Venting and sealing mechanism

• US 5,062,590 A
• Filed: 12/06/1989
• Issued: 11/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 12/06/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raytheon Company (Rtx Corporation)
• Inventors: DiPrima, James J., Porter, Frank K. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Peters, Joseph F.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US07/446,738
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 244/118.5, 244/3.16, 98/2, 98/1.5, 137/859, 137/903, 137/843, 137/860
• US Class Current: 244/118.5
• CPC Class Codes: F16K 15/142 the closure elements being shaped as solids of revolution, e.g. toroidal or cylindrical rings
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 39/20 Packages or ammunition having valves for pressure-equalising; Packages or ammunition having plugs for pressure release, e.g. meltable ; Blow-out panels; Venting arrangements ventilating arrangements on packages formed from foldable or erectable blanks B65D5/4295; packages with pressure-relief valves incorporated in a container wall B65D77/225

Abstract

Venting and sealing apparatus to control the barometric pressure of air surrounding the guidance apparatus within a missile is shown to consist of: (a) a metallic valve body made up of a cup with a perforate bottom and a lip attached to the shell of the missile surrounding an opening formed through the shells; and (b) a plug within the cup, the position of such plug relative to the perforate bottom being controlled by the relationship between the barometric pressure of the atmosphere outside the missile and the barometric pressure of the air surrounding the guidance apparatus.

Claims

1. A missile comprising:

(a) a shell having a space enclosed thereby normally isolated from air surrounding the missile;

(b) a guidance apparatus disposed within the space; and

(c) venting and sealing mechanism disposed between the space and the atmosphere, the venting and sealing mechanism comprising;

(i) a cup fabricated from a metallic material, the cup having a lip affixed to an inner surface of the shell to encompass an opening formed through the shell and having a perforate bottom with individual holes adjacent to the space within the missile wherein the individual holes in the perforate bottom of the cup have transverse dimensions to render the perforate bottom opaque to radio frequency energy utilized by the guidance system;

(ii) a plug, fabricated from an elastometer and movably mounted within the cup, the plug having an annular end adapted to cover the individual holes in the perforate bottom; and

(iii) a bellows having a first end and a second end, the first end of the bellows affixed to the plug and the second end of the bellows disposed adjacent the inner surface of the shell within the lip of the cup.

2. A missile comprising:

(a) a shell having a space enclosed thereby;

(b) a guidance section disposed within the space wherein a guidance apparatus is mounted; and

(c) means, responsive to a difference of pressure between pressure within the space and pressure of an atmosphere surrounding the missile, for venting air having a barometric pressure within the space from said space to the atmosphere surrounding the missile when the barometric pressure of said air within the space is greater than the barometric pressure of air in the atmosphere surrounding the missile and for preventing air in the atmosphere from entering the space when the barometric pressure of the air within the space is less than the barometric pressure of air of the atmosphere.

3. The missile as recited in claim 2 wherein said means for venting and for preventing comprises means for rendering opaque said venting and preventing means to radio frequency energy utilized by the guidance apparatus.

4. The missile as recited in claim 3 wherein the means for venting and preventing comprises:

(a) a cup having a perforate bottom portion and a side wall portion; and

(b) a plug slidably disposed within the cup, such plug having an end portion engagable with the perforate bottom portion and a bellows, the bellows being disposed adjacent the sidewall portion, the perforate bottom portion of the cup being disposed in contact with the end portion of the plug when the barometric pressure of air in the atmosphere is equal to or greater than the barometric pressure of the air within the space and the perforated bottom portion of the cup being displaced from the end portion of the plug when the barometric pressure of air in the atmosphere is less than the barometric pressure of the air within the space.

5. A method of venting air within a guidance section of a missile comprising the steps of:

(a) allowing air having a barometric pressure within the guidance section to be vented to the atmosphere whenever the barometric pressure of the air within the guidance section of the missile is greater than the barometric pressure of the atmosphere; and

(b) preventing air from the atmosphere from being admitted to the guidance section whenever the barometric pressure of the air within the guidance section of the missile is less than the barometric pressure of the atmosphere.