Method for manufacturing a component for manipulating an input shock wave - Patent Application 20070122947

Abstract

A method (100) of manufacturing a component (1) for manipulating an input shock wave is provided, the method comprising the steps of forming a plurality of plates (31), each plate defining a sub-cavity (50), at least partially filling one or more of the sub-cavities (50) with one or more cavity fillers (207), and stacking the plurality of plates (31) to form the component (1) such that the sub-cavities (50) are at least partially aligned and combine to define a layered component cavity (205) that houses the one or more cavity fillers (207).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing components for manipulating input shock waves, and more particularly to a method of manufacturing components for use in a method and apparatus for generating high localized concentrations of energy. [Background technology]

[0002] In Patent Document 1, it was shown that the interaction between shock waves of a non-gaseous medium and a gaseous medium can generate a high-velocity transverse jet of the non-gaseous medium moving through the gaseous medium, for example, causing the jet to impinge on and capture a volume of the gaseous medium against a target, which creates a strong concentration of energy within the gas. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2011 / 138622 Summary of the Invention

[0004] The present invention aims to provide a method for manufacturing components for use in alternative techniques for generating localized energy concentrations.

[0005] Viewed from a first aspect, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a component for manipulating an input shock wave, the method comprising: forming a plurality of plates, each plate defining a sub-cavity; at least partially filling one or more of the sub-cavities with one or more cavity filler materials; stacking the plurality of plates to form a component such that the sub-cavities are at least partially aligned and combine to define a layered component cavity that receives the one or more cavity fillers; Equipped with.

[0006] Accordingly, the present invention provides a method of manufacturing a component that manipulates shock waves as they impinge on the component. The component cavity preferably includes (defines) an input (e.g., opening) arranged to receive an incident (input) shock wave at the input of the cavity. The component cavity is arranged (e.g., formed) to manipulate the shock wave as it passes through the component cavity. The component cavity preferably includes (defines) an output (e.g., opening) arranged to output the manipulating shock wave.

[0007] The plate is made of (comprises, e.g., consists of) a first material. One or more of the sub-cavities contains (e.g., is at least partially filled with) a second material, which is a cavity filler. Thus, (the shape of) the cavity is defined by (e.g., its inner wall) of the plate (made of the first material), and the cavity filler is located within the volume of the cavity.

[0008] It should therefore be appreciated that the component can be used to manipulate (e.g., modify the shape and / or intensity of) an input shock wave due to the difference in shock impedance of the cavity (e.g., its shape) and the first and second materials. In this manner, the shock wave transmitted from the output of the cavity may have a greater intensity (e.g., energy) than the input shock wave received at the input of the cavity.

[0009] The method comprises filling one or more of the sub-cavities (e.g., all or a subset of the sub-cavities) with one or more (e.g., single or multiple different) cavity fillers (e.g., partially filling or completely filling a volume defined by the one or more cavity fillers). Preferably, the step of filling one or more of the sub-cavities with the one or more cavity fillers is performed before the step of stacking the multiple plates to form the component.

[0010] The method comprises stacking (e.g., arranging in parallel) a plurality of plates to form a component such that the sub-cavities are at least partially aligned (e.g., overlapping) and combine to define a layered component cavity (e.g., an entire cavity made up of layers, each layer defined by a sub-cavity) that receives one or more cavity fillers. Preferably, stacking the plurality of plates to form the component is performed after filling one or more of the sub-cavities with one or more cavity fillers.

[0011] Components with layered component cavities can be formed by forming a single body, milling the body to form the cavity, and then fitting the layers to the cavity. However, for components with small dimensions (e.g., less than mm scale), this approach makes it difficult to form the component with acceptable tolerances between the layers and between the layers and the cavity walls. Small imperfections in the component are undesirable because they can significantly affect how the component manipulates an input shock wave (e.g., modifying its shape and / or strength).

[0012] Manufacturing and assembling components from stacks of individual plates tends to allow laminar component cavities to be formed more easily and with greater manufacturing precision, and the disassembly of components is useful for quality assurance and testing purposes.

[0013] In an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of plates (e.g., all or a subset thereof) are constructed of (comprise, e.g., consist of) a high density material (e.g., a material that has a high shock impedance such that the material generally reflects an incoming shock wave).

