Armored Vehicle Secondary Splinter Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing secondary splinter protection systems in armored military vehicles are inadequate as they allow some secondary splinters to penetrate the vehicle interior despite the use of metal and plastic plates, due to the limited ability of the plastic plate to absorb splinters ejected from the metal plate.
Innovation Solution
A secondary splinter protection system with a thicker plastic plate compared to the metal plate, where the ratio of plastic to metal thickness is at least 1.5:1 mm, and the metal plate is made of deformable steel with an elongation at break of at least 45%, allowing for effective energy dissipation and reduced splinter formation, while the plastic plate has an elongation at break of at least 50% to absorb kinetic energy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a thin metal plate is used to intercept secondary fragments, then the device complexity and weight are reduced, but the metal plate produces more fragments when penetrated and cannot fully stop high-energy fragments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a composite structure consisting of a metal plate and a plastic plate combined together. The metal plate (e.g., steel) provides initial fragment interception and structural strength, while the plastic plate (e.g., polyethylene) provides additional fragment absorption and energy dissipation. This composite material approach allows the system to stop high-energy fragments effectively without requiring an excessively thick metal plate, thus balancing protection capability with weight and complexity constraints.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a thick plastic plate is used to intercept fragments from the metal plate, then the protective effect is improved, but the base weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the thickness parameters of both the metal plate and plastic plate to achieve the required protection level with minimal weight. By carefully selecting the thickness ratio and absolute dimensions of each layer, the design ensures that the plastic plate is thick enough to absorb fragments from the metal plate while keeping the overall weight increase acceptable. The parameters are tuned based on the expected fragment energy and penetration depth.
3Reliability
If the plastic plate thickness is increased to stop penetrating fragments, then the reliability of protection is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent determines optimal thickness parameters for the plastic plate that provide sufficient protection reliability while minimizing material consumption and manufacturing cost. By conducting analysis on fragment penetration depth and energy absorption requirements, the design identifies the minimum necessary plastic plate thickness to achieve the desired protection level, avoiding unnecessary material usage and associated costs.
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
This configuration significantly enhances the protective effect against secondary splinters by reducing the number of splinters formed from the metal plate and ensuring complete interception by the plastic plate, with minimal increase in base weight and cost, while maintaining good space utilization and assembly benefits.
Implementation Method 1
Upon impact, the kinetic energy of the fragments is converted into deformation energy of the metal plate and dissipated, thus preventing the fragments from spreading within the vehicle
Implementation Method 2
The plastic plate, however, can only intercept a certain portion of these fragments... the plastic plate can stop them completely
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
Secondary splinter protection, especially for armored military vehicles, for protecting a vehicle interior from secondary splinters, comprising a metal plate and a plastic plate that lies flat against the metal plate, wherein the thickness of the plastic plate is greater than the thickness of the metal plate.