The invention relates to a fragmentation sleeve according to the preamble of claim 1.
A fragmentation type weapon is known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,263,612 THRONER with two groups of discrete cubic slugs made of steel and where one group of slugs comprises a plurality of uniformly sized slugs differing in size from the slugs in the other group, the slugs being assembled in a cementitious matrix of plastic material thereby providing an outer hollow cylindrical shell for the explosive charge which is entirely encased by that shell. The larger fragments of the one group have a weight of 140 gran (corresponding to 8.4 grams) and the smaller fragments of the second group have a weight of 30 gran (corresponding to 1.8 grams), i.e. THRONER discloses discrete cubical fragments in different large/weight.
From U.S. Pat. No. 7,004,075 RONN ET AL. An ammunition unit is known comprising a plurality of exchangeable warhead modules to be fixed on the casing of the ammunition body by means of securing devices or retention parts. The modules have the shape of curved, relatively narrow segments arranged longitudinally on the generally cylindrical ammunition body. One module may contain uniformly large spherical pellets and another module may contain uniformly small spherical pellets.
It is an object of the invention to provide a fragmentation sleeve for an ammunition body allowing a high degree of flexibility in the geometrical configuration of an ammunition body due to the different configuration of the sleeve allowing the rapid adaptation of the distribution, concentration and/or direction of fragments.
The invention solves the posed problem with a fragmentation sleeve comprising the features of claim 1.
The advantages of the fragmentation sleeve according to the invention are the following:
Further advantageous embodiments of the invention can be commented as follows:
In a special embodiment the fragmentation sleeve has the shape of a hollow cylinder.
In another embodiment the fragmentation sleeve has the shape of double hollow cone, a single hollow spherical zone or a multiple hollow spherical zone.
In a further embodiment the fragmentation sleeve is provided with a place holding annular element having an outside surface matching the inner surface of the sleeve and an internal surface, which is circular cylindrical for contacting a generally circular cylindrically shaped ammunition body.
In a special embodiment of the present invention the fragments consist of steel and have a mean weight in the range of 0.10 to 0.17 grams. This embodiment allows that advantage of good-controlled filling degree due to the matter that the fragments have similar weights, which in combination with the form of the sleeve, allows the advantage of the high degree of flexibility of the configuration of the region of effect. By using of materials with a higher density lies the mean weight in a higher range. The mean weight and the size of the fragments can also vary depending on the task of the fragmentation sleeve (e.g. air-to-air-missile).
In a further embodiment the polymeric matrix of the fragmentation sleeve is based on an epoxy resin, polyester and/or polyurethane.
In a further embodiment the polymeric matrix is fiber reinforced, preferably with glass fiber and/or carbon fiber.
In another embodiment the plurality of fragments of the fragmentation sleeve comprise at least two different types of fragments.
In a further embodiment one type of fragments has essentially spherical shape and the other type of fragments has a non-spherical, preferably cuboid, parallelepipedic or tetrahedral shape.
In a further embodiment at least two different types of fragments comprise different materials.
In a further embodiment the at least two different type of fragments are arranged in a single plane of the internal surface S; of the sleeve.
In another embodiment the at least two different type of fragments are arranged over each other.
In a further embodiment the plurality of fragments comprise a metal, metallic alloy or metal carbide, preferably steel, tungsten, tungsten carbide or aluminum.
In another embodiment the VF:VM ratio between the total volume VF of the fragments and the total volume VM of the polymeric matrix is in the range of 0.5 and 0.9, preferably in the range of 0.6 and 0.75.
In a special embodiment of an assembly of at least one fragmentation sleeve and a generally circular cylindrically shaped ammunition body having a central axis X, the length L measured parallel to the central axis X and diameter D, the diameter D is at no place larger than Di and preferably equal to Di.
In a further embodiment of the assembly the height H of the annular sleeve is smaller than the length L of the ammunition body and preferably is less than 20% of L.
In a further embodiment the assembly comprises N sleeves positioned longitudinally relative to the central axis X, whereby N≥2.
In a further embodiment the assembly comprises N sleeves positioned at least partially on each other relative to the central axis X, whereby N≥2.
In a further embodiment the ammunition body comprises a hollow charge which is comprised in a casing with the outer surface.
In a further embodiment the ammunition body is chosen from the group of non-barrel based ammunition, and in particular is a bomb, rocket or missile.
In a special embodiment of the manufacture of the assembly of at least one fragmentation sleeve and the shaped ammunition body the sleeve is slid over the body and positioned on an outer surface of the body.
In a further embodiment of the manufacture the sleeve is selected from a plurality P≥2 of sleeves, whereby at least one sleeve of the plurality P comprises fragments comprising a first material M1 and at least one further sleeve of the plurality P comprises fragments comprising a second material M2, whereby M1 and M2 are different materials.
This embodiment allows high variability by manufacturing in relation of election of materials (steel, tungsten, molybdenum or other heavy metals as well as light metals or also plastic materials).
In a special embodiment the kit comprising a generally circular cylindrically shaped ammunition body and a plurality P≥2 of fragmentation sleeves, whereby at least one sleeve of the plurality P comprises fragments comprising a first material M1 and at least one further sleeve of the plurality P comprises fragments comprising a second material M2, whereby M1 and M2 are different materials.
“Fragments”: The term “fragments” means in the present specification any pre-shaped fragmentations or splinters made of various hard or hardenable materials.
Several embodiments of the invention will be described in the following by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
According to this embodiment the sleeve has an outer diameter varying over its external surface and an inner diameter varying over its internal surface. The inner diameter of the fragmentation sleeve is at no place smaller than Di, whereby Di is equal to the diameter D of the circular cylindrically shaped ammunition body 2. The embodiment of the sleeve 1 according to
Although the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications and variations that fall within the scope of the appended claims.
It is appreciated that certain features of the invention, which are, for clarity, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the invention, which are, for brevity, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable subcombination or as suitable in any other described embodiment of the invention. Certain features described in the context of various embodiments are not to be considered essential features of those embodiments, unless the embodiment is inoperative without those elements.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/CH2016/000006 | 1/15/2016 | WO | 00 |
Publishing Document | Publishing Date | Country | Kind |
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WO2017/120685 | 7/20/2017 | WO | A |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
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2023158 | Williams | Dec 1935 | A |
3263612 | Throner, Jr. | Aug 1966 | A |
3298308 | Throner, Jr. | Jan 1967 | A |
4493264 | Jameson | Jan 1985 | A |
7004075 | Ronn | Feb 2006 | B2 |
8381657 | Hooke | Feb 2013 | B1 |
8671840 | Scheid | Mar 2014 | B2 |
8967409 | Desiles | Mar 2015 | B2 |
9638500 | Blyskal | May 2017 | B1 |
20120192753 | Scheid | Aug 2012 | A1 |
20120192754 | Scheid | Aug 2012 | A1 |
20160273898 | Kravel | Sep 2016 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
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1453828 | Jul 1970 | DE |
0718590 | Jun 1996 | EP |
2008073540 | Jun 2008 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20190025031 A1 | Jan 2019 | US |