[0014] In embodiments, one or more of the sub-cavities extend through the entire depth of the respective plate (e.g., from one side of the plate to the opposing side of the plate). In embodiments, one or more of the sub-cavities do not extend through the entire depth of the respective plate (e.g., the sub-cavities are formed as recesses or depressions in the respective plate).

[0015] In an embodiment, one or more (eg, all or a subset) of the plurality of plates are composed of (comprises, eg, consists of) a (eg, transition) metal.

[0016] In an embodiment, one or more of the plurality of plates (e.g., all or a subset thereof) are composed of (e.g., comprise, e.g., consist of) a heavy metal, such as tantalum, tungsten, copper, steel, or platinum.

[0017] In embodiments, the or each cavity filler has a lower density (e.g., lower shock impedance) than one or more (e.g., all) of the plurality of plates. Thus, the shape and / or intensity of an input shock wave can be manipulated by the component cavity, as the shock wave can be reflected longitudinally from the boundaries between the sub-cavities and / or plates, and also transversely from the cavity walls (at the edges of the sub-cavities).

[0018] In an embodiment, the method comprises filling one or more (e.g., all or a subset) of the sub-cavities (e.g., partially filling or completely filling the volume defined thereby) with plastic material.

[0019] The sub-cavities may be filled using any suitable manufacturing method, such as additive manufacturing or injection molding.

[0020] In embodiments, the method comprises filling one or more (e.g., all or a subset) of the sub-cavities (e.g., partially filling or completely filling the volume defined thereby) with an injectable material (e.g., plastic in liquid form), and then, for example, curing (e.g., solidifying) the injectable material. In embodiments, curing the injectable material may comprise exposing the injectable material to UV light. In embodiments, curing the injectable material may comprise exposing the injectable material to heat (e.g., from an oven or from a heat gun).

[0021] Filling one or more cavities with injectable material helps ensure that the cavity filler conforms precisely to the shape of the sub-cavities. Additionally, forming the components in layers helps to individually fill one or more sub-cavities, mitigating difficulties associated with deep layers of injectable material, such as the formation of air bubbles during injection or the inability of UV light to penetrate the entire depth of the injectable material, resulting in uneven curing of the injectable material.

[0022] In an embodiment, one or more sub-cavities (e.g. all or a subset thereof) are overfilled (e.g. the volume of the cavity filler exceeds the volume of the sub-cavity). Preferably, therefore, the method comprises overfilling one or more sub-cavities. Preferably, the method comprises milling (e.g. sanding, grinding, scraping, laser removing) the surfaces of one or more of the plurality of plates to remove excess material (e.g. remove excess (sub)cavity filler and excess plate material) and smooth the surfaces of the plates (e.g. remove surface imperfections).

[0023] In an embodiment, forming the plate may comprise forming the plate slightly thicker (in a dimension perpendicular to their plane) than the required final dimension. Preferably, (the first material of) the plate and, for example, excess cavity filler material are milled together. This tends to improve the quality of the surface finish. Since the cavity filler material and the material of the plate itself are milled together, it tends to avoid steps at the edges of the sub-cavities.

[0024] Although the injectable material may comprise any suitable material, in embodiments the injectable material comprises an injectable plastic material, for example polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) or epoxy resin.

[0025] The present invention also extends to components manufactured by the methods outlined herein, and it will be appreciated that, where applicable, any (e.g., optional and preferred) features outlined herein with respect to the methods apply equally to the components, and vice versa.

[0026] In an embodiment, the component cavity comprises an input portion (e.g., opening) for receiving (e.g., designed to receive) an (input) shock wave and an output portion (e.g., opening) for outputting (e.g., designed to output) the shock wave, and the component cavity is formed (e.g., sub-cavities are formed and positioned relative to each other) such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the (e.g., corresponding) output portion.

[0027] The cross-sectional areas of the input and / or output portions may be defined in a plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction between the input and output portions, e.g., such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion is generally parallel to the cross-sectional area of ​​the output portion, which may (e.g., in embodiments of the present invention) be generally parallel to the direction in which an input shock wave is arranged to propagate incident on the component.

[0028] In an embodiment, each sub-cavity has an input (e.g., an opening) for receiving shock waves and an output for outputting shock waves, and one or more of the sub-cavities are formed such that the cross-sectional area of ​​the input is greater than the cross-sectional area of ​​the output.

