United S ta tes Pa tent [ 1 9 1

Held et a l.
[ 1 1 ] Pa tent Number:
[ 4 5 ] Da te o f Pa tent:
4 , 7 9 9 , 4 2 7
J a n. 2 4 , 1 9 8 9
[ 5 4 ] PROJ ECIILE IGNITION DEVICE
[ 7 5 ] Inv ento rs : M a nf red Held, A res ing ; Ho rs t
K irs c h e, M unic h , bo th o f F ed. Rep .
4 , 0 6 3 , 5 1 3 1 2 / 1 9 7 7
4 , 3 7 5 , 1 9 2 3 / 1 9 8 3
4 , 4 5 5 , 9 3 9 6 / 1 9 8 4
4 , 4 8 0 , 5 5 0 1 1 / 1 9 8 4
Of Germa ny 4 , 5 8 0 , 4 9 8 4 / 1 9 8 6
4 , 6 6 7 , 5 9 8 5 1 9 8 7
[ 7 3 ] A s s ig nee: M es s ers c h mitt- B o lk o w - B lo h m /
GmbH, M unic h , F ed. Rep . o f F OREIGN PA TENT DOCUM ENTS
Germa ny 3 1 4 1 3 3 3 5 / 1 9 8 3 F ed. Rep . o f Germa ny . . . . . . 1 0 2 / 2 1 5
[ 2 1 ] A PPL No : 1 5 2 , 0 7 9 3 4 3 6 3 9 7 5 / 1 9 8 5 F ed. Rep . o f Germa ny . . . . . . 1 0 2 / 2 1 6
[ 2 2 ] F iled: F eb_ 4 1 9 8 8 Prima ry Ex a miner Ch a r1 es T. J o rda n
' A tto rney, A g ent, o r F irm- K enyo n & K enyo n
[ 3 0 ] F o reig n A p p lic a tio n Prio rity Da ta
[ 5 7 ] A B S TRA CT
A p r. 7 , 1 9 8 7 [ DE] F ed. Rep . o f Germa ny . . . . . . . 3 7 1 1 6 9 8 _ _ _ _ _ . _
A n ig nitio n dev 1 c e f o r a p ro j ec tile, in p a rtic ula r a
Int- GL4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
[ mis s ile9 w h ere th e mo ment is Co nn- 0 1 1 a ,
[ 5 2 ] US . Cl. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 2 / 2 1 5 ; 1 0 2 / 2 0 6 ; ble a s a f unc tio n o f th e imp ing ement dela y a nd o f th e
_ 1 0 2 / 2 6 6 ? ig h t time o f th e p ro j ec tile. Th is a llo w s c o mp ens a tio n
[ 5 8 ] F ield o f S ea rc h . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 2 / 2 0 6 , 2 1 5 , 2 1 6 , 2 6 2 , f o r th e typ e o f ma teria l c o mp ris ing th e ta g eh 6 %, h a rd
1 0 2 / 2 6 5 2 6 6 o r s o f t, a nd f o r th e a mo unt o f time th e p ro j ec tile h a s
[ 5 6 ] Ref erenc es Cited been a irbo rne, th us c o mp ens a ting f o r reduc ed p ro j ec tile
v elo c ity a t th e time o f s trik ing th e ta rg et.
U. S . PA TENT DOCUM ENTS
4 , 0 1 9 , 4 4 0 4 / 1 9 7 7 S trik e . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 0 2 / 2 1 5 8 Cla ims , 1 Dra w ing S h eet
M ULTl- S TA CE
A CCELERA TION THRES HOLD TIM E DELA Y
PICK UP CENS OR CIRCUIT K H / CIRCUIT
1 K _ ~ A tl /
2 - - 3 A - t- ~ 2
' r k
1 \ , J
i 1 4 1 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1
1
L - - - - - - >
4
G O- - > \
[ - - ~ >
T o _ _ J / , 1 8
1 1 5 M EA S URlNG
1 6 CIRCUIT
US . Pa tent J a n. 2 4 , 1 9 8 9 4 , 7 9 9 , 4 2 7
M ULTl- S TA GE
A CCELERA TION THRES HOLD TmE DELA Y
PICK UP CENS OR c mc un 1 1 [ / c mc un
1 o \ / 1 3
1 V
2 3 A T = Z
: = k /
I 1 4 1 2 \ IGNITION
I
Go - - - - - > \
f m 1 8
T O I 1 5 M EA S URING
1 6 CIRCUlT
H 1 3 a
/ / IGNITION
2 a ' 3 a 3 r/
THRES HOLD \ '
s w nc nes <j ) 1 2 7 1 8 / Z
\ K i /
1 ~ 2 b 3 \ TIM E DELA Y
/ / b \ CIRCUITS
A GCELERA TlON \ 1 3 b
PICK UP S ENS OR
~ 4
M EA S URiNG \
c mc un / M 1 8 b
\ 1 7
5 ~ 6
A M PLIF IER
/ _ /
B REA K S ENS OR
4 , 7 9 9 , 4 2 7
1
PROJ ECI' ILE IGNITION DEVICE
B A CK GROUND OF THE INVENTION
Th e p res ent inv entio n rela tes to a n ig nitio n dev ic e f o r
a p ro j ec tile p enetra ting into a ta rg et h a v ing a n elec
tro nic ig nitio n dela y dev ic e a dj us ta ble in a c c o rda nc e
w ith s ens o r s ig na ls .
