Lightweight polymer cartridge having multiple components

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a polymeric ammunition cartridge and methods of making and using the same.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  comprising:
 a nose portion  60  comprising a projectile aperture  22  adapted to receive a projectile and a cartridge neck  24  extending from the projectile aperture  22  to a cartridge shoulder  26  to terminate at a nose coupling  66 ; 
 a body portion  62  comprising a body coupling  68  connected to the nose coupling  66  at a junction  64 , and a cartridge sidewall  28  extending from the body coupling  68  to an cap coupling segment  30 ; 
 a retaining cap  42  comprising
 a substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  extending to a retaining cap bottom surface  48 , 
 a retaining cap cavity  50  positioned about the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44 , and 
 a retaining cap aperture  52  extending through the retaining cap bottom surface  48 , wherein the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  is positioned within the cap coupling segment  30 ; 
 
 a substantially cylindrical cartridge cap  18  comprising
 a substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32  that extends to a substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , 
 a substantially cylindrical primer end  36  positioned opposite the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , 
 a primer recess  38  in the substantially cylindrical primer end  36  that extends toward the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , 
 a primer flash hole  40  positioned in the primer recess  38  to extend through the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , and 
 a flange  39  that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the substantially cylindrical primer end  36 , 
 wherein the cap coupling segment  30  is positioned within the substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32  such that the cap coupling segment  30  is compressed between the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  and the substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32 ; the retaining cap bottom surface  48  is at least partially connected to the cap bottom surface  34 ; and the primer flash hole  40  and the retaining cap aperture  52  are at least partially aligned. 
 
 
     
     
         2 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 1 , wherein the nose coupling  66  is connected to the body coupling  68  by a weld, an adhesive, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the cap bottom surface  34  is secured to the retaining cap bottom surface  48 . 
     
     
         4 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer cartridge  12  comprises a polyethylene, poly(phenylsulfone), nylon, including nylon 6, nylon copolymers and terpolymers, nylon 6,10 and nylon 6,12, long-chain nylon chemistry alternatives to nylon 11 or nylon 12 polymer. 
     
     
         5 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 4 , wherein at least a portion of the polymer further comprises between about 0.1 and about 70 wt % carbon fibers fillers, glass fiber fillers, mineral fillers, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         6 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the cap coupling segment  30  is compressed into the retaining cap cavity  50 . 
     
     
         7 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 1 , further comprising a primer disposed in the primer recess  38 , a propellent deposited in the polymer cartridge  12  and a projectile positioned in the projectile aperture  22 . 
     
     
         8 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 7 , wherein the projectile aperture  22  is crimped about the projectile to secure the projectile in the polymer cartridge  12  or the projectile is adhesively secured to the projectile aperture  22  to secure the projectile in the polymer cartridge  12 . 
     
     
         9 . The 2 piece polymer ammunition cartridge  12  of  claim 1 , wherein the polymer cartridge  12  comprise a polymers selected from the group consisting of nylon, including nylon 6, nylon copolymers and terpolymers, nylon 6,10 and nylon 6,12, long-chain nylon chemistry alternatives to nylon 11 and nylon 12, as well as a broad variety of compounded nylon materials, polyurethane prepolymer, cellulose, fluoro-polymer, ethylene inter-polymer alloy elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate, nylon, polyether imide, polyester elastomer, polyester sulfone, polyphenyl amide, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride or thermoset polyurea elastomer, acrylics, homopolymers, acetates, copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadinen-styrene, thermoplastic fluoro polymers, inomers, polyamides, polyamide-imides, polyacrylates, polyatherketones, polyaryl-sulfones, polybenzimidazoles, polycarbonates, polybutylene, terephthalates, polyether imides, polyether sulfones, thermoplastic polyimides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyphenylene sulfides, polyethylene, polypropylene, polysulfones, polyvinylchlorides, styrene acrylonitriles, polystyrenes, polyphenylene, ether blends, styrene maleic anhydrides, polycarbonates, allyls, aminos, cyanates, epoxies, phenolics, unsaturated polyesters, bismaleimides, polyurethanes, silicones, vinylesters, urethane hybrids, polyphenylsulfones, copolymers of polyphenylsulfones with polyethersulfones or polysulfones, copolymers of poly-phenylsulfones with siloxanes, blends of polyphenylsulfones with polysiloxanes, poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers, blends of polyetherimides and polysiloxanes, and blends of polyetherimides and poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers. 
     