[0029] The plates may have any suitable and desired shape (e.g., the (internal) walls thereof) that define the sub-cavities. In an embodiment, one or more of the sub-cavities (e.g., all or a subset thereof) comprise a frustum, e.g., one or more plates are formed to define frustum-shaped sub-cavities.

[0030] The frustum may comprise any suitable and desired type of frustum. In an embodiment, one or more of the sub-cavities comprise a truncated cone. Preferably, therefore, one or more of the sub-cavities (e.g., all or a subset thereof) are rotationally symmetric about an axis passing through the sub-cavity. Preferably, the axis of the plate or sub-cavity is parallel to the direction between the input and output portions.

[0031] In embodiments, one or more sub-cavities (a cross section and / or a wall thereof) may comprise two or more portions at different angles relative to the axis of the sub-cavity (e.g., an axis about which the sub-cavity is rotationally symmetric, e.g., the axis is parallel to the direction between the input and output). Thus, for example, one or more sub-cavities may comprise two or more frustums (e.g., sharing a common axis), with the two or more frustums having sidewalls at different angles relative to the axis of the sub-cavity. The different angles may facilitate steering an input shock wave in a particular manner, for example, accelerating the input shock wave from the input to the output.

[0032] In embodiments in which one or more subcavities have three or more frustum sections, each section may be at a different angle relative to each of the other sections, although two or more sections may be at the same angle with one or more intermediate sections of the subcavity at a different angle.

[0033] In embodiments, instead of or in addition to one or more subcavities having one or more straight lateral portions (in cross section), one or more subcavities may have a cross section with one or more portions having curved walls. For example, one or more subcavities may comprise a flared (e.g., conical) frustum, and the subcavity walls may be curved (e.g., elliptically). These types of shapes may tend to provide greater uniformity of the shock front and shock shape at the output.

[0034] In an embodiment, two or more of the plurality of plates include one or more alignment holes (e.g., through-holes) configured (e.g., sized and shaped to receive) alignment members (e.g., pins), and the method includes aligning the two or more plates by inserting the one or more alignment members through the one or more alignment holes.

[0035] In embodiments, two or more of the plurality of plates include one or more fastener holes (e.g., through holes) configured (e.g., sized and shaped to receive) a fastener (e.g., rod or bolt). The method includes fastening the two or more plates to one another by inserting one or more fasteners through the one or more fastener holes. Fastening the two or more plates to one another with fasteners that pass through the fastener holes in the plates facilitates fastening the plates to one another while also facilitating maintaining the alignment of the plates relative to one another.

[0036] In alternative embodiments, the plates may be fastened together in other ways, such as with fasteners or adhesive.

[0037] The plurality of plates can have any suitable and desired thickness (the dimension perpendicular to the plane in which the plates extend and are parallel to one another). For example, each of the plurality of plates has the same thickness. In embodiments, the plurality of plates (e.g., each of them) has a different thickness.

[0038] In an embodiment, the thickness of the plurality of plates (eg, plates defining the sub-cavities) decreases (eg, progressively) from the input portion to the output portion.

[0039] While each (e.g., all) plates making up the component may define a sub-cavity, in embodiments the plurality of plates (each defining a sub-cavity) is a plurality of first plates, the method further comprising forming one or more second plates that do not include (e.g., do not define) a sub-cavity and stacking (e.g., arranging parallel to) the second plate(s) on the first plate(s).

[0040] In an embodiment, the second plate is made of (comprises, e.g. consists of) the same material as the first plate (e.g. a heavy metal such as tantalum, platinum, copper, steel or tungsten).

[0041] In embodiments, the plurality of first plates and one or more second plates are stacked such that the plates alternate between first and second plates, e.g., (each of one or more) first plates are adjacent to (sandwiched between) two second plates and / or (each of one or more) second plates are adjacent to (sandwiched between) two first plates, resulting in a component cavity containing multiple parallel layers of alternating cavity filler material and second plate material.

[0042] Providing multiple parallel layers within a component cavity tends to superimpose components of an input shock wave that are reflected from the boundaries between the parallel layers, which tends to amplify the strength of the shock wave between the input and output portions of the component cavity.

