Integrated POD Optical Bench Design

• US 20120243570A1
• Filed: 06/01/2012
• Published: 09/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Information and Electronic Systems Integration Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Keegan, Heather L., Guyer, Robert C., Fielder, William T., Smith, Donald K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,835,888 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 372/107
• CPC Class Codes: F41G 7/224 Deceiving or protecting means jamming or anti-jamming of radio-wave systems in general G01S7/36, G01S7/38; defense installations in general F41H11/02; chaff dispensers F42B12/70
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/02 Anti-aircraft or anti-guided missile or anti-torpedo defence installations or systems cartridges or missiles for producing smoke or for dispensing radar chaff or infrared material F42B5/15, F42B12/48, F42B12/70; informative reference: details of radar or sonar systems G01S7/00; jamming or electronic countermeasures G01S7/38, G01S7/495, H04K3/00
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 13/005 the high-energy beam being a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: F41J 2/02 Active targets transmitting infrared radiation

Abstract

In an integrated gimbal and High-Powered Multiband Laser (HPMBL) for use in an infrared countermeasure apparatus in a pod mounted on an aircraft, the improvement comprises an optical bench that connects the optical path between side-by-side mounted gimbal and high power laser; and a kinematic mounting system that prevents optical bench bending.

Claims

1. A method of eliminating bowing or bending of an optical bench used to mount a laser and a directed infrared countermeasure head side by side caused by differences in the thermal coefficient of expansion between the optical bench and an airframe to which it is attached, comprising the steps of:

providing the optical bench with a kinematic support in which one end of the optical bench is rigidly secured to the airframe and in which an opposite end of the optical bench is secured to the airframe using a stiff but flexible coupling, whereby movement between the airframe and the optical bench is taken up in the stiff but flexible coupling, thus to prevent bending of the optical bench during thermal stressing.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said kinematic mounting includes a three-point mounting system in which two of the points rigidly mount an end of the optical bench to the airframe and in which an opposed end of the optical bench is secured to the airframe utilizing a stiff but flexible coupling.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the stiff but flexible coupling is less stiff than the optical bench, but is stiff enough to accommodate environmental loading.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein the stiff but flexible coupling includes an apertured element having stiff but flexible sidewalls and in which the element is secured between the airframe and the optical bench at opposed ends thereof by rigid fastners.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the apertured element has one end thereof disposed in a larger aperture in the optical bench such that deformation of the element during thermal stressing is accommodated by the larger aperture.

6. A method of providing ease of maintenance in a directed infrared countermeasure system employing a laser and a directed infrared countermeasure head mounted to an aircraft airframe, comprising the steps of,

side-by-side mounting the laser and the head on an optical bench secured to the airframe utilizing a kinematic mount;

providing an integral optical path between the laser and the head in the optical bench; and

,

releasably attaching the laser and the head to the optical bench utilizing a positioning pin and bushing assembly to maintain the alignment of the respective laser and head to the optical path when the laser and the head are located on the optical bench.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the kinematic mount includes a three-point mount, with two of the points rigidly mounting an end of the optical bench to airframe, and a stiff but flexible mount at an opposite end of the optical bench between the optical bench and the airframe.