Patent Grant
11585622
The present invention generally relates to microwave ignition systems, and more particularly, to microwave ignition systems with a launcher affixed to or located within a gun spindle.
Medium and large caliber gun systems typically use a mechanical firing mechanism in which the firing pin comes into direct contact with each shell or cartridge to be fired. Because this requires a number of moveable parts, relies on physical contact to function properly, and the breech environment of gun systems is subject to extreme heat and forces, there is risk of mechanical failure. Also, the mechanism is subject to wear and deterioration of performance over time. Such gun systems are generally also not versatile with respect to changes in the primer or propellant material. Firing timing requirements in gun systems are stringent, and seemingly small changes in a material composition or identity will often result in improper function of the gun that begins with the mechanism through which the energetic material is initiated. Accordingly, an improved system may be beneficial.
Certain embodiments of the present invention may provide solutions to the problems and needs in the art that have not yet been fully identified, appreciated, or solved by conventional microwave ignition system technologies. For example, some embodiments of the present invention pertain to microwave ignition systems with a launcher affixed to or located within a gun spindle.
In an embodiment, a spindle for a microwave ignition system includes a spindle body and a microwave power source provided through the spindle body. The spindle also includes a driver configured to emit microwave energy. The driver is operably connected to the microwave power source. The spindle further includes a first ceramic plate covering the driver.
In another embodiment, a spindle includes a microwave power source and a driver configured to emit microwave energy. The driver is operably connected to the microwave power source. The spindle further includes an inner ceramic plate housing the driver and an outer ceramic plate covering the driver and the inner ceramic plate.
In yet another embodiment, a gun spindle includes a driver configured to emit microwave energy. The gun spindle also includes an inner ceramic plate housing the driver and an outer ceramic plate covering the driver and the inner ceramic plate. The gun spindle further includes a launcher plate including a ceramic plate recess. The ceramic plate recess houses the outer ceramic plate. The gun spindle includes a front face portion and the launcher plate abuts the front face portion of the gun spindle.
In order that the advantages of certain embodiments of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention briefly described above will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. While it should be understood that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:
Unless otherwise indicated, similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout the attached drawings.
Some embodiments of the present invention pertain to microwave ignition systems with a launcher affixed to or located within a gun spindle. The launcher is also referred to as a driver herein. Use of a planar, impedance matched system that include a launcher affixed to or located within a gun spindle and a receiver affixed to the propelling charge, where the receiver is engineered and impedance matched to efficiently deposit energy into the receiving igniter material, may result in significantly better timing and reliability than conventional mechanical gun ignition systems and other microwave ignition systems. A pressure-tolerant feed through system may route the microwave energy to the inside of the breech in some embodiments. Such embodiments may be particularly useful for large bore artillery, but may be used for any caliber gun system without deviating from the scope of the invention.
The use of microwave energy for ignition of gun primers and propellants may be advantageous over conventional mechanical systems because material performance and/or output energy may be enhanced due to the nature of microwave energy deposition. Also, materials of conventional sensitivity may be replaced with less sensitive, safer materials that will not ignite or react sufficiently under standard ignition techniques. Furthermore, a microwave firing system eliminates the complexity and delays caused by the loading of a mechanical primer and mechanical percussion by the firing pin.
Impedance matching should consider the shape and size of the feed conductor from the receiving element, the dielectric properties of the igniter charge, and the shape and size of the igniter charge container as a system to efficiently ignite the material.
A microwave transmission cable 330 provides microwave energy from a microwave generator (not shown) and is affixed to spindle 300 via a nut 332. Microwave transmission cable 330 is operably connected to a driver 350 (e.g., a printed circuit board including a planar antenna). A ceramic plate 340 covers driver 350 and is housed within a plate recess 318. Launcher plate 320 covers ceramic plate 340.
