Flare munition for battlefield illumination

• US 8,297,161 B2
• Filed: 09/06/2008
• Issued: 10/30/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Original Assignee: Rheinmetall Waffe Munition GmbH (Rheinmetall AG)
• Inventors: Münzner, Sebastian
• Primary Examiner(s): Bergin, James
• Application Number:
  US12/681,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20100288885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,515 Days
• Field of Search: 102/336, 102/337, 102/338, 102/339, 102/340, 102/386, 102/387, 102/482, 102/293, 89/11.1, 89/11, 89/15.1, 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/184, 362/800, 362/382, 250/504.R, 244/142, 244/149, 244/150
• US Class Current: 89/1.11
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/56 of parachute or paraglider type
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/42 of illuminating type, e.g. carrying flares

Abstract

Flare munition for battlefield illumination is provided that includes: (a) at least one electrical flare body; (b) an electrical energy source connectable with the flare body; and (c) an electrical or electronic control device for connecting the electrical flare body with the source of energy during a specified time interval. The flare munition can be fired from a weapon or can be launched as a bomb and allows safe and simple subsequent recovery of the corresponding flare body because no pyrotechnic flare charge is used. Instead, an electrical flare body is used that emits light in the visible and/or infrared wavelength range depending on its intended purpose.

Claims

1. Flare munition for battlefield illumination, wherein the flare munition comprises:

(a) at least one electrical flare body, wherein the at least one electrical flare body includes at least one electrical illumination means;

(b) an electrical energy source connectable with the at least one electrical flare body;

(c) an electrical or electronic control device for connecting the at least one electrical flare body with the source of energy during a specified time interval; and

(d) a parachute, wherein the at least one electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device are suspended from the parachute while the flare munition sinks to the ground during illumination of a target, and wherein the control device operates so that the control device does not electrically connect the energy source with the at least one flare body until after the parachute has opened up.

2. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the illumination means comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes arranged in an array.

3. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy source operates to provide the at least one flare body with energy required for illumination only during the specified time interval while the electrical energy source is operably connected with the flare body.

4. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy source comprises a thermal battery.

5. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the flare munition further comprises:

(e) a system for reduction of parachute velocity, by means of which the at least one electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device sink in decelerated mode to the ground during target illumination.

6. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical or electronic control device operates to control the energy source so that the energy source will not provide electrical energy for the at least one flare body until after the flare munition is in descent.

7. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the illumination means generates infrared illumination without emitting light in the visible range.

8. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the illumination means comprises a plurality of lamps arranged in an array.

9. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the electrical energy source comprises a condenser battery.

10. Flare munition according to claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical flare body emits light in a visible wave length range, or in an infrared wave length range, or in a wave length range that includes both the visible wave length range and the infrared wave length range.

11. Flare munition for battlefield illumination, wherein the flare munition comprises:

(a) at least one electrical flare body, wherein the at least one electrical flare body includes at least one electrical illumination means, and the at least one electrical illumination means is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, halogen lamps, incandescent lamps and gas discharge lamps;

(b) an electrical energy source connectable with the at least one electrical flare body;

(c) an electrical or electronic control device for connecting the at least one electrical flare body with the source of energy during a specified time interval; and

(d) a parachute, wherein the at least one electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device are suspended from the parachute while the flare munition sinks to the ground during illumination of a target, and wherein the control device operates so that the control device does not electrically connect the energy source with the at least one flare body until after the parachute has opened up.

12. Flare munition according to claim 11, wherein the electrical or electronic control device operates to control the energy source so that the energy source will not provide electrical energy for the at least one flare body until after the flare munition is in descent.

13. Flare munition for battlefield illumination, wherein the flare munition comprises:

(a) at least one electrical flare body, wherein the at least one electrical flare body includes at least one electrical illumination means, and the at least one electrical illumination means is selected from the group consisting of light emitting diodes, halogen lamps, incandescent lamps and gas discharge lamps;

(b) an electrical energy source connectable with the at least one electrical flare body;

(c) an electrical or electronic control device for connecting the at least one electrical flare body with the source of energy during a specified time interval;

(d) a parachute, wherein the at least one electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device are suspended from the parachute while the flare munition sinks to the ground during illumination of a target, and wherein the control device operates so that the control device does not electrically connect the energy source with the at least one flare body until after the parachute has opened up;

(e) a common housing, wherein the at least one electrical flare body, the electrical energy source and the electrical or electronic control device are arranged inside of the common housing; and

(f) a shell casing from which the at least one electrical flare body is expelled before the parachute has opened up.

14. Flare munition according to claim 13, wherein the shell casing is a flare grenade shell casing configured for shooting from a tube weapon or a bomb shell casing configured for dropping from aircraft.

15. Flare munition according to claim 13, further comprising a receiver provided at one end of the common housing, wherein the receiver is coupled with the parachute.