Weapon and weapon system employing the same

• US 8,997,652 B2
• Filed: 02/27/2014
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lone Star IP Holdings, LP
• Original Assignee: Lone Star IP Holdings, LP
• Inventors: Tepera, Joseph Edward, Roemerman, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US14/191,667
• Publication Number:
  US 20150059609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 404 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 102/384
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/22 with fragmentation-hull construction
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/362 Arrows or darts F42B12/38 takes precedence, having means for implantation, e.g. hypodermic projectiles F42B12/54; arrows or darts in general F42B6/00
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/44 of incendiary type F42B12/46 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 12/60 the submissiles being ejected radially

Abstract

A weapon and weapon system, and methods of manufacturing and operating the same. In one embodiment, the weapon includes a warhead having an outer casing. The warhead includes a frangible container within the outer casing of the warhead and a destructive element within the frangible container. The destructive element is formed with a non-explosive material. The weapon may also include a guidance section configured to direct the weapon to a target.

Claims

1. A warhead having an outer casing, including:

a frangible container within said outer casing; and

a cylindrical manifold, having a substantially constant diameter, located longitudinally within a central portion of and configured to distribute energy through said frangible container said energy being produced by an energy storage device positioned external to said cylindrical manifold and behind an expansion bulkhead for dispersion control of shot including an incendiary material distributed about said cylindrical manifold.

2. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising a destructive element within said cylindrical manifold.

3. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising a destructive element including a dart within said cylindrical manifold.

4. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising a filler located within said frangible container and at least partially encapsulating said shot.

5. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising a filler containing chemically explosive elements and located within said frangible container and at least partially encapsulating said shot.

6. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising chemical explosives within said frangible container.

7. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said incendiary material includes a pyrophoric material.

8. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical manifold is configured to distribute gas pressure for dispersion control.

9. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said cylindrical manifold is a tube.

10. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said frangible container is formed separately from said outer casing of said warhead.

11. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said frangible container is at least partially enclosed by a front closure and an aft bulkhead.

12. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising an expandable membrane configured to transfer radial energy to said shot.

13. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising an expandable membrane configured to transfer energy to rupture said frangible container.

14. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said energy storage device is configured to store energy for expelling said frangible container from said outer casing of said warhead.

15. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said energy storage device is configured to store energy for rupturing said frangible container.

16. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said energy storage device and an expansion chamber are located between an aft bulkhead and said expansion bulkhead of said warhead.

17. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said energy storage device is configured to store energy for rupturing said frangible container and an event sequencer configured to initiate said energy storage device to define an impact pattern of said shot.

18. The warhead as recited in claim 1 further comprising an umbilical cord configured to carry instructions to an event sequencer to initiate a selected mode of operation for said warhead.

19. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said shot is configured to exit said frangible container.

20. The warhead as recited in claim 1 wherein said shot is configured to exit said frangible container to dispense about a target.