System for dispensing projectiles and submunitions
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
F42B-012/60
F42B-012/02
F42B-012/62
출원번호
US-0671066
(2003-09-26)
발명자
/ 주소
Michel,Matthew Alan
출원인 / 주소
Lockheed Martin Corporation
대리인 / 주소
Buchanan Ingersoll PC
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
4인용 특허 :
6
초록▼
A bellows, spool, and collar system for dispensing projectiles and submunitions with a predictable and uniform pattern is disclosed. The system utilizes projectiles densely packed in a spool. A plurality of spools is packaged in a missile, bomb, or similar tubular device with an energetic bellows ac
A bellows, spool, and collar system for dispensing projectiles and submunitions with a predictable and uniform pattern is disclosed. The system utilizes projectiles densely packed in a spool. A plurality of spools is packaged in a missile, bomb, or similar tubular device with an energetic bellows actuator between each spool. The energetic bellows actuator expands rapidly to push a spool of projectiles out of the tubular housing. Timing means is provided for each bellows to provide proper axial spacing between spools prior to subsequently timed release of the projectiles.
대표청구항▼
I claim: 1. In an airborne projectile dispenser, the improvement comprising: at least one spool for supporting a plurality of projectiles in substantially parallel relation, a collar retaining said projectiles within said at least one spool, means for opening said collar to release said projectiles
I claim: 1. In an airborne projectile dispenser, the improvement comprising: at least one spool for supporting a plurality of projectiles in substantially parallel relation, a collar retaining said projectiles within said at least one spool, means for opening said collar to release said projectiles, said means for opening including means for timing the period of release of said collar to release said projectiles from said at least one spool in specific sequence following separation from said dispenser, and plural spools and collars arranged in coaxial alignment, said collars being of variable radial diameter relative to each other, so that when said spools are arranged within said dispenser, individual projectiles within spools are laterally offset with respect to corresponding projectiles in other spools to obtain a uniform projectile distribution pattern when meeting a target. 2. The improvement set forth in claim 1, including a cable surrounding said collar, and timed means for cutting said cable to release said collar from around said spool. 3. The improvement set forth in claim 2, in which said means for cutting said cable includes a capacitively powered circuit board. 4. A projectile dispenser system comprising: an airborne projectile dispenser having a principal axis; a plurality of projectile-carrying spools carried by said airborne dispenser in axial alignment with said principal axis for serial discharge therefrom, said spools carrying plural projectiles in mutually parallel relation for radially-directed discharge from said spools; means for maintaining said projectiles within said spools prior to discharge; means for holding said means for maintaining in fixed position; means for releasing said means for maintaining; timing means for initiating operation of said means for releasing; expandable bellows interconnected to said spools at one end thereof; means for selectively inflating said bellows at timed intervals for serially-ejecting said spools from said airborne dispenser; wherein said spools are positioned in mutually-axially aligned locations prior to discharge of projectiles from said spools. 5. A projectile dispenser system in accordance with claim 4, said expandable bellows being expanded by electrically ignited gunpowder of predetermined quantity, thereby determining the degree of mutual spacing of said spools. 6. A projectile dispenser system in accordance with claim 4, in which at least some of said spools comprise means for interconnection with an adjacent spool, wherein at least a pair of spools are maintained in abutted relation after discharge from dispenser. 7. A projectile dispenser system in accordance with claim 4, in which the discharge of projectiles from each spool is timed such that each of the plural projectiles in mutually parallel relation has the same amount of time to expand before reaching a target. 8. A projectile dispenser system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said means for maintaining said projectiles within said spools prior to discharge is a collar. 9. A projectile dispenser system in accordance with claim 4, wherein said means for holding said means for maintaining in fixed position is a cable. 10. A projectile dispenser system in accordance with claim 9, wherein said means for releasing is a cable cutter. 11. A system for dispensing projectiles from a munition, the system comprising: a plurality of spools, each spool arranged in sequential relationship along a linear axis and each spool including a plurality of projectiles; a bellows connected between at least two of the plurality of spools, the bellows expandable along the linear axis from a collapsed compacted state to an elongated extended state; and at least one controller to initiate ejection of the plurality of projectiles from the plurality of spools, wherein the controller initiates ejection of the plurality of projectiles on sequential spools in time-related manner such that initiation of each sequential spool is at an essentially common point in space. 12. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of projectiles on at least one of the plurality of spools are all positioned with a head of each projectile arranged in a common orientation. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein an aft stabilizing fin on a first group of the plurality of projectiles is offset from an aft end of each of the projectiles of the first group a first distance and an aft stabilizing fin on a second group of the plurality of projectiles is offset from an aft end of each of the projectiles of the second group a second distance, the first distance different from the second distance and wherein a diameter of an aft portion of each of the projectiles is reduced by an amount approximating a thickness of the aft stabilizing fin. 14. The system of claim 13, wherein the first distance is at least one stabilizing fin length different than the second distance. 15. The system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of projectiles is mounted on at least one of the plurality of spools with at least one collar, the at least one collar having a flat inner surface adjacent at least an outer group of the plurality of projectiles and a curved outer surface. 16. The system of claim 15, wherein a thickness of the collar on each subsequent spool of the plurality of spools has a different thickness. 17. The system of claim 15, wherein the inner surface of a first collar on a first spool is mounted offset from a center axis of the first spool a different distance from the inner surface of a second collar on a subsequent spool, and the curved outer surface of the first collar and the curved outer surface of the second collar are at a same radial distance from an axial centerline of the munition. 18. The system of claim 15, wherein the collar includes a plurality of portions and an aggregate of each of the inner surfaces forms a geometric shape. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the geometric shape is one of a hexagon and an octagon. 20. The system of claim 11, wherein the bellows are releasably connected to two sequential spools. 21. The system of claim 11, wherein in the elongated extended state of the bellows, sequential spools are connected by the bellows. 22. The system of claim 21, wherein sequential spools are separated by a distance related to a forward traveling velocity of the plurality of spools such that every row of projectiles expands to a similar pattern and size. 23. The system of claim 11, wherein a length of the elongated extended bellows is a distance effective to produce a separation distance between released projectiles of sequential spools to minimize interference drag. 24. The system of claim 23, wherein the separation distance is at least 5 inches. 25. The system of claim 11, wherein in the elongated extended state of the bellows, sequential spools are separated from the bellows and from each other. 26. The system of claim 11, comprising an ejection system to release the plurality of spools and bellows from the munition. 27. The system of claim 11, comprising means to remove an outer portion of the munition to expose the plurality of spools and the bellows. 28. A method of dispensing projectiles from a munition, the munition having a forward end and an aft end along a linear axis and including a system having a plurality of spools, each spool arranged in sequential relationship along the linear axis and each spool including a plurality of projectiles, and a bellows connected between at least two of the plurality of spools, the bellows expandable along the linear axis from a collapsed compacted state to an elongated extended state, the method comprising: expanding successive bellows in a sequence from an aft end bellows to a forward end bellows; releasing the plurality of projectiles from a first spool to form a first shape at a first point in a travel path of the plurality of projectiles from the first spool releasing the plurality of projectiles from a second spool in a timed relationship relative to releasing the plurality of projectiles from the first spool to form a second shape, wherein the plurality of projectiles from the second spool generally travel along the travel path of the plurality of projectiles from the first spool and the second shape is substantially similar to the first shape at the first point in the travel path.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (6)
Hertsgaard John P. (Minneapolis MN) Gallant W. Keith (Plymouth MN), Enabling device for a gas generator of a forced dispersion munitions dispenser.
Schneider Mark D. (Woodinville WA) Hoskins Randy L. (Bothell WA) Galbraith Lyle D. (Redmond WA) Dusenberry Gary L. (Bellevue WA), Inflatable bladder submunition dispensing system.
Thouron Ren (La Ferte St Aubin FRX) Herrero Pascal (Clery St Andre FRX), Separation and aerodynamic braking device for the propulsion stage of a missile.
Skidmore, Mark A.; Davis, Andrew R.; Palen, Thomas V.; Salafia, Christian W.; Deppert, Thomas M.; Knowlton, Gregory D., Mine defeat system and pyrotechnic dart for same.
Skidmore, Mark A.; Davis, Andrew R.; Palen, Thomas V.; Salafia, Christian W; Deppert, Thomas M.; Knowlton, Gregory D., Mine defeat system and pyrotechnic dart for same.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.