Apparatus and method for producing fragment-free openings
First Claim
1. An apparatus for creating an opening in a barrier, comprising:
- a) an explosive charge secured to a support;
b) a buffer material on said support and disposed between said charge and the, barrier wherein the buffer material is adapted to be mounted on the barrier, c) means for setting off said explosive charge and creating an explosive force, wherein said explosive force causes the barrier to fail from an initial point and along intersecting failure lines thus defining a plurality of petals cantilevered from the barrier which are pushed by said explosive force to define a fragment-free opening in the barrier.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus and method for explosively penetrating hardened containers such as steel drums without producing metal fragmentation is disclosed. The apparatus can be used singularly or in combination with water disrupters and other disablement tools. The apparatus is mounted in close proximity to the target and features a main sheet explosive that is initiated at least three equidistant points along the sheet'"'"'s periphery. A buffer material is placed between the sheet explosive and the target. As a result, the metallic fragments generated from the detonation of the detonator are attenuated so that no fragments from the detonator are transferred to the target. As a result, an opening can be created in containers such as steel drums through which access to the IED is obtained to defuse it with projectiles or fluids.
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Citations
25 Claims
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1. An apparatus for creating an opening in a barrier, comprising:
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a) an explosive charge secured to a support;
b) a buffer material on said support and disposed between said charge and the, barrier wherein the buffer material is adapted to be mounted on the barrier, c) means for setting off said explosive charge and creating an explosive force, wherein said explosive force causes the barrier to fail from an initial point and along intersecting failure lines thus defining a plurality of petals cantilevered from the barrier which are pushed by said explosive force to define a fragment-free opening in the barrier. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method of making a fragment-free opening in a barrier, comprising:
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a) securing an explosive to a buffer material;
b) securing the buffer material to the barrier;
c) setting off the explosive and creating an explosive force; and
d) creating an opening in the barrier by failing the barrier along intersecting lines of failure with the explosive force into a plurality of petals that remain attached to the barrier after displacement to define the opening. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17)
a) using sheet explosive;
b) setting off said sheet explosive in at least three locations.
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16. The method of claim 15, further comprising spacing said locations equidistant from each other.
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17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:
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a) encasing said sheet explosive with a shock-attenuating material;
b) supporting a detonating device in said attenuating material which branches to each of said locations on said sheet;
c) providing foam as a buffer between said sheet and the barrier.
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18. A method of forming a fragment-free opening in a barrier, comprising:
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a) initiating an explosive material mounted on the barrier and creating shock pressure;
b) creating at least two intersecting fracture plane in the barrier with the shock pressure; and
c) propagating fractures in the barrier along the intersecting fracture planes to form a plurality of cantilevered petals defining an opening in the barrier. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
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24. An apparatus for creating a fragment-free opening in a barrier, comprising:
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a) an explosive charge;
b) shock attenuating material encapsulating all but one surface of the explosive charge;
c) a buffer material mounted on the one surface of the explosive charge not encapsulated with shock attenuating material;
d) adhesive means with the buffer material for mounting the apparatus on the barrier;
e) means for setting off the explosive charge and creating an explosive force, wherein the explosive force creates intersecting lines of failure in the barrier whereby the barrier fails from an initial point and along the intersecting failure lines thus forming petals cantilevered from the barrier and defining an opening therein.
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25. An explosive apparatus for creating a fragment-free opening in a barrier, comprising:
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a) a shock absorbent;
b) an explosive material mounted with the shock absorbent;
c) a shock buffer mounted with the explosive material having an adhesive surface adapted for attaching the apparatus to the barrier such that the shock buffer is interposed between the explosive material and the barrier; and
d) a detonator mounted in the shock absorbent and configured so as to set off the explosive material at at least three locations wherein intersecting planes of fracture are created in the barrier by the shock pressure from the detonated explosive material thus forming petals cantilevered from the barrier and defining an opening therein.
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Specification