Patents Assigned to The United States of America as Reperesented by the Secretary of the Army
  • Patent number: 8627771
    Abstract: A fragmenting warhead is provided having an outer cylindrically shaped hollow steel shell which can be selectively detonated into different fragment types and sizes. The warhead has a plastic liner within said shell, and a core of explosive. There are a number of insulated wire grids of high electrical resistance which will heat when an electrical current is provided thereto located in intimate thermal contact with the explosive, each grid corresponding to a fragment type and size for selection by providing electrical current to that selected grid. Heat flux is caused when an electrical current runs through a particular grid and this selectively melts explosive in the near vicinity of such grid, then a detonation of the explosive core will result in a fragmentation type and pattern corresponding to that grid type and pattern. An ignition propellant train may also be selectively associated with wires on the grids to further selectively detonate the explosive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: The United States of America as Reperesented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Vladimir M. Gold