Firing switch for compact capacitive discharge unit
AssigneeNorthrop Grumman Systems Corporation
InventorsJames D. Lucas, Eric M. McDonough
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A capacitive discharge unit (CDU) for detonating an explosive in response to a control signal comprises a set of CDU components, including an exploding foil initiator (EFI), a trigger circuit, a firing capacitor, and an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) firing switch. In various embodiments the components are arranged on a board for mechanically and electrically supporting the components in an ordered arrangement along a CDU axis where the CDU having an axial length defined by the ordered arrangement of two or more of the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IBGT firing switch, wherein the trigger circuit is offset from the CDU axis such that the trigger circuit does not contribute to the axial length.
Claims20
A capacitive discharge unit (CDU) for detonating an explosive in response to a control signal, the CDU comprising:
- an exploding foil initiator (EFI);
- a trigger circuit;
- a firing capacitor;
- and
- an insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) firing switch, the IGBT firing switch including:
- a die encased in a package, the die having an IGBT chip;
- and
- a gate pin, a collector pin, and an emitter pin, the collector pin and emitter pin each including one or more individual pins having a first end portion electrically connected to the die and an opposite end portion extending outward from the package, and the collector pin having a first end electrically connected to one or more substrate layers of the die and an opposite end extending outward from the package, wherein the gate pin is positioned adjacent to, at most, one of the collector pin and the emitter pin, and wherein the collector and emitter pins are positioned on opposing sides of the package;
- and
- a board for mechanically and electrically supporting the trigger circuit, the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IGBT firing switch, the CDU having an axial length defined by an ordered arrangement along a CDU axis of two or more of the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IGBT firing switch, wherein the trigger circuit is offset from the CDU axis such that the trigger circuit does not contribute to the axial length;
- wherein an axial length of the IGBT firing switch is not more than 35% of the axial length of the CDU.
A capacitive discharge unit (CDU) for detonating an explosive in response to a control signal, the capacitive discharge unit comprising:
- a plurality of CDU components including:
- an exploding foil initiator (EFI);
- a trigger circuit;
- a firing capacitor;
- and
- an insulated-gate bipolar transistor IGBT firing switch;
- and
- a board for mechanically and electrically supporting the trigger circuit, the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IGBT firing switch, the CDU having an axial length defined by an ordered arrangement along a CDU axis of two or more of the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IGBT firing switch, wherein the trigger circuit is mounted on the board and laterally offset from the CDU axis such that the trigger circuit does not contribute to the axial length;
- wherein the axial length of the CDU comprises a first linear portion including the IGBT firing switch and a second linear portion including a remainder of the plurality of CDU components in the ordered arrangement, and wherein the first linear portion has an axial length that is not more than 35% of the axial length of the CDU.
A munition comprising:
- a chassis containing a payload having a quantity of explosive material;
- and
- a fuzing unit arranged with the explosive material, the fuzing unit configured to initiate detonation of the explosive material using a capacitive discharge unit (CDU), the CDU comprising:
- an exploding foil initiator (EFI);
- a trigger circuit;
- a firing capacitor;
- and
- an insulated-gate bipolar transistor IGBT firing switch, the IGBT firing switch including:
- a die encased in a package, the die having an IGBT chip;
- and
- a gate pin, a collector pin, and an emitter pin, the collector pin and emitter pin each including one or more individual pins having a first end portion electrically connected to the die and an opposite end portion extending outward from the package, and the collector pin having a first end electrically connected to one or more substrate layers of the die and an opposite end extending outward from the package, wherein the gate pin is positioned adjacent to, at most, one of the collector pin and the emitter pin, and wherein a separation between the collector and emitter pins provides about a 2000V isolation;
- and
- a board for mechanically and electrically supporting the trigger circuit, the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IGBT firing switch, the CDU having an axial length defined by an ordered arrangement along a CDU axis of two or more of the EFI, the firing capacitor, and the IGBT firing switch, wherein the trigger circuit is offset from the CDU axis such that the trigger circuit does not contribute to the axial length.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.