Apparatus comprising a passively-actuated snubber
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorBuddy R. Paul
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A passively-actuated apparatus for providing shock-absorption between a missile and a missile canister prior to missile launch, and for moving out of the path of a missile during missile launch. The apparatus comprises a snubber coupled to a passive actuator that drives a snubber from a position wherein the snubber is engaged with a missile to a position wherein the snubber is cleared from the path of any portion of the missile during launch. The actuator is purely mechanical in nature, and is passively-actuated by the motion of the missile itself as the missile begins launch.
Claims20
An apparatus comprising:
- a missile canister;
- a first snubber for restricting a first motion of a missile relative to the missile canister, wherein the first snubber has a first position and a second position;
- and
- a passive actuator, wherein the passive actuator moves the first snubber from the first position to the second position when actuated, and wherein the passive actuator is actuated by a second motion of the missile when the second motion exceeds a threshold.
An apparatus for providing shock-absorption for a missile contained in a missile canister, wherein the apparatus comprises:
- a snubber;
- and
- a passive actuator, wherein the passive actuator has a mechanically bi-stable state and a mechanically stable state, and wherein a motion of the missile that exceeds a threshold induces the passive actuator to switch from the mechanically bi-stable state to the mechanically stable state;
- wherein the snubber and the passive actuator are mechanically coupled, and wherein the snubber is engaged with the missile when the passive actuator is in the mechanically bi-stable state, and further wherein the snubber is disengaged from the missile when the passive actuator is in the mechanically stable state.
(canceled)
An apparatus comprising:
- a missile canister;
- a snubber for restricting a first motion of a missile relative to the missile canister;
- and
- a passive actuator comprising a spring and a latching mechanism, wherein the passive actuator and the snubber are mechanically coupled, and wherein the latching mechanism holds the spring in a compressed state when a second motion of the missile relative to the missile canister is below a threshold, and further wherein the latching mechanism releases the spring from the compressed state when the second motion exceeds the threshold;
- wherein the snubber and the missile are engaged when the spring is in the compressed state;
- and
- wherein the release of the spring from the compressed state induces the snubber to disengage the missile.
(canceled)
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.