Patents by Inventor Lucia D. Kuhns

Lucia D. Kuhns has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6484642
    Abstract: Fragmentation body for fragmentation projectiles and warheads, including an integral fragmentation shell structure made of cast metal, and the shell structure has an outer wall surface and an inner wall surface separated by a thickness of the shell, where at least one of the inner or outer surfaces includes recesses formed through part of the thickness of the shell to define a plurality of fragments which remain integrated with the shell structure until an explosive force is detonated in proximity of the shell, wherein the shell material comprises a steel alloy including carbon, chromium, nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, and the balance essentially being iron. Shell structures of the inventive fragmentation body also have a fragmentation pattern defined via recesses or grooves provided in at least one of the inner or outer wall surfaces thereof to define the size and shapes of the fragment projectiles desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Lucia D. Kuhns, Donna R. Reedal, Leonard T. Wilson
  • Patent number: 6135028
    Abstract: A penetrating, dual-mode warhead having soft target, surface burst mode and a hard target, penetrating mode is provided. The warhead has a cylindri outer fragmenting shell which contains an explosive surround. A long-rod penetrator with an explosive payload is located within the outer fragmenting shell. By arming selection prior to launch, the warhead can be configured for the surface burst mode which uses proximity sensor to initiate the outer shell explosive. The outer shell initiates the penetrator payload thereby detonating both explosives and fragmenting both the shell and penetrator casing. In the penetrating mode, the outer shell is stripped away on impact but is initiated just as the penetrator exits the shell. By this method the penetrator remains undamaged, but the outer shell nevertheless detonates to engage any surface targets. The penetrator continues into the hardened target, detonating on either a void sensor or on timing, whichever occurs first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Lucia D. Kuhns, Leonard T. Wilson