S uc h a p ro j ec tile ma y be des ig ned a s a g uided mis s ile,
in th e tip o f w h ic h a c o ntro l ( s teering ) dev ic e, f o r ex a m
p le, c o ntro l no z z les f ed by a g a s g enera to r, is a rra ng ed.
Th e a c tiv e p a rt o f th e p ro j ec tile ma y be a h o llo w
c h a rg e o r a ls o a f la t- o r p ro j ec tile- f o rming c h a rg e o r a
bla s t c h a rg e. Due to th e c o ntro l ( s teering ), g uided mis
s ile h a s a h ig h h it p ro ba bility ev en a t v ery g rea t dis
ta nc es . Ho w ev er, des p ite a n initia l v elo c ity o f a bo ut
1 0 0 0 m/ s , th e mis s ile h a s a s trik ing v elo c ity in th e ra ng e
o f o nly 3 0 0 to 5 0 0 m/ s . Th es e a re s p eeds a t w h ic h th e
p ro j ec tile is no lo ng er a ble to p enetra te into c erta in
a rmo r p la ting s . It is des ira ble, h o w ev er, th a t th e p ro j ec
tile s h o uld c a us e th e g rea tes t p o s s ible da ma g e in a ny
c a s e.
F ro m DE- PS No . 3 1 4 1 3 3 3 a p erc us s io n f us e f o r a
p ro j ec tile p enetra ting th ro ug h th e o uter w a lls o f ta rg et
o bj ec ts h a s bec o me k no w n in w h ic h a v a ria ble ig nitio n
dela y dep endent o n th e imp ing ement a ng le is p ro v ided,
w h ic h dela y is c a us ed by p urely elec tro nic mea ns in
a c c o rda nc e w ith s ens o rs . S uc h a n ig nitio n dela y c irc uit,
h o w ev er, is una ble to bring a bo ut ig nitio n a t th e o p ti
mum mo ment a f ter a ny des ig ned ? ig h t times o f th e
p ro j ec tile.
S UM M A RY OF THE INVENTION
It is , th eref o re, a n o bj ec t o f th e p res ent inv entio n to
p ro v ide a n ig nitio n dev ic e f o r p ro j ec tiles s uc h th a t th e
dela y o f th e ig nitio n mo ment o f th e a c tiv e c h a rg e o f th e
p ro j ec tile is determina ble o n th e ba s is o f th e intens ity o f
th e imp ing ement dela y, ta k ing into c o ns idera tio n th e
dep endenc e o f th e ig nitio n mo ment o n th e ? ig h t time o f
th e p ro j ec tile.
Th e a bo v e a nd o th er o bj ec ts o f th e inv entio n a re
a c h iev ed by a n ig nitio n dev ic e f o r a p ro j ec tile p enetra t
ing into a ta rg et h a v ing elec tro nic ig nitio n dela y mea ns
a dj us ta ble in a c c o rda nc e w ith s ens o r s ig na ls , c o mp ris
ing th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns h a v ing a n inp ut c o up led to
rec eiv e a n o utp ut s ig na l o f a n a c c elera tio n s ens o r, th e
th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns h a v ing o utp ut s ig na ls w h ic h
o c c ur, dep ending o n th e a mp litude o f th e o utp ut s ig na l
o f th e a c c elera tio n s ens o r, w h en a s ig na l th res h o ld is
f a llen s h o rt o f o r ex c eeded, a nd w h ic h a c tiv a te a time
dela y c irc uit h a v ing a t lea s t tw o dela y ra ng es , s a id time
dela y c irc uit h a v ing a n o utp ut s ig na l w h ic h trig g ers th e
ig nitio n o f a n a c tiv e c h a rg e in th e p ro j ec tile, th e mea n
dura tio n o f th e dela y time being s h o rt f o r h ig h o utp ut
s ig na ls o f th e a c c elera tio n s ens o r a nd lo ng er f o r lo w
o utp ut s ig na ls o f th e a c c elera tio n s ens o r.
