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US 12,631,432 B2Granted
Deployable flap for high-g maneuvers
AssigneeThe Charles Stark Draper Laboratory, Inc.
InventorsGlenn Richard Thoren, William Whitcomb McFarland, Rebecca Ann DeFronzo, Stephen Louis Bellio, Jesse M. Carr, Jeffery Brandon DeLisio, Gregory M. Fritz, Sean George
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A tail for a projectile includes a body having a longitudinal axis. A steering assembly is secured to the body. The steering assembly includes a flap movable from a first position in which the flap does not extend radially beyond the body to a second position in which the flap extends radially beyond the body and at an angle relative to the longitudinal axis, and a flap release mechanism. A projectile including a tail according to the present disclosure is also provided.
Claims29
A tail for a projectile, the tail comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a steering assembly secured to the body, including:
- a fixed flap having an inclined surface defined at a constant angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, the inclined surface extending from flush with the body at one end along the longitudinal axis of the body, and raised radially with respect to the body at another end, the fixed flap defining a recess therein;
- a deployable flap translatable from a first position in the recess in which the deployable flap does not extend radially beyond the fixed flap to a second position in which the deployable flap extends radially beyond the fixed flap in a direction that is orthogonal to the longitudinal axis of the body, the deployable flap having a front surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the deployable flap, normal to the longitudinal axis of the body, and oriented perpendicular to the inclined surface of the fixed flap;
- and
- a flap release mechanism.
4 more elements
A projectile, comprising:
- a front portion;
- a connection mechanism connected to the front portion;
- and
- a tail portion connected to the connection mechanism, the tail portion including:
- a body having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a steering assembly secured to the body, including:
- a fixed flap that is formed on the body, the fixed flap having an inclined surface defined at a constant angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, the inclined surface extending from flush with the body at one end along the longitudinal axis of the body, and raised radially with respect to the body at another end, the fixed flap defining a recess therein;
- a flap translatable from a first position in the recess in which the flap does not extend radially beyond the fixed flap and has an upper surface that is flush with an upper surface of the fixed flap, to a second position in which the flap extends radially beyond the fixed flap in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the flap having a front surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the flap, normal to the longitudinal axis of the body, and oriented perpendicular to the inclined surface of the fixed flap;
- and
- a flap release mechanism.
8 more elements
A target acquisition and tracking system comprising:
- a command unit including at least one sensor and a transmitter;
- at least one projectile comprising:
- a receiver that is operable to receive instructions from the transmitter of the command unit;
- a tail, the tail comprising:
- a body having a longitudinal axis;
- and
- a steering assembly secured to the body, including:
- a fixed flap that is formed on the body, the fixed flap having an inclined surface defined at a constant angle with respect to the longitudinal axis, the inclined surface extending from flush with the body at one end along the longitudinal axis of the body, and raised radially with respect to the body at another end, the fixed flap defining a recess therein;
- a flap translatable from a first position in the recess in which the flap does not extend radially beyond the fixed flap to a second position in which the flap extends radially beyond the fixed flap in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal axis, the flap having a front surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the flap, normal to the longitudinal axis of the body, and oriented perpendicular to the inclined surface of the fixed flap;
- and
- a flap release mechanism;
- and
- a controller that is operable to cause the flap release mechanism to release the flap from the first position to the second position in response to instructions from the transmitter.
10 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.