Reusable Polyurethane Projectile Shape Recovery
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing projectiles fired from guns are typically single-use and deform upon impact or rifling, requiring reformation or custom designs for reuse, which limits their reusability and compatibility with standard firearm mechanisms.
Innovation Solution
A reusable polyurethane projectile is developed through a casting process that maintains shape and accuracy, allowing it to be fired, collected, and reused with minimal degradation, conforming to the rifling of the barrel and compatible with standard reloading mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional projectile is fired through a barrel with rifling, then the projectile can be propelled forward, but the projectile deforms and cannot be reused
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile is made from polyurethane material with specific hardness parameters (Shore A 40-99 or Shore D 10-50) that allow it to maintain shape integrity while being deformable enough to follow rifling. The material parameters are selected to enable recovery from deformation after firing.
Solution Approach 2:
The polyurethane projectile acts as a flexible body that can temporarily deform to conform to rifling grooves during firing, then elastic recovery allows it to return to its original shape for reuse. The flexibility enables adaptation to barrel rifling without permanent deformation.
2Reliability
If a reusable projectile is made soft and elastic to allow deformation, then the projectile can be inserted into cartridges, but it does not conform to rifling for improved accuracy
Solution Approach 1:
The polyurethane hardness is specifically controlled (Shore A 40-99 or Shore D 10-50) to achieve the right balance: soft enough to deform into rifling grooves for accuracy, but firm enough to maintain overall bullet shape and be reusable. This parameter optimization resolves the contradiction between softness for insertion and hardness for rifling conformance.
3Reliability
If a projectile is designed for non-lethal purposes with custom designs, then the projectile can be reusable, but it is not compatible with standard firearm mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The polyurethane projectile is designed with universal dimensions and properties that allow it to function in standard firearm mechanisms (rifles, pistols, shotguns) while maintaining reusability. The material properties enable it to be fed from clips, chambered, and ejected like conventional ammunition, making it compatible across different firearm platforms.
4Reliability
If a projectile is made to maintain shape after impact for reuse, then the projectile can be reused with minimal degradation, but it requires special material properties
Solution Approach 1:
The polyurethane material parameters (hardness, elasticity, temperature resistance) are specifically selected and controlled during manufacturing to enable shape recovery after impact. The casting process parameters are optimized to produce consistent material properties that allow reuse while maintaining ease of manufacture through standard polyurethane casting techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The projectile uses polyurethane composite material that combines the desired properties of elasticity for shape recovery with strength for maintaining structural integrity after impact. The composite nature of polyurethane (combining soft and hard segments) enables both reusability and ease of manufacture through established casting processes.
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 polyurethane projectile achieves high reusability, maintains accuracy and shape upon impact, and is less lethal, reducing costs by only requiring replacement of primer and gunpowder, while being operable at high temperatures and compatible with standard firearm clips.
Implementation Method 1
the projectile is a soft and elastic material that is formed into a ball, compressed pushed in a deformed condition into a cartridge... Upon impact the projectile will flatten and then rebound to the original shape
Implementation Method 2
The projectile is deformed with the rifling of the barrel... The reusable projectile conforms to the rifling of the barrel
Implementation Method 3
A reusable polyurethane projectile is developed through a casting process that maintains shape and accuracy... operable at high temperatures
Data Source
AI summary
Improvements in a reusable polyurethane projectile are presented. The reusable polyurethane projectile performs like a bullet or projectile because the projectile is essentially the same size and shape of a bullet and can be fed through a normal bullet clip into the breach of a gun, fired and ejected. The reusable polyurethane projectile conforms to the rifling of the barrel of the firearm to spin the projectile and provide equivalent accuracy to a metallic bullet. Upon impact the projectile will flatten and then rebound to the original shape. Standard re-loading mechanisms can be used to install the projectile back into a prepared cartridge. The reusable projectile is fabricated from a casting process that increases the resistance of the polyurethane from melting when the hot gun gunpowder pushes the reusable projectile out of the barrel of the gun.