ES2390520T3 - Non-lethal ballistic projectile with light marking of the impact zone - Google Patents

Abstract

Projectile of luminous marking of the impact zone, constituted by a hollow cylindrical body (1), which includes one or several inertial masses (2) capable of moving at the moment of acceleration, positive or negative, which involves a firing process , displacement that causes the rupture of one or several membranes (3, 4) separating, inside the hollow ogival body (1) from the projectile, two or several chambers (5, 6), characterized by the fact that the chambers ( 5, 6), each containing at least one chemiluminescent potential liquid, these liquids when mixed emit light and by the fact that the projectile includes, in the front, a conduit that ensures communication between the inside of the projectile and the external medium, conduit that allows the expulsion of the illuminated liquid.

Description

Non-lethal ballistic projectile with light marking of the impact zone.

[0001] The present invention relates to a projectile with light marking of the impact zone. This type of projectile allows advantageously to remotely and easily locate the points or areas of impact of fired projectiles, including those of small caliber, with the aim among others of progressively perfecting the accuracy of the firing and allowing users to drive. This type of projectile can be used for example in a military framework by law enforcement. Preferably, the projectile is intended for actuation and is not lethal. EP-A1043562 discloses a non-lethal projectile according to the preamble of claim 1, adapted for the control of protesters by law enforcement, which includes an inertial mass capable of causing the rupture of a membrane that delimits a chamber that includes an inhibitory agent or a marker agent.

[0002] The article according to the present invention and its method of use use the well-known property that certain chemical liquids have to provide a chemiluminescent emission when mixed. The employment here, in fact, is foreseen in a dark or frankly nocturnal atmosphere.

[0003] Articles that have the same purpose have already been proposed. They contain inside an ogival body, one or several glass ampoules containing the liquid (s) in question. This is the result of the patent published on January 31, 2006 under No. 6990905 (inventor Manole Leon R et al). This device has drawbacks such that they cannot be used in practice, except for large projectile calibers, such as the 40 mm described in the patent document in question. In fact, such ampoules containing a liquid require to be manufactured, the presence of an interior air space bulky enough to allow the sealing of the glass, and therefore cannot be produced in very small dimensions. If blisters are produced that simultaneously contain a liquid, in addition to air in a non-negligible amount, ballistics specialists will understand that the movements of internal liquid, during the trajectory of a projectile, are of a nature that makes it uncontrollable. In addition, glass effraction is not a controllable process: it is sometimes done very incompletely, with a good proportion of liquid that remains in the ampoule and does not participate in the mixture. On the other hand, the cost price is substantial and therefore there remains a need for more economical projectiles.

[0004] The invention is particularly intended to overcome these drawbacks.

[0005] The invention is based on the effect of the breakage of one or more membranes, separating the chambers that include chemiluminescent potential products, at the time of firing or the impact of a projectile. The membrane (s) are, for example, broken by the deformation of the projectile and / or the displacement of an internal inertial mass or integrated into the projectile, at the time of firing and / or impact.

[0006] According to one embodiment, the invention is based on the movement inside the main body of the projectile, of an inertial mass, which, under the effect of acceleration or deceleration due to firing, breaks one or more membranes separating two or several chambers, each containing one or more components among which a liquid with chemiluminescent potential. The mixture between them of liquids with chemiluminescent potential causes the emission of light. Once illuminated, depending on the type of projectile, the mixture can be confined inside the main body, whose walls therefore need to be translucent, or be expelled totally or partly outward, so that the objective becomes more visible, Although this is mobile.

