Sleeve for structurally supporting a penetrator of a kinetic energy projectile
First Claim
1. A kinetic energy projectile comprising:
- a penetrator;
a sleeve composed of a shape memory alloy that is thermally shrunk around the penetrator;
the sleeve capable of heating up during flight, and expanding to form a separation between the sleeve and the penetrator; and
wherein upon target impact, the sleeve only minimally penetrates the target and allows the penetrator to slide through the sleeve into the target, thus enhancing the target penetration capability of the penetrator.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A rod sleeve made of smart material sleeves and/or steel sleeves with smart material rings surrounds the rod of a kinetic energy projectile. The rod may be made of DU, tungsten, or other material. Smart materials are materials such as nickel-titanium (nitinol) and copper aluminum nickel (CAN) that can be trained to change to one or more particular shapes at predetermined temperatures. The change in shape occurs on a molecular level, almost instantaneously. The rod sleeve can be made all or in part from smart material. The smart material is trained to shrink at cold temperatures and expand at hot temperatures. The sleeve may then be heated and expanded to allow the sleeve to be pressed on the rod. As the sleeve cools, it compresses and provides required support to rod during gun launch of the kinetic energy projectile. The sleeve heats up while traveling down range due to the aero-ballistic heating of the sleeve material. At this higher temperature, the sleeve expands. Upon projectile impact with the target, the sleeve minimally penetrates the target, allowing the rod to slip supported through the sleeve and penetrate the target. The sleeve supports the rod as it penetrates the target but does not inhibit its penetration, remaining behind as the rod continues to penetrate the target.
13 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A kinetic energy projectile comprising:
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a penetrator; a sleeve composed of a shape memory alloy that is thermally shrunk around the penetrator; the sleeve capable of heating up during flight, and expanding to form a separation between the sleeve and the penetrator; and wherein upon target impact, the sleeve only minimally penetrates the target and allows the penetrator to slide through the sleeve into the target, thus enhancing the target penetration capability of the penetrator. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification