Patent Grant
9222762
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to decoys for heat-seeking missiles and methods of producing and using the same. The decoys are designed to be kinematic or pseudo-kinematic, producing one or more infra-red radiation emitting clouds that give the appearance of a moving infra-red target in the airspace in which the decoy has been released.
2. Description of Related Art
The Special Materials that are discussed and referenced is the present application are known to those of skill in the art and are described, for example, in the following U.S. patents, the complete disclosures of which are expressly incorporated herein, by reference: U.S. Pat. No. 4,435,481; U.S. Pat. No. 4,895,609; U.S. Pat. No. 4,957,421; U.S. Pat. No. 5,182,078; U.S. Pat. No. 6,093,498; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,193,854.
Although the Special Materials described in the aforementioned patents (for example as pyrophoric materials, foils, elements, etc.) are suitable for use in the decoys of the present invention, other Special Materials may also be suitable for use in the decoys of the present invention. Accordingly, the Special Materials of the present invention should not be limited to the Special Materials of the aforementioned patents.
As is known in the art, military aircraft are typically provided with decoys which are used to draw various types of guided weapons away from the aircraft. One of the most commonly used decoy devices are flares which are adapted to attract infra-red or heat seeking guided missiles away from the deploying aircraft (i.e., the target). In this respect, the flare is designed to present a more attractive thermal target than the aircraft from which it is deployed, thus decoying the weapon away from the aircraft.
In recent years, anti-aircraft weaponry has become more sophisticated, with enhanced capabilities to discriminate between flares and the deploying aircraft. The present invention offers improved dispensing methods which allow decoys to provide increased protection against these advanced threats.
The present invention relates to decoys for heat-seeking missiles and methods of producing and using the same. The decays are designed, to be kinematic or pseudo-kinematic, producing one or more infra-red radiation emitting clouds that give the appearance of a moving infra-red target in the airspace in which the decoy has been released.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the decoy is composed of two or more bundles of pyrophoric elements that separate from one another in a sequential manner after the decoy is released from the target. As each bundle separates from the rest of the bundles, it creates an infra-red radiation emitting cloud that confuses or attracts a missile that is seeking a source of infra-red radiation. The sequential bundle release creates the appearance of a moving infra-red target. The mass of pyrophoric elements and/or the number of pyrophoric elements in each bundle may be varied to maximize the effectiveness of the decoy.
The two or more bundles of pyrophoric elements may be held together by any suitable means that permits or causes the bundles to separate from one another in a sequential manner. For example, the bundles can be held within a container, such as a can or tube, that permits or causes the bundles to be released from the can in a sequential manner. Alternatively, the bundles can be connected to a body which releases the bundles in a sequential manner after the bundles and body have been released from the target.
The method of release of the individual handles from the larger group of bundles is not critical as long as the bundles are released in a sequential manner alter the larger group of bundles has been released from the target.
Each bundle contains a plurality of pyrophoric elements that emit most of their infra-red radiation after the bundle is separated from the remaining bundles. In one embodiment of the present invention, the pyrophoric elements are foils or wafers that are self-igniting in air. The self-igniting foils or wafers can be made of a pyrophoric material or they can comprise a pyrophoric coating on a supporting body (e.g., a foil or web that can be composed of any material that can hold or bear the pyrophoric coating—for example, metal, cloth or paper) and are sometimes referred to herein as “Special Material” “Special Materials” or “SM”. In another embodiment of the present invention, where the pyrophoric elements comprise a pyrophoric coating on a supporting body, the pyrophoric coating contains at least one pyrophoric powder and a binder and the pyrophoric elements are formed by applying a dispersion containing the pyrophoric powder, the binder and a solvent or carrier to at least a portion of the surface of a supporting foil or web in a nitrogen, reducing or inert atmosphere and then removing at least a portion of the solvent or carrier to form a pyrophoric body. In yet another embodiment of the press at invention, where the pyrophoric elements comprise a pyrophoric coating on a supporting body, the pyrophoric coating contains at least one pyrophoric powder, at least one ignitable powder and a binder and the pyrophoric elements are formed by applying a dispersion containing the pyrophoric powder, the ignitable powder, the binder and a solvent or carrier to at least a portion of the surface of a supporting foil or web in a nitrogen, reducing or inert atmosphere and then removing at least a portion of the solvent or carrier to form a pyrophoric body.
