Tail-Fin Projectile Layout for Stable Flight Without Rifling
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional projectiles require rifling or sabots for stabilization, which can degrade flight characteristics and limit accuracy and target penetration.
Innovation Solution
A sabot-free projectile design with radially extending tail fins and a stem, colinearly disposed along a longitudinal axis, providing stability without rotation, and a cartridge with a flight control surface extending along the projectile's length.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If rifled barrels are used to stabilize the projectile, then external ballistic flight stability is improved, but energy is lost as it leaves the barrel ahead of the projectile via the open space in the rifling grooves
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stabilization function from the rifling system and transfers it to the projectile itself through flight control surfaces. The projectile is designed with fins or vanes that provide aerodynamic stability without requiring the projectile to rotate, thereby eliminating energy loss through rifling grooves while maintaining flight stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention replaces the mechanical rifling stabilization system with an aerodynamic stabilization system using flight control surfaces. Instead of relying on rotational spin from rifling, the projectile uses fin-generated aerodynamic forces to maintain stable flight, substituting a mechanical solution with an aerodynamic one that avoids energy loss.
2Stability of the object's composition
If sabots are used to engage with rifling slots and impart rotation to the bullet, then spin stabilized projectile performance is improved, but the sabot disengagement negatively impacts external ballistics
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the sabot component entirely from the system. Instead of using a sabot to impart rotation, the projectile incorporates integrated flight control surfaces that provide stabilization without requiring a separate sabot device, eliminating the disengagement problem that negatively impacts external ballistics.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention merges the stabilization function into the projectile body itself through integrated flight control surfaces. The fins or vanes are part of the projectile structure, eliminating the need for a separate sabot component and its associated disengagement issues, thereby improving reliability in external ballistics.
3Ease of manufacture
If conventional bullets are used with smooth uniform shank and axially-symmetrical nose, then manufacturing is simplified, but the bullets wobble during flight and lose accuracy and velocity
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces asymmetric flight control surfaces (fins or vanes) on the projectile. These asymmetric elements generate aerodynamic forces that stabilize the projectile during flight, preventing wobble and improving accuracy, while the overall manufacturing process remains relatively simple through conventional forming and attachment techniques.
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
Achieves repeatable and accurate external ballistic flight stability, maintaining velocity and accuracy without the need for rifling or sabots.
Implementation Method 1
a tail portion defining a rear end of the projectile and including a plurality of radially extending tail fins, the radially extending tail fins having a leading edge longitudinally intermediate the elongate body portion and the rear end of the projectile
Implementation Method 2
the body portion, the tail portion, and the stem are colinearly disposed along a longitudinal axis and define a fixed integral assembly with a projectile center of pressure and a projectile center of mass, the projectile center of pressure being longitudinally intermediate the rear end of the projectile and the projectile center of mass
Data Source
AI summary
A cartridge is disclosed with a casing and a projectile, wherein external ballistic stability is provided by a center of pressure of the projectile being rearward of a center of mass of the projectile. The projectile includes flight control surfaces that cooperate with the bore of a barrel without requiring rifling or sabots. The projectile can include fin configurations that cooperate with the bore to form a gas check.