[0007] In the present invention, the chambers containing liquid with chemiluminescent potential are separated by a membrane, joined by its periphery to the main body of the projectile, a membrane intended to be broken by the movement of the inertial mass. This membrane is preferably constituted of an aluminum film coated with a polymeric varnish. It is therefore worth mentioning the European patent EP 1421314 B1 and its counterpart in the United States No. US 2003/0223219 A1 that describe a light bag with use of a light element, consisting of two membranes analogous to the one just recalled, sealed together on its periphery, forming a camera that the user breaks through a ball or other hard grain. According to the present invention there is no intervention of a user. It is an inertial mass that acts on the membrane to cause its breakage, and this, on the one hand depending on the appropriate form that has been given in view of this eventration, and on the other hand, acting automatically under the effect of any acceleration (or deceleration) due to firing, and not under the will of the user making convenient and appropriate gestures. On the other hand, with the light bag and the breakage by a ball or hard grain, agitation by the user is necessary to have an acceptable mixture, while in the present invention, the irruption in the membrane and the chamber that follows , is abrupt and is operated with breakage on a large surface with respect to the volume in question, such that the mixture is ex officio satisfactory. On the other hand it is clear that the purpose of the membrane bag is not and would not be in any way to equip a projectile, even of large caliber, and with greater reason of medium or small caliber. Since a bag is formed of two membranes sealed together by the peripheral part of its surface, there would be almost no volume available inside if you had to consider a bag that was only a few millimeters in size.

[0008] Finally, in the present invention, it is possible, and even often desired, to obtain the expulsion out, of all or part of the illuminated liquid, which is not, with the membrane bag, neither intended nor desirable. To this end, the projectile according to the invention is provided with holes through which the illuminated liquid can be ejected, either due to the pressure due to the movement of the inertial mass (piston effect) or by a chemical reaction generating gas obtained by the mixing of two components at the time of breakage. These two effects can also be combined.

[0009] The invention therefore proposes a light marking projectile of the impact zone, constituted of a hollow cylindrical body, in which one or several inertial masses set in motion by acceleration, positive or negative, can be displaced, which implies the firing process, a movement that causes the rupture of one or several membranes separating, inside the hollow ogival body, two or several chambers, each containing a liquid with chemiluminescent potential, these liquids when mixed emit a light, the projectile including, at the front, a conduit that ensures communication between the inside of the projectile and the outside environment, conduit that allows the expulsion of the illuminated liquid. According to one embodiment, the inertial mass (s) at the time of the set in motion, acts or acts as a piston inside the hollow main body, causing expulsion outwards, through holes provided in the projectile walls, of the light emitting liquid mixture.

[0010] Preferably the membrane or membranes to be split constitute, in addition to a physical separation of the chemical liquids before mixing, a barrier against the diffusion of any constituent element of these liquids, the diffusion being able to be of a nature such that it damages the preservation of the integrity of its properties during the storage period.

[0011] The membrane (s) are, for example, made of a thin sheet of lacquered aluminum on at least one of its faces with a thermosetting polymeric varnish, intended to adhere, through an instantaneous contribution of heat, to the body of the projectile, or intermediate ad hoc piece, to form the required chamber (s).

[0012] The thermosetting polymeric varnish is preferably neutral without chemical influence on the composition or preservation of chemiluminescent potential liquids with which it is in contact, and itself is not dissolved by the solvents of said liquids, for example a product of the Morprime (TM) type of Morton, division of Rohm & Haas (USA).

[0013] The projectile according to the invention can also be provided on the front, with a plug in the shape of a cylinder that can slide inside the main body, overcoming it outside the latter in the front, so that it is the first surface that the target will find at the moment of impact, a cylinder provided with hollow longitudinal grooves on its peripheral surface, which allow the light mixture to exit under pressure, the hollow grooves constituting channels of sufficiently weak section to ensure a light laminate of the liquid whose mixture is desired.

[0014] According to the invention, a conduit that ensures communication between the interior of the projectile and the external environment is provided, a conduit that allows the expulsion of the illuminated liquid, and which may be provided with a plug intended to be cleared at the moment of impact. on arrival.

[0015] According to another aspect of the invention, the projectile can be provided in addition to the aforementioned liquids, in one or more of its chambers, of compounds capable of having a gas-emitting reaction, when these are mixed together as follows. of breakage of one or several membranes that separate the chambers.

[0016] The constitutive material of the main body of the projectile and / or that of the cap, can advantageously be an elastomeric polymer.

[0017] According to another aspect, in the front part of the ogival body, the walls of the body have folds, in the form of an accordion, so as to facilitate the collision against a target, with volume reduction.

[0018] It will be understood that the inertial masses may be provided, on the side where they face a membrane, with a broken or pointed pyramid structure.

