Focused Or Directed Detonation Patents (Class 102/475)
  • Publication number: 20030164109
    Abstract: The present invention controls the polar ejection angle of fragments in a fragmenting warhead. The warhead's detonators are initiated non-simultaneously to produce corresponding detonation waves in the warhead's explosive material. The detonation waves interact to control the polar ejection angle of fragments formed when the warhead's casing ruptures. Specified times of detonation for each of the detonators can be selected/adjusted after the warhead is deployed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2002
    Publication date: September 4, 2003
    Inventor: Timothy L. Spivak
  • Publication number: 20020096079
    Abstract: A disrupter has a plastic box 1 with three semi-cylindrical plastic formers 2 each with a bag 4 containing water. Sheet explosive 13 is applied to the back of the formers.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2001
    Publication date: July 25, 2002
    Inventor: Sidney Christopher Alford
  • Patent number: 6283036
    Abstract: This invention involves a hard target penetrating warhead designed to produce a variable explosive discharge. A standard warhead casing is divided into several compartments with each compartment separated by a shock-absorbing shield. Explosive fill in contained within each compartment. The shock-absorbing shield inhibits the dynamic shock produced by detonating a compartment, thus preventing sympathetic detonation of adjoining compartments. As a result, the size of an explosive blast is controlled by detonating the explosive fill, in a set number of compartments. Each compartment also contains an igniter element, which initiates a slow burn of undetonated explosive fill.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2001
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Terrence Lane Munsinger
  • Patent number: 6269725
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for disarming improvised bombs are disclosed. The apparatus comprises a fluid-filled bottle or container made of plastic or another soft material which contains a fixed or adjustable, preferably sheet explosive. The charge is fired centrally at its apex and can be adjusted to propel a fluid projectile that is broad or narrow, depending upon how it is set up. In one embodiment, the sheet explosive is adjustable so as to correlate the performance of the fluid projectile to the disarming needs for the improvised explosive device (IED). Common materials such as plastic water bottles or larger containers can be used, with the sheet explosive or other explosive material configured in a general chevron-shape to target the projectile toward the target. In another embodiment, a thin disk of metal is conformably mounted with the exterior of the container and radially aligned with the direction of fire of the fluid projectile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 2, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2001
    Assignee: Sandia Corporation
    Inventor: Christopher R. Cherry
  • Patent number: 6131518
    Abstract: Different compositions of layers forming a non-homogeneous explosive charge are selected so as to produce in response to underwater detonation of s explosive charge a gas bubble having a corresponding internal density distribution of explosion products to predetermine shape and direction of a water jet emerging from such bubble during collapse thereof for enhanced impact damage to an adjacent underwater target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 1998
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2000
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Franklin D. Hains
  • Patent number: 6044765
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a device for combating aircraft (4). According to the invention, use is made of a projectile which rotates in the trajectory (5) towards the target (4) and which is provided with a direction-sensing proximity fuse whose direction of impact has been coordinated with a defined splinter-scattering direction for the explosive charge (8) of the projectile. In a preferred embodiment, the projectile concerned is a projectile which is fired by means of rocket technology, backblast technology or, alternatively, by means of a gas generator, and which is included in a one-man weapon or team-operated weapon of the single-shot type.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2000
    Assignee: Bofors AB
    Inventor: Chirster Regebro
  • Patent number: 5965838
    Abstract: A warhead for use in air defense missiles has a flat-sided cross-sectional onfiguration which can be mass focused to direct an entire side onto a target. The warhead may be rotated about the missile longitudinal axis to properly orient a warhead side at the time of detonation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 1975
    Date of Patent: October 12, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: George T. Boswell, William G. Rueb
  • Patent number: 5932833
    Abstract: The fly over homing guidance system for terminal homing missile guidance is fire and forget missile guidance method wherein on board target sensing tracks the target and guides the missile to the target, but instead of being guided to a direct impact as is conventionally done, the missile is guided toward a precise distance over the top of the target, intentionally avoiding impact. A second sensor on the missile detects the leading edge of the target, such as the turret of a tank. The warhead is then fired down onto the top of the target as the missile is guided or directed over it. Further, the shot line of the warhead is substantially perpendicular to the top of the target, maximizing lethality. This allows the use of the same angle of attack and warhead for all modes of target engagement and thus maintains high lethality for every firing scenario.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: August 3, 1999
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Ricky K. Hammon, Monte K. Helton
  • Patent number: 5631442
