Reactive material enhanced projectiles, devices for generating reactive material enhanced projectiles and related methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016209187-A1
Application number	US-201313896621-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 17, 2013
Priority date	Jul 27, 2009
Publication date	Jul 21, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A liner assembly for an explosively formed projectile device may include a reactive material liner and a primary liner configured to form into a projectile responsive to initiation of an explosive material. The reactive material liner may be configured and formulated to increase the velocity of the projectile after formation thereof. An ordnance device for generating an explosively formed projectile may include a case, an explosive material, and a reactive material liner and a primary liner configured, in combination, to form into a projectile. An explosively formed projectile may include a deformed primary liner and a deformed reactive material liner having an ignited portion increasing the velocity of the projectile. Methods of explosively forming a projectile may include explosively expelling a primary liner and a secondary liner and increasing the velocity of the projectile by combusting at least a portion of the secondary liner.

First claim

1 . A method of explosively forming a projectile, the method comprising:
explosively expelling a primary liner and a secondary liner from a case; deforming the primary liner to at least partially surround a portion of the secondary liner; and increasing a velocity of the projectile by combusting at least a portion of the secondary liner.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising igniting a portion of the secondary liner as the secondary liner is explosively expelled from the case.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising deforming the primary liner into an outer portion of the projectile.

4 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising exposing a portion of the secondary liner at a posterior end of the projectile.

5 . The method of claim 4 , further comprising forming a propulsive jet with the combusting portion of the secondary liner at the exposed portion of the secondary liner at the posterior end of the projectile.

6 . The method of claim 3 , further comprising deforming the secondary liner comprising a reactive material into a central portion of the projectile.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing a velocity of the projectile comprises increasing the velocity of the projectile in excess of a velocity generated by explosively expelling the primary liner and the secondary liner from the case.

8 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising explosively expelling a control liner from the case with the primary liner and the secondary liner.

9 . The method of claim 8 , further comprising deforming the control liner into a posterior portion of the projectile.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising controlling a rate of reaction of an ignited portion of the secondary liner with the control liner.

11 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising explosively expelling a buffer liner and an additional liner comprising a reactive material from the case.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:
deforming the buffer liner and the additional liner into a central portion of the projectile; and at least partially separating the secondary liner and the additional liner with the buffer liner.

13 . The method of claim 12 , further comprising igniting the additional liner as the projectile impacts an intended target.

14 . The method of claim 1 , wherein increasing a velocity of the projectile comprises:
imparting a first initial velocity to the primary liner and the secondary liner by explosively expelling the primary liner and the secondary liner from the case; and accelerating the projectile to a second, increased velocity that is at least 10% greater than the first initial velocity.

15 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the primary liner to comprise a copper material.

16 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising selecting the secondary liner to comprise a reactive material.

17 . The method of claim 16 , further comprising selecting the reactive material to comprise a metal material selected from at least one of tungsten, zirconium, aluminum, and nickel.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising selecting the reactive material to further comprise an oxidizer material selected from at least one of potassium perchlorate, potassium nitrate, ammonium perchlorate, and cupric oxide.

Assignees

• Orbital Atk Inc

Inventors

• Stecher Frederick P
• Truitt Richard M

Classifications

• F42B3/08

  with cavities in the charge, e.g. hollow-charge blasting cartridges · CPC title

• F42B1/028

  characterised by the form of the liner · CPC title

• F42B1/032

  characterised by the material of the liner · CPC title

• F42B12/10 Primary

  with shaped or hollow charge (shaped or hollow charges per se F42B1/02 {; mines having hollow charges F42B23/04}) · CPC title