Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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W002/086410 09.05.2003
Diehl Munitionssysteme GmbH & Co KG
DP1797W0 - WB/bu
Reactive armour module
The invention concerns a reactive armour module as set forth in the
classifying portion of claim 1.
Such a reactive armour module is known from EP-A3-0 379 080. The
armour module includes two sandwich structures which are arranged at an
angle relative to each other. The two sandwich structures accordingly have
an explosive layer portion. However they are connected to each other but
are separated from each other by a spacing in the apex region. A hollow
charge jet which impinges into that region penetrates the armour module
substantially unimpeded.
The object of the present invention is to provide a reactive armour
module of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, with
which the impact action of
(continued on page 1, line 24 of the translation of the original PCT text)
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DP 1797 WO
FI WB bu
Diehl Munitionssysteme GmbH & Co KG
Fischbachstrasse 16. 90552 Rothenbach
Reactive armour module
The invention concerns a reactive armour module as set-forthr~fi
classifying portion of claim 1.
Such a reactive armour module is known for example from DE 37 29
211 C1. That known armour module has two inert plates, between which an
explosive is arranged. The plates are provided approximately diagonally in
respect of height in a parallelepipedic structure and are embedded in a hard
foam body. They are arranged in front of a laminated brittle body structure
which under a thin explosive cover layer has brittle bodies which are spaced
from each other by thin explosive separating layers. That armour module
can be provided with fixing elements for arrangement thereof on a passive
armouring assembly.
The object of the present invention is to provide a reactive armour
module -of the kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, with
which the impact action ofhollow charges is reduced and sympathetic
detonation of adjacent armour modules is avoided.
In accordance with the invention, in a reactive armour module of the
kind set forth in the opening part of this specification, that object is
attained by the features of the characterising portion of claim 1. Preferred
developments and configurations of the reactive armour module according
to the invention are characterised in appendant claims 2 to 6. In
accordance with claim 7 at least two sandwich surface elements which are
angled in a roof ridge shape are arranged in mutually superposed
relationship turned crosswise relative to each other. Independent patent
protection is requested for that configuration of the reactive armour
module. Developments of the reactive armour module according to the
invention are also characterised in appendant claims 8 to 11.
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2
The reactive armour module according to the invention has the
advantages that it has a high level of effectiveness in relation to HE
bombardment - even under perpendicular bombardment - or that it has a
virtually angle-independent effectiveness, and that sympathetic detonation
of adjacent armour modules is avoided.
Further details, features and advantages will be apparent from the
description hereinafter of configurations of the armour module according to
the invention and essential details thereof, which are shown
diagrammatically and not true to scale in the drawing. In the drawing:
Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view in section of a first embodiment of
the reactive armour module on a passive armouring assembly of which a
portion is shown,
Figure 2 shows the detail II of Figure 1 on another scale, that is to
say in longitudinal section in respect of a portion thereof, illustrating the
sandwich surface element angled in a roof ridge shape of the armour
module of Figure 1,
Figure 3 is a perspective view of a sandwich surface element angled
in a roof ridge shape of the armour module of Figure 1,
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 of a second and preferred
configuration of the reactive armour module in combination with a passive
armour assembly of which a portion is shown,
Figure 5 is a perspective view of two sandwich surface elements of
the armour module of Figure 4, which are angled in a roof ridge shape and
are arranged in mutually superposed relationship and turned crosswise
relative to each other, and
Figure 6 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 4 of an embodiment of the
reactive armour module in which a sandwich surface element which is
angled in a roof ridge shape is combined with a spacer element.
Figure 1 is a sectional view showing a portion, of a passive armouring
assembly 10 on which there is provided a base protection 12. The passive
armouring assembly 10 which is provided with the base protection 12 is
provided with reactive armour modules 14 which are arranged in closely
mutually juxtaposed relationship in order to implement a reduction in the
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impact action of hollow charges. The respective reactive armour module 14
has a sandwich structure 16 which contains an explosive layer and which is
enclosed by a housing 18. The sandwich structure 16 is described in further
detail hereinafter with reference to Figure 2.
In the embodiment of the reactive armour module 14 which is shown
in Figure 1 the sandwich structure 16 is formed by a sandwich surface
element 20 which is angled in a roof ridge shape and which has a square
base surface. That square base surface is indicated in Figure 3 by double
dash-dotted lines and identified there by reference numeral 22.
