With Or Including A Timing Device Patents (Class 102/238)
  • Patent number: 11512938
    Abstract: Fuze assembly systems, devices, and methods. The fuze assembly includes a baseplate; a first gear operably connected to the baseplate and rotatable about a fixed axis between a safety position and an armed position; and a retention device configured to retain the first gear in the safety position and enable rotation of the first gear while being subject to a centrifugal force above a first threshold from rotation of the assembly. The fuze assembly further includes a second gear in operable contact with the first gear and configured to move along a path of the baseplate due to the centrifugal force to rotate the first gear from the safety position to the armed position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: AURA Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Garrett Goss, Alex Blate
  • Patent number: 11064086
    Abstract: A label modification system is disclosed herein. The label modification system may determine a physical configuration of a rewriteable label. The label modification system may select a laser containment structure that is associated with the physical configuration. The laser containment structure may be one of a plurality of laser containment structures that are accessible to a placement device. The label modification system may cause the placement device to position the laser containment structure in association with the rewriteable label to form a sealed enclosure that includes a laser printhead. The label modification system may perform, based on a seal status associated with the laser containment structure and the rewriteable label, an action associated with the rewriteable label.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2020
    Date of Patent: July 13, 2021
    Assignee: Zebra Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Patrick Martin Brown, Richard Mark Clayton
  • Patent number: 9322627
    Abstract: A munitions safety and arming device for artillery ammunition, and an artillery ammunition having the same are provided. The munitions safety and arming device for artillery ammunition includes: a body having a first movement path and a second movement path communicating with the first movement path; a mass body housed in the first movement path and moving from one side of the first movement path to the other side of the first movement path upon receiving centrifugal force based on rotation of an artillery ammunition when the artillery ammunition is fired; a slide member movably installed in the second movement path and slidably moving by a predetermined distance when pressed by the movement of the mass body; and a movement delay unit protruding from the first movement path to reduce the centrifugal force exerted on the mass body to delay a time for the mass body to move.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: AGENCY FOR DEFENSE DEVELOPMENT
    Inventors: Jong Soo Oh, Seung Seob Lee, Choon Jae Lee, Kyoung Woong Seo, Dong Wan Lim
  • Patent number: 8413582
    Abstract: The present invention relates generally to the field of escapement mechanisms for providing mechanical control of motion based on desired timing criteria and more particularly to micro-scale and millimeter scale escapement mechanisms, and even more particularly to such mechanisms produced in whole or in part using multi-layer, multi-material electrochemical fabrication methods. In some embodiments, such escapement mechanisms are used in safing and arming applications for munitions or other explosive devices where two or more accelerations are present at appropriate times where after an arming delay occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2013
    Assignee: Microfabrica Inc.
    Inventor: Richard T. Chen
  • Patent number: 8250984
    Abstract: In accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a submunition is contemplated having a submunition body, an explosive payload housed within said submunition body and an elongated delay member housed within the submunition body, the elongated delay member coated with at least one reactive material that provides a controlled time delay between submunition impact and detonation of the explosive payload. The submunition may also comprise an elongated pendulum having a hollow core sized to receive said elongated delay member, the elongated pendulum adapted to be movable between a locked position that mitigates likelihood of inadvertent detonation of the explosive payload and an unlocked position that enables detonation of the explosive payload.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2009
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2012
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation
    Inventors: Antonio Paulic, Lance Benedict
  • Publication number: 20100251918
    Abstract: A command to arm apparatus includes a housing having a hollow interior. A pivotally-mounted rotor is disposed in the hollow interior. The rotor has a first, safe position of rotational adjustment that prevents detonation of an explosive and a second, armed position of rotational adjustment that enables detonation of an explosive. A locking cam is pivotally mounted to the rotor and has a rotor-locking position of repose. The rotor is free to rotate from its safe position to its armed position when the locking cam is rotated out of the rotor-locking position by a piston that extends from a piston actuator. The rotor abuts a flat formed in a sidewall of the housing and can rotate no further when the device is in the armed configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 26, 2007
    Publication date: October 7, 2010
    Inventor: Norman C. Taylor
  • Patent number: 6951161
    Abstract: A safety and arming apparatus for arming a fuze of a smooth bore projectile, comprises a setback sensor and a spin rate sensor. The setback sensor is in cooperative electronic communication with the spin rate sensor such that when the setback sensor senses at least one predetermined setback condition and the spin rate sensor detects a predetermined number of spins within a predetermined window of time the fuze is armed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 17, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2005
    Assignee: Alliant Techsystems, Inc.