[0019] The invention is described in more detail below, referring to the attached figures, which illustrate non-limiting but particularly representative examples. In particular, the person skilled in the art will understand that the different characteristics described in the figures can be in most cases combined and / or are generalizable. Figs. 1A and 1B are sectional views of a ballistic projectile embodiment according to the invention, with ejection of luminous liquid upon arrival. Fig. 1A describes a projectile before impact, and fig. 1B this same projectile after impact. Fig. 2 describes a projectile variant before impact. Fig. 3 is a sectional view of another possible embodiment of a projectile according to the invention with liquid emission outwards. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of a possible embodiment without liquid emission out. Figs. 5 to 9 illustrate details of the way in which the transverse membrane (s) provided inside the projectile body can be connected to said body. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of other possible embodiments of a projectile according to the invention with outward liquid emission

[0020] In fig. 1A, it is seen that the projectile includes a body 1, whose hollow interior is cylindrical in shape. In this space there is a plug 2 that protrudes from the body 1 forward, while it is inserted by a certain length, by which the cap will be guided when it, under the effect of the impact upon arrival, moves to the inside the body 1 to acquire the position illustrated by fig. 1 B. According to this guiding length, the fastening of the plug 2 in the body 1 must be strong enough to prevent a detachment under the effect of the violent acceleration at the projectile exit, but weak enough to allow the sliding evoked above. Next to the cap 2 and towards its rear is a pyramid-shaped piece 7 consisting essentially of 3 or 4 knives intended to break the membranes 3 and 4 and thus cause the mixing and activation of the two potential liquids chemiluminescent that have been arranged respectively in the space 5 located between the membranes 3 and 4 and in the space 6 located between the space 4 and the bottom of the hollow part of the projectile. The plug 2 can advantageously be of light matter, while the pyramid of cutting edges 7 is of hard and relatively dense matter. This piece may or may not be attached to the cap 2. If it is not, it can be foreseen that it will move backwards, already under the effect of the acceleration due to the shot, and in that case, break the membranes 3 and 4 causing the lighting already in progress. In the opposite case, it will be, at the moment of the impact on arrival, pushed by the plug 2 and the breakage will take place at that time. The plug 2 is provided on its cylindrical groove periphery

or slots 21, which comprise hollow ducts that allow ejection of the activated liquid forward of the projectile, where the target is supposed to flood. It has been represented in 10 a set of fins or instep, whose presence is optional, which could be indicated if you want to improve the behavior of the projectile during its ballistic route. The rear part 8 of the projectile can be inserted into a cartridge or bushing, in the conventional manner for normal bullets. In 14, grains of chemical have been represented which can have a gas emitting action if they are brought into contact with an appropriate reagent. The latter may be, for example, hydrogen peroxide whose presence is common in one of the liquid components with chemiluminescent potential. Such gas-emitting reagents would have the function of increasing the internal pressure and facilitating the expulsion of the luminous liquid content.

[0021] Fig. 2 represents a completely analogous execution, but here the grooves or grooves 21 do not extend over the entire length of the plug 1. The rear part of the latter has a smooth periphery that ensures a better seal. And against this smooth part, the body 1 has a narrowing in diameter, also favoring this tightness. In this fig. 2 the pyramid 7 provided with knives is shown in the separate embodiment of the plug 2. On the other hand in this fig. 2 the arrangement of chambers 5 and 6 containing chemiluminescent liquids has been simplified. In 22 a "skirt" has been illustrated, an optional element capable of increasing trajectory stability.

[0022] In fig. 3, body 1 is preferably made of elastomeric polymeric matter, here for three reasons. In the first place, this execution will facilitate the crushing against the target of the entire front part of the projectile, with serious decrease of the internal volume, therefore beneficial increase of the pressure that determines the ejection of liquid. It will be noted for this purpose the existence of a fold 12, in the form of an accordion, in the drawing of the hollow ogival body

