Spin-stabilized non-lethal projectile with a shear-thinning fluid

• US 10,088,287 B2
• Filed: 12/05/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Dynamics OTS Incorporated (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Vista Outdoor Operations LLC (Vista Outdoor Inc.)
• Inventors: Carlson, Erik K., Edel, Joshua L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Weber, Jonathan C
• Application Number:
  US15/832,320
• Publication Number:
  US 20180164084A1
• Time in Patent Office: 301 Days
• Field of Search: 102367, 102370, 102498, 102502, 102513, 102529, 102430, 102439, 102444, 102501
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/26 using spin F42B10/04, F42B10/12, F42B10/14, F42B10/24, F42B14/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/36 for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling ; for transmitting information
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/40 of target-marking, i.e. impact-indicating type F42B12/48, F42B12/50 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/74 of the core or solid body
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/76 of the casing
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 8/16 containing an inert filler in powder or granular form

Abstract

A non-lethal projectile having a shear-thinning fluid within an interior cavity. The shear-thinning fluid having a greater apparent viscosity at low shear rates to spin-stabilize the non-lethal projectile during flight and a lower apparent viscosity at a high shear rate corresponding with the shear-thinning fluid shearing against the frangible cap upon the non-lethal projectile striking the target, with the low viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid allowing proper dispersal upon impact with the target. The shear-thinning fluid can comprise a marking media and be in the form of an emulsion with less than about 50% liquid by volume to effectively disperse upon impact with the target.

Claims

1. A marking projectile comprising:

a frangible shell of a polymeric material having an interior cavity; and

a shear-thinning fluid within the interior cavity, the shear-thinning fluid comprising an emulsifying agent chosen from glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, petrolatum, glycol strearate, and mixtures thereof, and further comprising a colorant;

wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a spin-stabilizing viscosity that is greater than an impact dispersing viscosity, such that the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid decreases with the rate of shear at impact with a target, and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 30 Pa·

s at a shear rate of about 20 Hz or greater at about 25°

C., and the spin-stabilizing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is greater than about 130 Pa·

s at shear rates less than about 2 Hz at about 25°

C. in order to spin-stabilize the projectile.

2. The marking projectile of claim 1 wherein the frangible shell comprising a cylindrical portion, and wherein the frangible shell is configured to engage rifling in a barrel so that the projectile spins when fired through the barrel.

3. The marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises glycerin in an amount from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt %.

4. The marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises water in an amount from about 12 wt % to about 20 wt %.

5. The marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an emulsifying agent in an amount from about 30 wt % to about 45 wt %.

6. The marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an acrylate crosspolymer.

7. The marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a C10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer.

8. The marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an acrylate crosspolymer in an amount from about 0.4 wt % to about 0.5 wt %.

9. The marking projectile of claim 1, in combination with a casing and propellant, the projectile disposed in the mouth of the casing.

10. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 1 used in place of a cartridge having a bullet.

11. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 1 used in place of a 5.56 mm cartridge having a bullet.

12. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 1, used in place of a 9 mm cartridge having a bullet.

13. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the shell comprises a cup connected to a frangible cup.

14. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 1, wherein the cartridge is a reduced energy cartridge adapted to propel the projectile with gases generated only by a primer.

15. A non-lethal marking projectile comprising:

a frangible shell comprising a polymeric material having an interior cavity;

the frangible shell comprising a cylindrical portion, wherein the frangible shell is configured to engage rifling in a barrel so that the projectile spins when fired through the barrel; and

a colored shear-thinning fluid within the interior cavity, the shear-thinning fluid comprising an emulsifying agent chosen from glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, petrolatum, glycol strearate, and mixtures thereof;

wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a spin-stabilizing viscosity that is greater than an impact dispersing viscosity, such that the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid decreases with the rate of shear at impact with a target, and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 25 Pa·

s at a shear rate of about 20 Hz or greater at about 25°

C., and the spin-stabilizing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is greater than about 340 Pa·

s at shear rates less than about 3 Hz at about 25°

C. in order to spin-stabilize the projectile.

16. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 15, wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises less than about 50 % by volume of a liquid portion.

17. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 15, wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a pH between about 7 and about 8.

18. A non-lethal marking projectile comprising:

a frangible polymeric shell having an interior cavity;

the frangible shell comprising a cylindrical portion,

wherein the frangible shell is configured to engage rifling in a barrel so that the projectile spins when fired through the barrel; and

a shear-thinning fluid within the interior cavity;

wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a spin-stabilizing viscosity that is greater than an impact dispersing viscosity, such that the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid decreases with the rate of shear at impact with a target, and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 30 Pa·

s at shear rates greater than about 50 Hz at about 25°

C., and the spin-stabilizing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is greater than about 900 Pa·

s at a first shear rate less than about 2 Hz at about 25°

C. in order to spin-stabilize the projectile.

19. The non-lethal marking projectile of claim 18 in combination with a casing and propellant.