Cassette arranged for accommodating a pay load of pyrophoric material

#This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT/SE2009/050039 filed 16 Jan. 2009.

#The present invention relates to a cassette for accommodating a pay load of an insert.

#Today there exist several devices for ejection of pay loads from aircrafts. The ejection of pay loads is employed by the aircraft's defence system for disturbing radar, infra-red, laser controlled incoming weapons etc. A pay load can be a so called chaff. Also other types of pyrophoric material is used as a pay load in this matter.

#The present invention will now be described by way of examples with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, of which schematically:

#FIGS. 1a-1d illustrate a cassette according to an embodiment,

#FIG. 1e illustrates a cassette according to another embodiment,

#Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein for sake of clarity and understanding of the invention some details of no importance are deleted from the drawings.

#FIGS. 1a-1d schematically illustrate a cassette 1 being designed for accommodating a chaff (reference 3 in FIG. 2). The chaff 3 (or pyrophoric material) is enveloped within an envelope 5 (shown in FIGS. 3 and 4) in vacuum. The envelope 5 is connected to a parachute (reference 7 in FIGS. 3 and 4). The enveloped chaff 3 and the parachute 7 constitute a so called insert 9 (see FIG. 3). The parachute 7 is used to rip of the envelope 5 from the chaff 3, when the insert 9 (and the parachute 7) is exposed to an air flow AF (see FIG. 3) after being dispensed from a vehicle, here an aircraft 11. For example pyrophoric infrared decoys (CIV-IR) are used to avoid an incoming infrared seeking missile (not shown).

#The cassette 1 being thus exposed to the air flow AF when dispensed from the air craft 11 in motion. The cassette 1 comprises a base portion 13 and a peripheral supporting portion 15. These portions 13, 15 are made of the same material, in this example being made of plastic, and are connected to each other via a corner portion 17. Said portions 13, 15 form a space for said accommodation of the chaff 3 and the parachute 7. An opening 19 is arranged in the cassette 1 opposite the base portion 13 through which opening 19 the chaff 3 can exit. The base portion 13 comprises an orifice 21 through which the air flow AF will flow pressing against and separating the chaff 3 from the cassette 1 when the cassette 1 is dispensed from the air craft 1 and meets the air flow AF. In this way the chaff 3 of the insert 9 easily and promptly will leave the cassette 1 after the discharge of the cassette 1 from a dispenser unit 23 (see FIG. 3) of the air craft 11. The chaff 3 is fully encompassed by the cassette 1, wherein the peripheral supporting portion 15 being comprised of a circular side wall 25 extending perpendicular from the base portion 13 such that it at least covers the thickness of the chaff 3. The base portion 13 is exposed to the air flow AF initially after the discharge of the cassette 1, wherein the opening 19 of the cassette 1 is not exposed to the air flow AF. This is achieved by that the cassette 1 is dispensed from the air craft 11 essentially perpendicular to the air flow AF direction, with the cassette's base portion 13 directed in the flying direction FD (see FIG. 3).