Energy harvesting power sources for detecting target impact of a munition

• US 20120103224A1
• Filed: 01/17/2007
• Published: 05/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Original Assignee: Omnitek Partners LLC
• Inventors: Rastegar, Jahangir S., Pereira, Carlos M., Dratler, Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,701,559 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 102/513
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 1/0027 Screen-cloths
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/083 Multi-layer felts
• CPC Class Codes: D21F 7/086 Substantially impermeable for transferring fibrous webs
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 33/06 Dismantling fuzes, cartridges, projectiles, missiles, rockets or bombs F42B33/004 and F42B33/04 take precedence; elimination of undesirable components of explosives C06B21/0091
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 11/02 with piezo-crystal
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/40 wherein the safety or arming action is effected electrically
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 15/44 Arrangements for disarming, or for rendering harmless, fuzes after arming, e.g. after launch
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 9/00 Time fuzes; Combined time and percussion or pressure-actuated fuzes; Fuzes for timed self-destruction of ammunition
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 9/02 the timing being caused by mechanical means

Abstract

A method for detecting a target impact of the munition. The method including: providing the munition with a power supply having a piezoelectric material for generating power from an axial vibration induced by the munition; monitoring an output from the power supply; and determining if the munition has axially impacted a target based on the output.

Claims

1. A system for use with a munition for detecting a target impact of the munition, the system comprising:

a power supply having a mass-spring unit having an elastic element with one end connected to a mass and a second end connected to a piezoelectric material for generating power from one or both of an axial and lateral vibration of the mass-spring unit induced by the munition; and

a processor operatively connected to the power supply for monitoring an output from the power supply and determining if the munition has one or both axially and laterally impacted a target based on the output.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines one or more of a time of one or both of an axial and lateral impact, one or both of an axial or lateral impact acceleration level, one or both of a peak axial or lateral impact acceleration and one or both of a total axial or lateral impact impulse based on the output of the power supply.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor determines a degree of hardness of the target in one or both of the axial and lateral direction based on the output of the power supply.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply being adapted to generate power due to at least a lateral component and an axial component of the vibration and the processor is operatively connected to the power supply for monitoring an output from the power supply and determining if the munition has one or more of laterally impacted and axially impacted a target based on the output.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the power supply comprises one or more axial power supplies and one or more lateral power supplies, each having a piezoelectric material for generating power from a lateral vibration induced by the munition and the processor operatively connected to the one or more lateral power supplies and one or more axial power supplies for monitoring an output from the one or more lateral power supplies and one or more axial power supplies and determining if the munition has one or more of laterally and axially impacted the target based on the output.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the processor determines a degree of hardness of the target in one or both of the axial and the lateral direction based on the output of the one or more lateral power supplies and one or more axial power supplies.

12. The system of claim 3, wherein the processor further controls a fuzing system of the munition based on the determined degree of hardness of the target.

13. The system of claim 6, wherein the processor further controls a fuzing system of the munition based on the determined degree of hardness of the target.

7. A method for detecting a target impact of a munition, the method comprising:

providing the munition with a power supply having a mass-spring unit having an elastic element with one end connected to a mass and a second end connected to a piezoelectric material for generating power from one or both of an axial and lateral vibration of the mass-spring unit induced by the munition;

monitoring an output from the power supply; and

determining if the munition has one or both axially and laterally impacted a target based on the output.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining one or more of a time of one or both of an axial and lateral impact, one or both of an axial or lateral impact acceleration level, one or both of a peak axial or lateral impact acceleration and one or both of a total axial or lateral impact impulse based on the output of the power supply.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising determining a degree of hardness of the target in one or both of the axial and lateral direction based on the output of the power supply.

10. The method of claim 7, further comprising providing one or more axial power supplies and one or more lateral power supplies, each having a piezoelectric material for generating power from a lateral vibration induced by the munition;

monitoring an output from the one or more lateral power supplies and one or more axial power supplies and determining if the munition has one or more of laterally and axially impacted the target based on the output.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising determining a degree of hardness of the target in one or both of the axial and the lateral direction based on the output of the one or more lateral power supplies and one or more axial power supplies.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising controlling a fuzing system of the munition based on the determining of the degree of hardness of the target.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising controlling a fuzing system of the munition based on the determining of the degree of hardness of the target.