Ballistic Shock Isolation Assembly for Stabilized Military Cameras
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Solution Overview
Problem
Military platforms face challenges in effectively isolating and dampening ballistic shock to optical instruments, leading to potential damage and operator disorientation due to existing mechanical apparatuses that fail to adequately absorb shock while maintaining operational functionality.
Innovation Solution
The proposed apparatus includes a plate with a dampening assembly that features a housing, a moveable shaft, a plunger, biasers, and a stabilizing assembly, which work together to absorb and dissipate ballistic forces, maintaining the optical instrument at a neutral position during and after a ballistic event, thereby reducing motion-induced sickness and maintaining operational stability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If mechanical apparatuses like rails and wound wire ropes are used to protect optical systems during ballistic shock, then shock resistance is improved, but the optical instrument sways and oscillates in dynamic environments causing motion sickness and disorientation
Solution Approach 1:
The dampening assembly is divided into separate functional components: a housing containing viscous damping material, a movable shaft for shock absorption, and a stabilizing assembly with ball detents for oscillation control. This segmentation allows each component to address specific problems independently - the shaft handles ballistic shock while the stabilizing assembly prevents sway during normal operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaft acts as an intermediary element between the optical instrument and the platform. It provides a compliant mounting that absorbs ballistic shock through movement within the viscous damping material, while the stabilizing assembly intermediates to prevent excessive movement during dynamic operations, thus protecting the operator from motion sickness.
2Reliability
If the optical instrument is loosely affixed between rail and wound wire rope for shock protection, then ballistic shock resistance is improved, but the ability to view distant objects is reduced due to instability
Solution Approach 1:
The shaft is designed to be movable within the housing, allowing dynamic adjustment during ballistic events. The shaft can shift position to absorb shock forces while the stabilizing assembly with ball detents in circumferential grooves maintains precise positioning during normal viewing operations, thus achieving both shock resistance and viewing accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the degree of freedom of the optical instrument mounting based on operational conditions. During ballistic events, the shaft gains movement capability to absorb shock. During normal operations, the stabilizing assembly constrains the shaft to maintain precise positioning for accurate viewing of distant objects.
3Device complexity
If traditional mechanical mounting is used to secure optical instruments, then structural simplicity is maintained, but damage to internal components occurs during ballistic events
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is pre-filled with viscous damping material before the ballistic event occurs. This cushioning material is positioned in advance to absorb and dissipate shock forces during ballistic events, protecting internal components such as electronic circuit card assemblies and optics without requiring complex active protection systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The dampening assembly utilizes hydraulic damping principles by incorporating viscous damping material in the housing. The material provides fluid resistance to shaft movement, creating a dampening effect that protects internal components during ballistic shock while maintaining structural simplicity.
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
The solution effectively dampens ballistic shock, preventing damage to optical instruments and reducing operator disorientation by absorbing and dissipating ballistic forces, ensuring continued operational functionality and improved situational awareness during military operations.
Implementation Method 1
The housing is filled with a viscous damping material and has the shaft moveable inside of the housing
Implementation Method 2
The stabilizing assembly includes a spring-loaded ball detent that maintains the shaft at a neutral position during non-ballistic events
Implementation Method 3
The check valve assembly is adapted to control movement of the plate and the at least one optical device in response to a ballistic event
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for dampening at least one optical instrument on a military platform. The apparatus includes a plate adapted to hold at least one optical instrument. The apparatus also includes at least one dampening assembly having a first end operably engaged with the plate and an opposing second end operably engaged with a platform. The at least one dampening assembly is also adapted to reduce the movement of the plate and optical device from a ballistic event created by a ballistic device on the platform.