The spread angle, identified by reference 23 in Figure 1, of the
sandwich surface element 20 which is angled in a roof ridge shape and
which has two equal-length limbs 24 is for example 90 degrees of angle.
That avoids sympathetic detonation of adjacent armour modules 14.
The sandwich surface element 20 which is angled in a roof ridge
shape of the respective reactive armour module 14 is enclosed by a
separating wall casing 26 which at the front is connected to a cover means
28 and which at the rear is connected to a base element 30 in order to
form the housing 18 of the reactive armour module 14. The sandwich
surface element 20 which is angled in a roof ridge shape is arranged in the
housing 18 without a gap or play, that is to say the sandwich surface
element 20 which is angled in a roof ridge shape bears snugly against the
separating wall casing 26, against the cover means 28 and against the base
element 30 of the housing.
Fixing elements 32 are provided at the rear side of the base element
30, which rear side is remote from the cover means 28 at the front side.
The respective reactive armour module 14 is replaceably fixed to the base
protection 12 of the passive armouring assembly 10 by means of the fixing
elements 32.
Figure 2 is a view in longitudinal section showing a portion of the
sandwich surface element 20 which is angled in a roof ridge shape and
which comprises a front plate 34, an intermediate plate 36 and a rear plate
38, wherein provided between the front plate 34 and the intermediate plate
36 is an HE-explosive layer portion 40 forming the above-mentioned
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explosive layer of the sandwich structure 16 while provided between the
intermediate plate 36 and the rear plate 38 is a damping layer 42 of elastic
material. The front plate 34 desirably comprises sintered material, for
example sintered tungsten powder, it can be of a thickness of for example
6 to 8 mm. The HE-explosive layer portion 40 can be for example of a
thickness of 4 to 5 mm. The intermediate plate 36 is desirably in the form
of a steel plate which for example is from 2 to 4 mm in thickness. The
damping layer 42 can comprise a rubber material and be of a thickness of 1
to 2 mm. The rear plate 38 is preferably formed by a buckling plate which
can be of a thickness of 1 to 2 mm. It will be appreciated that other
materials and/or thickness sizes are also possible.
Figure 3 is a perspective view showing a sandwich surface element
angled in a roof ridge shape, with its square base surface 22 which has
already been referred to hereinbefore.
15 Upon initiation of the sandwich surface element 20 which is angled in
a roof ridge shape, the two limbs 24 are initiated so that a hollow charge
jet which impinges on the reactive armour module 14 is in many cases
affected twice. That consequently affords optimum effectiveness in relation
to HE-bombardment, such effectiveness being virtually independent of
20 angle.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 showing a passive armouring
assembly 10 with a base protection 12 and with reactive armour modules
14. In this embodiment each reactive armour module 14 has in a housing
18 a sandwich structure 16 formed by two sandwich surface elements 20
which are angled in a roof ridge shape and which are arranged in mutually
superposed relationship and which are turned crosswise relative to each
other. This is also clearly visible in Figure 5 in which the two sandwich
surface elements which are angled in a roof ridge shape are shown in a
perspective view arranged in mutually superposed relationship and turned
crosswise relative to each other.
The same details are identified in Figures 4 and 5 by the same
references as in Figures 1 and 3 so that there is no need for all those
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features to be described in detail once again with reference to Figures 4
and 5.
Figure 4 is a view similar to Figures 1 and 3 showing a portion in
longitudinal section of a passive armouring assembly 10 with a passive
5 protection 12 and with reactive armour modules 14, wherein each reactive
armour module 14 is of a similar design to the embodiment shown in Figure
1, but wherein a sandwich surface element 20 angled in a roof ridge shape
is combined with a spacer element 44. The sandwich surface element 20
which is angled in a roof ridge shape is spaced from the base protection 12
of the passive armouring assembly 10 by a defined distance, by means of
the spacer element 44. That affords an enhancement in the effectiveness of
the armour module 14 in relation to marginal penetration.
The same details are also identified in Figure 6 by the same
references as in Figures 1 to 5 so that there is no need for all those
features to be described in detail once again with reference to Figure 6.
