Stone Impact Simulator Energy Dissipation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing stone impact simulators are noisy and self-destructive, leading to a shorter service life due to excessive wear and damage from projectile impact and ricochet.
Innovation Solution
A stone impact simulator with a projectile propulsion section and a capture section that includes a frustoconical energy dissipation element, a rebound block with an arcuate face, and a curved ramp to safely capture and dissipate the projectile's energy, reducing wear and tear on the device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a traditional stone impact simulator discharges projectiles at high velocity to test impact resistance, then the testing capability is improved, but the device suffers from excessive noise and self-destructive wear leading to shorter service life
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful kinetic energy of ricocheting projectiles into a beneficial containment mechanism. The frustoconical chamber with its specific geometry (cone angle 15-45 degrees) captures the ricocheting projectiles and directs them into a collection receptacle, transforming the harmful noise-generating ricochet into a controlled energy dissipation process that protects the device and extends service life
Solution Approach 2:
The frustoconical chamber acts as an intermediary element between the test sample and the projectile launch mechanism. It mediates the interaction by providing a controlled environment for projectile ricochet, preventing direct contact between high-velocity projectiles and the device structure, thereby reducing wear and noise while maintaining testing capability
2Loss of energy
If the projectile capture section uses a frustoconical wall with a specific cone angle, then the energy dissipation effectiveness is improved, but the structural complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent optimizes the frustoconical chamber geometry by specifying a cone angle range of 15-45 degrees (with preference for 15-30 degrees). This parameter optimization balances energy dissipation effectiveness with structural simplicity. The specific angular range provides sufficient energy dissipation while avoiding excessive structural complexity, representing an optimized parameter selection that resolves the contradiction
3Reliability
If the rebound block has a larger radius of curvature, then the projectile capture effectiveness is improved, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the radius of curvature requirement by utilizing the three-dimensional space within the frustoconical chamber. Rather than increasing the radius in a single dimension, the conical geometry provides spatial distribution that achieves effective projectile capture while maintaining compact overall device dimensions. The angular geometry compensates for the radius constraint
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 simulator operates more quietly and has a longer service life by effectively capturing and dissipating the projectile's energy, minimizing damage to the device and projectiles, and allowing for a wide range of speeds from 10 to 200 miles per hour.
Implementation Method 1
a projectile energy dissipation element between the rebound block and the spent projectile storage compartment
Implementation Method 2
the frustoconical wall has a cone angle of between 5 degrees and 20 degrees
Implementation Method 3
The rebound block may have an arcuate face
Implementation Method 4
a rebound block, a spent projectile storage compartment and a projectile energy dissipation element between the rebound block and the spent projectile storage compartment
Implementation Method 5
The projectile capture section may further include a curved ramp between the rebound block and the projectile energy dissipation element
Implementation Method 6
That curved ramp may include a shallow, arcuate channel
Data Source
AI summary
A stone impact simulator is provided. That stone impact simulator includes a projectile propulsion section to propel a projectile toward a test sample and a projectile capture section to capture the projectile after the projectile ricochets off of the test sample. The projectile capture section includes a rebound block, a spent projectile storage compartment and a projectile energy dissipation element between the rebound block and the spent projectile storage compartment.