초록 ▼

A non-lethal payload delivery assembly for use with a launching device having a non-lethal payload releasably contained in a carrier assembly. The carrier assembly being openable upon application of a deploying force to deploy the non-lethal payload after the carrier assembly and the non-lethal payl

A non-lethal payload delivery assembly for use with a launching device having a non-lethal payload releasably contained in a carrier assembly. The carrier assembly being openable upon application of a deploying force to deploy the non-lethal payload after the carrier assembly and the non-lethal payload are launched as a unit from the launching device. An openable sabot assembly releasably contains the carrier assembly during before and during launch. The sabot assembly configured to absorb launch forces that exceed the strength of the carrier assembly alone independent of the sabot assembly. A payload deployment system connected to the carrier assembly is activatable after separation of the carrier unit from the sabot assembly following launch. The payload deployment system opens the carrier assembly for deployment of the non-lethal payload away from the carrier assembly and before reaching the target.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A non-lethal payload delivery assembly for use with a launching device, comprising:a non-lethal payload deliverable to a target;a carrier assembly releasably containing the non-lethal payload, the carrier assembly being openable and separable from the non-lethal payload prior to delivery to the t

1. A non-lethal payload delivery assembly for use with a launching device, comprising:a non-lethal payload deliverable to a target;a carrier assembly releasably containing the non-lethal payload, the carrier assembly being openable and separable from the non-lethal payload prior to delivery to the target upon application of a deploying force to deploy the non-lethal payload after the carrier assembly and the non-lethal payload are launched as a unit;a sabot assembly releasably containing the carrier assembly, the sabot assembly having a plurality of sections movable from a closed position substantially surrounding the carrier assembly to an open position exposing the carrier assembly upon launch from the launching device, the sabot assembly configured to absorb launch forces that exceed the deploying force during launch and allowing the carrier assembly and the non-lethal payload to survive the launch as a unit; anda payload deployment system connected to the carrier assembly, the payload deployment system being activatable after launch and prior to delivery of the non-lethal payload to the target for delivery of the deploying force that opens the carrier assembly for deployment of the non-lethal payload away from the carrier assembly. 2. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 1 wherein the non-lethal payload is at least one of an airborne irritant agent, shot-filled bag, foam, flash/bang grenade, rubber pellet, and anti-traction agent. 3. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 1 wherein the carrier assembly is a non-metallic assembly configured to break into a plurality of non-lethal pieces upon being opened for deployment of the non-lethal payload. 4. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 3 wherein the carrier assembly is constructed from a molded fiber material. 5. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 1 wherein the sabot assembly is comprised of a plurality of elongated sections pivotally connected at aft ends to a sealing feature, the elongated sections pivoting at the sealing feature radially outwardly from the closed position to the open position. 6. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of sections are elongated sections coupled together at an aft end and having free forward ends that define a substantially cylindrical portion when the elongated sections are in the closed position, the forward ends adapted to flare radially outward when the elongated sections move to the open position. 7. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 1, further comprising a retention member retaining the sections of the sabot assembly in the closed position until the sabot assembly is launched. 8. The non-lethal payload delivery assembly of claim 1, further comprising a launching energy source connected to the sabot assembly and configured to generate the launch forces within the launching device. 9. A non-lethal payload carrier assembly launchable from a launching device toward a target, comprising:a mortar-launched, unitary carrier body constructed of a fracturable non-metallic material, the carrier body having a body portion and a flight stabilizing portion integrally connected to the body portion, the body portion having an interior cavity, and the flight stabilizing portion having a plurality of stabilizing fins, the carrier body being fracturable into a plurality of non-lethal pieces after launch;an isolating member releasably containing the carrier body and isolating the carrier body from the launching device during launch;a non-lethal payload releasably contained within the interior cavity of the body portion; anda payload deployment system connected to the carrier body and having a fuse mechanism and a fracturing device connected to the fuse mechanism, the fracturing device being positioned in the interior area and along the carrier body between the non-lethal payload and the body portion and being activatable by the fuse mechanism to apply a deployment force to the body portion that fractures and opens the carrier body after launch and at a position away from the target for deployment of the non-lethal payload toward the target, the carrier body configured to fracture into the plurality of non-lethal pieces away from the target when the fracturing device is activated. 10. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the carrier body is constructed of a molded fiber material. 11. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the fracturing device includes plurality of explosive charges affixed to the carrier body, and the fuse mechanism is an airburst fusing system. 12. The assembly of claim 9 wherein the payload deployment system includes a position detector coupled to the fuse mechanism and adapted to activate the fuse mechanism. 13. A non-lethal payload delivery system, comprising:a launching device;a non-lethal payload deliverable to a target;a carrier assembly releasably containing the non-lethal payload, the carrier assembly being openable and fracturable into a plurality of non-lethal pieces for deployment of the non-lethal payload prior to delivery to the target;a payload deployment system coupled to the carrier assembly and having a mechanism for opening the carrier assembly away from the target and deployment of the non-lethal payload during flight;a sabot assembly sized to be launched from the launching device, the sabot assembly releasably containing the carrier assembly and isolating the carrier assembly from launch loads that exceed a strength of the carrier assembly, the sabot assembly having a plurality of sections movable from a closed position to a flared open position upon exit from the launching device, the sabot assembly being separable from the carrier assembly when the plurality of sections move to the flared open position. 14. The system of claim 13 wherein the non-lethal payload includes one of an airborne irritant agent, shot-filled bag, foam, flash/bang grenade, rubber pellet, and anti-traction agent. 15. The system of claim 13 wherein the carrier assembly is fabricated from molded fiber materials. 16. The system of claim 13 wherein the plurality of sections are elongated sections coupled together at an aft end and having free forward ends that define a substantially cylindrical portion when the elongated sections are in the closed position, the forward ends adapted to flare radially outward when the elongated sections move to the open position. 17. The system of claim 13, further comprising a retention member retaining the sections of the sabot assembly in the closed position until the sabot assembly is launched. 18. The system of claim 13, further comprising an energy-absorbent material imposed between the carrier assembly and the sabot assembly. 19. A method of delivering a non-lethal payload to a remote target, comprising:loading a non-lethal payload delivery assembly into a launching device, the assembly including a non-lethal payload, a carrier assembly releasably containing the non-lethal payload, and a sabot assembly releasably containing the carrier assembly, the sabot assembly having a plurality of sections movable from a closed position substantially surrounding the carrier assembly to an open position exposing the carrier assembly upon launch from the launching device;launching the non-lethal payload assembly as a unit out of the launching device, wherein launching forces are generated in the launching device and exerted against the sabot assembly, the launching forces exceeding forces that the carrier assembly could withstand independent of the sabot assembly;absorbing launch forces by the sabot assembly during launch;moving the plurality of sections of the sabot assembly from the closed position to the open position when the sabot assembly exits the launching device causing deceleration of the sabot assembly and separation from the carrier assembly;allowing the carrier assembly and the non-lethal payload to travel along a trajectory toward the targe t after separation from the sabot assembly;opening the carrier assembly at a selected position along the trajectory away from the target;deploying the non-lethal payload from the carrier assembly after the carrier assembly is open for continued travel of the non-lethal payload to the target independent from the carrier assembly; andbreaking the carrier assembly into a plurality of non-lethal pieces when the carrier assembly is open and the non-lethal payload is deployed. 20. The method of claim 19 wherein opening the carrier assembly includes igniting a plurality of explosive charges at a selected position along the trajectory away from the target. 21. The method of claim 19 wherein the carrier assembly is a non-metallic fiber material and breaking the carrier into a plurality of pieces includes increasing the aerodynamic drag and air pressure on the carrier assembly upon opening the carrier assembly and shredding the carrier assembly into the plurality of pieces with the increased air pressure.