Pop-Up Target Catch Mechanism for Gravity-Independent Hit Detection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pop-up targets often fail to indicate a hit when raised by an arm at the time of being struck, leading to inaccurate scoring and limited orientation use due to gravity dependence, which restricts their functionality in simulating real-world scenarios for law enforcement and military training.
Innovation Solution
A target system where a catch mechanism moves from a retracted to an extended position, allowing the target to be hit at any point during advancement, disengaging and returning to the retracted position upon impact, with optional biasing for automatic return if not hit within a time frame, enabling accurate scoring and gravity-independent operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a pop-up target uses an arm to raise the target during resetting, then the target can be returned to vertical position, but the target may not fall when hit by a bullet if struck during the raising process, leading to inaccurate scoring
Solution Approach 1:
The target system is divided into separate functional components: the target body, the catch mechanism, and the return mechanism. The catch is a separate element that engages with the target to hold it in the raised position, while the target itself remains free to fall when hit. This segmentation allows the target to independently respond to bullet impacts regardless of the catch's position.
Solution Approach 2:
The catch acts as an intermediary between the target and the support structure. It selectively engages with the target to hold it in the raised position during resetting, but allows the target to fall freely when hit. This intermediary mechanism resolves the conflict between maintaining target position and detecting hits accurately.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a pop-up target relies on gravity to retract the target after being hit, then the target can return to retracted position, but the target cannot be used in gravity-independent orientations, limiting versatility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces gravity-dependent mechanical retraction with an active return mechanism using a spring or motor. This substitution eliminates the need for gravity to retract the target, allowing the system to function in any orientation including ceiling-mounted configurations where gravity would work against the target's movement.
3Reliability
If a pop-up target uses a spring to draw the target back to upright position, then the target can return to vertical position, but the target may continue to be raised by the spring mechanism when hit, preventing proper hit indication
Solution Approach 1:
The return force mechanism (spring or motor) is extracted from direct connection with the target body and instead connected through the catch mechanism. The catch is held against the target by the return force, but when the target is hit, it disengages from the catch and falls freely without being propelled by the spring, ensuring accurate hit indication.
Data Source
AI summary
An omnidirectional target system includes a target movable between a retracted position and an extended position and an actuation mechanism for moving the target to the extended position, the target and the actuation mechanism being releaseable so that the target can be moved back into the retracted position despite movement of the actuation mechanism.