Ammunition assembly with alternate load path

• US 8,430,033 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2012
• Issued: 04/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Armtec Defense Products Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Armtec Defense Products Co. (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Mutascio, Enrico R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVID, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US13/424,327
• Publication Number:
  US 20120291652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 407 Days
• Field of Search: 102431-433, 102/700, 102/206, 102/215, 102/472, 89/6
• US Class Current: 102/431
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/02 Cartridges, i.e. cases with charge and missile
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/18 Caseless ammunition; Cartridges having combustible cases
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 5/181 consisting of a combustible casing wall and a metal base; Connectors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0807 characterised by the particular configuration of the transmission channels from the priming energy source to the charge to be ignited, e.g. multiple channels, nozzles, diaphragms or filters
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 19/0826 comprising an elongated perforated tube, i.e. flame tube, for the transmission of the initial energy to the propellant charge, e.g. used for artillery shells and kinetic energy penetrators
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 102/70 Combustilbe cartridge

Abstract

An ammunition round assembly with alternate load path is disclosed herein. The ammunition round assembly includes a projectile, a body engaging the projectile, and a non-combustible base at least partially enclosing the body. A structural member having first and second engagement portions opposite to each other is positioned inside an interior space defined by the body and the base. The first engagement portion firmly engages the base, and the second engagement portion firmly engages the projectile to provide an alternate load path between the projectile and the base.

Claims

1. An ammunition round assembly, comprising:

a projectile with a smart fuse programmable via a signal;

a propellant charge;

a body made of a material consumed upon firing the ammunition round assembly, the body having an interior area containing the propellant charge, a first end portion connected to the projectile, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;

a base at least partially enclosing the second end portion of the body, wherein the base comprises one or more data-link contacts;

a data link operatively coupled to the smart fuse and to the data-link contacts to convey the signal therebetween; and

a structural member positioned inside the interior area and having first and second engagement portions, the structural member interconnecting the base and the projectile substantially isolating the body from loads applied to the projectile or the base, the first engagement portion structurally connected to the base and the second engagement portion structurally connected to the projectile, wherein the structural member isolates the data link from the propellant charge between the projectile and the data-link contacts of the base.

2. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the structural member is hollow and a portion of the data link is disposed in the hollow portion of the structural member.

3. The ammunition round assembly of claim 2 wherein the portion of the data link disposed in the hollow portion of the structural member comprises one or more of shielded or unshielded electrical wires, non-electric wires or cables, or optic fibers.

4. The ammunition round assembly of claim 2 wherein the hollow portion of the structural member further houses at least a portion of an ignition device activatable to ignite the propellant charge.

5. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein a portion of the data link comprises a solid portion of the structural member that propagates the signal between the data-link contacts and the smart fuse.

6. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the smart fuse is programmable, via the signal, to control when or how the projectile will detonate after the ammunition round assembly is fired.

7. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the data-link contacts comprise one or more of:

pins, conductive rings, or optic couplers.

8. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the data-link contacts comprise two or more conductive rings separated by one or more insulators.

9. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the data-link contacts are configured to interface with an exterior programming device.

10. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the signal is a first signal and the smart fuse is configured to, in response to the first signal, send a second confirmation signal via the data link to the data-link contacts.

11. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the first end portion of the body is directly attached to the projectile.

12. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the base is a non-consumable base directly attached to the second end portion of the body.

13. The ammunition round assembly of claim 1 wherein the structural member is a tubular conduit having a plurality of apertures therein that provide an ignition path to the propellant charge.

14. An ammunition round assembly, comprising:

a projectile with a projectile control device programmable via a signal;

a body made of a material consumed upon firing the ammunition round assembly, the body having an interior area containing a propellant charge, a first end portion interconnected to the projectile, and a second end portion opposite the first end portion;

a non-consumable base connected to the second end portion of the body, wherein the base comprises a communication contact;

a data link operatively coupled to the projectile control device and to the communication contact to convey the signal therebetween; and

a structural member positioned within the interior area and having first and second engagement portions, the structural member interconnecting the base and the projectile substantially isolating the body from loads applied to the projectile or the base, the first engagement portion coupled to the base and the second engagement portion coupled to the projectile, wherein the structural member isolates the data link from the propellant charge between the projectile and the communication contact.

15. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein at least a portion of the structural member is hollow and a portion of the data link is disposed in the hollow portion of the structural member.

16. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the structural member houses at least a portion of an ignition device activatable to ignite the propellant charge.

17. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein a portion of the data link comprises a solid portion of the structural member that propagates the signal between the communication contact and the projectile control device.

18. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the projectile control device is programmable, via the signal, to control when or how the projectile will detonate after the ammunition round assembly is fired.

19. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the communication contact comprises one or more of:

pins, conductive rings, or optic couplers.

20. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the communication contact comprises two or more conductive rings separated by one or more insulators.

21. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the signal is a first signal and the projectile control device is configured to, in response to the first signal, send a second confirmation signal via the data link to the communication contact.

22. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the first end portion of the body is directly attached to the projectile.

23. The ammunition round assembly of claim 14 wherein the structural member is a tubular conduit having a plurality of apertures therein that provide an ignition path to the propellant charge.