Shock Penetration Resistant Material for Blast Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional protective gear, while effective against small arms fire and shrapnel, is inadequate in protecting against concussive forces from blasts and IEDs, potentially worsening brain trauma injuries by acting as an acoustic lens and focusing shock waves.
Innovation Solution
Employing shock penetration resistant materials such as acoustic metamaterials with negative elastic modulus and negative effective density, or layered materials with varying densities and thicknesses, to attenuate or redirect shockwaves away from the protected object, thereby preventing damage from blast-induced injuries.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional protective gear (helmets, body armor) is used to protect against small arms fire and shrapnel, then protection against penetration is improved, but the gear may focus shock waves and worsen brain trauma injuries from blasts
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the acoustic properties of the protective gear materials. Specifically, it uses materials with negative effective density and/or negative elastic modulus to change how shock waves interact with the gear, transforming it from a shock-focusing structure to a shock-attenuating structure. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining penetration protection while eliminating the harmful shock wave focusing effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite materials, particularly acoustic metamaterials, that combine multiple components with different acoustic properties to achieve the desired negative effective density and elastic modulus. These composite structures allow the gear to simultaneously provide mechanical protection against penetration and acoustic protection against shock waves by manipulating wave propagation through the composite architecture.
2Strength
If traditional armor materials are used to provide protection, then strength and protection are improved, but weight increases reducing mobility
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameters from traditional dense armor materials to acoustic metamaterials with negative effective properties. These metamaterials achieve equivalent or superior protection capabilities through their structured architecture and negative parameter properties, significantly reducing the weight compared to conventional armor materials while maintaining or improving protection effectiveness.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional helmet design is used to protect the head, then basic protection is provided, but the helmet acts as an acoustic lens and focuses shock waves on the far side of the head
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the acoustic parameters of the helmet materials to achieve negative effective density and/or negative elastic modulus. This parameter change fundamentally alters the wave propagation characteristics, transforming the helmet from an acoustic lens that focuses shock waves to an acoustic cloak or attenuator that disperses or absorbs shock waves, thereby eliminating the harmful focusing effect while maintaining fragment protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the harmful acoustic lensing effect into a beneficial shock wave attenuation effect by using materials with negative acoustic parameters. The same structural properties that could potentially focus waves are engineered to instead scatter, absorb, or redirect shock waves away from the head, turning the potential harm into protection.
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 use of shock penetration resistant materials effectively reduces or eliminates shockwave propagation, providing enhanced protection against blast injuries by rendering shockwaves harmless and preventing focusing effects that exacerbate brain trauma.
Implementation Method 1
Employing shock penetration resistant materials such as acoustic metamaterials with negative elastic modulus and negative effective density
Implementation Method 2
Employing shock penetration resistant materials such as acoustic metamaterials with negative elastic modulus and negative effective density
Implementation Method 3
layered materials with varying densities and thicknesses to attenuate or redirect shockwaves away from the protected object
Implementation Method 4
layered materials with varying densities and thicknesses
Implementation Method 5
Embodiments may therefore provide a gradient index, for example, via selection of layered materials or via one or both of a negative elastic modulus or a negative effective density
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for providing a shock penetration resistant apparatus may include providing an item of protective gear to be positioned proximate to an object to be protected, and disposing a shock penetration resistant material proximate to the item of protective gear to attenuate or redirect shock pulses away from the object to be protected. An apparatus is also provided that may include an item of protective gear and a shock penetration resistant material. The item of protective gear may be configured to be positioned proximate to an object to be protected. The shock penetration resistant material may be disposed proximate to the item of protective gear to attenuate or redirect shock pulses away from the object to be protected.