Depending on the size of the pyrophoric body that is produced by any of the processes known in the art, the body can be used as a pyrophoric element as is or it may need to be cut or chopped into smaller pieces, each of which is then a pyrophoric element.
Upon exposure to air, the pyrophoric elements produce infra-red radiation which can be used to attract infra-red seeking devices away from other infra-red emitting sources such as aircraft (including helicopters), ships and ground vehicles (i.e., targets).
The present invention relates to decoys for heat-seeking missiles and methods of producing and using the same. The decoys are designed to be kinematic or pseudo-kinematic, producing one or more infra-red radiation emitting clouds that give the appearance of a moving infra-red target in the airspace in which the decoy has been released.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the decoy comprises a plurality of bodies (e.g., bundles of pyrophoric elements) that emit infra-red radiation after being activated and the decoy releases portions of the plurality of bodies sequentially. The bodies are activated either at the time of release or after release to the remainder of the decoy so that the released bodies emit infra-red radiation. In this way, the release of multiple bodies that emit infra-red radiation in a sequential manner as the decoy travels through the air creates an infra-red pattern or signature that appears as a moving target.
Although the decoys of the present invention can be adapted and/or modified to protect a variety of targets, such as ground vehicles (e.g., trucks, transports, tanks), water vehicles (e.g., ships and hovercraft) and aircraft (e.g., airplanes and helicopters), an especially preferred embodiment of the present invention is designed to protect aircraft in flight. In this embodiment of the present invention, the decoy is released from a flying aircraft and, for a certain period of time, the decoy travels in the same direction as the aircraft (due to: (a) the momentum that the decoy has; or (b) propulsive forces generated in the release of the decoy from the aircraft; or (c) propulsive forces from an engine or motor contained on the decoy itself—such as a small jet engine or rocket motor; or any combination of (a) to (c)). As the decoy travels in the same direction as the aircraft that released it, the decoy sequentially releases its payload of bodies that emit infra-red radiation, thus creating an infra-red source or pattern that appears to be moving in the same direction as the aircraft.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the decoy comprises two or more bundles of Special Material (pyrophoric elements) and each bundle breaks apart after release from the decoy and forms a cloud of the pyrophoric elements that emits infra-red radiation (i.e., the cloud of pyrophoric elements heats up and creates a cloud that is emitting infra-red radiation). The two or more bundles are released sequentially from the decoy after the decoy has been released from the target aircraft. The Special Material elements are thin bodies of pyrophoric elements that have a high surface area to weight ratio and, accordingly, a high amount of air resistance (high drag in moving air). For example, the Special Material can be in the form of thin foils or wafers that are either composed of or coated with a pyrophoric material that reacts with air and emits heat (infra-red radiation). Due to their high drag in moving air, the Special Material foils or wafers come to an abrupt stop (or at least decelerate rapidly) in the air almost immediately after each bundle is released from the decoy. Specifically, almost immediately after a bundle of the Special Materials is released from the decoy, the bundle is torn apart by the force of the moving air, creating a cloud of the individual pyrophoric elements that decelerates rapidly to form a slow-moving or stationary cloud that then begins to settle slowly towards the ground. While the elements are strapped in bundles to the decoy after deployment, they do not react appreciably with the surrounding air because they are pressed or packed together tightly. Once the individual elements are separated from the bundle, the surfaces of each element are exposed to the air and the pyrophoric material is free to react with the air to create heat. The time from the initial separation of the pyrophoric elements from the bundle until they reach peak temperature is known as the rise time. The rise time is variable, depending on the pyrophoric material used. A preferred rise time is from about 0.01 seconds to about 3 seconds. Another preferred rise time is from 0.05 seconds to 0.1 second. A highly preferred rise time is from 0.05 to 0.6 seconds.
