Firearm Silencer with Porous Damping Insert for Weight Reduction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional silencers for handguns are heavy, leading to unfavorable recoil and reduced self-loading functionality, and often require additives like water, which need frequent replenishment, while also experiencing 'first-round pop' issues due to inadequate initial damping performance.

Innovation Solution

A silencer with a housing and high open porosity damper insert made from materials like aluminum, copper, or ceramics, which allows for quick gas cooling and absorption, reducing weight and sound pressure without the need for additives, and ensuring full damping performance from the first shot.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If a conventional silencer with rigid damping inserts is used, then sound reduction performance is improved, but the weight of the silencer increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound reduction performanceVSAvoidsilencer weight
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies porous damping inserts made from materials with high open porosity (metal foams, ceramic foams, carbon foams) to achieve sound reduction without the weight penalty of solid rigid materials. The porous structure provides large surface area for sound absorption while maintaining low density, directly resolving the contradiction between sound reduction performance and silencer weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The patent utilizes composite material structures combining different foam materials (metal, ceramic, carbon) with varying porosity and density characteristics to optimize both acoustic performance and weight. The composite approach allows tailoring the damping insert properties to achieve maximum sound reduction with minimum weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If a silencer is attached to the barrel of a handgun with recoiling barrel, then gas sealing is improved, but the recoil velocity decreases causing malfunction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvegas sealingVSAvoidrecoil velocity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The lightweight porous damping inserts reduce the overall mass of the silencer assembly, thereby minimizing the increase in recoiling mass when attached to the barrel. This allows the silencer to maintain gas sealing functionality while having minimal impact on recoil velocity and firearm operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

3Object-affected harmful factors

If a wet principle silencer with water damping medium is used, then sound reduction is improved and weight is reduced, but the damping medium requires frequent replenishment

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesound reductionVSAvoidmaintenance frequency
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs disposable or long-lasting porous damping inserts that eliminate the need for replenishable liquid damping media. The solid foam structures are designed to maintain their damping properties throughout the service life of the silencer, removing the maintenance burden of refilling water or other damping fluids.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #27Cheap short-living objects (Disposable)

Solution Approach 2:

The porous damping inserts are designed to be self-contained and maintenance-free, automatically performing sound damping functions without requiring external intervention or replenishment of damping media throughout the operational life of the silencer.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

4Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional silencers are used, then initial sound reduction is limited, but full damping performance is only achieved after the first shot

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinitial sound reductionVSAvoidtime to reach full performance
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The porous damping inserts provide immediate sound reduction effectiveness from the first shot due to their high surface area and optimized pore structure. The material geometry and distribution are designed to maximize acoustic energy absorption from the outset, eliminating the 'first-round pop' effect and achieving full damping performance immediately.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

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 solution provides a lightweight silencer with enhanced damping performance, suitable for firearms with movable barrels, eliminating 'first-round pop' and maintaining effectiveness without the need for additional damping media, thus improving recoil management and operational reliability.

Implementation Method 1

at least one gas expansion chamber is formed inside the silencer housing, which is connected to the firing channel, wherein at least one silencer insert is arranged in at least one of the at least one gas expansion chamber

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat transfer: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 2

slowing them down or reducing their velocity through turbulence

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTurbulence: Turbulence

Implementation Method 3

the at least one silencer insert comprises a stable material having a high open porosity

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAdsorption: Adsorption

Data Source

PatentEP3455578B1Silencer for a firearm
Publication Date: 2022.08.17 CHRISTANDL DIETER
  • EP3455578B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3455578B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5
  • EP3455578B1 patent drawingFigure 6(a)~6(b)

AI summary

The invention relates to a silencer (10) for a firearm, in particular a handgun, comprising a silencer housing (20) having a rear end wall (21) and a front end wall (21b) lying opposite the rear end wall (21a), wherein a shot channel (23) is formed between the two end walls, and at least one silencer insert (30), wherein at least one gas expansion chamber (25) is formed within the silencer housing (20), which gas expansion chamber is connected to the shot channel (23), wherein the at least one silencer insert (30) is arranged in at least one of the at least one gas expansion chamber (25), and wherein the at least one silencer insert (30) has a stable material having a high open porosity.