Frangible kinetic energy projectile for air defense
US8250987B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 14, 2009 |
| Grant date | Aug 28, 2012 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 30, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF42B12/06
- WIPO fieldOther special machines
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A Kinetic Energy penetrator round is shown effective in neutralizing incoming air borne threat munitions such as rockets, artillery, or mortars for instance, without posing a threat in urban environments to harm bystanders on the ground. There are also no hazards or expense with this round of cleaning up unexploded ordnance, which might have occurred with other types of rounds due to unreliability of self destruct mechanisms. Shown herein is a kinetic energy penetrator for air defense that merely self destructs beyond its operational range into fragments that are not lethal to personnel on ground; no pyrotechnic or energetic materials means are used to activate this self destruct process. A full bore projectile structure is shown that is composed of plural axi-symmetric circular disks stacked on each other and tied by a shape memory metal wire of Nitinol. While operational as a joined group, the disks are a formidable round to kill an incoming air target. After the self destruct phase however, each disk is separated from adjacent disks on either side by a spring mechanism that enables separation after the process is initiated in flight when the Nitinol wire deforms due to heating f…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.