1. Next, an elastomer execution can also be justified by the concern of making the bullet more harmless in case a person is on his path. Finally, an elastomeric execution allows the play of a plug 11 of a truncated conical shape, of harder material, housed in the front part of the body 1, - this housing having of course the truncated conical shape also, to create tightness before impact. This plug is provided with a head 13, whose presence, if the projectile encounters an oblique target with respect to the trajectory, will facilitate the slight movement that is required of the head to clear. The rupture of the membrane 3 is caused by the inertial backward movement of the mass 2 from the exit of the projectile, and this inertial mass 2, in the execution considered here, does not connect to the plug 11 and acts independently of the release of this latest. Liquids of chemiluminescent potentiality have been arranged respectively in chambers 5 and 6. The first one is formed by the space that is in the front part of the membrane 3 and the second one, in the rear part of this membrane 3. It can obviously be imagine, among various possible combinations, that the present document claims that the chamber 5 be placed between two membranes, as in fig. 1. The considerations described above in the case of fig. 1, which concern the eventual existence of an instep, and of grains of gas-emitting chemical products remain applicable. In 9, as it is an elastomeric execution, the existence of a metal tray embedded on the tip of the ogival body is optionally provided, to improve its insertion into the socket or cartridge. [0023] Fig. 4 refers to a simpler execution than the preceding ones, which is not part of the invention, where ejection of luminous liquid is not involved outside the ogival body. The latter is then made of transparent matter

or translucent. The inertial mass 2 is expected to move backward from the trip and cause activation. The previously described functionalities remain applicable. The target will not be sprayed with light liquid, but if the light bullet is visible on or next to the target, the target sought could be considered as achieved if the circumstances lend themselves to it.

[0024] Figs. 5 to 9 represent details of possible executions for the joints between membranes and ogival body. The membranes are very thin aluminum sheets coated with a heat sealable varnish. In fig. 5, the membranes are thus thermally welded to the main body, according to its periphery, on supports provided for this purpose. In fig. 6, they are on a cylindrical element with supports, which is introduced inside the main body below, which can facilitate operations, in particular if one takes into account that a precision filling is necessary with liquids, before the welder. In fig. 7, two cylindrical elements are represented one behind the other, and four membranes, where 4 and 4 'are next to each other. In fig. 8, in the case of the execution of the main body 1 in elastomer, a possibility of using, for the assembly between cylindrical element and ogival body, an embodiment using sealing lips, molded with the rest of the ogival body, has been represented with in order to save a welding operation. In the embodiment shown in fig. 9, the main body is simply made in two pieces, here numbered 1 and 26, which are welded to each other with interposition of the membrane in varnished aluminum 3 between the two. In this case, the aluminum membrane has received the heat sealing varnish on each of its two faces.

[0025] Fig. 10 represents a supplementary variant of a projectile according to the invention. Here the projectile has a small diameter hole 23 at the front, through which the luminous liquid will be ejected. Membrane 3 separates two chambers respectively provided with liquids with chemiluminescent potential, and will be broken from firing, by the inertial movement of the knife pyramid 7. Membrane 25 separates two chambers with gas generating function, one containing a liquid and the other an appropriate chemical reagent, represented here in the form of crystals 14. The rupture causes gas generation from firing, but the speed of this reaction can be dosed. There is an intermediate membrane 4 whose presence separates the functions "luminous liquid" and "gas generation"; it will be broken by the inertial action of ring 24 which includes a pointed "syringe needle" in its center, which will only pierce a hole of modest dimension, ensuring the transmission of pressure between the back and front.

Example of realization.

[0026] A projectile according to the invention has been made essentially according to fig. 1 mentioned. The caliber of main body 1 is 12.5 mm in diameter. The total length reaches 43 mm. The plug 2 in elastomer is a cylinder 16 mm long and 10.5 mm in diameter, with a conical front part. The body 1 is in polypropylene homopolymer, to have an acceptable mechanical strength. The "knives" arranged in a pyramid, which must ensure the penetration and eventration of the membranes, are in aluminum, with a density of 2.5 or with a homopolymer-loaded polypropylene, with a density of the order of 1.8. The tip of the knives is very pointed. The membranes are in number of two. Among them is a first chamber whose volume is 0.12 cubic centimeters, where one of the chemiluminescent potential liquids is found. The second chamber is located between the second membrane and the bottom of the hollow ogival body, and is filled with the second chemical liquid of chemiluminescent potential. Its volume is 0.35 cubic centimeters. The membranes are a 0.30 mm thick aluminum sheet, plastered on its welding face of a 4 micron layer of polypropylene-based hot melt varnishes. The welding of these aluminum discs is made, according to their periphery, on the appropriate projection inside the ogival body, through a hot brass ring, the main body being installed in an upright position to facilitate the filling of liquid involved just before the welding of the membrane. The cap is held in the front part of the ogival body over a length of 6 mm. This restraint is expected to be sufficient to prevent take-off under the effect of the acceleration involved in the output at the time of firing. But it nevertheless allows the movement of the plug at the moment that it crashes against the target. The diameters in question have therefore been calculated and made with the necessary precision. The plug is provided by its entire cylindrical periphery, 8 deep longitudinal grooves each 1 mm and 2 mm wide, intended to let the ejected liquid escape on impact, consisting of the two components mixed at the time of breakage , or even in the process of mixing. It can be considered that the passage of this mixture through these channels of relatively modest section causes a certain lamination that contributes to homogenization. After the impact, a good part of the liquid content is spilled on the target, and at night, it is visible at a great distance. Using as the first liquid a solution of trichlorocarbopentoxyphenyl oxalate, associated with a rubrene dye, a solution that is mixed with an activator based on hydrogen peroxide, which constitutes the second liquid, you can clearly see the result at 200 meters and more , this at night and in clear weather.

