Mass Reducing Projectile with Fusible Alloy
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projectiles often miss their targets and continue to travel, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs due to the use of expensive self-guided or wire-guided systems.
Innovation Solution
A mass-reducing projectile design featuring a shell with weights and a low melt fusible alloy that sheds mass during flight through temperature increase, spin stabilization, or chemical exposure, breaking into smaller pieces to maintain trajectory control without the need for expensive guidance systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If self-guided or wire-guided projectiles are employed to mitigate missed targets, then targeting accuracy is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the physical state of the low melt fusible alloy from solid to liquid by temperature increase during flight. This phase change causes the alloy to flow and exit the projectile, reducing mass and potentially improving aerodynamic properties without requiring expensive guidance systems
Solution Approach 2:
The projectile uses its own kinetic energy and aerodynamic heating during flight to melt the low melt fusible alloy, eliminating the need for external guidance systems or additional energy sources. The system serves itself by utilizing flight conditions to achieve the desired mass reduction
2Loss of energy
If projectile mass is reduced during flight, then post-impact kinetic energy is reduced, but trajectory control must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The low melt fusible alloy undergoes a phase transition from solid to liquid due to temperature increase during flight. This phase change enables the alloy to flow and exit the projectile through capillary action or pressure differential, reducing mass while the gradual nature of the transition helps maintain trajectory control
Solution Approach 2:
As the low melt fusible alloy temperature increases during flight, it undergoes thermal expansion which increases its volume and decreases its density. This thermal expansion contributes to the alloy exiting the projectile and reducing mass, while the gradual process maintains trajectory control
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 projectile effectively reduces mass by up to 15% during flight, ensuring accurate targeting and reducing post-impact kinetic energy, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and cost-effectiveness.
Implementation Method 1
the low melt fusible alloy is configured to melt during flight of the mass reducing projectile so that the one or more weights and the low melt fusible alloy are ejected from the pass-through aperture
Implementation Method 2
the mass reducing projectile is spin stabilized about the geometric axis of rotation
Data Source
AI summary
A mass reducing projectile is provided. The mass reducing projectile includes a shell, one or more weights, and a low melt fusible alloy. The one or more weights are disposed within the shell. The low melt fusible alloy is disposed within the shell so as to encase the one or more weights within the shell.