Transparent Glass-Polymer Composite for Ballistic Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing transparent protective devices for vehicles face challenges in achieving low weight per unit area while providing sufficient ballistic protection at a favorable cost, as they often rely on high-cost, high-performance materials like transparent ceramics and crystalline materials.
Innovation Solution
A laminate structure is designed with a chemically prestressed, brittle-fracture panel positioned 6 mm to 20 mm from the impact side, featuring a polyurethane layer and another polyurethane layer with a brittle-fracture material attachment, which generates a shock wave to deflect projectiles and incorporates polymer layers for reduced weight and cost-effectiveness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If transparent ceramics or crystalline materials are used to reduce weight per unit area, then protection effectiveness is improved, but manufacturing cost increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses composite materials combining chemically prestressed glass panels with polymer layers (PVB or TPU) to achieve ballistic protection without the high cost of transparent ceramics. The composite structure leverages the strength of prestressed glass and the energy-absorbing properties of polymers to provide cost-effective protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies chemical prestressing to glass panels to fundamentally change their mechanical properties, increasing flexural strength by a factor of 3-5 compared to ordinary glass. This parameter change allows the use of thinner, lighter glass panels that achieve the same protection level as much heavier conventional glass, reducing weight per unit area without using expensive ceramics.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional glass panels are used, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but weight per unit area and protection effectiveness increase
Solution Approach 1:
Chemical prestressing transforms ordinary glass into a high-strength material with dramatically improved flexural strength. This allows the glass panels to be much thinner while providing equivalent or superior protection, directly reducing weight per unit area while maintaining cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective device is segmented into multiple layers: prestressed glass panels for structural strength and polymer layers for energy absorption and fragment containment. This segmentation allows each layer to be optimized for its specific function, achieving lightweight protection that conventional single-layer glass cannot provide.
3Weight of stationary object
If chemically prestressed glass panels are used to reduce weight, then weight per unit area is reduced, but structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The device is divided into alternating layers of prestressed glass panels and polymer layers. This segmentation creates a modular structure where each layer has a specific function, achieving lightweight protection through coordinated action of simple, well-understood materials rather than a single complex material system.
Solution Approach 2:
The composite structure combines chemically prestressed glass with polymer interlayers in a straightforward laminated configuration. The simplicity of the lamination process and the availability of standard glass and polymer materials keeps manufacturing complexity manageable despite the advanced performance characteristics.
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 achieves effective protection against high-velocity projectiles with reduced weight and cost, utilizing chemically prestressed glass panels and polymer layers to enhance flexural strength and prevent penetration, while maintaining a low weight per unit area.
Implementation Method 1
which generates a shock wave to deflect projectiles
Implementation Method 2
incorporates polymer layers for reduced weight and cost-effectiveness
Implementation Method 3
A laminate structure is designed with a chemically prestressed, brittle-fracture panel positioned 6 mm to 20 mm from the impact side
Data Source
AI summary
A transparent device for protection from an action of shock, projectiles, fragments or shock waves is provided. The device is a laminate having brittle-fracture, transparent materials that are joined together by way of transparent intermediate layers of organic polymers. The laminate is closed on the protective side facing away from the side of action by a fragment-protective layer that is formed as a transparent polymer layer in a thickness of 0.5 mm to 12 mm. The laminate has facing the side of action a chemically prestressed, brittle-fracture panel that is at a distance of 3 mm to 20 mm from the side of action.