FLARE MUNITION FOR BATTLEFIELD ILLUMINATION

• US 20100288885A1
• Filed: 09/06/2008
• Published: 11/18/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Münzner, Sebatian
• Granted Patent: US 8,297,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 244/142
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/56 of parachute or paraglider type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/42 of illuminating type, e.g. carrying flares

Abstract

Flare munition for battlefield illumination is provided that includes: (a) at least one electrical flare body; (b) an electrical energy source connectable with the flare body; and (c) an electrical or electronic control device for connecting the electrical flare body with the source of energy during a specified time interval. The flare munition can be fired from a weapon or can be launched as a bomb and allows safe and simple subsequent recovery of the corresponding flare body because no pyrotechnic flare charge is used. Instead, an electrical flare body is used that emits light in the visible and/or infrared wavelength range depending on its intended purpose.

Claims

1. Flare munition for battlefield illumination, wherein the flare munition comprises:

(a) at least one electrical flare body;

(b) an electrical energy source (7) connectable with the flare body; and

(c) an electrical or electronic control device for connecting the electrical flare body with the source of energy during a specified time interval.

2. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical flare body includes at least one electrical illumination means.

3. Flare munition according to claim 2, wherein the illumination means is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, halogen lamps, incandescent lamps and gas discharge lamps.

4. Flare munition according to claim 2, wherein the illumination means comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in an array.

5. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy source is designed to provide the flare body with energy required for illumination only during the specified time interval while the electrical energy source is operably connected with the flare body.

6. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy source comprises a thermal battery.

7. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the flare munition further comprises:

(d) a parachute, wherein the electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device are suspended from the parachute while the flare munition sinks to the ground during illumination of a target, and wherein the control device is designed so that the control device does not electrically connect the energy source with the flare body until after the parachute has opened up.

8. Flare munition according to claim 7, wherein the flare munition further comprises:

(e) a system for reduction of parachute velocity, by means of which the electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device sink in decelerated mode to the ground during target illumination.

9. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical or electronic control device is designed to control the energy source so that the energy source will not provide electrical energy for the flare body until after the flare munition is in descent.

10. Flare munition according to claim 2, wherein the illumination means generates infrared illumination without emitting light in the visible range.

11. Flare munition according to claim 2, wherein the illumination means comprises a plurality of lamps arranged in an array.

12. Flare munition according to claim 9, wherein the electrical or electronic control device is designed to control the energy source so that the energy source will not provide electrical energy for the flare body until after the flare munition is in descent.