Spin-stabilized non-lethal projectile with a shear-thinning fluid
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.
1. A cartridge comprising:
a cartridge casing comprising a seating portion for receiving a projectile; and
the projectile received in the seating portion of the cartridge casing, the 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 2 Hz at about 25° C. in order to spin-stabilize the projectile.
2. The cartridge 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 cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises glycerin in an amount from about 50 wt % to about 70 wt %.
4. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises water in an amount from about 12 wt % to about 20 wt %.
5. The cartridge 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 cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises an acrylate crosspolymer.
7. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a C 10-30 alkyl acrylate crosspolymer.
8. The cartridge 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 cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a colorant.
10. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises zinc oxide as a color additive.
11. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises a shear-thinning emulsion.
12. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid comprises less than about 50% by volume of a liquid portion.
13. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shear-thinning fluid has a pH between about 7 and about 8.
14. The cartridge of claim 1 used in place of a cartridge having a conventional bullet.
15. The cartridge of claim 1 used in place of a 5.56 mm cartridge having a conventional bullet.
16. The cartridge of claim 1 , used in place of a 9 mm cartridge having a conventional bullet.
17. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the shell comprises a cup connected to a frangible cup.
18. The cartridge of claim 1 , wherein the cartridge is a reduced energy cartridge adapted to propel the projectile with gases generated only by a primer.
19. A cartridge comprising:
a cartridge casing comprising a seating portion for receiving a projectile; and
the projectile received in the seating portion of the cartridge casing, the 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.