Electrostatic passive proximity fuzing system
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsDavid G. Hoyt, Richard T. Ziemba
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A proximity fuzing system for missile warhead utilizes an electrostatic probe to detect the electric field inherently associated with an airborne target. The probe plates are oriented perpendicular to the missile longitudinal axis and are short circuit loaded to develop a probe current signal whose initial slope is analyzed to qualify the target being engaged on a near-miss trajectory as a valid target and whose first zero current crossing is utilized as a trigger point for detonating the missile warhead before the missiles reaches a position of minimum miss-distance relative to the target.
Claims8
A proximity fuzing system for the warhead of a missile engaging an airborne target, said system comprising, in combination:
- A. an electrostatic probe carried by the missile, said probe including a pair of parallel spaced, electrically conductive plates oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the missile, said probe having a voltage developed thereon upon entry into the electric field inherently surrounding an airborne target;
- B. amplifier means having an input circuit connected with said plates to conduct a current signal produced by said probe voltage and having a waveform characterized by an initial slope of constantly increasing current flow in one direction as said probe approaches a valid target, a reversal in slope and a crossing of current zero when said probe reaches a proximate position relative to the target on a near-miss missile trajectory, and a rapid rise to peak current flow in an opposite direction when said probe reaches a position of minimum miss-distance relative to the target;
- C. a detonator for the missile warhead;
- and
- D. a microprocessor for processing said current signal in accordance with a target algorithm such as to recognize a valid target from the characteristics of said initial slope portion of said current signal waveform and to trigger said detonator to explode the missile warhead when said current signal crosses zero.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.