Telescoping Support Pod With Angled Cam Grooves
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional bipods require two hands to adjust, limiting the user's ability to maintain the weapon's alignment and stability, and can inadvertently collapse under stress or gravity due to disengagement of teeth from notches.
Innovation Solution
A support pod with a telescopingly joined leg and tube system featuring downwardly angled grooves and recesses, allowing one-handed adjustment and secure locking through a lock ring, ensuring stability and preventing unintended length changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional bipods use horizontal parallel circumferential notches with latch or screw for height adjustment, then the bipod can be secured at a particular elevation, but two hands are required for adjustment which negates the shooter's ability to hold the weapon and view sights
Solution Approach 1:
The adjustment mechanism transitions from a static tooth-notch engagement to a dynamic cam-lob e engagement where the cam lobe rotates along the cam surface. This dynamic motion allows continuous height adjustment while maintaining secure engagement, enabling one-handed operation without increasing overall mechanism complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The cam surface is designed with a curved profile that guides the cam lobe during rotation. This curvature transforms the adjustment motion into a smooth rotational path, allowing the user to adjust height with a simple wrist motion while the cam mechanism internally handles the complex engagement and disengagement sequences
2Reliability
If conventional bipods use tooth-notch interlocking for extended state, then the bipod maintains fixed length, but the tooth can disengage from the notch under stress or impact causing inadvertent length shortening
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism is designed to maintain continuous contact between the cam lobe and cam surface through pre-loaded spring force. This preliminary anti-action counteracts the disengagement tendency by constantly pushing the cam lobe against the cam surface, preventing the locking failure that occurs when teeth disengage from notches under stress
Solution Approach 2:
The spring-loaded cam mechanism automatically maintains its locking force as the bipod leg extends or retracts. The spring continuously adjusts the cam lobe position to maintain engagement, providing self-regulating reliability without requiring external intervention or complex additional locking components
3Measurement precision
If conventional bipods require two hands for fine adjustment, then precise height setting is achievable, but the adjustment process is tedious and reduces user readiness
Solution Approach 1:
The cam mechanism allows continuous height adjustment through rotation rather than discrete tooth-notch steps. The cam lobe can be positioned at any point along the cam surface, providing infinite resolution within the adjustment range. This continuous action eliminates the back-and-forth retry process inherent in discrete mechanical adjustments, reducing time loss while maintaining precision
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanism changes the adjustment parameter from discrete angular positions (tooth-notch pairs) to continuous linear position along the cam surface. This parameter transformation allows the user to achieve precise height setting through a single rotational motion rather than multiple trial adjustments, significantly reducing adjustment time while maintaining or improving precision
Data Source
AI summary
A support pod that supports a weapon in a firing position includes a support tube telescopingly joined with a leg having a longitudinal axis. A lock portion defines grooves downwardly angled relative to the longitudinal axis. A guide portion defines recesses downwardly angled relative to the axis. The recesses can be distal and separate from the grooves, and both optionally are downwardly spiraling. The leg is operable in a locked mode, in which a lock element is in a groove, and a guide element is in a corresponding recess, to set a first overall length of the support. The leg can operate in an adjustment mode in which the lock and guide element can transition out from the groove and recess, and can move to other respective grooves and recesses chosen by a user to set the pod at another overall length. A related method of use is provided.