Projectile Hopper Refill With Non-Return Flap and Clear Sightline
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projectile launchers face issues with inefficient reloading systems that cause projectile spillage and sightline blockage, particularly in top-mounted magazines, which are not suitable for fast reloading and maintain clear aiming.
Innovation Solution
A projectile launcher design featuring a removable magazine and a non-return flap in the hopper that opens and closes based on the launcher's rotation, allowing easy refilling without spillage and maintaining a clear sightline.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a top-mounted magazine is used for fast reloading, then reloading speed is improved, but it blocks the sightline and affects aiming
Solution Approach 1:
The magazine is repositioned from a top-mounted configuration to a side-mounted configuration on the projectile launcher. This dimensional change in placement allows the magazine to be located at the side of the hopper rather than on top, eliminating the sightline blockage issue while preserving the fast reloading capability through the same gravity-actuated transfer mechanism
2Productivity
If projectiles are transferred using gravity flow, then transfer speed is improved, but projectile spillage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
A controlled transfer opening is introduced as an intermediary mechanism between the magazine and hopper. This opening acts as a mediator that allows gravity to drive the projectile flow for high transfer speed, while simultaneously controlling and limiting the flow to prevent spillage outside the hopper
3Productivity
If a removable magazine is used for quick reloading, then reloading efficiency is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The ammunition storage system is segmented into a removable magazine component and a fixed hopper component. This segmentation allows the magazine to be easily detached and replaced for quick reloading, while the hopper remains integrated with the launcher. The simple separation into two distinct parts avoids excessive complexity while enabling efficient reloading
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
Enables quick and spill-free reloading by using a removable magazine and a gravity-actuated non-return flap, ensuring efficient projectile transfer and maintaining clear aiming during operation.
Implementation Method 1
when the projectile launcher is rotated from a neutral position to a rotated position, a plurality of projectiles may flow from the magazine to a hopper. When the projectile launcher is rotated back to the neutral position, the projectiles are restricted from returning to the magazine by the non-return flap
Data Source
AI summary
A projectile launcher (101) comprising a projectile hopper (401) that it refillable from a by a removable magazine (202). The projectile hopper comprising a non-return flap (403) that transitions to an open position (602) when the projectile launcher is transitioned to a rotated position (601), allowing projectiles (503) to flow from the magazine (202) to the projectile hopper (401), wherein the non-return flap (403) transitions to a closed position (702) when the projectile launcher (101) is transitioned to a neutral position (501), restricting the projectiles (701) within the hopper from flowing back to the magazine.