Sabot with bionic structures

Abstract

A sabot in which bionic structures are provided. The structures are generated or created by way of an additive manufacturing process during the manufacture of the sabot in a defined manner with respect to size, shape and/or volume and in a targeted manner with respect to the local and quantitative embedding in the sabot.

Claims

1. A sabot for a sub-caliber projectile, the sabot comprising bionic structures formed by a 3D production process in a defined manner and in a specifically directed manner during the production of the sabot, wherein the bionic structures are fully embedded and enclosed by material of the sabot.

2. The sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bionic structures are honeycombs, struts, voids, spherical cavities and combinations thereof.

3. The sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the sabot has at least two sabot segments.

4. The sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the size, shape and/or volume of the bionic structures are predeterminable.

5. The sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the number of bionic structures is predeterminable.

6. The sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the material of the sabot is a lightweight metal, a metal and/or plastic.

7. A process for producing a sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 3D production process is a 3D printing process.

8. A process for producing a sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 3D production process is an SLS.

9. A munition comprising: a sabot as claimed in claim 1; and a sub-caliber projectile.

10. A munition comprising: a sabot produced as claimed in claim 7; and a sub-caliber projectile.

11. A process for producing a sabot as claimed in claim 1, wherein the 3D production process is carried out by a 3D cocooner, wherein the bionic structures are created by a handling spinneret.

12. A process for producing a sabot comprising bionic structures for a sub-caliber projectile, the process comprising: forming, by a 3D production process, bionic structures in a defined manner, such that during the production of the sabot, regions of material of the sabot are left out or omitted to form the bionic structures.

13. The process according to claim 12, wherein the bionic structures are fully embedded and enclosed by the material of the sabot.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given hereinbelow and the accompanying drawing which is given by way of illustration only, and thus, are not limitive of the present invention, and wherein the sole FIGURE illustrates a munition with a sabot.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(2) The invention is to be explained in more detail with the drawing on the basis of an exemplary embodiment. The single FIGURE diagrammatically shows a munition 1 with a sabot 2 and a penetrator 3. The sabot 2 encloses the penetrator 2 and can be connected to the penetrator 2 at least in the form-fitting region 4. The form-fitting region 4 may comprise a thread (not represented any more specifically). The sabot 2 may consist of a number of segments 2.1, 2.2, which are held together by way of a sealing and/or guiding band (not represented any more specifically).

(3) To reduce weight, the segmented sabots 2.1, 2.2 have bionic structures 5. Shapes such as honeycombs, struts, voids, cavities and combinations thereof are defined as bionic structures 5. The cavities 6 may in this case be spherical, angular, etc.

(4) The sabot 2 or the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 may be produced by 3D printing or the SLS process (laser sintering). The geometrical data of the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 are in a three-dimensional form for this and are stored as layer data.

(5) In the case of metal laser sintering, furthermore, a casting pattern (not represented any more specifically) is produced from the geometrical molds. Then the available CAD data of the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 (for example STL format) are used to build up the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 layer by layer in a layered buildup. Regions are left out in the layers, so that the bionic structures 5, for example globular cavities 6, can be introduced/integrated into the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 in a defined manner in terms of shape, size and volume.

(6) In the case of 3D printing, a layered buildup of the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 takes place in layers without a casting mold. For this purpose, the sabot segments 2.1, 2.2 with their bionic structures 5, 6 are available in three-dimensional data and are built up layer by layer.

(7) The invention being thus described, it will be obvious that the same may be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention, and all such modifications as would be obvious to one skilled in the art are to be included within the scope of the following claims.