Explosive system
AssigneeRafael Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
InventorShlomo MANDELBAUM
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An explosive system and corresponding method employ a number of explosive portions, each of sub-critical dimensions so that initiation of the portion would result in incomplete detonation. A selectively-deployable spacer arrangement or deployment mechanism is deployed between a storage state in which gaps or misalignments are maintained between the explosive portions so that the explosive system remains undetonatable, and a detonable state in which the portions are brought together sufficiently to function as a combined explosive charge having effective dimensions larger than critical dimensions, rendering the explosive system detonatable.
Claims17
A method comprising:
- (a) providing an explosive system comprising a plurality of portions, each portion comprising a quantity of explosive composition, each of said portions being of sub-critical dimensions such that initiation of the portion would result in incomplete detonation of the portion;
- (b) storing the explosive system with each of said portions deployed relative to each other of said portions such that at least part of the explosive system is unable to sustain detonation;
- (c) reconfiguring the explosive system by displacement of at least part of at least one of said portions to assume a detonation configuration in which complementary surfaces of said portions are brought into facing proximity so that said portions function as a combined explosive charge having effective dimensions larger than critical dimensions so as to sustain propagation of detonation to all parts of said combined explosive charge;
- and
- (d) detonating said combined explosive charge.
An explosive system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of portions, each portion comprising a quantity of explosive composition, each of said portions being of sub-critical dimensions such that initiation of the portion would result in incomplete detonation of the portion;
- and
- (b) a selectively-deployable spacer configuration associated with said plurality of portions and configured to selectively deploy between:
- (i) a storage configuration in which said spacer configuration maintains deployment of each of said portions relative to each other of said portions such that at least part of the explosive system is unable to sustain detonation, and
- (ii) a detonation configuration in which said spacer configuration allows displacement of at least part of at least one of said portions to bring together complementary surfaces of said portions into facing proximity so that said portions function as a combined explosive charge having effective dimensions larger than critical dimensions so as to sustain propagation of detonation to all parts of said combined explosive charge.
An explosive system comprising:
- (a) a plurality of portions, each portion comprising a quantity of explosive composition, each of said portions being of sub-critical dimensions such that initiation of the portion would result in incomplete detonation of the portion;
- and
- (b) a device associated with said plurality of portions and configured to selectively displace said plurality of portions between:
- (i) a storage configuration in which each of said portions is deployed relative to each other of said portions such that at least part of the explosive system is unable to sustain detonation, and
- (ii) a detonation configuration in which at least part of at least one of said portions is displaced to bring together complementary surfaces of said portions into facing proximity so that said portions function as a combined explosive charge having effective dimensions larger than critical dimensions so as to sustain propagation of detonation to all parts of said combined explosive charge.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.