Lightweight polymer ammunition cartridge having a primer diffuser

• US 10,048,049 B2
• Filed: 06/05/2015
• Issued: 08/14/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velocity Holdings LLC (Centerpoint Energy Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: True Velocity, Inc.
• Inventors: Burrow, Lonnie
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Stephen
• Application Number:
  US14/732,045
• Publication Number:
  US 20160356581A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,166 Days
• Field of Search: 102465, 102466, 102469, 102470
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/26 Cartridge cases F42B5/18 takes precedence ; manufacturing of cartridge cases B21K21/04
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/307 formed by assembling several elements
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/36 modified for housing an integral firing-cap

Abstract

The present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge having polymer cartridge with a metal primer insert having a primer recess and a primer diffuser cup or ring inserted into the primer recess.

Claims

1. A polymeric ammunition cartridge having a primer a diffuser cup comprising:

a substantially cylindrical insert comprising a top surface opposite a bottom surface and a substantially cylindrical coupling element that extends from the bottom surface, a primer recess in the top surface that extends toward the bottom surface, a primer flash hole aperture positioned in the primer recess to extend through the bottom surface, and a flange that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the top surface;

a polymeric middle body component comprising a bullet-end component connection end opposite a polymeric coupling end that extends over the substantially cylindrical coupling element toward the flange and into the primer flash hole aperture to form a primer flash hole;

a bullet-end component comprising a middle body connection end opposite a bullet-end aperture, wherein the middle body connection end mates to the bullet-end component connection end to form a powder chamber between the bullet-end aperture and the substantially cylindrical insert; and

a diffuser cup adapted to hold a primer comprising

a cup bottom surface sized to fit in the primer recess,

a diffuser aperture positioned through the cup diffuser bottom surface and aligned with the primer flash hole aperture, a cup wall attached to the diffuser bottom surface and extending away from the diffuser bottom surface, and an interior cavity bordered by the cup wall and the diffuser bottom surface and sized to frictionally fit the primer.

2. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component comprises a shoulder positioned between the middle body connection end and the bullet-end aperture.

3. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 2, wherein the bullet-end component comprises a neck positioned between the bullet-end aperture and the shoulder.

4. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 3, wherein the neck comprises one or more cannelures that interlocks with a bullet.

5. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 3, wherein the neck comprises a plurality of internal structures for supporting a bullet.

6. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component, the polymeric middle body or both are formed from a ductile polymer.

7. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component is formed from a less ductile polymer than the polymeric middle body component.

8. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component, polymeric middle body component or both comprise a nylon polymer.

9. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component, polymeric middle body component or both are formed from a fiber-reinforced polymeric composite.

10. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 9, wherein the fiber-reinforced polymeric composite contains between about 10 and about 70 wt % glass fiber fillers, mineral fillers, or mixtures thereof.

11. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component is welded or bonded to the polymeric middle body component.

12. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end aperture comprises one or more cannelures that interlocks with a bullet.

13. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end aperture comprises one, two, three, or more annular rings that mate with one, two, three, or more corresponding annular grooves positioned on a bullet.

14. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the polymeric middle body component comprise a polymers selected from the group consisting of polyurethane prepolymer, cellulose, fluoro-polymer, ethylene inter-polymer alloy elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate, nylon, polyether imide, polyester elastomer, polyester sulfone, polyphenyl amide, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride or thermoset polyurea elastomer, acrylics, homopolymers, acetates, copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadinen-styrene, thermoplastic fluoro polymers, inomers, polyamides, polyamide-imides, polyacrylates, polyatherketones, polyaryl-sulfones, polybenzimidazoles, polycarbonates, polybutylene, terephthalates, polyether imides, polyether sulfones, thermoplastic polyimides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyphenylene sulfides, polyethylene, polypropylene, polysulfones, polyvinylchlorides, styrene acrylonitriles, polystyrenes, polyphenylene, ether blends, styrene maleic anhydrides, polycarbonates, allyls, aminos, cyanates, epoxies, phenolics, unsaturated polyesters, bismaleimides, polyurethanes, silicones, vinylesters, urethane hybrids, polyphenylsulfones, copolymers of polyphenylsulfones with polyethersulfones or polysulfones, copolymers of poly-phenylsulfones with siloxanes, blends of polyphenylsulfones with polysiloxanes, poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers, blends of polyetherimides and polysiloxanes, and blends of polyetherimides and poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers.

15. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component comprise a polymers selected from the group consisting of polyurethane prepolymer, cellulose, fluoro-polymer, ethylene inter-polymer alloy elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate, nylon, polyether imide, polyester elastomer, polyester sulfone, polyphenyl amide, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride or thermoset polyurea elastomer, acrylics, homopolymers, acetates, copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadinen-styrene, thermoplastic fluoro polymers, inomers, polyamides, polyamide-imides, polyacrylates, polyatherketones, polyaryl-sulfones, polybenzimidazoles, polycarbonates, polybutylene, terephthalates, polyether imides, polyether sulfones, thermoplastic polyimides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyphenylene sulfides, polyethylene, polypropylene, polysulfones, polyvinylchlorides, styrene acrylonitriles, polystyrenes, polyphenylene, ether blends, styrene maleic anhydrides, polycarbonates, allyls, aminos, cyanates, epoxies, phenolics, unsaturated polyesters, bismaleimides, polyurethanes, silicones, vinylesters, urethane hybrids, polyphenylsulfones, copolymers of polyphenylsulfones with polyethersulfones or polysulfones, copolymers of poly-phenylsulfones with siloxanes, blends of polyphenylsulfones with polysiloxanes, poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers, blends of polyetherimides and polysiloxanes, and blends of polyetherimides and poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers.

16. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the bullet-end component connection end is a male coupling element with a straight skirt interlock surface that tapers to a smaller diameter at the forward portion on the skirt tip to mate with a female coupling element of the polymeric coupling end.

17. The polymeric ammunition cartridge of claim 1, wherein the polymeric coupling end is a male coupling element with a straight skirt interlock surface that tapers to a smaller diameter at the forward portion on the skirt tip to mate with a female coupling element of the bullet-end component connection end.