Laser Armor with Optical Active Bodies
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional armor elements are ineffective against laser attacks due to the high energy concentration of laser beams, which can lead to material destruction despite their effectiveness against ballistic projectiles and explosive devices.
Innovation Solution
The use of a multiplicity of optical active bodies, including reflection, refraction, and diffraction bodies with reflective and refractive surfaces, arranged in a loose bulk material configuration within a housing-like receptacle, to impair and scatter laser radiation, combined with a cooling system to dissipate heat and a movable armor element design to distribute energy input.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional armor elements are used, then protection against ballistic projectiles and explosive devices is achieved, but protection against laser radiation is ineffective due to high energy concentration
Solution Approach 1:
The armor element is segmented into a multiplicity of optical active bodies (reflection bodies, refraction bodies, diffraction bodies) instead of using a solid conventional armor plate. These bodies are arranged in a loose bulk material configuration, creating multiple interfaces that segment the laser beam path and distribute energy concentration across many small elements rather than one large surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical active bodies act as intermediary elements between the incoming laser radiation and the protected object. These bodies (with reflective, refractive, and diffractive properties) mediate the interaction by manipulating the laser beam through reflection, refraction, and diffraction, preventing direct energy concentration on the protected object while still providing protection.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a multiplicity of optical active bodies is used to impair laser radiation, then protection against laser attacks is significantly improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The armor element adopts a porous-like structure with a multiplicity of loose bulk material optical active bodies arranged within the armor element. This loose bulk material configuration creates a porous effective cross-section that allows laser radiation to interact with multiple bodies, impairing the beam through repeated reflection, refraction, and diffraction events while maintaining structural integrity.
Solution Approach 2:
The armor element combines multiple types of optical active bodies (reflection bodies with reflective surfaces, refraction bodies with refractive surfaces, and diffraction bodies with diffractive surfaces) into a composite structure. This composite material approach allows the armor to exploit multiple optical phenomena simultaneously, creating a multi-functional protective system that addresses various aspects of laser beam interaction.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If armor elements are made thicker to resist laser energy, then protection effectiveness increases, but weight and volume increase
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the traditional mechanical approach to armor protection (thick solid plates relying on physical strength) with an optical approach. Instead of using mass and thickness to absorb or withstand laser energy, the armor uses optical active bodies that manipulate laser radiation through reflection, refraction, and diffraction, substituting mechanical resistance with optical manipulation to achieve protection with reduced weight.
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
Significantly reduces the intensity of laser radiation at the point of incidence, preventing material failure and providing enhanced protection against laser attacks while allowing for efficient heat dissipation and energy distribution.
Implementation Method 1
The invention provides that the active bodies for reflecting the laser radiation are designed as reflection bodies. By reflecting the laser radiation, significant parts of the laser radiation can be repelled from the object to be protected.
Implementation Method 2
For example, a laser beam can be widened by refraction effects, resulting in lower intensities at the point of incidence.
Implementation Method 3
The irradiated laser radiation can also be impaired by using diffraction effects in such a way that lower intensities are set on the object to be protected.
Implementation Method 4
a cooling system for dissipating heat introduced into the armor element by the laser weapons. The heat introduced into the armored element by the incident laser beam can be dissipated from the point of incidence of the laser radiation via the cooling system.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to an armor against laser radiation for protecting an object (10), in particular a vehicle, against laser weapons, comprising an armor element (2) that can be arranged onto the object (10), said armor element (2) comprising a plurality of optical active bodies (3, 4, 5) for the impairment of the incident laser radiation. The invention further relates to a method for protecting an object (10), in particular a vehicle, against laser weapons and to a vehicle protected against laser weapons.