Expanding Projectile with Deformable Body and Bore
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional projectiles for hunting suffer from inadequate expansion and penetration, leading to slow and inhumane game harvesting, and pose health risks due to lead toxicity.
Innovation Solution
A projectile design featuring a penetrator and a body with deformable portions and a bore structure that allows for radial expansion upon impact, using non-lead materials like AISI 1215 steel to reduce friction and enhance aerodynamics, and a sabot configuration to minimize loading resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If conventional lead projectiles are used to enhance deformability, then expansion capability is improved, but health risks increase due to lead toxicity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter from lead to non-lead materials (such as copper alloys or steel) while maintaining the expansion capability through structural design modifications. The body is designed with deformable portions and a bore structure that enables radial expansion without relying on lead's inherent deformability, thus eliminating toxicity while preserving shape-changing functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The projectile employs composite construction with a penetrator and a body made of non-lead materials. The body may include deformable portions with specific structural features (such as grooves or segmented design) that work together with the penetrator to achieve controlled expansion. This composite approach allows the system to attain the desired shape transformation without using toxic lead.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a sabot is used with the projectile, then compatibility with various bore sizes is improved, but frictional resistance increases during loading
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile is divided into distinct segments: a penetrator and a body, which can be separately optimized. The body may include deformable portions that allow the projectile to adapt to different bore sizes without requiring a sabot, or the sabot itself may be segmented to reduce contact area and frictional resistance during loading while maintaining bore compatibility.
3Shape
If the projectile is designed for maximum expansion, then damage to target is improved, but penetration capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile features a penetrator designed to penetrate the target first, creating a channel or cavity before the body expands. The body is configured with deformable portions and a bore structure that enables radial expansion to occur after penetration has been established. This preliminary penetration action ensures that the target is penetrated effectively before maximum expansion occurs, resolving the contradiction between penetration depth and expansion magnitude.
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 design achieves improved penetration and expansion, ensuring quick and humane harvesting of game while eliminating lead toxicity concerns, with reduced frictional engagement during loading and enhanced aerodynamics.
Implementation Method 1
The body may have one or more portions to promote deformation of the body upon the penetrator impacting the target
Implementation Method 2
The interaction of the projectile and the sabot results in the sabot frictionally contacting the contours of the bore as the projectile and sabot are loaded and forced into the firearm
Data Source
AI summary
An improved projectile having a penetrator and a body is disclosed. The penetrator is secured to the body. Upon impacting a target, the pentrator travels into the body and deforms the body. The body optionally has one or more portions, such as slots in the body, to promote deformation of the body upon the penetrator impacting the target. The body optionally has a bore extending at least partially therethrough that permits attachment of the penetrator at a second end of the body opposite the first end.