Low velocity radial deployment with predeterminded pattern

In a device for radially deploying a plurality of objects at a low velocity in order to achieve a predetermined pattern of the deployed objects, said device comprising:

• an inner wall member having a central longitudinal axis,
• an annular body of low velocity explosive having a central longitudinal axis and a density of less than about 1.2 g/cc, said annular body of low velocity explosive having a detonation velocity of less than 6000 meters per second, said annular body of low velocity explosive being positioned exteriorly of said inner wall member with the central longitudinal axis of said annular body of low velocity explosive extending at least substantially along the central longitudinal axis of said inner wall member,
• a plurality of annular arrays positioned coaxially with and exteriorly of said annular body of low velocity explosive at different locations along the central longitudinal axis of said annular body of low velocity explosive, each of said annular arrays comprising a plurality of objects positioned at spaced locations about the circumference of the respective annular array;
• and
• a booster ring positioned in proximity to said annular body of low velocity explosive so as to fire said annular body of low velocity explosive;
• the improvement:
• wherein said inner wall member is an annular wall member, wherein said booster ring is positioned radially inwardly of said annular wall member, and wherein said annular wall member contains a plurality of holes extending at least generally radially therethrough to expose said annular body of low velocity explosive to detonation of said booster ring.

In a device for radially deploying a plurality of objects at a low velocity in order to achieve a predetermined pattern of the deployed objects, said device comprising:

• an inner wall member having a central longitudinal axis,
• an annular body of low velocity explosive having a central longitudinal axis and a density of less than about 1.2 g/cc, said annular body of low velocity explosive having a detonation velocity of less than 6000 meters per second, said annular body of low velocity explosive being positioned exteriorly of said inner wall member with the central longitudinal axis of said annular body of low velocity explosive extending at least substantially along the central longitudinal axis of said inner wall member,
• a plurality of annular arrays positioned coaxially with and exteriorly of said annular body of low velocity explosive at different locations along the central longitudinal axis of said annular body of low velocity explosive, each of said annular arrays comprising a plurality of objects positioned at spaced locations about the circumference of the respective annular array;
• the improvement:
• wherein said annular body of low velocity explosive comprises a plurality of annular explosive sections with at least one of said annular explosive sections comprising a plurality of segments of explosive material spaced apart from each other about the circumference of said annular body of low velocity explosive, and
• wherein each of said annular arrays is positioned coaxially with and exteriorly of a respective one of said annular explosive sections and a respective one of said annular wall sections to form a radially adjacent combination of an annular wall section, an annular explosive section and an annular array;
• and
• wherein each such radially adjacent combination differs from each radially adjacent combination longitudinally adjacent thereto by at least one of an amount of low velocity explosive in the respective annular explosive sections, a composition of the low velocity explosive in the respective annular explosive sections a radial thickness of the respective annular wall sections, a rigidity of the respective annular wall sections, and the mass of the plurality of objects in the respective annular arrays, such that the energy provided to the objects in a first one of said plurality of annular arrays by the annular explosive section radially adjacent thereto is different from the energy provided to the objects in a second one of said plurality of annular arrays by the annular explosive section radially adjacent thereto.