Spring-Loaded Firearm Release Carriage for Rapid Hands-Free Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing firearm storage solutions, such as glove compartments and console storage, hinder quick access to handguns for personal protection, as they often require key or biometric identification and are not readily accessible without manual intervention or visual inspection.
Innovation Solution
A firearm release apparatus comprising a spring-loaded carriage with adjustable end blocks that allows rapid ejection of a handgun from an enclosure, enabling ready access without hands or visual inspection, using a combination of springs and adjustable end blocks to accommodate various handgun sizes and secure the firearm with key, combination, or other locking mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a handgun is stored in a glove compartment or console, then security is improved and the firearm is concealed, but access speed deteriorates and the user cannot quickly retrieve the weapon for personal protection
Solution Approach 1:
The handgun is pre-positioned in an extended carriage that is ready for immediate ejection. The spring mechanism is pre-loaded and the carriage is positioned outside the enclosure, so that upon activation, the handgun is instantly presented to the user without requiring retrieval from deep storage.
Solution Approach 2:
The carriage acts as an intermediary mechanism between the secure enclosure and the user's hand. It extends the handgun outward on a rail system, allowing the weapon to be presented quickly while maintaining secure storage when retracted.
2Reliability
If a key or biometric identification system is used to secure the firearm, then security is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates and the user cannot access the weapon instantly without manual intervention
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows the user to self-activate the release mechanism through a simple tap or push on the exterior of the enclosure. This eliminates the need for keys, combinations, or biometric scanning, enabling instant activation while still maintaining security when the mechanism is engaged.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of requiring the user to input credentials to gain access, the system is activated by a simple external tap that triggers the ejection sequence. The security mechanism is inverted so that the default state requires active engagement to release, rather than requiring credentials to unlock.
3Reliability
If the user must visually inspect the case before activating the release, then safety is improved, but productivity deteriorates and the user loses valuable time during a threat response
Solution Approach 1:
The release mechanism is designed to be activated by a simple tap or push on the exterior of the enclosure, eliminating the need for visual inspection or manual manipulation of locks. The system responds automatically to the activation input, allowing the user to access the weapon instinctively during a threat response.
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 apparatus allows for rapid, hands-free, and eyes-free access to a handgun, ensuring quick retrieval while maintaining security, adaptable for various enclosures, and user-friendly for instinctive operation.
Implementation Method 1
a relatively larger spring is used to store the energy required to eject the entire carriage as a unit
Implementation Method 2
the one or more springs will lengthen or shorten as needed and thereby vary the gap between the two end blocks
Data Source
AI summary
A firearm release apparatus comprises a carriage with a rail that supports an end block fixed to a proximal end of the rail and adapted to releasably nest with the hammer end of a handgun. At least one spring member joins the proximal end block to a distal block that is adapted to cup the barrel end of a handgun. The gap width between the proximal end block and the distal end block is adjustable because the distal block is movable away from or toward the proximal end block depending on the tension applied to the at least one spring member. A handgun is mountable between the end blocks. A spring exerts force against an end of the rail such that when triggered, the carriage is ejected from an enclosure and the handgun is presented to a user in a ready state where the handgun grip is circumferentially free of obstructions.