Claims
- 1. An electric contact assembly in combination with a cartridge to be fired from a weapon barrel; said cartridge comprising(a) a longitudinal axis; (b) a cartridge case including a metal bottom having an externally exposed outer face; and (c) an electronic unit disposed in said cartridge case; said electric contact assembly comprising (a) a first contact arrangement for establishing an electric connection between said electronic unit and an evaluating and control apparatus situated externally of said cartridge; said first contact arrangement including (1) a contact ring disposed in said bottom and surrounding said axis; said contact ring having an outer face being approximately flush with said outer face of said bottom; and (2) an insulation electrically insulating said contact ring from said bottom; (b) a second contact arrangement for establishing an electric connection between said electronic unit and the evaluating and control apparatus; and (c) switching means connected between said contact ring and said second contact arrangement for maintaining a low ohmic-resistance connection between said contact ring and said second contact arrangement as long as one of a voltage applied to said contact ring and a current flowing through said switching means remains below a predetermined minimum magnitude.
- 2. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means comprises a Zener diode.
- 3. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 1, further comprising a recess provided in said bottom;said switching means being positioned in said recess.
- 4. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means comprises a PTC-resistor.
- 5. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said second contact arrangement includes said bottom.
- 6. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 1, wherein said switching means is a first switching means; further comprising a second switching means connected between said contact ring and said electronic unit for establishing an electric connection between said contact ring and said electronic unit only if one of a voltage applied to said contact ring and a duration of a voltage applied to said contact ring exceeds a minimum value.
- 7. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 6, wherein said second switching means comprises(a) a voltage monitoring circuit; and (b) a switch connected to said voltage monitoring circuit and having an open state in which electric connection between said contact ring and said electronic unit is interrupted and a closed state in which electric connection between said contact ring and said electronic unit is maintained.
- 8. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 7, further comprising a recess provided in said bottom; said switch being positioned in said recess.
- 9. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 7, further comprising a recess provided in said bottom; said voltage monitoring circuit being positioned in said recess.
- 10. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 7, further comprising a magnetic field sensor positioned in said bottom and connected with said switch; said switch being placeable into said closed state solely in response to a signal emitted by said magnetic field sensor upon closing of a weapon breechblock on the cartridge.
- 11. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 10, further comprising a groove provided in said outer face of said bottom; said contact ring and said magnetic field sensor being positioned in said groove.
- 12. An electric contact assembly in combination with a cartridge to be fired from a weapon barrel; said cartridge comprising(a) a longitudinal axis; (b) a cartridge case including a metal bottom having an externally exposed outer face; and (c) an electronic unit disposed in said cartridge case; said electric contact assembly comprising (a) a first contact arrangement for establishing an electric connection between said electronic unit and an evaluating and control apparatus situated externally of said cartridge; said first contact arrangement including (1) a contact ring disposed in said bot tom and surrounding said axis; said contact ring having an outer face being approximately flush with said outer face of said bottom; and (2) an insulation electrically insulating said contact ring from said bottom; (b) a second contact arrangement for establishing an electric connection between said electronic unit and the evaluating and control apparatus; and (c) switching means connected between said contact ring and said electronic unit for establishing an electric connection between said contact ring and said electronic unit only if one of a voltage applied to said contact ring and a duration of a voltage applied to said contact ring exceeds a minimum value.
- 13. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said switching means comprises(a) a voltage monitoring circuit; and (b) a switch connected to said voltage monitoring circuit and having an open state in which electric connection between said contact ring and said electronic unit is interrupted and a closed state in which electric connection between said contact ring and said electronic unit is maintained.
- 14. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 12, wherein said second contact arrangement includes said bottom.
- 15. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 13, further comprising a recess provided in said bottom; said switch being positioned in said recess.
- 16. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 13, further comprising a recess provided in said bottom; said voltage monitoring circuit being positioned in said recess.
- 17. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 13, further comprising a magnetic field sensor positioned in said bottom and connected with said switch; said switch being placeable into said closed state solely in response to a signal emitted by said magnetic field sensor upon closing of a weapon breechblock on the cartridge.
- 18. The electric contact assembly as defined in claim 17, further comprising a groove provided in said outer face of said bottom; said contact ring and said magnetic field sensor being positioned in said groove.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
198 53 290 |
Nov 1998 |
DE |
|
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application claims the priority of German Application No. 198 53 290.3 filed Nov. 19, 1998, which is incorporated herein by reference.
US Referenced Citations (3)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
3009419 |
Clay, Jr. et al. |
Nov 1961 |
|
5421264 |
Petrick |
Jun 1995 |
|
6131519 |
Thiesen et al. |
Oct 2000 |
|
Foreign Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
20 59 665 |
Jun 1972 |
DE |
0729372 A1 |
May 1955 |
GB |