Stacked pellet flare assembly and methods of making and using the same
First Claim
1. A pyrotechnic flare pellet assembly for providing at least one of visual and infrared energy output comprising:
- a plurality of ignitable pyrotechnic flare pellets arranged in a stack;
a means for joining said stack of said plurality of pellets whereby said stack remains joined upon ejection from a flare launcher;
each of said plurality of pellets having tapered edges whereby the center of each of said plurality of pellets is thicker than the edges of the pellet; and
a plurality of tapered grooves defined between said tapered edges of said pellets, said plurality of tapered grooves axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of said stack and disposed about the circumference of said stack.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a flare pellet assembly for generating visual and/or infrared energy output, and to methods of making and using the same. The flare pellet assembly generally includes a stack of flare pellets, the individual pellets of which may exhibit an at least generally tapering geometry. These flare pellets may be stacked in a manner that substantially prevents motion of one flare pellet relative to another flare pellet. This stacked arrangement of the flare pellets, along with one or more grooves that may be defined in and/or between adjacent flare pellets, may be said to at least generally enable the resultant flare pellet assembly to provide one or both infrared and visual energy output that reaches desired countermeasure energy output specifications without sacrificing structural integrity of the flare pellet assembly.
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Citations
10 Claims
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1. A pyrotechnic flare pellet assembly for providing at least one of visual and infrared energy output comprising:
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a plurality of ignitable pyrotechnic flare pellets arranged in a stack; a means for joining said stack of said plurality of pellets whereby said stack remains joined upon ejection from a flare launcher; each of said plurality of pellets having tapered edges whereby the center of each of said plurality of pellets is thicker than the edges of the pellet; and a plurality of tapered grooves defined between said tapered edges of said pellets, said plurality of tapered grooves axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of said stack and disposed about the circumference of said stack. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification