Energy harvesting power sources for generating a time-out signal for unexploded munitions

• US 8,191,475 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2010
• Issued: 06/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Inventors: Rastegar, Jahangir S., Pereira, Carlos M., Dratler, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael
• Assistant Examiner(s): Abdosh, Samir
• Application Number:
  US12/751,941
• Publication Number:
  US 20110168046A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• Field of Search: 89/271.1, 89/280.5, 89/281, 89/6, 89/65
• US Class Current: 102/210
• 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 detecting a target impact of a 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; and determining whether the output of power from the power supply has dropped below a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A system for use with a munition for detecting a target impact of the munition, 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 and determining whether the output of power from the power supply has dropped below a predetermined threshold;

wherein the power supply includes a spring element having a mass connected at one end and the piezoelectric material connected to another end such that the induced vibration causes the mass and spring to vibrate and generate alternating pushing and pulling forces on the piezoelectric material to thereby generate the output of power from the piezoelectric material.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein if the output of the power supply has dropped below the predetermined threshold, the processor further disables the round from being internally detonated.

3. A method for detecting a target impact of a 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;

vibrating a mass spring element from the induced vibration such that the induced vibration causes the mass and spring to vibrate and generate alternating pushing and pulling forces on the piezoelectric material to generate an output of power from the piezoelectric material;

monitoring the output from the power supply; and

determining whether the output of power from the power supply has dropped below a predetermined threshold.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising, if the output of the power supply has dropped below the predetermined threshold, disabling the round from being internally detonated.