US 5,631,441 AGranted

XDM pyrophoric countermeasure flare

AssigneeHer Majesty the Queen in right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of National Defence of Her Majesty's Canadian Government

InventorsPaul Briere, Michel St-Onge, Andre Roy, Bruno Paradis, Louis Legare

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A decoy flare for infrared (IR) seeking missiles comprises a tubular outer shell with a first rupturing disc sealing a rear end of the outer shell and a cover member with a second rupturing disc sealing a front end of the outer shell. These form a sealed container for a pyrophoric liquid. A nozzle cap is attached to the cover member with a nozzle being located in front of the second rupturing disc. A piston in the container adjacent the first rupturing disc separates the pyrophoric liquid from the disc. A holder for a gas generator, a disc of energetic material, is connected in sealed relationship to the container to position the gas generator adjacent the first rupturing disc and form a gas generating chamber between the holder and that disc. That holder contains an ignition mechanism for the gas generator and a seal to prevent gases from escaping via the ignition mechanism after it is activated. Gases generated in the chamber will rupture the first rupturing disc, pushing the piston forward to rupture the second disc and eject pyrophoric liquid from the nozzle. A base portion connected to the flare forms a holder for an impulse cartridge that separates the flare from the base portion when activated, that separation activating the ignition mechanism. In these decoy flares, a friction wire safety ignition mechanism may be used to activate the gas generator upon separation of the flare from the base or, alternatively, a bore rider safety ignition mechanism may be used.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A decoy flare for infrared (IR) seeking missiles comprising a tubular outer shell with a first rupturing disc adjacent to and closing a rear end of the outer shell and a cover member with a central second rupturing disc sealing another end of the outer shell, a nozzle cap with a nozzle being attached to the cover member adjacent an outer surface of the second rupturing disc, the nozzle being located in front of that outer surface, the outer shell and cover member forming a container for a pyrophoric liquid with a movable closure in the tubular outer shell being initially located adjacent the first rupturing disc between pyrophoric liquid in the container and the first rupturing disc;

the flare having a first holder for a gas generating means with that holder being connected in sealed relationship to said container in a position to locate the gas generating means near an outer surface of the first rupturing disc and form a gas generating chamber between the first rupturing disc and said first holder, the first holder being provided with an initiating means to activate said gas generating means and a sealing means to prevent gases generated by the gas generating means from exiting via said first holder when the initiating means is activated;
the flare having a base portion, a means for attaching the base portion to the tubular outer shell and to separate the base from the outer shell when the flare is activated, the base portion forming a further holder for a means to activate said initiating means and then the gas generating means wherein said movable closure is movable towards said nozzle under pressure generated by the gas generating means upon rupture of the first rupturing disc under gas pressure generated in said chamber and movement of the closure transfers the pressure to said second rupturing disc to rupture the second rupturing disc and eject pyrophoric liquid through said nozzle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.