The mass of pyrophoric elements and/or the number of pyrophoric elements in each bundle may be varied to maximize the effectiveness of the decoy for a specific platform. Further, the number of bundles of pyrophoric elements per decoy can be varied. Preferred embodiments of the present invention include decoys that contain two, three, four or five bundles, where each bundle contains from about 400 to 1,000 pyrophoric elements. It is also sometimes desirable (based on the heat signature of the target to be protected) to have 6, 7, 8, 9 or 10 or more bundles that are released more rapidly than the embodiments using a lesser number of bundles. This can create a series of infra-red radiation emitting clouds that are closer together with an almost continuous infra-red radiation profile that appears as a moving target that is constantly emitting infra-red radiation. The exact configuration or number of bundles is determined through modeling and simulation analyses performed for each target/threat combination or through experimentation.
Although most of the embodiments of the present invention use at least three total bundles (i.e., a first bundle that is released immediately and at least two bundles that are released sequentially after the first bundle is released), certain embodiments of the present invention can use only one or two total bundles. In the embodiment of the present invention that uses one bundle, there is no immediate release bundle. Instead, the single bundle is released from the decoy after a predetermined amount of time has passed since the decoy was released from the target. In this embodiment of the present invention, the decoy can also contain another source of infra-red radiation, such as streamers of pyrophoric material (discussed below and shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the decoy contains two or more bundles of Special Material that are anchored to the decoy as it is traveling through the air and the decoy contains a means of releasing the bundles at timed intervals. The means for releasing the bundles can be any means known in the art and includes physical means, mechanical means, electronic means and combinations thereof. One preferred physical means is a fuse that is ignited at the time the decoy is released from the aircraft (e.g., by a small explosive charge or squib that ejects the decoy from the aircraft) and, over a short period of time, burns through loops (anchor loops) that keep the bundles anchored to the decoy. The anchor loops are made of a material that will fail upon being exposed to the heat of the burning fuse (such as plastic, rope or cloth, loops). Because the fuse burns at a relatively constant or predictable speed, the bundles are released at controlled intervals as the ruse burns its way through the various anchor loops that are disposed along the path of the fuse.
The other end of the wire straps for the decoy shown in
In the embodiment shown in
In practice, the fuse can be located on either the bottom side of the piston, facing the bottom of the container that holds the bundles before they are deployed or released from the target, or on the top side of the piston, facing the bottom of the lowermost bundle. However, if the fuse is to be ignited by the detonation of a small explosive charge or squib located at the bottom of the container, then at least a portion of the fuse should be located on the side of the piston facing the squib (i.e., the bottom side of the piston). When the main body of the fuse is located on the side of the piston that is facing the squib, it is desirable to protect the main body of the fuse from, the hot gases that are released by the detonation of the squib. If this protection is not provided, it is possible that the fuse will ignite in several locations at once and this can result in a premature release of some or all of the bundles. The main body of the fuse can be protected, for example, by coating it with a fireproofing substance or by shielding it with a spacing element that sits between the squib and the base and protects the main body of the fuse (i.e., the portion of the fuse that passes through the anchor loops). In this embodiment of the present invention, die end of the fuse that is to be ignited is left exposed so that it can be ignited by the detonation of the squib.
