Extruded Metal Guide Cage for Sabot Projectiles

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

The production of existing sabot guide cages is expensive, and they lack stability and rigidity under temperature and load conditions, particularly when using fibre-reinforced plastics.

Innovation Solution

A sabot guide cage composed of a hollow cylinder with radial transverse ribs and cavities, produced by extrusion of light metal alloys, providing structural stability and low weight, with a segmented design for cost-effectiveness and easy detachment.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Weight of moving object

If a traditional solid guide cage is used, then structural stability and rigidity are ensured, but the weight increases and production cost rises

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of guide cageVSAvoidstructural stability and rigidity
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The guide cage incorporates cavities within its structure, creating a porous or hollow configuration that reduces material usage and weight while preserving the external dimensions and functional integrity required for guiding the projectile

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The guide cage is divided into multiple segments that can be assembled together, allowing for optimized material distribution and reduced weight while maintaining structural stability through the segmented architecture

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Weight of moving object

If fibre-reinforced plastics are used to reduce weight, then weight decreases, but reliability under temperature and load conditions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweight of guide cageVSAvoidperformance under temperature and load
Core Design Contradiction:
Weight of moving objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The guide cage utilizes composite material construction, combining different materials with complementary properties to achieve both weight reduction and enhanced mechanical performance under varying temperature and load conditions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Solution Approach 2:

The segmented structure allows different sections to be made from materials optimized for their specific functional requirements, with intermediate walls providing structural reinforcement and thermal management

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If the guide cage is made as a single piece, then structural integrity is ensured, but production cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction costVSAvoidstructural integrity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The guide cage is designed as multiple assembleable segments rather than a single monolithic piece, simplifying manufacturing processes and reducing production costs while maintaining structural integrity through precise joining interfaces

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Multiple segments are combined through assembly to form the complete guide cage structure, achieving the functional requirements of a single-piece design while benefiting from the manufacturing advantages of segmented construction

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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 enables the production of a lightweight, cost-effective sabot guide cage with enhanced stability and rigidity, ensuring reliable performance and easy detachment post-firing.

Implementation Method 1

produced by extrusion of light metal alloys

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectExtrusion: Extrusion

Data Source

PatentEP2294354B1Sabot projectile
Publication Date: 2013.08.21 RHEINMETALL WAFFE MUNITION GMBH
  • EP2294354B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2294354B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2294354B1 patent drawingFigure 3~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a sabot projectile (1; 1 ') including a sub-caliber projectile body (2; 2'; 2") and a sabot (4; 4'), which comprises a driving element (5) acting on the projectile body (2; 2'; 2") on the rear side and a guide cage (7; 7'; 7"), which is made of metal, follows the driving element (5) on the front, is segmented and substantially cylindrical, wherein the guide cage (7; 7'; 7") comprises a central recess (17; 17') extending in the axial direction through which the projectile body (2; 2'; 2") is guided. In order to achieve relative low cost production of the sabot projectile (1; 1 '), a low weight and good detachment of the sabot (4; 4') from the projectile body (2; 2'; 2") after firing, according to the invention a hollow cylinder is used as the guide cage (7; 7'; 7"), on the inside wall (103) of which preferably a plurality of radial transversal ribs (104) are arranged, which are arranged at a distance from each other and extend in the direction of the longitudinal axis (100) of the sabot (4; 4') and also in the direction of the projectile body (2; 2'; 2").