Switch, electronic safe and arm unit, fuze system, munition and method
AssigneeBAE SYSTEMS plc
InventorsMatthew David Neve, Martyn John Hucker
Life of this patent
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Abstract
According to the present disclosure there is provided a switch for controlling electrical power supplied by a power source to an electronic safe and arm unit, ESAU, or a munition, the switch comprising: a contact assembly arrangement comprising a contact assembly of a first type arrangeable in a first arrangement defining a first switch state and a second arrangement defining a second switch state, wherein centrifugal force caused by rotation of the switch causes movement of at least a part of the contact assembly of the first type to change the arrangement of the contact assembly of the first type from the first arrangement to the second arrangement.
Claims20
A switch for controlling electrical power supplied by a power source to an electronic safe and arm unit (ESAU) or a munition, the switch comprising:
- a contact assembly arrangement comprising a contact assembly of a first type arrangeable in a first arrangement defining a first switch state and a second arrangement defining a second switch state,
- wherein centrifugal force caused by rotation of the switch causes movement of at least a part of the contact assembly of the first type to change the arrangement of the contact assembly of the first type from the first arrangement to the second arrangement.
A munition switch assembly, comprising:
- a centrifugal switch assembly arranged to rotate about a central axis, the central axis being coaxial with a direction of munition travel, the centrifugal switch assembly defining a first switch state and a second switch state, wherein centrifugal force caused by rotation of the munition switch about the central axis during munition travel causes the centrifugal switch assembly to change from its first switch state to its second switch state;
- and
- a linear acceleration switch assembly defining a first switch state and a second switch state and including a flexible arm extending orthogonal to the central axis, wherein forces caused by linear acceleration of the munition switch during munition travel causes the flexible arm to deflect in the direction of munition travel thereby changing the linear acceleration switch assembly from its first switch state to its second switch state.
A munition, comprising:
- a battery;
- and
- an electronic safe and arm unit (ESAU) including centrifugal switch assembly and a linear acceleration switch assembly;
- the centrifugal switch assembly being arranged to rotate about a central axis, the central axis being coaxial with a direction of munition travel, the centrifugal switch assembly defining an open switch state and a closed switch state, wherein centrifugal force caused by rotation of the munition about the central axis during munition travel causes the centrifugal switch assembly to change from its open switch state to its closed switch state;
- and
- the linear acceleration switch assembly defining an open switch state and a closed switch state and including a flexible arm extending orthogonal to the central axis, wherein forces caused by linear acceleration of the munition during munition travel causes the flexible arm to deflect in the direction of munition travel thereby changing the linear acceleration switch assembly from its open switch state to its closed switch state;
- wherein power is allowed to flow from the battery to the ESAU only when the centrifugal switch assembly and the linear acceleration switch assembly are in their respective closed switch states.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.