     
         10 . A method of forming a two piece ammunition cartridge from a polymer comprising the steps of:
 forming a nose portion  60  from a first polymer comprising the steps of
 forming a projectile aperture  22  adapted to receive a projectile in the polymer; 
 extending the polymer from the projectile aperture  22  to form a cartridge neck  24 ; 
 extending the polymer from the cartridge neck  24  to form a cartridge shoulder  26 ; and 
 extending the polymer from the cartridge shoulder  26  to a nose coupling  66 ; 
   forming a body portion  62  from a second polymer comprising the steps of
 forming a body coupling  68  from the polymer; and 
 extending the polymer to an cap coupling segment  30  to form a cartridge sidewall  28 . 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising the step of attaching the nose coupling  66  and the body coupling  68 . 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising the step of
 providing a retaining cap  42  comprising a substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  extending to a retaining cap bottom surface  48 , a retaining cap cavity  50  positioned about the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44 , and a retaining cap aperture  52  extending through the retaining cap bottom surface  48 ;   positioning the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  within the cap coupling segment  30 ;   providing a substantially cylindrical cartridge cap  18  comprising a substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32  that extends to a substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , a substantially cylindrical primer end  36  positioned opposite the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , a primer recess  38  in the substantially cylindrical primer end  36  that extends toward the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , a primer flash hole  40  positioned in the primer recess  38  to extend through the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , and a flange  39  that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the substantially cylindrical primer end  36 ;   positioning the cap coupling segment  30  within the substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32 ;   compressing the cap coupling segment  30  between the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  and the substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32 ;   connecting at least partially the retaining cap bottom surface  48  to the cap bottom surface  34 , wherein the primer flash hole  40  and the retaining cap aperture  52  are at least partially aligned.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of at least partially filling the retaining cap cavity  50  with the cap coupling segment  30 . 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the first polymer and the second polymer are independently selected from the group consisting of nylon, including nylon 6, nylon copolymers and terpolymers, nylon 6,10 and nylon 6,12, long-chain nylon chemistry alternatives to nylon 11 and nylon 12, as well as a broad variety of compounded nylon materials, polyurethane prepolymer, cellulose, fluoro-polymer, ethylene inter-polymer alloy elastomer, ethylene vinyl acetate, nylon, polyether imide, polyester elastomer, polyester sulfone, polyphenyl amide, polypropylene, polyvinylidene fluoride or thermoset polyurea elastomer, acrylics, homopolymers, acetates, copolymers, acrylonitrile-butadinen-styrene, thermoplastic fluoro polymers, inomers, polyamides, polyamide-imides, polyacrylates, polyatherketones, polyaryl-sulfones, polybenzimidazoles, polycarbonates, polybutylene, terephthalates, polyether imides, polyether sulfones, thermoplastic polyimides, thermoplastic polyurethanes, polyphenylene sulfides, polyethylene, polypropylene, polysulfones, polyvinylchlorides, styrene acrylonitriles, polystyrenes, polyphenylene, ether blends, styrene maleic anhydrides, polycarbonates, allyls, aminos, cyanates, epoxies, phenolics, unsaturated polyesters, bismaleimides, polyurethanes, silicones, vinylesters, urethane hybrids, polyphenylsulfones, copolymers of polyphenylsulfones with polyethersulfones or polysulfones, copolymers of poly-phenylsulfones with siloxanes, blends of polyphenylsulfones with polysiloxanes, poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers, blends of polyetherimides and polysiloxanes, and blends of polyetherimides and poly(etherimide-siloxane) copolymers. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of caping a primer into the primer recess  38 ; depositing a propellant into the polymer cartridge  12 ; and positioning a projectile in the projectile aperture  22 . 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of the retaining cap bottom surface  48  is connected to the cap bottom surface  34  by a weld or an adhesive. 
     
     
         17 . A metal cap for a polymer ammunition cartridge comprising:
 a substantially cylindrical cartridge cap  18  comprising a substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32  that extends to a substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , a substantially cylindrical primer end  36  positioned opposite the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , a primer recess  38  in the substantially cylindrical primer end  36  that extends toward the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , a primer flash hole  40  positioned in the primer recess  38  to extend through the substantially cylindrical cap bottom surface  34 , and a flange  39  that extends circumferentially about an outer edge of the substantially cylindrical primer end  36 ; and   a retaining cap  42  comprising a substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  extending to a retaining cap bottom surface  48 , a retaining cap cavity  50  positioned about the transition from the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  to the retaining cap bottom surface  48 , and a retaining cap aperture  52  extending through the retaining cap bottom surface  48 , wherein the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  is adapted to be positioned within a polymer cartridge  12 ; and   wherein the substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32  is adapted to fit within an cap coupling segment  30  so that the cap coupling segment  30  is compressed between the substantially cylindrical retaining side wall  44  and the substantially cylindrical cartridge coupling element  32  and the retaining cap bottom surface  48  is at least partially connected to the cap bottom surface  34  such that the primer flash hole  40  and the retaining cap aperture  52  are at least partially aligned.   
     
     
         18 . The cap of  claim 17 , wherein the metal cap comprises aluminum, brass, copper, copper alloys, nickel, nickel alloys, stainless steel, steel or an engineered resin.