Jacketed Bullet With Bonded Core And Varying Thickness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing small caliber bullets with metal jackets and hollow points face challenges in consistently penetrating various barriers and maintaining mass and expansion, as indicated by high standard deviation in FBI Ammunition Test Protocol scores, suggesting a need for improved design and bonding methods.
Innovation Solution
A bullet design featuring a dense core bonded to a jacket with varying thickness, where the jacket is thicker at the front and thinner at the back, and includes longitudinally extending lines of weakness to facilitate petal formation upon impact, with bonding achieved through soldering or adhesives, allowing for enhanced penetration and expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the jacket thickness is increased to improve penetration and structural integrity, then penetration capability is improved, but the bullet's ability to expand and retain mass deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The jacket thickness is varied locally along the bullet length, being thickest at the nose for penetration, tapering toward the middle, and thinnest at the base for expansion. This non-uniform thickness distribution optimizes both penetration and expansion performance simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The jacket is divided into distinct zones with different thickness characteristics: a thick forward section for barrier penetration, a tapered middle section for transition, and a thin rear section for expansion. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally.
2Reliability
If a thin uniform jacket is used to reduce weight and improve expansion, then expansion capability is improved, but penetration through barriers deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The jacket thickness is locally optimized for different functions: thick at the nose for penetration strength, thin at the base for expansion capability. This resolves the contradiction by providing both thick and thin sections in the same jacket structure.
3Ease of manufacture
If the core is merely mechanically held in the jacket without bonding, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but bullet integrity and consistent performance deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical bonding system (swaging, crimping, or interference fits) is replaced with a chemical bonding system (soldering or adhesive bonding). This provides more reliable and consistent bonding while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through established processes.
Solution Approach 2:
The bonding mechanism is changed from mechanical parameters (pressure, interference fit) to chemical parameters (solder temperature, adhesive curing). This change provides more consistent bonding strength and better core-jacket integration.
4Strength
If a thick jacket is used throughout to ensure barrier penetration, then penetration capability is improved, but the standard deviation in performance increases
Solution Approach 1:
The jacket thickness is locally optimized rather than uniformly thick, providing penetration capability where needed while allowing controlled expansion in other regions. This reduces performance variability across different barrier types.
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 described bullet design achieves superior penetration and expansion, reducing standard deviation and increasing overall score by up to 170 points compared to prior art, demonstrating improved performance across diverse barrier types.
Implementation Method 1
bonding achieved through soldering or adhesives
Implementation Method 2
bonding achieved through soldering or adhesives
Data Source
AI summary
A jacketed bullet comprising a dense core of a first material substantially surrounded by and bonded to a jacket of a second material, wherein the thickness of the jacket varies.