Driver 350 can broadcast through ceramic plate 340 and then on to opening 324, which re-radiates the microwave energy to the receiver. In some embodiments, a direct connection is provided between driver 350 and opening 324, and ceramic plate 340 may not be present. Opening 324 is a style of microwave broadcasting element. In this case, driver 350 emanates microwave radiation into the space between opening 324 and driver 350 that is filled by ceramic plate 340 (also called a “window” herein, although ceramic plate 340 may be opaque). The geometry of opening 324 is chosen in this embodiment to rebroadcast the energy into the breech volume. In particular, the cross pattern circularly polarizes the rebroadcast energy, which may protect ceramic plate 340, driver 350, and other “upstream” elements.
A microwave transmission cable 430 provides microwave energy to spindle 400 from a microwave generator (not shown). Microwave transmission cable 430 is operably connected to a driver 450 (e.g., a printed circuit board including a planar antenna). An inner ceramic plate 440 covers driver 450 and is housed within a plate recess 418. An antenna 460 is sandwiched between inner ceramic plate 440 and an outer ceramic plate 442. In this embodiment, antenna 460 is a PCB. Driver 450 can broadcast through inner ceramic plate 440 and then on to antenna 460. Antenna 460 re-radiates the microwave energy through outer ceramic plate 462 and on to the receiver through opening 424.
In some embodiments, outer ceramic plate 442 may experience 50,000 to 70,000 pounds per square inch (psi) when the charge(s) ignite. This may place too much of a compressive force for conventional dielectrics to survive without inner ceramic plate 440. Thus, two ceramic plates 440, 442 are used in this embodiment. In certain embodiments, antenna 460 is printed directly on inner ceramic plate 440 to mitigate against damage to its printed circuit board (PCB). In some embodiments, supports (not shown) may be included between ceramic plates 440, 442 to reduce compressive forces on antenna 460.
A launcher plate 520 is affixed to flat front face portion 512 of spindle body 512 via bolts 522 and threaded holes 514. Heads of bolts 522 are within respective bolt recesses 524 of launcher plate 520. Microwave energy exits spindle 500 towards a receiver (not shown) via an opening 526. A microwave transmission cable 530 extends through spindle 500 and is operably connected to a driver 550 printed on or housed within an inner ceramic plate 540. An outer ceramic plate 542 covers driver 550 and is housed within a ceramic plate recess 528 of launcher plate 520, which covers inner ceramic plate 540 and outer ceramic plate 542.
It will be readily understood that the components of various embodiments of the present invention, as generally described and illustrated in the figures herein, may be arranged and designed in a wide variety of different configurations. Thus, the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, as represented in the attached figures, is not intended to limit the scope of the invention as claimed, but is merely representative of selected embodiments of the invention.
The features, structures, or characteristics of the invention described throughout this specification may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. For example, reference throughout this specification to “certain embodiments,” “some embodiments,” or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, appearances of the phrases “in certain embodiments,” “in some embodiment,” “in other embodiments,” or similar language throughout this specification do not necessarily all refer to the same group of embodiments and the described features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments.
It should be noted that reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.
Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention can be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.
One having ordinary skill in the art will readily understand that the invention as discussed above may be practiced with steps in a different order, and/or with hardware elements in configurations which are different than those which are disclosed. Therefore, although the invention has been described based upon these preferred embodiments, it would be apparent to those of skill in the art that certain modifications, variations, and alternative constructions would be apparent, while remaining within the spirit and scope of the invention. In order to determine the metes and bounds of the invention, therefore, reference should be made to the appended claims.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Nonprovisional patent application Ser. No. 15/491,314 filed Apr. 19, 2017, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/324,846, filed on Apr. 19, 2016. The subject matter of these earlier filed patent applications is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
The United States government has rights in this invention pursuant to Contract No. 89233218CNA000001 between the United States Department of Energy and Triad National Security, LLC for the operation of Los Alamos National Laboratory.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 15491314 | Apr 2017 | US |
| Child | 16864021 | US |
