Projectile Feeder Cap Tether for Quick-Turn Securing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projectile feeders have limitations in terms of ease of use and efficiency, particularly in securing caps and ensuring smooth discharge of projectiles.
Innovation Solution
A projectile feeder design featuring a cap tethered to the feeder shell with a simple quick-turn connection, a feeder plate with securing arms, and a discharge opening angled to facilitate easy loading and discharge, along with a cap that secures with a half-turn or quarter-turn mechanism.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a traditional cap securing mechanism is used, then the cap can be securely attached to close the fill opening, but the cap requires multiple turns to secure and may cause twisting of the cap tether
Solution Approach 1:
The cap securing mechanism is segmented into distinct functional elements: a connector with external threads on the housing, a cap with internal threads, and a tether attachment point. This segmentation allows the cap to be independently rotated and secured in a controlled manner, reducing unnecessary twisting of the tether while maintaining secure closure.
Solution Approach 2:
The connector acts as an intermediary element between the housing and the cap. It provides a dedicated threaded interface that mediates the securing action, allowing the cap to be attached with minimal rotation (one-half to one-quarter turn) while the tether attaches separately to the connector, preventing tether twisting during the securing process.
2Ease of operation
If the cap tether is made longer to prevent twisting, then the cap can be secured more easily, but the tether may interfere with the discharge opening or become overly complex
Solution Approach 1:
The connector is designed with the tether attachment point positioned at an optimal location that creates an equipotential arrangement - the tether has sufficient length and routing to allow free cap movement and securing without twisting, but not so long that it interferes with the discharge opening or adds unnecessary complexity. The connector structure itself provides a natural routing path for the tether.
3Ease of repair
If the filler door is made removable for easy cleaning, then maintenance is improved, but the structural integrity and sealing may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The filler door assembly is segmented into the door itself and the housing, with a defined interface. The door can be independently removed for cleaning while the housing remains intact. The connector and cap assembly provide continued sealing functionality even when the door is removed, maintaining system reliability during maintenance operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A projectile feeder having a housing, a cap and a cap tether. The housing has an enclosed shell with a fill opening for loading projectiles, a receiver adjacent the fill opening, an internal cavity, and a discharge opening at a bottom of the shell. The cap has a rotatable securing member extending from a top of the cap. The cap tether has a first end and a second end. The first end of the tether is connected to the receiver and the second end is connected to the rotatable securing member of the cap.