Sliding Ignition Device for Penetrator Initiation Reliability

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

High-strength and thick structures require fast and slender penetrators with a corresponding explosive charge and insert, but the high negative acceleration during perforation causes the explosive charge to move towards the penetrator tip, potentially creating a gap between the booster charge and ignition device, leading to unreliable initiation.

Innovation Solution

The ignition device and its surrounding jacket slide within the penetrator's envelope, maintaining operative connection with the explosive charge, ensuring initiation occurs within the charge and preventing cavity formation, with an elastic compensating device for thermal stability and decoupling from high-frequency acceleration loads.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If the penetrator uses a slender design with high explosive charge for penetrating thick structures, then the penetration capability is improved, but the explosive charge moves toward the penetrator tip during high negative acceleration, creating a gap between the booster charge and explosive charge

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepenetration capabilityVSAvoidinitiation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ignition device is made movable within the envelope rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position in response to the penetrator's acceleration forces. The device slides along the longitudinal axis within the envelope, maintaining contact with the explosive charge regardless of its position during penetration, thus ensuring reliable initiation while preserving the slender penetrator design for high penetration capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Device complexity

If the ignition device is fixed at the rear of the penetrator, then the structure is simple, but the gap between the booster charge and explosive charge increases during penetration, risking failed initiation

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveignition device structureVSAvoidinitiation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The ignition device is designed to slide freely within the envelope along the longitudinal axis, transforming from a static fixed structure to a dynamic movable one. This allows the ignition device to automatically track the position of the explosive charge during penetration, maintaining operative connection without requiring complex active control mechanisms, thus balancing simplicity with reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Speed

If the penetrator experiences high negative acceleration during perforation, then the penetration speed is high, but the explosive charge displaces toward the tip, creating cavity formation and reducing initiation reliability

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepenetration speedVSAvoidinitiation reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The envelope serves as an intermediary space that accommodates the movement of both the explosive charge and the ignition device. By providing a confined yet flexible environment within the penetrator, the envelope allows the ignition device to slide and maintain contact with the explosive charge regardless of displacement caused by high negative acceleration, thus preserving initiation reliability during high-speed penetration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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

Guarantees reliable initiation of the explosive charge by maintaining contact between the ignition device and explosive charge during penetration, preventing cavity formation and ensuring consistent performance despite deceleration and thermal fluctuations.

Implementation Method 1

a jacket which, by means of at least part of its outer surface, is slidably abutted against the inside of the envelope

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

an elastic compensating device for thermal stability and decoupling from high-frequency acceleration loads

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal expansion: Thermal Expansion

Data Source

PatentEP2381211B1Penetrator
Publication Date: 2015.10.28 TDW GES FR VERTEIDIGUNGSTECHN WIRKSYST MBH
  • EP2381211B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2381211B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2381211B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The device has an insert (8) fixed in an inner side of a casing (1) of a penetrator, where the device is arranged at a rear plate (10) of the penetrator by an elastic compensator (9) and acts together with a reinforcement charge (6). A shell (4) partially surrounds the device and lies at the inner side of the casing in a sliding manner by a part of an outer surface of the shell, where the shell lies directly at an explosive charge (3) by another part of the outer surface. The shell has an inner shell part and a sliding layer (7) partially surrounding the inner shell part.