    Abstract: A missile includes a warhead accommodated in an inner space at a front portion of the missile; a ball joint being in alignment with the longitudinal missile axis and pivotally supporting the warhead; and an aiming device for placing the warhead into a desired pivotal orientation. The aiming device includes a plurality of inflatable vessels arranged axially adjacent the warhead in a distribution about the missile axis. Each vessel has a first end oriented toward the warhead and a second end oriented away therefrom. The vessels are supported at their second end by a disk situated in the inner space of the missile. A gas generator is coupled to each vessel for charging the vessel with a gas to place the vessel into its inflated state. In the inflated state each vessel exerts a torque on the warhead about the ball joint by an engagement between the first end of the respective vessel and the warhead. Further, an electronic control system is accommodated in the inner space of the vessel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 1, 1996
    Date of Patent: May 20, 1997
    Assignee: Rheinmetall Industrie GmbH
    Inventors: Wilfried Becker, Dirk Kilfitt, Werner Grosswendt
  • Patent number: 5544589
    Abstract: An axially extending fragmentation warhead having a plurality of separate axially extending deformation charges in its radially outer surface. The deformation charges are located in a damping layer enclosing a fragmentation layer covering a cylindrical jacket enclosing a main explosive charge. The deformation charges facing a target can be individually ignited to inwardly deform the cylindrical jacket and the fragmentation layer prior to igniting the main explosive charge for selectively directing the fragmentation layer at the target. The deformation charges can be ignited individually or in selected groups to increase the effectiveness of the fragments directed at the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 13, 1996
    Assignee: Daimler-Benz Aerospace AG
    Inventor: Manfred Held
  • Patent number: 5450794
    Abstract: A solid explosive charge is provided with plural detonators on its outer surface at locations from which divergent shock waves simultaneously emerge for movement inwardly of the explosive body. Such shock waves form an uninterrupted wave front enclosing a progressively decreasing volume of the explosive as it converges toward the center of the charge to correspondingly increase peak implosion pressure within a body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 29, 1963
    Date of Patent: September 19, 1995
    Inventor: Bernard E. Drimmer
  • Patent number: 5320044
    Abstract: A novel warhead employing a unique shaped charge liner design is disclosed. particular construction of the liner is described whereby the fabrication process uses three radii of curvature to generate an arcuate design which is convex when viewed from the open end. This liner design is capable of producing two distinct jets; a front or precursor jet consisting of small diameter particles traveling faster than a secondary or main jet and consists of larger diameter particles.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 17, 1985
    Date of Patent: June 14, 1994
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventor: William P. Walters
  • Patent number: 5271332
    Abstract: The detonation wave velocity in a solid explosive body of material, incred by the "channel effect", is further increased by compounding of the "channel effect" and/or by partial shock wave interruption by means of a threaded or rifled passage wall surface in a continuous, open channel arrangement. The high velocity detonation wave can be used to increase the jet velocity of shaped charges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Raafat H. Guirguis
  • Patent number: 5267513
    Abstract: An explosive round is formed by a bundle of fibers made of explosive matel held in peripheral contact with each other within an outer casing. Axially extending channel passages thereby extend between the fibers to conduct shock waves periodically impacting explosive blockage plugs in order to generate auxiliary detonation waves in forward and reverse directions. The auxiliary waves propagated in the reverse direction collide with the original detonation wave in the fibers between the blockage plugs at the locations of axial gaps between the fiber segments so as to reduce peak pressure oscillation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1992
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Raafat H. Guirguis, Kibong Kim
  • Patent number: 5235916
    Abstract: Broadly the disclosure relates to a warhead positioner system which includes a warhead construction comprising a cylindrical missile section having a sector-shaped ordnance charge forming one quadrant thereof, means supporting said missile section for rotational movement about the longitudinal axis of the missile, torque motor means for controlling the rotational position, and means conducting electrical signals to said torque motor from an electric seeker head whereby the charge is positioned so as to be directed toward a desired target upon being detonated. Further, the electrical signal conducting means comprise digital-type circuitry responsive to the electric seeker head output for positioning the charge in one of four quadrants and further analog circuitry for positioning the charge in either half of the selected quadrant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 1966
    Date of Patent: August 17, 1993
    Assignee: Hughes Missile Systems Company
    Inventor: Thomas M. Winger
  • Patent number: 5233929
    Abstract: An explosive device has a main charge explosive, and a booster explosive ring with main charge explosive filling the space in the center of the booster ring. When the booster explosive is set off, explosive shock waves converge on the space in the center of the ring, thus initiating the main charge explosive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Patrick F. Spahn
  • Patent number: 5229542
    Abstract: A selectable fragmentation warhead capable of producing a predetermined number of fragments from a metal plate, and accelerating the fragments toward a target. A first explosive located adjacent to the plate is detonated at selected number of points by laser-driven slapper detonators. In one embodiment, a smoother-disk and a second explosive, located adjacent to the first explosive, serve to increase acceleration of the fragments toward a target. The ability to produce a selected number of fragments allows for effective destruction of a chosen target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 1992
