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US 12,078,459 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
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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 adapted to extend the range and enhance the precision of the munition, at least one g-hardened actuator adapted to actuate and control the at least one flow effector, a g-hardened sensor suite including at least one video sensor, the 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:
- a) self-righting maneuvers,
- b) pitch-up maneuvers,
- c) range extension, and/or
- d) guide-to-hit maneuvers;
- wherein the output commands of the algorithm are adapted to signal the actuator to activate or deploy, deactivate or stow, and to reactivate or redeploy the at least one flow effector during flight, and to adjust the at least one flow effector while deployed or activated to achieve one or more of the maneuvers, and
- the munition experiences a launch or firing acceleration of more than 10,000 g's.
4 more elements
A g-hardened munition comprising:
- a forebody, an afterbody, at least two independently adjustable activatable or deployable flow effectors adapted to extend the range and enhance the precision of the munition, at least one g-hardened actuator adapted to actuate and control the at least two flow effectors, a g-hardened sensor suite including at least one video sensor, the 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:
- a) self-righting maneuvers,
- b) pitch-up maneuvers,
- c) range extension, and/or
- d) guide-to-hit maneuvers;
- wherein the output commands of the algorithm are adapted to signal at least one of the g-hardened actuators to activate or deploy, deactivate or stow, and to reactivate or redeploy at least one of the at least two flow effectors during flight, and to adjust the at least two flow effectors while deployed or activated to achieve one or more of the maneuvers, and
- wherein the munition experiences a launch or firing acceleration of more than 10,000 g's.
4 more elements
A g-hardened munition comprising:
- a forebody, an afterbody, at least two independently adjustable activatable or deployable flow effectors adapted to extend the range and enhance the precision of the munition, at least one g-hardened actuator 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:
- a) self-righting maneuvers,
- b) pitch-up maneuvers,
- c) range extension, and/or
- d) guide-to-hit maneuvers;
- wherein the output commands of the algorithm are adapted to signal at least one of the g-hardened actuators to activate or deploy, deactivate or stow, and to reactivate or redeploy at least one of the at least two flow effectors during flight, and to adjust the at least one flow effector while deployed or activated to achieve one or more of the maneuvers, and
- the munition experiences a launch or firing acceleration of more than 10,000 g's.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.