In the decoy shown, in
In the embodiments of the present invention discussed above, one end of the straps that bind the bundles to the anchoring element or body (i.e., the piston) were connected to the piston by anchor loops. Each anchor loop is designed to release the end of the strap that is connected to it when the anchor loop is burned through or melted by a burning fuse. These anchor loops are just one example of the devices that can be used in the decoys of the present invention to bind the bundles to the anchoring element or body. As used hereinafter, the terms “fastener” and “fasteners” should be understood as referring to any device that connects at least one end of the binding straps to the anchoring element or body. Although the aforementioned anchor loops are one example of such fasteners, they are not the only fastener chat can be used in the decoys of the present invention.
In certain embodiments of the present invention, a fastener is not used to connect the binding straps to the anchoring body. In some of these embodiments, both ends of the binding straps are attached directly to the anchoring element or the binding strap passes around the anchoring element and is connected to itself (as a continuous loop). In these embodiments of the present invention, the binding strap itself is cut, burned through or melted by the timing means. For example, one or both ends of the binding strap can be in contact with or located near a fuse that burns through or melts the binding strap after the decoy has been released from the target. Similarly, when the binding strap is a continuous loop that passes over the anchoring element, a portion of the binding strap can be located next to or in contact with a fuse that burns through or melts the binding strap after the decoy has been released from the target.
Before deployment, the decoy of the present invention is held within a container that protects the pyrophoric elements from air. The container can be any container that can be hermetically sealed and will permit the decoy to be ejected from the container with a minimum amount of force. Usually, the atmosphere within the container is either withdrawn (no air) or modified so as to be non-reactive with the Special Material (e.g., a nitrogen or noble gas atmosphere). The force used to eject the decoy is usually created by expanding gases from a small explosive charge (sometimes referred to herein as a “squib”) that is detonated (e.g., electrically or physically) in the container below the piston. These expanding gases build up pressure within the container until the end of the container that is furthest from the piston ruptures, allowing the decoy to be ejected from the container and out of the aircraft. Although this is the preferred method of ejecting the decoy from the container, one skilled in the art can immediately envisage many other ways of achieving this end result, including spring ejection means, hydraulic ejection means, etc. The specific manner in which the decoy is ejected from the container is not important as long as the decoy is ejected with sufficient force so that it successfully exits the aircraft and travels to a safe and/or desirable distance from the aircraft before creating the first infra-red radiation emitting cloud. The safe and/or desirable distance from the aircraft varies depending on the type of aircraft and the threat that is being decoyed.
The combination of the container and the decoy can be referred to as a countermeasure. Thus, one embodiment of the present invention is a countermeasure for an infra-red radiation seeking device comprising, before deployment from a target: (a) a container; and (b) a decoy, wherein said decoy comprises: (i) two or more handles of pyrophoric elements; (ii) an anchoring body to which at least one of the two or more bundles of pyrophoric elements is releasably attached; and (iii) a means for sequentially releasing at least one bundle that is attached to the anchoring body; wherein said decoy is disposed in said container and said container is hermetically sealed, filled with a gas that is inert to said pyrophoric elements, or both.
The shape and size of each pyrophoric element in the bundle is not critical as long as the individual elements separate rapidly from one another as soon as the bundle which contains the elements is unstrapped. As a practical matter, the shape and size of the elements is limited by the internal dimensions of the container that houses or contains the bundles). It is preferred that the individual elements be thin foil or wafer bodies that have a high drag in moving air. Preferred cross-sectional geometries or shapes of the elements are rectangles, squares and circles. Preferred sizes and shapes of the elements are rectangles and squares with sides ranging from 0.5 inch to 4 inches and circles having diameters of from 0.5 inch to three inches. In a highly preferred embodiment, the elements are either one inch by two inch rectangles, one inch by one inch squares or circles with a diameter of 1.25 inch.
The preferred thickness of the pyrophoric elements is dependent on the Special Material performance characteristics required for a specific platform and the type of Special Material used. Generally, the pyrophoric elements have a thickness in the range from about 0.0005 inches to 0.03 inches (i.e., from about 0.0127 mm to 0.762 mm). However, these thicknesses can be varied substantially depending, for example, on the density of the Special Material used and the surface area of each pyrophoric element in the bundle. Accordingly, the thicknesses provided above are for illustrative purposes only and should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention.
