Tapered Dart Point Retaining Surface for Secure Friction Fit
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Solution Overview
Problem
Dart points often become loose or snap due to repeated impact, making them difficult to replace and remove from the dart barrel, especially when they snap flush with the barrel, requiring specialized tools.
Innovation Solution
A dart point design featuring a tapered retaining surface with a locking taper, allowing a frictional connection with the dart barrel, and an optional threaded joining part for secure attachment, along with a weakened portion for easy removal, addresses the issue of loose or snapped points.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a dart point is held in a dart barrel by friction between a cylindrical shaft and the inside of the dart barrel, then the dart point can be easily replaced, but the dart point becomes loose due to repeated impact
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the dart point shaft from a simple cylindrical shape to a tapered shape with a specific angle (e.g., 6.5° to 7.5°). This parameter change allows the shaft to maintain a tight fit in the dart barrel during repeated impacts while still enabling easy replacement by the user gripping the barrel and applying slight pulling pressure.
2Reliability
If a dart point screws into the dart barrel, then the dart point remains secure with repeated impact, but it requires an expensive re-pointing tool for replacement
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the threading mechanism from the dart point design, replacing it with a tapered friction-fit system. This allows the dart point to be replaced without specialized threading tools - the user simply grips the barrel and applies slight pulling pressure to remove the point, making replacement as easy as changing a shirt sleeve while maintaining secure retention during play.
3Reliability
If a dart point has a tight fit in the dart barrel to prevent loosening, then the dart point remains secure, but it requires a specialized re-pointing tool for removal
Solution Approach 1:
The tapered design enables the dart point to be self-installed and self-removed by the user without specialized tools. The user simply grips the barrel and applies slight pulling pressure to remove the point, making the system self-serviceable while maintaining secure retention during play through the tapered friction fit.
4Strength
If a dart point snaps at the junction with the dart barrel, then the point becomes difficult to remove, but it requires a protruding feature to grip onto for removal
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates a circumferential groove or weakened portion in the shaft at a predetermined location away from the barrel junction. This preliminary structural feature causes the dart point to snap at this predetermined location rather than at the junction with the barrel, ensuring that a portion of the shaft always protrudes from the barrel for easy gripping and removal, even after snapping.
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 design ensures the dart point remains securely attached during use and is easily replaceable without a specialist tool, preventing loosening and facilitating removal even if it snaps, enhancing user convenience and durability.
Implementation Method 1
the dart point may be attached to a dart barrel solely or primarily through a frictional connection between the locking taper and a corresponding tapering surface within the dart barrel
Data Source
AI summary
A dart point, the dart point having a distal end, a middle portion and a proximal end; wherein: the distal end is tapered to a point; the middle portion is substantially cylindrical; and the proximal end comprises a generally incompressible tapered retaining portion having a substantially continuous tapered retaining surface, being generally frusto-conical, wherein the taper becomes narrower in the direction passing from the distal end to the proximal end of the dart point.