초록 ▼

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the controllable deployment of a samara wing from a spinning housing by use of an active deployment system. The active deployment system operates to deploy the samara wing as a function of time, for example a step function, or a monotonic function. The samara

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for the controllable deployment of a samara wing from a spinning housing by use of an active deployment system. The active deployment system operates to deploy the samara wing as a function of time, for example a step function, or a monotonic function. The samara wing may be attached to a base, which may include a releasable portion. The active deployment system may include an electronic control unit and release means. Suitable release means include, but are not limited to pin actuators, explosively actuated cutters, and the like. Suitable electronic control units include programmable electronic sequencers and the like.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A spin-stabilized submunition comprising: a housing having a principal axis, a periphery, and, when in a spinning condition, a spin axis; a base attached to one end of the housing; a samara wing having a tip weight attached to a first end and a second end attached to the base

What is claimed is: 1. A spin-stabilized submunition comprising: a housing having a principal axis, a periphery, and, when in a spinning condition, a spin axis; a base attached to one end of the housing; a samara wing having a tip weight attached to a first end and a second end attached to the base at a root location, wherein the samara wing is operable to be deployed from a stowed position within a periphery of the housing to a deployed position when the housing is in the spinning condition, wherein the samara wing has a wing chord and a wingspan; and an active deployment system for deploying the samara wing from a stowed position to a deployed condition as a function of time. 2. The submunition of claim 1, wherein the active deployment system comprises: a plurality of connections that connect the samara wing to the base, wherein each connection has a different length and is connected to the samara wing at a different location; and release means that are operable to break the plurality of connections between the base and the samara wing. 3. The submunition of claim 2, wherein the active deployment system includes a control unit that is operable to release the plurality of connections as a function of time. 4. The submunition of claim 3, wherein the control unit comprises a programmable electronic sequencer that is operable to initiate the release means in a desired manner as a function of time. 5. The submunition of claim 2, wherein the release means comprise a plurality of explosively actuated cutters, wherein each of the plurality of explosively actuated cutters is operable to release one of the plurality of connections. 6. The submunition of claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of explosively actuated cutter includes a cylinder having a longitudinal bore, an explosive contained within the longitudinal bore, a bridge wire operable to activate the explosive, a cable hole disposed through the cylinder, and a cutting element operable to slide within the longitudinal bore and sever a cable disposed through the cable hole in response to the activation of the explosive. 7. The submunition of claim 2, wherein the release means comprise a plurality of pin actuators, wherein each of the plurality of pin actuators is operable to release one of the plurality of connections. 8. The submunition of claim 7, wherein each pin actuator comprises: a piston operable to move within a bore from a first position to a second position; a lever operable to rotate from a first position to a second position about a pivot point in response to a force supplied by the piston moving from the first position to the second position; and a pin attached to a unique location on the wingspan of the samara wing, wherein the pin is held by the lever when the lever is in the first position, and wherein the pin is released by the lever as the lever moves to the second position. 9. A method of deploying a samara wing, said method comprising the steps of: spinning a housing having a principal axis at an initial angular velocity; releasing a tip weight of a first end of a flexible samara wing attached to the housing from a stowed position, wherein the samara wing has a wingspan and wherein a second end of the samara wing is attached to the housing at a root location within the periphery of the housing; deploying the tip weight to a deployed position as a function of time; providing tensile force along the samara wing to the tip weight during deployment of the tip weight thereby providing angular acceleration to the tip weight during deployment so that the tip weight has an angular velocity equal to that of the housing; preventing the samara wing from wrapping around the spinning cylindrical housing during the step of deploying the tip weight; and releasing a portion of the base that has an active deployment system, thereby reducing the moment of inertia of the submunition about an axis orthogonal to the principal axis of the submunition. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of deploying the tip weight as a function of time includes deploying the tip weight as one or more step functions of time. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of deploying the tip weight as a function of time includes deploying the tip weight in four stages separated by equal time intervals. 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of deploying the tip weight occurs over 540 degrees of rotation of the spinning housing. 13. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of deploying the tip weight as a function of time includes deploying the tip weight as a monotonic function of time. 14. A samara wing deployment module comprising: a base for attachment to a housing; a samara wing having a wingspan, a chord, a first end with a tip weight attached thereto, and a second end attached to the base at a root location within the periphery of the cylindrical housing; a plurality of cables, each attached at one end to the base at the root location and attached at a second end to the samara wing at a different location along the wingspan of the samara wing, wherein each cable forms a severable connection between the samara wing and the base; and an active deployment system for deploying the samara wing as a function of time, the active deployment system including release means for severing the connections formed by plurality of cables and an electronic control unit for controlling the activation of the release means, and wherein the active deployment system is attached to the base. 15. The module of claim 14, wherein the electronic control unit includes a programmable electronic sequencer operable to actuate the release means. 16. The module of claim 14, wherein the release means include a plurality of pin actuators, wherein each of the plurality of pin actuators is operable to release one of the plurality of cables. 17. The module of claim 14, wherein the release means include a plurality of explosively actuated cable cutters, wherein each of the plurality of explosively actuated cutters is operable to release one of the plurality of cables. 18. The module of claim 14, wherein the base includes a fixed portion for attachment to a submunition and a releasable portion with a housing for the active deployment system, wherein the releasable portion is operable to release from the fixed portion after the samara wing is deployed.