Impact deflection system

• US 7,123,199 B2
• Filed: 06/04/2004
• Issued: 10/17/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Rotta, Phillip R
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alemu, Ephrem
• Application Number:
  US10/861,201
• Publication Number:
  US 20060125701A1
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 343/708, 343/705, 343/709, 343/711, 342/61, 342/62, 342/70, 342/71
• US Class Current: 343/708
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 1/28 Adaptation for use in or on aircraft, missiles, satellites, or balloons

Abstract

An object deflection system includes at least one sensor for detecting an impending impact of a first object with a second object. The sensor communicates with a deflector deployment device to substantially instantaneously activate the deflector deployment device upon detecting the impending impact. When activated, the deflector deployment device substantially instantaneously deploys a deflector so that the first object impacts the deflector. The first object is therefore deflected by the deflector and prevented from impacting second object.

Claims

1. An object deflection system comprising:

a sensor adapted to detect an impending impact of a first object with a second object;

a deflector adapted to prevent the first object from impacting second object; and

a deflector deployment device adapted to be activated by the sensor upon detecting the impending impact and to deploy the deflector such that the first object impacts the deflector, thereby preventing the first object from impacting the second object.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor, deflector and second object are covered by a shroud and the sensor is further adapted to detect an impact to the shroud by the first object.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a mechanical impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an acoustical impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an electrical conductivity impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an optical impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises a pressure sensitive impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor comprises an impact plate adapted to transfer energy to the deployment device, via an energy transfer rod, upon being impacted by the first object.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensor is coupled to the deflector deployment device.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein sensor is communicatively linked to the deflector deployment device.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is communicatively linked to the deflector via a wireless link.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the sensor is communicatively linked to the deflector via a deployment control line.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the deployment control line comprises one of an electrical wire, a gas transfer tube, a hydraulic transfer tube and an energy transfer rod.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflector deployment device comprises a pneumatically operated piston device adapted to substantially instantaneously extend when activated by the sensor to deploy the deflector so that the first object is deflected and thereby prevented from impacting the second object.

15. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflector deployment device comprises a hydraulically operated piston device adapted to substantially instantaneously extend when activated by the sensor to deploy the deflector so that the first object is deflected and thereby prevented from impacting the second object.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflector deployment device comprises an explosively operated piston device adapted to substantially instantaneously extend when activated by the sensor to deploy the deflector so that the first object is deflected and thereby prevented from impacting the second object.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the deflector deployment device comprises a mechanical biasing device adapted to substantially instantaneously extend when activated by the sensor to deploy the deflector so that the first object is deflected and thereby prevented from impacting the second object.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is adapted to detect the impending impact of the first object with the second object and activate the deflector deployment device.

19. The system of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a stop mechanism adapted to reduce a mechanical load requirement of the deflector deployment device needed to absorb the impact of the first object.

20. A method for preventing a first object from impacting a second object, said method comprising:

sensing an impending impact of a first object with a second object;

communicating an activation signal to a deflector deployment device upon sensing the impending impact;

activating the deflector deployment device upon receiving the activation signal; and

deploying a deflector upon activation of the deflector deployment device so that the first object impacts the deflector and is thereby prevented from impacting the second object.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein sensing the impending impact comprises detecting an impact by the first object to a shroud covering the deflector, the deflector deployment device and the second object.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein communicating the activation signal comprises transmitting an electrically generated signal to the deflector deployment device from one of:

a mechanical impact sensing device;

an acoustical impact sensing device;

an electrical conductivity impact sensing device;

an optical impact sensing device; and

a pressure sensitive impact sensing device.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein communicating the activation signal comprises transferring energy from an impact plate to the deflector deployment device, via an energy transfer rod, upon the impact plate being impacted by the first object.

24. The method of claim 20, wherein communicating the activation signal comprises transmitting an electrically generated signal from an impact sensor coupled to the deflector deployment device.

25. The method of claim 20, wherein communicating the activation signal comprises transmitting an electrically generated signal from an impact sensor to the deflector deployment device utilizing one of a wireless communication link and a deployment control line.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein activating the deflector deployment device comprises, upon receiving the activation signal, substantially instantaneously activating one of:

a pneumatically operated piston device,

a hydraulically operated piston device,

an explosively operated piston device, and

a mechanical biasing device,

thereby substantially instantaneously deploying the deflector so that the first object is deflected and prevented from impacting the second object.

27. The method of claim 20, wherein sensing the impending impact of the first object comprises utilizing a plurality of sensors to detect the impending impact of the first object with the second object and activate the deflector deployment device.

28. The method of claim 20, wherein deploying the deflector upon activation of the deflector deployment device comprises reducing a mechanical load requirement of the deflector deployment device needed to absorb the impact of the first object utilizing a stop mechanism.

29. A mobile platform antenna protection system comprising:

a deflector adapted to prevent an object from impacting an antenna coupled to a fuselage of the mobile platform;

a deflector deployment device adapted to deploy the deflector; and

a sensor communicatively linked to the deflector deployment device, the sensor adapted to;

detect an impending impact of the object with the antenna; and

activate the deflector deployment device upon detection of the impending impact such that the object impacts the deflector and is thereby prevented from impacting the antenna.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the sensor, deflector and antenna are covered by a radome and the sensor is further adapted to detect an impact to the radome by the object.

31. The system of claim 29, wherein the sensor comprises at least one of:

a mechanical impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact;

an acoustical impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact;

an electrical conductivity impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact;

an optical impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact;

a pressure sensitive impact sensing device adapted to transmit an activation signal to the deployment device upon detecting the impending impact; and

an impact plate adapted to transfer energy to the deployment device, via an energy transfer rod, upon being impacted by the object.

32. The system of claim 29, wherein the sensor is coupled to the deflector deployment device.

33. The system of claim 29, wherein sensor is communicatively linked to the deflector deployment device.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the sensor is communicatively linked to the deflector via a wireless link.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the sensor is communicatively linked to the deflector via a deployment control line.

36. The system of claim 35, wherein the deployment control line comprises one of an electrical wire, a gas transfer tube, a hydraulic transfer tube and an energy transfer rod.

37. The system of claim 29, wherein the deflector deployment device comprises one of a pneumatically operated piston device, a hydraulically operated piston device, an explosively operated piston device and a mechanical biasing device adapted to substantially instantaneously extend when activated by the sensor to deploy the deflector so that the object is deflected and thereby prevented from impacting the antenna.

38. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises a plurality of sensors, wherein each sensor is adapted to detect the impending impact of the object with the antenna and activate the deflector deployment device.

39. The system of claim 29, wherein the system further comprises a stop mechanism adapted to reduce a mechanical load requirement of the deflector deployment device needed to absorb the impact of the object.