Centrifugal fuze assembly
AssigneeAURA Technologies, LLC
InventorsGarrett Goss, Alex Blate
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Fuze assembly systems, devices, and methods. The fuze assembly includes a baseplate; a first gear operably connected to the baseplate and rotatable about a fixed axis between a safety position and an armed position; and a retention device configured to retain the first gear in the safety position and enable rotation of the first gear while being subject to a centrifugal force above a first threshold from rotation of the assembly. The fuze assembly further includes a second gear in operable contact with the first gear and configured to move along a path of the baseplate due to the centrifugal force to rotate the first gear from the safety position to the armed position.
Claims18
A fuze assembly for a projectile, the fuze assembly comprising:
- a baseplate;
- a first gear operably connected to the baseplate and rotatable about a fixed axis between a safety position and an armed position;
- a retention device configured to:
- retain the first gear in the safety position, and
- enable rotation of the first gear while being subject to a centrifugal force above a first threshold from rotation of the assembly;
- a second gear in operable contact with the first gear and configured to move along a path of the baseplate due to the centrifugal force to rotate the first gear from the safety position to the armed position;
- and
- a setback pin that is oriented axially with respect to an axis of rotation of the fuze assembly, wherein the setback pin is biased to retain the first gear in the safety position until a forward motion exceeding a second threshold is applied to the assembly.
A method for assembling a fuze for a projectile, the method comprising:
- providing a baseplate;
- operably connecting a first gear to the baseplate, wherein the first gear is rotatable about a fixed axis between a safety position and an armed position;
- positioning a retention device to:
- retain the first gear in the safety position, and
- enable rotation of the first gear while being subject to a centrifugal force above a first threshold from rotation of the assembly;
- operably positioning a second gear with respect to the first gear;
- and
- providing a setback pin that is oriented axially with respect to an axis of rotation of the fuze assembly and biased to retain the first gear in the safety position until a forward motion exceeding a second threshold is applied to the fuze.
A method of arming a fuze assembly for a projectile, the method comprising:
- imparting a forward velocity to the assembly, the forward velocity causing a pin to move backward to unlock a first gear;
- and
- imparting a rotational velocity to the assembly, the rotational velocity exceeding a threshold and thereby causing radial displacement of a detent to permit the first gear to rotate, wherein the rotational velocity further causes a second gear to move along a baseplate a predetermined amount to rotate the first gear to an armed position, wherein the predetermined amount is based on a desired arm time of the projectile.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.