Slideable Shielding Member for Non-Detonating Cartridge Safety

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing non-detonating cartridges lack effective safety mechanisms to prevent accidental ignition due to electrostatic discharge or electromagnetic induction, and their design restricts flexibility in size and geometry, making them unsafe for transportation and use in confined spaces.

Innovation Solution

A non-detonating cartridge with a slideable shielding member that can be secured in either a safe or live position, preventing accidental initiation by protruding from the cartridge periphery in the safe position and aligning with the initiator in the live position, ensuring safe handling and use.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a safety mechanism is added to prevent accidental ignition, then safety is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
ImprovesafetyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding member is made slideable relative to the container, allowing dynamic repositioning between a first position (shielding the initiator) and a second position (exposing the initiator). This dynamic mechanism provides safety functionality while maintaining relatively simple construction, resolving the contradiction between improving safety and avoiding excessive complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Loss of information

If the shielding member protrudes from the cartridge periphery in safe position, then visual indication of status is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevisual indication of statusVSAvoidease of operation
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The shielding member protrudes from the cartridge periphery in the first position to provide a visible indication that the cartridge is in the safe position. This visual feedback mechanism allows users to quickly assess the cartridge status without requiring complex inspection procedures, effectively resolving the contradiction between providing clear status indication and maintaining ease of operation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #32Color changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the cartridge geometry is fixed for specific applications, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing precisionVSAvoidadaptability
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The slideable shielding member allows the cartridge to adapt to different operational requirements without changing the fundamental cartridge geometry. The mechanism can be positioned to shield or expose the initiator based on the specific application, providing versatility while maintaining manufacturing precision for the fixed cartridge structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP3824244B1A non-detonating cartridge
Publication Date: 2024.04.24 AUTOSTEM LTD
  • EP3824244B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3824244B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3824244B1 patent drawingFigure 5~7

AI summary

This invention relates to a non-detonating cartridge containing an explosive composition, and more particularly but not exclusively to a non-detonating cartridge having enhanced safety characteristics. The cartridge includes a container including a cavity suitable for receiving a low explosive composition; an initiator, for in use initiating the explosive composition inside the cavity; and a shielding member which is displaceable relative to the container between a safe position, in which the initiator is shielded from the cavity such that initiation of the initiator does not result in initiation of the explosive composition, and a live position in which the initiator is exposed to the cavity to permit initiation of the explosive composition. The cartridge is characterised in that the shielding member is slideably displaceable relative to the container.