Ballistic Cover System for Supercharged Engine Containment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current containment covers for supercharged engines fail to fully contain energy and fragmentation during explosions due to inadequate positioning and rigidity, leading to risks of personal injury and mechanical damage, and are time-intensive to install, remove, and replace.
Innovation Solution
A ballistic cover system with a top plate, side and rear restraint straps, and a ballistic blanket that can move from a racing to a ballistic configuration during an explosion, using titanium materials for energy absorption and Kevlar straps for containment, allowing the system to reactively position itself to manage energy and fragmentation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If current containment covers are used to control explosions, then some level of containment is achieved, but they fail to fully contain energy and fragmentation due to inadequate positioning and rigidity
Solution Approach 1:
The containment cover is designed with movable and adjustable components including restraint straps with buckles, sliding mechanisms on elongated tunnels, and flexible positioning capabilities that allow the cover to adapt its position and configuration dynamically during installation and during explosive events, resolving the contradiction between containment reliability and positioning accuracy
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows adjustment of geometric parameters such as strap length, cover position, and attachment points through movable components, enabling optimization of containment effectiveness for different engine configurations and explosion scenarios while maintaining ease of positioning
2Strength
If rigid containment covers are used, then structural strength is improved, but installation, removal and replacement become time intensive
Solution Approach 1:
The containment cover is divided into modular segments including the top plate, ballistic blanket, restraint straps, and mounting brackets that can be independently assembled and disassembled, allowing rapid installation and removal while maintaining overall structural strength through the coordinated assembly of these segments
Solution Approach 2:
The ballistic blanket serves as a flexible protective layer that can be easily installed and removed, providing necessary containment strength without the complexity of rigid structures, while the flexible nature allows for quick deployment and removal operations
3Area of stationary object
If current containment covers are installed in confined spaces, then space utilization is improved, but positioning and operation become compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint straps with buckles and sliding mechanisms enable dynamic adjustment of the cover's position and fit within confined engine bay spaces, allowing proper positioning and operation despite limited available space for installation and adjustment operations
4Stability of the object's composition
If containment covers do not move during impact, then structural integrity is maintained, but energy and fragmentation can circumvent containment
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint straps and mounting system are designed to allow controlled movement and adjustment during explosive events, enabling the containment cover to respond dynamically to impact forces while maintaining overall structural integrity and continued effectiveness in containing energy and fragmentation
Data Source
AI summary
A ballistic cover system that embodies a novel ballistic blanket and method for containing energy and fragmentation projected during a supercharged engine explosion is provided. The ballistic cover system enables the ballistic blanket to react to the engine explosion, positioning itself from a racing configuration to a ballistic configuration. A plurality of restraint straps are attached to the supercharger, keeping it along a controlled path during the explosion. Moreover, two of the restraint straps act as mounting rails that the ballistic blanket rides along when reactively moving from the racing configuration to the ballistic configuration.