Spring-Latched Gear Mount for Fast Duty Belt Reconfiguration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Duty belts used by police officers are cumbersome for adding and removing gear items, requiring the removal of all items or the gear item from its case, which is inefficient and inconvenient during shifts or when transitioning gear between belts and vests.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising knobs attached to gear items, a latch that attaches to carriers, and optional adapters for quick attachment and detachment, utilizing a spring-loaded mechanism to securely hold or release the knobs, allowing for easy addition and removal of gear from duty belts or other carriers like vests equipped with PALS webbing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If gear items are securely attached to the duty belt using traditional methods (keepers, hook and loop), then the gear remains stable and does not slide, but the gear cannot be quickly added or removed during shifts
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system is divided into separate components: a duty belt with keeper elements, individual gear items with attachment elements, and a quick-release mechanism. This segmentation allows each component to be independently optimized and enables rapid attachment/detachment without affecting other gear items on the belt.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment system transitions from static traditional keepers to a dynamic quick-release mechanism that can rapidly change state between attached and detached. The spring-loaded button mechanism provides dynamic control, allowing the officer to quickly transition gear between secured and removable states with a simple pressing motion.
2Ease of operation
If all gear items are removed from the duty belt to access a specific item, then the desired gear can be accessed, but this is time-consuming and inefficient during shifts
Solution Approach 1:
Each gear item has its own independent attachment mechanism, allowing individual items to be attached or removed without affecting other gear on the belt. This segmentation enables officers to quickly access specific items by simply detaching the desired gear item while leaving others in place.
Solution Approach 2:
Gear items are pre-equipped with attachment elements (keepers, hooks, or magnetic components) that are ready for immediate engagement with the duty belt. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for complex assembly during shifts, allowing rapid attachment when gear is needed.
3Adaptability or versatility
If gear items slide on the duty belt during movement, then the gear can be repositioned, but this creates instability and interference during operation
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment system provides dynamic positioning capability where gear can be easily moved along the belt by detaching and reattaching at different positions. Once positioned, the quick-release mechanism securely locks the gear in place, providing stability during movement while maintaining the ability to reposition when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows changes in gear position along the duty belt by modifying the attachment location parameter. Officers can attach gear at different points on the belt to optimize positioning for specific tasks or body types, then secure it firmly to prevent unwanted sliding during operation.
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 easy addition or removal of gear items during shifts, allowing for flexible reconfiguration of gear placement on the belt or transfer between belts and vests, enhancing operational efficiency and comfort by allowing items to be moved without disassembling the entire belt.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing mechanism which is typically a coil spring
Implementation Method 2
The spring sits between and pushes against the spring walls of the sliders to bias the sliders away from each other to the latched position
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes knobs on an item of gear and a latch attached to a carrier. Each knob has a neck and a head with a larger diameter. First and second sliders fit into a latch frame. Hooks on the sliders form expandable apertures. To attach, the knob is pushed against the slider hooks to expand the aperture. After the head passes through the aperture, a spring biases the hooks together, so the aperture width is smaller than the head diameter, capturing the knob. A carrier adapter adapts the latch to a carrier. Adapters are available for duty belts, PALS-equipped carriers, and horizontal slots.