Hybrid Slat Armor with Piercing Elements for RPG Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slat armor designs are inadequate in neutralizing hollow-charge projectiles like RPGs, as they often fail to efficiently penetrate the warhead's envelope and may not effectively distribute bending stresses upon impact.
Innovation Solution
The hybrid slat armor features piercing elements with multiple sharp edges and angled surfaces, a tapered design, and a composite base layer with a protective cover, which enhances penetration capability and reduces bending stresses by allowing the slat units to bend perpendicular to the impact direction, while the spacer layer and attachment modules provide flexibility and modular adjustability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If rigid slat armor is used to neutralize RPG warheads, then penetration capability is improved, but bending stress resistance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The slat unit combines metal sub-slats with a composite base layer and protective cover, creating a hybrid structure where the metal provides penetration capability while the composite materials manage stress distribution and flexibility
2Stress or pressure
If the slat unit is made more flexible to reduce bending stress, then stress distribution is improved, but penetration capability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The slat unit is divided into distinct components (metal sub-slats, composite base layer, protective cover) that can independently perform their functions - the segmented structure allows flexibility in the base layer while maintaining rigid piercing elements for penetration
3Ease of manufacture
If the slat armor is designed with fixed rigid structure, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but adaptability to varying threats deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The design allows adjustment of parameters such as slat spacing, sub-slat configuration, and material properties to adapt to different threat levels while maintaining a relatively simple base structure that is easy to manufacture
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 hybrid slat armor effectively neutralizes RPGs by penetrating the warhead's envelope and distributing impact forces, maintaining structural integrity and adaptability to varying ballistic threats, while ensuring personnel safety and ease of handling.
Implementation Method 1
the piercing elements are configured for penetrating an envelope of a threat upon impact of the latter on the hybrid slat armor
Implementation Method 2
allowing the slat units to bend perpendicular to the impact direction
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A
Figure 2B
AI summary
A hybrid slat armor (1) configured for protecting a body against a threat (10) having an anticipated impact direction. The hybrid slat armor (1) comprises a plurality of slat units (20), each extending along a first longitudinal direction, the units (20) being spaced apart along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. Each slat unit (20) has a strike end configured for facing the anticipated impact direction, a rear end opposite the strike end, a top set of piercing elements (80) and a bottom set of piercing elements (80). The piercing elements (80) of each set are successively arranged along the longitudinal direction of the slat unit (20) at the strike end thereof and are spaced apart in the longitudinal direction; The piercing elements (80) of the top set are spaced from the piercing elements (80) of the bottom set in the second longitudinal direction to a distance which is considerably smaller than that between adjacent slat units (20).