Device for remotely detonating explosives

• US 8,541,717 B2
• Filed: 12/08/2009
• Issued: 09/24/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mbda France (MBDA)
• Original Assignee: Mbda France (MBDA)
• Inventors: Hembise, Dominique
• Primary Examiner(s): PASCHALL, MARK H
• Application Number:
  US13/133,361
• Publication Number:
  US 20110233188A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 218/482, 218483-486, 218/502, 392416-418, 89/11.3, 702/127
• US Class Current: 219/482
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/12 Means for clearing land minefields; Systems specially adapted for detection of landmines
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 5/04 Rendering explosive charges harmless, e.g. destroying ammunition F42B39/14 and F42B39/20 take precedence ; extracting primers, dismantling ammunition F42B33/04, F42B33/06 ; chemical deactivating of explosives C06B21/0091; Rendering detonation of explosive charges harmless

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to a device for remotely detonating explosives. According to the present disclosure, the device includes: a heat source in the form of an electric generator for generating a thermal infrared signal, capable of producing two heating zones and mounted in a casing; and a mobile supporting structure bearing the casing at the front and connected to a vehicle at the rear.

Claims

1. A device for detonating explosives, including more specifically mines or improvised explosive devices, of the type comprising:

a heat source for remotely activating an infrared sensor device, said heat source being a controllable infrared signal generator having at least two heating zones operating at two different temperature ranges; and

a mobile supporting structure bearing supporting said infrared signal generator having mounting surfaces for mounting to a motorized vehicle; and

wherein said infrared signal generator is mounted in a casing comprising a plurality of walls and said at least two heating zones heat at least two different sections of at least one of the plurality of walls of the casing, and wherein said at least two heating zones are thermally separated by openings arranged on said casing.

2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a protective grid fastened externally of said casing and extending over a wall section of the heating zone with the temperature range that is higher than that of the other temperature zone.

3. The device according claim 1, wherein energy for said heating zones is generated by electric resistor networks arranged on said at least one of the plurality of walls of the casing.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said casing has a flattened substantially parallelepipedic shape having two large opposite walls each with heating zones arranged in substantially vertical planes.

5. The device according to claim 4, wherein each large wall of said casing comprises two distinct heating zones.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said supporting structure comprises a beam having a first end on which said thermal casing is mounted and a second end having said mounting surfaces for mounting to a motorized vehicle.

7. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a horizontal hinged mount for attaching said casing to said first end of the supporting structure.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the first end of said supporting structure is bent so as to approximately form a reversed C.

9. The device according to claim 1, wherein said supporting structure can be lifted relative to the ground and able to be locked in a lifted position.

10. The device according to claim 1, wherein said at least two heating zones are connected to a control device and wherein said control device is configured to regulate and monitor said at least two heating zones.

11. A decoy device for detonating explosives, said decoy device comprising:

a heat source for remotely activating an infrared sensor device, said heat source being a controllable infrared signal generator having at least two spaced apart heating zones with a first zone operating at a first temperature range and a second zone operating at a second temperature range, which is different from the first temperature range; and

a control device mounted in a casing comprising a plurality of walls and electrically coupled to the at least two spaced apart heating zones to control power to said at least two heating zones;

wherein said heating zones are thermally separated by openings arranged in a wall of the casing.

12. The decoy device of claim 11, wherein resister networks generate the infrared signal in the heating zones.

13. The decoy device of claim 11, further comprising a support structure supporting the casing at one end of the support structure and connected, at an opposite end, to a motorized vehicle.

14. The decoy device of claim 13, wherein the end supporting the casing is bent in a reverse C shape.

15. The decoy device of claim 13, wherein the decoy device receives power from the motorized vehicle.

16. The decoy device of claim 13, further comprising a wire that runs from the motorized vehicle engine, through the support structure, to the decoy device to power the decoy device.

17. A method for triggering infrared activated explosive devices, comprising:

providing a heat source located inside a casing comprising a plurality of walls;

providing a control device electrically coupled to the heat source; and

mounting the control device inside the casing spaced from the heat source;

wherein the heat source comprises at least two heating zones located on one of the walls of the plurality of walls of the casing with each heating zone operating in a temperature range that differs from the other.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the at least two heating zones comprise resister networks.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the casing is mounted on a support structure attached to a motorized vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the heat source is powered by a wire that runs from the motorized vehicle through the support structure and to the casing.