Method and device for transmitting energy to a projectile

[0001] The invention relates to the problem of transferring energy to a projectile during passage of a barrel and / or passage through an exit brake.

[0002] Such energy transmission is known from US 7,506,586 B1. For programmable ammunition, the bullet must be supplied with energy for the electronics integrated in it and for initiating the incendiary chain. For this purpose, various ammunition have small batteries that provide the necessary energy. Others before firing are programmed and energized. If a given amount of energy is always available, for example during storage or loading operations in a weapon, unintentional disintegration of the projectile may occur if the electronics fail. Therefore, the use of simpler energy storage devices, such as a battery, is not always appropriate.

[0003] For safety reasons, it is therefore recommended that the energy is not delivered to the projectile until the moment of firing, for example after igniting the propellant charge and before leaving the barrel outlet of the weapon. Thanks to this, it is ensured that before firing ammunition can not itself lead to detonation, because it does not have the energy required for it.

[0004] The battery from DE 31 50 172 A is activated only after leaving the barrel, it acts by a projectile, which is effected, inter alia, by a mechanical time switch. Also, the battery of document DE 199 41 301 A is only activated by high accelerations when firing.

[0005] According to DE 488 866 A, the igniter capacitor is charged in a firing position via external contacts. The igniter capacitor according to the solution presented in the document DE 10 2007 007 404 A is already loaded after the projectile has been removed to a safe distance from the barrel, i.e. about two seconds before the end of the flight time. The ignition capacitor according to DE 26 53 241 A is inductively charged through the coils of the electromagnet prior to firing.

A CONFIRMATION COPY [0006] US 4,144,815 A describes a type of energy transfer device in which the barrel acts as a microwave waveguide so that energy and data are transmitted before the shot. The receiving antenna on the igniter receives the emitted signal and guides it through a switch either to the rectifier device or to a filter acting as a demodulator that filters out the data from the incoming signal. The rectifier device serves to generate a voltage from the incoming signal which is then stored.

[0007] In DE 31 50 172 A the supply voltage is inductively delivered before or during loading of the projectile.

[0008] Devices are also known that acquire energy from the energy of the projectile's motion. At the same time, a mechanism is built in the projectile, which from the acceleration after ignition of the propellant charge transforms the necessary energy into electromagnetic energy and at the same time charges the cartridge in the projectile.

[0009] Thus, document CH 586 384 A describes a method wherein by linear acceleration at a shot the soft iron ring and the annular permanent magnet are shifted relative to the induction coil in the direction of the projectile axis, so that a voltage is generated in the coil which charges the capacitor . For safety reasons, according to the document CH 586 889 A, this unit is then provided with a transport safety device, which is destroyed only by said high acceleration of the shot.

[0010] It may be disadvantageous that acceleration of the projectile in the barrel of the gun is used because this acceleration can not be precisely controlled. This results in different energy charges, so too much or too little energy is transmitted to the projectile. Too little energy has the disadvantage that no efficient operation is ensured. Another disadvantage is the complex, and thus the space-consuming, transformation mechanism used to convert mechanical energy into electromagnetic energy.

In the case of large environmental influences (impacts at firing, transverse accelerations and the twist of the barrel's thread) on the projectile during a shot, this mechanism can also be destroyed. In order to exclude this, construction measures are necessary, which make ammunition not only more expensive, but also occupy an additional place in the projectile and increase its weight.

[0011] The generators in the projectile head propose documents

DE 25 18 266 A and DE 103 41 713 A. An alternative to them is the use of pyrosocrystals, as proposed and explained in documents DE 77 02 073 A, DE 25 39 541 A or DE 28 47 548 A.

[0012] The last ones mentioned are already taking the path of replacing the known mechanisms of energy conversion with the energy transfer system, which for its part transfers the necessary energy to the project at the latest by passing through the muzzle.

[0013] The invention aims to provide a system that, with a simple structure, enables optimal energy transfer. [0014] These objects are achieved by the features of claim 1 or 7. Preferred embodiments are set forth in the dependent claims.

[0015] At this point of departure of the invention, there is the idea that energy transfer should be inductively and / or capacitively effected. It is proposed to use a waveguide for energy transfer because the electromagnetic field is concentrated in the waveguide. The energy transfer system used herein consists at least of a waveguide and transmission coupler for transmitting energy which is supplied by the signal generator. The missile has at least one sensor that receives the signal and loads the cartridge in the projectile. The energy transfer waveguide may be a weapon barrel, a muzzle brake or an additional part between the end of the gun barrel and the start of the muzzle brake or it may be attached at the end of the muzzle brake. It has proved advantageous to integrate in the area of ​​the outlet between the exhaust brake and the barrel of the gun,

[0016] The signal generator (e.g., an oscillator) provides a constant center frequency signal that operates below the smallest frequency of the waveguide.

Depending on the geometry and the type of transmission coupler (coil, dipole, etc.), many waveguide modes are excited (TEmn zm = 0, 1, 2 ... and n = 1, 2, 3, ...). The signal generator generates either a carrier in continuous wave mode (CW mode) or a modulated signal.

[0017] The use of a waveguide below the limit frequency for measuring the projectile velocity or the like is already known from DE 10 2006 058 375 A. It proposes the use of a barrel or a muzzle barrel and / or a part of the muzzle brake as a waveguide recognizes the characteristic shape cross-section which has a wall with a very good transverse tube), the electrical conductivity of the technique is widely widespread primarily rectangular and round waveguides, which, however, work below the frequency of the respective waveguide mode. However, no use was made as an energy transfer system.

