Non-lethal munition system for shoulder launcher
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsMatthew J. Sanford, Gregory D. DuChane
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A self-contained non-lethal munition system is provided for use with a shoulder launcher. A barrel is coupled to a breech end of the launcher and is coaxially aligned therewith. A solid sphere having a hardness in the range of approximately 50 durometer is pressure sealed in the barrel. Launch pressure is supplied aft of the sphere. The launch pressure must overcome the sphere's pressure seal with the barrel and propel the sphere with a kinetic energy of between approximately 135-220 Joules/cm2 for distances up to approximately 30 meters.
Claims18
A non-lethal weapon, comprising:
- a conventional projectile-launching weapon having a launch tube that is opened at an aft end thereof;
- a self-contained munition assembly fitted in and coupled to said aft end of said launch tube, said self-contained munition assembly including
- (i) a barrel coupled to said aft end of said launch tube and coaxially aligned therewith;
- (ii) a solid sphere of a compressible material having a hardness of approximately 50 durometer, said solid sphere positioned in said barrel and forming a pressure seal therewith;
- and
- (iii) means coupled to said barrel for on-demand generation of a launch pressure aft of said solid sphere, said launch pressure overcoming said pressure seal to propel said solid sphere through said barrel and said launch tube with a kinetic energy of between approximately 135-220 Joules/cm2 for distances up to approximately 30 meters.
A non-lethal weapon comprising:
- a conventional projectile-launching weapon having a launch tube that is opened at an aft end thereof;
- a self-contained munition assembly fitted in and coupled to said aft end of said launch tube, said self-contained munition assembly including
- (i) a constant caliber barrel;
- (ii) an outer casing disposed about and coupled to said barrel, said outer casing including means for rigid coupling to an interior portion of said aft end of said launch tube, wherein said outer casing coaxially aligns said barrel within said launch tube;
- (iii) a solid sphere of a compressible material having a hardness of approximately 50 durometer, said solid sphere positioned in said barrel and forming a pressure seal therewith;
- and
- (iv) means coupled to said barrel for overcoming said pressure seal to propel said solid sphere through said barrel and said launch tube with a kinetic energy of between approximately 135-220 Joules/cm2 for distances up to approximately 30 meters.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.