[0043] In such an embodiment, although each sub-cavity is separated from an adjacent sub-cavity by a second plate, it should be understood that the sub-cavities still combine to form a combined component cavity, as the effect of the component cavities on an input shock wave may still be the same as if the body were constructed as a single piece defining a single cavity and then that cavity were filled with multiple parallel layers (e.g., comprising a cavity filler layer and a second plate material layer).

[0044] The one or more second plates can have any suitable and desired thickness (the dimension perpendicular to the plane in which the second plate extends and which is parallel to the first plate). For example, each of the second plates has the same thickness. In embodiments, the one or more second plates (e.g., each of them) have different thicknesses. Preferably, one or more (e.g., all) (e.g., each) of the at least one second layer has a thickness greater than one or more (e.g., all) (e.g., each) of the at least one first layer.

[0045] In embodiments where the plurality of parallel layers comprises a plurality of first layers and / or a plurality of second layers, each of the plurality of first layers may have the same thickness and / or each of the plurality of second layers may have the same thickness, and preferably (e.g., each of) the plurality of second layers has a thickness greater than (e.g., each of) the thickness of the plurality of first layers. In embodiments, the thickness of the plurality of second layers decreases (e.g., progressively) from the input portion to the output portion.

[0046] The component may have any suitable and desired dimensions, which will be determined by the particular application of the component, hi one embodiment, the component (e.g., its layered component cavity) has a thickness, diameter and / or maximum dimension of 0.1 mm to 100 mm, e.g., 1 mm to 50 mm, e.g., 2 mm to 10 mm, e.g., about 3 mm, 5 mm, or 8 mm.

[0047] As used herein, the term "shock impedance" should be understood to mean "the pressure that must be exerted on a medium to give a portion of the medium a unit particle velocity" (Henderson, "On the refraction of shock waves," Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Vol. 198, January 1989, pp. 365-386), which is equal to the product of the shock velocity and the density of the non-shocked material.

[0048] It should be understood that the input shock wave may be formed external to the component (e.g., the element) and propagate within the component, but may additionally or alternatively be generated within the component (e.g., the element) by, for example, the component (e.g., the element) being struck (e.g., by a projectile). Both alternatives are encompassed by the term "input shock wave."

[0049] Embodiments of the components may be suitable for manipulating (e.g., amplifying) shock waves, for example, for purposes of creating conditions suitable for nuclear fusion (e.g., to create localized energy concentrations). However, the components may also be used for other applications, such as, but not limited to, testing safety equipment such as crash helmets. In one example, the components may be used to provide impact shock waves for testing impact force attenuation and diffusion structures such as those shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,065,319. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0050] [Figure 1] 1 shows a cut-through perspective view of a component for manipulating an input shock wave that has not been produced using the method of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 shows a cut-through perspective view of components for manipulating an input shock wave produced using a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] 3 shows a system incorporating the components of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 shows a cut-through perspective view of a single layer of the component of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 3 shows another single layer cut-through perspective view of the component of FIG. 2. [Figure 6] 3 shows an exploded view of the component plate of FIG. 2. [Figure 7] 1 shows a flow chart illustrating a method according to one embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 8] 3 shows a modification of the components of FIG. 2. [Figure 9] 3 shows another modification of the components of FIG. 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0051] Specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0052] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Methods for fabricating components for manipulating an input shock wave (eg, generating a localized energy concentration from an input shock wave) are described herein.

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a cut-away perspective view of a component 201 for generating a localized energy concentration from an input shock wave. The component 201 includes a body 203 defining a hollow, frusto-conical component cavity 205 having a cavity wall 206. The body 203 is constructed of a material having a high shock impedance. The cavity 205 contains a cavity filler 207 having a low shock impedance. The cavity filler 207 has a lower shock impedance than the shock impedance of the body 203. Within the cavity 205 are a plurality of parallel high shock impedance layers 232. The plurality of high shock impedance layers 232 separate the cavity filler 207 from a plurality of low shock impedance layers 230.

[0054] The body 203 may be made of tantalum, although the body may be made of any suitable material, for example platinum, copper, steel or any other suitable (heavy) metal such as tungsten.

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment, cavity filler 207 is polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA), although cavity filler 207 may be any suitable material.