[0018] In a modification of the invention, the use of a waveguide is also provided for measuring V0, and not only for transmitting energy. The muzzle velocity itself may be measured or determined preferably before and / or after the projectile. In the case of measurement before the projectile, the fact that the top of the projectile during passage through the waveguide affects the electromagnetic field is taken into account. In the case of measurements with a projectile, a flat or even surface of the projectile base is used, so that the measurement takes place irrespective of the shape of the projectile's top. In this case, the base affects the electromagnetic field. This respective change is detected by the receiving coupler in the waveguide and is supplied to the analyzer. Such a method is known from WO 2009/141055 A1. The distance between the transmission coupler,

[0019] The energy transfer can also be combined with the programming of the projectile, which is the subject of a parallel patent application. For programmable ammunition, information about its detonation time and / or flight path must be provided to the missile. The frequency signal for programming is also here below the frequency of the respective waveguide mode. For the programming to be independent of the size of the outlet velocity V0, also here the frequency should be> 0Hz. The result is that V0 slow as well as fast missiles does not affect programming. The frequency carrier wave is modulated with appropriate information for the projectile, and the modulated signal is then guided to the transmission coupler in the waveguide. The transmitting coupler now induces the appropriate electromagnetic field in the waveguide.

When the projectile passes through the waveguide, the projectile receives a signal without contact by capacitive and / or inductive coupling using the receiving coupler located in the projectile. It is understood that the energy transfer device must be integrated in front of the programming device, and that the gap between the two must be selected so that programming can also be successful.

[0020] The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to an embodiment with the drawing. The figures show schematically:

Fig. 1 energy transfer system,

Fig. 2 a power transmission system in combination with a V0 measurement,

Fig. 3 a flow diagram illustrating the transmission of energy and / or measurement V0,

Fig. 4 extension with programming of the projectile.

[0021] Fig. 1 shows the energy transfer system 1, here integrated between the end 2 'of the barrel 2 with the muzzle brake 3 (which is not a prerequisite). The energy transfer system 1 consists of at least one waveguide 4 or a section (and / or waveguide segments) and at least a transmission sender 5 which is fed by the frequency f 2 by the oscillator 6. By 7 is marked a projectile to which, during passage through the transmission system 1 energy is to be transmitted. The waveguide 4 can here be the 3 'exhaust brake cap 3 or the barrel end 2' part of the weapon. In this example, waveguide 4 is a separate part that is integrated between the weapon barrel 2 and the muzzle brake 3.

[0022] Fig. 2 shows the energy transfer arrangement 1 of Fig. 1 in combination with the measurement V0. In a preferred embodiment, the same transmission coupler 5 is used to measure V0. By means of 10 is determined the necessary to measure the receiving coupling V0 in the waveguide 4, which is electrically connected to the analyzing device 11. The further oscillator 12 provides another signal with the frequency f1 to measure V0.

[0023] The method of operation or method of the invention will henceforth be described generally based on the preferred embodiment according to Fig. 2, i.e. in the possible combination of measurement V0 and energy transfer:

The signal with the frequency f1 is intended for measuring V0, and the signal with the frequency f2 is intended to transmit energy. Both frequencies f1 and f2 are below the frequency of the respective waveguide mode, i.e. they are smaller than the limit frequency. In addition, there may be a dependency that f₁ Ψ f₂ or f₁ = f₂.

[0024] The frequencies f optimized for both energy transfer when and f2 are preferably for the measurement of V0 and for (same f1 = f2) the frequency used for the measurement and for the transmission of energy is already optimal. For the measurement and transmission of energy to be independent of the size of V0, the frequencies should be> 0Hz. The result is that V0 slow as well as fast projectiles are always measured with the same accuracy, which also applies to energy transfer.

[0025] When the projectile 7 passes through the waveguide 4, the outlet velocity V0 can be measured in a known manner before and / or after energy transfer. In order to transmit energy, the projectile 7 has a sensor 8 which receives the signal with frequency f2 and charges the cartridge 9 of the projectile 7. When passing, the projectile 7 receives the necessary amount of energy, so that the cartridge 9 is charged after leaving the waveguide 4.

[0026] Fig. 3 illustrates schematically the transmission of energy also in connection with the measurement of V0. If no V0 measurement is provided, then only V0 is selected

If instead, the path "transmission of energy".

both the measurement and the transmission of energy using the same waveguide are envisaged, then four different method alternatives are available: first measure V0 with subsequent energy transfer or first energy transfer with later measurement or energy transfer between each one measurement V0 or parallel measurement V0 and transmission of energy. If the number of components / waveguides allows this, the energy transfer steps or V0 measurement can be repeated repeatedly until the projectile 7 returns from the waveguide 4 and then passes through, for example, the muzzle brake.

[0027] Fig. 4 shows an addition to the programming device 20. For programming purposes, it can also use a transmit coupler 5 already present for V0 measurement and / or energy transfer. Preferably, the next signal generator u generates the carrier signal f3 for programming. The information for the projectile is then applied to it by modulation 14 and via the sender 5 or the following sender 15 are transmitted or transmitted. sent to the receiving coupler 16 contained in the projectile

7. A further receiving unit 17, which is electrically connected to the receiving coupler 18 in the region of the waveguide 4, may serve to provide a control signal for correct programming.

57P38322PL00

EP 2 531 802 B1