Projectiles possessing high penetration and lateral effect with integrated disintegration arrangement

• US 7,231,876 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2002
• Issued: 06/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Kellner, Gerd
• Primary Examiner(s): CLEMENT, MICHELLE RENEE
• Application Number:
  US10/305,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20030167956A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,665 Days
• Field of Search: 102/517, 102/516, 102/506, 102/501, 102/491, 102/494
• US Class Current: 102/517
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/204 for attacking structures, e.g. specific buildings or fortifications, ships or vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/208 characterised by a plurality of charges within a single high explosive warhead
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/367 Projectiles fragmenting upon impact without the use of explosives, the fragments creating a wounding or lethal effect practice or training projectiles disintegrating upon impact F42B8/14; projectiles of high-explosive type with fragmentation-hull construction F42B12/22

Abstract

A highly effective and also inert active penetrator, an active projectile, an active airborne body or an active multipurpose projectile with a constructively adjustable or settable relationship between penetrating power and lateral effect. The end ballistic total effect which is obtained from the penetrating depth and covering the surface or stressing of the surface is initiated in an active case by means of a releasable arrangement or installation which is independent of the position of the active body.

Claims

1. An active effective body comprising an effective body casing, a pressure-generating arrangement including one or a plurality of pressure-generating elements, and an activatable initiating device, further comprising an inert pressure-transmitting medium within the effective body casing which is a component of the active effective body being separate to the pressure-generating arrangement,

wherein the inert pressure-transmitting medium and the pressure-generating arrangement are coupled to create a dynamic build up of a sweeping pressure field in the pressure-transmitting medium as to deform the effective body casing.

2. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-transmitting medium is entirely or at least partially constituted of a material which is selected from the group consisting of light metals or their alloys, plastically deformable metals or their alloys, duroplastic or thermoplastic synthetic materials, organic substances, elastomeric materials, glass-like or pulverous materials, pressed members of glass-like or pulverous materials, and mixtures of combinations thereof.

3. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-transmitting medium includes a portion consisting of a pyrophorous or other combustible material.

4. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-transmitting medium is pasty, gelatinous, gooey, a fluid or liquid.

5. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-transmitting medium is arranged so as to be variably located along the length of the active body or possesses different damping properties.

6. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-transmitting medium is assembled from two or more radially inwardly arranged elements which possess different material or selectively damping properties.

7. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein an activatable triggering arrangement is initiatable by a time or approach signal during firing or respectively during the flying phase.

8. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the activatable triggering arrangement is activatable upon impact against a target structure, during penetration or subsequent to penetration through the target structure.

9. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-generating elements of the pressure-generating arrangement comprises selectively explosives fuses, explosive capsules, detonators or gas generators.

10. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein there are provided a plurality of pressure-generating elements which are initiated either time-wise separately or simultaneously.

11. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein there are provided auxiliary arrangements for the triggering of the pressure-generating elements which are formed as separate modules or which are embedded in the pressure-transmitting medium.

12. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the pressure-transmitting medium is either or entirely or partially constituted of prefabricated structures.

13. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein embedded in the pressure-transmitting medium are entirely or partially rod shaped or successively connected end ballistic or the like effective similar or different bodies, whereby the bodies are arranged in the pressure-transmitting medium or are suitably distributed.

14. An active effective body according to claim 13, wherein the bodies which are embedded into the pressure-transmitting medium possess pyrophoric or explosive properties.

15. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the active body casing is constituted of a material which is selected from a group consisting of sintered, pure or brittle metals of high density, steel of high hardness, pressed powders, lightweight metals, plastics and fiber materials.

16. An active effective body according to claim 15, wherein the active body casing facilitates forming of statistically divided subprojectiles or fragments.

17. An active effective body according to claim 16, wherein the active body casing is constituted of one or more rings of segments, elongated structures or subprojectiles which are mechanically connected, glued or soldered to each other.

18. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the active body casing is either entirely or partially encompassed by a second casing.

19. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the active body casing possesses variable wall thicknesses along the length thereof.

20. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein one or more penetrators, containers or similar active components are arranged in the pressure-transmitting medium.

21. An active effective body according to claim 20, wherein the penetrators, containers, or the like active components possess a specified surface and are solid, or entirely or partially possess a hollow space.

22. An active effective body according to claim 21, wherein the hollow spaces are filled entirely or partially with a pressure-transmitting medium or with reaction capable components.

23. An active effective body according to claim 20, wherein the active components are inert PELE penetrators or actively laterally effective penetrators.

24. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the active body is constituted of a plurality of individual modules consisting of tip modules, one or more sectional modules, and which are constructed as solid or inert laterally effective (PELE) or actively laterally effective (ALP), whereby the individual module is selectively exchangeable.

25. An active effective body according to claim 24, wherein the plurality of individual models are arranged about the circumference and/or length of the active body.

26. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the active body possesses a modules internal construction whereby auxiliary arrangements, the pressure-generating elements or the pressure-transmitting medium are insertable therein either exchangeably or at the instance of utilization.

27. An active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the active body is spin stabilized or aerodynamically stabilized or is fired with a compensating spin.

28. Rotationally stabilized or aerodynamically stabilized projectile with one or more active effective bodies according to claim 1.

29. End phase guided projectile with one or more active effective bodies according to claim 1.

30. Practice projectile with one or more active effective bodies according to claim 1.

31. Warhead with one or more active effective bodies according to claim 1.

32. Rocket-accelerated guided or unguided airborne body with one or more active effective bodies according to claim 1.

33. Guided or unguided underwater body in the form of a torpedo with one or more active effective bodies according to claim 1.

34. Aircraft supported or autonomously flying dispensing or ejection container in the form of a dispenser with one or more effective bodies according to claim 1.

35. An effective body according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the mass of the pressure-generating unit relative to the total mass of the pressure-transmitting medium and the effective body casing is less than about 0.01.

37. The active effective body according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the mass of the pressure-generating arrangement to the mass of the inert pressure-transmitting medium is less than about 0.5.

36. A body capable of movement in a direction along a principle axis, comprising:

a pressure-generating arrangement including at least one pressure-generating element;

an inert pressure-transmitting medium situated with the pressure-generating arrangement, so that a pressure field sweeps and increases along the direction of the principle axis through the inert pressure-transmitting medium, wherein the at least one pressure-generating element initiates the pressure field; and

an effective body casing surrounding the pressure generating arrangement and the inert pressure-transmitting medium.

38. The body according to claim 36, wherein the pressure field within the inert pressure-transmitting medium deforms the effective body casing.