Pyrotechnic fin deployment and retention mechanism

• US 8,338,769 B1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Simmonds Precision Products, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Sankovic, John R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sanderson, Joseph W
• Application Number:
  US12/012,998
• Time in Patent Office: 1,783 Days
• Field of Search: 244/3.24, 244/3.27, 244/3.28, 244/3.29, 244/49
• US Class Current: 244/3.27
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 31/11 attachable only to the feet
• CPC Class Codes: B63B 32/66 Arrangements for fixation to the board, e.g. fin boxes or foil boxes
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/14 using fins spread or deployed after launch, e.g. after leaving the barrel
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 10/20 deployed by combustion gas pressure, or by pneumatic or hydraulic forces

Abstract

A fin retention and deployment mechanism includes a detent in each of a plurality of fins, a mechanism that engages the detent, and at least one spring clip that maintains each of the fins in a non-deployed position. The mechanism also includes a gas generator, a manifold, coupled to the gas generator and having a plurality of cylinders in fluid communication with gas from the gas generator, and a plurality of pistons disposed in the cylinders. A bottom of each of the pistons is coupled to each of the fins to provide deployment thereof when a corresponding top of each of the pistons is acted upon by gas from the gas generator. In response to the gas generator expelling gas, the pistons may move the fins to a deployed position.

Claims

1. A fin deployment mechanism, comprising:

a gas generator that generates gas used to deploy a plurality of fins by rotating each of the fins about an axis that is substantially perpendicular thereto;

a manifold, coupled to the gas generator and having a plurality of cylinders in fluid communication with the gas from the gas generator;

a plurality of pistons disposed in the cylinders, a bottom of each of the pistons being coupled to a respective fin of the plurality of fins to provide deployment thereof when a corresponding top of each of the pistons is acted upon by the gas from the gas generator, wherein the deployment of each of the fins is from a non-deployed position to a deployed position after the top of each of the pistons is acted upon by the gas from the gas generator, and wherein the deployment of the plurality of fins is actuated by an electronic signal received by the fin deployment mechanism from an external source; and

a fin retention mechanism that maintains the fins in a non-deployed position prior to actuation of the gas generator and maintains the fins in a deployed position after actuation of the gas generator;

wherein the fin retention mechanism includes in each of the fins a first detent corresponding to the deployed position and a second detent corresponding to the non-deployed position.

2. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a valve coupled to the gas generator to control a flow of gas therefrom.

3. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the gas generator is implemented using a chemical initiator.

4. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, further comprising:

a plurality of springs, disposed in the cylinders, to bias the pistons away from the fins.

5. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the pistons are directly coupled to the respective fins.

6. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the pistons are coupled to the respective fins through a padding element.

7. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 6, wherein the padding element is made from a material that is softer than a material used for the fins.

8. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 7, wherein the fins are made from 7075-T6 aluminum while the padding element is made from 6061-T6 aluminum.

9. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the fins are made from 7075-T6 aluminum.

10. A fin deployment mechanism, according to claim 1, wherein the fin retention mechanism comprises:

at least one spring clip that maintains the respective fin in the non-deployed position by engaging the second detent in the respective fin using a plunger and a spring that urges the plunger toward the second detent.

11. A fin deployment mechanism according to claim 1, further comprising:

an electronic assembly that receives the electronic signal and that is coupled to the gas generator.

12. A fin deployment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the gas generator is configured to provide that a pressure of the gas that acts upon the pistons is controlled to be between a minimum pressure for the deployment of the plurality of fins and a maximum pressure for the deployment of the plurality of fins.

13. A fin deployment mechanism according to claim 12, wherein the minimum pressure of the gas for deployment of the plurality of fins is a minimally-sufficient pressure to deploy all of the plurality of fins fully to the deployed position, and wherein the maximum pressure of the gas is a pressure beyond which at least one of the plurality of fins is damaged during the deployment.

14. A fin deployment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the gas generated by the gas generator is used primarily for deployment of the plurality of fins.

15. A fin deployment mechanism according to claim 14, wherein the plurality of fins are deployed simultaneously.

16. A fin deployment mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the fin retention mechanism comprises:

a ball that is urged into the detents by a spring.