Vertical Explosive Reactive Armor with Upper Limiter
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing explosive reactive armor (ERA) is ineffective against kinetic and tandem explosively formed penetrators, particularly when mounted vertically, and requires a large amount of explosive material, leading to increased size and weight, which is impractical for military vehicles.
Innovation Solution
The development of vertical explosive reactive armor (VERA) comprising an explosive material, inert plate, damping material, casing, casing cover, casing upper limiter, and expandable material, where the casing upper limiter holds back the inert plate after detonation to bend at an angle, breaking kinetic penetrators and disrupting the integrity of explosively formed penetrators.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a large amount of explosive substance is used to effectively protect military vehicle from KEP and EFP, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the weight and volume of the armor increase
Solution Approach 1:
The armor is divided into multiple functional layers: inert plate, explosive substance layer, and compressible material layer. Each layer performs a specific function - the inert plate provides structural support and initial penetration resistance, the explosive substance detonates to disrupt penetrators, and the compressible material absorbs and dissipates shock waves. This segmentation allows effective protection with reduced total explosive material compared to homogeneous designs.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite structure combining inert plate material, explosive substance, and compressible material. This composite approach leverages the strengths of each material type - the mechanical strength of the inert plate, the energy release of the explosive, and the shock-absorbing properties of the compressible material - achieving effective protection with optimized material quantities and reduced overall weight.
2Area of stationary object
If ERA is mounted in vertical position to cover maximum surface area of military vehicle, then coverage is improved, but protection effectiveness against KEP and EFP decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The inert plate is designed to be dynamic rather than static - it is free to move and deform during impact. When a penetrator strikes the vertical armor, the inert plate dynamically responds by deforming and interacting with the explosive and compressible layers, maintaining protection effectiveness in the vertical mounting position that was previously ineffective.
3Reliability
If multiple containers overlap or are fastened at slope to improve effectiveness against tandem penetrators, then protection against tandem EFP is improved, but the dimensions and weight of military vehicle increase
Solution Approach 1:
The compressible material layer is positioned between the explosive substance and the military vehicle hull, acting as a preliminary cushion. This pre-positioned compressible layer absorbs and dissipates the shock waves from detonation before they reach the vehicle structure, providing enhanced protection against tandem penetrators in a single compact unit without requiring multiple overlapping containers.
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
VERA effectively protects military vehicles against kinetic and tandem penetrators while maintaining a compact and lightweight design, suitable for vertical mounting without increasing the vehicle's dimensions or weight.
Implementation Method 1
When penetrator hits such ERA, explosive substance detonates and penetrator is destroyed or diverted
Implementation Method 2
explosive substance detonates and penetrator is destroyed or diverted, thus the efficiency of penetrator is decreased
Implementation Method 3
the volume of expandable material increases, so the metal plate is thrown toward the penetrator. These processes disintegrate the concentration of the EFP current
Implementation Method 4
a layer of damping material, positioned between the inert plates
Data Source
Figure 1A~2C
Figure 1A~2C
Figure 3A~4C
AI summary
Vertical explosive reactive armor (VERA) comprise the following components: an explosive material (1), an inert plate (2), a damping material (3), a casing (4); a casing cover (5) and a casing upper limiter (6). VERA additionally could have an expandable material and an uneven surface inert plate. The essential component of VERA is the casing upper limiter, the purpose of which is to hold back the part of the inert plate after the detonation, which makes the inert plate to bend at an angle. Bent back inert plate is breaking kinetic penetrator by its plane into individual elements and affects the trajectory of the kinetic penetrator. If the penetrator is explosively formed penetrator, the inert plate shatters or partially destroys the integrity of the current of the penetrator by its own plane. Such VERA construction protects against kinetic penetrators, explosively formed penetrators and tandem explosively formed penetrators. These VERA are efficient, compact, easy to manufacture and operate.