Claims (12)

1. Luminous marking projectile of the impact zone, consisting of a hollow cylindrical body (1), which includes a or several inertial masses (2) capable of moving at the moment of acceleration, positive or negative, which implies a firing process, displacement that causes the breakage of one or several membranes (3,4) separating, inside the body ogival hollow (1) of the projectile, two or several chambers (5,6), characterized by the fact that the chambers (5,6), each contain at least one chemiluminescent potential liquid, these liquids when mixed emit light and by the fact that the projectile includes, in the front part, a conduit that ensures the communication between the interior of the projectile and the external environment, conduit that allows the expulsion of the illuminated liquid.

2.

 Projectile according to claim 1 above, further characterized by the fact that one or more of the inertial masses at the time of moving, are arranged in the form of a piston (2) inside the hollow main body (1) , suitable for causing the expulsion, through one or of the holes (23) provided in the walls of the projectile, of the light-emitting liquid mixture.

3.

 Projectile according to one of the claims 1 and 2 above, further characterized by the fact that the membrane (3,4) to be split together constitute, in addition to a physical separation of the chemical liquids before mixing, a barrier against the diffusion of any constituent element of these liquids, diffusion that can be of a nature that impairs the preservation of the integrity of its properties during the storage period.

Four.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 3, further characterized by the fact that the membrane (s) consist of a thin sheet of aluminum.

5.

 Projectile according to claim 4 characterized in that the aluminum sheet is lacquered on at least one of its faces of a heat-weldable polymeric varnish, said aluminum sheet having been heat-welded on its periphery, through an instantaneous heat input, to the body of the projectile, or eventual intermediate piece, so as to form the aforementioned chamber or chambers.

6.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 5 above, characterized in that the thermosetting polymeric varnish is neutral without chemical influence on the composition or preservation of the chemiluminescent potential liquids with which it is in contact, and is itself not dissolved by the solvents of said liquids.

7.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 6 above, further characterized by the fact that it is provided on the front, with a plug (2) in the form of a cylinder that can slide into the main body, while exceeding it outside the latter in the front, so that it is the first surface to be found by the target at the moment of impact, cylinder provided with hollow longitudinal grooves (21) on its peripheral surface, which allow the light mixture to exit under pressure, the hollow grooves constituting channels of sufficiently weak section to ensure a slight rolling of the liquid whose mixing is desired.

8.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 7, further characterized by the fact that the duct that allows the expulsion of the illuminated liquid is provided with a plug intended to be cleared at the moment of impact at the time of arrival.

9.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 8, further provided, in one or several chambers, of compounds (14) capable of having a gas-emitting reaction, when these are mixed together after the breakage of one or more membranes that separate the cameras.

10.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the constituent material of the main body, or that of the cap, or both, is an elastomeric polymer.

eleven.

 Projectile according to claim 10 further characterized by the fact that in the front part of the ogival body, the walls of the latter have folds (12), in the form of an accordion, so as to facilitate the crushing against a target, with volume reduction.

12.

 Projectile according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the inertial mass (s) are provided, on the side in which they are facing a membrane, with a structure (7) of point or pyramid breakage.