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US 10,520,291 B1Granted
Methods for extended-range, enhanced-precision gun-fired rounds using g-hardened flow control systems
AssigneeOrbital Research Inc.
InventorsSrikanth Vasudevan, Paul Suchy, Matthew C. Birch
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Methods involve using a guided munition (e.g., a mortar round or a grenade) that utilizes deployable flow effectors, activatable flow effectors and/or active flow control devices to extend the range and enhance the precision of traditional unguided munitions without increasing the charge needed for launch. Sensors such as accelerometers, magnetometers, IR sensors, rate gyros, and motor controller sensors feed signals into a controller which then actuates or deploys the flow effectors/flow control devices to achieve the enhanced characteristics.
Claims20
A g-hardened munition comprising:
- a forebody, an afterbody, at least one independently adjustable activatable or deployable flow effector mounted so as to have stillness relative to the munition on launch and adapted to extend the range and enhance the precision of the munition, at least one g-hardened actuator corresponding to the at least one flow effector and adapted to actuate and control the at least one flow effector, a g-hardened sensor suite adapted to measure orientation and spin rate of the munition, and a g-hardened microcontroller comprising an algorithm adapted to generate output commands for range extension and guidance control of the munition through closed-loop feedback from the sensor suite;
- wherein the output commands of the algorithm are adapted to signal the actuator to activate or deploy the at least one flow effector after launching or firing the munition to stabilize the measured spin of the munition, to deactivate or stow the at least one flow effector when spin has been stabilized, and to reactivate or redeploy the at least one flow effector to extend the range and enhance precision of the munition during flight, and,
- the munition experiences a launch or firing acceleration of more than 10,000 g's.
A g-hardened munition comprising:
- a forebody, an afterbody, at least two independently adjustable activatable or deployable flow effectors mounted so as to have stillness relative to the munition on launch and adapted to extend the range and enhance the precision of the munition, at least one g-hardened actuator corresponding to each of the at least two flow effectors and adapted to actuate and control the at least two flow effectors, a g-hardened sensor suite adapted to measure orientation and spin rate of the munition, and a g-hardened microcontroller comprising an algorithm adapted to generate output commands for range extension and guidance control of the munition through closed-loop feedback from the sensor suite;
- and
- wherein the output commands of the algorithm are adapted to signal at least one of the g-hardened actuators corresponding to each of the at least two flow effectors to activate or deploy at least one of the at least two flow effectors after launching or firing the munition to stabilize the measured spin of the munition, to deactivate or stow the at least one activated or deployed flow effector when spin has been stabilized, and to activate or deploy or reactivate or redeploy at least one of the at least two flow effectors to extend the range and enhance precision of the munition during flight, and,
- wherein the munition experiences a launch or firing acceleration of more than 10,000 g's.
1 more element
A g-hardened munition comprising:
- a forebody, an afterbody, at least two independently adjustable activatable or deployable flow effectors mounted so as to have stillness relative to the munition on launch and adapted to extend the range and enhance the precision of the munition, at least one g-hardened actuator corresponding to each of the at least two flow effectors and adapted to actuate and control the at least two flow effectors, a g-hardened sensor suite adapted to measure orientation and spin rate of the munition, and a g-hardened microcontroller comprising an algorithm adapted to generate output commands for range extension and guidance control of the munition through closed-loop feedback from the sensor suite;
- wherein the output commands of the algorithm are adapted to signal at least one of the g-hardened actuators corresponding to each of the at least two flow effectors to activate or deploy at least one of the at least two flow effectors after launching or firing the munition to stabilize the measured spin of the munition, to deactivate or stow the at least one activated or deployed flow effector when spin has been stabilized, and to activate or deploy or reactivate or redeploy at least one of the at least two flow effectors to extend the range and enhance precision of the munition during flight, and,
- the munition experiences a launch or firing acceleration of more than 10,000 g's, and the angles of attack of the at least two flow effectors are independently adjusted or controlled after activation or deployment by a beveled gear reduction mechanism corresponding to each flow effector located inside of the munition body.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.