[0056] Component 1 can be formed by milling body 203 to form cavity 205, and then fitting low and high shock impedance layers 230, 232 into cavity 205. However, due to the small dimensions (e.g., less than mm scale), it is difficult to form component 201 in this embodiment with acceptable tolerances between the layers and between the layers and cavity walls 206. Also, it is difficult to get the high shock impedance layers in place without deforming or destroying them. Small imperfections in component 201 are undesirable because they can significantly affect how the component handles incoming shock waves.

[0057] Figure 2 shows a cut-through perspective view of a component 1 substantially similar to component 1 shown in Figure 1, but constructed of layers. Thus, according to an embodiment of the present invention, the component is not formed as a body having a cavity and then filled with layers (e.g., like component 201 shown in Figure 1). Instead, the component is manufactured and assembled as a stack of separate layers that, when joined, form substantially the same cavity as shown in Figure 1, but with greater manufacturing precision.

[0058] In the embodiment of FIG. 2 , the low shock impedance layer 30 is formed by a sub-cavity defined by a first plate 31, and the high shock impedance layer 32 is formed as a second plate 33. Both the first plate 31 and the second plate 33 span the cross-sectional area of ​​the component 1, but each of the first plates 31 defines a sub-cavity 50, while the second plate 33 is solid. Thus, the body 3 itself is composed of parallel layers. The component cavity 5 has an input portion 9 configured to receive a shock wave and an output portion 11 configured to output the shock wave after it propagates through the component 1. The cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion 9 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the output portion 11. Similarly, as can be seen in FIG. 4 , each sub-cavity has an input portion 509 and an output portion 511, with the cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion 509 of each sub-cavity 50 being larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the output portion 511 of that sub-cavity 50. In the illustrated embodiment, each sub-cavity 50 is formed as a truncated cone.

[0059] The component 1 itself has an input face 10 proximate to the input 9 of the cavity 5 and an output face 12 proximate to the output 11 of the cavity 5 .

[0060] The cavity 5 is filled with a low shock impedance layer 30 made of a low shock impedance cavity filler 7 (PMMA in the illustrated embodiment) and a high shock impedance layer 32 made of a plate of a high shock impedance material (tantalum in the illustrated embodiment). The high shock impedance layer 32 is made of a material that has a higher shock impedance than the material making up the low shock impedance layer 30.

[0061] In the illustrated embodiment, each sub-cavity 50 is separated from adjacent sub-cavities 50 by a second plate 33, but it should be understood that the sub-cavities 50 still combine to form a combined component cavity 5, since the effect of the component cavities 5 on an input shock wave would still be the same as if the body were constructed as a single piece defining a single cavity (e.g., as in FIG. 1 ) and then that cavity were filled with multiple parallel layers of alternating high and low impact impedance layers.

[0062] The parallel layers alternate layer by layer from low shock impedance layer 30 to high shock impedance layer 32. In the illustrated embodiment, the input layer 34 that makes up the input face 10 of component 1 is the low shock impedance layer 30. This is because an input face 10 made up of high shock impedance layer 32 will cause a larger portion of the shock wave to be reflected by input face 10 and therefore not transmitted into component 1. However, alternatives are contemplated.

[0063] In the illustrated embodiment, the high shock impedance layers 32 and low shock impedance layers 30 have thicknesses that decrease gradually from the input face 10 to the output face 12, except for the input layer 34. It should be understood that although the thickness may vary between layers, each individual layer has a uniform thickness across its width.

[0064] The operation of component 1 will now be described with reference to Figure 3. Input portion 9 is configured to receive a shock wave. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, this shock wave is generated by striking input face 10 of component 1 with a disc-shaped projectile 13. This strike generates a planar shock wave within component 1 that is focused by component 1 onto target 15, creating a localized concentration of energy at the location of target 15.

[0065] Upon input into the cavity 5, the input shock reflects from the cavity wall 6 as an irregular shock reflection (Mach reflection), which propagates from the cavity wall 6 and eventually overlaps with the central axis of the cavity 5. This radially symmetric wave overlap with the central axis creates a high pressure spot within the cavity fill 7, which expands and interacts with the impinging Mach reflection, resulting in the generation of an axial quasi-planar Mach stem that propagates towards the output 11 of the cavity 5.

