Gyrostabilized Projectile Piston-Driven Sub-Projectile Dispersion
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medium-caliber projectiles face challenges in reliably dispersing a dense and homogeneous cloud of sub-projectiles due to complex pyrotechnic mechanisms and potential destabilization from unbalanced sub-projectiles, particularly in gyrostabilized systems where rotational alignment is critical.
Innovation Solution
A gyrostabilized medium-caliber projectile design featuring a hollow body with a segmented cylindrical cup that integrates a piston-driven mechanism for axial ejection of sub-projectiles, ensuring rotational alignment through a prismatic section and pyrotechnic charge activation for controlled aperture and dispersion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple pyrotechnic devices are used to crack the warhead and open buckets, then the sub-projectiles can be dispersed, but the device complexity increases and reliability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The bucket is divided into multiple independent sectors (at least two) that are contiguous along their edges. These sectors can separate from each other during ejection, allowing the sub-projectiles to disperse without requiring complex pyrotechnic cracking mechanisms. The segmentation simplifies the overall device while maintaining reliable dispersion capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex pyrotechnic cracking mechanism for the warhead is eliminated entirely. Instead, a single pyrotechnic charge acts on the piston to push the bucket and its contents out of the projectile body. The bucket sectors then naturally separate during ejection, extracting the dispersion function from the pyrotechnic system and reducing device complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If sub-projectiles are housed in buckets without rotational drive, then the structure is simpler, but the projectile becomes destabilized due to unbalanced sub-projectiles
Solution Approach 1:
The rotational drive function is merged into the piston-bucket assembly. The piston is rotatably connected to the projectile body, and the bucket sectors are rotatably connected to the piston. This integrated design ensures that when the piston is pushed forward by the pyrotechnic charge, it automatically rotates the bucket sectors to align the sub-projectiles, providing stability without requiring a separate complex rotational drive mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The piston-bucket system performs dual functions: it provides the ejection force and simultaneously ensures rotational alignment of the sub-projectiles. The mechanical connection between the piston and bucket sectors causes automatic rotation during the ejection process, making the system self-sufficient for both propulsion and alignment without external control mechanisms.
3Device complexity
If a single pyrotechnic charge is used to push the piston and bucket, then the device complexity is reduced, but the control over aperture formation becomes less reliable
Solution Approach 1:
The bucket structure transitions from a closed state to an open dispersed state through dynamic separation of its sectors. The sectors are held together during normal operation but are designed to separate naturally during ejection due to the forces involved. This dynamic behavior ensures reliable aperture formation while maintaining a simple single-charge pyrotechnic mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The bucket sectors are pre-positioned and structurally prepared for separation before ejection occurs. The mechanical design of the sectors with their contiguous edges and connection to the rotatable piston ensures that when the pyrotechnic charge activates, the sectors will naturally separate to form the required aperture, making the process reliable without requiring additional control mechanisms.
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 design simplifies and ensures reliable rotational drive and dispersion of sub-projectiles, forming a dense cloud with controlled trajectory and speed, enhancing the structural destruction capability of projectiles.
Implementation Method 1
the pyrotechnic charge placed behind the piston being sized to provide thrust on the piston which pushes the bucket and causes the dissociation of the ogive and the body
Implementation Method 2
a gyrostabilized medium-caliber projectile comprising a hollow body carrying a payload formed of a set of inert and dispersible sub-projectiles on trajectory
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The projectile (1) has a hollow body (3) formed with a cylindrical cup (5) corresponding to an internal cylindrical boring of the body. The cup is integral in rotation of the body, and comprises a rotational driving unit for sub-projectiles. The cup comprises a piston (7) at its rear end for sealing the cup, and is sealed by a warhead (2) at a front end and interdependent of a front body part of the projectile. A pyrotechnic charge (21) placed behind the piston is dimensioned so as to provide push on the piston, which pushes the cup and causes dissociation of the warhead and the body.