Pref era bly, a mea s uring c irc uit determining th e ? ig h t
time o f th e p ro j ec tile is c o nnec ted to th e time dela y
c irc uit f o r th e p urp o s e o f leng th ening th e dela y time
w ith in th e dela y time ra ng e a s a f unc tio n o f th e ? ig h t
time.
A s p ec ia l a dv a nta g e o f th e ig nitio n dev ic e a c c o rding
to th e inv entio n res ides bo th in th a t due to th e intens ity
o f th e imp ing ement dela y o bs erv a ble up o n imp ing e
ment, w h ic h o f c o urs e is p ro p o rtio na l to th e h a rdnes s o f
th e ta rg et th e dela y o f th e ig nitio n mo ment is a dj us ta ble
lo ng er o r s h o rter, a s w ell a s th a t th e lo ng er o r s h o rter
time dela y its elf is ex tendible a c c o rding to th e ? ig h t
4 5
6 0
6 5
2
dura tio n w ith in a c erta in ra ng e. Th ereby th e ig nitio n is
trig g ered a t th e o p timum mo ment in a ny c a s e.
A n embo diment o f th e inv entio n is illus tra ted in th e
dra w ing s a nd w ill be ex p la ined in g rea ter deta il in th e
f o llo w ing des c rip tio n.
B RIEF DES CRIPTION OF THE DRA WINGS
With ref erenc e to th e dra w ing s :
F IG. 1 s h o w s a blo c k dia g ra m o f a n ig nitio n dev ic e
f o r p ro j ec tiles ; a nd
F IG. 2 s h o w s a v a ria nt o f th e blo c k dia g ra m o f F IG.
1 .
DETA ILED DES CRIPTION
In F IG. 1 is s h o w n a s c h ema tic a lly s imp li? ed blo c k
dia g ra m o f a n ig nitio n dev ic e f o r a p ro j ec tile, in p a rtic u
la r a g uided mis s ile.
Th e o utp ut s ig na l 1 0 o f a n a c c elera tio n p ic k up s ens o r
1 dis p o s ed in th e p ro j ec tile, w h ic h p ic k up mea s ures th e
a c c elera tio n a t ta rg et imp ing ement a nd th us p ermits
dis ting uis h ing betw een s o f t a nd h a rd ta rg ets , a c tiv a tes
th e inp ut o f a th res h o ld c irc uit 2 . Th is th res h o ld c irc uit
2 ma y be des ig ned a s a s imp le th res h o ld s w itc h o f
k no w n des ig n. Here a ll o utp ut s ig na ls 1 0 o f th e a c c eler
a tio n p ic k up 1 w h ic h a re belo w a c erta in a dj us ta ble
th res h o ld v a lue g enera te a n o utp ut s ig na l 1 1 . A ll o utp ut
s ig na ls 1 0 o f th e a c c elera tio n p ic k up 1 w h ic h ex c eed th e
th res h o ld v a lue c a us e a dif f erent o utp ut s ig na l 1 2 . A c
c o rding to o ne des ig n o f th e th res h o ld c irc uit, th e la tter
ma y a ls o h a v e s ev era l th res h o ld v a lues . In th a t c a s e, f o r
ex a mp le, a ba s e th res h o ld, w h o s e lev el is a dj us ted rela
tiv ely lo w , s erv es to bla nk o ut interf erenc e s ig na ls . Th e
th res h o lds a dj us ted h ig h er a re th en us ed to determine
c erta in a mp litude ra ng es o f th e o utp ut s ig na l 1 0 o f th e
a c c elera tio n p ic k up .
Th e o utp ut s ig na ls 1 1 , 1 2 o f th e th res h o ld c irc uit 2
a s s ig ned to v a rio us s ig na l th res h o lds no w a c tiv a te a
multis ta g e time dela y c irc uit 3 . In th e embo diment, th e
f o llo w ing v a lues w ere c h o s en f o r th is c irc uit: Th e s h o rt
dela y time A tk , w h ic h bec o mes a c tiv e a t h ig h s ig na l
a mp litudes , is f o r ins ta nc e 5 0 mic ro s ec a nd th e lo ng er
dela y time A tl f o r ins ta nc e 5 0 0 mic ro s ec . Th es e dela y
times c o me a bo ut a s f o llo w s : Th e req uirement reg a rd
ing th e dela y times f o r th e ig nitio n o f th e a c tiv e c h a rg e
o f a g uided mis s ile is s uc h th a t th e a c tiv e c h a rg e is to
res p o nd a f ter a rela tiv ely s h o rt time up o n imp ing ement
o n a h a rd ta rg et into w h ic h th e p ro j ec tile c a nno t p ene
tra te. Th e rela tiv ely s h o rt time is needed to ena ble th e
p ro j ec tile to s na p o f f o r brea k o f f a nd mo v e a w a y th e
p ro j ec tile tip c o nta ining th e c o ntro l ( s teering ) dev ic e.