[0066] The layers 30, 32 are arranged so that shock waves generated at the input face 10 of the component 1 reverberate within the stack as a result of reflection from the high shock impedance layer 32, resulting in regions of constructive and destructive interference as the shock waves pass through each other. As a shock passes from the low shock impedance layer 130 to the high shock impedance layer 132, part of the shock is transmitted into the high shock impedance layer 132 while part is reflected back into the low shock impedance layer 130.

[0067] The portion of the shock in the low shock impedance layer 130 accelerates as it travels through the previously shocked material, and the shock portion is then reflected from the boundary at the input of the low shock impedance layer. Because of its acceleration, the reflected portion eventually catches up with the portion of the shock that was originally transmitted into the high shock impedance layer 132. The configuration of the low shock impedance layer 30 and the high shock impedance layer 32 allows the component 1 to be positioned such that multiple shock features overlap the output face 12 of the component 1, creating a brief, high shock pressure condition that can be transmitted into a target adjacent the component output face 12.

[0068] The combination of the converging geometry of the frustum-shaped cavity 5 with the parallel layers 30, 32 results in a component design that has been shown to be capable of significantly increasing the shock pressure at the output section beyond that of either feature individually. Shock reflections from the walls of the cavity 5 interact with axial shock reflections from the high shock impedance layer 32, creating regions of localized high thermodynamic pressure. These high-pressure regions expand and interact with additional shock reflections downstream within the component 1, ultimately creating regions of even higher shock pressure passing through the output section 11 of the cavity 5. Through the material and thickness configuration of the parallel layers and the geometry of the cavity 5, the uniformity of the shock pressure and shock state and shape at the output section 11 can be controlled. It should be understood that while thickness may vary between layers, each individual layer has a uniform thickness across its width.

[0069] In addition to creating the conditions for localized shock superposition and constructive interference, the parallel layers 30, 32 also act to effectively reduce the shock transit time through component 1, thereby allowing energy from more projectiles 13 to be recovered and combined into a single shock upon emergence from component 1.

[0070] Simulations and experiments have shown that for component designs consistent with the embodiment of Figure 1, a pressure multiplication factor of at least 15 is achievable for an input radius / exit radius ratio of approximately 9. For example, simulations have achieved an output pressure of 1240 GPa for an input shock wave with a pressure of 83 GPa.

[0071] FIG. 4 shows a cut-away perspective view of a single first plate 31 that may be used, for example, in the component 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . The first plate 31 is a flat disk defining a frusto-conical sub-cavity 50 at its center. The sub-cavity 50 extends through the depth of the plate 31 such that the input 509 and output 511 of the sub-cavity are open before the first plate 31 is stacked. The first plate 31 includes a plurality of holes 35 near the periphery of the first plate 31. The longitudinal axes of the holes 35 are parallel to the longitudinal axis of the sub-cavity 50 and perpendicular to the plane of the first plate 31. Each of the holes 35 is either an alignment hole 35 a configured to receive an alignment member, such as a pin, or a fastening hole 35 b configured to receive a fastening member, such as a bolt.

[0072] 5 shows a cut-away perspective view of a single second plate 33 that may be used, for example, in the component 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 2. The second plate 33 is a solid, flat disk. Like the first plate 31 shown in FIG. 4, the second plate 33 includes a plurality of holes 35 near the periphery of the second plate 33. The longitudinal axes of the holes 35 are perpendicular to the plane of the second plate 33. The holes 35 in the first plate 31 and the second plate 33 are configured and aligned so that fasteners such as bolts or alignment members such as pins can be inserted through the holes to align and secure the first and second plates 31, 33 together.

[0073] FIG. 6 shows an exploded view of the first and second plates 31, 33 stacked and arranged to form the component 1 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, for example. As shown in FIG. 6, the sub-cavities 50 are not filled. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the first and second plates 31, 33 are stacked in an alternating arrangement, with one plate between each of the first and second plates 31, 33. The first and second plates 31, 33 are aligned so that the longitudinal axis of each plate, about which each plate is rotationally symmetric, is coaxial with the longitudinal axis of the other plate. The alignment holes 35a are aligned to allow insertion of an alignment member 37. While only a single alignment member is shown in FIG. 6, it should be understood that an alignment member is provided for each pair of alignment holes 35a. The alignment member 37 maintains the alignment of the first and second plates 31, 33 in the formed component.