When the cross-section of the bundle(s) in a decoy of the present invention has a rectangular geometry, the shorter side of the rectangle is usually from 0.5 inch to 2 inches (preferably from 0.5 inch to 1 inch), and the longer side of the rectangle is usually from 1 inch to 4 inches (preferably from 1 inch to 3 inches). When the cross-section of the bundle(s) in a decoy of the present invention has a square geometry, the sides of the square are usually from 0.5 inch to 4 inches, preferably from 0.5 inch to 3 inches or from 0.5 inch to 2 inches. When, the cross-section of the bundle(s) in a decoy of the present invention has a circular geometry, the diameter of the circle is usually from 0.5 to 3 inches, preferably from 0.5 to 2 inches.
The length of each bundle is dependent on the number of pyrophoric elements that are contained in the bundle. Typically, the bundles will have a length of front 0.5 inch to 5 inches, with a preferred length being from 0.5 inch to 3.5 inches. In certain embodiments of the present invention, it may be useful to use smaller bundles and in those embodiments, the length of the bundle may be from 0.3 inch to 2.5 inches.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the bundles inside the decoy contain the same kind of pyrophoric element (i.e., all of the pyrophoric elements are made of the same material). In another embodiment of the present invention, each bundle inside the decoy is composed of pyrophoric elements made from the same type of pyrophoric material, but the elements in at least one of the bundles are made from a different material than the elements in another bundle in the same decoy. In another embodiment of the present invention, the pyrophoric elements in each bundle of the decoy are made from the same material but no two of the bundles contain elements made from the same material (i.e., each bundle is composed of pyrophoric elements that are made from a different material than the elements of any of the other bundles in the same decoy). In yet another embodiment of the present invention, one or more of the bundles in the decoy contain pyrophoric elements that are not made of the same material as the other elements in the same bundle (i.e., one or more of the bundles in the decoy contains a mixture of pyrophoric elements that are made from different materials). Varying the Special Material type in different bundles within the same decoy device allows even greater flexibility to tailor the infra-red output to meet the requirements of specific platforms while minimizing the number of decoys deployed.
Through use of the decoys of the present invention, it is possible to protect slow moving aircraft or even hovering aircraft (such as helicopters, hovering jets and tilt-rotor airplanes). This is possible when the ejection speed of the decoys is sufficient to permit the bundles to break apart into their individual elements as the bundles are released. The hot clouds that form as the bundles break apart appear to be moving through the air as the decoy moves or flies away from the aircraft and the infra-red seeking missile follows the decoy away from the slow-moving or hovering aircraft.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the bundles in the decoy are connected to one another by interlocking members. The interlocking members allow the individual bundles to be quickly and easily connected to one another while, at the same time, allowing the bundles to be separated from one another after the decoy has been released from the target. For example, the interlocking members can be snap-fit devices that are connected to the top of one bundle (i.e., bundle A) and the bottom of the bundle that is disposed directly above bundle A (i.e., bundle B). Bundle A and bundle B are brought together and connected by applying pressure to the bundles so that the male portion of the snap-fit device mates with and connects to the female portion of the snap-fit device. In a similar fashion, the snap-fit device can be replaced by interlocking ridges and grooves that mate together (for example when force is applied perpendicularly or horizontally to the ends of the bundles that have the ridges and grooves) to connect the two bundles. The interlocking members provide additional side to side stability to the stack of bundles as they are disposed within the container. Strapping means are also used to bind each bundle to the piston in the container. When the straps are released while the decoy is in flight, the interlocking members fail under the wind pressure and allow the bundles to separate from one another.
