Mitigating recoil in a ballistic robot

• US 8,281,703 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2011
• Issued: 10/09/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: Moore, Grinnell
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Bret
• Application Number:
  US13/335,704
• Publication Number:
  US 20120210864A1
• Time in Patent Office: 292 Days
• Field of Search: 89/420.1, 89/430.1, 89/440.1, 89/440.2, 901/1, 901/49
• US Class Current: 89/43.01
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 25/04 adjustable , e.g. in relation to the elevation of the gun
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence

Abstract

Recoil mitigating devices and methods for use with projectile firing systems such as a disrupter mounted to a robotic arm. A pair of parallel spring provides dampening of axial recoil movement of the disrupter relative to the robotic arm. Forward ends of the springs are attachable to the barrel of the disrupter while rearward portions of the springs are attachable to the robotic arm by a robot mount block. The robot mount block at least partially encloses the barrel of the disrupter in connecting the parallel springs and permits axial movement of the disrupter along or through the mount during firing.

Claims

1. A projectile launcher recoil mitigation device for use with a robot support platform, the device comprising:

a rail assembly comprising first and second rails in substantially parallel alignment and each having a forward end and a rearward end;

a rail slider carriage defining first and second rail apertures to receive the first and second rails respectively so as to be slidably moveable relative the first and second rails, wherein the rail slider carriage is configured to at least partially enclose a disrupter having a barrel between the first and second rails and is further configured to allow axial movement of the carriage along the disrupter barrel during recoil of the disrupter;

first and second springs disposed respectively along the first and second rails and configured to bias the carriage towards one of the first and second ends of the first and second rails and to compress to dampen recoil forces during discharge of a disrupter;

a disrupter mount connected to one of the rail assembly and the rail slider carriage; and

a robot mount connected to the other of the rail assembly and the rail slider carriage.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the disrupter mount is connectable to a PAN disrupter.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein the robot mount is connectable to a robotic arm.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the disrupter mount comprises a barrel clamp configured to apply clamping forces to a disrupter barrel.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein the barrel clamp comprises a barrel clamp base and a barrel clamp cap, together defining a cylindrical barrel clamping surface.

6. The device of claim 4 further comprising a compliant stop connected to one of the rail assembly and the carriage to limit movement of the carriage along the rail assembly.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the disrupter mount includes first and second barrel clamps attachable to the rail assembly at the first and second ends of the first and second rails.

8. The device of claim 1 further comprising a gas spring attached to the carriage in parallel with the rail assembly to further dampen bi-directional movement of the carriage along the rail assembly.