[0074] A method 100 for manufacturing component 1 will now be described in detail with reference to the flowchart of Figure 7. In step 101, a plurality of first plates 31 are formed. The first plates 31 may be formed in any known manner. For example, the first plates 31 may be cast. Alternatively, each first plate 31 may be cut from a larger sheet of material and milled to form the sub-cavities 50. The holes 35 may be formed in any known manner, for example by drilling.

[0075] In step 103, a plurality of second plates 33 are formed. The second plates 33 may be formed in any known manner. For example, the second plates 33 may be molded. Alternatively, each second plate 33 may be cut from a larger sheet of material. The holes 35 may be formed in any known manner, for example, by drilling.

[0076] In step 105, one or more of the sub-cavities 50 are filled with a liquid cavity filler material 7. The cavity filler material 7 may be a curable liquid, such as a curable plastic or glue. The one or more sub-cavities 50 are overfilled. Then, in step 107, the liquid cavity filler material is cured. The cavity filler material 7 may be cured in any known manner, depending on the cavity filler material 7. For example, the cavity filler material 7 may be cured using UV light or using heat. In embodiments where the cavity filler material 7 is an epoxy resin, the cavity filler material 7 is cured using UV light.

[0077] It should be understood that in embodiments, the sub-cavity 50 may be filled in any other suitable manner, for example, the cavity filler material 7 may be added using injection molding or additive manufacturing.

[0078] In step 109, the excess cavity filler material 7 and also excess material of the first plate 31 itself are milled away. The first plate 31 is formed slightly thicker than the required final dimensions so that the first plate 31 and excess cavity filler material 7 can be milled away from each other as the first plate 31 is formed. This helps improve the quality of the surface finish. Because the cavity filler material 7 and the material of the plate itself are milled away from each other, there are no steps at the edges of the sub-cavities 50.

[0079] In step 111, once all of the sub-cavities to be filled have been filled, the first and second plates 31, 33 are arranged in parallel as shown in Figure 6 and stacked such that the sub-cavities are at least partially aligned to form the coupling component cavity 5. Alignment of the plates may be aided by insertion of alignment members 37 into alignment holes 35a.

[0080] Finally, in step 113, fasteners, in the illustrated embodiment bolts, are inserted through the fastener holes 35b to secure the layers together. The fasteners ensure proper alignment between the first plate 31 and the second plate 33.

[0081] It should be understood that the description given above is framed in terms of individually manufacturing components 1. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that for mass production, first and second plates 31, 33 for multiple components 1 can be made at once. For example, a single sheet may be formed for each layer, with the sheet corresponding to first plate 31 having multiple milled sub-cavities 50. These sub-cavities 50 can be filled, the sheets milled, and the sheets stacked and fastened together so that a completed element is formed comprising multiple individual components 1. The components 1 themselves can then be cut out from the overall element, for example, by laser cutting.

[0082] It should be understood that the component shown in FIG. 2 is merely exemplary, and that variations of component 1 of FIG. 2 may also be fabricated using the fabrication method of the present invention.

[0083] It should be understood that not all sub-cavities 50 may be filled (e.g., completely) with cavity filler material 7. For example, FIG. 8 illustrates a component 301 that is a variation of component 1 of FIG. 2, in which sub-cavity 350 constituting input layer 333 is unfilled. The first filler layer 335 in cavity 305 is a low impact impedance layer 330. This is because a first filler layer 335 comprised of a high impact impedance layer 332 would result in a larger portion of the shock wave being reflected by the first filler layer 335 and not transmitted to the remainder of component 301. However, alternatives are contemplated, such as a first filler layer 335 comprised of a high impact impedance layer 332 that would better couple the shock into component 301. This is because a high impact impedance layer may have a shock impedance that is closer to the shock impedance of a projectile 13 striking the component.

[0084] In the embodiment of Figure 8, the impacting projectile 13 only directly strikes the body 303 of the component 301. This will lead to the generation of axially converging shock reflections within the projectile 13, which pass into the cavity filler 307 when the front face of the projectile 13 contacts the first packing layer 335. These transmitted reflected shocks then lead to the generation of high pressure conditions within the cavity 305 that converge on the central axis and expand as a Mach stem towards the output 311. The function of the cavity 305 and subsequent parallel layers 330, 332 is as described above in connection with Figure 2.