    Inventor: Kenneth Ceola
  • Patent number: 6568329
    Abstract: A MEMS type safe and arm apparatus for a fuze includes a setback slider responsive to a first setback acceleration, the setback slider moving linearly in response to the first setback acceleration; a setforward slider responsive to a first setforward acceleration, the setback slider unlocking the setforward slider, the setforward slider moving linearly in response to the first setforward acceleration; a first rotor responsive to a second setback acceleration, the setforward slider unlocking the first rotor, the first rotor rotating in response to the second setback acceleration; a second rotor responsive to a second setforward acceleration, the first rotor unlocking the second rotor, the second rotor rotating in response to the second setforward acceleration; and an arming slider that moves linearly in response to the rotation of the second rotor to thereby arm the fuze.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 27, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Charles H. Robinson
  • Patent number: 5705766
    Abstract: A fuse (12) detonates a spin-stabilized projectile (10) after the fuse (12) experiences a preset number of turns. The preset number is communicated (64) to the fuse (12) prior to launch. A semiconductor piezoelectric strain gauge (26) senses stress and provides a signal which is responsive to centrifugal forces experienced by the sensor (26) as a result of projectile spin. A microcontroller (30) repetitively digitizes and translates the sensor signal to determine turn numbers, which the microcontroller (30) integrates to determine the total number of turns experienced by the fuse (12) since launch. When the accumulated turn number reaches (94) the preset number, the fuse (12) detonates the projectile (10). However, an arming duration (76) must have expired before the projectile (10) can detonate, and the projectile (10) can detonate at any time following the expiration of the arming duration when an impact is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 30, 1995
    Date of Patent: January 6, 1998
    Assignee: Motorola, Inc.
    Inventors: Louis Pasqual Farace, John Floyd Kaslow, Monty Wooson Bai
  • Patent number: 5576510
    Abstract: An impact fuse for a projectile comprises a firing needle and a main detonator carried by a rotor. The rotor is rotatable about an axis, upon launching of the projectile, and is rotated by centrifugal force from a safety position to a firing position in which the firing needle is aligned with the main detonator. Upon target impact, the rotor is displaced axially to cause the firing needle to detonate the main detonator. Acceleration forces occurring upon launching cause a piercing pin to activate a delay detonator. After a pre-selected time delay, the activated delay detonator emits a gas which displaces the rotor axially and produces detonation of the main detonator, in the absence of target impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: November 19, 1996
    Assignee: Gebruder Junghans GmbH
    Inventor: Werner Rudenauer
  • Patent number: 5147974
    Abstract: In a weapon subject to linear acceleration and spin, including a detonator and an explosive charge, the safing and arming device comprising a housing, a setback spring configuration restraining a ribbon spiral unwinder, and a detonator-enabling circuit which provides a fail safe for the omission of the safing and arming device from the fuze assembly.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 15, 1992
    Assignee: Motorola Inc.
    Inventors: Monty W. Bai, Danny E. Minks, Alfred B. Meyer
  • Patent number: 5056434
    Abstract: In a preferred embodiment, a safe and arm device for spinning munitions that takes advantage of the conservation of momentum law to impart a differential angular velocity to a ball rotating in a race within the device. The rotating ball is used to established discrete time intervals that can be integrated with an electronic counter to determine a safe arm distance, which distance can be programmed to be well beyond the 400-800 caliber arming distance achievable with conventional arming devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 27, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 15, 1991
    Assignee: Magnavox Government and Industrial Electronics Company
    Inventors: Chiman R. Patel, George Webb
  • Patent number: 4938138
    Abstract: A spin stabilized projectile (16) containing a high explosive bursting charge (24) is provided with a safing and arming mechanism (20) comprising a safety barrier (48) for blocking the firing train between the detonator (38) and the charge (24), and two mechanical components for restraining and releasing the barrier. The two mechanical components include a conventional setback tab (76), which is responsive to forces of linear acceleration during launching of the projectile (16), and a delayed action lock ball device (67, 68), which is responsive to centrifugal forces after the projectile (16) has begun to spin. The delay in the response of the lock ball device (67, 68) to the centrifugal forces is accomplished by means of a creep ribbon (54) which prevents release of the barrier (48) until the ribbon (54) has undergone a predetermined amount of time-dependent deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 1989
    Date of Patent: July 3, 1990
    Assignee: Honeywell Inc.