A s s uming a p ro j ec tile s p eed o f a bo ut 1 0 0 0 m/ s , th ere is
needed f o r th e s h ea ring o f f o f th e p ro j ec tile tip a p a th o f
a bo ut 5 0 mm, w h enc e res ults th e dela y time o f 5 0 mi
c ro s ec .
If , h o w ev er, th e p ro j ec tile h its a s o f t ta rg et, th e deto
na tio n is to o c c ur s a y 5 0 0 mm ins ide th e ta rg et. F ro m
th is res ults th e lo ng er dela y time o f s a y 5 0 0 mic ro s ec .
Ho w ev er, s inc e a t th e ma x imum ta rg et dis ta nc e th e
p ro j ec tile h a s o nly a v elo c ity o f s a y 3 0 0 m/ s , it is nec es
s a ry to leng th en th e dela y times a c c o rding to th e re
duc ed s p eed in o rder to a c h iev e th e s a me p enetra tio n
bef o re deto na tio n. F o r th is rea s o n, th ere is p ro v ided in
th e ig nitio n dev ic e a mea s uring c irc uit 4 f o r mea s uring
th e ? ig h t time t o f th e p ro j ec tile. Th e time mea s urement
o f th e mea s uring c irc uit c a n be s ta rted by v a rio us
ev ents . F o r ex a mp le, th e f iring a c c elera tio n c a n be de
termined by th e a c c elera tio n p ic k up 1 a nd us ed a s s ta rt
4 , 7 9 9 , 4 2 7
3
s ig na l 1 4 . A lterna tiv ely, th e ig nitio n s ig na l 1 5 f o r th e
g a s g enera to r G o f th e c o ntro l dev ic e o f th e g uided
mis s ile o r th e ig nitio n s ig na l 1 6 f o r a th erma l ba ttery T
ma y be us ed f o r th is p urp o s e a s w ell.
In a ny c a s e, th e mea s uring c irc uit 4 a c tiv a tes th e time
dela y c irc uit 3 v ia line 1 8 . Th ereby th e s h o rt dela y time
A tk is a dj us ted in th e ra ng e o f 5 0 to 1 5 0 mic ro s ec a nd th e
lo ng dela y time in th e ra ng e o f 5 0 0 to 1 5 0 0 mic ro s ec ,
dep ending o n th e ? ig h t dura tio n.
Th e ig nitio n Z th en o c c urs up o n imp ing ement o n th e
ta rg et in a c c o rda nc e w ith th e a mp litude o f th e a c c elera u
tio n s ig na l 1 0 eith er a f ter th e lo ng o r a f ter th e s h o rt
dela y time.
F IG. 2 s h o w s a no th er embo diment o f th e c irc uit
a c c o rding to F IG. 1 . F o r o ne th ing , h ere th e th res h o ld
c irc uit 2 h a s been rea liz ed a s tw o s ep a ra te th res h o ld
s w itc h es 2 0 a nd 2 b, to w h ic h a re th en c o nnec ted th e
time dela y c irc uits 3 a a nd 3 b, w h ic h a re in? uenc ed v ia
th e mea s uring c irc uit 4 by mea ns o f th e lines 1 8 0 a nd
1 8 b. Th e o utp ut s ig na ls 1 3 a , 1 3 b o f th e time dela y c ir
c uits 3 a , 3 b a re c o mbined v ia a lo g ic g a te 8 , w h ic h in
turn a c tiv a tes th e ig nitio n Z direc tly. S ec o ndly, th e
c irc uit a c c o rding to F IG. 2 c o nta ins a brea k s ens o r 5
w h ic h , f o r ex a mp le, th ro ug h a n a mp lif ier 6 , a c tiv a tes a
lo g ic g a te 7 ins erted in th e o utp ut line 1 2 w h ic h rela ys
th e s h o rt dela y time A tk , th us s up erimp o s ing th e o utp ut
s ig na l 1 2 . Th e brea k s ens o r 5 is , f o r ex a mp le, a w ire
ins erted a t th e p o int o f in? ec tio n betw een th e c o ntro l
unit a nd th e a c tiv e p a rt o f th e p ro j ec tile. If th e w ire
brea k s o f f during o bliq ue imp ing ement, th e ig nitio n is
trig g ered a f ter th e s h o rt dela y time A tk .