[0085] In simulations, a component consistent with the embodiment of FIG. 8 achieved a pressure multiplication factor of 5, with an input shock wave having a pressure of 140 GPa and an output shock wave having a pressure of 700 GPa.

[0086] FIG. 9 shows a further variation of the embodiment of FIG. 2, in which the cavity 405 has a different shape. The component 401 shown in FIG. 9 may be manufactured using a manufacturing method according to the present invention. As in the embodiment of FIG. 2, the body 403 is composed of multiple layers, each defining a frustum-shaped sub-cavity 450 having an input portion 4509 and an output portion 4511. In the embodiment shown, each sub-cavity is a truncated cone, although other shapes are contemplated. In the embodiment of FIG. 9, the cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion 4509 of each sub-cavity 450 is larger than the cross-sectional area of ​​the output portion 4511 of the preceding sub-cavity. This means that in the truncated cone embodiment, the radius of the input portion 4509 of each sub-cavity is larger than the radius of the output portion 4511 of the preceding sub-cavity.

[0087] The component 401 shown in FIG. 9 functions in substantially the same manner as described above in connection with FIG. 2 , except that the overlapping output portions 4511 and input portions 4509 allow impulses transmitted from the cavity filler 407 of a sub-cavity 450 into the body 403 of the component 401 to be partially recaptured by the input portion 4509 of the subsequent sub-cavity 450 and focused back onto the cavity filler 407 contained within that sub-cavity. This may result in a reduced amount of impulse losses and thus a higher efficiency of the component 401. Also, because the sub-cavities 450 are independent, different sub-cavities 450 may have different characteristics, such as different input and output diameters, thicknesses, materials, and sub-cavity wall angles. It should be understood that while thickness may vary between layers, each individual layer has a uniform thickness across its width.

[0088] In each of the above-described embodiments, the drawings shown are longitudinal cross-sections through three-dimensional components, and therefore they illustrate rotationally symmetric embodiments, although this is not required by the invention.

[0089] It should be understood that the embodiments explicitly disclosed herein are exemplary, and those skilled in the art will appreciate that features of the embodiments disclosed herein may be combined in combinations not expressly described to form new embodiments.

Claims

1. 1. A method of manufacturing a component for manipulating an input shock wave, comprising: forming a plurality of plates, each plate defining a sub-cavity; at least partially filling one or more of the sub-cavities with one or more cavity fill materials; stacking the plurality of plates to form a component such that the sub-cavities are at least partially aligned and combine to define a layered component cavity that receives the one or more cavity fillers; A method for providing

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the plurality of plates is constructed from a high density material.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein one or more of the plurality of plates is constructed from metal.

4. 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the or each cavity filler has a lower density than one or more of the plurality of plates.

5. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein filling one or more of the sub-cavities with one or more cavity fillers comprises filling one or more sub-cavities with an injectable material.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of hardening the injectable material.

7. 7. The method of claim 5 or 6, further comprising the steps of overfilling the one or more sub-cavities and milling a surface of one or more of the plurality of plates.

8. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the component cavity comprises an input portion for receiving a shock wave and an output portion for outputting a shock wave, the component cavity being formed such that a cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion is greater than a cross-sectional area of ​​the output portion.

9. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein each sub-cavity has an input portion for receiving shock waves and an output portion for outputting shock waves, and wherein one or more of the sub-cavities are formed such that a cross-sectional area of ​​the input portion is greater than a cross-sectional area of ​​the output portion.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein one or more of the sub-cavities are frustum-shaped.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein one or more of the sub-cavities is a truncated cone.

12. 12. The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein two or more of the plurality of plates include one or more holes configured to receive fasteners, the method comprising fastening two or more of the plates to one another by inserting one or more fasteners through the one or more holes.

13. 13. The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein two or more of the plurality of plates include one or more alignment holes configured to receive alignment members, and the method comprises aligning the two or more plates with respect to one another by inserting one or more alignment members through the one or more alignment holes.

14. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of plates is a plurality of first plates, the method comprising forming one or more second plates without sub-cavities and stacking the second plates onto the first plates.

15. 15. The method of claim 14, comprising stacking the plurality of first plates and the one or more second plates such that the plates alternate between first plates and second plates.

16. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the thickness of the first plate decreases progressively from the component cavity input to the component cavity output.

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