporting used weapons.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle design where the weapon carriage can be pivoted from an operating position to a lower transport position on the side of the vehicle, reducing height without needing additional storage space inside, using a pivot axis aligned with the vehicle's longitudinal direction and integrated with an azimuth rotary bearing, allowing for easy conversion and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of stationary object
If the weapon carriage is pivoted into the vehicle interior to reduce height, then the vehicle height is reduced for transport, but additional storage space inside the vehicle is required which is no longer available for other equipment or crew
Solution Approach 1:
The weapon carriage is pivoted laterally to the side of the vehicle rather than folding into the vehicle interior. This changes the dimension of space utilization from vertical (inside vehicle) to lateral (outside vehicle), allowing height reduction without compromising internal storage space or crew accommodation.
2Length of stationary object
If the weapon station is dismantled before loading, then the vehicle meets maximum permissible transport dimensions, but the process is complex and time-consuming and increases injury risk from hot parts
Solution Approach 1:
The weapon carriage is designed with a pivotable mounting that allows dynamic reconfiguration between operational position (vertical) and transport position (lateral). This eliminates the need for static disassembly and reassembly, enabling quick transformation before and after transport while avoiding handling of hot weapon parts.
Solution Approach 2:
The weapon carriage is pre-configured with a pivot mechanism that allows it to be quickly moved to the lateral transport position before loading occurs. This preliminary action prevents the need for complex disassembly during the loading process and eliminates exposure to hot parts.
3Volume of moving object
If the pivot axis runs in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, then the weapon carriage can be pivoted to the side with minimal storage space requirement, but the pivot bearing must be positioned close to the azimuth pivot bearing limiting installation space
Solution Approach 1:
The pivot axis is integrated with the existing azimuth rotary bearing structure, merging the pivoting function with the directional control mechanism. This combination eliminates the need for separate pivot bearing installation space while enabling lateral pivoting with minimal storage space requirements.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a vehicle (1) comprising a weapon carriage (8) which is pivotally mounted on a carriage base (7), the weapon carriage (8) being pivotable from an elevated operating position towards the vehicle side to a lower transport position.