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
    Inventors: Courtney S. Bryan, Dennis L. Paisley, Nelson I. Montoya, David B. Stahl
  • Patent number: 5221810
    Abstract: In an explosive device having a main charge explosive, a booster explosive mbedded in the main charge explosive, and a detonator, a can or plate is embedded in the main charge explosive and provides a high impedance surface which is shaped and oriented so that shock waves from the booster explosion will strike the high impedance surface at normal incidence and be reflected back toward the booster explosion. This increases the pressure in the main charge explosive material between the booster explosive and the can or plate, thus increasing the effectiveness of the booster explosive.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 1992
    Date of Patent: June 22, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Patrick F. Spahn
  • Patent number: 5182418
    Abstract: An aimable warhead in which a plurality of detonators is disposed about the eriphery of an explosive charge with a proximity selector means provided for sensing the location of a target in relation to the warhead and thereafter selectively initiating one of the detontators opposite the side from which the explosion is to be directed in order that the resulting explosion wave may be directed toward the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 21, 1965
    Date of Patent: January 26, 1993
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: James C. Talley
  • Patent number: 5050503
    Abstract: A system for aiming a selectively aimable warhead (SAW) at a target by exsively deforming the warhead into a shape desirable for directionality. Twenty-four explosive forming charges are located around the circumference of the warhead and run the entire length of the warhead. The proximity fuze selects one sector out of 24 as the direction aim. Having selected a sector in the azimuth, the forming charge in that sector plus the adjacent two forming charges are initiated simultaneously. After a time delay interval sufficient to allow the warhead to deform (about 1/2 millisecond to 1 millisecond), warhead boosters located furthest from the target (or 180 degrees from the forming charges) and on each end of the warhead, are initiated simultaneously. The warhead is detonated generating a high velocity fragment beam towards the target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 1971
    Date of Patent: September 24, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventors: Fred L. Menz, Michael R. Osburn, Jerry O. Jones
  • Patent number: 5044282
    Abstract: A cylindrical jacketed core explosive configuration with a circular tapered lyer plate operatively disposed in front of it produces a high velocity jet capable of penetrating hard materials. The charge assembly length is less than 1.4 times its diameter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 15, 1990
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1991
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Army
    Inventors: Brian Fuchs, Barry Fishburn, Ernest L. Baker, Pai-Lien Lu
  • Patent number: 5033387
    Abstract: An explosive charge provided with a metal facing for the formation of an essentially rod-shaped projectile by detonative conversion of the facing. The facing is provided in its central region with a coating of a material which is denser than the material of the facing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1982
    Date of Patent: July 23, 1991
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventor: Hendrik R. Lips
  • Patent number: 5009167
    Abstract: A high-explosive projectile including a projectile body having a forward region and a tail region which transitions to a base, with an explosive charge disposed within the body and detonated by a suitable fuse, and a driving band disposed on the outer circumferential surface of the projectile body in the tail region, wherein the wall thickness of the tail region of the projectile body is substantially the same as the wall thickness of the forward region of the projectile body; the tail region of the projectile body has a cylindrical shape up to its transition to the base and forms a circumferential edge at the transition; and the rearward, gas pressure receiving side of the driving band is disposed adjacent the circumferential edge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 23, 1991
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Achim Sippel, Heinz-Josef Kruse, Wilfried Becker
  • Patent number: 5003885
    Abstract: A warhead for an airborne body which is employed for the attacking of a lightly-armored target through the intermediary of splinters or fragments, and wherein the warhead possesses within a protective enclosure a safe-and-arm and triggering arrangement, an explosive charge and a splinter-forming insert.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 14, 1989
    Date of Patent: April 2, 1991
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Karl Rudolf, Konrad Ringel
  • Patent number: 4848239
    Abstract: A fuse for an antiballistic missile including a generator of two conical beams, each directed at a different, predetermined angle to the missile axis and including a plurality of range gates. A signal processor senses target intercept with the beams and range gates and calculates target miss distance and crossing angle. The fuse includes circuitry to detonate selected detonators for generating a fragment pattern directed toward the sensed target position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 1987
    Date of Patent: July 18, 1989
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventor: Earl E. Wilhelm
  • Patent number: 4768440
    Abstract: A warhead for a guided missile initiated by a proximity fuse, for use against high speed high altitude targets, comprises a fragmentation casing, an outer explosive charge contained in the casing and having a detonator and an inner explosive charge radially separated from the outer charge by an empty space. The inner charge has a detonator and is so arranged that the outer charge is detonated by the shockwave travelling through the radial space. On the other hand, the inner charge does not detonate following explosion of the outer charge. The charges are so shaped that the fragments from the casing are distributed as a radially directed isotopic shower.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1988
