Bi-Truncated Hemispherical Explosive Charge for Armor Breaching
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional explosive bulk charges waste significant energy and fail to efficiently penetrate or breach walls/armor, as they typically have square or rectangular contact surfaces leading to circular through-holes and inefficient EFP formation.
Innovation Solution
The explosive bulk charge is designed with a bi-truncated hemispherical shape, featuring a curvilinear contact surface and centrally disposed detonator, which minimizes jetting and overpressure interferences, allowing for larger breaches and precise EFP creation by eliminating sharp corners and edges.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional square or rectangular explosive bulk charges are used, then the device is simple to manufacture, but energy is wasted and penetration efficiency is reduced due to jetting and overpressure interferences at sharp corners and edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies spheroidality by designing the explosive bulk charge with a bi-truncated hemispherical shape featuring curvilinear contact surfaces. This curvature eliminates the sharp corners and edges of conventional square or rectangular charges, thereby preventing jetting and overpressure interferences that waste explosive energy. The rounded geometry directs energy more efficiently into the target material, improving penetration without significantly complicating manufacturing.
2Reliability
If conventional explosive bulk charges with sharp corners and edges are used, then the device complexity is low, but jetting and overpressure interferences reduce breaching performance and EFP formation quality
Solution Approach 1:
The bi-truncated hemispherical design with curvilinear surfaces eliminates sharp corners and edges that cause jetting and overpressure interferences. This curvature improves reliability by directing explosive energy more uniformly and efficiently into the target, enhancing both breaching performance and EFP formation quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by optimizing specific regions of the explosive charge geometry. The curvilinear contact surface is designed with specific radius of curvature to control the direction and distribution of explosive energy locally at the interface with the target material. This localized geometric optimization improves energy coupling and reduces harmful interference patterns without requiring complete redesign of the entire charge structure.
3Length of stationary object
If conventional explosive bulk charges are used, then the through-hole diameter is limited by the charge geometry, but increasing charge size increases overall device complexity and energy waste
Solution Approach 1:
The curvilinear contact surface of the bi-truncated hemispherical charge creates more efficient stress distribution and energy transfer to the target material. This geometric feature allows for larger through-hole diameters to be achieved with the same charge mass, or equivalently, reduces the charge mass needed for a given hole size, thereby improving energy efficiency while increasing breach diameter.
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 results in exceptional wall or armor breaching performance, enabling the creation of larger holes and precise shearing of materials, effectively propelling armor through concrete rather than fracturing it, with applications in military, law enforcement, mining, and petroleum operations.
Implementation Method 1
detonating means is operatively disposed within said mass to define a selected point of initiation from which gaseous energy upon detonation expands in spherical propagating lines of force
Implementation Method 2
eliminating sharp corners and edges where jetting and overpressure interferences are typically created
Data Source
AI summary
An explosive bulk charge, including: a first contact surface configured to be selectively disposed substantially adjacent to a structure or material; a second end surface configured to selectively receive a detonator; and a curvilinear side surface joining the first contact surface and the second end surface. The first contact surface, the second end surface, and the curvilinear side surface form a bi-truncated hemispherical structure. The first contact surface, the second end surface, and the curvilinear side surface are formed from an explosive material. Optionally, the first contact surface and the second end surface each have a substantially circular shape. Optionally, the first contact surface and the second end surface consist of planar structures that are aligned substantially parallel or slightly tilted with respect to one another. The curvilinear side surface has one of a smooth curved geometry, an elliptical geometry, and a parabolic geometry.