Vacuum Panels Mitigating Shock Waves in Body Armor
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ballistic resistant composites fail to effectively mitigate shock wave energy while maintaining superior penetration resistance and low weight, particularly in body armor applications, as they are either heavy, bulky, or have limited effectiveness in reducing backface deformation.
Innovation Solution
The integration of vacuum panel technology with high-performance ballistic resistant composites, where a vacuum panel with a sealed, flexible polymeric envelope and unoccupied interior volume under vacuum pressure is coupled with ballistic resistant substrates, effectively mitigates shock wave energy by preventing its propagation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional ballistic resistant composites are used to maintain superior penetration resistance, then projectile penetration resistance is improved, but backface deformation and blunt trauma increase
Solution Approach 1:
A vacuum panel is introduced as an intermediary layer between the ballistic resistant substrate and the body. This vacuum panel acts as a mediator that intercepts and mitigates shock wave energy before it reaches the body, reducing backface deformation while allowing the substrate to maintain its penetration resistance function.
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful shock wave energy is extracted or removed from the system by creating a vacuum environment. The vacuum panel removes gas molecules from its interior volume, eliminating the medium through which shock waves can propagate, thereby extracting the harmful compression wave energy from the impact pathway.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If heavier materials are used to reduce backface deformation, then blunt trauma resistance is improved, but weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical approach of using heavy materials to absorb shock is replaced with a physical vacuum environment. Instead of relying on mass and mechanical deformation of heavy materials, the invention uses the absence of matter (vacuum) to prevent shock wave propagation, achieving blunt trauma protection without the weight penalty.
Solution Approach 2:
A vacuum environment is created within the panel, which is an inert environment devoid of gas molecules. This inert vacuum atmosphere prevents the transmission of shock wave energy, providing blunt trauma protection without requiring heavy structural materials.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If shock wave absorption materials are used, then backface deformation is reduced, but the system becomes bulky and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The vacuum panel utilizes thin flexible polymeric envelope walls to contain the vacuum environment. These thin film walls are sufficient to maintain the vacuum structure while minimizing the panel's overall thickness and volume, avoiding the bulkiness associated with conventional shock absorption materials.
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
This solution significantly reduces backface deformation and blunt trauma injuries while maintaining superior ballistic penetration resistance, achieving improved performance at lower weights compared to conventional materials.
Implementation Method 1
a vacuum panel with a sealed, flexible polymeric envelope and unoccupied interior volume under vacuum pressure is coupled with ballistic resistant substrates, effectively mitigates shock wave energy by preventing its propagation
Data Source
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AI summary
Ballistic resistant composite articles having improved resistance to backface deformation. The composite articles incorporate one or more vacuum panels that mitigate or eliminate shock wave energy resulting from a projectile impact to minimize transient compression of materials behind the armor.