Segmented Armour Sheet for Multiple Impact Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Ceramic armour materials are brittle and prone to cracking upon initial impact, limiting their ability to withstand multiple hits due to insufficient energy absorption by the resilient material between tiles, leading to potential failure under extreme conditions.

Innovation Solution

The armour design features an array of ceramic tiles or pellets confined between sheets, where at least one sheet is weakened over boundaries between adjacent tiles or pellets to create bonded groups, allowing for relative movement and reduced shock transmission, thereby enhancing the armour's ability to absorb multiple impacts without cracking.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If ceramic tiles are assembled in a spaced relationship with resilient material therebetween, then damage to a single tile does not necessarily result in cracks propagating through adjacent tiles, but under extreme impact the resilience of the material between the tiles is insufficient to absorb the energy of impact and cracks propagate through several tiles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveability to withstand multiple hitsVSAvoidenergy absorption capacity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet is divided into multiple segments or zones, each providing support to adjacent ceramic tiles. This segmentation allows the sheet to distribute impact energy across multiple localized regions rather than requiring the entire sheet to absorb the full force, thereby improving energy absorption capacity while maintaining reliability for multiple hits.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The armour assembly combines ceramic tiles with a composite structure consisting of the sheet and adhesive layers. This composite construction allows the sheet to provide structural support while the adhesive layers and spaced relationship allow for controlled deformation and energy absorption, resolving the contradiction between strength and reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Strength

If the sheet is made stronger to prevent crack propagation, then protection against multiple hits is improved, but the ability of the resilient material to absorb impact energy is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecrack propagation resistanceVSAvoidimpact energy absorption

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet exhibits different mechanical properties at different locations: it is stronger in regions where crack propagation resistance is needed, and more compliant in regions where energy absorption is required. This local differentiation allows the sheet to simultaneously provide both crack propagation resistance and impact energy absorption, resolving the contradiction between strength and energy loss.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Object-affected harmful factors

If ceramic materials are used in armour, then protection against ballistic threats is provided, but the brittle nature of ceramic materials limits their ability to withstand multiple hits due to cracking upon initial impact

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveballistic protectionVSAvoidmultiple hit capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The sheet and adhesive layer assembly is positioned between the ceramic tiles and the backing structure to provide beforehand cushioning. Upon impact, this intermediate layer absorbs and distributes the shock energy before it can propagate through the ceramic tiles, thereby maintaining their ballistic protection capability while improving multiple hit reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 design effectively mitigates the risk of failure under multiple hits by allowing bonded groups to move relative to the rest of the armour, reducing shock transmission and maintaining protection against medium calibre threats with minimal bulging and extended failure across the strike face.

Implementation Method 1

resilient material therebetween

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

at least one of said sheets is weakened overlying some boundaries between adjacent tiles or pellets to define bonded groups of tiles or pellets between said boundaries

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectControlled deformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS9909842B2Armour

Publication Date: 2018.03.06 NP AEROSPACE

AI summary

Armor comprises an array of tiles or pellets confined between at least a pair of sheets, and in which at least one of said at least a pair of sheets is weakened overlying boundaries between adjacent tiles or pellets.