Demining device

• US 5,458,063 A
• Filed: 08/30/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nexter Systems (Government of France)
• Original Assignee: GIAT Industries
• Inventors: Arnaud, Philippe, Laine, Loic
• Primary Examiner(s): Jordan, Charles T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Montgomery, Christopher K.
• Application Number:
  US08/295,837
• Time in Patent Office: 413 Days
• Field of Search: 89/1.13, 102/427, 102/402, 102/403, 102/218, 102/200
• US Class Current: 102/402
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles

Abstract

An apparatus for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance includes a circuit arrangement for conserving power use and simulating the magnetic signature of a vehicle. The circuit arrangement includes a magnetic field generating coil connected to an electric feed circuit. The electric feed circuit is comprised of a voltage source, a circuit breaking element, and at least one capacitor connected to the terminals of the magnetic field generating coil. The circuit breaking element operates to alternately connect and disconnect the set of capacitors from the voltage source. By oscillating the current to the magnetic generating coil, the magnetic signature of a vehicle is simulated, and a mine is fooled into activation.

Claims

1. A method for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising the steps of:

connecting at least one capacitor with a power source for time t1;

discharging the capacitor through a magnetic field generator coil for time t2;

re-connecting the power source for time t1 to the capacitor after time t2; and

controlling the connection between the capacitor and power source with an electronic control connected in series to a transistor, the capacitor and the power source.

2. A method for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising the steps of:

charging a first at least one capacitor with a power source for time t0-t'"'"'0;

discharging the first at least one capacitor into a second at least one capacitor and a magnetic field generating coil for time t'"'"'0-t'"'"'1;

discharging the second at least one capacitor into a magnetic field generating coil for time t'"'"'1-t'"'"'2 while recharging the first at least one capacitor with the power source; and

recharging the second at least one capacitor with the first at least one capacitor for time t'"'"'2-t'"'"'2 +(t'"'"'1-t'"'"'0).

3. A method for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising the steps of:

generating a timed signal S1 within a control generator;

directing S1 to a first transistor for electrically connecting a power source to a first at least one capacitor for the duration for S1, where the power source charges the first at least one capacitor;

generating a timed signal S2 within the control generator when the timed signal S1 has ended;

directing S2 to a second transistor for electrically connecting the first at least one capacitor to a second at least one capacitor and a magnetic field generating coil for the duration of S2, wherein the first at least one capacitor discharges into the second at least one capacitor and the magnetic field generating coil; and

re-generating the timed signal S1, within the control generator, when the timed signal S2 has ended.

4. A demining device for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising:

a magnetic field generating coil for generating a magnetic signature; and

an electric feed circuit connected to the magnetic field generating coil, the electric feed circuit having at least one capacitor and a circuit breaker, said at least one capacitor being mounted to terminals of the magnetic field generating coil and inducing a current within the magnetic field generating coil, and said circuit breaker controlling the flow of current from a power source to the at least one capacitor, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a transistor having a drain, a source, and a gate, wherein the drain is connected to the at least one capacitor, the source is connected to the power source, and the gate receives pulses supplied by an electronic control circuit, and wherein the circuit breaker periodically activates a sequence comprising a connection followed by a disconnection.

5. The demining device according to claim 4, wherein the circuit breaker further comprises a MOS-type transistor.

6. A demining device for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising:

a magnetic field generating coil for generating a magnetic signature; and

an electric feed circuit connected to the magnetic field generating coil, the electric feed circuit having at least one capacitor and a circuit breaker, said at least one capacitor being mounted to terminals of the magnetic field generating coil and inducing a current within the magnetic field generating coil, and said circuit breaker controlling the flow of current from a power source to the at least one capacitor, wherein the at least one capacitor comprises two electro-chemical capacitors connected in series, and wherein the two electro-chemical capacitors are short circuited by diodes enabling current to flow in an opposite direction to that of the two capacitors.

7. The demining device according to claim 6, wherein the inductance resistance ratio is represented by the following equation:

space="preserve" listing-type="equation">8 ≦

R/2L≦

12

where R is the resistance and L is the inductance of the magnetic field generating coil.

8. The demining device according to claim 7, wherein the at least one capacitor has a capacitance of about 0.01 Farad.

9. The demining device according to claim 7, wherein the inductance of the coil is about 50 milli-henries.

10. The demining device according to claim 7, wherein the power source is a voltage source generating about 5 volts.

11. The demining device according to claim 7, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a static relay.

12. The demining device according to claim 7, wherein the circuit breaker comprises an electro-mechanical relay.

13. A demining device for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising:

a magnetic field generating coil for generating a magnetic signature; and

an electric feed circuit connected to the magnetic field generating coil, the electric feed circuit having at least one capacitor and a circuit breaker, said at least one capacitor being mounted to terminals of the magnetic field generating coil and inducing a current within the magnetic field generating coil, and said circuit breaker controlling the flow of current from a power source to the at least one capacitor, wherein the power source comprises a secondary capacitor and the circuit breaker comprises commutator means for connecting the secondary capacitor to the power source when the at least one capacitor is disconnected.

14. A demining device for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising:

a magnetic field generating coil for generating a magnetic signature; and

an electric feed circuit connected to the magnetic field generating coil, the electric feed circuit having at least one capacitor and a circuit breaker, said at least one capacitor being mounted to terminals of the magnetic field generating coil and inducing a current within the magnetic field generating coil, and said circuit breaker controlling the flow of current from a power source to the at least one capacitor, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a circuit composed of an on/off switch and commutator means for controlling the flow of power to the at least one capacitor;

said at least one capacitor comprises a first and a second set of capacitors; and

the commutator means alternately electrically connects (a) the power source to the first set of capacitors and (b) the first set of capacitors to both the second set of capacitors and the magnetic field generating coil.

15. A demining device for activating a magnetic influenced mine from a distance, comprising:

a magnetic field generating coil for generating a magnetic signature; and

an electric feed circuit connected to the magnetic field generating coil, the electric feed circuit having at least one capacitor and a circuit breaker, said at least one capacitor being mounted to terminals of the magnetic field generating coil and inducing a current within the magnetic field generating coil, and said circuit breaker controlling the flow of current from a power source to the at least one capacitor, wherein the circuit breaker comprises a circuit composed of an on/off switch, a control generator, and at least two transistors, said electric feed circuit comprising a first and second set of at least one capacitor;

said control generator alternately electrically connects (a) the power source to the first set of capacitors and (b) the first set to the second set of capacitors.