Projectile Tip Void Space for Reactive Material Ignition Timing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional incendiary or explosive projectiles are ineffective against thin-skinned targets due to limited amounts of reactive material and simultaneous ignition with impact, leading to insufficient damage, and they face stability and accuracy issues during flight.
Innovation Solution
A projectile design with a housing containing a reactive material and a tip that creates a void space for controlled ignition, using recesses or grooves to secure the material and control angular momentum, allowing for tailored ignition timing based on target type through a defined distance between the tip and reactive material.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Force
If the projectile is configured with penetrating structures to increase penetration capability, then penetration performance is improved, but the amount of incendiary or explosive composition is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The project is divided into two functional segments: a penetrating structure (rod or spike) that penetrates the target, and a separate incendiary/explosive composition that inflicts additional damage. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently - the penetrating structure provides penetration capability while the incendiary composition provides explosive damage, resolving the contradiction between penetration performance and explosive material quantity.
Solution Approach 2:
The incendiary or explosive composition is nested within or attached to the penetrating structure. The composition is positioned at the tip or along the shaft of the penetrating rod, allowing the penetrating structure to maintain its integrity for penetration while the nested incendiary material is activated upon target contact to provide additional explosive damage effect.
2Device complexity
If the incendiary or explosive composition ignites simultaneously with projectile impact, then the ignition timing is simplified, but the damage inflicted on thin-skinned targets is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The penetrating structure is designed to first penetrate the target and reach a critical depth or trigger mechanism before the incendiary composition ignites. This preliminary penetration action ensures that the explosive material is positioned optimally within the target and that sufficient time has elapsed for the penetration to occur before the explosive reaction begins, thereby increasing damage to thin-skinned targets.
Solution Approach 2:
The ignition timing is made dynamic rather than fixed. The composition is designed to ignite at a predetermined time delay after impact, or upon contact with a trigger mechanism activated by the penetrating structure. This dynamic ignition timing allows the system to adapt to different target types - penetrating deep into armored targets before igniting, or igniting immediately upon contact with thin-skinned targets, thereby optimizing damage for both target types.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the projectile contains large amounts of incendiary or explosive composition, then the explosive damage is increased, but the penetrating capability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The projectile is segmented into a dedicated penetrating structure (rod, spike, or penetrator) and a separate incendiary/explosive composition. The penetrating structure is optimized for penetration - being hard, pointed, and structurally sound - while the incendiary composition is optimized for explosive damage. This segmentation allows maximum amounts of explosive material to be carried without compromising penetration capability, as the penetrating structure bears the penetration load while the explosive material provides damage.
Solution Approach 2:
Different parts of the project have different qualities optimized for their specific functions. The penetrating structure (tip and shaft) has properties optimized for penetration - hardness, geometry, and structural integrity. The incendiary composition has properties optimized for explosive damage - energy density, ignition characteristics, and blast effect. This local quality differentiation allows the project to simultaneously achieve both penetration and explosive damage capabilities.
4Stability of the object's composition
If the reactive material is secured tightly to prevent movement, then the stability during flight is improved, but the control over ignition timing is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The reactive material is preliminarily positioned and secured in a predetermined location within the penetrating structure or attached to it. This preliminary positioning ensures stable attachment during flight while the predetermined location and securing method are designed to release or activate the material at the correct ignition timing upon target contact, thereby maintaining both stability and ignition control.
Solution Approach 2:
The securing mechanism of the reactive material is designed to be dynamic rather than static. The material is securely attached during flight to maintain stability, but the attachment is designed to release, detach, or activate at a predetermined time delay or upon trigger activation upon target contact. This dynamic securing mechanism allows the system to maintain stability during flight while enabling controlled ignition timing against the target.
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 design enhances the projectile's stability and accuracy while ensuring effective ignition of the reactive material, providing increased damage to targets by controlling the timing and extent of the reaction, particularly against thin-skinned targets.
Implementation Method 1
The tip is displaced rearwardly with respect to the housing such that the directionally trailing surface of the tip contacts the directionally leading surface of the reactive material. Kinetic energy from target impact is transferred to the reactive material through the displaced tip, causing the ignition thereof.
Implementation Method 2
A reactive material is disposed within the cavity. The housing, the reactive material and the tip are cooperatively positioned and configured to define a void space between a surface of the tip and a surface of the reactive material.
Implementation Method 3
Kinetic energy from target impact is transferred to the reactive material through the displaced tip, causing the ignition thereof.
Implementation Method 4
A void space is defined between the tip and the reactive material. The housing, the reactive material and the tip are cooperatively positioned and configured to define a void space between a surface of the tip and a surface of the reactive material.
Data Source
AI summary
A projectile having a reactive material disposed therein is provided. The projectile includes a housing which defines a cavity, the cavity being open at one end of thereof. A reactive material is disposed within the cavity. A tip is coupled with the housing and substantially encloses the opening of the cavity. The housing, the reactive material and the tip are cooperatively positioned and configured so as to define a void space between a surface of the tip and a surface of the reactive material. Upon impact with a target, the tip of the projectile is designed to become displaced within the cavity until it contacts the reactive material and transfers kinetic energy thereto, thereby causing ignition of the reactive material. The void space may be defined to provide a desired amount of time between initial impact of the projectile with a target and the subsequent ignition of the reactive material.