Less Lethal Projectile Aluminum Foam Core
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current reduced-lethality projectiles face challenges in maintaining consistent impact force across varying terminal velocities, leading to ineffective non-lethality at close ranges and significant damage at short distances, posing difficulties for military and law enforcement operations.
Innovation Solution
The projectile design features a core made of aluminum foam with a cylindrical shape and a spherical front end, combined with a thermoplastic base and outer casing, which ensures a constant impact force regardless of speed by optimizing energy absorption and ballistic flight, with the density of the aluminum foam being a key parameter for programming the desired impact force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the projectile uses conventional materials and design, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the impact force varies significantly with distance and terminal velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile is divided into three distinct segments: a base section, a core section, and a tip section. Each segment has specific functions - the base provides structural support and attachment, the core provides energy absorption and impact force control, and the tip provides ballistic performance. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component's properties to achieve consistent impact force across varying distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The projectile employs composite material construction with different sections made from materials having different physical properties. The base and tip use materials optimized for structural integrity and ballistic performance, while the core uses materials with specific energy absorption characteristics. This composite approach enables the projectile to maintain consistent impact force despite variations in terminal velocity and firing distance.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the projectile is made softer to reduce lethality, then the non-lethality is improved, but the effectiveness at close ranges deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Different sections of the projectile have different material properties optimized for their specific functions. The core section has softer, more ductile materials that deform during impact to absorb energy and reduce lethality. The base and tip sections have harder, more rigid materials that maintain structural integrity and provide consistent ballistic performance. This local differentiation of material properties allows the projectile to be both non-lethal and effective simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The projectile design incorporates parameters that can be adjusted to control impact characteristics. The core section's material density, the length of different sections, and the overall mass distribution are parameters that can be modified to achieve the desired balance between non-lethality and effectiveness. By carefully controlling these parameters, the projectile maintains consistent impact force while limiting the severity of injuries.
3Productivity
If the projectile maintains high terminal velocity for effectiveness, then the effectiveness is improved, but the risk of fatal or serious injuries increases
Solution Approach 1:
The core section of the projectile is designed with energy-absorbing materials that begin to deform and absorb kinetic energy during the impact process. This beforehand cushioning mechanism activates as the projectile contacts the target, gradually reducing the force transmission to the target's body. The core's material properties are selected to provide progressive energy absorption that maintains effectiveness while limiting the risk of fatal or serious injuries.
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 achieves a consistent impact force across conventional speed ranges, enhancing the non-lethality and effectiveness of the projectiles by controlling the force of impact, thereby reducing the risk of fatal or serious injuries and optimizing the terminal effect.
Implementation Method 1
the aluminum foam core is very light and it offers very interesting crushing and energy absorption characteristics, homogeneous and independent of the deformation rate in all directions
Implementation Method 2
the outer casing makes it possible to optimize the ballistic flight of the projectile and to attenuate the first projectile-target contact at the moment of impact
Data Source
Figure 1~3
Figure 4~5
Figure 6~8
AI summary
The invention relates to a less lethal weapon projectile having an overall cylindrical shape of longitudinal axis (L) and comprising a front end (4) in the shape of a spherical or approximately spherical cap and a rear end (2). According to the invention, the projectile includes: a core (6) made from aluminium foam, having an overall cylindrical shape centred on the above-mentioned axis (L) and comprising a front end (16) and a rear end (13) with a rear face (14), said front end (16) taking the form of a spherical or substantially spherical cap; a base (5) assembled with the aforementioned rear end (13) of the core (6) and comprising a front wall (9), which is arranged transversely to the axis (L) and which covers the rear face (14) of the core (6); and an outer case (7) that covers at least the front end (16) of the core (6). The centre of gravity and the centre of thrust of the projectile correspond perfectly, so that the projectile has good external ballistics.