In th e f o reg o ing s p ec i? c a tio n, th e inv entio n h a s been
des c ribed w ith ref erenc e to s p ec i? c ex emp la ry embo di
ments th ereo f . It w ill, h o w ev er, be ev ident th a t v a rio us
mo di? c a tio ns a nd c h a ng es ma y be ma de th ereunto
w ith o ut dep a rting f ro m th e bro a der s p irit a nd s c o p e o f
th e inv entio n a s s et f o rth in th e a p p ended c la ims . Th e
s p ec i? c a tio n a nd dra w ing s a re, a c c o rding ly, to be re
g a rded in a n illus tra tiv e ra th er th a n in a res tric tiv e
s ens e.
Wh a t is c la imed is :
1 . A n ig nitio n dev ic e f o r a p ro j ec tile p enetra ting into
a ta rg et h a v ing elec tro nic ig nitio n dela y mea ns a dj us t
a ble in a c c o rda nc e w ith s ens o r s ig na ls c o mp ris ing :
2 0
2 5
3 5
4 5
5 0
5 5
6 5
4
th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns h a v ing a n inp ut c o up led to
rec eiv e a n o utp ut s ig na l f ro m a n a c c elera tio n s ens
s o r;
s a id th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns g enera ting o utp ut s ig na ls
w h ic h o c c ur, dep ending o n th e a mp litude o f th e
o utp ut s ig na l f ro m th e a c c elera tio n s ens o r, w h en a
s ig na l th res h o ld is f a llen s h o rt o f o r ex c eeded, a nd
w h ic h a c tiv a te a time dela y c irc uit mea ns g enera t
ing a time dela y h a v ing a t lea s t tw o dela y ra ng es ;
s a id time dela y c irc uit mea ns h a v ing a n o utp ut s ig na l
w h ic h trig g ers th e ig nitio n o f a n a c tiv e c h a rg e in
th e p ro j ec tile, th e mea n dura tio n o f th e dela y time
being s h o rt f o r h ig h o utp ut s ig na ls f ro m th e a c c el
era tio n s ens o r a nd lo ng er f o r lo w o utp ut s ig na ls
f ro m th e a c c elera tio n s ens o r.
2 . Th e ig nitio n dev ic e rec ited in c la im 1 , f urth er c o m
p ris ing a mea s uring c irc uit f o r determining th e ? ig h t
time o f th e p ro j ec tile c o up led to th e time dela y c irc uit
f o r leng th ening th e dela y time w ith in th e dela y time
ra ng e a s a f unc tio n o f th e ? ig h t time o f th e p ro j ec tile.
3 . Th e ig nitio n dev ic e rec ited in c la im 2 , w h erein th e
mea s uring c irc uit is res p o ns iv e to a n o utp ut s ig na l o f th e
a c c elera tio n s ens o r.
4 . Th e ig nitio n c irc uit rec ited in c la im 2 , w h erein th e
mea s uring c irc uit is res p o ns iv e to a n ig nitio n s ig na l
f ro m a g a s g enera to r o f a c o ntro l dev ic e o f th e p ro j ec
tile.
5 . Th e ig nitio n c irc uit rec ited in c la im 2 , w h erein th e
mea s uring c irc uit is res p o ns iv e to a n ig nitio n s ig na l f o r
a th erma l ba ttery o f th e p ro j ec tile.
6 . Th e ig nitio n dev ic e rec ited in c la im 1 , w h erein th e
th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns h a s a p lura lity o f s ig na l th res h
o lds f o r dis ting uis h ing th e s ig na ls p ro v ided by th e a c c el
era tio n s ens o r.
7 . Th e ig nitio n dev ic e rec ited in c la im 1 w h erein a n
o utp ut s ig na l o f a brea k s ens o r is imp o s ed o n th e o utp ut
s ig na l o f th e th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns w h ic h bring s a bo ut
th e a c tiv a tio n o f th e s h o rt dela y time o f th e time dela y
c irc uit mea ns .
8 . Th e ig nitio n dev ic e rec ited in c la im 7 w h erein th e
o utp ut s ig na l o f th e brea k s ens o r is imp o s ed o n th e
o utp ut s ig na l o f th e th res h o ld c irc uit mea ns by lo g ic
mea ns .
a a - * a : a :