ENERGY HARVESTING POWER SOURCES FOR VALIDATING FIRING; DETERMINING THE BEGINNING OF THE FREE FLIGHT AND VALIDATING BOOSTER FIRING AND DURATION

• US 20100155473A1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Inventors: Rastegar, Jahangir S., Dratler, Richard, Pereira, Carlos M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,192 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/400
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 1/0027 Screen-cloths
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/083 Multi-layer felts
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/086 Substantially impermeable for transferring fibrous webs
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/06 Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs F42B33/004 and F42B33/04 take precedence; elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 11/02 with piezo-crystal
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/40 wherein the safety or arming action is effected electrically
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/44 Arrangements for disarming, or for rendering harmless, fuzes after arming, e.g. after launch
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 9/00 Time fuzes; Combined time and percussion or pressure-actuated fuzes; Fuzes for timed self-destruction of ammunition
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 9/02 the timing being caused by mechanical means

Abstract

A method is provided for validating a firing of a munition and duration of firing of the munition. The method including: providing the munition with a power supply having a piezoelectric material for generating power from a vibration induced by the munition; monitoring an output from the power supply; calculating an impact pulse from the output; and determining one or more of whether the munition has been fired and the duration of firing based on the calculation.

Claims

1. A system for use with a munition for validating a firing of the munition and duration of firing, the system comprising:

a power supply having a piezoelectric material for generating power from a vibration induced by the munition; and

a processor operatively connected to the power supply for monitoring an output from the power supply, calculating an impact pulse and determining one or more of the following;

if the munition has been fired or the duration of firing based on the calculation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor compares the calculated impact pulse to a predetermined threshold value indicative of a firing.

3. A method for validating a firing of a munition and duration of firing of the munition, the method comprising:

providing the munition with a power supply having a piezoelectric material for generating power from a vibration induced by the munition;

monitoring an output from the power supply;

calculating an impact pulse from the output; and

determining one or more of whether the munition has been fired or the duration of firing based on the calculation.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the determining comprises comparing the calculated impact pulse to a predetermined threshold value indicative of a firing.

5. The method of claim 3, further comprising determining a beginning of free flight of the projectile.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining of the beginning of free flight comprises determining the beginning of free flight after the determining that firing has ceased.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising continuing to monitor an output from the power supply after the determination of the beginning of free flight to determine one or more of whether a booster firing has occurred and a duration of the booster firing.