Claims
- 1. A target sensing device for initiating the warhead of a projectile which comprises:
- a warhead body section having a pair of peripheral band surfaces thereon, an annular groove disposed intermediate said pair of band surfaces, and a longitudinal slot disposed through one of said pair of band surfaces and communicating with said annular groove;
- a fluorocarbon coating disposed on said pair of band surfaces;
- a hard target impact sensor means, fixedly disposed in said annular groove and in said longitudinal slot, for indicating breakup of said warhead body when said warhead body penetrates a target;
- a target contact sensor means, operatively disposed on said fluorocarbon coating and partially covering said hard target impact sensor means, for indicating contact with said target; and
- shield means fixedly disposed over said target contact sensor means and said hard target impact sensor means for isolating said target contact sensor means and said hard target impact sensor means from radio frequency radiations.
- 2. A target sensing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said fluorocarbons coating comprises a substrate layer being 0.002 of an inch thick.
- 3. A target sensing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said hard target impact sensor means comprises
- a flexible printed break wire circuit disposed on an insulator layer member, said insulator layer member having a pressure sensitive adhesive back thereon for adhering to the base of said annular groove of said warhead body section, said break wire circuit including;
- a printed circuit shield loop disposed on said insulator layer member circumambient said printed break wire circuit for shielding said hard target impact sensor from electrical radiations and leakage current;
- an epoxy resin material disposed intermediate said break wire circuit and said target contact sensor means, said epoxy resin material fracturing, when said warhead body deforms due to an impact with said target, causing said printed break wire circuit to tear away from said insulated layer member and causing an electrical discontinuity therein which initiates the warhead of said projectile; and
- an electrically conductive coating spot disposed on said printed circuit shield loop and said warhead body electrically grounding said shield loop to said warhead body.
- 4. A target sensing device as recited in claim 1 wherein said target contact sensor means comprises:
- an annular aluminum foil electro-magnetic shield, having an adhesive on an interior surface of said annular foil electro-magnetic shield, disposed on top of said fluorocarbon coating and said hard target impact sensor means; and
- bifilar wound magnet wire disposed intermediate said fluorocarbon coating and said hard target impact sensor means, fixedly attached by said adhesive to said interior surface of said annular foil electro-magnetic shield, said magnet wire and foil electro-magnetic shield sliding along said fluorocarbon coating and breaking when said foil electro-magnetic shield contacts said target, wherein the breaking of the magnet wire causes an electrical discontinuity which starts the initiation of the warhead of said projectile.
GOVERNMENTAL INTEREST
The invention described herein was made in the course of a contract with the Government and may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment to us of any royalty thereon.
Various means have been used in the prior art to determine exactly when a warhead impacted with a target. The problem with prior art wire impact sensing devices was that the fuzing signal generated by the sensor generally occurred after target penetration. The late fuzing signal frequently resulted in warhead damage and consequently a reduction in explosive effectiveness.
The present invention relates to a radio frequency shielded dual electrial wire target sensing device. A first target contact sensing break wire type sensor is slidably attached to the warhead body in such manner as to facilitate breaking of the wire sensor under target contact conditions. A second hard target printed circuit break wire impact sensor is fixedly located in an annular groove in the warhead body beneath the first target sensing switch. Breaking of either the first or second sensor causes an electrical discontinuity which initiates the projectile's fuze.
An object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency shielded break wire sensor for a missile fuze which is sensitive to both target surface contact and hard target impact.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a missile break wire sensor which utilizes a fluorocarbon undercoating under the break wire to minimize the structural bond between the conductor and the missile to facilitate breaking of the sensor under target contact conditions.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a radio frequency shielded break wire sensor for initiating a missile fuze which can differentiate between normal target contact and impact with a hard target and which provides a fuzing signal before warhead damage occurs.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further objects thereof, reference is made to the following descriptions taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
US Referenced Citations (2)
| Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
|
3717098 |
Davis et al. |
Feb 1973 |
|
|
3903805 |
Hovnanian |
Sep 1975 |
|
Patent Grant
4063513
