Elecro-mechanical base element fuze

An electro-mechanical fuze in an explosive projectile launched from a gun tube, the fuze comprising:

• (a) a reserve battery assembly disposed in a base cavity at a proximal end of the projectile, the battery assembly having:
• (i) a reservoir, cooperatively connected to a distal end of the assembly and containing an electrolyte, the reservoir capable of being ruptured upon the application of a force thereto;
• (ii) a mass slidably disposed adjacent the reservoir in a first static position and arranged and configured to deliver a force to the reservoir when the mass is accelerated by the launch from the gun tube;
• and
• (iii) a voltage producing cell stack surrounding the reservoir, wherein upon launch of the projectile, acceleration forces slide the mass to a second position and apply force to the reservoir such that the reservoir ruptures and the electrolyte escapes into the cell stack providing substantially instantaneous battery voltage;
• (b) a safe and arm assembly, disposed adjacent the battery assembly, for providing an out-of-line safety between an explosive train and a detonator until at least one preselected condition occurs;
• and
• (c) an electronics assembly, operatively connected to receive power from the reserve battery assembly, for arming the fuze and initiating the explosive train when the at least one preselected condition occurs, wherein the electronics assembly further comprises a second environment sensor for detecting a second environment occurrence.

A highly reliable fuze for precise control of arming time of a warhead with significantly low parts count and reduced cost, the fuze comprising:

• (a) a reserve battery for powering all of the fuze subsystems, the battery activated upon launching of the warhead and having a rapid rise time to an operating voltage;
• (b) a simplified mechanical safety and arming mechanism for providing an electro-mechanical out-of-line first environment safety;
• (c) an electronic environment sensor for sensing the occurrence of a second environment event and for providing a second environment safety;
• (b) electronic timing and control means for windowing a sequence of time critical events;
• (d) a piston actuator for actuating the safety and arming mechanism by breaking a shear tab and arming a rotor in response to a predetermined occurrence of events;
• and
• (e) a setback lock for inhibiting the rotor movement given inadvertent piston actuator firing.

In an explosive projectile, a method for arming an electro-mechanical fuze, comprising the steps of:

• (a) accelerating the projectile for launching;
• (b) thrusting a mass against a reservoir containing an electrolyte in response to step (a);
• (c) rupturing the reservoir allowing the electrolyte to escape into a battery cell stack for providing substantially instantaneous voltage;
• and
• (d) rotating a rotor for providing an in-line site between a detonator and an explosive.

An electro-mechanical fuze in an explosive projectile launched from a gun tube, the fuze comprising:

• (a) a reserve battery assembly disposed in a base cavity at a proximal end of the projectile the base cavity defining a first volume, the battery assembly including:
• (i) a voltage producing cell stack disposed within the first volume and defining a second volume within a portion of the first volume, wherein the cell stack generally surrounds the second volume;
• (ii) a reservoir, substantially disposed within the second volume and extending into the first volume, the reservoir containing an electrolyte and capable of being ruptured upon the application of a force thereto;
• and
• (iii) first and second masses slidably disposed adjacent the reservoir in first static positions and arranged and configured to deliver a force to the reservoir, wherein the second mass is arranged and configured to be slidably disposed with the first mass, and wherein when the first and second masses are accelerated by the launch from the gun tube, the first mass is accelerated to a second operative position within the first volume adjacent the cell stack and the second mass is accelerated to a second operative position within the second volume defined by the cell stack, thereby applying a force to the reservoir and effectively decreasing the first volume by movement from the first static positions to the second operative positions, whereby the reservoir ruptures and the electrolyte is forced into the cell stack, providing substantially instantaneous battery voltage;
• (b) a safe and arm assembly, disposed adjacent the battery assembly, for providing an out-of-line safety between an explosive train and a detonator until at least one preselected condition occurs;
• and
• (c) an electronics assembly, operatively connected to receive power from the battery assembly, for arming the fuze and initiating the explosive train when the at least one preselected condition occurs.