System for protecting surfaces against explosions

• US 8,490,538 B2
• Filed: 01/21/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jack Joseph Tawil
• Original Assignee: Jack Joseph Tawil
• Inventors: Tawil, Jack Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Troy, Daniel J
• Assistant Examiner(s): MORGAN, DERRICK R
• Application Number:
  US13/011,810
• Publication Number:
  US 20120152102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 914 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.1, 89/361.7, 899/02
• US Class Current: 89/36.17
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 5/007 Reactive armour; Dynamic armour
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/40 wherein the safety or arming action is effected electrically

Abstract

A system for mitigating the effects of an unexpected explosion against a surface is described and claimed. This invention comprises at least one containment vessel containing explosive material fitted with a detonator; and at least one sensing device that can ignite the detonator; or, in another embodiment, a computer interposed between sensing devices and a plurality of detonators to optimize the response. Because transient voltages from a high-voltage firing system can accidentally ignite the detonators, a safety switch driven by an EBW detonator is interposed between the firing system and the counter-explosive devices. The explosive force generated by the current invention attenuates the shockwave and deflects the shrapnel from the unexpected explosion. In various embodiments, this counter-explosive device can be adapted to protect a multiplicity of surface types including exterior vehicle surfaces, building facades, bridges, embassies and military checkpoints and guard stations.

Claims

1. A method for protecting a surface from an unexpected explosion, comprising:

a. providing at least one detection device for detecting environmental data;

b. processing said environmental data, comprising;

i. recording said environmental data;

ii. accessing said environmental data;

iii. analyzing said environmental data; and

iv. determining whether said explosion represents a threat;

c. responding by detonating at least one counter-explosive device (CED) if it is determined that said explosion represents a threat; and

d. providing a safety means, wherein said CED is prevented from detonating if no threat from an explosion has been determined,

whereby any threat from an ongoing explosion is attenuated by detonating at least one CED, and all CEDs are prevented from detonating by said safety means if no explosion threat has been determined.

2. The method in claim 1 wherein said CED comprises:

a. providing a containment vessel comprising an open end and a closed end;

b. providing explosive material positioned inside said vessel at said closed end; and

c. providing a detonating device comprising a CED detonator for igniting said explosive material.

3. The method according to claim 2, wherein a CED array comprises providing a shallow-profile housing;

at least one CED installed within said housing; and

said housing mountable on a conformable surface, whereby blasts from said CED array are projected across said conformable surface.

4. The method according to claim 3, providing that said surfaces to be protected from unexpected explosions comprise exterior surfaces of a vehicle.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein a double-CED array comprises providing two CED arrays positioned and combined back edge-to-back edge, angled and mounted to conform to the vertex of the two panels comprising a V-shaped vehicle underbody, whereby a counter-explosion from each said CED array projects across the exterior surface of the panel on which it is mounted.

6. The method in claim 2, further providing a shock-absorbing device to absorb explosion recoil from said CED.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein said shock-absorbing device comprises providing:

a. a canister with an open end and a closed end;

b. said canister recessable, mounted and secured, such that said open end of said canister faces outward from the surface to be protected from an unexpected explosions;

c. said canister with an interior that is functional as a cylinder;

d. said canister containing a pocket of air between said closed end of said canister and the head of a piston slidable within said cylinder; and

e. said canister containing said CED, which is engaged with the bottom of said piston, with said open end of said CED projecting toward said open end of said canister,

whereby when said CED is detonated, said CED urges said piston to compress air in said air pocket, thereby absorbing said recoil.

8. The method according to claim 2, wherein said safety means comprises providing an external ignition module;

and a high-speed, normally open, electro-mechanical safety switch comprising;

a. a switch housing;

b. an upper chamber;

c. a piston;

d. a lower chamber;

e. a means for producing energy in said upper chamber; and

f. a means for transferring energy from said upper chamber to said lower chamber.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein said upper chamber comprises providing:

a combustion chamber;

a cylinder; and

at least one vent for venting combustion products.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein said means for producing energy in said upper combustion chamber of said safety-switch is a safety-switch detonator, and the means for transferring said energy from said upper chamber to said lower chamber is said piston.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein said piston comprises providing a rod, slidable within said cylinder, whose upper end is exposed to said safety-switch detonator, and whose lower end extends into said lower chamber.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein said lower chamber comprises providing:

a. an electrical contact assembly comprising;

an upper contact holder holding an upper contact, and a lower contact holder holding a lower contact; and

a shatterable dielectric plate disposed between said upper contact and said lower contact; and

b. two high-voltage terminals, one said terminal connecting a high-voltage source to one of said upper or lower contacts, and the other said terminal connecting other said contact to said CED detonator,

whereby when said safety-switch detonator causes said piston to compress said contacts, said dielectric plate is shattered, and high-voltage current flows through first said high-voltage terminal, through said contacts and out second said high-voltage terminal, causing said CED detonator to ignite.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said lower chamber comprises providing a plurality of pairs of high-voltage terminals, contact pairs and dielectric plates, whereby a subset of a plurality of CEDs can be selectively ignited.

14. The method according to claim 12, further providing:

a partition between said upper chamber and said lower chamber, comprising a ceramic insulator sandwiched between and bonded to upper and lower protective impact plates,

whereby said partition largely protects said lower chamber from heat and shock originating in said combustion chamber.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said safety means comprises providing said external ignition module, which ignites said safety-switch detonator, urging said piston to compress said pair of upper and lower contact holders, and shattering said dielectric plate, whereby high-voltage current flows through first said high-voltage terminal, through said contacts and out second said high-voltage terminal.

16. The method according to claim 12, further providing for at least one pair of primary contacts and one pair of secondary contacts, said primary contacts providing for the flow of high-voltage current, and said secondary contacts providing for the flow of low-voltage current, said low-voltage current flowing through said secondary contacts and signaling a fire control unit that said primary contacts are in a closed state, whereby said fire control unit can cause a high-voltage electrical pulse to ignite said CED detonator.

17. The method in claim 1, wherein said detection device is selected from among the group consisting of pressure-sensing device, frequency-sensing device, light-sensing device, real-time imaging device, heat-sensing device, LIDAR device, RADAR device, and timing device;

and one or more detection devices may be selected.

18. The method according to claim 1, further determining which of at least one CED detonator is to be ignited by at least one firing module, and the time at which said firing module is to ignite at least one said CED detonator to protect a surface, comprising providing:

a. a first processor and a second processor;

a cache capable of receiving data, and_shared by both processors for data exchange; and

a memory that is in communication with said processors, capable of storing program code executable by said processors, and able to communicate with a memory controller that can access and communicate with at least one external device;

b. said first processor to monitor real-time primary data, and to deposit in said cache data exceeding predetermined threshold values; and

c. said second processor to access said cache, and to execute said program code to process said data deposited into said cache, performing the following steps;

Step 1;

setting instruction set for “

worst case”

response;

Step 2;

calculating the time remaining before “

must detonate”

time;

Step 3;

if insufficient time remains to acquire and analyze additional data, communicating said instruction set to said external device to initiate CED response;

Step 4;

if sufficient time remains, acquiring and analyzing additional data;

Step 5;

revising said instruction set for optimal CED response; and

Step 6;

returning to step 2,

whereby said external device initiates said CED response according to said instruction set.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein said real-time primary data comprises data sensed by at least one sensor and at least one timer.

20. The method as claimed in claim 18, further providing a second database comprising the explosion characteristics of known explosive devices, whereby said explosion characteristics can be compared with the characteristics of the current explosion to facilitate the rapid identification of the current explosive device, thereby potentially facilitating a rapid and optimized said CED response.