Patent Application
20100236945
The present invention relates to weapons containers, and in an embodiment, but not by way of limitation, a light weight and collapsible weapons container.
Robust, airtight containers are required for safe storage and transport of munitions and/or weapons. Typical munitions containers are made out of steel, and are therefore rigid and heavy, and are not collapsible or disposable after use. They also occupy a fixed volume whether they are loaded with munitions or they are empty. The same shipping volume is therefore required whether being shipped to the point of use (e.g. a Navy ship or a battlefield) or being returned empty from the point of use. Additionally, the mass of an empty container may be comparable to or even much larger than the mass of the munitions themselves. Thus, in light of these shortcomings, the art would benefit from an improved munitions container.
In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings that show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is to be understood that the various embodiments of the invention, although different, are not necessarily mutually exclusive. For example, a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described herein in connection with one embodiment may be implemented within other embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, it is to be understood that the location or arrangement of individual elements within each disclosed embodiment may be modified without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims, appropriately interpreted, along with the full range of equivalents to which the claims are entitled. In the drawings, like numerals refer to the same or similar functionality throughout the several views.
This disclosure relates to a light weight and collapsible weapons and munitions container that can be assembled in the field (e.g., a munitions plant). The container is made of fabric and polymeric materials, and includes sparsely located metal reinforcements around the outside perimeter of the container. The container is collapsible after use. The munitions container has improved chemical and moisture resistance. The materials and construction of the container decreases the overall weight of a munitions container system, as compared to prior art munitions container systems.
In an embodiment, a munitions container includes an inner container and an outer container. The inner and outer containers are formed out of a fibrous material. The munitions container further includes a form for receiving munitions that is placed within the inner container. The outer container rests on a rigid baseplate. At least a portion of the fibrous material comprises fiber of greater than 10 grams per denier.
In a particular embodiment, the inner container and the outer container include at least two layers of the fibrous material 510 and at least one layer of a polymeric material 520 bonded to the at least two layers of the fibrous material as illustrated in
The bomb or base cradle plate 130 is a subassembly of the container 100 which when removed may be attached to a portable cart for transport to a host aircraft or other destination. Suitable lift points 180 (
The assembly 102 is placed into a bladder 145. The bladder 145 is preferably made out of a sturdy polymer-based material. The bladder can be made from a coated fabric using heat sealed seams. The bladder is airtight, and in one embodiment, the bladder is made airtight via a zipper such as a type used on a diving dry suit. As an alternative to first placing the assembly 102 into the bladder 145, the airtight bladder 145 is first inserted into the outer container 150, and then the assembly 102 is placed into the bladder 145 that is now inside the outer container 150. The bladder can include a cutout portion that matches an access port in the outer container 150. The bladder and access port can be joined and sealed by a gasket and retaining plate. An outer door 153 on the access port would include an airtight seal. Breather and bleeder valves could also be part of the access port door.
The outer container 150 can be manufactured out of a flexible sturdy material such as a liquid crystal polymer fabric. The fiber fabric can be coated with a flame and chemical resistant layer. A liquid crystal polymer fiber fabric has very high strength and a high modulus. One example of a liquid crystal polymer fiber fabric that may be suitable is Vectran® and 1500 dernier Vectran®, although the scope of the embodiment is not limited in this respect. The outer container 150 further includes the access door 153. An access port at the aft end of the bladder allows access into the airtight compartment where the munitions are stored. The access door and port also allow access to a storage area for munitions BIT cables, dessicants, and records. Rigid structure posts 155, which in one embodiment are made out of metal, are positioned around the outer container 150, such as at the four corners of the outer container. A foam or foam-like material 157 is placed into the outer container 150 such that it surrounds and secures the bladder 145 and the contents within the bladder. In an embodiment, the foam 157 is a mixture of two or more compounds, which are injected into the outer container 150 via ports and tunnels 540 (See
Reusable elements of the container 100 include the base weldment 160 and footing 170, the rigid supports 155, the bomb cradle base plate 130, the lifting eyes 180, and the access door 153. Disposable elements include the outer container 150, the cover panel 140, and the lower and upper protective foam elements 115, 125.
Process 600 includes forming an inner container at 605 and forming at outer container at 655. The formation of the inner container includes placing one or more munitions into a first form at 610, placing one or more first retention straps over the munitions to secure the munitions to the first form at 615, placing a second form over the munitions and the one or more first retention straps at 620, and placing the munitions, the first form, the one or more first retention straps, and the second form onto a base cradle plate at 625. The munitions, the first form, the one or more first retention straps, the second form, and the base cradle plate are placed into a bladder at 630. The outer container is formed at 655 by securing a fabric to a plurality of rigid posts at 660, placing the fabric and rigid posts onto a base weldment at 665, placing a third form into the main container between the bladder and the fabric at 670, placing a top cover on the main container at 675, and securing the main container to the base weldment with one or more second retention straps at 680. The process 600 further includes installing an access door into the outer container at 685, and injecting foam into the outer container at 690 so that it surrounds the inner container. At 695, the foam is injected into the main container via ports and tunnels in the fabric.
Process 700 includes forming an inner container of a fibrous material at 705, forming an outer container of the fibrous material at 710, placing a form within the inner container to receive munitions at 715, and placing the outer container on a rigid baseplate 720. A portion of the fibrous material comprises fiber of greater than 10 grams per denier (725). At 730, the forming of the inner container and outer container comprise forming at least two layers of the fibrous material. At 735, the inner container and the outer container are formed such that they comprise at least one layer of a polymeric material bonded to the at least two layers of the fibrous material. At 740, the bond formed between the fibrous material and the polymeric material is able to withstand a force of at least 50 psi in shear. At 745, a fibrous web is positioned between the at least two layers of fibrous material. The at least two layers of fibrous material and the at least one layer of polymeric material comprise a density of less than 100 kg per cubic meter (750). At 755, the inner container and the outer container are formed such that the inner container and the outer container are capable of sustaining a blunt or cutting impact of at least 15 kJ/kg of mass and up to 150 kJ/kg of mass.
In the foregoing detailed description of embodiments of the invention, various features are grouped together in one or more embodiments for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure. This method of disclosure is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed embodiments of the invention require more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive subject matter lies in less than all features of a single disclosed embodiment. Thus the following claims are hereby incorporated into the detailed description of embodiments of the invention, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment. It is understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. It is intended to cover all alternatives, modifications and equivalents as may be included within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the invention should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein,” respectively. Moreover, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc., are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects.
The abstract is provided to comply with 37 C.F.R. 1.72(b) to allow a reader to quickly ascertain the nature and gist of the technical disclosure. The Abstract is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.
