Spin-stabilized non-lethal projectile with a shear-thinning fluid

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9470492-B2
Application number	US-201314372723-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 16, 2013
Priority date	Jan 16, 2012
Publication date	Oct 18, 2016
Grant date	Oct 18, 2016

Abstract

A non-lethal projectile having a shear-thinning fluid within an interior cavity. The shear-thinning fluid having a greater apparent viscosity at low shear rates to spin-stabilize the non-lethal projectile during flight and a lower apparent viscosity at a high shear rate corresponding with the shear-thinning fluid shearing against the frangible cap upon the non-lethal projectile striking the target, with the low viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid allowing proper dispersal upon impact with the target. The shear-thinning fluid can comprise a marking media and be in the form of an emulsion with less than about 50% liquid by volume to effectively disperse upon impact with the target.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A non-lethal projectile comprising:
a frangible shell comprising a polymeric material having an interior cavity;
the frangible shell comprising a cylindrical portion, wherein the frangible shell is configured to engage rifling in a barrel so that the projectile spins when fired through the barrel; and
a shear-thinning fluid within the interior cavity, the shear-thinning fluid comprising an emulsifying agent chosen from glyceryl stearate, PEG-100 stearate, petrolatum, glycol strearate, and mixtures thereof;
wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a spin-stabilizing viscosity that is greater than an impact dispersing viscosity, such that the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid decreases with the rate of shear at impact with a target, and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 30 Pa·s at a shear rate of about 50 Hz at about 25° C., and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 30 Pa·s at shear rates greater than about 50 Hz at about 25° C., and the spin-stabilizing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is greater than about 560 Pa·s at shear rates less than about 3 Hz at about 25° C. in order to spin-stabilize the projectile.

2. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the spin-stabilizing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is greater than about 560 Pa·s at a first shear rate less than about 2 Hz at about 25° C.

3. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises glycerin in an amount from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt %.

4. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises water in an amount from about 12 wt % to about 20 wt %.

5. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an emulsifying agent in an amount from about 30 wt % to about 45 wt %.

6. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an acrylate crosspolymer.

7. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a C 10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer.

8. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an acrylate crosspolymer in an amount from about 0.4 wt % to about 0.5 wt %.

9. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a colorant.

10. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises zinc oxide as a color additive.

11. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a shear-thinning emulsion.

12. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises less than about 50% by volume of a liquid portion.

13. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a pH between about 7 and about 8.

14. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 used in a cartridge.

15. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 used in a 5.56 mm cartridge.

16. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , used in a 9 mm cartridge.

17. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises a cup connected to a frangible cup.

18. The non-lethal projectile of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprising a polymeric material.

19. A non-lethal projectile comprising:
a frangible polymeric shell having an interior cavity;
the frangible shell comprising a cylindrical portion, wherein the frangible shell is configured to engage rifling in a barrel so that the projectile spins when fired through the barrel; and
a shear-thinning fluid within the interior cavity;
wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a spin-stabilizing viscosity that is greater than an impact dispersing viscosity, such that the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid decreases with the rate of shear at impact with a target, and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 30 Pa·s at a shear rate of about 15 Hz at about 25° C., and the impact dispersing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is less than about 30 Pa·s at shear rates greater than about 15 Hz at about 25° C., and the spin-stabilizing viscosity of the shear-thinning fluid is greater than about 130 Pa·s at a first shear rate less than about 2 Hz at about 25° C. in order to spin-stabilize the projectile.

Assignees

• Alliant Techsystems Inc
• Vista Outdoor Operations Llc

Inventors

• Carlson Erik K
• Edel Joshua L

Classifications

• F42B12/36 Primary

  for dispensing materials; for producing chemical or physical reaction; for signalling {; for transmitting information} · CPC title

• F42B12/40 Primary

  of target-marking, i.e. impact-indicating type (F42B12/48, {F42B12/50} take precedence) · CPC title

• F42B12/76

  of the casing · CPC title

• F42B12/74

  of the core or solid body · CPC title

• F42B8/16

  containing an inert filler in powder or granular form · CPC title