Jump correcting projectile system
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
InventorsJohn C. Grau, Arthur J. Fiorellini, Raymond E. Carr
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for controlling the trajectory of a launched projectile. More particularly, a method for correcting the projectile jump displacement of a launched projectile after it is released from a vessel using on-board G-hardened accelerometers orthogonally mounted along the longitudinal axis of the projectile. Deviation from an intended flight path is corrected by firing selected trajectory diverting thrusters mounted around the periphery of the projectile. Eliminating or reducing projectile jump, or the angular deviation of the flight path of a projectile relative to its intended trajectory, will greatly increase the accuracy of gun fired projectiles.
Claims9
A jump correcting projectile system comprising:
- a projectile having a longitudinal axis;
- at least one pair of orthogonally positioned accelerometers within the projectile, each mounted perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the projectile, said at least one pair of accelerometers providing projectile acceleration data to a microprocessor mounted on the projectile;
- an array of thrusters mounted around an outer periphery of the projectile which are positioned to exert a thrust normal to the longitudinal axis of the projectile upon deployment by a signal from the microprocessor corresponding to the acceleration data;
- wherein the projectile is engaged with a mounting platform and oriented in an initial target direction when engaged in the mounting platform;
- wherein the projectile is launched away from the Platform toward a target;
- wherein the acceleration data of the projectile is measured with the accelerometers during and immediately after said launching away from the platform and signaling the acceleration data to the microprocessor;
- wherein the microprocessor calculates a projectile jump by calculating any angular deviation, arising from launch disturbances imparted to the projectile just prior to, and shortly after the projectile is disengaged from the mounting platform, in the position of the projectile longitudinal axis from its pre-launch initial target direction using the acceleration data;
- and
- wherein one or more of the thrusters are deployed to cause a correcting thrust normal to the longitudinal axis of the projectile via a signal from the microprocessor corresponding to the acceleration data to correct for the projectile jump.
A jump correcting projectile method for controlling the trajectory of a launched projectile comprising:
- a) providing a projectile having a longitudinal axis;
- at least one pair of orthogonally positioned accelerometers within the projectile, each mounted perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the projectile, said at least one pair of accelerometers providing projectile acceleration data to a microprocessor mounted on the projectile;
- and
- an array of thrusters mounted around an outer periphery of the projectile which are positioned to exert a thrust normal to the longitudinal axis of the projectile upon deployment by a signal from the microprocessor corresponding to the acceleration data;
- b) engaging said projectile with a mounting platform and orienting said projectile in an initial target direction;
- c) launching the projectile away from the platform toward a target;
- d) measuring the acceleration data of the projectile with the accelerometers during and immediately after said launching away from the platform and signaling the acceleration data to the microprocessor;
- e) calculating projectile jump by calculating any angular deviation in the position, arising from launch disturbances imparted to the projectile just prior to, and shortly after the projectile is disengaged from the mounting platform, in the position of the projectile longitudinal axis from its pre-launch initial target direction via the microprocessor using the acceleration data;
- then
- f) deploying one or more of the thrusters to cause a correcting thrust normal to the longitudinal axis of the projectile via a signal from the microprocessor corresponding to the acceleration data to correct for the projectile jump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.