    Inventor: William O. Maruska
  • Patent number: 4915028
    Abstract: The dud de-arming device serves to de-arm a fuze of a projectile which has remained lying on the ground or the place where it landed as a dud in order to prevent the discovered dud from still exploding when touched or moved. As to spinning projectiles the dud de-arming device should de-arm the fuze after disappearance of the projectile spin and for spinless projectiles the dud de-arming device should de-arm the fuze after a certain time following the impact deceleration of the spinless projectile. The dud de-arming device comprises a rotor which can be rotated by spring force. This rotor can assume an armed or live position due to the projectile spin or by virtue of the firing acceleration. Upon disappearance of the projectile spin or by virtue of the impact deceleration the rotor should assume a de-armed or safety position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 10, 1990
    Assignee: Werkzeugmaschinenfabrik Oerlikon-Buhrle
    Inventor: Robert Apotheloz
  • Patent number: 4535695
    Abstract: A fuse is used in a spin-type projectile. A percussion cap is mounted in a rotor which is normally disposed in a safety position. Rotation of the rotor to a firing position wherein the percussion cap is aligned with a firing pin is prevented by two independently operating safety devices prior to firing of the projectile. A first safety device comprises a conventional centrifugal mechanism which normally holds a bush within a recess of the rotor but releases same when the projectile spins. A second safety device comprises the firing pin which is urged into engagement with the rotor recess by a spring. An inertia disk is moved, in response to spinning of the projectile, to a position holding the firing pin out of engagement with the rotor recess. This enables the rotor to rotate to its firing position. When the projectile spin slows down or when the projectile impacts the target, the inertia disk can be moved aside as the firing pin enters the percussion cap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 1983
    Date of Patent: August 20, 1985
    Assignee: Gebruder Junghans GmbH
    Inventor: Walter Winterhalter
  • Patent number: 4478147
    Abstract: A safety arming device driven by a reversible motor including a detonator sitioned in a casing for initiating explosive logic through the reception of signals from an electric circuit. A driver wheel is rotated by the reversible motor which matingly engages a driven wheel. The driven wheel includes a groove into which a guide pin from the driver wheel moves and the driver wheel rotates through a predetermined angle to align detent slots at a latching position. There is provided an output wheel having gear teeth and explosive output leads, and upon the alignment of the slots in the latching position, the latching mechanism engages the driver/driven wheels, and upon further rotation the wheels are enmeshed to rotate the explosive output lead to an alignment position with the detonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 1983
    Date of Patent: October 23, 1984
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: George N. Hennings, Larry F. Brauer, Richmond H. Nickles
  • Patent number: 4429633
    Abstract: The invention deals with an impact igniter (1) for projectiles with a fuse (15) acting as a transport safety and delayed arming device. By partitioning off the fuse (15) and the striker pin (7, 17) located behind it forward in the projectile trajectory direction, and by leading some of the surrounding air which streams past the projectile, against the fuse (15) through channels (24, 31) angled in relation to the trajectory direction, the igniter has been made rain-safe without extending the arming time unacceptably.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 1981
    Date of Patent: February 7, 1984
    Assignee: Aktiebolaget Bofors
    Inventors: Soren Edelton, Bo Peterson
  • Patent number: 4418621
    Abstract: The mechanism comprises two toothed rotary bodies (1,2) sensitive to the gyratory centrifugal force of the projectile. The rotary bodies (1,2) mesh with each other. The body (1) simultaneously meshes with a toothed pinion (9) the shaft (10) of which carries, for example, the escapement wheel of a delay device having a balance of the fuze. The rotary bodies (1,2) conjointly develop a substantially constant driving couple which is the resultant of positive driving couple of one of them and of a negative braking couple of the other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 23, 1981
    Date of Patent: December 6, 1983
    Assignee: Mefina S.A.
    Inventor: Jean Rosselet
  • Patent number: 4215635
    Abstract: An improved safe and arming device for isolating the fuse from the main eosive charge in spin stabilized shells to prevent premature detonation of such shells. The improved safe and arming device comprises a housing adapted to be positioned intermediate of the fuse and the main explosive charge of such shells for rotation therewith about a shell spin axis when the shell is fired, a rotor mounted in the housing for rotation about a rotor axis, and a rotatable control member engageable with the rotor and being rotatable about an axis extending in the same direction as the rotor axis for controlling the rate of rotation of the rotor. The rotor is positionable in a desired start position and is adapted to rotate in response to rotation of the shell to an armed position to communicate a detonation signal from the fuse to the explosive charge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1978
    Date of Patent: August 5, 1980
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: Louis P. Farace
  • Patent number: 4154169
    Abstract: The invention relates to a safety device for a pyrotechnic assembly in a projectile, comprising a fire-screening flap disposed between an ignition primer and explosives, said flap being mounted so as to be escapable under the action of a mechanism provided with a regulator, said regulator being mounted on said flap itself.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 1977
    Date of Patent: May 15, 1979
    Assignee: Societe Anonyme Sormel
    Inventor: Maurice R. Petiteau