초록 ▼

The Magnetostrictive Missile Guidance System pivots the missile nosecone about a multi-directional joint on the missile axis to produce aerodynamic control forces for missile flight path control. The nosecone is driven by magnetostrictive materials in conjunction with displacement amplification devi

The Magnetostrictive Missile Guidance System pivots the missile nosecone about a multi-directional joint on the missile axis to produce aerodynamic control forces for missile flight path control. The nosecone is driven by magnetostrictive materials in conjunction with displacement amplification devices. The determination of the nosecone deflection angle necessary to achieve any change in the flight path is made by a sensing device that produces position signals and a guidance computer that produces the desired flight path command signals. The sensing device senses the current position of the nosecone and this position signal is compared with the command signal by the computer to yield an error signal, which is indicative of the difference between the two input signals. Then appropriate magnetic field is applied to the magnetostrictive materials to cause them to grow in length and deflect the nosecone until the error signal is eliminated and flight path is changed.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A system for guiding the flight of a missile in any given direction, the missile having a movable nosecone and an elongated body with an axis, by deflecting the nosecone by a pre-determined angle, said guiding system residing within said missile and comprising: a plurality of variable-length actu

1. A system for guiding the flight of a missile in any given direction, the missile having a movable nosecone and an elongated body with an axis, by deflecting the nosecone by a pre-determined angle, said guiding system residing within said missile and comprising: a plurality of variable-length actuators; a means for generating a desired nosecone command signal; a means for varying the lengths of said actuators by pre-selected amounts, said varying means being further coupled to said generating means; a means for sensing the current position of said nosecone and, in response thereto, producing a corresponding position signal, said sensing means being coupled to said generating means, said generating means further receiving said position signal from said sensing means and processing said position signal with said nosecone command signal to produce an error signal, said error signal serving to motivate said generating means to determine the angle of nosecone deflection necessary to nullify said error signal, said varying means then responding to said deflection angle to cause the growth in the length of at least one of said actuators by a pre-selected amount; and a plurality of motion amplifiers, said amplifiers being coupled between said nosecone and said actuators, such that there is one of said amplifiers between one of said actuators and said nosecone, said amplifiers translating said growth in length of said actuators into motion and amplifying and transmitting said motion to said nosecone, thereby causing said nosecone to deflect in response to said motion until said pre-determined angle of deflection is achieved and a desired change in the direction of the missile flight is ultimately effected.