In another embodiment of the present invention, a Special Material powder can be added to the decoy to create a different infra-red signature or pattern. Specifically, since Special Material powder has a shorter rise time than the foil or wafer type of pyrophoric element, the combination of Special Material powder with the pyrophoric elements can provide a pyrophoric cloud with a faster rise time (i.e., the rise time is decreased). One way of including the Special Material powder with the pyrophoric elements in the decoys of the present invention is to create holes in the pyrophoric elements and then fill the holes with the Special Material powder. For example, each of the bundles of pyrophoric elements can have one or more holes that pass part or all of the way through the bundle and those holes can be partially or completely filled with Special Material powder. When the bundle is released from the piston, the cloud that forms is composed of both the foil or wafer pyrophoric elements, which take a short amount of time to heat up to peak temperature, and the Special Material powder, which heats up to peak temperature faster. Thus, this type of cloud emits infra-red radiation sooner and longer than the cloud that is composed of only the foil or wafer elements. However, this type of cloud is not always advantageous because the overall infra-red signature or pattern per unit mass of Special Material in the bundle will be different and may not be appropriate or desirable for certain threats (i.e., the cloud may never reach a high enough temperature or the size of the cloud may be reduced).
Another way of including the Special Material powder with the pyrophoric elements in the decoys of the present invention is to include the powder in a small container that sits atop a portion of each strapped bundle of pyrophoric elements and is held in place by the strap for that bundle. In use, the container opens when the strap for that bundle is released.
It is sometimes desirable to include spacers between the individual strapped bundles. Such spacers were used in the decoy shown in
It is possible to modify the rate of change of the velocity (i.e., the forward velocity, the velocity towards the ground or both) of the decoy after it is released from the aircraft by changing the structure of the decoy or by providing the decoy with a means of propulsion. It is also possible to modify the direction that the decoy flies once it is released from the aircraft. For example, the decoy can be made to fly in the same direction as the aircraft or the decoy can be designed so that it slowly turns to the left or right as it flies (e.g., by designing the decoy so that one side of the decoy has a higher drag in the air than the other side). Since the flight path of the decoy dictates the positions of the clouds B-1 to B-4 in relation to the aircraft that released the decoy, a large number of possible cloud patterns are possible. This flexibility allows the decoy of the present invention to be tailored to meet a wide variety of threats.
As shown in
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention that is shown in
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, that is shown in
In another embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in
In some of the embodiments of the present invention, a fuse is used as the means for releasing the bundles from the decoy while the decoy is in flight (i.e., after the decoy has been released from the target it is intended to protect). Other means for sequentially releasing the bundles from the decoy include the means described below.
In the above-described embodiments (5) and (6), the covering materials are designed to fail through the action of the pyrophoric slurry that heats up upon exposure to air and melts or burns through the covering material. The pyrophoric slurry can be replaced by a pyrophoric tape, string or wire that can be adhered to at least a portion of the covering material. Alternatively, any means that causes the covering material(s) to fail in a sequential manner could be employed in these embodiments of the invention.
One advantage to using mechanical, electronic or pyrophoric means to release the bundles from the decoy (i.e., in comparison to a pyrotechnic means, such as a burning fuse) is that the decoy can be made so that it does not contain any explosive material. This can be important and advantageous in certain situations where explosive materials could be hazardous or unstable and can result in a decoy or countermeasure that has a less restrictive hazard class rating.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the anchoring element or body is not the piston but is a body that is disposed between the piston and the lowermost pyrophoric element of the lowermost strapped bundle. This body can be apart of the lowermost strapped bundle, such as a spacer or a metal plate, or it can be a distinct body that is separate from, and disposed between, the piston and the lowermost bundle of pyrophoric elements. In this embodiment of the present invention, if the means for releasing the bundles at timed intervals is a fuse, then a portion of the fuse can penetrate or otherwise pass-through the piston so that it can be ignited by the hot gases released by the small explosive charge or squib that ejects the decoy from the aircraft. Upon ejection from the aircraft, the piston fells away from the rest of the decoy and the burning fuse then causes the subsequent release of the strapped bundles in a sequential manner.
