Improved Firing Circuits for a Coil Gun
OwnerEnriko-Dominique Hortainventor
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Abstract
This disclosure presents a coil gun having an improved firing circuit that enhances the efficiency and control of projectile acceleration. The firing circuit includes a switching semiconductor, such as an IGBT or MOSFET, which controls current flow to co-axial coils, optimizing energy transfer as the projectile passes through the coil's center. The circuit incorporates both flyback and flyby circuits, utilizing diodes and extra resistances to protect the semiconductor and ensure rapid dissipation of the magnetic field. This design increases efficiency, boosts projectile speed, and allows for adjustable power levels, providing greater operational control.
Claims20
A coil gun having a firing mechanism comprising:
- a barrel having one or more co-axial coils configured to fire a projectile by pulsing the one or more coils to accelerate the projectile through the barrel, wherein each coil is controlled by a coil driver circuit comprising:
- a power source connected in series to a barrel coil by a switching semiconductor, forming a primary conductive path;
- wherein the coil driver circuit further comprises:
- a flyby circuit connected in parallel to the semiconductor, and
- a flyback circuit connected in parallel to the barrel coil, forming an alternative conductive path;
- and
- pulsing a coil comprises:
- switching the semiconductor on to charge the coil through the primary conductive path, and
- switching the semiconductor off to discharge the coil through the alternate conductive path.
A method of firing a coil gun comprising:
- pulsing one or more inductive barrel coils to accelerate a projectile through a co-axial barrel of the coil gun, wherein pulsing an inductive coil comprises:
- switching on a semiconductor, conducting current through a primary conductive path to charge an inductive coil from a power source, and
- switching off the semiconductor, impeding current to the charging/charged inductive coil, discharging the coil through an alternative conductive path.
A method of selectively powering a coil gun, comprising
- pulsing one or more inductive barrel coils to accelerate a projectile through the co-axial barrel of the coil gun, wherein pulsing an inductive barrel coil comprises:
- switching on a semiconductor, conducting current through a primary conductive path to charge an inductive coil from a power source, and
- switching off the semiconductor at the time the projectile passing through the coil substantially reaches the coil's center, discharging the coil through an alternative conductive path comprising:
- a flyback circuit in parallel with the inductive coil.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.