Multi-piece Projectile Insert via Powder Metallurgy for Controlled Penetration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current ammunition used by law enforcement lacks optimal controlled-penetration characteristics, risking collateral damage due to either over-penetration or failure to defeat barriers, necessitating a solution that balances penetration and expansion in various target scenarios.

Innovation Solution

A two-piece bullet design featuring a base body and an insert formed via powder metallurgy, where the insert is sintered or partially sintered, allowing for controlled expansion and penetration characteristics through adjustable geometry and porosity, enabling the bullet to effectively penetrate barriers and rapidly decelerate in soft targets.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If barrier-blind ammunition is used to defeat barriers, then barrier penetration capability is improved, but over-penetration risk increases causing collateral damage

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebarrier penetration capabilityVSAvoidover-penetration and collateral damage

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The projectile is divided into two distinct segments: a penetrator portion for barrier penetration and a softer expansion portion for controlled expansion in soft targets. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, enabling the projectile to defeat barriers while limiting over-penetration through the softer portion's expansion characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the projectile are assigned different material properties: the penetrator portion has high hardness and density for barrier penetration, while the expansion portion has lower hardness for controlled expansion. This local differentiation of material qualities enables simultaneous optimization for both barrier penetration and controlled expansion, preventing collateral damage.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If controlled expansion rounds are used to prevent over-penetration, then collateral damage is reduced, but barrier penetration capability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollateral damage from over-penetrationVSAvoidbarrier penetration capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The projectile is segmented into a dedicated penetrator portion that maintains high penetration capability and a separate expansion portion that provides controlled expansion. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different functions to different segments, allowing the penetrator to defeat barriers while the expansion portion controls over-penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The projectile uses composite construction with a hard penetrator portion and a softer expansion portion made from different materials or material compositions. This composite structure enables the hard portion to penetrate barriers effectively while the softer portion expands controllably in soft targets, preventing both barrier penetration failure and over-penetration.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Ease of manufacture

If traditional single-piece bullets are used, then manufacturing is simpler, but controlled-penetration characteristics cannot be optimized

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidcontrolled-penetration characteristics

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The projectile is manufactured as two separate pieces (penetrator and expansion portion) that are assembled together. This segmentation allows each piece to be manufactured independently with optimized properties for its specific function, achieving superior controlled-penetration characteristics while maintaining reasonable manufacturing simplicity through modular assembly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

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 bullet achieves controlled penetration and rapid expansion in soft targets, reducing collateral damage by optimizing penetration and expansion characteristics, providing improved safety and performance compared to existing ammunition.

Implementation Method 1

the insert is formed via a powder metallurgy process. In an example embodiment, the powder metallurgy process is a sintering process. The insert is a partially sintered metal or metal matrix composite.

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSintering: Sintering

Data Source

PatentUS11598617B2Multi-piece projectile with an insert formed via a powder metallurgy process

Publication Date: 2023.03.07 AGAZIM ERIK

AI summary

A bullet (100), having: a main body (102) with a bore (106) bounded by a sidewall (124); an insert (104) that is disposed in the bore and that has longitudinal splines (460) configured to form a longitudinal flute (4620 in the insert and to provide radial support for the sidewall of the bore. A leading end (466) of the flute is open.