In another embodiment of the present invention, where the anchoring element or body is not the piston but is a body that is disposed between the piston and the lowermost pyrophoric element of the lowermost strapped bundle, the means for releasing the bundles at timed intervals are pyrophoric bodies that are located on the top (upper) surface of each strapped bundle and in contact with (or located close to) the one or more straps that bind the bundle to the anchoring element or body. As the top of each bundle is exposed to the air while the decoy is in flight, the pyrophoric body located on the top (upper) surface of the strapped bundle heats up and melts or burns through the one or more straps, thereby releasing the bundle. For the bundles that are strapped to the anchoring element or body and have another bundle strapped on top of them, the pyrophoric body would be positioned in such a way that its access to air would be minimal while the bundles remain tightly strapped together and while all of the bundles are in the container. The pyrophoric body on the top of the uppermost strapped bundle would either have a cover that remains in place until the first (unstrapped) bundle is released, at which time the cover is removed or opened so that air can contact the pyrophoric body and cause it to melt or burn through the one or more straps that bind the uppermost bundle to the piston, or the pyrophoric body on the top of the uppermost strapped bundle would be formulated so that it heats up at a slightly slower rate than the pyrophoric body on the top of the other strapped bundles (or the one or more straps for the uppermost bundle could be a little thicker or have a higher melting point than the straps holding the other strapped bundles). In any event, the one or more straps for each of the strapped bundles would break or fail a short period of time after the top of the bundle was exposed to air, thereby releasing that bundle and allowing the pyrophoric elements in that bundle to disperse into the air to form a cloud that emits infra-red radiation. In this embodiment of the present invention, the anchoring element or body can be a part of the lowermost strapped bundle, such as a spacer or a metal plate, or it can be a distinct body that is separate from, and disposed between, the piston and the lowermost bundle of pyrophoric elements. Each of the straps that holds the bundles together is either: (1) attached to this anchoring element or body; (2) in contact with this anchoring element or body; or (3) in contact with one or more spacers that are disposed between the strips and the anchoring element or body.
One version of the embodiment of the present invention that is discussed immediately above is shown in
In the embodiment of the present invention discussed in the preceding two paragraphs, the pyrophoric body that is used as the means for releasing the bundles at timed intervals can be in any form that is capable of reaching a temperature that is high enough to melt or burn through the straps (i.e., cause the straps to break or fail). The pyrophoric body must also maintain that temperature (or stay above a certain temperature) long enough to melt or burn through the straps to a sufficient degree so that the straps break or fail and release the bundles of pyrophoric elements. Suitable forms for the pyrophoric body are: (1) thin wafers or foils (as shown, in
The other end of the wire straps for the decoy shown in
In the embodiment shown in
The aforementioned examples of means for releasing the bundles from the decoy are just a few of the many possible means that could be used. These examples are intended to be illustrative and should not be used to limit the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
The scope of the present invention should not be limited to the specific examples and descriptions provided in the foregoing specification and appended drawings. An artisan of ordinary skill will readily appreciate the numerous minor modifications that may be made to the present invention without departing from its spirit and scope. Applicants intend to cover all such minor modifications in the present application.
This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/189,266 filed Jul. 22, 2011 (now U.S. Pat. No. 8,276,518). U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/189,266 is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/205,987 filed Sep. 8, 2008 (now U.S. Pat. No. 7,992,496). U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/205,987 is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/411,275 filed on Apr. 26, 2006, which issued to U.S. Pat. No. 7,421,950 on Sep. 9, 2008. U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/411,275 claimed the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/675,544 filed on Apr. 28, 2005.
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| 20140208973 A1 | Jul 2014 | US |
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|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 12205987 | Sep 2008 | US |
| Child | 13189266 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 13189266 | Jul 2011 | US |
| Child | 13632668 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 11411275 | Apr 2006 | US |
| Child | 12205987 | US |