    Assignee: Matra
    Inventors: Pierre Deneuville, Ellio Perez
  • Patent number: 4538519
    Abstract: A warhead unit carrying a pay load and being suspended from a parachute which brakes the descent of the warhead unit. The pay load includes a sensor for detecting a target and a projectile-forming charge which is fired from the pay load when activated by the sensor. The pay load is rotated by jet nozzles first about a longitudinal axis and then about a diagonal axis after the point of suspension has been shifted from the center of the top surface of the pay load to a corner of the top surface of the pay load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 1984
    Date of Patent: September 3, 1985
    Assignee: Rheinmetall GmbH
    Inventors: Wolfram Witt, Manfred Moll
  • Patent number: 4493262
    Abstract: The fuel air explosive (FAE) device of this invention is equipped with a vity responsive unitary burster-detonator positioned in the liquid fuel, wherein the burster is heavier than the liquid fuel and the cloud detonator is lighter than the liquid fuel to provide for automatic means to orient the burster at the bottom of the fuel container and to simultaneously orient the cloud detonator at the top of the fuel container with hand operated release means on the exterior of the device to activate the burster and cloud detonator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 3, 1982
    Date of Patent: January 15, 1985
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Don S. Hutcheson
  • Patent number: 4408535
    Abstract: Explosive cutting means comprising explosive material, preferably in flat strip form, which can be arranged in contact with a surface of a target on either side of an intended line of cut and means for so detonating the explosive material that shock waves will be produced in the target material simultaneously on either side of the intended line of cut, which shock waves will travel towards and will coincide substantially at the intended line of cut. The invention also discloses a method of explosive cutting using said means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1981
    Date of Patent: October 11, 1983
    Assignee: Alflex Limited
    Inventor: Sidney C. Alford
  • Patent number: 4398467
    Abstract: An explosive fragmentation device such as a grenade or a mortar bomb has a casing formed from flat sided notched wire formed into a coil. Instead of coiling the wire so that sides of the coiled wire which are adjacent after coiling lie normal to the longitudinal axis of the coil, as in a known form of grenade body, the wire is given additionally a twist about its own longitudinal axis during coiling, so that the adjacent flat faces of adjacent turns are substantially normal to the surface of the finished casing. In this way adjacent turns overlay one another, preferably completely, and the outer surface of the casing can then be smooth. Also, adjacent turns can then be bonded together as by brazing or soldering, which is impractical with coiling "normal to the axis". This means explosive cannot be trapped between adjacent turns to be accidentally detonated, an outer casing is unnecessary, and the casing is stronger.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 1980
    Date of Patent: August 16, 1983
    Assignee: The Secretary of State for Defence in Her Britannic Majesty's Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
    Inventor: John W. Leigh
  • Patent number: 4384527
    Abstract: An explosive body having an intensified detonation pressure is disclosed, characterized in that the body includes a main explosive charge and an auxiliary explosive charge. A material is arranged between the charges for transmitting the impact wave from the detonating auxiliary charge to the main charge. Detonation of the main charge is delayed following detonation of the auxiliary charge, whereby the impact wave of the auxiliary charge compresses the explosive of the main charge. Thus, the intensity of the resulting detonation pressure of the main charge is increased.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 1979
    Date of Patent: May 24, 1983
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH
    Inventor: Horst-Georg Bugiel
  • Patent number: 4280408
    Abstract: A projectile with a penetrating member, in which a pyrotechnic composition is arranged ahead of and rearwardly of the penetrating member. The forward composition, preferably incendiary, is encompassed by a ballistic hood, the rearward composition being at least partially of explosive material is detonatable by an impact detonator. The head portion of the penetrating member is formed of two regions having different slopes to increase the activity of the projectile at flat striking angles against a target. The two regions are separated by a sharp-edged gripping edge. The penetrating member may also include in the interior thereof a plug of a pyrophorically acting metal or alloy.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1979
    Date of Patent: July 28, 1981
    Assignee: Diehl GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Adolf Weber, Siegfried Rhau, Utz-Udo Ahlers
  • Patent number: H2025
    Abstract: This invention involves a hard target penetrating warhead designed to penetrate several layers of a target. A standard warhead casing is divided into several compartments with each compartment separated by a shock-absorbing shield. Explosive fill in contained within each compartment. The shock-absorbing shield inhibits the dynamic shock produced by detonating a compartment, thus preventing sympathetic detonation of adjoining compartments. Each compartment also contains a delay element, which permits each compartment to be ignited at the desired time. This allows the warhead to destroy a layer of a target then proceed to the next layer or layers, eliminating the need for several missiles to destroy the entire target.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2000
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2002
    Assignee: The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Terrence Lane Munsinger