Mitigating recoil in a ballistic robot

• US 8,082,836 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2010
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Flir Detection, Inc. (Teledyne Technologies Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: iRobot Corporation
• Inventors: More, Grinnell
• Primary Examiner(s): Hayes, Bret
• Application Number:
  US12/970,218
• Publication Number:
  US 20110083550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 376 Days
• Field of Search: 89/420.1, 89/430.1, 89/440.1, 89/440.2
• US Class Current: 89/43.01
• CPC Class Codes: F41A 25/04 adjustable , e.g. in relation to the elevation of the gun
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 11/16 Self-propelled mine-clearing vehicles; Mine-clearing devices attachable to vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F41H 7/005 Unmanned ground vehicles, i.e. robotic, remote controlled or autonomous, mobile platforms carrying equipment for performing a military or police role, e.g. weapon systems or reconnaissance sensors F41H11/16 takes precedence

Abstract

Recoil mitigating devices and methods for use with projectile firing systems such as a disrupter mounted to a robotic arm. A pair of parallel spring provides dampening of axial recoil movement of the disrupter relative to the robotic arm. Forward ends of the springs are attachable to the barrel of the disrupter while rearward portions of the springs are attachable to the robotic arm by a robot mount block. The robot mount block at least partially encloses the barrel of the disrupter in connecting the parallel springs and permits axial movement of the disrupter along or through the mount during firing.

Claims

1. A method of mitigating recoil exerted on a robotic support platform during firing of a disrupter, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting first portions of a pair of spring elements to the barrel of the disrupter, the spring elements being substantially parallel to the barrel;

mounting second portions of the spring elements to the robotic support platform;

biasing the barrel in a forward position relative to the robotic support platform; and

compressing the spring elements as the disrupter is discharged to mitigate recoil transfer to the robotic support platform,

wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes positioning the barrel of the disrupter in a passage in a robot mounting block such that the barrel of the disrupter moves rearward through the passage during compression of the spring elements.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the spring elements comprise at least one of gas springs and coil springs.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting second portions of the spring elements includes supporting the spring elements at multiple axially spaced locations to resist pitching of the spring elements during discharge of the disrupter.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes configuring a robot mounting block to align the spring elements substantially parallel to the barrel.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes connecting a robot mounting block to the second portions of the spring elements and to the robotic support platform so that the robot mounting block at least partially encloses the barrel of the disrupter.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein robot mounting block comprises opposing sides each defining a clamping surface for clamping a cylinder of one of the spring elements.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the robot mounting block comprises first and second robot mount block clamps attachable to the robot mount block to secure the first and second gas spring assemblies to the robot mount block.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes connecting the robot mounting block to a robotic arm.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the spring elements comprise gas spring assemblies spaced to accommodate the barrel of the disrupter.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the spring elements each comprise a gas cylinder and a piston rod, and wherein the piston rod is slideably received within the gas cylinder, the piston rod defining a distal end extending outwardly from the gas cylinder.

11. A method of mitigating recoil exerted on a robotic support platform during firing of a disrupter, the method comprising the steps of:

mounting first portions of a pair of spring elements to the barrel of the disrupter, the spring elements being substantially parallel to the barrel;

mounting second portions of the spring elements to the robotic support platform;

biasing the barrel in a forward position relative to the robotic support platform; and

compressing the spring elements as the disrupter is discharged to mitigate recoil transfer to the robotic support platform,

wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes connecting a robot mounting block to the second portions of the spring elements and to the robotic support platform so that the robot mounting block at least partially encloses the barrel of the disrupter.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the spring elements comprise at least one of gas springs and coil springs.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes positioning the barrel of the disrupter in a passage in a robot mounting block such that the barrel of the disrupter moves rearward through the passage during compression of the spring elements.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein mounting second portions of the spring elements includes supporting the spring elements at multiple axially spaced locations to resist pitching of the spring elements during discharge of the disrupter.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes configuring a robot mounting block to align the spring elements substantially parallel to the barrel.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein robot mounting block comprises opposing sides each defining a clamping surface for clamping a cylinder of one of the spring elements.

17. The method of claim 11, wherein the robot mounting block comprises first and second robot mount block clamps attachable to the robot mount block to secure the first and second gas spring assemblies to the robot mount block.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein mounting the second portions of the spring elements includes connecting the robot mounting block to a robotic arm.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the spring elements comprise gas spring assemblies spaced to accommodate the barrel of the disrupter.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the spring elements each comprise a gas cylinder and a piston rod, and wherein the piston rod is slideably received within the gas cylinder, the piston rod defining a distal end extending outwardly from the gas cylinder.