Plastic Slide Pistol for Low-Impulse Ammunition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Small caliber training pistols face issues with thermal expansion and tribological behavior between aluminum and steel parts, leading to potential damage and safety concerns when firing low-impulse ammunition, and existing designs are not economically viable or safe for traditional ammunition use.
Innovation Solution
The use of plastic parts for the barrel and slide, combined with steel guides, reduces mass and prevents kinetic friction, while maintaining the appearance and handling of traditional pistols, with plastic parts being manufactured through injection molding or adhesive joints, and the barrel is offset to align with the original ammunition trajectory.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of moving object
If aluminum moveable parts are used to reduce mass, then the pistol can operate with low-impulse training ammunition, but thermal expansion and tribological behavior problems occur between aluminum and steel parts
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is divided into distinct functional segments: a plastic barrel cover and slide cover portion, and a residual metal slide portion. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized independently - the plastic portions reduce mass and prevent thermal expansion issues, while the metal guide portions maintain mechanical stability and tribological compatibility with the handle.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide is constructed as a composite structure combining plastic and metal materials. The plastic barrel cover and slide cover provide mass reduction and thermal stability, while the residual metal slide and steel guides maintain mechanical integrity and prevent problematic tribological interactions, creating a hybrid structure that leverages the advantages of both materials.
2Weight of moving object
If aluminum parts are used instead of steel, then mass is reduced enabling low-impulse ammunition operation, but kinetic friction between aluminum and steel causes damage and safety concerns
Solution Approach 1:
Steel guides are introduced as intermediary elements between the aluminum moveable parts and the steel handle. These guides act as a mediating layer that prevents direct kinetic friction contact between dissimilar materials, eliminating the harmful tribological interactions while allowing the aluminum components to maintain their mass reduction benefits.
Solution Approach 2:
The slide combines plastic and metal materials to create a composite structure where the plastic portions reduce mass and the residual metal slide with steel guides prevents kinetic friction damage. This composite approach allows the pistol to operate safely with low-impulse ammunition while avoiding the harmful friction issues that would occur with pure aluminum construction.
3Reliability
If traditional steel construction is used, then mechanical stability is maintained, but mass reduction is insufficient for proper operation with low-impulse training ammunition
Solution Approach 1:
The slide is segmented into plastic cover portions and a residual metal slide portion. This segmentation enables mass reduction through the use of lighter plastic materials in non-critical areas while preserving steel construction in the guide and impact base areas where mechanical stability is essential for proper low-impulse ammunition operation.
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the slide have different material qualities assigned based on functional requirements. The barrel cover and slide cover are made of plastic for mass reduction, while the guide and impact base areas retain steel construction for mechanical stability. This local differentiation of material properties optimizes both mass reduction and functional performance.
Data Source
AI summary
Pistols and methods of manufacture are provided. A representative pistol includes a slide, at least part of the slide being made of plastic; wherein the pistol is a small caliber pistol or pistol for low-impulse ammunition or training pistol. A representative method for manufacturing a pistol includes: forming a slide of the pistol, with at least part of the slide being made of plastic; wherein the pistol is a small caliber pistol or pistol for low-impulse ammunition or training pistol.